US 5,634,180 AGranted

Method for blocking unwanted light from a photoreceptor drum

AssigneeSteven Bruce Michlin

InventorsSteven Bruce Michlin, Steven R. Dixon

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A device and method for blocking light from a laser light beam assembly in a printer, copier, or facsimile machine. Light is blocked from contact with the nonprint region of the photoreceptor drum in a toner cartridge to prevent toner spotting on the output paper and toner leakage in the cartridge and machine. A nontransparent piece of plastic material preferably rectangular in shape is sized to block a part of the light access slot on the toner cartridge cover corresponding to the nonprint region of the drum. The device is secured to the underside of the cover. A method for accurately positioning the nontransparent piece of material to block the required part of the access slot uses a long, flat tool of set length. One end of the tool is placed adjacent to a side wall on the right side of the underside of the cover and the tool is layed over the access slot. The nontransparent piece of material is placed adjacent to the opposite end of the tool and secured by an adhesive, such as two-sided tape, to the underside of the cover. Thus, light is blocked on the left end of the access slot for a distance necessary to keep light from contacting the nonprint region of the drum.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A method for modifying a toner cartridge assembly to prevent light emitted from a laser beam assembly on an imaging machine from hitting the non-print region of a photoreceptor drum in the toner cartridge assembly, the toner cartridge being of the type including an access slot for allowing light to contact the photoreceptor drum, the access slot including a first region corresponding to the nonprint region of the photoreceptor drum and a second region corresponding to a print region of the photoreceptor drum, and the cartridge including a cover with an underside and with a sidewall near the second region of the access slot, said method comprising:

covering the first region of the access slot by securing a non-transparent member to the cartridge over the first region of the access slot without covering the second region of the access slot;
securing the non-transparent member to the underside of the cover adjacent a first end of the access slot;
and
positioning the non-transparent member by putting one end of a tool of set length against the side wall and laying the tool along the access slot, then putting the non-transparent member against an opposite end of the tool and securing the non-transparent member to the underside of the cover in position blocking the access slot adjacent the nonprint region of the photoreceptor drum.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/434,665Filed 4 May 1995
Granted: 27 May 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G03G 21/1832
Prevention of damage or soiling, e.g. mechanical abrasion: shielding members, shutter, e.g. light, heat shielding, prevention of toner scattering
G03G 15/04072
For exposing image information provided otherwise than by directly projecting the original image onto the photoconductive recording material,…
G03G 15/326
In which the charge pattern is formed dotwise, e.g. by a thermal head: by application of light, e.g. using a LED array
G03G 2221/1636
Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts: for the exposure unit