Abstract:
A method for preparing a toner cartridge for reconditioning and resealing with a replacement seal includes providing a used toner cartridge whose seal has been removed and the toner essentially consumed with the cartridge substantially otherwise intact. The interior of the cartridge is partially separated or penetrated so as to remove, modify or by-pass any impediments present which would or could interfere with the resealing of the cartridge. A new seal is secured to the toner cartridge.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/627,888, filed Jul. 28, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,596,110, issued Jul. 22, 2003, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/148,065, filed on Aug. 10, 1999. The entire teachings of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a method for preparing a toner cartridge for reconditioning and resealing the toner cartridge with a seal. The toner cartridges include the type used in laser printers, especially those in which the toner cartridge contain not only the toner or powder but also the ionizing means and photoreceptor drum in one package. The original seal design lends itself to lower cost maintenance of the printer or copying machine but significantly higher costs for replacing consumed toner. 
     While it is easy to remove the cartridge in a typical machine, and in fact this must be done in order to install a new cartridge, one would think most people would opt to refill their cartridges by adding toner themselves. Such is not the case, however, with most office personnel avoiding this task, if for no reason other than the difficulty of containing the inadvertent spilling of some of the toner, and the resultant soiling of hand, clothing and immediate surroundings. The spilling of toner is also the reason a seal must be provided if the cartridge is to be shipped or held in any position except in the normal or upright position. A simple, stiff, push-in, pull-out plastic seal is sometimes adequate, especially if hand or local delivery of the refilled cartridge is contemplated. However, this type of seal will not prevent toner spilling under even normal handling of a well packaged toner cartridge handled by postal or shipping organizations. 
     One difficulty with resealing is that impediments are placed in the toner cartridge by manufacturers to prevent resealing by toner cartridge reconditioners. The impediments can include a difference in the level of the sealing surface or a pin or post to block a resealing insertion tool. One method that avoids the impediments requires the complete splitting of the shell of the cartridge, often requiring extensive reworking of the mating surfaces, replacing and cementing a new styrene or similar gasket which provides the surface to which the new pull-tab seal is ultimately adhered to, and an adherence of a “U” shaped, thin plastic seal via pressure sensitive adhesive. The split shells of the cartridge are then recemented and other, time-consuming adjustments on other components of the cartridge are performed to make it functional. Because of the high cost of splitting and reassembling these cartridges and the inevitable deterioration of the appearance of the finished toner cartridge, other ways have been sought for refilling these cartridges, to take full advantage of the potential price differential of new cartridges and those that have been refilled. Usually, the other expensive components that make up a complete toner cartridge are, in general, in excellent condition and capable of performing well for at least a few refillings of the cartridge. Also, the lifetime of a printer and use thereof is such that the costs of toner cartridges, in general, often exceed the cost of the printer. Therefore, a need exists for an improvement method to overcome the problems described above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention comprises a method for preparing a toner cartridge for reconditioning and resealing with a seal. A used toner cartridge is provided whose seal has been removed and the toner essentially consumed with the cartridge substantially otherwise intact. The interior of said cartridge is partially separated or penetrated so as to remove, modify or bypass any impediments present which would or could interfere with the resealing of the cartridge. A new seal is secured to the toner cartridge. 
     In another embodiment, a toner cartridge having a toner seal removed from an original seal position is provided. The toner cartridge includes the original seal position in a different plane from an insertion point for a replacement seal insertion tool into the toner cartridge. The replacement seal is inserted with the replacement seal insertion tool into the toner cartridge. The insertion tool includes a blade having a first portion of the blade in a first plane and a second portion of the blade in a second plane that is different from the first plane. The replacement seal insertion tool is removed from the toner cartridge while leaving the replacement seal attached in a sealing position, thereby sealing the toner cartridge. 
     In a further embodiment, a used toner cartridge having a seal removed from an original seal position is provided. An impediment is removed in the used toner cartridge without fully splitting the toner cartridge. The impediment interferes with the insertion of a replacement seal insertion tool into the toner cartridge for resealing with a replacement seal. The replacement seal is inserted with the replacement seal insertion tool into the toner cartridge. The replacement seal insertion tool is removed from the toner cartridge while leaving the replacement seal attached in a sealing position, thereby resealing the toner cartridge. 
     This method for resealing toner cartridges provides for the recharging of toner cartridges at a lower cost, greater convenience, and reliability than is presently possible with known resealing methods. Thus, a user can be provided with a refilled cartridge which is essentially identical in appearance to the manufacturer&#39;s original seal, including the peripheral application of adhesive on the seal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of the steps of inserting a folded plastic strip having an adhesive pattern thereon and suitable for forming a seal with an insertion and/or sealing tool useful for inserting the plastic strip and forming a seal in a toner cartridge. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-sectional illustration of a second cartridge and a drilling jig. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-sectional illustration of a seal entrance of a cartridge. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a toner section of a toner cartridge. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a hole guide. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a magnetic roller section of a toner cartridge. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a tracking block. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an insertion pin. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a pin block. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of an insertion tool having a bend. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of a pressure pad. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a weight pad. 
         FIG. 13  is an exploded perspective view of another toner cartridge and sealing system. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a ribbon remover. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a drill block. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a ribbon protector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The features and other details of the methods and apparatus of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same numeral in different figures represents the same item. It will be understood that the particular embodiments of the invention are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. This invention is most advantageously used with a sealing system that could not normally be used if the impediments were not removed or their effects mitigated. The principle features of this invention can be employed in various embodiments of cartridges, normally using a variety of special tooling designed for a specific cartridge, without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     The basic techniques for practicing this invention primarily utilize a partial opening of a cartridge without splitting the cartridge, or, a drill-or-mill cutter penetration of the cartridge in the areas where impediments prevent the insertion of a seal. The impediments are then removed and their effects eliminated, or, sufficiently reduced, so that a seal can be inserted and the cartridge sealed. The basic procedure of partially splitting or similar form of penetrating a cartridge and modifying it to allow the insertion of a seal has the significant advantage of essentially preserving the structural integrity and dimensional tolerances of the original cartridge. This is not the case when a cartridge is split and separated. Additionally, a partial splitting generally retains the low costs associated with inserting seals when the same cartridge is sealed a second or more times since the impediments need no longer be removed. Since the location and degree of the partial opening of a cartridge to remove impediments, and the tools preferred to carry out these functions are specific to a particular cartridge design, diagrams and descriptions of some useful tools as they apply to particular cartridges will be shown below. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a simplified cross section of a toner cartridge  10 , which is typical of the first two toner cartridges produced in volume of the all-in-one designs, such as the Canon CX and SX cartridges. These cartridges either had no impediments or impediments that were readily bypassed. The cartridge has an upper section, usually referred to as a magnetic (mag) roller section  12 , housing many of the critical components, such as the magnet roller, doctor blade, charging means and photoreceptor drum. The lower section, primarily carrying the toner and sealed with a user-removable seal, is commonly referred to as the toner section  14 . When a used toner cartridge is to be resealed, a seal  16  can be inserted into cartridge  10  with the aid of an insertion tool  18 . Seal  16  can be an insertable heat seal, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,370,761, 5,460,674 and 5,876,541, the entire teachings of each are incorporated herein by reference. These seals are available from Provide Technologies, Inc., 10 Packard Avenue, Somerville, Mass. 02144 U.S.A. A hot melt adhesive  20  is on the lower portion of seal  16 , which is folded at  22  at the end of insertion tool  18  prior to insertion. Mag roller section  12  has attached to it at least one foam gasket  24 , which has attached to and partially covering it plastic tape  26 . Plastic tape  26  can be the first impediment that was introduced to hinder the insertion of a seal with an insertion tool by presenting a thin edge of material that the seal-tool combination snagged (adversely affecting the foam gasket  24  performance) when being inserted into the cartridge  10 . This impediment is successfully bypassed with the use of a foam protector  28 , shown in  FIG. 1 , inserted under the plastic tape  26 , prior to the seal-tool combination being inserted. 
     A thin (typically 0.005 inch (0.127 mm)) hardened steel foam protector  28  is readily inserted into the cartridge without snagging the plastic tape  26 , prior to the seal-tool being inserted. The seal  16  is slipped under the foam protector  28  and plastic tape  26  (with the use of insertion tool  18 ) without snagging plastic tape  26 . Snagging plastic tape  26  will likely destroy the sealing performance of the foam gasket  24 , whose function is to prevent toner from leaking out of the cartridge opening when the cartridge is used in a printer. After a seal  16  is inserted into a cartridge  10 , insertion tool  18  is electrically heated, melting the hot melt adhesive  20  which, upon cooling, bonds to the sealing surface within the cartridge  10 , sealing the cartridge. 
       FIG. 2  shows a simplified cross-section of a newer-style cartridge  30  (e.g., similar to the 4000 series), supported by cartridge holder  32 . There are two major impediments to the insertion of a seal in contrast to the original cartridge design shown in  FIG. 1 . The first impediment is a difference in the level of the sealing surface  34 , a surface not in line with the seal entrance  36 , schematically shown as a dotted line. The second impediment is the addition of a molded extension  38 , to the mag roller section  40  which forces foam gasket  42  to follow the “step-down” contour determined by molded extension  38 . The insertion of a tool and seal through the seal entrance  36  requires that either the molded extension  38  be removed, or, more practically, mag roller section  40  and toner section  44  be partially split and the opening enlarged to allow entrance of the tool and seal. 
     One preferred embodiment of partially splitting this cartridge is with the use of a precision drill jig  46 , which can be firmly and accurately hinged to cartridge holder  32  by hinge  48 . Two drill guides  50  are shown so located that when drill jig  46  is in the upright position, drill bits passed through the holes in the drill guides  50  will drill holes precisely in line with the welded seams which adhere mag roller section  40  to toner section  44 . This allows even an unskilled worker, using small drill bits, e.g., typically about 0.05–0.10 inches (1.27–2.54 mm) in diameter, to accurately drill out those portions of the welded seams that are to be separated to allow a partial splitting of the cartridge. This drilling action severs the welded seam wherever the drill bit has penetrated. Severing approximately one inch (2.54 cm) of the welded seam from either side of the 4000 series cartridge provides sufficient partial splitting to allow the seal entrance  36  to be spread apart (using various tools, one of which is described below), for the normal insertion of a seal. This sealing process becomes similar to the process described under  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 2 , drill jig  46  is located in front of the normal seal insertion opening. However, some cartridges are welded, not only along the two long lengths of the cartridge but also parallel and adjacent to the seal entrance  36 . To remove this impediment, a drilling jig can be precision positioned along a long side of a cartridge holder, drilling through the side of the cartridge seam and along the weld that runs parallel to the seal entrance  36 . The drill jig thus used allows an accurate extraction of the welded seam in that area, facilitating the removal or separation of this portion of the original equipment manufacturer cartridge, when required, for inserting a seal. 
       FIG. 3  represents another embodiment for partially splitting this type of cartridge (4000), through the use of two insertion pins, without the necessity of drilling the welded seams. An insertion pin  52 , whose width is about 0.125 inches (3.18 mm) but with a narrow portion  54  only about 0.10 inches (2.54 mm) wide (these dimensions chosen to split the seam without tearing the ridges within the cartridge, in the case of the 4000 series cartridge), is inserted in line with the “left” weld  56 . Insertion pin  52  is inserted just deep enough to split the welded seam approximately one inch. The remaining nine inches about (23 cm) of the welded seam remains intact. The “right” insertion pin, similar to insertion pin  52 , is inserted adjacent to the right side welded seam which enlarges the entrance to the cartridge, and sometimes also partially splits the welded seam. The introduction of the two insertion pins  52  results in the opening of seal entrance  36  enough to allow the insertion of an insertion tool and seal. Since the insertion pins  52  can remain in position when the seal and tool are inserted, these pins are designed so as not to interfere with inserting the seal. These details are discussed below when references to  FIGS. 4 through 9  are made. 
     Whenever a cartridge is partially split, making it possible to enlarge seal entrance  36 , or any other area of a cartridge presenting some impediments to a seal insertion, a common aftermath is the possibility of removing or at least cutting away portions of these impediments and removing them permanently. Thus, subsequent resealing of the modified cartridge may not require anymore, or, only insignificant additional effort, to seal a cartridge than is required to seal a cartridge that never had any impediments. With reference to  FIG. 2 , it is possible to cut away both the portion of the foam gasket  42  (which is covered by plastic tape  26 ) and the plastic tape  26 , with the use of as simple a tool as a putty knife. Improved performance is achieved by sharpening the blade, preferably at a small angle from the original angle so that the blade cuts away the foam gasket  42  and plastic tape  26  serially across their width, not head on. 
     Other techniques for partially splitting a cartridge is to modify and use any cartridge splitting machinery being marketed, such as the rotary blade machinery described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,223,068, 5,407,518, 5,525,183, and 5,676,794 but without fully splitting the cartridge into the two major components, the mag roller section and the toner section. The entire teachings of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,223,068, 5,407,518, 5,525,183, and 5,676,794 are incorporated herein by reference. Since any splitting mechanism for cartridges can usually be adapted for partially splitting a cartridge, e.g., splitting one inch (25.4 mm), five inches (127 mm) or, whatever is required, of the welded seams permits one to remove or mitigate the effects of impediments to seal insertion and thereby practice this invention. It is understood that the specific techniques and tools utilized will vary from one cartridge model to another, based primarily on the specific impediments the OEM utilizes which must be removed or bypassed. 
     In  FIG. 4 , toner section  44  is shown with sealing surface  34 , which in the 4000 series cartridge, is displaced approximately 0.125 inches (3.18 mm) below the lowest portion of the sealing entrance  36 . Welded seams  62  (two illustrated) run adjacent to the two long, outside edges of toner section  44  (as well as along the mating edges of mag roller  40 ). A 0.75-inch (19.05 mm) fill hole  64  is shown covered by fill cap  66 . An area of raised or embossed markings  68  are shown, a portion of which is covered by fill cap  66 . While not previously delineated as an impediment, a separate fill hole  64  is necessitated by the fact that the OEM has made the original fill hole (actually, a triangular plug inserted into a raised-edge hole) inaccessible without taking apart much more of the cartridge than is desired. The area where fill hole  64  can be conveniently drilled and the necessity to cover the hole so as not to leak toner requires that the placement of the fill hole  64  and fill cap  66  be accurately positioned and prepared. A preferred method to position the hole and cover using hand tools that are commercially valuable and effective is to use a hole guide  74  shown in  FIG. 5 . Hole guide  74  is preferentially made of aluminum or steel, and, for the 4000 cartridge, be approximately 1.25 inches (32 mm) in diameter and 0.25 inch (6 mm) thick, with a 0.25 inch (6 mm) diameter hole  76  drilled in its center. The 0.25-inch (6 mm) pilot drill of a 0.75 inch (19 mm) hole saw is inserted into hole  76 , and, with the circumference of the hole guide  74  simultaneously touching the sides of toner section lip  72  and toner section lip  70 , guides the pilot drill to a position for drilling fill hole  64 . As soon as the pilot hole is drilled, hole guide  74  can be removed from the pilot drill of the hole saw, and the 0.75-inch (19 mm) hole can be drilled. A handle and chiseling blade (such as a No. 18 knife blade with heavy duty plastic handle 3205, made by X-ACTO, Speedball Road, Statesville, N.C. 28677), can then be used to deburr the edges of the hole and smooth out the raised or embossed markings  68 . Any raised markings  68  under fill cap  66 , even if only a few thousandths of an inch (a few tenths of a millimeter) high, can likely cause toner leakage, unless the fill cap  66  adhesive layer is extraordinarily thick and flexible, perhaps three or four times the preferred thickness of about 5 mils (0.13 mm). 
     In an embodiment of this invention, toner section  44  and mag roller section  40  are initially received welded together, i.e., the cartridge is in the original OEM configuration. To partially separate the cartridge, using the technique of partial splitting via insertion pins, a sequence of actions is usually carried out, although they can vary in some detail, depending on the specific cartridge being partially split and sealed. 
       FIG. 7  depicts a tracking block  78 , normally part of cartridge holder  32  in  FIG. 2  and positioned in the general vicinity of drill guide  50 . Tracking block  78  provides tracking means  80  and  82  for guiding the insertion pin(s)  52 , for guiding the pin block  88  in  FIG. 9 , and for guiding the insertion tool  18  and seal  16  in  FIG. 1 . An insertion pin  52  is shown in  FIG. 8  in a preferred relative position to seal entrance  36 . Only one pin is shown for clarity but another pin, similar in design although usually slightly longer, would normally be used in pin track  82 . Insertion pin  52  is shown with a narrower portion  54 , designed for the 4000 cartridge to split the seams without tearing or ripping the side wall portions immediately adjacent to the welded seams. The hole(s)  92  of pin block  88  are placed over the insertion pin(s)  52  and pin block  88  is placed on top of tracking block  78 . Protrusion  90  of pin block  88  accurately fits into track  84  so that by pushing on handle  94 , a significant force can be exerted on insertion pin(s)  52  which are held and guided in tracking means  80  and  82 . The insertion pin(s)  52 , guided and forced into welded seams  62 , partially break the welded seams  62 , separating the mag roller section  40  from the toner section  44  in the vicinity of seal entrance  36 , sufficiently to allow insertion tool  18  and seal  16  (usually with the use of a foam protector  28 ) to be readily inserted into seal entrance  36 , as if there were no molded extension  38  impeding the normal insertion of a seal. Just prior to the full insertion of the seal/tool combination, insertion pins  52  are withdrawn from welded seams  62 , either by using hand force, or more conveniently and sometimes necessary, using the hole(s)  96  placed over pin(s)  52  to conveniently and with reasonable force, remove the pins  52 . 
     A modification of the normal insertion tool  18  for a preferred embodiment of a 4000 series insertion tool  98 , for the purpose of addressing the impediment presented by the difference in the level of the sealing surface  34 , a surface which is not in line with the seal entrance  36 , is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . A bend  100  is located so that when this insertion tool  98  has inserted a seal  16 , into a 4000 series cartridge ( FIGS. 4 and 6 ), the seal  16  is forced down into contact with the whole of sealing surface  34 . To assure truly intimate contact of the seal  16  and sealing surface  34  for the majority of cartridges that are not perfectly flat, two more tools are preferred. Shown in  FIG. 11  is a pressure pad  102  (usually used in pairs), and placed on the top of the seal/insertion tool combination after being inserted into the cartridge. The pressure pad  102  is placed through the opening in the top of mag roller section  40  ( FIG. 6 ) and the beveled end  104  is pressed between the mag roller section  40  and the inserted seal/tool combination. A pressure pad  102  is pressed under both ends of mag roller section  40 , causing firm pressure between the seal and sealing surface in the vicinity of the pressure pads  102 . 
     Weight pad  106 , shown in  FIG. 12 , is a preferred embodiment for a tool, making possible and/or enhancing the sealing reliability of the 4000 series or similar cartridges. Its purpose is to supply a force on the seal/tool combination along the long directions of the sealing surface  34 , similar to the force supplied by pressure pad(s)  102  at the short ends of the sealing surface  34 . This force should be applied along the length of the seal  16  in spite of the existence of metal bars directly on top of the seal/tool combination. Weight pad  106  can weigh a little less than two pounds (0.9 kilograms) with most of the weight supplied by the stainless steel bar  108  supported by housing  112 . The weight can easily be changed by modifying the dimensions of the stainless steel bar  108 . The legs  110  of the housing  112  are designed to span the metal bars and apply the force directly to both edges of the seal/tool combination, both during the time the hot melt adhesive  20  is heated and melted, as well as during the cooling cycle, assuring intimate contact and adherence of the seal  16  to the sealing surface  34 . The shape and form of legs  110  are determined by the structure of the opening in mag roller section  40 , but it is usually quite narrow in width and long in length. Hence, to ensure that weight pad  106  remains upright and stable and to eliminate the possibility of toppling over when the cartridge ( 40  and  44 ), cartridge holder  32  and seal/tool combination are moved for the heating and cooling cycles, support member  113  is designed to just clear the cartridge molding adjacent to the opening through which legs  110  are inserted and prevents any motion that might topple the weight pad  106 . 
     After sealing the cartridge, some form of gasketing is often required to prevent leakage of toner through those areas that were partially split. This leakage can occur after the user has removed the seal and during the time the cartridge is being installed into a printer, or, after installation, when the cartridge is in use. Since the partial splitting process of this invention essentially precludes any relative motion between the mag roller section  40  and toner section  44 , the preferred embodiment for sealing these small separations is by the use of a silicone or similar sealant. Examples of suitable sealants are GE RTV100 series of silicone rubber (General Electric Company, 260 Hudson River Road, Waterford, N.Y., USA 12188), generally used with a small metallic or plastic clip at each separation. For more aggressive bonding, which may not require the permanent use of clips, GE RTV5223 has been effective as a bonding and gasket-forming sealant on the plastics presently used in cartridge manufacturing. 
     While the impediments being introduced in the newer cartridges are similar in nature, each cartridge design requires modifications to the techniques and tools used. As another example, the 8000 cartridge is schematically illustrated in  FIG. 13 . A preferred embodiment in preparing this cartridge for an insertable seal is to first extract the two hidden post impediments  114  (two shown), which are not externally visible or accessible. To accomplish the extractions, pin drill guide  116  is designed with a specific perimeter shape, a slot  118  and drill guide holes  120 ,  122  and  124 , to match the physical configuration of the 8000 cartridge. Pin drill guide  116  is positioned under lower shelf  126  (marked “FIRST POSITION”) and held there with small binder clips (not shown). Drill guide hole  120  is thus positioned so that hole  128  can be drilled with a hand drill. The location of hole  128  is precisely in line with the location of hidden post impediment  114 . Pin drill guide  116  is then repositioned under the lip of seal entrance  36  (marked “SECOND POSITION”) and also temporarily held there with binder clips. Using drill guide hole  122  for positioning a drill, hidden post impediment  114  is drilled and removed without adversely affecting the toner section  129 . Likewise, using drill guide hole  124  for positioning a drill, being allowed access by using the previously drilled hole  128 , the second hidden post impediment  114  is drilled out. Pin drill guide  116  is then removed for use in a subsequent cartridge. An insertion tool and seal can be inserted into this cartridge, but for the fact that the seal entrance  36  is exceptionally tight, making the snagging and tearing of foam gasket  24 , plastic tape  26  (both in  FIG. 1 ) and seal remnants  130  a common and unacceptable occurrence. 
     As in the previous example of partially splitting a 4000 series cartridge, depicted in  FIGS. 4 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8  and  9 , a similar procedure is preferred for the 8000 cartridge. Tracking block  79  in  FIG. 13  is similar in design to tracking block  78  shown in  FIG. 7 , except for the absence of pin track  80  and certain dimensional differences due to cartridge differences. While one can use two insertion pins  53  to partially split, it has been found that only one insertion pin  53  is necessary, provided the pin dimensions are properly chosen and the depth of insertion is controlled. Note that insertion pin  53  ( FIG. 13 ) does not have the narrower portion  54  ( FIG. 8 ) since a different welded seam  63  is encountered in the 8000 cartridge verses the 4000 cartridge. Using insertion pin  53  in pin track  83  and pin block  88  (shown in  FIG. 9 , and not in  FIG. 13 ) either partially splits welded seam  63 , and parallel to seal entrance  36 , or seal entrance  36  is sufficiently enlarged by the insertion pin  53 , allowing for the insertion of foam protector  28 , seal  16  and insertion tool  98 . 
     In spite of the modification to the 8000 cartridge described above, it has been found that a nearly flawless level of sealing reliability can be achieved if seal remnants  130  are partially or wholly removed prior to sealing.  FIG. 14  illustrates how this can be accomplished with the use of ribbon remover  132 , composed of handle  134 , blade  136  and rod  138 . Blade  136 , which is narrower than insertion tool track  84  ( FIG. 13 ), is not centered on handle  134 , but biased to one side. This structure makes possible the removal of seal remnants  130  from both sides of the cartridge by turning the ribbon remover over. The ribbon remover  132  is used by first inserting a foam protector  28  and sliding blade  136  into the seal entrance  36 . The outside edge of blade  136 , i.e., the edge that is in line with handle  134 , rides against the edge of insertion tool track  84 , in line with one of the two seal remnants  130  which is to be removed. With reference to the enlarged view of the tip of the blade  136 , apex  140  is inserted under foam protector  28 , until hole  142  is visible within the cavity of toner section  129 . Rod section  144  is then inserted into hole  142  with enough force on rod  138  to assure that blade  136  is in intimate contact with sealing surface  34 . Upon further insertion of blade  136 , ribbon ram  146  engages ribbon remnant  130 , pushing it into the toner section  129  cavity, where it can be grasped with tweezers, pliers or even one&#39;s fingers and removed. With the use of the heat seal sealing system marketed by Provide Technologies, Inc., 10 Packard Avenue, Somerville, Mass., USA 02144, it is not necessary to totally remove the seal remnants  130 , because the thick, hot-melt adhesive used in that seal system can readily fill in typical voids or variances in sealing surface  34  and ribbon remnants  130 . Ribbon ram  146  is also depicted as a dotted line  147 , meant to indicate that the preferred angle of the ribbon ram need not be perpendicular to the direction of the ribbon remnants  130 . Another angle cut for the ribbon ram, indicated by the dashed line  147 , could help push out the seal remnant  130  into the center of the cartridge opening, depending on the style of weave and other characteristics of the ribbon remnants  130  and their adhesion to the sealing surface  34 . The blade curve  148  is a preferred innovation to bypass an impediment, resulting from the presence of a molded plastic ridge attached to the mag roller section  131 . With the presence of blade curve  148 , blade  136  is pushed towards the center of the cartridge opening, bypassing that impediment but allowing the ribbon ram  146  to engage the seal remnant  130  and removing it from the sealing surface. 
     Pin drill guide  116  ( FIG. 13 ) is a commercially viable, low-cost tool for accurately guiding a drill bit for the removal of hidden post impediments  114  with a minimum of mechanical or esthetic affects on the cartridge. In a possible future cartridge design, in which the use of such a tool would be difficult, a preferred embodiment for removing hidden post impediments  114  can utilize a somewhat similar pin drill guide  116  but designed to be placed on the top surface of mag roller section  131 , with a general location over the seal entrance  36 . This would result in holes visible to the customer, which could be disguised with fillers or caps or other, more complex molded components. It is apparent that any preferred embodiments for tooling are primarily determined by the specific design of the OEM cartridges and by the level of professional finish and appearance demanded by the remanufacturer and final customers. 
     A preferred embodiment for sealing the recently introduced 8100 cartridge utilizes drill block  150 , shown in  FIG. 15 . This is a schematic representation of a device which facilitates the guiding or positioning of appropriate tools for the removal of two pins and a molded extension that interfere with the insertion of a seal into the 8100 cartridge. Locator pins  152 , in conjunction with bored hole  154  match existing holes and a protrusion, respectively, molded at the end of an 8100 cartridge, and are used to precisely locate the drill block  150  at the end of an 8100 cartridge which is being resealed. Drill block  150  is machined with tolerances that readily allow the remanufacturer to position drill block  150  within approximately 0.004 to 0.008 inches (0.1 to 0.2 mm) of the desired location at the seal insertion end of the 8100 cartridge. With the drill block  150  so positioned, a rotary power tool with a jeweler&#39;s cutter, such as manufactured by The Foredom Electric Company in Bethel, Conn., U.S.A., is inserted into slot  158 , the tool bit exiting the slot  158  where  158  is indicated in  FIG. 15 . By moving the rotary power tool along the trajectory defined by the slot  158 , allowing the smooth portion of the jeweler&#39;s cutter to ride along the slot  158  as a bearing surface, the molded extension, somewhat similar to molded extension  38  in  FIG. 2 , can be removed. Subsequently, without moving the drill block  150  position, and preferably using a 0.25 inch (6.35 mm) “special drill”, part number 8123, (manufactured by Provide Technologies, Inc. of Somerville, Mass., U.S.A.), inserted through the holes  156 , and into the 8100 cartridge where the two plastic posts, proximate to the seal entrance of the cartridge are located, (somewhat similar to the post impediment(s)  114  in  FIG. 13 ), are completely removed without adversely affecting the appearance or performance of the cartridge. 
     While the ribbon remnants  130  remaining within the 8100 cartridge (now using  FIG. 13  also as a schematic representation of the 8100 cartridge) after the original seal has been removed appear similar to the ribbon remnants  130  of the 8000 cartridge shown in  FIG. 13 , they are composed of different materials. The ribbon remnants  130  in the 8100 cartridge are of a metallic composition and those in the 8000 are a textile composition. The significance is that metallic ribbon remnants can not readily be partially or completely removed, without affecting the smoothness of the sealing surfaces  34  and the reliability of the seal. Therefore, the preferred embodiment for inserting a seal into an 8100 cartridge, after the two posts and molded extension referred to in the previous paragraph are removed, is to temporarily cover the ribbon remnants  130 . This temporary covering of the ribbon remnants  130  can be achieved by using two ribbon protectors  160  (one shown) in  FIG. 16  as a cover for the ribbon remnants  130  when a seal-tool combination is to be inserted. 
     A preferred embodiment of a ribbon protector  160  can include handle  162  with a hole  164  providing a convenient finger hold for pulling on handle  162 , which is attached to a narrow, typically 0.375 inches (9.5 mm) wide, and thin, typically 0.005 inches (0.127 mm) thick, steel blade  166 . A ribbon protector  160  is installed by inserting a foam protector  28 , whose width is approximately 0.9 inches (23 mm) and then sliding this narrow foam protector  28  under the foam gasket  24  and plastic tape  26 , the objective being the avoidance of any contact with ribbon remnants  130 . One of the ribbon protectors  160  is then inserted under the foam protector  28  with the tip of the steel blade  166  slightly lifted and pulled over onto the top of one of the ribbon remnants  130 . The ribbon protector  160  is then straightened out to line up with the ribbon remnant  130 . Then the second ribbon protector  160  is inserted similarly to the first one, but pulled over the second ribbon remnant  130  and straightened out. While the steel blade  166  is approximately sixteen inches (40.6 cm) long, only one to two inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of the ribbon remnants  130  need be covered by the ribbon protectors  160 . The rest of the steel blades  166  rest in tracks (not shown) in tracking block  79  parallel to the insertion track  84  ( FIG. 7  and  FIG. 13 ) which conveniently retain the ribbon protectors  160  in position. Then, a wide foam protector, approximately 1.75 inches (4.45 mm) is inserted under the previously inserted narrow foam protector and on top of the ribbon protectors  160 , and then removing the narrow foam protector. Through this process, the wide foam protector  28  covers the foam gasket  24  and plastic tape  26  and the ribbon protectors  160  cover the ribbon remnants  130  so that a seal/tool combination can readily be inserted into the 8100 cartridge. The ribbon protectors  160  are removed by pulling on finger hole  164  soon after the seal/tool combination have been inserted about two inches (five cm), i.e., beyond the beginning of the ribbon remnants  160 . The seal/tool combination is then fully inserted and the tool is heated and cooled to produce a sealed 8100 cartridge without splitting the cartridge. 
     Drill block  150  is an embodiment of a drill-guide that accomplishes the tasks of enabling the same guide to accommodate the removal of impediments in two planes of the cartridge. It is apparent that the original equipment manufacturers could possibly design more complex cartridges, making the preferred embodiments for removing the impediments not amenable, acceptable or possible to the tool designs described herein. In these events, the preferred embodiments for removing or bypassing impediments to the insertion of viable seals will likely be through the use of milling machine-like techniques, albeit, simple milling machine designs. Specifically, since only plastic materials are likely to be removed, a cartridge holder can be constructed with guide rods surrounding all four sides and the top to which an adjustable motor mount with motor is attached. These can be “home made” or commercially purchased, allowing one to drill, mill or saw away any part of a cartridge or impediment, and practice the teachings of this invention. 
     It will be understood that the inventions may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the inventions are not to be limited to the details and claims given herein.