Abstract:
In the toner cartridge recycling and remanufacturing industry, used xerographic products are reconditioned, repaired, and some are refilled with toner. Part of the refurbishment process is the replacing of used and worn components, including an electronic circuit, which has been spent. The electronic circuit is a critical component of the replaceable consumable unit and is used by the printer to store information used in the operation of the printer. Information stored in this electronic circuit relates to how much toner is remaining, the cartridge type, operating characteristics, and so forth. Some of these circuits have been designed for a one-time use application. For example, once the printer has determined that all of the usable toner has been consumed, the printer will essentially turn off the circuit in a replaceable consumable unit and the replaceable consumable unit will no longer function. In the remanufacturing process, a secondary electronic circuit can be attached to this non-functioning circuit in order to allow the replaceable consumable unit to operate once more. The nature of the present invention is directed at the process of repairing this non-functioning circuit and the resulting repaired unit.
Abstract:
A dual-gasket seal for a toner cartridge includes a first gasket, a second gasket, a removable seal disposed between the first gasket and the second gasket, and a lubricating element attached a first end of the second gasket and adapted to aid the sliding of the removable seal when the removable seal is removed.
Abstract:
Systems and methods of remanufacturing an imaging cartridge include providing the imaging cartridge adapted to receive a signal from an imaging device and apply the signal to a component of the imaging cartridge, and attaching a signal modification element to the imaging cartridge to form a modified imaging cartridge, the signal modification element adapted to receive the signal from the imaging device, modify the signal to form a modified signal, and apply the modified signal to the component of the modified imaging cartridge.
Abstract:
A cartridge chip for use with an imaging cartridge installed in an imaging device, the cartridge chip comprising a memory element storing imaging cartridge data, and a controller for controlling the operation of the cartridge chip and determining if the imaging device is a first type of imaging device or a second type of imaging device, the controller for operating the cartridge chip in a first mode of operation if the imaging device is the first type of imaging device, the controller for operating the cartridge chip in a second mode of operation if the imaging device is the second type of imaging device.
Abstract:
A toner cartridge comprises toner and electrical development components which consume a portion of the toner by printing a plurality of images. An electronic circuit stores an indication of the amount of toner remaining, and a value controlling a voltage applied to at least one of the electrical development components. The electronic circuit determines when a predetermined amount of the toner remains in the toner cartridge. When the predetermined amount of toner remains in the toner cartridge, the electronic circuit alters the amount of toner consumed to form images by changing a voltage level applied to at least one of the electrical development components. The electronic circuit alters the amount of toner consumed by replacing the stored value controlling the voltage applied to at least one of the electrical development components with a new value controlling the voltage applied to at least one of the electrical development components.
Abstract:
A dual-gasket seal for a toner cartridge includes a first gasket, a second gasket, a removable seal disposed between the first gasket and the second gasket, and a lubricating element attached a first end of the second gasket and adapted to aid the sliding of the removable seal when the removable seal is removed.
Abstract:
An apparatus for housing an electronic circuit in a remanufactured replaceable consumable unit having unique characteristics that facilitate the removal of the casing after it has been mounted onto the replaceable consumable unit, once the replaceable consumable unit is later refurbished, the characteristics including various physical dimensional variations of the walls of the casing, the physical dimensional variations being either an indentation, a protrusion, or a removal fixture integrated into the design of the casing, the casing further designed to fit within a specific mounting location on the replaceable consumable unit.
Abstract:
A method of remanufacturing a replaceable consumable unit includes providing the replaceable consumable unit including a first electronic circuit, with the first electronic circuit being at least partially inoperable; providing a second electronic circuit; communicatively connecting the second electronic circuit to the first electronic circuit; and intercepting, by the second electronic circuit, signals sent by an imaging system to the first electronic circuit.
Abstract:
A remanufactured toner cartridge comprising a toner hopper, a developer roller housing, end caps holding the waste bin and developer roller in a fixed position with respect to each other, and a seal assembly attaching the toner hopper to the developer roller housing comprising a first gasket having a first side, a second side, and a gasket opening, a removable seal layer having a first side, a second side, a first end and a second end, said first side of the first gasket attached to a toner hopper sealing surface, the first side of the removable seal layer being attached to the second side of the first gasket, the removable seal layer covering the gasket opening, a tail of the removable seal layer attached to the second end of the removable seal layer, an electrical trace attached to the second side of the removable seal layer at the second end of the removable seal layer, a second gasket with a first side and a second side and a first end and a second end, the first side of the second gasket being attached to the second side of the first gasket except at the second end of the second gasket, the second side of the second gasket attached to the developer roller housing.
Abstract:
Techniques for remanufacturing an imaging cartridge include providing the imaging cartridge including a memory element storing cartridge usage data, reading from the memory element the cartridge usage data, analyzing the cartridge usage data to produce results, and determining, based on the results, if a component of the imaging cartridge needs to be replaced. A cartridge memory interface device includes processing circuitry adapted for reading cartridge usage data from a memory element of an imaging cartridge. The processing circuitry is further adapted for analyzing the cartridge usage data to produce results for determining if any components of the imaging cartridge need to be replaced. A user interface displays the results to a user.