System for and method of reducing or eliminating leakage with a vibrating seal

• US 20030180068A1
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Phillips, Quintin T., Dougherty, Patrick S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,697,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/103
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0817 characterised by the lateral sealing at both sides of the donor member with respect to the developer carrying direction

Abstract

The present invention includes a sealing mechanism for use in a cartridge comprising a roller having an undulant annular channel and a flexible seal having a follower where the follower is configured to engage the undulant annular channel. Rotation of the roller induces a laterally reciprocating motion of the flexible seal with respect to the roller. Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method of reducing toner leakage in a cartridge comprising the steps of engaging a follower of a first flexible seal within an undulant annular channel formed in a roller and rotating the roller to induce a laterally reciprocating motion in the flexible seal. When toner is applied to the roller in the vicinity of the first flexible seal, the laterally reciprocating motion of the flexible seal sweeps toner in a direction away from the undulant annular channel.

Claims

1. A sealing mechanism comprising:

a roller having an undulant annular channel; and

a flexible seal cooperating with said roller and having a follower engaged with said undulant annular channel.

2. The sealing mechanism of claim 1 wherein rotation of said roller induces a laterally reciprocating motion of said flexible seal with respect to said roller.

3. The sealing mechanism of claim 1 wherein said undulant annular channel is proximate to one end of said roller.

4. The sealing mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a second undulant annular channel located proximate to another end of said roller.

5. The sealing mechanism of claim 1 wherein said flexible seal comprises an elongate member configured to wrap around a circumferential portion of said roller, said roller engaging said undulant annular channel within said circumferential portion of said roller.

6. The sealing mechanism of claim 1 further comprising:

a roller support wherein said flexible seal is attached to said roller support.

7. The sealing mechanism of claim 1 further comprising:

an internal sealing ridge configured to engage said roller proximate to said undulant annular channel.

8. The sealing mechanism of claim 1 wherein said laterally reciprocating motion is within a range of 0.02 to 1 millimeter.

9. The sealing mechanism of claim 1 further comprising:

an external sealing ridge configured to engage said roller proximate to said undulant annular channel.

10. The sealing mechanism of claim 1 wherein said undulant annular channel is 2 to 4 millimeters wide and said follower is 1 to 3 millimeters wide.

11. A method of reducing material leakage, said method comprising the steps of:

engaging a follower of a first flexible seal within an undulant control mechanism formed with respect to a roller;

rotating said roller thereby inducing a laterally reciprocating motion in said first flexible seal controlled, at least in part by said control mechanism;

applying said material to said roller in a vicinity of said first flexible seal; and

whereby said laterally reciprocating motion of said first flexible seal sweeps said material in a direction away from said undulant annular channel.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said control mechanism is an annular channel and wherein said method further comprises the step of:

locating said undulant annular channel proximate to the end of said roller.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

engaging a second follower of a second flexible seal with a second undulant annular channel formed in said roller;

whereby said rotation of said roller induces a laterally reciprocating motion in said second flexible seal; and

whereby said laterally reciprocating motion of said second flexible seal sweeps said material in a direction toward said first flexible seal.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising a step of:

joining said first flexible seal to a roller support.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said material is toner and wherein said method further comprises the step of:

capturing residual toner in an interstitial cavity located between an exterior face of said first flexible and said first follower.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of engaging said follower induces a laterally reciprocating motion in said first flexible seal over a range of 0.02 to 1 millimeter.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising a steps of:

configuring said undulant annular channel to have a width of 2 to 4 millimeters; and

configuring said follower to have a width of 1 to 3 millimeters.

18. A toner cartridge comprising:

a housing;

a development unit including a toner supply hopper and a roller having a cylindrical exterior surface with a pair of undulant annular channels formed in said surface at opposite ends of said roller;

a cleaning unit including a waste hopper, a wiper blade, a cleaning blade and a blow-out blade;

a primary charge roller;

a transfer roller;

an Organic Photo Conductor; and

a pair of flexible seals each having a follower engaging a respective one of said pair of said second undulant annular channels.

19. A roller for use in a printing system, said roller including means for engaging with a seal such that the rotation of said roller around the lateral axis of said roller causes an engaged seal to laterally reciprocate so as to prevent toner from accumulating at least at one end of said roller.

20. The roller of claim 19 wherein said engaging means include at least one undulating channel.