Patent Application
20170176887
None.
1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to electrophotographic imaging devices such as printers or multifunction devices having printing capability, and more particularly to a toner cartridge having an axially movable member in a toner reservoir thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the electrophotographic printing process, an electrically charged rotating photoconductive drum is selectively exposed to a laser beam. The areas of the photoconductive drum exposed to the laser beam are discharged creating an electrostatic latent image of a page to be printed on the photoconductive drum. Toner particles are then electrostatically picked up by the latent image on the photoconductive drum creating a toned image on the photoconductive drum. The toned image is transferred to the print media (e.g., paper) either directly by the photoconductive drum in a one-step transfer system or indirectly by an intermediate transfer member in a two-step transfer system. The toner is then fused to the media using heat and pressure to complete the print.
However, not all of the toner picked up by the photoconductive drum is transferred to the print media or intermediate transfer member due to inefficiencies in the image transfer process. Residual toner left on the photoconductive drum after the photoconductive drum has contacted the print media or intermediate transfer member must be removed before the next image is formed in order to avoid contamination of the next image. For this purpose, a cleaner blade or a cleaner brush is placed in contact with the photoconductive drum (and, in a two-step transfer system, the intermediate transfer member) to wipe the residual toner from its surface. The residual toner removed by the cleaner blade or cleaner brush is then stored in a waste toner container. The size of the waste toner container is preferably minimized in order to reduce the overall size of the image forming device.
The image forming device's toner supply is typically stored in one or more toner cartridges that must be replaced periodically to continue to provide toner to the image forming device for printing. In order to ensure optimized performance, it is desirable to communicate conditions of the toner cartridge to the image forming device for proper operation.
A toner cartridge for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir and has a threaded portion. A thread follower mounted on the threaded portion of the shaft moves axially along the threaded portion of the shaft when the shaft rotates. A magnet is movable with the thread follower axially along the shaft for detecting an axial position of the thread follower along the shaft by magnetic sensors when the toner cartridge is installed in the electrophotographic image forming device.
A toner cartridge for an electrophotographic image forming device according to another example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir and has a threaded portion. A partition mounted on the threaded portion of the shaft moves axially along the threaded portion of the shall when the shaft rotates. The partition divides the reservoir into a first toner compartment and a second toner compartment. A magnet is movable with the partition axially along the shaft for detecting an axial position of the partition along the shaft by magnetic sensors when the toner cartridge is installed in the electrophotographic image forming device.
A toner cartridge for an electrophotographic image forming device according to another example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A movable partition divides the reservoir into a first toner compartment and a second toner compartment. Movement of the partition changes a volume of at least one of the first and second toner compartments. A magnet is connected to and movable with the partition for detecting a position of the partition by magnetic sensors when the toner cartridge is installed in the electrophotographic image forming device.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the present disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.
In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings where like numerals represent like elements. The embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present disclosure. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that process, electrical and mechanical changes, etc., may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Examples merely typify possible variations. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in or substituted for those of others. The following description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting; sense and the scope of the present disclosure is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Referring now to the drawings and particularly to
In the embodiment shown in
Controller 28 includes a processor unit and associated memory 29 and may be formed as one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). Memory 29 may be any volatile or non-volatile memory or combinations thereof such as, for example, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flash memory, and/or non-volatile RAM (NVRAM). Alternatively, memory 29 may be in the form of a separate electronic memory (e.g., RAM, ROM, and/or NVRAM), a hard drive, a CD or DVD drive, or any memory device convenient for use with controller 28. Controller 28 may be, for example, a combined printer and scanner controller.
In the example embodiment illustrated, controller 28 communicates with print engine 30 via a communications link 50. Controller 28 communicates with imaging unit 32 and processing circuitry 44 thereon via a communications link 51. Controller 28 communicates with toner cartridge 35 and processing circuitry 45 therein via a communications link 52. Controller 28 communicates with waste toner transfer system 36 via communications link 53. Controller 28 communicates with media feed system 38 via a communications link 54. Controller 28 communicates with scanner system 41 via a communications link 55. User interface 37 is communicatively coupled to controller 28 via a communications link 56. Processing circuits 44, 45 may provide authentication functions, safety and operational interlocks, operating parameters and usage information related to imaging unit 32 and toner cartridge 35, respectively. Each of processing circuitry 44, 45 includes a processor unit and associated electronic memory. As discussed above, the processor may include one or more integrated circuits in the form of a microprocessor or central processing unit and may be formed as one or more Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The memory may be any volatile or non-volatile memory or combination thereof or any memory device convenient for use with processing circuitry 44, 45. Controller 28 serves to process print data and to operate print engine 30 during printing, as well as to operate scanner system 41 and process data obtained via scanner system 41.
Computer 24, which is optional, may be, for example, a personal computer, network server, tablet computer, smartphone or other hand-held electronic device, including memory 60, such as volatile and/or non-volatile memory, an input device 62, such as a keyboard, and a display, such as a monitor 64. Computer 24 further includes a processor, input/output (UO) interfaces, and may include at least one mass data storage device, such as a hard drive, a CD-ROM and/or a DVD unit (not shown).
Computer 24 includes in its memory a software program including program instructions that function as an imaging driver 66, e.g., printer/scanner driver software, for imaging apparatus 22. Imaging driver 66 is in communication with controller 28 of imaging apparatus 22 via communications link 26. Imaging driver 66 facilitates communication between imaging apparatus 22 and computer 24. One aspect of imaging driver 66 may be, for example, to provide formatted print data to imaging apparatus 22, and more particularly, to print engine 30, to print an image. Another aspect of imaging driver 66 may be, for example, to facilitate collection of scanned data.
In some circumstances, it may be desirable to operate imaging apparatus 22 in a standalone mode. In the standalone mode, imaging apparatus 22 is capable of functioning without computer 24. Accordingly, all or a portion of imaging driver 66, or a similar driver, may be located in controller 28 of imaging apparatus 22 so as to accommodate printing and scanning functionality when operating in the standalone mode.
Print engine 30 includes laser scan unit 31, toner cartridge 35, imaging unit 32, and a fuser 39, all mounted within imaging apparatus 22. The imaging unit 32 is removably mounted in imaging apparatus 22 and includes a developer unit 34 that houses a toner sump and a toner development system. In one embodiment, the toner development system utilizes what is commonly referred to as a single component development system. In this embodiment, the toner development system includes a toner adder roll that provides toner from the toner sump to a developer roll. A doctor blade provides a metered uniform layer of toner on the surface of the developer roll. In another embodiment, the toner development system utilizes what is commonly referred to as a dual component development system. In this embodiment, toner in the toner sump of developer unit 34 is mixed with magnetic carrier beads. The magnetic carrier beads may be coated with a polymeric film to provide triboelectric properties to attract toner to the carrier beads as the toner and the magnetic carrier beads are mixed in the toner sump. In this embodiment, developer unit 34 includes a magnetic roll that attracts the magnetic carrier beads having toner thereon to the magnetic roll through the use of magnetic fields. Imaging unit 32 also includes a cleaner unit 33 that houses a photoconductive drum and a waste toner removal system.
In one embodiment, the cleaner unit 33 and developer unit 34 are assembled together and installed onto a frame of the imaging unit 32. The toner cartridge 35 is then installed on or in proximity with the frame in a mating relation with the developer unit 34. Laser scan unit 31 creates a latent image on the photoconductive drum in the cleaner unit 33. Toner is transferred from the toner sump in developer unit 34 to the latent image on the photoconductive drum by the developer roll (in the case of a single component development system) or by the magnetic roll (in the case of a dual component development system) to create a toned image. The toned image is subsequently transferred to a media sheet from media input tray 40 for printing. Toner may be transferred directly to the media sheet by the photoconductive drum in a one-step transfer system or by an intermediate transfer member that receives the toner from the photoconductive drum in a two-step transfer system. The toner image is bonded to the media sheet in the fuser 39 and then sent to an output location or to one or more finishing options such as a duplexer, a stapler or hole punch. Toner remnants are removed from the photoconductive drum (and, in the case of a two-step transfer system, the intermediate transfer member) by the waste toner removal system and are transported back into the toner cartridge 35 by the waste toner transfer system 36 as discussed in greater detail below.
Controller 28 oversees the functioning of the imaging apparatus 22 including, imaging unit 32, LSU 31, waste toner transfer system 36, user interface 37 and the movement of the media along media path(s) within imaging apparatus 22. Toner cartridge 35 and/or imaging unit 32 may also contain its own associated memory as discussed above.
In one example embodiment, waste toner transfer system 36 includes a waste toner transport mechanism 95 disposed between cleaner unit 33 and toner cartridge 35 for transporting waste toner collected within storage volume 91 back into toner cartridge 35. In the example shown, waste toner transport mechanism 95 includes a waste tube 97 having a first end 97-1 in fluid communication with storage volume 91 via a waste toner outlet 87 of cleaner unit 33 and a second end 97-2 which fluidly communicates with a waste toner inlet port 116 of toner cartridge 35. In one example embodiment, waste tube 97 defines an auger path between the cleaner unit 33 and toner cartridge 35. For example, a spiral screw-like auger or auger wire may be provided along the length of waste tube 97 and driven by a motor (not shown) to transport waste toner from waste toner storage volume 91 to toner cartridge 35.
Referring now to
Aligned openings 118-1, 118-2 are provided in end walls 108, 110. A drive shaft 120 is positioned within toner reservoir 112 and extends along the length of the body 102 with first and second ends 121, 122 thereof extending into aligned openings 118-1, 118-2 in end walls 108, 110. A drive coupler (not shown) is operatively connected to drive shaft 120 and exposed on the exterior of housing 100 such that when toner cartridge 35 is inserted into imaging apparatus 22, the drive coupler engages with a drive mechanism (not shown) in imaging apparatus 22 that provides rotational force to the drive coupler and, in turn, drive shaft 120. The size and configuration of the drive coupler is a matter of design choice and may include a gear or gear train or a coupler such as an Oldham coupler as is known in the art. The drive mechanism in imaging apparatus 22 may be provided with an encoder (not shown) that allows controller 28 to monitor the amount of rotation, angular position and speed of drive shaft 120.
Drive shaft 120 has a threaded portion 123 and an unthreaded portion 124 that meet at a junction 125. In one example embodiment, the diameter of unthreaded portion 124 is less than or equal to a root diameter of the threaded portion 123. In one example embodiment, unthreaded portion 124 has a length that is greater than a length of threaded portion 123. In general, the length of threaded portion 123 may depend upon how much waste toner is to be collected within toner cartridge 35, and/or may correspond to a portion of the longitudinal volume of toner reservoir 112 for storing waste toner. In one example, threaded portion 123 has a length that is approximately one-third of the length of drive shaft 120 within reservoir 112. A paddle assembly 200 is coupled to the drive shaft 120 along the unthreaded portion 124 and rotates with drive shaft 120 to move toner towards exit port 114. Toner cartridge 35 periodically performs a toner addition cycle wherein controller 28 rotates drive shaft 120 a predetermined amount in order to rotate paddle assembly 200 to deliver toner from toner cartridge 35 to toner sump 85 of developer unit 34 when the amount of toner in the toner sump 85 falls below a threshold. Mounted on the threaded portion 123 of drive shaft 120 is a partition 300 that divides the toner reservoir 112 into a first toner compartment 127 for storing fresh toner and a second toner compartment 129 for storing waste toner. First toner compartment 127 is in fluid communication with exit port 114 to allow fresh toner to be supplied to developer unit 34. Depending on the axial location of partition 300 along threaded portion 123, waste toner inlet port 116 may fluidly communicate with the first toner compartment 127 or second toner compartment 129. In
Partition 300 includes a front surface 302, a rear surface 304 and an edge surface 306 interconnecting the front and rear surfaces 302, 304. Based on design choice, partition 300 may be a solid or hollow structure. The front surface 302 and rear surface 304 of partition 300 may be generally smooth and planar and may be generally orthogonal to the axis of rotation of drive shaft 120. One of skill in the art will recognize that other shapes, including non-planar, angled or curvilinear shapes, may be used for the front surface 302 and rear surface 304 and that the shapes of the front surface 302 and rear surface 304 can be different from each other. The edge surface 306 or outer perimeter of partition 300 is shaped to closely conform to the cross-sectional shape of toner reservoir 112 in body 102 while still being able to travel within toner reservoir 112 in order to minimize toner leakage around partition 300.
In accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure, partition 300 is configured to travel along the threaded portion 123 of the drive shaft 120 when the drive shaft 120 rotates. Axial movement of partition 300 changes the volume of at least one of the first and second toner compartments 127, 129. For example, in the embodiment illustrated, when drive shaft 120 rotates in an operative rotational direction, partition 300 moves axially toward junction 125 and away from end 106 decreasing the volume of the first toner compartment 127 and increasing the volume of the second toner compartment 129. Axial movement of partition 300 towards junction 125 may also aid in pushing toner within the first toner compartment 127 toward the exit port 114. Conversely, when drive shaft 120 rotates in a reverse direction opposite the operative rotational direction, partition 300 moves axially away from junction 125 and toward end 106 increasing the volume of the first toner compartment 127 and decreasing the volume of the second toner compartment 129.
Drive shaft 120 passes through an opening 308 in partition 300. In order to allow partition 300 to move axially along the threaded portion 123 of drive shaft 120, in the example embodiment illustrated, opening 308 has a threaded inner circumferential surface forming a threaded hole 308 that matably couples to the threaded portion 123 of drive shaft 120. In this manner, partition 300 operates as a thread follower moving along the threaded portion 123 as drive shaft 120 rotates. A drive shaft seal (not shown) may be provided in or on front surface 302 and/or rear surface 304 to prevent toner leaking through opening 308 of partition 300. In general, the threaded portion 123 and threaded hole 308 have a thread pitch that allows partition 300 to move along drive shaft 120 at a speed that does not cause the volume of the second toner compartment 129 to increase at a rate faster than a rate at which fresh toner is removed from the first toner compartment 127. In one example, the thread pitch is selected such that a predetermined number of revolutions of drive shaft 120 during each toner addition cycle causes partition 300 to translate a predetermined distance along drive shaft 120.
With reference to
The configurations for moving partition 300 along drive shaft 120 of toner cartridge 35 and stopping partition 300 at a predetermined stop position are not limited to the example embodiments illustrated and other configurations may be implemented. For example, in one alternative embodiment, partition 300 may move along the threaded portion 123 of drive shaft 120 until partition 300 hits a stop and the threaded central portion of partition 300 is mechanically disconnected from the partition 300, such as by breaking the area surrounding the threaded hole 308 from partition 300. In another alternative embodiment, a coupling member, such as a threaded nut, may be mounted in or on partition 300 about opening 308 to movably couple partition 300 to drive shaft 120 and allow partition 300 to move axially when drive shaft 120 rotates. In another alternative embodiment, a spring loaded nut may be used that is mounted on partition 300 and held onto the threaded portion 123 by a spring, and when partition 300 moves to the end of the threaded portion 123 of drive shaft 120, the nut is pushed toward the center of the drive shaft 120 onto the unthreaded portion 124 of the drive shaft 120. Other examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,063,460 entitled “Volumetric Toner Cartridge Having Driven Toner Platform” filed on Sep. 14, 2012 and assigned to the assignee of the present application, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In still other alternative example embodiments, partition 300 may move within toner cartridge 35 along drive shaft 120 of toner cartridge 35 using other techniques in lieu of or in addition to using a threaded configuration between drive shaft 120 and partition 300.
In one example embodiment, partition 300 is sealed to prevent toner leakage between the first toner compartment 127 and second toner compartment 129. In one example, a passive bag or bellows (not shown) may be provided within the second toner compartment 129, with one end of the bag attached to partition 300 and the other end of the bag attached to second end 106 such that the bag expands as partition 300 moves toward junction 125 and/or as waste toner enters the second toner compartment 129. In another example, a fur seal, woven seal, foam seal, or microfiber fabric may be provided on the edge surface 306 of partition 300 adjacent to the inner surface of body 102 to provide sealing between the first and second toner compartments 127, 129.
With reference to
In one example embodiment, the plurality of sensors 153 include magnetic sensors and the sensed member 156 may be or include a permanent magnet detectable by the magnetic sensors 153. Magnetic sensors 153 may be Hall Effect sensors for detecting magnetic field strength(s) from magnetic field lines extending between toner cartridge 35 and magnetic sensors 153, but it is understood that the sensors 153 may be other types of sensors that are capable of sensing the presence or absence of a magnetic field. Using sensors 153, controller 28 samples or otherwise collects measurements of the magnetic field generated by magnet 156 on partition 300 and processes the collected measurements, which includes determining an axial position of partition 300 along the drive shaft 120.
Partition 300 is movable between an initial position and a final position along drive shaft 120. As used herein, the initial position of partition 300 corresponds to a position of partition 300 prior to the first use of toner cartridge 35 and the final position corresponds to a position at which partition 300 stops and no longer moves along drive shaft 120 when drive shaft 120 rotates after toner cartridge 35 has been used. In the example embodiment illustrated in
In one example embodiment, magnetic sensors 153 are positioned within imaging apparatus 22 proximate an exterior of housing 100 of toner cartridge 35 at predetermined axial locations to monitor the axial movement and/or axial position of partition 300 when toner cartridge 35 is installed in imaging apparatus 22. Magnet 156 may be positioned in any one of a plurality of positions on the front surface 302, rear surface 304 or edge surface 306 of partition 300, and each magnetic sensor 153 is positioned so that magnet 156 passes proximally and/or adjacent thereto when partition 300 travels axially along drive shaft 120. In other example embodiments, each magnetic sensor 153 is positioned within or as part of toner cartridge 35. In this example, each sensor 153 may communicate measurement readings to controller 28 via a communication interface between imaging apparatus 22 and toner cartridge 35, such as processing circuitry 45 associated with toner cartridge 35.
Moving partition 300 along the drive shaft 120 results in the magnet 156 being located closer or farther away from a corresponding sensor(s) 153, thereby varying the magnetic field strength detected by each sensor 153 and allowing controller 28 to determine the location of partition 300 along drive shaft 120. In the example shown, sensor 153A is positioned to detect partition 300 when partition 300 is at the initial position P1, sensor 153B is positioned to detect when partition 300 is at an intermediate position P2 between the initial position P1 and final position P3 and sensor 153C is positioned to detect when partition 300 reaches the final position P3. Each sensor 153 may be monitored for the presence or absence of a magnetic field to determine the axial location of partition 300. For example, when the movable partition 300 is at the initial position P1, sensor 153A may detect the presence of a magnetic field and the remaining sensors 153B, 153C may indicate the absence of a magnetic field, indicating the partition 300 is at the initial position P1. Likewise, sensor 153B may detect the presence of a magnetic field and the remaining sensors 153A, 153C may indicate the absence of a magnetic field when partition 300 is at the intermediate position P2 and sensor 153C may detect the presence of a magnetic field and the remaining sensors 153A, 153B may indicate the absence of a magnetic field when partition is at the final position P3.
In another embodiment, detection by sensors 153 of the presence of the magnetic field generated by magnet 156 may overlap. For example, when partition 300 is at the initial position P1, sensor 153A may detect the presence of a magnetic field and the remaining sensors 153B, 153C may indicate the absence of a magnetic field, indicating the partition 300 is at the initial position P1. When partition 300 moves to a position between positions P1 and P2, sensors 153A and 153B may detect the presence of the magnetic field and sensor 153C may indicate the absence of a magnetic field, indicating that partition 300 is located between positions P1 and P2. When partition 300 is at the position P2, sensor 153B may detect the presence of a magnetic field and the remaining sensors 153A, 153C may indicate the absence of a magnetic field, indicating the partition 300 is at the position P2. When partition 300 moves to a position between positions P2 and P3, sensors 153B and 153C may detect the presence of the magnetic field and sensor 153A may indicate the absence of a magnetic field, indicating that partition 300 is located between positions P2 and P3. Finally, when partition 300 is at the final position P3, sensor 153C may detect the presence of a magnetic field and the remaining sensors 153A, 153B may indicate the absence of a magnetic field, indicating the partition 300 is at the final position P3. In other alternative embodiments, controller 28 may interpolate and/or extrapolate measured data received from sensor(s) 153 to determine the axial position of partition 300 on drive shaft 120. Although not shown, it is understood that any suitable number of sensors 153 may be positioned between sensors 153A and 153C for sensing intermediate positions of partition 300 between the initial and final positions P1, P3.
In one example embodiment, imaging apparatus 22 uses information relating to the axial movement and/or position of partition 300 along drive shaft 120 to determine a state or condition relating to toner cartridge 35. For example, controller 28 may determine whether toner cartridge 35 is operating normally, such as whether drive shaft 120 and paddle assembly 200 are functioning properly, based on the movement and/or axial position of partition 300. During magnetic field measurement, sensor(s) 153 detect the magnetic field from magnet 156 and the amount of rotation of drive shaft 120 is monitored using the encoder of the drive mechanism driving drive shaft 120. Since the thread pitch of threaded portion 123 is known, an expected amount of axial displacement by partition 300 along drive shaft 120 may be calculated based on the number of rotations of drive shaft 120. Controller 28 may compare the sensed axial position of partition 300, which is based on readings from sensor(s) 153, with the expected axial position of partition 300 as determined based on the number of rotations of drive shaft 120. If the sensed axial position corresponds to the expected axial position, an indication may be made that toner cartridge 35 is operating normally, as expected. A mismatch between the sensed axial position and the expected axial position, however, may indicate that toner cartridge 35 is not operating normally. For example, if a sensor(s) 153 is not triggered at an appropriate time at which magnet 156 is expected to trigger a corresponding sensor 153, an indication may be determined that a faulty toner cartridge 35 has been installed or that toner replenishment is not functioning properly. If it is detected that toner cartridge 35 is not operating normally, controller 28 may control imaging apparatus 22 to respond in a number of ways. In one example, controller 28 may control imaging apparatus 22 to provide an error feedback via user interface 37. In another example embodiment, the presence of movable partition 300 and/or axial movement thereof may be used to determine whether toner cartridge 35 is compatible with imaging apparatus 22. Controller 28 may determine that toner cartridge 35 is compatible for use with imaging apparatus 22 upon detection by one or more of sensors 153, such as at one or more predetermined axial locations relative to drive shaft 120.
In an alternative example embodiment, sensing arrangement 150 may utilize optical components to monitor the axial movement of partition 300 along drive shaft 120. For example, with reference to
In other alternative example embodiments, sensing arrangement 150 may utilize other sensing mechanisms to monitor the axial movement of partition 300 along drive shaft 120. In one example, the inner surface of body 102 of toner cartridge 35 may include electrical contacts or switches (not shown) arranged at predetermined axial locations relative to drive shaft 120 that are engaged and triggered by partition 300 as partition 300 travels along drive shaft 120. In this example, each electrical contact or switch may be communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry 45 associated with toner cartridge 35 and processing circuitry 45 may communicate output signals of each switch to controller 28 of imaging apparatus 22 to indicate that partition 300 is at an axial position corresponding to an axial location of the switch that was triggered. In another example, toner cartridge 35 may include tab sensors (not shown) that are broken off or pushed out of the side of toner cartridge 35 when engaged by partition 300 as partition 300 travels along drive shaft 120. Further, in other embodiments, sensing arrangement 150 may be used to monitor the position of a passive partition, such as, for example, a bag positioned in reservoir 112 that receives waste toner entering waste toner inlet port 116 and expands within reservoir 112 as the bag fills with toner. For example, the bag may include at least one permanent magnet and magnetic sensors may be positioned to detect whether the bag is in an initial contracted or folded state, one or more partially expanded states or a fully expanded state.
The concept of determining a state or condition of toner cartridge 35 based on axial movement of a member mounted on drive shaft 120 may be applied to other toner cartridges with or without a partition therein. For example,
Referring now to
The example embodiment shows spiral agitator 400 having a diameter that tapers inwardly from end wall 110 of body 102 to partition 300. It will also be appreciated that a reverse arrangement of spiral agitator 400 may be implemented wherein its diameter tapers outwardly from end wall 110 of body 102 to partition 300. In one embodiment, agitator 400 is made of wire. In another embodiment, agitator 400 is formed by cutting a spiral from a flat sheet of material. The spiral shape of agitator 400 allows it to be compressed to a substantially flat sheet when partition 300 is at an axial position shown in
In one embodiment, when drive shaft 120 rotates to rotate paddle assembly 200 during toner feeding, agitator 400 rotates with drive shaft 120, expanding as its second end 405 moves together with partition 300 while agitating and/or moving waste toner within second toner compartment 129 towards partition 300 in order to clear the portion of second toner compartment 129 under waste toner inlet port 116 to accommodate the receipt of additional waste toner.
In accordance with another example embodiment of the present disclosure, toner cartridge 35 may be configured such that at least some of the waste toner delivered by the waste toner transfer system 36 is reincorporated with fresh toner in the first toner compartment 127 for reuse. Waste toner is produced by incomplete transfer of a toner image from the photoconductive drum 80 or the intermediate transfer member. Typically, waste toner is contaminated with paper fibers or is of low charge due to extra particulate additives (EPAs) on the toner particle surface. However, shortly after a toner cartridge 35 is installed, waste toner is almost identical to fresh toner. This type of waste toner comes primarily from the photoconductive drum 80 and is produced during cycle-up of the imaging apparatus 22 if the developer bias is temporarily greater in magnitude than the photoconductor bias. Thus, an initial amount of waste toner may be suitable for recycling back into the first toner compartment 127 and then, after a certain time period, such as after a predetermined number of rotations of drive shaft 120 or after a predetermined amount of fresh toner has exited the first toner compartment 127, waste toner may be deposited into the second toner compartment 129.
In the example embodiment shown in
In another example embodiment illustrated in
The configurations for reincorporating waste toner with fresh toner are not limited to the example embodiments shown in
In another example, waste toner transfer system 36 may include a first waste tube (not shown) for transporting waste toner into the first toner compartment 127 and a second waste tube (not shown) for transporting waste toner into the second toner compartment 129. In this example, two separate waste toner entry points may be provided which are in fluid communication with the first toner compartment 127 and second toner compartment 129 and receive waste toner from the first and second waste tubes, respectively. The partition dividing the toner reservoir may be movable as described in the above example embodiments or fixed such that the first and second toner compartment volumes are fixed. A valve (not shown) may be provided to control the flow of waste toner to either the first toner compartment 127 or the second toner compartment 129. For example, the valve may be controllable to selectively switch the flow of waste toner between the first waste tube and second waste tube to deposit waste toner within the first toner compartment 127 or second toner compartment 129, respectively. In one example, the valve switches from the first waste tube to the second waste tube when partition 300 passes a predetermined axial position along drive shaft 120. In another example, the switch is triggered when the print count from toner cartridge 35 reaches a preset value.
The foregoing description illustrates various aspects and examples of the present disclosure. It is not intended to be exhaustive. Rather, it is chosen to illustrate the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the present disclosure, including its various modifications that naturally follow. All modifications and variations are contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure as determined by the appended claims. Relatively apparent modifications include combining one or more features of various embodiments with features of other embodiments.
