U.S. patent application number 12/858930 was filed with the patent office on 2014-12-18 for systems and methods for remanufacturing imaging components.
This patent application is currently assigned to STATIC CONTROL COMPONENTS, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Donald R. Huck, Lawrence Dale Lewis. Invention is credited to Donald R. Huck, Lawrence Dale Lewis.
Application Number | 20140369716 12/858930 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45594185 |
Filed Date | 2014-12-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140369716 |
Kind Code |
A9 |
Lewis; Lawrence Dale ; et
al. |
December 18, 2014 |
Systems and Methods for Remanufacturing Imaging Components
Abstract
A drive gear for a generally cylindrical imaging component. The
drive gear includes a body for engaging the generally cylindrical
imaging component; a cylindrical shaft attached to the body, the
cylindrical shaft having an end surface; and three prongs extending
longitudinally outward from the end surface. Each prong may include
an extension member extending perpendicular to the prongs and the
cross-sectional area of the extension members may be less than the
cross-sectional area of the prongs.
Inventors: |
Lewis; Lawrence Dale;
(Sanford, NC) ; Huck; Donald R.; (Sanford,
NC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Lewis; Lawrence Dale
Huck; Donald R. |
Sanford
Sanford |
NC
NC |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
STATIC CONTROL COMPONENTS,
INC.
SANFORD
NC
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20120045247 A1 |
February 23, 2012 |
|
|
Family ID: |
45594185 |
Appl. No.: |
12/858930 |
Filed: |
August 18, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11825262 |
Jul 5, 2007 |
7813676 |
|
|
12858930 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
399/167 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16D 1/112 20130101;
G03G 15/757 20130101; G03G 21/1857 20130101; F16D 1/108 20130101;
F16D 2001/102 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
399/167 |
International
Class: |
G03G 15/00 20060101
G03G015/00 |
Claims
1. A drive gear for a generally cylindrical imaging component, the
drive gear comprising: a body for engaging the generally
cylindrical imaging component; a cylindrical shaft attached to the
body, the cylindrical shaft having an end surface; and three prongs
extending longitudinally outward from the end surface, each prong
including an extension member extending perpendicular to the
prongs, wherein the cross-sectional area of the extension members
is less than the cross-sectional area of the prongs.
2. The drive gear of claim 1 wherein each of the three prongs is
generally triangular in shape, one vertex of each triangular shaped
prong being generally rounded.
3. The drive gear of claim 1 wherein the three prongs are adapted
for engaging a helical recess.
4. An apparatus comprising: a drive gear for a generally
cylindrical imaging component, the drive gear comprising a body for
engaging a first end of the generally cylindrical imaging
component; a cylindrical shaft attached to the body, the
cylindrical shaft having an end surface; and three prongs extending
longitudinally outward from the end surface, each prong including
an extension member extending perpendicular to the prongs, wherein
the cross-sectional area of the extension members is less than the
cross-sectional area of the prongs; and a non-drive gear for
engaging a second end of the generally cylindrical imaging
component adapted for reducing an amount of side-to-side movement
of the generally cylindrical imaging component.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention generally relates to manufacturing,
remanufacturing or repairing replaceable imaging components, and
more particularly to apparatus and techniques for providing a drive
gear or a non-drive gear for a drum or roller, such as an organic
photo conductor (OPC) drum, for example, of a replaceable imaging
cartridge adapted for holding marking material, such as toner.
[0002] In the imaging industry, there is a growing market for the
remanufacture and refurbishing of various types of replaceable
imaging cartridges such as toner cartridges, drum cartridges,
inkjet cartridges, and the like. These imaging cartridges are used
in imaging devices such as laser printers, xerographic copiers,
inkjet printers, facsimile machines and the like, for example.
Imaging cartridges, once spent, are unusable for their originally
intended purpose. Without a refurbishing process these cartridges
would simply be discarded, even though the cartridge itself may
still have potential life. As a result, techniques have been
developed specifically to address this issue. These processes may
entail, for example, the disassembly of the various structures of
the cartridge, replacing toner or ink, cleaning, adjusting or
replacing any worn components and reassembling the imaging
cartridge.
[0003] Laser printer toner cartridges are typically composed of two
portions. One of these sections is the waste bin assembly which
houses the OPC drum. The OPC may include a drive gear which engages
with a printer drive member. During the remanufacturing of a laser
printer toner cartridge, the OPC drum may need to be replaced due
to the wear or damage of the OPC drum. The replacement OPC drum may
include a replacement drive gear attached to one end of the
replacement OPC drum and a replacement non-drive hub attached to
the opposing end of the replacement OPC drum. The present invention
provides for an improved replacement drive gear and a replacement
non-drive hub.
SUMMARY
[0004] In one aspect of the present invention, a drive gear for a
generally cylindrical imaging component includes a body for
engaging the generally cylindrical imaging component; a cylindrical
shaft attached to the body, the cylindrical shaft having an end
surface; and three prongs extending longitudinally outward from the
end surface, each prong including an extension member extending
perpendicular to the prongs, wherein the cross-sectional area of
the extension members is less than the cross-sectional area of the
prongs.
[0005] A more complete understanding of the present invention, as
well as further features and advantages of the invention, will be
apparent from the following detailed description and the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a prior art drive
mechanism;
[0007] FIGS. 2 and 3 show perspective views a drive gear in
accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a drive gear in accordance with
an aspect of the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 5 shows an end view of a drive gear in accordance with
one aspect of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a non-drive hub in
accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 7 shows an end view of a non-drive hub in accordance
with an aspect of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] The following detailed description of preferred embodiments
refers to the accompanying drawings which illustrate specific
embodiments of the invention. In the discussion that follows,
specific systems and techniques for providing a drive gear for a
drum or roller, such as an organic photo conductor (OPC) drum, for
example, of a replaceable imaging cartridge adapted for holding
marking material, are disclosed. Other embodiments having different
structures and operations for the repair, remanufacture and
operation of other types of replaceable imaging components and for
various types of imaging devices, such as laser printers, inkjet
printers, copiers, facsimile machines and the like, do not depart
from the scope of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a prior art drive mechanism 100. The drive
mechanism 100 may include a body 102 having a raised section 104. A
helical recess 106 may be formed in the raised section 104. The
raised section 104 may include an outer cylindrical surface 104a.
In operation, the drive mechanism 100 is part of a printer and
engages a gear (not shown) having a shaped helical extrusion on an
imaging cartridge, and causes the gear with the helical extrusion
to rotate. Further details of such a prior art drive mechanism 100
and gear are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,914 which is
incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a drive gear 200 in accordance with the present
invention. One end of the drive gear 200 is adapted to be attached
to a hollow roller or generally cylindrical imaging component, such
as an OPC drum. The other end of the drive gear 200 is adapted to
engage the helical recess 106 of the drive mechanism 100 of a
printer. The drive gear 200 includes a body 202 for engaging the
generally cylindrical imaging component and a cylindrical shaft 204
attached to the body 202. The cylindrical shaft 204 has an end
surface 206. Three prongs 208 extend longitudinally outward from
the end surface 206 and are shaped to engage the helical recess 106
of the drive mechanism 100. Each of the three prongs 208 may
include an extension member 208a extending perpendicular to the
prongs 208 and adapted to engage the helical recess 106. As can be
seen from the figures, the cross-sectional area of the extension
members 208a is preferably less than the cross-sectional area of
the prongs 208.
[0015] When the user closes a door of the printer, the drive
mechanism 100 slides onto the cartridge drive gear 200 so that the
three drive gear prongs 208 and the extension members 208a are
inserted into the helical recess 106. As the printer drive
mechanism 100 rotates, the three prongs 208 with the extension
members 208a are engaged, and the entire cartridge drive gear 200
rotates, which in turn drives an OPC (not shown) attached to the
drive gear 200. As shown, the drive gear 200 may include one or
more gears which drive the rest of the cartridge components in
addition to the OPC.
[0016] Due to the high torque exerted on the drive gear by some
printers, an improper mating of the drive gear to the drive
mechanism 100 may cause the drum to skip, run irregular, or may
even damage or break the drive member on the OPC drive gear. This
may be due to the side-to-side tolerance of the installed OPC drum
in the cartridge when engaged with the printer. If the OPC drum is
permitted to shift in a direction away from the rotational drive
mechanism of the printer, the interface between the cartridge drive
gear and the helical recess may be less secure and the
corresponding engagement more prone to errors or damage.
[0017] In one aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 6
and 7, a replacement non-drive hub 600 on the opposing end of the
OPC may be utilized to insure proper mating. The non-drive hub may
include a ring 602 which reduces the amount of side-to-side
movement which is possible. The additional thickness of the ring
602 (when compared to the original non-drive hub) shifts the drive
gear 200 toward the drive mechanism 100 of the printer, thereby
reducing the amount of side-to-side movement possible. The
thickness of the ring 602 may depend upon the amount of shifting
which occurs in the particular cartridge. In another aspect, the
replacement hub 600 may include a shoulder 604 having an increased
thickness (when compared to the original non-drive hub). In another
aspect of the present invention, a washer or similar structure may
be added to the non-drive hub to reduce the amount of side-to-side
movement. In another aspect, a replacement OPC drum having an
increased length may be used to reduce the amount of side-to-side
movement.
[0018] Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and
described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate
that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose
may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and that the
invention has other applications in other environments. This
application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of
the present invention. The following claims are in no way intended
to limit the scope of the invention to the specific embodiments
described herein.
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