US 5,288,152 AGranted

Bearing for an electrophotographic apparatus

OwnerWilkins L. Daviesinventor

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Abstract

A replacement bearing is provided for use in rebuilding the nominally disposable toner cartridges that are commonly used in popularly priced electrostatic printers and copiers. When the bearing is rotated into its final position about the shaft of a toner roller, an oversize portion of the bearing is forced into a position that ensures that both the bearing retainer and the toner roller are restrained in a precise alignment. A slot, that has a predetermined gap when installed, is preferably provided in the bearing, and a decrease of the width of this gap is indicative of bearing wear. The precise alignment and wear indication means that are provided by the new bearing allow an operator to rebuild a toner cartridge that had been demonstrating the "right side problem", and to subsequently monitor the wear of a replacement bearing so as to prevent recurrence of copy degradation.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A bearing for use in an electrostatic toner cartridge, said cartridge including a toner roller shaft having a first external radius and a bearing retainer having a second internal radius, said bearing comprising

an inner bearing surface comprising a section of a right circular cylinder drawn about a cylindrical axis and having a third radius slightly larger than said first radius whereby said bearing is adapted to be slid onto said shaft,
a composite outer surface comprising
a generally flat portion parallel to said cylindrical axis and displaced from said cylindrical axis by a first distance greater than said third radius,
a distorted, generally cylindrical portion located at a second distance from said cylindrical axis, said second distance varying between a minimum value slightly less than said second radius at a point distal from said flat portion and a maximum value slightly greater than said second radius at each of two diametrically opposed points lying on a fictitious line passing through said cylindrical axis parallel to said flat portion, and
an ear intermediate between a first end of said flat portion and said distorted cylindrical portion and extending parallel to said fictitious line segment, and
a slot perpendicular to said flat portion extending from said outer to said inner surface of said bearing, said slot having a predetermined width.

3 more elements

A bearing for use in an electrostatic toner cartridge, said cartridge including a toner roller shaft having a first external diameter and a bearing retainer having a second internal diameter, said bearing comprising

an inner bearing surface comprising a section of a right circular cylinder drawn about a first cylindrical axis and having a third diameter slightly larger than said first diameter whereby said bearing is adapted to be slid onto said shaft, a composite outer surface comprising
a generally flat portion parallel to said first cylindrical axis and displaced from said first cylindrical axis by a first distance,
a first outer cylindrical portion comprising a section of a second right circular cylinder drawn about said first cylindrical axis, said second cylinder having a fourth diameter slightly less than said second diameter, and
a second outer cylindrical portion comprising a section of a third right circular cylinder drawn about a second cylindrical axis parallel to said first cylindrical axis, a segment of said second outer cylindrical portion lying at a distance greater than one half of said fourth diameter from said first axis, and
an ear intermediate between a first end of said flat portion and said outer surface portion, and
a slot perpendicular to said flat portion and extending from said outer to said inner surface of said bearing, said slot having a predetermined width.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/980,511Filed 20 Oct 1992
Granted: 22 Feb 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

F16C 13/02
Rolls, drums, discs, or the like ; Bearings or mountings therefor: bearings
F16C 35/02
Rigid support of bearing units; Housings, e.g. caps, covers: in the case of sliding-contact bearings
G03G 15/0894
Using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer: reconditioning of the developer unit, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the unit, e.g. resealing…
G03G 15/0935
Details concerning the magnetic brush roller structure, e.g. magnet configuration: relating to bearings or driving mechanism