Sealing device including a first replaceable compliant sealing member and a latch member

A sealing device usable with an ink developer unit including a plurality of rollers and a plurality of end cap members includes a first replaceable compliant sealing member and a latch member. The first replaceable compliant sealing member has a plurality of replaceable seal exterior surfaces to form a seal between a first set of rollers of the plurality of rollers and one of the end cap members. The latch member has a closed state to maintain a sealing force on the first replaceable compliant sealing member and an open state to remove the sealing force on the first replaceable complaint sealing member.

BACKGROUND

Ink developer units are used in image forming apparatuses to supply ink to a photoconductive drum to form images on substrates. Ink developer units include sealing devices to prevent ink from leaking out of the ink developer units.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Sealing devices may be used in ink developer units. Ink developer units such as binary ink developers (BIDS) may be used in image forming apparatuses such as liquid electrophotography printers (LEP) and include rollers to supply ink to a photoconductive drum to form images on substrate. The sealing devices, for example, may be disposed on side surfaces of one or more rollers through an interference fit to prevent ink from leaking out of the ink developer units. The sealing device may incur compression set based on its contact, for example, with a developer roller of an ink developer unit. Consequently, upon replacement of the developer roller, the existing sealing device may not provide a sufficient seal therewith. Additionally, the sealing devices may require stringent manufacturing tolerances and have low durability. Variation of the respective tolerances may result in adverse conditions such as a premature wear condition, a product failure condition, an ink splatter condition, an ink overflow condition, a fused ink condition, and the like.

In examples, a sealing device may be used with an ink developer unit including a plurality of rollers and a plurality of end cap members. The sealing device may include a first replaceable compliant sealing member and a latch member. The first replaceable compliant sealing member may have a plurality of replaceable seal exterior surfaces to form a seal between a first set of rollers of the plurality of rollers and one of the end cap members. The latch member may also have a closed state to maintain a sealing force on the first replaceable compliant sealing member and an open state to remove the sealing force on the first replaceable complaint sealing member. Consequently, upon replacement of the developer roller, the first replaceable compliant member may also be replaced to provide a sufficient seal therewith. Further, the use of a first replaceable compliant sealing member in addition to a second compliant sealing member may enable a wider seal between the first replaceable compliant sealing member and the developer roller to lower the sealing temperature. Accordingly, the sealing device of the present disclosure may require less-stringent manufacturing tolerances, have high durability, and/or include replaceable portions thereof. Thus, the sealing device of the present disclosure may reduce occurrences of a premature wear condition, a product failure condition, an ink splatter condition, an ink overflow condition, a fused ink condition, and the like. Additionally, the sealing device may reduce the need to replace the ink developer unit due to wear of a sealing device therein.

FIG. 1is a schematic view illustrating an image forming apparatus having an ink developer unit including a sealing device according to an example. Referring toFIG. 1, an image forming system100such as an LEP includes an image forming assembly14that receives substrate S from an input unit14aand outputs the substrate S to an output unit14b. The image forming assembly14includes an ink developer unit13and a photoconductive member18on which images can be formed. In some examples, the image forming apparatus100may include a plurality of ink developer units13. The photoconductive member18may include an outer surface18ato be charged with a charging member10such as a charge roller, and the like. The charge of selected portions of the outer surface18aof the photoconductive member18that correspond to features of the image can be selectively changed by an imaging member16such as a laser writing unit, and the like, to form a latent image thereon. That is, the imaging member16may increase or decrease an amount of charge on selected portions of the outer surface18aof the photoconductive member18to form a latent image thereon.

Referring toFIG. 1, in some examples, an ink developer unit13such as binary ink developers may apply the fluid such as liquid toner to the latent image on the outer surface18aof the photoconductive member18to form an image to be transferred to an intermediate transfer member (ITM)15that may include a blanket15athereon. The ink develop unit13, for example, may include a sealing device17to reduce unwanted ink from leaking out of the ink developer unit13. In some examples, each ink developer unit13may include a pair of sealing devices17. Subsequently, the ITM15may transfer the image to the substrate S. During the transfer of the image from the blanket15aof the ITM15to the substrate S, the substrate S may be pinched between the ITM15and an impression member19. Once the image has been transferred to the substrate S, the substrate S may be transported to the output unit14b.

FIG. 2Ais a cross-sectional view illustrating the ink developer unit ofFIG. 1according to an example.FIG. 2Bis a schematic view of the ink developer unit ofFIG. 2Aaccording to an example. Referring toFIGS. 2A and 2B, in some examples, an ink developer unit13such as a BID may include a housing unit21and end cap members22aand22b. The ink developer unit13may removably engage with a photoconductive drum18(FIG. 1) of an image forming apparatus100such as an LEP. The housing unit21may include a developer roller25a, a squeegee roller25b, a cleaner roller25c, a wiper blade25d, a sponge roller25e, a squeezer roller25f, a pair of electrodes25g, a channel25h, and at least one sealing device17. In an example, the pair of electrodes25gmay form the channel25hor a portion thereof. The at least one sealing member17may include a first replaceable compliant sealing member17a, a latch member17h, and a second compliant sealing member17c. In some examples, the ink developer unit13may include a pair of sealing devices17.

Referring toFIGS. 2A and 2B, in some examples, the ink developer unit13may provide a uniform film of ink such as liquid toner to a photoconductive drum18. The developer roller25amay supply a film of the ink to be selectively transferred to the photoconductive drum18. For example, the developer roller25amay rotate through a flow of the ink to adhere ink thereto. The developer roller25amay be a replaceable developer roller. That is, the developer roller25amay be replaced within the housing unit21of the ink developer unit13when needed. The pair of electrodes25gand the developer roller25amay be electrically charged to manipulate, for example, ink particles onto the developer roller25a. The channel25hdisposed within the housing unit21may provide ink to the developer roller25a. The squeegee roller25bmay compact the ink on the developer roller25ato form a uniform layer thereon. The sponge roller25emay contact and clean the wiper25d. The squeezer roller25fmay contact and clean the sponge roller25e.

Ink on the developer roller25amay be attracted and transferred to the charged portions of the photoconductive drum18. The charged portions may correspond to an image to be printed. The image in the form of ink may be subsequently transferred to a substrate S either directly or through an ITM15(FIG. 1). The cleaner roller25cmay remove access ink remaining on the developer roller25aand not previously transferred to the photoconductive drum18. In some examples, the wiper blade25dmay scrape excess ink from the cleaner roller25c. The end cap members22aand22bmay rotatably support at least one roller of the plurality of rollers25such as the developer roller25a, and the like. For example, the housing unit21may include a pair of end cap members22aand22bto support each end of the developer roller25a. In some examples, the end cap members22aand22bmay include support members29such as cylindrical members to engage the latch member17b.

FIG. 3is a block diagram illustrating the ink developer unit ofFIG. 1according to an example. Referring toFIG. 3, in some examples, an ink developer unit13includes a housing unit21, a plurality of rollers25rotatably attached to the housing unit21, a plurality of end cap members22aand22b(collectively22) of the housing unit21to support at least one roller of the plurality of rollers25a,25b,25c,25eand25f(collectively25), and at least one sealing device17disposed within the housing unit21in an installed state. The at least one sealing device17may include a first replaceable compliant sealing member17a, a latch member17b, and a second compliant sealing member17c. In some examples, the first replaceable compliant sealing member17aand the second compliant sealing member17cmay also include closed cell foam.

Referring toFIG. 3, in some examples, the first replaceable compliant sealing member17amay have a plurality of replaceable seal exterior surfaces37ato form a seal between a first set of rollers of the plurality of rollers25and one of the end cap members22a. The seal may be formed by the replaceable seal exterior surfaces37aof the first replaceable compliant sealing member17aand may limit an unwanted flow of ink from inside to outside of the ink developer unit13such as the housing unit21. The latch member17bmay have a closed state to maintain a sealing force on the first replaceable compliant sealing member17aand an open state to remove the sealing force on the first replaceable complaint sealing member17a. The second compliant sealing member17cmay have a plurality of seal exterior surfaces37cto form a seal between a second set of rollers of the plurality of rollers25and the one of the end cap members22a. The seal formed by the seal exterior surfaces37cof the second compliant sealing member17cmay limit the unwanted flow of ink from the inside to the outside of the ink developer unit13such as the housing unit21. In some examples, the at least one sealing device17comprises a pair of sealing devices.

FIG. 4is a block diagram illustrating a sealing device usable with an ink developer unit including a plurality of rollers and a plurality of end cap members according to an example. Referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, in some examples, a sealing device17is usable with an ink developer unit including a plurality of rollers25and a plurality of end cap members22aand22b(collectively22). The sealing device17may include a first replaceable compliant sealing member17aand a latch member17b. The first replaceable compliant sealing member17ahaving a plurality of replaceable seal exterior surfaces37ato form a seal between a first set of rollers of the plurality of rollers25and one of the end cap members22a. The latch member17bmay have a closed state to maintain a sealing force on the first replaceable compliant sealing member17aand an open state to remove the sealing force on the first replaceable complaint sealing member17a.

FIG. 5is a schematic view illustrating a portion of an ink developer unit including the sealing device ofFIG. 4according to an example. Referring toFIG. 5, in some examples, a sealing device17may include the first replaceable compliant sealing member17aand the latch member17bas previously disclosed with respect toFIG. 4. As illustrated inFIG. 5, in some examples, the sealing device17may also include a second compliant sealing member17chaving a plurality of seal exterior surfaces to form a seal between a second set of rollers of the plurality of rollers25and the one of the end cap members22a. The first set of rollers may include a developer roller25a, a squeegee roller25b, and a cleaner roller25c. The replaceable seal exterior surfaces of the first replaceable compliant sealing member17amay contact the developer roller25a, the squeegee roller25b, the cleaner roller25c, and the one of the end cap members22a. The developer roller25amay supply a film of ink to be selectively transferred to a photoconductive drum18. The developer roller18may include a replaceable developer roller. The squeegee roller25bmay compact the ink on the developer roller25ato form a uniform layer thereon. The cleaner roller25cmay remove access ink remaining on the developer roller25aand not previously transferred to the photoconductive drum18.

In some examples, the second set of rollers may include the squeegee roller25band the cleaner roller25c. The seal exterior surfaces of the second compliant sealing member17cmay contact the squeegee roller25b, the cleaner roller25c, and the one of the end cap members22a. The first replaceable compliant sealing member17aand the second compliant sealing member17cmay also include dosed cell foam. In some examples, the ink developer unit13may also include an adhesive83(FIG. 8) and a channel25h. The adhesive83may be in contact with the housing unit21such as one of the end cap members22aand a third seal exterior portion87cof the seal exterior surfaces of the second compliant sealing member17c. The adhesive83may couple the second complaint sealing member17cto the housing unit21. The channel25hmay be disposed within the housing unit21to provide ink to one roller of the plurality of rollers25such as the developer roller25a.

FIG. 6is a schematic view illustrating a latch member of the sealing device ofFIG. 1according to an example. Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, in some examples, a latch member17bmay include a cam portion67a, a friction portion67b, support engagement portions67c, and sealing member contact portion67d. The cam portion67amay maintain a sealing force on the first replaceable compliant sealing member17ain the closed state and remove the sealing force on the first replaceable complaint sealing member17ain the open state. For example, a cam surface may be disposed at a pivot location of the latch member17b. As the latch member17bis placed in the closed state, the cam surface may compress the first replaceable compliant sealing member17aagainst the squeegee roller25bto form a seal. When the latch member17bis moved to the open state, the cam surface may lose contact with the first replaceable compliant sealing member17ato allow easy removal and installation by reducing and/or eliminating compression there between.

Referring toFIG. 6, in some examples, the friction portion67bincluding barbed teeth to engage a first replaceable seal exterior portion77aof the replaceable seal exterior surfaces of the first replaceable compliant sealing member17ain the closed state. In some examples, the cam portion67aand friction portion67bmay constrain the first replaceable compliant sealing member17aand apply a sealing force, for example, toward a squeegee nip when the latch member17bis in the closed portion. In the open state, a sealing force is retracted to allow easy replacement of the first replaceable compliant sealing member17a. The support engagement portions67cmay engage support members29(FIG. 2A), for example, extending from the housing unit21and/or end cap members22aand22b. The sealing member contact portion67dmay contact the fourth replaceable seal exterior portion77dof the first replaceable compliant sealing member17ain the closed state.

FIG. 7is a schematic view illustrating a first replaceable compliant sealing member of the sealing device ofFIG. 4according to an example. Referring toFIGS. 5 and 7, in some examples, a first replaceable compliant sealing member17amay include a plurality of replaceable seal exterior surfaces. For example, the replaceable seal exterior surfaces may include a first replaceable seal exterior portion77a, a second replaceable seal exterior portion77b, a third replaceable seal exterior portion77c, a fourth replaceable seal exterior portion77d, and a fifth replaceable seal exterior portion77e. The first replaceable seal exterior portion77amay contact and form a seal with a circumference surface of the squeegee roller25b. The second replaceable seal exterior portion77bmay tangentially contact and form a seal with a circumference surface of the cleaner roller25c.

Referring toFIG. 7, in some examples, the third replaceable seal exterior portion77cmay contact and form a seal with a face surface of the developer roller25a. The fourth replaceable seal exterior portion77dmay receive and contact the latch member17b. The fifth replaceable seal exterior portion77emay contact one of the end cap members22a. The sixth replaceable seal exterior portion77freceive and contact the friction portion67bof the latch member17b. In some examples, rotation from the developer roller25aand cleaner roller25cmay reduce ink accumulation on a respective seal.

FIG. 8is a schematic view illustrating a second compliant sealing member of the sealing device ofFIG. 4according to an example. Referring toFIGS. 5 and 8, in some examples, a second compliant sealing member17cmay include a plurality of openings88a,88b,88c, and88dand a plurality of seal exterior surfaces. A first opening88amay provide clearance for a squeegee roller25b, for example, to access dynamic seals and bearings, a second opening88bmay provide clearance for a cleaner roller25cto access dynamic seals and bearings, a third opening88cmay provide clearance for a sponge roller25eto access dynamic seals and bearings, and a fourth opening88dmay provide clearance for a squeezer roller25fto access dynamic seals and bearings.

In some examples, in operation, seal exterior surfaces of the second compliant sealing member17cmay form a seal between the squeegee roller25band the cleaner roller25cand the one of the end cap members22a. For example, a face surface of the squeegee roller25bmay compress a first seal exterior portion87aof the seal exterior surfaces and a face surface of the cleaner roller25cmay compress a second seal exterior portion87bof the seal exterior surfaces of the second compliant sealing member17c. Additionally, the one end cap member22amay contact and form a seal with a third seal exterior portion87cof the seal exterior surfaces of the second compliant sealing member170. In some examples, the second compliant sealing member17cmay be compressed between the face surface of the squeegee roller25b, the face surface of the cleaner roller25cand one of the end cap members22ato allow the respective rollers to float and maintain nips between respective rollers.

The present disclosure has been described using non-limiting detailed descriptions of examples thereof. Such examples are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. It should be understood that features and/or operations described with respect to one example may be used with other examples and that not all examples of the present disclosure have all of the features and/or operations illustrated in a particular figure or described with respect to one of the examples. Variations of examples described will occur to persons of the art. Furthermore, the terms “comprise,” “include,” “have” and their conjugates, shall mean, when used in the present disclosure and/or claims, “including but not necessarily limited to.”

It is noted that some of the above described examples may describe examples contemplated by the inventors and therefore may include structure, acts or details of structures and acts that may not be essential to the present disclosure and which are described as examples. Structure and acts described herein are replaceable by equivalents, which perform the same function, even if the structure or acts are different, as known in the art. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is limited only by the elements and limitations as used in the claims.