# US 11,906,918 B1 · Printer drum removal preparation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,918 B1 - Document ID: US11906918B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/065,884 - Filed: 2022-12-14 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-14 - Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Inventors: Lavi Cohen; Yossi Yaacobov; Tomer Bunker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906918B1 ## CPC - G03G 15/50: {Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control (sequencing control G03G21/14)} - G03G 21/1671: {for the photosensitive element} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract In an example, a printing apparatus may include, a rotatable shaft, a removable drum mounted on the shaft and a fixing element to fixedly couple the removable drum to the shaft, so that the removable drum is to rotate with the shaft. The printing apparatus may also include a heater, a printing apparatus satellite component located adjacent to the removable drum and engageable with the removable drum and a controller. The controller may be to receive a command to prepare the removable drum for removal; and in response, control the shaft to rotate the removable drum; control the heater to heat the removable drum while it rotates; and control the printing apparatus to engage the satellite component of the printing apparatus with the removable drum while it rotates. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printing apparatus comprising: a rotatable shaft; a removable drum mounted on the shaft; a fixing element to fixedly couple the removable drum to the shaft, so that the removable drum is to rotate with the shaft; a heater; a printing apparatus satellite component located adjacent to the removable drum and engageable with the removable drum; and a controller, wherein the controller is to receive a command to prepare the removable drum for removal; and in response: control the shaft to rotate the removable drum; control the heater to heat the removable drum while it rotates; and control the printing apparatus to engage the satellite component of the printing apparatus with the removable drum while it rotates. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the removable drum is a photoconductor drum. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the satellite component of the printing apparatus is an intermediate transfer member support, and wherein the controller is to control the intermediate transfer member support to continuously engage the photoconductor drum while it rotates. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A printing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is to apply a series of engagements between the removable drum and the satellite component and/or wherein the controller is to apply a series of engagements between the removable drum and a plurality of satellite components of the printing apparatus. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A printing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the removable drum comprises a photoconductor drum, the component comprises an intermediate transfer member drum and/or the further component or plurality of further components includes a cleaning station. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A printing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further to control the printing apparatus to perform a binding prevention sequence, wherein the binding prevention sequence comprises disengaging all surrounding components from the removable drum surface and rotating the removable drum at a speed of less than or equal to the nominal working speed of the removable drum during printing operations. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A printing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the printing apparatus further comprises a cleaning station and a cleaning station cooling system; and wherein the controller is further to control the printing apparatus to perform a binding prevention sequence, wherein the binding prevention sequence comprises: continuously engaging the cleaning station with the removable drum while rotating the removable drum; and simultaneously: controlling the cleaning station cooling system to cool the removable drum. ### Claim 8 A method for preparing a removable drum of a printing apparatus for removal comprising: receiving an indication that the removable drum is to be removed; and in response: controlling the printing apparatus to rotate the removable drum, while controlling a heater to heat the removable drum to a first predefined temperature threshold; and controlling a satellite component of the printing apparatus to engage with the removable drum; and controlling the satellite component to disengage from the removable drum and cease rotating the removable drum. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8 further comprising, after ceasing rotation of the removable drum, outputting a notification that the removable drum is ready for removal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, wherein the first predefined temperature is above 35° C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, further comprising, once the removable drum has reached the first predefined temperature threshold, performing a series of engagements between a satellite component, or a plurality of satellite components, and the removable drum. ### Claim 12 A machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: receive a request to prepare a removable drum of a printing apparatus for removal, and, in response: control the printing apparatus to rotate the removable drum, control a heater to heat the removable drum to a first temperature threshold; and control a component of the printing apparatus to engage with the removable drum; then control the printing apparatus to: disengage the component; cease rotating the removable drum; and output a notification indicating that the removable drum is ready for removal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A machine-readable medium according to claim 12, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: determine that a binding prevention sequence is to be initiated, and in response: disengage any components that are engaged with the removable drum; and rotate the removable drum. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A machine-readable medium according to claim 13, further comprising instructions to: determine whether a temperature of the removable drum is above a second predefined temperature threshold, wherein the second predefined temperature threshold is lower than the first predefined temperature threshold; and if the temperature of the removable drum is above the second predefined temperature threshold: control the printing apparatus to continuously engage a cleaning station of the printing apparatus with the removable drum whilst rotating the removable drum and whilst controlling a cooling system of the cleaning station to cool the removable drum, until the removable drum temperature is below the second predefined temperature threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A machine-readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the instructions are further to: determine that the temperature of the removable drum is below the predefined threshold and that the printing apparatus is not in a printing or ready-to print mode; and control a component or a plurality of components of the printing apparatus to perform a series of engagements with the removable drum.