Reusable transfer assist blade assembly for electro-photographic marking devices

A replaceable blade assembly for a transfer assist blade (TAB) assembly, comprising:

• a blade proper that applies pressure on a passing print medium during printing;
• a mounted blade portion with apertures therein through which spring tabs on a clamp assembly pass, and which is removably mounted between the clamp assembly and an extruded portion of the TAB assembly;
• and
• a perforated portion between the mounted blade portion and the blade proper, the perforated portion being flexible to create an approximately 90° angle between the mounted blade portion and the blade proper when biased against an inner face of the extruded portion.

A method of replacing a blade assembly while reusing a transfer assist blade (TAB) assembly in which the TAB is mounted, comprising:

• monitoring wear of a blade proper on the blade assembly;
• determining that the blade assembly requires replacement;
• biasing a plurality of spring tabs on a clamp assembly upward to disengage the spring tabs from a corresponding plurality of interlocking features on an extruded portion of the TAB assembly;
• rotating the clamp assembly away from the extruded portion about one or more clamp pockets at a top of the extruded portion;
• removing the blade assembly requiring replacement;
• positioning a replacement blade assembly on the clamp assembly;
• inserting a plurality of clamp tabs on the clamp assembly into the plurality of clamp pockets on the extruded portion;
• rotating the clamp assembly toward from the extruded portion about the one or more clamp pockets at the top of the extruded portion;
• and
• snapping the spring tabs into the interlocking features to lock the replacement blade assembly in position between the clamp assembly and the extruded portion.