Toner cartridge, image forming apparatus and tear-seal device and method of manufacturing utilizing a release-liner that is kiss-cut to cause adhesive-masking

A toner hopper used in an image forming apparatus;

• wherein said loner hopper includes a reservoir and a feed roller compartment;
• and
• wherein said reservoir is used to store powdered toner;
• and
• wherein said feed roller compartment includes a roller used to dispense toner;
• and
• wherein said toner hopper includes a seal assembly between said reservoir and said feed roller compartment;
• said seal assembly comprising:
• a main body portion, said main body portion including a first layer defining a first opening,
• an adherent layer including a second opening in register with said first opening of said first layer, said adherent layer having a first surface and a second surface, said second surface of said adherent layer is adjacent said first layer and said first surface of said adherent layer further including at least one masking region, wherein said at least one masking region is covered by a kiss-cut release liner;
• and
• a tear-able layer wherein said tear-able layer is adhered to said first surface of said adherent layer except where said at least one masking region is covered by said kiss-cut release liner, thereby said kiss-cut release liner is covered by said tear-able layer;
• and
• a pull-strip is connected to said tear-able layer.

A toner cartridge assembly used in an image forming apparatus;

• wherein said toner cartridge assembly includes of a toner hopper and a waste toner hopper;
• and
• wherein said waste toner hopper includes of a photoreceptor, a cleaning blade, a charging device for electrostatically charging said photoreceptor and a container to receive waste toner;
• and
• wherein said toner hopper includes a reservoir and a feed roller compartment;
• and
• wherein said reservoir is used to store powdered toner;
• and
• wherein said feed roller compartment has a roller used to dispense toner;
• and
• wherein said toner hopper comprises a seal assembly;
• and
• said seal assembly comprising:
• a main body portion, said main body portion including a first layer defining a first opening,
• an adherent layer including a second opening in register with said first opening of said first layer, said adherent layer having a first surface and a second surface, said second surface of said adherent layer is adjacent said first layer and said first surface of said adherent layer further including at least one masking region, wherein said at least one masking region is covered by a kiss-cut release liner;
• and
• a tear-able layer wherein said tear-able layer is adhered to said first surface of said adherent layer except where said at least one masking region is covered by said kiss-cut release liner, thereby said kiss-cut release liner is covered by said tear-able layer;
• and
• a pull-strip is connected to said tear-able layer.

An image forming apparatus;

• wherein said image forming apparatus contains a toner storage container, a waste toner hopper, a photoreceptor, a cleaning blade, a fuser section, a photoreceptor charging device and a transfer section;
• wherein said toner storage container has a storage tank;
• and
• wherein said storage tank includes a seal assembly;
• and
• said seal assembly comprising:
• a main body portion, said main body portion including a first layer defining a first opening,
• an adherent layer including a second opening in register with said first opening of said first layer, said adherent layer having a first surface and a second surface, said second surface of said adherent layer is adjacent said first layer and said first surface of said adherent layer further including at least one masking region, wherein said at least one masking region is covered by a kiss-cut release liner;
• and
• a tear-able layer wherein said tear-able layer is adhered to said first surface of said adherent layer except where said at least one masking region is covered by said kiss-cut release liner, thereby said kiss-cut release liner is covered by said tear-able layer;
• and
• a pull-strip is connected to said tear-able layer.

A method of forming a seal assembly for sealing a toner passage in a toner hopper used in an image forming apparatus

• wherein the seal assembly includes an adherent layer which includes a first adhesive surface and a second adhesive surface and a first release layer which is removably adhered to the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer and a second release layer which is removably adhered to the second adhesive surface of the adherent layer to preserve the adhesive properties of the second adhesive surface of the adherent layer prior to installation of the seal assembly;
• and
• wherein said method comprises the following steps;
• forming at least one kiss-cut in the first release layer to generate a masking portion and a removable non-masking portion and an open central region forming a full cut opening through at least the first release layer and the adherent layer,
• removing the open central region to unblock the opening through at least the first release layer and the adherent layer,
• removing the removable non-masking portion of the first release layer to generate an exposed portion of the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer,
• placing a tearing layer over the exposed portion of the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer and over the masking portion of the release layer,
• wherein the masking portion of the first release layer prevents a portion of the tearing layer from adhering to the adherent layer;
• wherein there is a pull-strip attached to the seal assembly.

A method of forming a seal assembly for sealing a toner passage in a toner hopper used in an image forming apparatus comprising the steps of:

• providing a main body portion including a first layer defining a first opening, an adherent layer including a second opening in register with the first opening of the first layer, the adherent layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of adherent layer is adjacent the first layer and the second surface of the adherent layer is adjacent a release liner layer;
• forming at least one kiss-cut fully through the release liner layer, wherein the kiss-cut separates the release liner layer into at least one masking portion and at least one non-masking portion;
• removing the non-masking portion of release liner layer to generate an exposed portion of the adherent layer thereby further providing a non-exposed portion of the adherent layer under the masking portion of the release liner layer;
• adhering a layer of tear-able material to the exposed portion of the adherent layer, wherein a pull-strip is attached to the layer of tear-able material.

A method of forming a toner hopper used in an image forming apparatus;

• wherein the toner hopper includes a reservoir and a feed roller compartment;
• and
• wherein the reservoir is used to store powdered toner;
• and
• wherein the feed roller compartment includes a roller used to dispense toner;
• and
• wherein the toner hopper includes an attach surface that may be used to install a shipping seal assembly between the reservoir and the feed roller compartment to block toner prior to use of the toner hopper;
• and
• wherein the shipping seal assembly includes an adherent layer which includes a first adhesive surface and a second adhesive surface and a first release layer which is removably adhered to the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer and a second release layer which is removably adhered to the second adhesive surface of the adherent layer to preserve the adhesive properties of the second adhesive surface of the adherent layer prior to installation of the shipping seal assembly;
• and
• said method includes forming the shipping seal assembly including the following steps;
• forming at least one kiss-cut in the first release layer to generate a masking portion and a removable non-masking portion;
• and
• forming a full cut causing a separation between usable material and waste material to be discarded and thereby forming an opening through at least the first release layer and the adherent layer,
• removing the waste material to unblock the opening through at least the first release layer and the adherent layer,
• removing the removable non-masking portion of the first release layer to generate an exposed portion of the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer,
• placing a tearing layer over the exposed portion of the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer and over the masking portion of the release layer,
• wherein the masking portion of the first release layer prevents a portion of the tearing layer from adhering to the adherent layer;
• wherein there is a pull-strip attached to the shipping seal assembly;
• and
• wherein said method includes the step of removing the second release layer and installing the shipping seal assembly on the attach surface of the toner hopper.

A method of forming a toner hopper used in an image forming apparatus;

• wherein the toner hopper includes a reservoir and a feed roller compartment;
• and
• wherein the reservoir is used to store powdered toner;
• and
• wherein the feed roller compartment includes a roller used to dispense toner;
• and
• wherein the toner hopper includes a place to install a seal assembly between the reservoir and the feed roller compartment;
• said method includes forming the seal assembly including the following steps;
• providing a main body portion including a first layer defining a first opening, an adherent layer including a second opening in register with the first opening of the first layer, the adherent layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of adherent layer is adjacent the first layer and the second surface of the adherent layer is adjacent a release liner layer;
• forming at least one kiss-cut fully through the release liner layer, wherein the kiss-cut separates the release liner layer into at least one masking portion and at least one non-masking portion;
• removing the non-masking portion of release liner layer to generate an exposed portion of the adherent layer thereby further providing a non-exposed portion of the adherent layer under the masking portion of the release liner layer;
• adhering a layer of tear-able material to the exposed portion of the adherent layer, wherein a pull-strip is attached to the layer of tear-able material.

A method of forming a toner cartridge assembly used in an image forming apparatus;

• wherein the toner cartridge assembly includes of a toner hopper and a waste toner hopper;
• and
• wherein the waste toner hopper includes of a photoreceptor, a cleaning blade, a charging device for electrostatically charging the photoreceptor and a container to receive waste toner;
• and
• wherein the toner hopper includes a reservoir and a feed roller compartment;
• and
• wherein the reservoir is used to store powdered toner;
• and
• wherein the feed roller compartment has a roller used to dispense toner;
• and
• wherein the toner hopper includes an attach surface that may be used to install a shipping seal assembly for sealing the reservoir in the toner hopper to block toner prior to use of the toner cartridge;
• and
• wherein the shipping seal assembly includes an adherent layer which includes a first adhesive surface and a second adhesive surface and a first release layer which is removably adhered to the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer and a second release layer which is removably adhered to the second adhesive surface of the adherent layer to preserve the adhesive properties of the second adhesive surface of the adherent layer prior to installation of the shipping seal assembly;
• and
• wherein said method includes forming a shipping seal assembly comprising the following steps;
• forming at least one kiss-cut in the first release layer to generate a masking portion and a removable non-masking portion;
• and
• forming a full cut causing a separation between usable material and waste material to be discarded and thereby forming an opening through at least the first release layer and the adherent layer,
• removing the waste material to unblock the opening through at least the first release layer and the adherent layer,
• removing the removable non-masking portion of the first release layer to generate an exposed portion of the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer,
• placing a tearing layer over the exposed portion of the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer and over the masking portion of the release layer,
• wherein the masking portion of the first release layer prevents a portion of the tearing layer from adhering to the adherent layer;
• wherein there is a pull-strip attached to the shipping seal assembly;
• and
• wherein said method includes the step of removing the second release layer and installing the shipping seal assembly on the attach surface on the reservoir of the toner hopper.

A method of forming a toner cartridge assembly used in an image forming apparatus;

• wherein the toner cartridge assembly includes of a toner hopper and a waste toner hopper;
• and
• wherein the waste toner hopper includes of a photoreceptor, a cleaning blade, a charging device for electrostatically charging the photoreceptor and a container to receive waste toner;
• and
• wherein the toner hopper includes a reservoir and a feed roller compartment;
• and
• wherein the reservoir is used to store powdered toner;
• and
• wherein the feed roller compartment has a roller used to dispense toner;
• and
• wherein the toner hopper includes a place to install a seal assembly for sealing the reservoir in the toner hopper;
• and
• wherein said method includes forming the assembly including the following steps;
• providing a main body portion including a first layer defining a first opening, an adherent layer including a second opening in register with the first opening of the first layer, the adherent layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of adherent layer is adjacent the first layer and the second surface of the adherent layer is adjacent a release liner layer;
• forming at least one kiss-cut fully through the release liner layer, wherein the kiss-cut separates the release liner layer into at least one masking portion and at least one non-masking portion;
• removing the non-masking portion of release liner layer to generate an exposed portion of the adherent layer thereby further providing a non-exposed portion of the adherent layer under the masking portion of the release liner layer;
• adhering a layer of tear-able material to the exposed portion of the adherent layer, wherein a pull-strip is attached to the layer of tear-able material.

A method of forming an image forming apparatus;

• wherein the image forming apparatus contains a toner storage container, a waste toner hopper, a photoreceptor, a cleaning blade, a fuser section, a photoreceptor charging device and a transfer section;
• wherein the toner storage container has a storage tank;
• and
• wherein the storage tank includes an attach surface that may be used to install a shipping seal assembly for sealing a toner passage in the storage container compartment to block toner prior to use of the storage tank;
• and
• wherein the shipping seal assembly includes an adherent layer which includes a first adhesive surface and a second adhesive surface and a first release layer which is removably adhered to the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer and a second release layer which is removably adhered to the second adhesive surface of the adherent layer to preserve the adhesive properties of the second adhesive surface of the adherent layer prior to installation of the shipping seal assembly;
• and
• wherein said method includes forming the shipping seal assembly including the following steps;
• forming at least one kiss-cut in the first release layer to generate a masking portion and a removable non-masking portion;
• and
• forming a full cut causing a separation between usable material and waste material to be discarded and thereby forming an opening through at least the first release layer and the adherent layer,
• removing the waste material to unblock the opening through at least the first release layer and the adherent layer,
• removing the removable non-masking portion of the first release layer to generate an exposed portion of the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer,
• placing a tearing layer over the exposed portion of the first adhesive surface of the adherent layer and over the masking portion of the release layer,
• wherein the masking portion of the first release layer prevents a portion of the tearing layer from adhering to the adherent layer;
• wherein there is a pull-strip attached to the shipping seal assembly;
• and
• wherein said method includes the step of removing the second release layer and installing the shipping seal assembly on the attach surface in the storage tank.

A method of forming an image forming apparatus;

• wherein the image forming apparatus contains a toner storage container, a waste toner hopper, a photoreceptor, a cleaning blade, a fuser section, a photoreceptor charging device and a transfer section;
• wherein the toner storage container has a storage tank;
• and
• wherein the storage tank includes a place to install a seal assembly for sealing a toner passage in the storage container;
• and
• wherein said method includes forming the seal assembly including the following steps;
• providing a main body portion including a first layer defining a first opening, an adherent layer including a second opening in register with the first opening of the first layer, the adherent layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of adherent layer is adjacent the first layer and the second surface of the adherent layer is adjacent a release liner layer;
• forming at least one kiss-cut fully through the release liner layer, wherein the kiss-cut separates the release liner layer into at least one masking portion and at least one non-masking portion;
• removing the non-masking portion of release liner layer to generate an exposed portion of the adherent layer thereby further providing a non-exposed portion of the adherent layer under the masking portion of the release liner layer;
• adhering a layer of tear-able material to the exposed portion of the adherent layer, wherein a pull-strip is attached to the layer of tear-able material.