Abstract:
Techniques for attaching a replacement chip to an imaging cartridge are described. An exemplary method of modifying a toner hopper assembly for use in a toner cartridge consists of providing the toner hopper assembly having a generally cylindrical shape and an at least partially non-functioning electronic chip with electrical contacts disposed in an endplate section of the generally cylindrical shape. The method further modifies the toner hopper assembly by affixing a replacement chip to the toner hopper assembly to form a modified toner hopper assembly. The replacement chip includes replacement electrical contacts which allow the replacement chip to communicate with a printer when the modified toner cartridge is installed in the printer.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/254,136 filed Oct. 19, 2005 entitled “Systems and Methods for Remanufacturing Imaging Components” the contents of which are relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, and the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 120 is hereby claimed. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to manufacturing, remanufacturing or repairing replaceable imaging components, and more particularly to apparatus and techniques for modifying a replaceable imaging cartridge to operate with a replacement electronic circuit.  
         [0003]     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.  
         [0004]     Some toner cartridges may include a chip having a memory device which is used to store data related to the cartridge or the imaging device, such as a printer, for example. The imaging device may communicate with the chip using a direct contact method or a broadcast technique utilizing radio frequency (RF) communication. This chip is typically mounted in a location, such as a slot, on the cartridge to allow for proper communication between the printer and the toner cartridge when the cartridge is installed in the printer. When the toner cartridge is being remanufactured, as described above, the chip provided by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), such as Hewlett-Packard or Lexmark, may need to be replaced by a compatible chip developed by a third party. Such a replacement chip may be larger and not have the same physical form factor as the OEM chip and thus may not fit into the slot on the toner cartridge. Thus, it would be desirable to provide techniques for solving this problem and allowing a replacement chip having a different form factor be installed on the toner cartridge by, for example, modifying the toner cartridge to accept the replacement chip.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]     In one aspect of the present invention a method of modifying a toner hopper assembly for use in a toner cartridge is disclosed. The method provides the toner hopper assembly having a generally cylindrical shape and an at least partially non-functioning electronic chip with electrical contacts disposed in an endplate section of the generally cylindrical shape. The method further modifies the toner hopper assembly by affixing a replacement chip to the toner hopper assembly to form a modified toner hopper assembly, wherein the replacement chip includes replacement electrical contacts which allow the replacement chip to communicate with a printer when the modified toner cartridge is installed in the printer.  
         [0006]     In another aspect of the present invention, a method of modifying an imaging cartridge includes providing the toner hopper assembly having a generally cylindrical shape and an at least partially non-functioning electronic chip with electrical contacts disposed in an endplate section of the generally cylindrical shape. The method further modifies the toner hopper assembly by affixing a replacement chip to the toner hopper assembly to form a modified toner hopper assembly, wherein the replacement chip includes replacement electrical contacts which allow the replacement chip to communicate with a printer when the modified toner cartridge is installed in the printer and the electrical contacts of the replacement chip are placed over the electrical contacts of the at least partially non-functioning electronic chip.  
         [0007]     In a further aspect of the present invention, a method of modifying an imaging cartridge includes providing the toner hopper assembly having a generally cylindrical shape and an at least partially non-functioning electronic chip with electrical contacts disposed in an endplate section of the generally cylindrical shape. The method further modifies the toner hopper assembly by affixing a replacement chip to the toner hopper assembly to form a modified toner hopper assembly, wherein the replacement chip includes replacement electrical contacts which allow the replacement chip to communicate with a printer when the modified toner cartridge is installed in the printer. The method also includes removing a portion of the at least partially non-functioning electronic chip through a contact window in the toner hopper assembly and the replacement chip is placed over the contact window.  
         [0008]     In a further aspect of the present invention, a method of modifying an imaging cartridge includes providing the toner hopper assembly having a generally cylindrical shape and an at least partially non-functioning electronic chip with electrical contacts disposed in an endplate section of the generally cylindrical shape. The method further modifies the toner hopper assembly by affixing a replacement chip to the toner hopper assembly to form a modified toner hopper assembly, wherein the replacement chip includes replacement electrical contacts which allow the replacement chip to communicate with a printer when the modified toner cartridge is installed in the printer. The method also includes forming a hole in the endplate, wherein electrical components of the replacement chip are positioned extending into the hole when the replacement chip is positioned over the at least partially non-functioning chip.  
         [0009]     In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of modifying an imaging cartridge includes providing the toner hopper assembly having a generally cylindrical shape and an at least partially non-functioning electronic chip with electrical contacts disposed in an endplate section of the generally cylindrical shape. The method further modifies the toner hopper assembly by affixing a replacement chip to the toner hopper assembly to form a modified toner hopper assembly, wherein the replacement chip includes replacement electrical contacts which allow the replacement chip to communicate with a printer when the modified toner cartridge is installed in the printer. The method also includes removing a section of the endplate and the contacts of the replacement chip are placed over the contacts of the at least partially non-functioning chip  
         [0010]     In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of modifying an imaging cartridge includes providing the toner hopper assembly having a generally cylindrical shape and an at least partially non-functioning electronic chip with electrical contacts disposed in an endplate section of the generally cylindrical shape. The method further modifies the toner hopper assembly by affixing a replacement chip to the toner hopper assembly to form a modified toner hopper assembly, wherein the replacement chip includes replacement electrical contacts which allow the replacement chip to communicate with a printer when the modified toner cartridge is installed in the printer. The method also includes removing a section of the endplate and a portion of the at least partially non-functioning electronic chip and the replacement chip is placed where the portion of the at least partially non-functioning chip was removed.  
         [0011]     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  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the drive side end of a prior art toner cartridge;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the non-drive side end view of a prior art toner cartridge;  
         [0014]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show perspective views of a waste bin assembly;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of a chip holding structure of a prior art toner cartridge;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional view of a modified chip holding structure in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6A  shows a cross-sectional view of a modified chip holding structure in accordance with another aspect of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional view of a new chip holding structure in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  shows a cross-sectional view of a chip holding structure holding a replacement contact element in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  shows an exploded perspective view of a prior art Samsung CLP-300 toner cartridge;  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  shows a front view of the toner cartridge of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  shows an exploded view of a prior art CLP-300 black toner hopper assembly;  
         [0023]      FIG. 12  shows a top view of the assembled CLP-300 black toner hopper assembly of  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 13  shows a top perspective view of a replacement chip having electrical components and electrical contacts on the same side of a printed circuit board in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 14  shows a top view of the replacement chip of  FIG. 17  attached to the black toner hopper assembly;  
         [0026]      FIGS. 15A-15B  show top and bottom perspective views of a replacement chip having electronic components on the edges of a printed circuit board in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 16  shows a top view of the replacement chip of  FIGS. 19A-19B  attached to the black toner hopper assembly;  
         [0028]      FIG. 17  shows a top view a modified black toner hopper assembly with a portion of the electronic chip removed;  
         [0029]      FIGS. 18A-18B  show top and bottom perspective views of a replacement chip having electronic components in the center of a printed circuit board in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 19  shows a top view of the replacement chip of  FIGS. 18A-18B  attached to the black toner hopper assembly;  
         [0031]      FIGS. 20A-20B  show top and bottom perspective views of an irregularly shaped replacement chip in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0032]      FIG. 21A  shows an exploded view of a drilling template in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0033]      FIG. 21B  shows an assembled view of a drilling template of  FIG. 20A ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 22A  shows a top view of the drilling template attached to the black toner hopper assembly;  
         [0035]      FIG. 22B  displays a side view of the drilling template attached to the toner hopper assembly;  
         [0036]      FIG. 23  displays an exemplary drill bit used with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0037]      FIG. 24  displays a top view of a modified black toner hopper assembly with a hole bored into an endplate in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0038]      FIG. 25  displays a modified black toner hopper assembly with the replacement chip of  FIGS. 20A-20B  installed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0039]      FIG. 26  shows a side perspective view of a replacement chip having the electronic components and electrical contacts connected by electrical wiring;  
         [0040]      FIG. 27  shows a side perspective view of a modified black toner hopper assembly having the replacement chip of  FIG. 26  attached in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0041]      FIG. 28  shows a side perspective view of a replacement chip having the electronic components and electrical contacts connected by electrical wiring in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0042]      FIG. 29A-29B  show side perspective views of a modified black toner hopper assembly having the replacement chip of  FIG. 28  attached in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0043]      FIG. 30  displays a top view of a modified black toner hopper assembly having a section of the endplate removed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0044]      FIG. 31  shows a side perspective view of a replacement chip having the electrical contacts offset from the electronic components in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and,  
         [0045]      FIG. 32  displays a top view of a modified black toner hopper assembly having a section of the endplate removed and the replacement chip of  FIG. 31  installed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0046]     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 repairing, manufacturing or remanufacturing a toner cartridge, such as an HP 2600 toner cartridge, 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.  
         [0047]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show perspective views of a prior art toner cartridge  100 . The toner cartridge  100  includes, among other components, a toner hopper assembly  102  and a waste bin assembly  104 .  FIGS. 3 and 4  show perspective views of the waste bin assembly  104  after separation from the toner cartridge  100 . The waste bin assembly  104  includes a waste bin  106 , an organic photo conductor (OPC) drum  108 , and a chip holding structure  140 , described in greater detail below. The OPC drum  108  comprises a cylindrical aluminum tube having first and second hubs  110  and  112 , with each hub  110  and  112  extending from an end of the OPC drum  108 . The OPC drum  108  is held in place by a drive side end cap  114  and a non-drive side end cap  116  which include OPC retaining members  118  and  120 , respectively. The OPC retaining members  118  and  120  each include cylindrical openings which engage and hold the ends of the hubs  110  and  112  during the rotation of the OPC drum  108 . The cylindrical opening of the OPC retaining member  120  is narrowed at the end by a flange  122 .  
         [0048]      FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of a chip holding structure  500  of a prior art toner cartridge holding an OEM chip  502 . The OEM chip  502  may include electrical contacts  504  on one side of a printed circuit board (PCB)  506  for engagement with the printer and circuitry  508  including a memory element on the opposing side. Plastic flanges  510  and  512  hold the OEM chip from the top and the sides while support member  514  supports the bottom of the chip  502 . The support member  514  and the flanges  510  and  512  form a slot in which the chip  502  is inserted for attachment to the toner cartridge.  
         [0049]     A replacement chip may be physically larger than the OEM chip  502  due to the inclusion of a microcontroller unit (MCU) or a system on a chip (SOC) and thus not fit into the slot housing the OEM chip. The present invention provides techniques for solving this problem and allowing a replacement chip having a different form factor be installed on the toner cartridge by, for example, modifying the toner cartridge to accept the replacement chip.  
         [0050]      FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional view of a modified chip holding structure  600  holding a replacement chip  602  in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. The replacement chip  602  may comprise contacts  604  on one side of a PCB  606  communicatively connected to a processing unit  608 , such as a microcontroller, for example. Due to the size of the processing unit  608  or other components, the replacement chip  602  has a greater thickness than the chip  502  and will not fit in the chip holding structure  500 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the support member  514  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) has been removed to allow the larger replacement chip  602  to be installed in the slot on the toner cartridge. The support member  514  may be removed by cutting, filing or some other suitable technique. The replacement chip  602  may be held in place by an adhesive which adheres the PCB  606  to the flanges  510  and  512 , or some other suitable technique. Optionally, the replacement chip may be held in place by a replacement support member  620  (smaller than the support member  514 ) shaped to the appropriate size for supporting the larger replacement chip  602  and attached to the toner cartridge in the general area where support member  514  was removed. The support member  620  may comprise many suitable materials, including plastic and adhesive, for example. In another aspect of the present invention, as shown in the modified chip holding structure  600 ′ of  FIG. 6A , only a portion of the support member  514  is removed to form a supporting structure  614  sized to support the bottom of the replacement chip  602 . Other techniques may also be utilized to hold the replacement chip in the slot of the modified toner cartridge.  
         [0051]      FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional view of a new chip holding structure  700  holding a replacement chip  702  in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. The replacement chip  702  may comprise contacts  704  on one side of a PCB  706  communicatively connected to a processing unit  708 , such as a microcontroller, for example. Due to the size of the processing unit  708  or other components, the replacement chip  702  has a greater thickness and/or greater width than the chip  502  and will not fit in the chip holding structure  500 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the support member  514  and the flanges  510  and  512  have been removed to allow the larger replacement chip  702  to be installed in the toner cartridge. The support member  514  and the flanges  510  and  512  may be removed by cutting, filing or some other suitable technique. The replacement chip  702  may be held in place by one or more attachment members, such as member  720 , shaped to the appropriate size for supporting the larger replacement chip  702  and attached to the toner cartridge, or some other suitable technique. The one or more attachment members  720  form the new chip holding structure  700 . The member  720  may comprise many suitable materials, including plastic and adhesive, for example. The PCB  706  may include holes  730  and  732  for printer posts to pass through when the toner cartridge is installed in the printer. In another aspect of the present invention, only a portion of the support member  514  and the flanges  510  and  512  are removed to form a supporting structure sized to support the bottom of the replacement chip  702 . Other techniques may also be utilized to hold the replacement chip in the slot of the modified toner cartridge. The processing circuitry  708  may be attached to either side of the PCB  706 .  
         [0052]     In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a replacement chip may be installed in the toner cartridge without making modifications to the chip holding structure  500 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , a replacement contact element  802  may be installed in the chip holding structure  500 . The replacement contact element  802  may comprise contacts  804  and  805  on one side of a PCB  806  communicatively connected to wires  807  and  809 , respectively. This replacement contact element  802  preferably does not include a processing unit  806 . The processing unit  806  may be attached to the toner cartridge in another location and connected to the contacts  804  and  805  through the wires  807  and  809 . These wires  807  and  809  may be secured to the toner cartridge with tape or other appropriate means.  
         [0053]     In another aspect of the present invention, either a portion of the waste bin assembly or the entire waste bin assembly may be replaced with a new waste bin assembly having the appropriate sized slot for the replacement chip. In one aspect of the present invention, the modifications to the toner cartridge may be accomplished with conventional cutting tools and a jig.  
         [0054]     Printer manufacturers have also developed smaller toner cartridges which may use shared components. By using shared components, the printer manufacturer may eliminate several components, thus creating a smaller, less expensive toner cartridge.  FIG. 9  displays a prior art toner cartridge  1300  which utilizes a shared component system. The toner cartridge  1300  has a main housing  1305  which houses the various rollers, OPC drum, and other mechanical parts. The toner cartridge  1300  has four replaceable toner hopper assemblies which are substantially cylindrically shaped, a black toner hopper assembly  1310 , a yellow toner hopper assembly  1320 , a magenta toner hopper assembly  1330  and a cyan toner hopper assembly  1340 . The black toner hopper assembly  1310  may be removed from and reinserted into a black toner hopper assembly recess  1315 . Similarly, the other toner hopper assemblies may be removed and inserted into their respective recesses, a yellow toner hopper assembly recess  1325 , a magenta toner hopper assembly recess  1335 , and a cyan toner hopper assembly recess  1345 . As is shown in  FIG. 9 , the yellow toner hopper assembly  1320 , the magenta toner hopper assembly  1330  and the cyan toner hopper assembly  1340  may be of similar size and slightly smaller than the black toner hopper assembly  1310 .  
         [0055]      FIG. 10  displays a front perspective view of the main housing  1305  with the yellow toner hopper assembly  1320  installed. The printer manufacturer may implement a key slot within each toner hopper assembly recess ( 1315 ,  1325 ,  1335 , and  1345 ) to restrict the insertion of an incorrect toner hopper assembly. For example, the black toner hopper assembly  1310  has a key which matches up to a black key slot  1316  located within the black toner hopper assembly recess  1315 . The key slot locations may be unique for each toner hopper assembly. The magenta toner hopper assembly  1330  and the cyan toner hopper assembly  1340  have keys that match up to the magenta key slot  1336  in the magenta toner hopper assembly recess  1335  and the cyan key slot  1346  within the cyan toner hopper assembly recess  1345  respectively. Although it is unlikely that the black toner hopper assembly  1310  may be inserted into any of the other color toner recesses due to the size differential, the key slot may keep the black toner hopper assembly  1310  from being installed in a similar imaging process cartridge.  
         [0056]     Within the toner hopper assembly recesses ( 1315 ,  1325 ,  1335 , and  1345 ) are electrical contacts for each toner hopper assembly ( 1310 ,  1320 ,  1330  and  1340 ). Within the black toner hopper recess  1315  are black toner hopper contacts  1318 . Correspondingly, within the other toner hopper recesses are yellow toner hopper contacts (not shown), magenta toner hopper contacts  1338 , and cyan toner hopper contacts  1348 . As is explained further in the discussions of  FIG. 11 , the different toner hopper contacts within the associated recesses mate up to electrical contacts of an electronic chip that is installed on the different toner hopper assemblies. When the toner hopper assemblies are completely inserted into the appropriate toner hopper assembly recesses, the contacts of the electronic chip make electrical contact with the toner hopper contacts within the toner hopper assembly recesses.  
         [0057]      FIG. 11  displays an exploded view of the prior art black toner hopper assembly  1310 . The black toner hopper assembly  1310  has two sections, a main body  1510  and an end plate  1520 . The end plate  1520  is attached on to the main body and may be secured into place with glue, an ultrasonic weld or other fastening means. The main body  1510  may be used to store black toner which is released during the printing process.  
         [0058]     Before the end plate  1520  is affixed to the main body  1510 , an electronic chip  1515  may be installed on the main body  1510 . The electronic chip  1515  may be placed over a gear shaft housing  1535  and the end plate  1520  be secured into place. As can be seen in  FIG. 11 , the electronic chip  1515  has a set of electrical contacts  1516 . The electrical contacts  1516  extend above the main body  1510  and protrude through an electrical contact window  1525  of the end plate  1520 . The electrical contacts  1516  mate up and electrically connect to the black toner contacts  1318  within the black toner hopper assembly recess  1315  when the black toner hopper assembly  1310  is installed in the toner cartridge  1300 . After the end plate  1520  has been attached to the main body  1510 , a drive gear  1505  is inserted into the black toner hopper assembly  1310 . The drive gear  1505  operates an agitator (not shown) that agitates the black toner within the main body  1510  of the black toner hopper assembly  1310 . Agitating the black toner causes the black toner to drop through a toner window  1530 , which is located on a toner protrusion  1532 . When the black toner hopper assembly  1310  is installed in the toner cartridge  1300 , the black toner drops through the toner window  1530  and enters the main housing  1305 .  
         [0059]      FIG. 12  displays a top view of the assembled black toner hopper assembly  1310 . On the side of the end plate  1520  is a black key  1512  that aligns with the black key slot  1316  located within the black toner hopper assembly recess  1315  of the main housing  1305 . As mentioned previously, the black keys  1512  may prevent the black toner hopper assemblies from being physically inserted into the incorrect toner hopper assembly recesses. Also shown in  FIG. 12  are gaps  1526  located in the electrical contact window  1525 . The gaps  1526  exist between the electrical contacts  1516  and the sides of the electrical contact window  1525 .  
         [0060]     The electronic chip  1515  may comprise a printed circuit board upon which electrical components and the electrical contacts  1516  may be mounted. When the black toner hopper assembly  1310  is installed in the toner cartridge  1300  and the toner cartridge  1300  is installed in the printer, the electronic chip  1515  may send and receive data sent to and from the printer. Some examples of data stored in the electronic chip  1515  may include printer type, imaging process cartridge serial number, the manufacturing date, the number of pages printed (page count), percentage of toner remaining, yield (expected number of pages), color indicator, toner-out indicator, toner low indicator, and the like.  
         [0061]     After a predetermined number of prints, the printer may determine that all of the usable toner within the individual toner hopper assembly ( 1310 ,  1320 ,  1330  or  1340 ) may have been consumed. As a result, the printer may disable the individual toner hopper assembly ( 1310 ,  1320 ,  1330  or  1340 ) in order to make the consumer replace the disabled toner hopper assembly. The printer may disable the electronic chip  1515  by writing a specific value into a memory location within the electronic chip  1515 . Once this value is written into the memory location, the value may not be overwritten by the printer. Hence, each time the printer communicates with the electronic chip  1515  and reads the value from that location, the printer may determine that the toner hopper assembly is spent and unusable. The printer may then disable the toner hopper assembly and display an appropriate message on the printer display panel. The disabled toner hopper assembly may be either discarded or recycled by a toner hopper assembly remanufacturer.  
         [0062]     In order to recycle the disabled toner hopper assembly the imaging process cartridge remanufacturer may repair or replace the electronic chip  1515  as well as refill the toner, and repair or replace any other non-functioning components. A replacement chip may be designed to replace the non-functioning electronic chip. The replacement chip may be functionally equal (i.e. provide the same functionality as the electronic chip  1515 ). Thus, when a remanufactured toner hopper assembly with a replacement chip is installed in an imaging process cartridge, which is inserted back into the printer, the printer would allow the remanufactured imaging process cartridge to operate normally.  
         [0063]      FIG. 13  shows a replacement chip  1700  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The replacement chip  1700  has electronic components  1710  and electrical contacts  1720  positioned on a printed circuit board (PCB)  1730 . The electrical contacts  1720  may mirror the configuration of the electrical contacts  1516  of the electronic chip  1515 . By mirroring the electrical configuration of the electronic chip  1515 , the electrical contacts  1720  of the replacement chip  1700  may be placed over the electrical contacts  1516  of the electronic chip  1515  as is displayed in a modified black toner hopper assembly  1810  as shown in  FIG. 14 . The replacement chip  1700  may offer the same functionality as the electronic chip  1515  when the replacement chip  1700  is installed on the black toner hopper assembly  1310 . For example, the replacement chip  1700  programmed for use on a black toner hopper assembly  1310  for the Samsung CLP-300 printer may be used to repair a non-functioning black toner hopper assembly for the same printer having a non-functioning electronic chip  1515 . When the modified black toner hopper assembly  1810  is inserted into the black toner hopper assembly recess  1315 , the electrical contacts  1720  may make electrical contact with the black toner contacts  1318 .  
         [0064]     The thickness of the PCB  1730  of the replacement chip  1700  may need to be quite thin. In one exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the PCB  1730  may be less than about 0.012″ (0.30 mm). The total height of the replacement chip  1700  may include the thickness of the PCB  1730  plus the thickness of the electrical contacts  1720  or well as the height of the electrical components  1710 , whichever is greater. Because the electrical contacts  1516  are flush with the top of the end plate  1520 , there may be little room to position the replacement chip  1700 . If the height of the replacement chip  1700  was too tall, the resulting offset may cause a misalignment of the drive gear  1505  with the other gears within the toner cartridge  1300 .  
         [0065]      FIGS. 15A and 15B  display a top view and a bottom view, respectively, of another replacement chip  1900  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The replacement chip  1900  has electrical contacts  1920  located on the top of a PCB  1930 . The electrical contacts  1920  mirror the electrical contacts  1516  of the electronic chip  1515 . The replacement chip  1900  may offer the same functionality as the electronic chip  1515  when the replacement chip  1900  is installed on the black toner hopper assembly  1310 . For example, the replacement chip  1900  programmed for use on a black toner hopper assembly  1310  for the Samsung CLP-300 printer may be used to repair a non-functioning black toner hopper assembly for the same printer having a non-functioning electronic chip  1515 .  
         [0066]     On the bottom of the replacement chip  1900  ( FIG. 15B ) electrical components  1910  may be arranged to the sides of the PCB  1930 . By arranging the electronic components  1910  to the sides of the PCB  1930 , the electrical components  1910  may protrude into the gaps  1526  that exist between the electrical contacts  1516  and the sides of the electrical contact window  1525  ( FIG. 12 ) when the replacement chip  1900  is positioned over the electronic chip  1515 . Alternatively, as is displayed in  FIG. 16 , the electrical contact window  1525  may also be enlarged as illustrated by dashed lines  1960 . Enlarging the electrical contact window  1525  creates larger gaps  1526 , allowing additional space for the electrical components  1910 .  FIG. 16  shows the replacement chip  1900  installed over the electronic chip  1515 . The replacement chip  1900  may be secured into place using epoxy, glue or other appropriate securing means.  
         [0067]     In yet another embodiment, a portion of the electronic chip  1515  may be removed from the electrical contact window  1525 . The portion may be removed using a power tool such as a drill, Dremmel® or the like. Alternatively, the portion may be removed using a sharp instrument such as an exacto knife, box cutter or the like. FIG.  17  shows a modified black toner hopper assembly  2100  having the portion of the electronic chip  1515  removed. With the removal of the portion, the electrical contact window  1525  no longer contains the contacts  1516  of the electronic chip  1515 . As a result a replacement chip  2200  as displayed in  FIGS. 18A and 18B  may be installed over the electrical contact window  1525 .  
         [0068]      FIG. 18A  displays a top perspective view of the replacement chip  2200 . As shown in  FIG. 18A , there are four electrical contacts  2220  positioned on the top of a PCB  2230 .  FIG. 18B  shows a bottom perspective view of the replacement chip  2200 . As can be seen in  FIG. 18B , the electrical components  2210  may be positioned towards the center of the PCB  2230 . With the portion of the electronic chip  1515  removed, the electrical components  2210  may protrude into the electrical contact window  1525  when the replacement chip  2200  is installed on the modified black toner hopper assembly  2100  as is shown in  FIG. 19 . The replacement chip  2200  may offer the same functionality as the electronic chip  1515  when the replacement chip  2200  is installed on the black toner hopper assembly  1310 . For example, the replacement chip  2200  programmed for use on a black toner hopper assembly  1310  for the Samsung CLP-300 printer may be used to repair a non-functioning black toner hopper assembly for the same printer having a non-functioning electronic chip  1515 .  
         [0069]      FIGS. 20A and 20B  display yet another replacement chip  2400  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The endplate  1520  may be modified to accept the replacement chip  2400 .  FIG. 20A  shows a top perspective view of the replacement chip  2400 . The replacement chip  2400  has a set of four electrical contacts  2420  positioned on a printed circuit board  2430  (PCB). The electrical contacts  2420  are in the same configuration as the electrical contacts  1516  of the electronic chip  1515 .  FIG. 20B  shows a bottom perspective view of the replacement chip  2400  and the electrical components  2410  that extend out from the PCB  2430 . The replacement chip  2400  may offer the same functionality as the electronic chip  1515  when the replacement chip  2400  is installed on the black toner hopper assembly  1310 . For example, the replacement chip  2400  programmed for use on a black toner hopper assembly  1310  for the Samsung CLP-300 printer may be used to repair a non-functioning black toner hopper assembly for the same printer having a non-functioning electronic chip  1515 .  
         [0070]     The endplate  1520  may be modified by utilizing a modification template  2500  as displayed in  FIGS. 21A and 21B . The modification template  2500  has an adjustable portion  2510  and a template housing  2515 . The adjustable portion  2510  has two legs  2525  which extend in an outward direction. The two legs  2525  insert into either an outer set  2520  or inner set  2530  of holes on the template housing  2515 . The adjustable portion  2510  also has a toner extraction bore  2570  that may be used as a boring guide to remove a portion of the main body  1510  to facilitate the toner removal process. In addition to the outer set  2520  and the inner set  2530  of holes, the template housing  2515  also has a modification bore  2540 , a gear opening  2550  and a toner protrusion guide  2560 . The modification template  2500  may be constructed from aluminum, steel, hard plastic or other suitable materials.  
         [0071]     The black toner hopper assembly  1310  is larger than the other color toner hopper assemblies (i.e. the yellow toner hopper assembly  1320 , the magenta toner hopper assembly  1330  and the cyan toner hopper assembly  1340 ). The modification template  2500  may be used for modifying the endplate  1520  of the black toner hopper assembly  1310  by inserting the legs  2525  of the adjustable portion  2510  into the outer set of holes  2520  as is displayed in the embodiment of  FIG. 21B .  
         [0072]     The location of the modification bore  2540  on the modification template  2500  may be designed based on the underlying structure beneath the endplate  1520 . As displayed in  FIG. 11 , the electronic chip  1515  extends across the top of the main body  1510 , centered on the gear shaft housing  1535 . Thus, it may be advantageous to have the location of the modification bore  2540  away from the electronic chip  1515  but still close enough to the electrical contact window  1525 . Keeping the location of the modification bore  2540  away from any structures beneath the endplate  1520  reduces the risk of damaging the toner hopper assembly when boring out the portion of the endplate  1520 .  
         [0073]      FIGS. 22A and 22B  display the modification template  2500  placed over the endplate  1520  of the black toner hopper assembly  1310 . As can be seen in  FIG. 22A , the toner protrusion  1532  extends through the toner protrusion guide  2560 . Although not shown in  FIG. 22A , the gear shaft  1505  extends into the gear opening  2550 . When the modification template  2500  is placed over the endplate  1520 , the modification template  2500  is held in place by the combination of the adjustable portion  2510  being pressed against the main body  1510 , the gear shaft  1505  pressing against the gear opening  2550  as well as the toner protrusion  1532  pressing against the toner protrusion guide  2560 .  
         [0074]     After the modification template  2500  has been placed over the endplate  1520 , a boring tool such as a drill, Dremmel®, drill press or the like may be used to bore out a hole in the endplate  1520 . One exemplary drill bit  2700  that may be used with such boring tool is displayed in  FIG. 23 . The drill bit  2700  has a boring end  2710  and a depth gauge  2720  which extends a depth  2730  from the tip of the boring end  2710 . After the drill bit  2700  is attached to a suitable boring tool, the drill bit  2700  is inserted into the modification bore  2540  and a portion of the endplate  1520  is removed. The depth  2730  should be sufficient to allow the drill bit  2700  to bore only through the endplate  1520  without penetrating the main body  1510  of the toner hopper assembly. When assembled, there is a clearance between the endplate  1520  and the main body  1510  of less than about 0.1″ (2.54 mm). The depth  2730  of the drill bit  2700  may be adjusted for different toner hopper assemblies.  
         [0075]     After the portion of the endplate  1520  is removed using the modification template  2500  with the boring tool, a portion of the main body  1510  may also be removed to facilitate the emptying of the toner hopper assembly. With the modification template  2500  still attached, the boring end  2710  of the drill bit  2700  may be inserted into the toner extraction bore  2570  and a hole may be bored into the main body  1510 . Once the hole has been created, the shavings from boring the hole as well as any remaining toner may be removed. As a final step in the remanufacturing process, new toner may be added to the toner hopper assembly and a plug (not shown) may be used to seal the hole in the main body  1510 .  
         [0076]      FIG. 24  displays a top view of a modified toner hopper assembly  2800  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The modified toner hopper assembly  2800  has a bore hole  2810  in the endplate  1520 . Through the bore hole  2810 , the main body  1510  of the toner hopper assembly can be seen. The replacement chip  2400  may then be attached onto the endplate  1520  of the modified toner hopper assembly  2800  as is shown in  FIG. 25 . The electronic components  2410  of the replacement chip  2400  extend into the bore hole  2810  when the replacement chip  2400  is affixed. The replacement chip  2400  is designed to provide enough clearance around the drive shaft  1505  when attached. In addition, the electrical contacts  2420  are positioned over the contacts  1525  of the electronic chip  1515 .  
         [0077]      FIG. 26  displays a replacement chip  3000  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The replacement chip  3000  has electrical components  3010  mounted on a PCB  3030 . The PCB  3030  in turn may be attached to a curved flange  3050 . The curved flange  3050  may be designed to follow the contours of the side of the main body  1510  of the black toner hopper assembly  1310 . The position of the curved flange  3050  may correspond to the toner extraction bore  2570  of the modification template  2500 . When a hole is bored into the side of the main body  1510 , the curved flange  3050  of the replacement chip  3000  may be placed over the hole, with the electrical components  3010  extending into the hole. The curved flange may be secured into place using glue, epoxy or other adhesive means. Alternatively, a plug (not shown) may be inserted into the hole and the curved flange  3050  may be affixed to the plug.  
         [0078]     The electrical components are electrically coupled via a conductive connector  3040  to electrical contacts  3020  which are positioned away from the PCB  3030 . The conductive connector  3040  may be formed from thin strands of wire insulated in a non conductive sleeve. The replacement chip  3000  is designed so the electrical contacts  3020  may be positioned over the electrical contacts  1516  when the replacement chip  300  is installed over the electronic chip  1515  as shown in the modified toner hopper assembly  3100  displayed in  FIG. 27 .  
         [0079]     As is shown in modified black toner hopper assembly  3100  of  FIG. 27 , the conductive connector  3040  is formed around the contours of the faceplate  1520  as well as the side of the main body  1510 . When installed, the electrical components  3010  are positioned against the side of the main body  1510 . The height of the electrical components  3010  combined with the thickness of the PCB  3030  may be of sufficient height as to provide enough clearance so the modified black toner hopper assembly  3100  may be installed into the black toner hopper assembly recess  1315 . If the combined height is too great, the modified black toner hopper assembly  3100  may become wedged prior to being completely inserted into the black toner hopper assembly recess  1315 . A hole  3060  is displayed by the dashed line and the curved flange  3050  may be placed over the hole  3060 .  
         [0080]      FIG. 28  displays a replacement chip  3200  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The replacement chip  3200  has electrical components  3210  mounted on a PCB  3230 . The electrical components are electrically coupled via a conductive connector  3240  to electrical contacts  3220  which are positioned away from the PCB  3030 . The conductive connector  3040  may be formed from thin strands of wire insulated in a non conductive sleeve. The replacement chip  3200  is designed so the electrical contacts  3220  may be positioned over the electrical contacts  1516  when the replacement chip  300  is installed over the electronic chip  1515  as shown in the modified toner hopper assembly  3300  displayed in  FIGS. 29A and 29B .  
         [0081]     As is shown in modified black toner hopper assembly  3300  of  FIGS. 29   a  and  29 B, the conductive connector  3240  is formed around the contours of the endplate  1520  and extends down the entire side of the main body  1510 . When installed, the electrical components  3210  are positioned against the bottom  3305  of the main body  1510 . Similar to the modified black toner hopper assembly  3100  of  FIG. 27 , the PCB  3230  may be positioned over a hole that may be bored into the bottom  3305 .  
         [0082]      FIG. 30  displays a top view of another modified black toner hopper assembly  3400  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The modified black toner hopper assembly  3400  has a section of the endplate  1520  removed. The section may be removed using a hacksaw, Dremmel, or other cutting instrument. With the section removed, the end of the electronic chip  1515  having the electrical contacts  1516  may be exposed. The end of the electronic chip  1515  may then be cut off and removed.  
         [0083]      FIG. 31  shows a replacement chip  3500  in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention. The replacement chip  3500  has electrical components  3510  and electrical contacts  3520  positioned on a PCB  3530 . The replacement chip  3500  is designed so the electrical contacts  3520  may extend above the PCB  3530  so when the replacement chip  3500  is affixed to the modified black toner hopper assembly  3400  the contacts extend to about the same position the electrical contacts  1516  were before the section of the electronic chip  1525  was removed.  FIG. 32  displays the replacement chip  3400  installed on a modified black toner hopper assembly  3400  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0084]     In addition to the aforementioned imaging process cartridge types (i.e. the black toner hopper assembly), the inventive concepts of the present invention may be applied to the other color toner hopper assemblies for the CLP-300 color laser printer as well as other toner hopper assemblies for other printer models including color and monochrome printers. Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that any arrangement, which 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.  
         [0085]     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.