Back to results
US 7,466,937 B2Granted
Developer cartridge, liquid-type image forming apparatus having the same and method for disposing of the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorDeuk-Hwan Chang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid-type image forming apparatus includes a developer cartridge, and a method for disposing of the developer cartridge. The developer cartridge includes a cartridge body having a first chamber for storing a developer and a second chamber for storing an absorber that absorbs waste developer of the first chamber. A sealing member is arranged between the first chamber and the second chamber and is configured to separate by an external force for fluidly connecting the first and second chambers.
Claims25
A developer cartridge of an image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a cartridge body having a first chamber which stores a developer and a second chamber which stores an absorber that absorbs waste developer of the first chamber;
- a sealing member disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber, the sealing member configured to separate via an external force to fluidly connect the first and second chambers;
- an agitator rotatably mounted in the first chamber to agitate the developer;
- and
- a seal removing unit, which selectively receives power from the agitator during operation of the agitator to separate the sealing member to move the absorber of the second chamber into the first chamber.
2 more elements
A liquid-type image forming apparatus, comprising:
- respective developer cartridges for plural colors, each developer cartridge including a first chamber that stores a developer to be supplied to a developing unit for one of the colors and a second chamber that stores an absorber that absorbs waste developer of the first chamber, and a sealing member isolating the second chamber from the first chamber, the sealing member being configured to separate via an external force;
- a driving unit to supply power to developer cartridges for each color;
- and
- a control unit which monitors a consumed quantity of a developer of each developer cartridge and controlling the driving unit to selectively supply power to the developer cartridges to remove the sealing member of the developer cartridge in which the developer is consumed;
- wherein each developer cartridge further comprises:
- a developer agitator, which rotates bi-directionally in the first chamber and which selectively receives power from the driving unit;
- and
- a seal removing unit, which selectively receives power from the agitator to separate the sealing member and to move the absorber of the second chamber to the first chamber.
5 more elements
The liquid-type image forming apparatus, comprising:
- respective developer cartridges for plural colors, each developer cartridge including a first chamber that stores a developer to be supplied to a developing unit for one of the colors and a second chamber that stores an absorber that absorbs waste developer of the first chamber, and a sealing member isolating the second chamber from the first chamber, the sealing member being configured to separate via an external force;
- a driving unit to supply power to developer cartridges for each color;
- and
- a control unit which monitors a consumed quantity of a developer of each developer cartridge and controlling the driving unit to selectively supply power to the developer cartridges to remove the sealing member of the developer cartridge in which the developer is consumed;
- wherein the driving unit comprises:
- a driving motor capable of rotating in both directions;
- driving gears for each color, disposed to correspond to the developer cartridges for each color, respectively, to rotate simultaneously via power transmitted from the driving motor;
- and
- intermittent clutches disposed between the developer cartridges for each color and the driving gears to selectively control the power via the control unit.
6 more elements
A method for disposing of a developer cartridge in a liquid-type image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:
- a) consuming a developer in a first chamber isolated by a sealing member from a second chamber containing an absorber for absorbing liquid;
- b) monitoring consumed quantity of a developer of the first chamber;
- c) solidifying waste developer in the first chamber by using the absorber of the second chamber based on the monitoring result;
- wherein the step c) comprises the steps of:
- c1) removing the sealing member to move the absorber of the second chamber into the first chamber;
- and
- c2) mixing the absorber of the second chamber with the waste developer of the first chamber;
- and
- wherein the step c1) comprises the steps of:
- c1-1) rotating backward an agitator mounted in the first chamber;
- c1-2) transferring a backward rotational force of the agitator to a collector rotatably mounted in the second chamber;
- and
- c1-3) winding and collecting the sealing member by rotating the collector.
10 more elements
A method for disposing of a developer cartridge in a liquid-type image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:
- a) consuming a developer of each color stored in a first chamber of each developer cartridge for each color;
- b) monitoring a replacement time of a developer cartridge for each color;
- and
- c) solidifying waste developer in a developer cartridge to be replaced;
- wherein the step c) includes the steps of:
- c1) removing a sealing member isolating a first chamber from a second chamber containing an absorber for absorbing a developer;
- and
- c2) moving the absorber of the second chamber into the first chamber and mixing the waste developer of the second chamber with the absorber;
- and
- wherein the step c1) includes the steps of:
- c1-1) rotating backward an agitator of a developer cartridge to be replaced;
- c1-2) transferring power of the agitator to a collector rotatably mounted in the second chamber;
- and
- c1-3) collecting the sealing member by rotating the collector.
11 more elements
A method for disposing of a developer cartridge in a liquid-type image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:
- a) consuming a developer of each color stored in a first chamber of each developer cartridge for each color;
- b) monitoring a replacement time of a developer cartridge for each color;
- and
- c) solidifying waste developer in a developer cartridge to be replaced;
- wherein the step a) includes the steps of:
- a1) rotating forward an agitator mounted in a developer cartridge for each color;
- a2) supplying the developer of the first chamber to a developing unit;
- and
- wherein the step a1) includes the steps of:
- a1-1) rotating backward a driving motor;
- a1-2) turning on a intermittent clutch that transfers power from the driving motor to the developer cartridge to be replaced;
- and
- a1-3) turning off an intermittent clutch that transfers power from the driving motor to a developer cartridge which is not an object of the developer cartridge replacement.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.