Toner cartridge, imaging device, and method for installing toner cartridge

Abstract

The present invention provides a toner cartridge, an imaging device and a method for installing the toner cartridge. The toner cartridge comprises a cartridge body and a chip, wherein the chip is mounted on the outer wall of the cartridge body and a contact is provided on the chip. The toner cartridge further comprises a protective component made of an elastic material, wherein the protective component is detachably mounted on the cartridge body and covers the contact, and a gap is provided between the protective component and the contact. The toner cartridge can prevent the contact of the chip from being damaged due to exposure, and at the same time prevent the contact of the chip from being in instantaneous elastic contact with the contact pin of the imaging device, thereby releasing an instantaneous high voltage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of electronic photographic imaging, in particular to a carbon powder box with a chip installed, an imaging device and a method for installing the carbon powder box. Background Art

[0002] Laser imaging devices use toner cartridges as consumables for printing. Figure 1 There is a toner cartridge 1, which includes a box body 11, in which a powder bin is provided, and toner is contained in the powder bin. A chip 12 is mounted on the surface of the box body 11, and contacts 121 are provided on the surface of the chip 12 to electrically connect with contacts corresponding to an imaging device, so that the chip and the imaging device can exchange identity information, toner capacity information, etc. However, during the packaging, transportation, and disassembly of the toner cartridge 1, the exposed contacts 121 are easily damaged by static electricity, which may cause damage to the integrated circuit of the chip, or mechanical scratches may damage the contacts 121 themselves, which may cause the chip 12 to lose its function in severe cases, thereby affecting the normal operation of the toner cartridge 1.

[0003] When the toner cartridge is placed in the imaging device, the chip on the toner cartridge will contact the contact pins on the imaging device, so that the imaging device can read the data inside the electronic module on the chip, and then determine the capacity of the installed toner cartridge and identify the toner cartridge. Since the contact pins on the imaging device are elastic structures and are always charged when working, when the distance between them and the chip on the toner cartridge is too far, after the instant elastic contact, the chip contacts and the elastic contact pins of the imaging device are easy to discharge and release instant high voltage, which can easily cause the data stored in the electronic module on the chip to be instantly affected by the voltage shock of the charged contact pins of the imaging device. In addition, the elastic contact pins of the imaging device may be misaligned with the contacts of the toner cartridge, which can easily cause the chip to be short-circuited, causing the data in the electronic module on the chip to be damaged or lost, and at the same time causing the imaging device to be unable to determine the capacity of the installed toner cartridge, or even worse, unable to effectively identify the toner cartridge. Summary of the invention

[0004] The first object of the present invention is to provide a toner cartridge which can prevent the contacts of a chip from being exposed and damaged, and can also prevent the contacts of the chip from being in instantaneous elastic contact with the contact pins of an imaging device, thereby preventing the release of instantaneous high pressure.

[0005] A second object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus equipped with the above-mentioned toner cartridge.

[0006] A third object of the present invention is to provide a method for installing the above-mentioned toner cartridge.

[0007] To achieve the first objective, the present invention provides a toner cartridge comprising a cartridge body and a chip, wherein the chip is mounted on the outer wall of the cartridge body and a contact is provided on the chip. The toner cartridge also comprises a protective component made of an elastic material, which is detachably mounted on the cartridge body and covers the contact, and a gap is provided between the protective component and the contact.

[0008] A preferred solution is that the protective component includes a covering part, a first connecting part and a second connecting part, the first connecting part and the second connecting part are both detachably connected to the box body, the covering part covers the contacts, and the first connecting part and the second connecting part are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the covering part.

[0009] A preferred solution is that the protection component is in the shape of a sheet, and the plane where the protection component is located is parallel to the plane where the contacts are located.

[0010] A preferred solution is that the protection component is bonded to the box body.

[0011] A preferred solution is that the protective component is an antistatic film.

[0012] A preferred solution is that the protective component is an antistatic tape.

[0013] To achieve the second objective, the imaging device provided by the present invention includes a main body, wherein a cartridge compartment is provided in the main body, and the cartridge compartment is used for placing and taking out the above-mentioned toner cartridge.

[0014] A preferred solution is to further include a contact pin, which is arranged in the cartridge compartment and abuts against a side of the protective component away from the contact point.

[0015] To achieve the third purpose mentioned above, the present invention provides a method for installing the above-mentioned toner cartridge, wherein the toner cartridge can be detachably installed in an imaging device, the imaging device includes a main body, a cartridge compartment is provided in the main body, the toner cartridge can be installed in the cartridge compartment, a contact pin is provided in the cartridge compartment, and the installation method includes the following steps: installing the toner cartridge in the cartridge compartment, the contact pin is subjected to force to abut against a side of the protective component away from the contact, the protective component is bent toward the contact side, and the gap between the protective component and the contact becomes smaller; pulling out the protective component and removing the protective component from the box body; the contact pin is electrically connected to the contact under the action of the elastic restoring force.

[0016] The beneficial effect of the present invention is that a protective component is provided on the chip of the toner cartridge, which can isolate the contacts of the processing box chip from the external environment, effectively protect the chip of the toner cartridge, and prevent the contacts from being damaged by mechanical scratches or static electricity during the packaging, transportation, and disassembly of the toner cartridge. In addition, when the toner cartridge is installed in the imaging device, the contact pin on the imaging device first contacts the protective component above the contacts of the toner cartridge. Due to the gap between the protective component and the contacts, the protective component will be deformed to a certain extent, and the contact pin does not contact the contacts of the toner cartridge. When the protective component on the toner cartridge is removed, the contact pin realizes electrical connection with the contacts of the toner cartridge under the action of its own elastic restoring force. At the same time, due to the gap between the protective component and the contacts, the protective component will not contact the contacts and wear the contacts during the removal of the protective element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 The present invention is a structural diagram of the coordination between the contact pins of an existing toner cartridge and an imaging device.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a structural diagram of the toner cartridge embodiment of the present invention cooperating with the contact pin of the imaging device.

[0019] Figure 3 1 is a partial view of an embodiment of a toner cartridge of the present invention in a first state.

[0020] Figure 4 1 is a partial view of the toner cartridge embodiment of the present invention in the second state.

[0021] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The imaging device comprises a main body, a cartridge compartment is arranged in the main body, the cartridge compartment is used for placing and taking out the toner cartridge, and a contact pin 100 is arranged in the cartridge compartment.

[0023] See also Figures 2 to 4 The toner cartridge includes a box body 2, a chip 3 and a protective component 4. The chip 3 is mounted on the outer wall of the box body 2. The chip 3 is provided with a contact 31. The protective component 4 is made of an elastic material. The protective component 4 is detachably mounted on the box body 2 and covers the contact 31. The contact 31 is used to be electrically connected to the corresponding contact pin 100 in the imaging device. There is a gap 5 between the protective component 4 and the contact 31.

[0024] The protection component 4 is a sheet-like antistatic film, and includes a covering portion 41 , a first connecting portion 42 and a second connecting portion 43 . The covering portion 41 covers the contact 31 , and the first connecting portion 42 and the second connecting portion 43 are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the covering portion 41 .

[0025] A roughly U-shaped chip mounting portion 21 is provided on the box body 2, and the chip mounting portion 21 includes a first side wall 211, a bottom wall 212 and a second side wall 213 connected in sequence. The chip 3 is fixed on the bottom wall 212, the first connecting portion 42 is bonded to the top of the first side wall 211, and the second connecting portion 43 is bonded to the top of the second side wall 212.

[0026] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 The installation method includes the following steps: first, the toner cartridge is installed in the cartridge compartment, the contact pin 100 is forced to abut against the side of the protective component 4 away from the contact 31, the covering portion 41 of the protective component 4 is forced to bend and deform toward the chip 3, and the gap between the protective component 4 and the contact 31 becomes smaller. Then, the protective component 4 is pulled out and removed from the box body 2. Finally, the contact pin 100 is electrically connected to the contact 31 under the action of the elastic restoring force.

[0027] like Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , before the toner cartridge is installed in the cartridge compartment, the plane where the protective component 4 is located is parallel to the plane where the contact 31 is located. Figure 4 As shown, the contact pin 100 abuts against the protective component 4, and the protective component 4 is bent and deformed by the force, and at this time, there is still a gap between the covering part 41 and the contact 31 of the chip 3, so that the protective component 4 and the contact pin 100 will not cause wear to the contact 31 during the removal process of the protective component 4.

[0028] The chip of the toner cartridge is provided with a protective component, which can isolate the contacts of the processing box chip from the external environment, effectively protect the chip of the toner cartridge, and prevent the contacts from being damaged by mechanical scratches or static electricity during the packaging, transportation, and disassembly of the toner cartridge. In addition, when the toner cartridge is installed in the imaging device, the contact pins on the imaging device first contact the protective component above the contacts of the toner cartridge. Due to the gap between the protective component and the contacts, the protective component will be deformed to a certain extent, and the contact pins will not contact the contacts of the toner cartridge. When the protective component on the toner cartridge is removed, the contact pins achieve electrical connection with the contacts of the toner cartridge under the action of their own elastic restoring force. At the same time, due to the gap between the protective component and the contacts, the protective component will not contact the contacts and wear the contacts during the removal of the protective element.

[0029] In addition, the protective component may also be an antistatic tape. The above changes can also achieve the purpose of the present invention.

[0030] Finally, it should be emphasized that the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various changes and modifications. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A toner cartridge, comprising a cartridge body and a chip, wherein the chip is mounted on an outer wall of the cartridge body and a contact point is provided on the chip; Features: The toner cartridge further comprises a protective component made of elastic material, the protective component is detachably mounted on the cartridge body and covers the contact, and there is a gap between the protective component and the contact; After the toner cartridge is installed in the cartridge compartment of the imaging device, the contact pin is forced to abut against a side of the protective component away from the contact point, the protective component is bent toward the contact point, and the gap between the protective component and the contact point becomes smaller; Pull out the protective component and remove the protective component from the box body; The contact pin is electrically connected to the contact point under the action of elastic restoring force.

2. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protective component includes a covering portion, a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, wherein the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are both detachably connected to the box body, the covering portion covers the contacts, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the covering portion.

3. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protection component is in a sheet shape, and the plane where the protection component is located is parallel to the plane where the contacts are located.

4. The toner cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The protection component is bonded to the box body.

5. The toner cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The protective component is an antistatic film.

6. The toner cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The protective component is an antistatic tape.

7. An imaging device, comprising a main body, wherein a cartridge compartment is provided in the main body, characterized in that: The cartridge compartment is used for placing the toner cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The imaging device according to claim 7, characterized in that: A contact pin is arranged in the cartridge compartment, and the contact pin abuts against a side of the protection component away from the contact point.

9. A method for installing a toner cartridge, characterized in that: The toner cartridge is a toner cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the toner cartridge is detachably installed in an imaging device, wherein the imaging device comprises a host, wherein a cartridge compartment is provided in the host, wherein the toner cartridge can be installed in the cartridge compartment, wherein a contact pin is provided in the cartridge compartment, and wherein the installation method comprises the following steps: The toner cartridge is installed in the cartridge compartment, the contact pin is forced to abut against a side of the protective component away from the contact point, the protective component is bent toward the contact point, and the gap between the protective component and the contact point becomes smaller; Pull out the protective component and remove the protective component from the box body; The contact pin is electrically connected to the contact point under the action of elastic restoring force.

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