MXPA98005247A - Improved control of the fotosensi roller movement - Google Patents

Abstract

A toner cartridge (1) contains a photoconducting drum (49) having a central arrow (47). The gear (145) rotates with the drum and has a bolt (602). A spiral spring (604) is mounted on the bolt to form a spring clutch that is unwound by rotating the drum during imaging. Alternatively, a flat friction surface is pressed against the lateral engagement wall (600b). Both contact areas have a light fat. The sliding forces provide smooth and precise cooperation during image formation

Description

IMPROVED CONTROL OF THE PHOTOSENSIBLE ROLLER MOVEMENT DETAILED DESCRIPTION CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTS This is a continuation of Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60 / 051,041 filed on June 27, 1997, which has the same title as this application. The preferred embodiment of this invention is incorporated in a toner cartridge described in the United States applications filed on December 20, 1996, the one that more specifically is directed to the roller or driver serial No. 08 / 770,326 titled "Toner Cartridge with locating on Photoconductor Shaft" ("Toner cartridge with location on the photoconducting arrow").

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to the electrophotographic development and, more particularly, refers to the improved control of the movement of the photosensitive lodin during the operation of image ior ation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Before 1997, the assignee of this invention has manufactured and sold toner cartridges in two different general designs. For its larger laser printers the cartridge contains a pump for entering toner of the kind described in U.S. Patent No. 5,012,289 to Aldrich et al. and 5,101,237 to Molloy, while the external structure of the cartridge is as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,133,633 to Craft et al. The details of other items in the cartridge have varied. For a diode printer that emits smaller light the cartridge is as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,337,032 to Baker et al., Which has a toner feeding device that extends well below a level that it has the toner addition roller and has independent drive systems for the roller or driver and for the roller system tl as described in United States Patent No. 5,331,378 to Baker. t l. Lus cartridges are typically used by means of their cover or frame, not directly based on the location of the photoconductor. In 1997, the assignee of this invention began selling a cartridge printer having the arrow of the photoconductive drum as the primary locator and an opposite flat retable for resting on a roller member in the printer. This cartridge contains a photosensitive cartridge, whose central arrow extends without obstruction to be in contact with the printer as a vertical locator and from the front to the back. A developer roller and feed device assembly is attached to the cartridge cover assembly through a spring force. The cartridge cover assembly has elongate surfaces to receive a member that presses down from the printer. The developer roller and feed device assembly has flat retables to be mounted on the rollers in the printer thereby allowing the adjustment of the contact between the light-sensitive roller and the .c. gave. lightweight An integral cube assembly on the photoconductive roller has a local hoist surface near the feed device that rests on the printer frame and positively locates the photoconductor roll. The two front support wheels that define the plane of lateral movement between the two assemblies are in the printer, with a flat surface on the feeding device for receiving these rollers .. Because the underside of the developing unit is part of the path of the media, the reference to the assembly of the feeding device with respect to the printer improves the location accuracy of the path of the edios. A minor advantage is that the cost of the wheels and their installation is eliminated from the cartridge. The photosensitive roller is integral with a gear with teeth. These teeth engage with a gear from the printer. Other mechanisms in the cartridge are driven separately. However, a photosensitive roller is subject to forces from a paper or other means that are jal two a t vé d l. c >; c \ i 11 or to transfer the toner image. Another influence is the developer roller, which has a contour by gripping the photosensitive roller and a higher tangential velocity. The photosensitive roller experiences sliding from the cleaning blade. However, during use the wear of the cleaning blade results in the sliding to a large extent. Other sliding forces, such as in bearings, are very small. The paper contacting the photosensitive roller is pulled by the fixing station while the paper dragging part is still in contact with the photosensitive drum. Wrinkle-free paper handling often results in tension from the fuser roll that can be significant. The effects of the inherent low slip on the light-sensitive roller, an incidental driving force from the developing roller, and the pull from the grip of the operating roller, together or in combination, can result in imprecise and undulating rotation of the roller. or nsible pictures (deno i da "oscillation"). The teeth between the input and the photosensitive roller and the drive gear can actually be separated tangentially, resulting in a very obvious deformation of the printed image. In addition, since the pressure in the teeth tends to physically flatten the surface defects, the loss of such a pressure results in some loss of accurate rotation and consequent deterioration of the printed image. This invention applies a sliding friction high uniformly to the photosensitive drum. A spring clutch that operates in the unbalanced direction applies such a slip and is used as such. The uniform response is also achieved by having grease on the friction surface. When sliding occurs, by means of the lateral movement of two surfaces that make contact, the friction characteristics of the grease provide uniform sliding. In all cases the fat promotes smooth and consistent operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In order to have a high-precision control of the photo-responsive roller from the drive gear directed to control the roller, a friction medium having uniform sliding against the photosensitive roller with the contact area having grease is pressed under pressure. . Preferably, the friction member is a spiral spring clutch wrapped tightly around a bolt surrounding the arrow of the roller, the operation of the roller being in the direction of unwinding the spring. On the side of the spring facing the side wall of the roller, two low friction washers separate the spring from the side wall so that one that makes contact with the side wall normally turns and the other makes contact with the spring that remains fixed , thereby protecting the. Spring end avoiding contact by rubbing. The term "spring clutch" is used to designate a mechanism in which one end of the spring is prevented from rotating, whereby, as is conventional, the spring is allowed to be tightly wound or unrolled depending on the spring. of the roll of the thread on which the roll is rolled. A member by alternating friction is a flat surface that is pushed to contact the wall of the photosensitive roller. The term "photosensitive roller assembly" is used to incorporate the elements necessary to this invention connected to the roller, such as the bolt and the side wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The details of this invention will be described in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toner cartridge from below and the left rear part, where the left is determined giving in front of the printer from its front side where the insertion of the cartridge is made; Figure 2 is a perspective view from below and from the left front of the cartridge in section near the top; Figure 3 is a top view of the cartridge with the additional cover elements removed; Figure 4 is a top right rear view of the cartridge with the cover elements removed; Figure 5 is a top left rear view of the cartridge with the elements removed; Figure 6 is a top right rear view of the cartridge sectioned in a manner similar to the cutout of Figure 2; Figure 7 is a front and bottom view of the cartridge; Figure 8 is a lower right rear view of the cartridge; Figure 9 is a front right perspective view of the housing member of the feeding device; Figure 10 is a reproduction of a photograph of a perspective view of the spiral spring installed; Figure 11 is an online drawing of a perspective view similar to Figure 10; Figure 12 is an awake view in another manner similar to Figure 11; L Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of a friction element having a flat surface; and Figure 14 illustrates the element of assembled Figure 13.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The cartridge 1 of the self-contained removable printer is shown in Figure 1 in a perspective view from above and the left rear (considering the handles 3a and 3b the front and the side having the shutter 5 upper rotated being the upper side). For purposes of illustration, Figure 1 shows the top plug 5 rotated down to its open position and the bottom plug 7 rotated back and up to its open position. During the actual operation, these positions are reached by interacting with the printer or other device in which the cartridge 1 is installed - as will be explained later.

To facilitate and guide the operation of photo 1 on the printer, the cartridge 1 has a left-hand guide wing 9 and a 9-inch right wing. The guide wings 9a and 9b are formed as thin flat arcs of a relatively large circle, except near the front, where the bottom 9aa is enlarged downwards. The guide wings 9a and 9b are symmetrical with respect to each other except that, in this particular embodiment described, the left guide wing 9a is wider (extends laterally further) than the right guide wing 9b simply to accommodate the width provided by a particular printer in which the cartridge 1 of the example is to be installed. In the embodiment described herein, the lower plug 7 is rotated from the left rear cover 31 a on an upper left actuator arm and from the rear cover (not shown) on an upper right articulated articulated arm 11 opposite sides of the obturator 7. Each articulated arm Ia and llb is integral with an actuator 13a and 13b respectively, each of which has a surface 13aa and 13bb rectangular actuator, respectively, which ._ • extends over the a, 9 b of respective guides. A lower shutter link 15a rotated and one side of the lower shutter 17a rotated towards the lower shutter link 15a and the upper left drive articulated arm complete a conventional bar link link to provide rotation of the shutter 7 in response to the rotation of the actuator 13a. The rear end of the spiral spring 19a is connected to a lower flat hook on the articulated arm Ia to deflect the closed shutter 7 when the cartridge is not inserted into a printer or other device. The front end of the spiral spring 19a is connected to a top hole 31aa under the actuator 13a. There is a symmetrical image of these parts (see Figure 3) on the opposite side, the corresponding part of which will be designated by the same number with the letters "b". When the cartridge 1 is installed in the printer, the actuating surfaces 13aa and 13bb are pushed downwards by the coi ncidnt surfaces of the printer to the positions above the wings 9a, 9b respectively, as shown in FIG. Figure 1. An operator inserts the cartridge 1 by holding the handles 3a and 3b through the holes 3aa, 3bb and moves the cartridge 1 in the direction of the orator 5 and towards the back of the printer in which is being installed A series of ribs 21 that extend upwards s? stops along the cartridge 1 under the handles 3a, 3b, except in the holes 3aa and 3bb, provide resistance. while the holes 3aa and 3bb provide space for a person's fingers to hold the handles 3a, 3b. On the left side there is a tab 23 that extends upwards relatively wide. In a preferred combination of the embodiment of the invention described herein and an example printer the upper part of the tab 23 interacts with a physically sensitive switch in the printer to detect that a cartridge 1 is installed. The front cover 25, on which are formed integrally the pieces 3a, 3b, the ribs 21 and the tongue 23, is located above a device of ali entation of the ton r separated, as will be described further. The upper cover of the cleaning chamber 27 is towards the back of the shutter 5. As soon as the inner wings 9a and 9b rise, the printer applies pressure to the elongated locator surfaces 29a, 29b to firmly place the toner mechanisms of the cartridge 1 when the cartridge 1 is installed. The locating surface 29a and 29b, the wings 9a and 9b, as well as the rear cover 31 under the wing 9a, are integral with the cleaning housing 27. Also integral with these elements are the front cover 25, which has the handles 3a, 3b and an outer cover 33 on the left side and which generally co-extend in length with the length of the front cover 25. The cover 33 has a U-shaped housing 35 in its upper part. The housing 35 catches the spacer bolt 37a as will be explained as well as a bore 39a of the assembly near the upper front of the cover 33 and a spring fastener bore 39b near the lower front of the cover 33. n Coupling 1 rip a drive from a printer containing an Oldham coupler to rotatably drive the developer roller 43 (not shown in Figure 1) and the toner-adding roller 45 (not shown in Figure 1). ). On the rear coupler rail 41 is the arrow 47 of the photoconductive drum 49 (the drum is not shown in Figure 1). Figure 2 is a perspective view taken from below and the left front of the cartridge 1 sectioned near the top to show the internal elements. On the immediate front there is a large cylindrical toner feed device 61, having a pallet 63, which, during the operation, is rotated in the clockwise direction as seen in Figure 2. The pallet 63 has a bar 63a that moves the external toner, which extends across the width of the feed device 61 except for a far left section 63aa which is inserted as will be explained. The rear wall 61a of the feed device 61 when the cartridge 1 is installed for operation in a printer terminates at least one third of the total height of the feed device 61 as a flat surface 61a (particularly, the feeding device). 61 has a diameter of 106mm and the vertical distance from the lowest point of the feeding device 61 to the horizontal plane that coincides with the surface 61aa of the highest point of the rear wall 61 is 35.33 nm). The upper surface 61aa of the rear wall 61a is thin and flat with a slightly downward angle from the feeding device 61 to facilitate the removal of the molded part from its mold. An extension 65a from a stir bar 65 has a hanging tab 65b (see Figure 9) that rests on the upper wall 61aa to thereby place a stir bar 65 slightly above the upper wall 61aa. The extension 65a extends extending the upper wall 61aa to a location in which the bar 63a of the pallet 63 encounters the extension 65a as it rotates. The surface opposite to the surface 61aa from which the toner exits is flat and is approximately 50 degrees from the vertical ("A" in Figure 9) when the cartridge 1 is installed for operation on a printer. The vertical ribs 67 located immediately behind the rear wall 61a are reinforcing mounts for the upper wall 69 formed approximately one third down from the top of the feeding device 61. The bar 63a which moves the toner of the pallet 63 is closely adjacent to the sides of the feeding device 61 except where the upper part of the rear wall 61a and the start of the upper part of the wall 69 form an opening for the toner to be stocked towards back from the feed device 61 to the toner mechanisms of the cartridge 1. This is best shown in Figure 9. In Figure 2, a small part of the developing roller 43 to which the coupler 41 is directly attached is observed after the ribs 67. The developer roller 43 is parallel to and in contact with the photoconducting drum 49. The cleaning chamber 27 has the separate vertical internal deflectors 71, which are reinforcing members, as well as the limiting members of the unbalanced accumulation of t. oner in the chamber 27. The toner that is not transferred during development is spaced from the photoconducting drum 41 by the wiper blade 73, which is mounted to a vertical panel 73a, having a horizontal 73aa corner to increase strength. As best seen in Figure 3, panel 63a is mounted to support member 75, which has vertical columns 75a (Figure 2), 75b on opposite sides. The panel 73a is mounted to the vertical columns 75a, 75b by a thread 77a to the column 75a and a thread 77b to the column 75b. Figure 3 is a top right side view with the additional cover elements separated and part of the wiper removed to illustrate the internal configuration of the cartridge 1. A blade 91 of solid steel bar extends parallel with and by pressure contact with the roller 43 developer. The blade 91 comes into contact with the roller 43 at approximately 20 degrees from the vertical downstream toner adding roller. Also shown in Figure 3 are the metal electrical contact 93 to the blade 91, the metal contact 95 to the toner adding roller 45 and the electric contact 97 to the developer roller 43. The outer ends 93a, 9 a, 97 a of the contacts rest against the metal contacts in the printer when the cartridge 1 is installed and thereby make electrical contact to receive electrical potentials from the printer. The developer system of the cartridge 1 is essentially very simple with respect to that of the Optra brand family of printers sold by the assignee of this invention. As in that family of printers, the toner add roller 45 is a conductive sponge material bonded to a steel arrow and the developer roller 43 is semiconductor material attached to a steel arrow. When the cartridge 1 is installed for operation in a printer, the cartridge 1 is oriented generally as shown in Figure 3 and the horizontal plane containing the lowermost surface of the toner adding roller 45 is 22.6mm above the dot lower of the feeding device 61.

The toner addler roller 45 and the developer roller 43 are muted at the rear extensions 99a and 101a (Fi 4) of the end members 99 and 101 (Figure 4) of the feed device 61. The agitator 65 has a bent portion. 65aa to be parallel with respect to the extension 99a where the extension 99a is rotated on the pin 103a. As the paddle 63 rotates, the bar 63a contacts the extension 65a, thereby rotating the agitator 65 about the pin 103a upwards. The agitator 65 then returns next to the back wall 61a under the force of gravity to uncouple the toner, which otherwise tends to accumulate on the output surface dlaaa (see Figure .9). Because this application is directed to the improved control of the photoconductive drum movement 49, additional details of toner movement will be minimized in this description. Figure 4 is a top right rear view with the cover elements removed showing more broadly the end members 99 and 101 of the feed device 61 and its extensions 99a and 101a. The separating bolt 37b is integral with the external member 101. Below and to the front of the bolt 37b there is a spring mounting blade 131b, which mounts one end of the spring 132b, the other end of which is mounted on the hole 242 (better seen in Figure 20). Also the perpendicular cover wall 133 is integral with the end member 101, which extends downwardly and rearwardly to present a barrier to physically protect the coding wheel 135. The additional details of the encoder wheel are not pertinent to this invention. Figure 4 also shows the electrical contacts 93, 95 and 97 as they are supported by the floor 137 extending perpendicularly from the extension 101a of the feeding device. The vertical ribs 139 extend from the floor 137 between the contacts 93, 95 and 97 to reinforce the floor 137. The mounting roller 141a is enmuñona to the extension 99a of the feeding device and the symmetrical mounting roller 141b is mounted to the extension 101a of the feeding device. The rollers 141a and 141b come into contact with the inner surfaces of the cartridge cover 1, as will be described. The surfaces 133a and 161a (Figure 5) of the feeding device 61 rest on the rollers in the printer as will be described later. The end member 101 of the feed device has an opening that receives a narrow fit cylindrical elongate contact plug 143. Before installing the contact plug 143, the toner is loaded in the feed device 61 through the open hole, and then the contact plug 143 seals the hole. The photoconductive roller 49 has at its left end a gear 49a fixed to the roller 49. The photoconductive roller 49 at the right end has a drive 145 driving the transfer roller, which drives a roller in the printer when the cartridge 1 is installed in the printer . The gear 49a is a helical gear with teeth (not shown in Figure 4) that meshes with the teeth of a gear (not shown) in the printer 1 to receive the driving torque to rotate the photoconductive urn 49 during the operation and formation of images. The gear 145 is a molded integral plastic element having a side internal wall 600a and an outer sidewall flange 600b and a central pin 602 (Figure 10) through which the arrow 47 extends. In accordance with this invention, A spiral spring 604 (see Figure 10) forms a spring clutch. Fig. 5 is a top left rear view with the cover elements removed showing more broadly the exterior of the members 99 and 99a of the feed device 61. The spacer pin 37a is integral with the end member 99. Below and respect to the front of the pin 37a is the spring mounting post 131a, which mounts one end of the spring 132a, the other end of which is mounted in a hole in a member that is an internal extension of the cover 33 (Figure 2). Also the cover wall 161 is integral with the end member 99, which extends downward and backward to form a barrier to physically protect the gear assembly 163 from the torsion gear. The inner portion of the wall 1 1 for a contact surface 161 a to n to receive a locating roller from the printer when the cartridge 1 is installed. The details of the pallet engagement assembly 163 are not relevant to the invention. Integral engagement 49a with the end of the photoconductive drum 49 receives power from a coupling ngrane in the printer when the cartridge 1 is installed in the printer. The coupler 41 is integral with the developer roller 43 and drives the loose gear 165, which drives the toner adding roller 45 (Figure 3) as it is engaged with the gear 167, which is integral with the toner adding roller 45. The coupler 41 receives power from an impeller in the printer that is separate from the pulse to the tambo 49, but preferably from a single motor in the printer. The gear 167 ... drives the large gear of the compound gear 169. The gear 169 drives the large gear of the compound gear 171 and the gear 171 drives the paddle gear assembly 163. A mesh plate 173, which assembles the 2 gears 105 and 109, is mounted on extension 99a by thread 175 d intage. Figure 5 shows the end of the agitator 65 opposite that shown in Figure 3. That end has a bent portion 65bb which is made parallel to the extension 101a of the end member 101 when it is rotated to the extension 101a on a pin 103b. Continuing with the detailed description of the cartridge incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 is a top right rear view sectioned near the top similar to the cutout of Figure 2. Figure 6 illustrates more clearly the assembly of the blade 91 mounted to exert pressure on the developer roller 43 under the inclination of the leaf spring 191. The blade 91 is located on the left rear and before the tongue 361 and on the back by extending the end member 99 of the device. feed that form the front and rear barriers to hold the left side of the blade 91. Similarly, on the right side, the two surfaces extending from the extension 101a that include a rear axle tension .65 and a front extension 66 (not shown) form the front and back that hold the right side of the blade 91, symmetrical to the box that holds the left side of the blade 91. The upper part of the blade 91 is held by the spring 191. A tape 192 of adhesive across the top of the blade 91 crosses over the adjacent horizontal flange of the wall 69 (Figure 2) for sealing, in the conventional way. The spring 191 has the blunt ends 191a and 191b, spaced apart from the center, which contact the blade 91 to deflect it downward toward the developer roller 43. A central edge 197, integral with the ribs 67, forms a cavity that receives the center of the spring 191. The horizontal edges 199a and 199, the opposite central portions of the spring 191, formed integrally with the ribs 67 are horizontal barriers to prevent the Spring 191 moves forward. Preferably, in order to allow rough handling of the cartridge 1 that may occur during packing, the solid upper retainer members (not provided) are affixed by a sticking adhesive on each side between the edges. 19 d and 19 b and the sides 99 a and 101 a respectively. These are separated 0.18mm above the top of the blade 91 and therefore make contact with the blade 91 only during rough handling. Figure 6 also illustrates the posts 141aa and 141bb, which are molded as extensions of the members 99a and 101a respectively, and which support the mounting rollers 141a and 141b, respectively (Figure 5). Figure 7 is a lower left front illustration of the cartouche 1 observed externally. A series of horizontal depressions 221 along the back of the feeding device 61 provide a rough surface for the thumbs when the fingers grip the cartridge through the opening 3aa and 3bb. A series of relatively long vertical ribs 223 integral with the lower portion of the feeding device 61 serve as guides for paper and other means, while a series of shorter ribs 225, located at the rear of the start of the ribs 223 and between the ribs ? ? 3, they prevent the media from being scratched as they encounter the photoconductive board 49 located immediately after the ribs 223 and 225. Passing the barrel 49, the media finds additional media guide ribs 227 located on the barrel. lower part of the shutter 7. Figure 7 also provides a clear view of the loose gear 165 and the gear 167. Figure 8 is a lower right rear illustration of the externally observed cartridge 1. This shows the full right wing 9b with the enlarged front part 9bb. Figure 8 shows the right cover elements that were removed in Figure 6. A front lower cover section 241 is over a large part of the coding wheel 135 and has an access hole 243 for ease of assembly and has an opening 244 (which is best seen in Figure 20). The cover section 241 is used outwardly in a small amount to provide space for the spring (not shown) to extend between the post 131b (Figure 4) and the hole 242. Generally, above and forward of, and integral with section 241 is the cover section 245, which is on the remaining upper cold part of the cartridge 1. The section 245 has a U-shaped housing 247 on its upper part which catches the spacer pin 37b. At the rear of the section 245 opposite the area above the photoconducting drum 49, the rectangular channels 249 are located with the second rectangular channels 249a and the last rectangular channel 249b is open to pass air to cool the photoconducting drum 49 during the operation of the cartridge 1. The far posterior portion 251 of this particular embodiment of the invention described herein assembles the links 11b and 17b to the shutter 7. A lower section 253 of the cover located below and in front of the passages 249a and 249b it assembles the arrow 47 of the photoconducting drum 49 and has two upper symmetrical ventilation holes 255a and 255b for passing air to cool the drum 49. Figure 9 is a front right perspective view of the housing 271 of molded plastic member forming the central portion and the central extension of the feeding device 61 with the attached 99 oar ext. member and the agitator 6 5 installed. It is observed that it forms a cylindrical chamber with an outlet opening formed between the wall 69 and the wall 61a. An insert 263 in the lower rear portion of the feed device 61 provides space for the rollers in the printer. As best seen in Figure 2, the vane bar 63a has an insert 63aa for cleaning the insert 263. The member 271 has a slot 275 around its right side. A similar slot is directly around the left side. The end member 101 has a matching rim 321 (not shown). During manufacture the slot 275 is matched to that flange on the end member 101 and the two are welded together with ultrasonically created heat. The member 99 is attached to the left side of the side 271 in the same manner with the rim (not shown) inserted in a matching slot (not shown) on the left side of the member 271. A notch '277 above the extension 65a of the agitator allows sufficient rotation of the agitator ti 5 to allow the fin 63 a to pass past the extension 65a while preventing a complete rotation of the agitator 65.

Revealing Assembly The housing 271 and its joined ends 99 and 101 form the toner feed device 61. The extension 101a mutes the toner addition roller 45 and the developer roller 43. The engaging plate 173, which is attached to the extension 99a by the thread 175, is nailed to the opposite ends of the toner adding roller 45 and the developing roller 43. Accordingly, an individual unitary assembly of the feed device 61 is formed upwardly and includes the developer roller 43.

Cover and Photoconductor Assembly The front cover 25, the handles 3a, 3b, the left end cover 33, the rear wall 31, the right cover sections 241, 245 and 251 (Figure 1), the wings 9a, 9b (Figure 8) ) and cleaning chamber 27 are an individual molded part. The photoconductor 49 is enmuñona in this part with its arrow 47 that extends by passing the covers on the two opposite. The shutter 7 is movably supported to the left cover 31 and the right rear cover 251. Accordingly, an individual unitary assembly of the cover members, the photoconducting drum 49 and the obturator 7 is formed. During use, the springs 132a and 132b pull the developing roller 43 against the photoconducting drum 49 at a predetermined tension. . When the cartridge 1 is picked up, the developer assembly and the cover and photoconductor assembly rotate under gravity until the pin 37a (Figure 1) makes contact with the housing 35 and the pin 37b (Figure 8) makes contact with the housing 247 , holding the two assemblies together.

Toner In a preferred embodiment, the cartridge 1 employs single-component toner elect rof ot or monochromatic that can be basically conventional. The amount of toner in the feed device 61 is limited by pressure which impairs the quality of the printer and detects the toner level by the toner resistance on the pallet 63. When the cartridge 1 is in the installed position, a typical top level of toner will somehow be above the upper barrier wall 61aa. The presence of toner at a higher level is indicated in Figure 9 by the toner surface lines 425, but the toner is otherwise transparent for clarity. The actual toner, of course, is dull dry powder. During use the toner is emptied to lower levels and moved by the pallet 63. As is conventional, the developer roller 43 applies toner 425 to the photoconductive drum 49 to reveal the electric image on the drum 49 photoconductor Slide Elements Figure 10 shows details of a photograph of gear 145 that has the spring 604 spiral wrapped over the bolt 602. The tapered portion 606 opposite the bolt 602 enters the photoconductive drum 49 to make a snap fit inside. Accordingly, during operation 14b, it is fixed to the hub 49 and rotates in the same manner to form an assembly with the drum 49. The outer sidewall flange 600b is seen in Figure 10 and the teeth -145a are observed as the teeth of the gear helical. The spring 604 has the external tail 604a, whose movement is blocked during normal operation so that the spring clutch is formed (ie, the spring 604 is released by locking the tail 604a by unwinding 604). The tail 604a is not locked on the opposite side since any backward movement of the clutch 145 with the tail 604a blocked would forcefully tighten the spring 604 on the bolt 602. Figure 11 is a larger line drawing similar to Figure 10. , but showing the teeth 145a only by its external diameter. Figure 11- shows the internal side wall 600a and the external washer 608b. Figure 11 also illustratively shows a rim 610 on the cover 253 that locks the tail 604a as shown during normal rotation of the drum 49 during imaging.

Smoke is observed more in the view with its parts in Figure 12, two washers 608a and 008b made of fluorocarbon, and therefore, friction is on the bolt 602 5 and separates the side of spring 604 from the side wall 600a of the gear 145. When the spring 604 moves or deviates mechanically towards the side wall 600a, the washer 608a makes contact with the side wall 600a and the washer 608b makes contact with the spring 604. As the friction between the washers 608a and 608b is less than the friction between the washer 608a and the side wall 600a, and is less than the friction between the washer 608b and the spring 604, the washer 608b remains stationary during rotation of drum 49 while washer 608a rotates. This ensures that the end of the spring 604 does not contact a moving surface with a frictional force sufficient to cause a disturbance, thereby ensuring a smooth operation of the spring 604. Figure 13 illustrates an element 620 having an elevated circular outer rim 622 having a flat surface for contacting with the external side wall 600b. The element 6? 0 has a central hole 624 that fits on the bolt 602 of the gear 145. The element 620 has a knob 620a which is blocked by a frame member, indicated by the flange. 626 on the cover 253. The hole 628 is for inserting grease between the flange 622 and the gear 145. A spiral spring 630 also rests against the cover 253 to bias the flange 622 against the outer side wall 600b. Figure 14 shows the parts ens amb 1 a-da s. The flange 622 is pressed against the outer side wall 600b, (Figure 11) of the gear 145. Both the spiral spring 604 and the flange 622 contact a lightweight, recommended grease for spring clutches, located where they contact with the roller assembly 49. For the element 620, the grease is applied after assembly through the hole 628. The spring 604 has grease where it surrounds the bolt 602. The grease softens the overall operation. The sliding from the spring clutch is very uniform and in an amount defined by the braces of the inner diameter of the spring 604 against the bolt 602. The sliding from the element 622 is uniform due to the grease. Alternative variations will be evident and can be anticipated.

Claims (7)

1. An apparatus for the formation of electrographic images characterized in that it comprises a photosensitive roller assembly mounted for rotation in such an apparatus, an integral gear with the assembly for receiving the torque from an indentation gear of such an apparatus to cause rotation of the assembly during the imaging, and a uniform sliding element in contact with the assembly to apply frictional forces opposing such rotation.

2. An apparatus for the formation of electrographic images characterized in that it comprises an assembly. of a photosensitive roller mounted for rotation in such an apparatus on a central arrow, the assembly has a bolt surrounding the central shaft, an integral gear with such an assembly for receiving the torque from an indenting gear of such an apparatus to cause rotation of the Assemble during the formation of images, and a spiral spring clutch wound around the bolt, the direction of winding of such spring is that which unrolls the spring during said rotation.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises a first and a second washer between the spring and the assembly such first washer makes contact with the spring and second washer, the second washer makes contact with the assembly, such washers have coefficients of friction less than the surfaces with which they make contact so that the washer that makes contact with the spring clutch does not move while the washer that makes contact with the assembly does not move with such an assembly.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that it also comprises fat located between the spring clutch and the bolt.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 further characterized by comprising (rasa located between the spring clutch and the bolt.

6. An apparatus for the formation of images and a graphic characterized in that it comprises a photosensitive roller assembly mounted for rotation in such an apparatus, an integral gear with the assembly to receive the torque from an indenter gear of such an apparatus to cause the rotation of the assembly during imaging, a friction surface located to exert pressure against the assembly to resist such rotation, and grease located between such friction surface and the amble.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the assembly has an integral wall and such a friction surface is a flat surface biased against the side wall.