Process cartridge modification and method for retractable process cartridge drive

A modification for an imaging cartridge is provided for use with certain aftermarket or non-OEM cartridge drive mechanisms. At least one wall of a cartridge guiding member is removed to increase a clearance between the guiding member and the cartridge drive mechanism.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to consumable cartridges used in image forming apparatuses, and more specifically to modifications and methods for making modifications to such cartridges to accommodate aftermarket cartridge drive components.

Aftermarket suppliers of imaging consumables, such as toner cartridges for imaging devices, configure their cartridges to be compatible with the drive mechanisms provided on name brand imaging devices. In many instances, suppliers of aftermarket consumable cartridges modify their cartridges to be different from original equipment manufacturer (OEM) cartridges, for example to increase page yield, to make cartridges compatible with additional or different imaging devices, to improve performance with other non-OEM components (such as toner), and the like.

Some aftermarket suppliers remanufacture OEM cartridges. These suppliers collect or otherwise acquire used OEM cartridges, disassemble, clean, and inspect the components, replace any parts that are damaged or worn beyond specified tolerances, and reassemble the components into a complete cartridge with a new supply of toner. Remanufactured cartridges offer many benefits, including a reduced cost compared to OEM cartridges and the diversion of waste material (i.e. the spent OEM cartridge) from the landfill. Like other aftermarket suppliers of imaging consumables, remanufacturers may modify the used cartridges they obtain or use parts configured differently from the OEM cartridge parts in order to obtain one or more of the benefits described above.

One example of an OEM cartridge that may be remanufactured in the manner discussed above is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,121,517 (“the '517 patent”), the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. The '517 patent discloses a process cartridge that may be mounted within a printer. With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, which correspond toFIGS. 29 and 32, respectively, of the '517 patent, the cartridge includes a coupling member150that is pivotally mounted to the end of an organic photoconductive drum20rotatably supported within the cartridge. The coupling member150is mounted to the drum20using a ball-and-socket configuration, including spherical member160which functions as the ball and is received by a socket defined by a drum flange151mounted in the end of the drum20. The coupling member150also includes a reduced diameter intermediate part150cthat extends away from the spherical member160and a driven portion150aof relatively enlarged diameter and including force receiving portions150egenerally in the form of teeth or dogs configured to receive driving force from the printer.

The coupling member150extends through an opening in the side of the cartridge and is surrounded by what the '517 patent describes as a “regulating portion”170. The regulating portion170functions to guide the cartridge into the printer and to limit the extent of pivotal movement of the coupling member150in various directions. According to the '517 patent, the regulating portion170includes a central opening defined in part by a first arcuate portion170athrough which intermediate part150cof the coupling member150extends. The regulating portion170includes an inclination regulating portion170gthat permits angular movement generally in the rearward, downward, and forward directions within a predetermined range of around 20 to 30 degrees depending on the specific orientation of the coupling member150.

The regulating portion170also includes a regulating projection170cthat projects in the axial direction a distance beyond the inclination regulating portion170g. The regulating projection170cextends over and above the first arcuate portion170aand includes a flat surface portion170eand a second arcuate portion170dthat cooperate to limit pivotal movement of the coupling member150in the upward and rearward directions to just a few degrees. The '517 patent refers to the position where the coupling member150is substantially axially aligned with the organic photoconductive drum to which it is attached as the “rotational force transmitting angular position.” This position is associated with the cartridge being installed in the printer such that the coupling member150is positioned to receive driving rotational force from the printer drive mechanism.FIG. 2, which corresponds toFIG. 32of the '517 patent, illustrates how the coupling member150moves from an angled or “pre-engagement angular position” as shown at (a) to the axially aligned rotational force transmitting angular position as shown at (d) as the cartridge is installed in the printer. When the cartridge is removed from the printer the coupling member150moves from the axially aligned rotational force transmitting angular position to the angled pre-engagement angular position. Pivotal movement of the coupling member150between these positions during insertion and removal of the cartridge facilitates engagement with and disengagement from the printer drive mechanism.

SUMMARY

In some aspects, a method of modifying a process cartridge includes obtaining a process cartridge including a guide member having a central body portion with an opening defining an axis and a regulating projection positioned substantially adjacent to the opening and extending axially from the central body, the regulating projection including an inner wall and an outer wall spaced radially outwardly from the inner wall, and eliminating the inner wall to increase a radial distance between the axis and the regulating projection.

The outer wall may be an outer arcuate wall arranged substantially concentrically with respect to the axis. The inner wall may include a flat surface portion and an arc portion arranged substantially concentrically with respect to the axis, and eliminating the inner wall may include eliminating the flat surface portion and the arc portion. The regulating portion may further include a joining wall extending between the arc portion and the outer arcuate wall, and the method may further include eliminating the joining wall. Eliminating the inner arcuate wall may include removing the inner wall from the guide member. The outer wall may include an inner arcuate surface facing the axis and having an inner arcuate surface radius, and removing the inner wall may include performing a cutting operation using a rotary cutter having a radius slightly less than the inner arcuate surface radius. Eliminating the inner arcuate wall may include replacing the guide member with a second guide member that does not include the inner wall. The method may further include installing an OPC drum into the process cartridge. The OPC drum may include a replacement gear and a replacement coupling member, and the replacement coupling member may be mounted for axial movement relative to the gear between an extended position and a retracted position. Installing the OPC drum into the process cartridge may include positioning the coupling member within the opening.

In other aspects, a method of modifying a process cartridge includes obtaining a process cartridge including a guide member having a central body portion with an opening defining an axis and a regulating projection positioned substantially adjacent to the opening and extending axially from the central body. The regulating projection includes an innermost arcuate portion spaced a radial distance from the axis. The method also includes modifying the guide member to increase the radial distance between the innermost arcuate portion of the regulating projection and the axis.

Before modifying the guide member the radial distance may be R1, and after modifying the guide member the radial distance may be R2. In some configurations, R2may be at least about 20% greater than R1. In other configurations, R2may be between about 20% and about 100% greater than R1. In still other configurations, R2may be about 50% greater than R1. The regulating projection may include an outer arcuate wall arranged substantially concentrically with respect to the axis, and an inner wall including an arc portion arranged substantially concentrically with respect to the axis. Modifying the guide portion may include eliminating the inner wall. Before modifying the guide member the arc portion may define the innermost arcuate portion and after modifying the guide member an inner surface of the outer arcuate wall may defines the innermost arcuate portion. Modifying the guide member may include performing a cutting operation on the regulating portion. Modifying the guide member may also include replacing the guide member with a second guide member. The method may further include installing an OPC drum into the process cartridge. The OPC drum may include a replacement gear and a replacement coupling member, and the replacement coupling member may be mounted for axial movement relative to the gear between an extended position and a retracted position. Installing the OPC drum into the process cartridge may include positioning the coupling member within the opening.

Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 3illustrates one type of prior art regulating portion170that may be modified or replaced in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Although other modifications may also be made, the primary modification associated with the present invention involves modification to the regulating projection170cto provide additional clearance for coupling members that, unlike the prior art coupling member150, generally do not pivot and/or are not inclinable relative to the axis of the drum20. As shown inFIG. 3, the prior art regulating projection170cincludes an outer arcuate wall170m, and an inner wall170kcomprising the flat surface portion170eand second arc part170ddescribed above. The regulating projection170calso includes a substantially straight joining wall170jthat extends between a rear edge of the second arc part170dand a rear edge of the outer arcuate wall170m. As discussed further below, modification of the illustrated regulating projection170cincludes removing the inner wall170kand the joining wall170j.

FIG. 4illustrates a replacement coupling member250and gear252for installation into the end of an OPC drum20during remanufacturing of a cartridge. The illustrated coupling member250and gear252are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,170,549, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. The coupling member250is mounted for axial movement relative to gear252between an extended position (shown inFIG. 4) and a retracted position and is biased toward the extended position. The coupling member250is also rotatable relative to the gear252through a rotation that is less than one rotation about the axis, after which further rotation of the coupling member250will cause rotation of the gear252.

The coupling member250includes an engagement portion254configured for engagement with the drive mechanism of the printer. The engagement portion254includes a generally circular central portion256defining a circular recess258, and a pair of diametrically opposed radial projections260extending outwardly from the central portion256. The engagement portion254also includes a pair of axially extending drive lugs262for receiving driving force from the printer drive. The drive lugs262each include a radially inner edge substantially aligned with the outer edge of the circular recess258, and a radially outer edge that is positioned along a respective one of the radial projections260. A convex radius264extends continuously around the outer periphery of the engagement portion254. The convex radius264is provided such that during installation of a cartridge including the coupling member250, the convex radius264contacts the drive mechanism of the printer and causes the coupling member250to be urged in an axial direction toward the retracted position. Movement of the coupling member250toward the retracted position facilitates engagement of the engagement portion254with the drive mechanism of the printer.

It should be appreciated that the coupling member250ofFIG. 4is one example of a potential replacement for the pivoting coupling member150discussed above. Several other replacement coupling members have also been proposed, including coupling members that pivot to a far more limited degree than the coupling member150, coupling members where only relatively small portions of the coupling member, such as the engagement portion, are able to pivot or incline relative to the drum axis, coupling members that are able to shift radially away from the drum axis without pivoting or with a relatively small amount of pivoting, and the like. These and other replacement coupling member configurations may all be combined with the teachings of the present invention to facilitate and/or improve engagement and disengagement of the replacement coupling member with the printer drive mechanism.

Referring now toFIGS. 5-8, a modified regulating portion170zin the form of a guide member300is shown secured to one side of a process cartridge. The guide member300is heat staked and/or sonically welded to the process cartridge as at304, but may also be secured to the process cartridge using screws, rivets, or other fastening methods. In the illustrated example the coupling member250is shown extending through the guide member300for engagement with the drive mechanism of a printer.

The guide member300includes a central body portion308defining a generally circular opening312defining an axis316. The opening includes at least one substantially arcuate portion320having a first radius R1. In the illustrated configuration shown, for example, inFIG. 1, the first radius R1of the arcuate portion320substantially corresponds to a radius of the second arc part170dof the inner wall170k. A mounting wall324extends generally radially outwardly from the central body portion308and includes a mounting surface (not visible inFIGS. 5-8) that mates up with a side wall of the process cartridge when the guide member300is coupled to the process cartridge. The mounting wall324also defines at least one mounting aperture328that may be used to secure the guide member300to the process cartridge using one or more screws, rivets, heat stakes, sonic welding, bonding and the like. The guide member300also includes a guide wall332extending generally radially outwardly from the central body portion308and generally oriented at an acute included angle with respect to the mounting wall324. The guide wall332includes at least one guide surface336that engages slots, grooves, or other features provided in the printer when the guide member300(attached to a process cartridge) is installed into the printer. In the illustrated construction the guide surface is oriented substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface of the mounting wall324.

The guide member300also includes an overhanging portion340that, in the illustrated configuration, corresponds to a regulating projection170cthat has been modified such that substantially only the outer arcuate wall170mremains. More specifically, the overhanging portion340may be formed by milling, trimming, cutting, melting, or otherwise removing the inner wall170k, including both the flat surface portion170eand second arc part170d, as well as the straight joining wall170j(seeFIG. 3). As a result, the inner surface170nof what was the inner wall170kbecomes an innermost arcuate surface344of the overhanging portion340. The innermost arcuate surface344faces the axis316and has a second radius R2that is greater than the first radius R1. In some configurations, the second radius R2is at least about 20% greater than the first radius R1. In the illustrated configuration, the second radius R2is about 12 mm and the first radius R1is about 8 mm. Thus, in the illustrated configuration, the second radius R2is about 50% greater than the first radius R1. To maintain printer compatibilities, it is preferred for the second radius R2to be no more than about 100% greater than the first radius R1.

As shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, there are several millimeters of clearance between the innermost arcuate surface344and the outermost portion of the convex radius264provided on the coupling member250. Without the above described modification, clearance between the outermost portion of the convex radius264and the inner wall170kof the regulating projection170cis extremely close. Initial reasoning based upon, among other things, the teachings of the '517 patent, suggested that a relatively small clearance between the convex radius264and the inner wall170kmight facilitate engagement of the coupling member250with the printer drive mechanism, for example by preventing excessive deflection of the coupling member in the upward and rearward directions as used for the coupling member150. However, the opposite was determined to be true. In many circumstances, particularly during installation and removal of the cartridge, the close clearance between the inner wall170kand the convex radius264was found to be preventing the coupling member250from moving axially in the manner intended. By increasing the clearance surrounding the convex radius264operation of the coupling member250is unexpectedly improved.

In one preferred method of making the guide member300, an axial cutter, such as an end mill, having an outer radius slightly less than (for example between about 0.5 mm and 5 mm less than) the radius R2is selected such that a single axial cut may be used to remove the inner wall170kand the straight joining wall170j(seeFIG. 3). In some configurations, additional joining walls may extend between the inner wall170kand the outer wall170mof the original regulating projection170c. Using the above described method of making the guide member300, these additional walls may also be removed in a single cutting operation. Another method of making the guide member300is to mold or otherwise fabricate a completely new guide member300. In this method, the original regulating portion170may be removed from the process cartridge and recycled, and the new guide member300may be installed in its place. In still other methods of making the guide member300, the regulating projection170cmay be removed in its entirety, including the outer wall170m. These and other alternative constructions are intended to fall within the spirit and the scope of the present invention.