Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation-in-part application of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/598,964, filed Nov. 14, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,546,062. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to electrophotography, particularly methods and apparatus for remanufacturing toner cartridges. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Used printer cartridges of fax machines, copiers, inkjet printers, and laser printers are often remanufactured. Generally, printers embed toner on paper by relying on electrical charges occurring within the printer cartridges. Printer cartridges typically include a toner hopper, a primary charge roller, and a drum. The toner is typically stored in the toner hopper and carries a negative charge. The drum is typically given a charge by a primary charge roller or PCR. The charge of the drum is typically more positive than the charge of the toner, and thus the drum is able to attract the toner. Once the drum is given a charge by the PCR and a print pattern is set, the drum gets coated with toner. The drum that is coated with toner then rolls over a sheet of paper, which is usually given a negative charge by the PCR. The charge of the paper is less negative than the charge of the toner, and thus the paper attracts the toner. The toner is embedded on the paper according to the print pattern. 
     The drum is usually one of the components that wears out from usage and gets replaced during remanufacturing. In some cartridges, such as those manufactured by Hewlett Packard company having model numbers HP 1600, HP 2600, and HP 2605, the drums are attached to the cartridges in a manner that makes the drums difficult to remove from the cartridges and may require breaking the cartridges. It is desirable to be able to detach the drums from the cartridges without having to break the parts of the cartridges. This helps preserve the appearance of the cartridges and minimizes remanufacturing steps. Methods and apparatus for efficiently and quickly detaching the drums from the cartridges are desired and are addressed by the present invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a device for detaching a drum from a cartridge, the device comprising a means for supporting the printer cartridge; a means for preventing printer cartridge movement while the drum is being detached from the printer cartridge; and a cutting device comprising at least one adjustable cutting edge, wherein the adjustable cutting edge may be adjusted from an unexposed position to an exposed position and vice versa. 
     The present invention also includes a method of removing a drum from a printer cartridge, the drum being attached to the printer cartridge by at least one drum gear assembly, the drum gear assembly comprising a cylinder with a hollow interior, the method comprising supporting the printer cartridge on a fixture; substantially securing the printer cartridge; and cutting the drum gear assembly from the hollow interior. 
     The above description sets forth, rather broadly, a summary of embodiments of the present invention so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. Some of the embodiments of the present invention may not include all of the features or characteristics listed in the above summary. There may be, of course, other features of the invention that will be described below and may form the subject matter of claims. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is substantially a perspective view of an embodiment of a cutting tool of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is substantially a cross-sectional view of the cutting tool shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is substantially a cross-sectional view of the cutting tool shown in  FIG. 1 , the cutting edges being shown to be actuated. 
         FIG. 4  is substantially a cut-away and close up view showing the activation of the cutting edges. 
         FIG. 5  is substantially a side perspective view of a print toner cartridge for which the cutting tool of the present invention may be used. 
         FIG. 6  is substantially another side view of the print toner cartridge shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is substantially another side view of the print toner cartridge shown in  FIG. 5  showing a perpendicular wall within a drum gear. 
         FIG. 8  is substantially a front view of the cutting tool of the present invention being used to remove a drum from the waste hopper. 
         FIG. 9  is substantially a front view of the cutting tool of the present invention being used to remove the drum. 
         FIG. 10  is substantially a perspective view of the drum substantially detached from the cartridge by the cutting tool of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is substantially a side view of the drum and the drum gear cut apart by the cutting tool of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is substantially a perspective view of another cutting tool embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is substantially a cross-section view of the cutting tool embodiment of  FIG. 12  with its cutting edge deactivated. 
         FIG. 14  is substantially a cross-section view of the cutting tool embodiment of  FIG. 12  with its cutting edge activated. 
         FIG. 15  is substantially a perspective view of a fixture that may be used with the cutting tool of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is substantially a perspective view of the cutting tool of the present invention being used with the fixture of  FIG. 14 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     The order in which the steps are presented below is not limited to any particular order and does not necessarily imply that they have to be performed in the order presented. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the order of these steps can be rearranged and performed in any suitable manner. It will further be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that some steps may be omitted or added and still fall within the spirit of the invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the present invention includes a cutting device  30 . The cutting device  30  preferably includes a drill end  32 . The drill end  32  is preferably configured to be rotated to make a hole on a part of a drum gear, which is a structure that connects the drum to the printer and allows the drum to rotate when the printer is in operation (not shown). Cutting device  30  preferably also includes a drill shaft  34  extending from a non-pointed side of the drill end  32 . The drill shaft  34  preferably defines a horizontal plane A and a vertical plane B. The drill shaft  34  preferably defines a recess  36  extending from side to side or laterally. The recess  36  preferably lies on the horizontal plane A. The height of the recess  36  preferably spans the entire vertical plane B of the drill shaft  34 . 
     A pair of moveable cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  is preferably positioned to move in and out of the recess  36 . The pair of movable cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  is preferably positioned to move in the direction that is opposite to each other&#39;s direction of movement. Each cutting edge  38  preferably includes a structure with substantially pointed edge, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The level of the sharpness or the dullness of the pointed edge may be varied depending on the efficiency of the cutting and the smoothness of the cut surface the user desires. The number and position of the cutting edges around the shaft may also be varied. For instance, the cutting device  30  may include only one cutting edge. 
     Cutting device  30  preferably further includes a stop collar  40  attached to a portion of the drill shaft  34  where the recess  36  runs. The stop collar  40  preferably surrounds the outer surface of the drill shaft  34  and covers a portion of the recess  36 . The stop collar  40  preferably rotates with the drill shaft  34 . The stop collar  40  is shown to be circular in shape in  FIG. 1 . However, the stop collar  40  may be designed with various shapes. 
     The position of the stop collar  40  on the drill shaft  34  is preferably adjacent to the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  and in between an actuating mechanism  44  and the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b . The stop collar  40  preferably includes a stop surface  42 , which is preferably substantially flat and configured to abut a part of the cartridge (not shown). The distance between the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  and the stop collar  40  is preferably predetermined depending on where on the drum or the drum gear the cutting device is designed to make the cut. Once the location of the cut is determined, the distance between the location of the cut and the part of the cartridge to which the stop surface  42  will abut can be calculated. The calculated distance may be used in positioning the stop collar  40  on the drill shaft  34 . That is, the calculated distance may be used as the distance between the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  and the position of the stop surface  42  on the drill shaft  34 . It can be realized that the cutting device  30  of the present invention provides a way to cut in a manner where the location of the cut may be adjusted and may be determined with precision. 
     The drill shaft  34  and the recess  36  therein preferably extend sideways past the location of the stop collar  40 . Substantially adjacent to the stop collar  40  and substantially opposite the drill end  32  on the drill shaft  34  is preferably an actuating mechanism  44  for the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b , which is discussed further below. The drill shaft  34  preferably includes an end  45  opposite the drill end  32 , which preferably includes a drill attachment tip  46  attached thereto. The drill attachment tip  46  preferably includes a non-circular periphery such that an electric drill (not shown) may easily grasp the tip  46  and electrically rotate the drill shaft  34 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , the actuating mechanism  44  for the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  is shown and preferably includes cutter arms  48   a  and  48   b , arm actuation device  56 , actuation device handle  58 , and actuation device stop collar  60 . Each cutting edge  38   a  and  38   b  is preferably integral to or a part of a corresponding cutter arm  48   a  and  48   b . Each cutter arm  48  preferably includes a first component  50   a  or  50   b , which is preferably positioned within the confines of the drill shaft  34 . 
     First components  50   a  and  50   b  preferably extend to their respective second components  52   a  or  52   b , which are preferably positioned at an angle relative to the first components  50   a  and  50   b . In the preferred embodiment, the second component  52  is preferably at an angle between 90-180 degrees from the first component  50 . Substantial portions of the second components  52  preferably project out of the confines of the drill shaft  34  through the recess  36 . Each cutter arm  48  is preferably attached to the drill shaft  34  via a mechanical pin  54   a  or  54   b  positioned within the confines of the recess  36  and attached to the interior wall of the drill shaft  34 . Each cutter arm  48  may preferably pivot around its respective mechanical pin  54 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , each second component  52  of the cutter arm  48  is preferably moveably attached to the arm actuating device  56  from an end that is distal and opposite from the cutting edges  38 . Each of said second component end preferably defines a lateral recess  62   a  and  62   b  extending from side to side. The arm actuating device  56  preferably attaches to each second component via a mechanical pin  64   a  or  64   b  that passes through the recess  62   a  or  62   b  and that is attached to the arm actuating device  56 . The mechanical pin  64  is preferably configured to slide within the recess  62  when the actuating device  56  is operated to activate the cutting edges  38 . 
     The actuating device  56  is preferably a structure that defines a cylindrical recess configured to accommodate the drill shaft  34 . The drill shaft  34  is preferably inserted through this cylindrical recess to allow the actuating device  56  to slide sideways on the drill shaft  34 . The actuating device may be made with various shapes. The actuating device  56  is preferably attached to one end of a biasing device  66 . The other end of the biasing device  66  is preferably attached to the stop collar  40 . It can be realized from  FIG. 2  that the actuating device  56  is preferably biased to move toward the stop collar  40  in the deactivated position. In the deactivated position, the biasing device  66  also positions the actuating device  56  and the mechanical pin  64  toward the stop collar  40 . First component  50   a  is preferably biased to pivot counterclockwise. First component  50   b  is preferably biased to pivot clockwise. In other words, in the deactivated position, cutter arms  48   a  and  48   b  are biased to pivot toward each other. As a result, the cutting edges  38   a  and  38  are preferably positioned to be contained inside the confines of the drill shaft  34  when the actuating device  56  is deactivated. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , an actuation device stop collar  60  that wraps around and is attached to the drill shaft  34  may be provided to limit the sliding distance of the actuating device  56 . The actuating device  56 , the stop collar  60 , and the stop collar  40  preferably wrap around the drill shaft  34  rotates with the drill shaft  34 . The actuation device stop collar  60  is preferably positioned on the drill shaft  34  at a predetermined distance relative to the actuating device  56 . The predetermined distance is preferably based on the desired maximum height of the cutting edge  38  when the cutting device  30  will be operated. The height of the cutting edge  38  that will project out of the recess  36  is directly proportional to the distance between the actuation device stop collar  60  and the actuating device  56 . It can be realized that the height of the cutting edge  38  from the drill shaft  34  determines the depth of the cut created by the cutting edge  38 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the actuating mechanism  44  may be activated as follows. A user may hold a handle  58  attached to the actuating device  56  and pull said handle  58  towards the stop collar  60  as indicated by the arrow. The handle  58  preferably includes an elongate body and a circular body attached thereto, which is preferably configured to surround the actuating device  56 . The periphery of the actuating device  56  is preferably attached to the circular body, such that when the handle  58  is pulled, the actuating device  56  is carried by the circular body while, at the same time, when the shaft  34  is rotated, the actuating device  56  rotates with the shaft  34  around the circular body of the handle  58 . 
     Thus, when the handle  58  is pulled towards the stop collar  60 , the actuating device  56  moves along with the handle  58 , the biasing device  66  is stretched, and the mechanical pin  64  contained in the recess  62  defined by the cutter arm  48  is moved toward the actuating device  56 . The cutter arm  48  preferably pivots around mechanical pin  54  and causes first component  50   a  to pivot clockwise and first component  50   b  to pivot counterclockwise. The result is that when the actuating mechanism is activated, cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  are caused to pass through the recess  36  and project out of the drill shaft  34 , as indicated by the arrow and as shown in  FIG. 4 . It can be realized that the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  are now in a position to contact the objects introduced to them. An electric drill may be used to rotate the drill shaft  34  and the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  to cut an object. For instance, the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  may be used to cut a portion of a drum gear that holds the drum to a cartridge thereby allowing the removal of the drum from the cartridge ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ). 
     In addition to the various embodiments of the cutting tool  30 , the present invention also includes methods of remanufacturing a toner cartridge, which will now be discussed. In the discussion below, laser printer cartridges from Hewlett Packard company having model numbers HP 1600, HP 2600, and HP 2605 are used as examples for ease of description. The methods are by no means limited to the remanufacturing of laser printer cartridges from Hewlett Packard company. The methods may be executed in remanufacturing of cartridges of various types of printers from various companies. As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a used toner cartridge typically includes a toner hopper  20 , which is usually refilled with toner during remanufacturing and a waste hopper  21 , which may be cleaned during remanufacturing. The drum of the used toner cartridge may also need to be replaced. To access the drum, the toner hopper  20  and the waste hopper  21  are preferably separated by detaching the screws  22   a  and  22   b , springs  23   a  and  23   b , and pins  24   a  and  24   b.    
     In  FIGS. 7-11 , a typical toner cartridge drum  26  includes a cylindrical body  25  with hollow interior (not shown). The drum typically includes a drum gear  27  configured to be connected to the printer (not shown) and allow the drum the rotate when the printer is in operation. The drum gear may have a cylindrical body  28  and are attached to both ends of the drum body  25 . Some drum gears include a gear wall  29  ( FIG. 7 ) positioned perpendicular to the cylindrical body of the drum gear. It can be realized that when the drum gear is attached to the drum and the drum is attached to the cartridge, the gear wall  29  may serve to block access to the hollow interior of the cylindrical drum body. The gear wall  29  may also block access to a gear portion in between the gear wall and the drum. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , once the toner hopper and the waste hopper are separated, the cutting tool  30  may be used to remove the drum  26  from the cartridge  31 . The cutting tool  30  is preferably attached to an electric drill  33 . The electric drill  33  preferably allows the drill end  32  of the cutting tool to puncture and enter through the gear wall  29 . Once drill end  32  enters through the gear wall  29 , the drill shaft  34  also enters through the gear wall and in the hollow interiors of the cylindrical bodies of the gear and the drum. It can be realized that if the drum gear does not have a gear wall, an embodiment of the cutting tool need not include a drill end  32  attached to the drill shaft  34 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , once the drill shaft  34  is inserted through the hollow interior of the drum gear, the stop collar  40  preferably abuts the cartridge portion  31  to prevent further forward motion of the drill end and shaft. The user may activate the actuating mechanism  44  by pulling the handle  30  towards the electric drill  33  while keeping the stop collar  40  abutted to the cartridge portion  31 . The user may continue pulling of the handle in the direction indicated preferably until the actuating device  56  abuts the stop collar  60 . As the user pulls the handle in the direction indicated, the cutter arm  48   a  preferably pivots clockwise and cutter arm  48   b  preferably pivots counterclockwise (not shown in  FIG. 9 ). The result is that the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  are caused to pass through the recess  36  and project out of the drill shaft  34  (not shown in  FIG. 9 ). The cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  consequently contact the interior wall of the cylindrical body of the drum gear  27 . The electric drill preferably rotates the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b , which eventually cuts the drum gear  27  at the area indicated by arrow C. The area indicated by arrow C is preferably a gear portion in between the drum body  26  and the cartridge  31 . The cut made by the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b  are preferably around the circumference or the periphery of a gear portion (as shown in  FIG. 11 ). 
     It can be appreciated that, with the present invention, the precision of the location of the area where the cutting edges  38  and  38   b  will make a cut can be attained by adjusting the distance between of the stop collar  40  relative to the cutting edges  38   a  and  38   b . Referring now to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the drum  26  may now be detached from the cartridge  31 . It can be appreciated from  FIG. 10  that the cutting device  30  of the present invention is able to cut the gear  27  of the drum from the hollow interior of the cylindrical body  28  of the gear and cleanly cut the periphery of the cylindrical body  28  of the drum gear  27  ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ). 
     Another embodiment  110  of the cutting device of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 12 . Like the cutting device  30 , cutting device embodiment  110  preferably includes a drill shaft  112  with a drill end  114  attached to one of its end. The drill end  114  is preferably configured to allow the cutting device to penetrate through the gear wall ( FIG. 7 ) and the cutting edge of the cutting device to be positioned proximate to the cutting area ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ). Cutting device embodiment  110  preferably also includes a stop collar  118 , which aids in controlling the penetration of the drill shaft  112  through the gear wall so that the cutting edge of the cutting device may be precisely positioned proximate to the cutting area. The stop collar  18  may surround the drill shaft  112  at a predetermined location and may be held in place by its tight fit around the drill shaft  112  and by a placement pin  119 . 
     Cutting device embodiment  110  preferably differs from the cutting device  30  in the number of cutting arms and edges. Cutting device embodiment  110  preferably includes a single cutting arm  120  and a cutting edge (not shown in  FIG. 12 ), while cutting device  30  includes two cutting arms with two cutting edges. Cutting device embodiment  110  may also differ from the cutting device  30  in terms of its actuating mechanism  122  for moving the cutting arm and cutting edge. 
     Actuating mechanism  122  of the cutting device embodiment  110  preferably includes a collar  124  that surrounds the drill shaft  112 . One end of the cutting arm  120  is preferably attached to the collar  124  of the actuating mechanism  122  via a pin  126 . The pin  126  preferably passes through the collar  124  and the cutting arm  120 . Part of the cutting arm  120  is preferably positioned inside the drill shaft  112 . The end of the cutting arm  120  that is opposite to the end attached to the collar  124  preferably defines the cutting edge (not shown in  FIG. 12 ). 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 12 , the cutting device embodiment  110  preferably includes a second shaft  128  to which the drill shaft  112  is slidably attached. A biasing device  130 , such as a spring, is preferably attached to the drill shaft end  112  within the second shaft  128 . The biasing device  130  is preferably biased to move the drill shaft  112  to the direction A as shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 13 , to use the cutting device embodiment  110 , the drill end  114  is preferably drilled through the gear wall of the printer cartridge (not shown) and the drill shaft  112  is preferably inserted through the printer cartridge until the stop collar  118  abuts the printer cartridge. Pressure may be applied to the stop collar  118  by pushing it with the drill shaft  112  towards the printer cartridge. As the stop collar  118  and the drill shaft  112  are pushed towards the printer cartridge, drill shaft  112  preferably slides through second shaft  128  in the direction B pushing the biasing device  130 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , as the drill shaft  112  slides through second shaft  128  in the direction B, one end of the cutting arm  120  preferably moves past the pin  126 , which then allows the cutting arm to partially rotate clockwise and move its cutting edge  132  out of the confines of the drill shaft  112 . The cutting edge  132  is now in a cutting position. An electric drill (not shown) may be used to rotate the cutting edge  132 , which may contact and cut the drum gear or a drum portion from their hollow interior. After the drum gear is cut, pressure may be relieved off the stop collar  118 , which allows the biasing device to push the drill shaft  112  opposite direction B and the cutting arm  120  to its previous position shown in  FIG. 13 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 15 , a fixture  70  may be used with the cutting device  30  of the present invention. The fixture  70  is preferably configured to hold the printer cartridge  31  so that movements of the printer cartridge  31  can substantially be prevented when the cutting device  30  is being used to cut the drum gear  27  and detach the drum  26  from the printer cartridge  31 . The fixture  70  preferably includes a base  72 , a first mount  74  attached to the base  72 , and a second mount  76  attached to the base and positioned at the end of the base that is opposite to the end of the base where the first mount  74  is attached. 
     The first mount  74  preferably defines a drum gear receiver  96 , which may be formed from the first mount  74  as a depression and may be shaped depending on the shape of the drum gear end  98  it is intended to accommodate, such as a triangular shape ( FIG. 6 ). The edges of the depression may be designed to substantially prevent rotating movement of the drum gear that is positioned within the drum gear receiver  96  and consequently the drum  26 . 
     The second mount  76  is preferably shaped to provide a surface to support the cartridge  31 . The second mount  76  may include a cartridge stop  98 , which preferably protrudes from the supporting surface of the second mount. The cartridge stop  98  is preferably sized to fit through the area in between the drum gear and the drum, as pointed with the arrow C on  FIGS. 8 and 9 . It can be appreciated that when the cartridge stop  98  fits through area C, the cartridge stop  98  is able to substantially prevent horizontal movements of the cartridge  31 . It can further be appreciated that the cartridge stop  98  may also function to protect cartridge portions from getting damaged by the cutting tool, such as the cartridge handle and end cap, as the cartridge stop  98  preferably moves these cartridge portions away from the cutting area. 
     The second mount  76  may also define a drill passage  100  so that a drill may be inserted through the passage  100  and through the drum to hold the drum when detaching the drum from the cartridge using the cutting device  30 . The drum and the drum gear may have a tendency to rotate with the cutting tool, which prevents the cutting tool from cutting the drum gear effectively. By drilling through the drum with the drill, the rotational movement of the drum and the drum gear may be prevented during the cutting process. It is noted that the drill may not have to be drilled through the drum. The drill may be able to prevent the drum and the drum gear from rotating by just being in contact with the drum and applying adequate pressure on the drum. It is further noted that materials other than a drill may be inserted through the drill passage to apply pressure on the drum thereby minimizing drum movement during the cutting process, such as a sturdy stick or a rod. 
     The base  72  may further include depressions  102  and  104  designed to further hold the cartridge during the drum detachment with the cutting device  30 . Depression  102  may be positioned substantially adjacent to second mount  76 , and depression  104  may be positioned substantially adjacent to first mount  74 . Depressions  102  and  104  may be designed to substantially prevent rotating movements of the cartridge  31  by accommodating cartridge handles attached to the endplates of cartridge  31 . 
     The fixture  70  preferably also includes a clamp  78  that is mounted on a clamp mount  80 , which is attached to the base  72 . The clamp  78  preferably includes a clamp handle  82  that preferably pivots around a clamp base  84 . The clamp  78  preferably also includes a clamp arm  86  that is connected to the clamp handle  82  and the clamp base  84 . The handle  82  may be moved from a deactivated position where the handle  82  causes the clamp arm  86  to be positioned away from the base  72  to an activated position where the handle  82  causes the clamp arm  86  to move towards the base  72 . As the handle  82  is moved from the deactivated position to the activated position, the handle  82  preferably pivots around the clamp base  84  at pivot point  88  and the clamp arm  86  at pivot point  90 . The clamp arm  86  preferably also pivots around clamp base  84  at pivot point  92  and the handle  82  at pivot point  90 . The clamp arm  86  preferably includes a drum press  94  attached substantially perpendicular to it. As the handle is moved from the deactivated position to the activated position, the drum press  94  is preferably moved to contact the drum positioned on the fixture  72 . The drum press  94  may be made of substantially sticky and soft material, such as rubber, so that it may be effective in substantially preventing movements of the drum  26  when positioned on the fixture  70 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 16 , a cartridge portion  31  may be positioned on the fixture such that one of its ends is supported by the second mount  76  and another end is supported by the first mount  74 . The clamp  78  may be moved to an activated position wherein the drum press  94  is contacts the drum. The cartridge handle  106  can be seen as being positioned within depression  102  of the base  72  thereby allowing the fixture  70  to further hold the cartridge  31  while the cutting device  30  is used to cut and detach the drum from the cartridge  31 . 
     It can now be realized that the present invention facilitates the removal of the drum with little or no requirement of having to break any portion of the cartridge  31 . This advantage is highly beneficial in the remanufacturing of cartridges, as the appearance of the cartridge is preserved. Additionally, since the removal of the drum by the present invention reduces or avoids having to break any portion of cartridges, the present invention avoids extraneous steps of having to put back broken cartridges. It can further be realized that the present invention provides a new cutting tool and technique for cutting hollow objects from its hollow interior. It can also be realized that the present invention provides a new technique for efficiently removing and replacing a toner cartridge drum, which may be practiced when remanufacturing a previously used toner cartridge. 
     Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, various mechanical fasteners known in the art may be used in lieu of the mechanical pins described herein. The cutting device may be used for cutting hollow objects from the hollow interior side of the objects other than toner cartridge drums. The shapes of the stop collars and the actuating device may be varied. The shapes and number of cutting edges and cutter arms may be varied. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. The invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the above description or as illustrated in the drawings.

Technology Category: 3