A process cartridge and a printing apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of processing box and printing equipment, processing box inside is equipped with the inner chamber for storing carbon powder, also be equipped with the conveying component for conveying carbon powder, processing box is detachably installed to printing equipment along the axial direction of conveying component, drive is arranged on the end surface of the installation direction of processing box and rotates conveying component, electrically conductive sheet is arranged on the end surface, drive is located on the side of the end surface close to conveying component, and electrically conductive sheet is located on the side of the end surface opposite to drive.The present application solves the problem of unstable electrically conductive contact of processing box by the relative position of drive and electrically conductive sheet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of printing equipment technology, and in particular to a processing cartridge and a printing device using the processing cartridge. Background Technology

[0002] Printers are essential devices in people's daily lives and offices, with A3 printers being a primary type, boasting advantages such as long lifespan and high print volume. To achieve these advantages, A3 printers use a cartridge-based toner supply system. When the toner in the cartridge is depleted, the user only needs to replace the cartridge, eliminating the need to replace the entire cartridge, making it more environmentally friendly and economical. The cartridge contains a mechanism for conveying and agitating toner, as well as a conductive plate for electrical connection with the printer. In existing technology, the simultaneous operation of the toner conveying and agitating mechanisms generates significant vibrations, affecting the stability of the electrical contact between the conductive plate and the printer. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a processing box that solves the problem of poor electrical contact of the conductive sheet.

[0004] The technical solution adopted in the embodiments of the present invention is as follows:

[0005] A processing cartridge is provided, which has an internal cavity for storing toner and a conveying assembly for conveying toner. The processing cartridge is detachably installed into a printing device along the axial direction of the conveying assembly. A driver for driving the conveying assembly to rotate is provided on the end face of the processing cartridge in the installation direction. A conductive sheet is provided on the end face. The driver is located on the side of the end face close to the conveying assembly, and the conductive sheet is located on the side of the end face opposite to the driver.

[0006] As described above, when the processing cartridge is installed inside the printing device, the conductive sheet is positioned above the driver.

[0007] As described above, the drive includes a first drive for conveying toner and a second drive for stirring toner, the first drive and the second drive being connected to a conveying assembly and a stirring mechanism installed inside the processing box, respectively.

[0008] In the processing box described above, the second driver is located above the first driver, and the conductive sheet is located above the second driver.

[0009] In the processing box described above, the second driver is located between the first driver and the conductive sheet, and is closer to the first driver relative to the conductive sheet.

[0010] In the processing box described above, the conductive sheet is located below the axis connecting the first driver and the second driver.

[0011] As described above, the processing box is equipped with a memory chip for recording the amount of toner in the cavity, and the conductive sheet is electrically connected to the memory chip.

[0012] In the processing box described above, the conductive sheet is located downstream of the driver in the direction of rotation.

[0013] As described above, the processing box has a positioning structure on its end face that is positioned with the frame of the printing device. The positioning structure includes a first positioning post and a second positioning post. The first positioning post is close to the driver, and the second positioning post is located on the end face away from the driver.

[0014] A printing apparatus is also provided, comprising the processing cartridge described in any of the preceding claims.

[0015] The printing device described above includes a drive head connected to the driver to transmit driving force to the processing cartridge, and an electrical contact electrically connected to the conductive sheet.

[0016] This invention solves the problem of unstable conductive contact in the processing box by adjusting the relative position of the driver and the conductive sheet. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the printing device of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the processing box of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the installation of the chip and processing box of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] As attached Figure 1 The printing device 10 shown has a processing box 40 installed inside the printing device 10, which transfers the toner image onto the paper fed from the paper feeding unit 20, and finally fixes the toner image onto the paper through the fixing unit 30.

[0022] like Figure 1 , 2 The processing box 40 shown has an internal cavity 41 for storing toner and a conveying assembly 42 for transporting toner. The conveying assembly 42 can be a helical rod structure that conveys toner via threads. A driver 43 for rotating the conveying assembly 42 is located on end face A in the mounting direction of the processing box 40. A conductive sheet 44 is provided on end face A. The driver 43 is located on the side of end face A closest to the conveying assembly 42, reducing the drive chain and facilitating the transmission of driving force. The conductive sheet 44 is located on end face A, opposite to the driver 43. This arrangement minimizes the impact of vibrations generated when the driver 43 rotates on the contact stability between the conductive sheet 44 and the electrical contacts.

[0023] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, the driver 43 is located at the lower left corner of end face A, and the conductive plate 44 is located at the upper right corner of end face A, further above the driver 43, and even further downstream in the rotation direction of the driver 43. After the processing box 40 is installed inside the printing device 10, the bottom surface of the processing box 40 is supported and fixed by the frame of the printing device 10, but there will be some installation gap between its top and the inside of the printing device 10. When the driver 43 rotates, it will have a clockwise rotation tendency, but since the bottom surface of the processing box 40 is supported, the processing box 40 will not have any rotational displacement, so the electrical connection between the conductive plate 44 and the printing device 10 is more stable.

[0024] When the processing cartridge 40 is detachably installed into the printing device 10 along the axial direction of the conveying assembly 42, the driver 43 is connected to the drive head inside the printing device 10 to obtain driving force from the body of the printing device 10, and drives the conveying assembly 42 inside the processing cartridge 40 to rotate to transfer toner, and the conductive sheet 44 will be electrically connected to the electrical contacts inside the printing device 10.

[0025] The driver 43 includes a first driver 431 for conveying toner and a second driver 432 for stirring toner. The second driver 432 can be a sheet-like stirring mechanism 47 or a conveyor belt. It moves the toner in the inner cavity 41 toward the conveying assembly 42. The conveying assembly 42 conveys the toner to the imaging chamber 45. The imaging assembly 46, which is located in the imaging chamber 45, conveys the toner onto the paper conveyed from the paper feeding unit 20.

[0026] like Figure 2As shown, when the processing cartridge 40 is installed inside the printing device 10 from an axial perspective, in the vertical direction, the second driver 432 is located above the first driver 431, and the conductive plate 44 is located above the second driver 432. Furthermore, the second driver 432 is located between the first driver 431 and the conductive plate 44, and is closer to the first driver 431 than the conductive plate 44. Even further, the conductive plate 44 is located below the axis connecting the first driver 431 and the second driver 432. This allows the stirring mechanism 47 sufficient rotation distance to thoroughly stir the toner in the inner cavity 41 without affecting the electrical connection stability of the conductive plate 44 due to vibration.

[0027] like Figure 2 , 3 As shown, a storage chip 48 for recording the amount of toner in the internal cavity is installed on the processing cartridge 40. The storage chip 48 is installed on the housing of the processing cartridge 40 by snap-fit ​​or screws. The storage chip 48 is installed on the top surface of the processing cartridge 40, which is perpendicular to end face A, and is adjacent to the conductive sheet 44 for easy electrical connection. The storage chip 48 has multiple electrical contacts 481 for electrical connection with the electrical contacts inside the printing device 10. The multiple electrical contacts 481 are arranged along the length direction perpendicular to the processing cartridge 40.

[0028] The first driver 431 and the second driver 432 are respectively connected to the conveying assembly 42 and the stirring mechanism 47 installed inside the processing cartridge 40. When the processing cartridge 40 is installed in the printing device 10, the memory chip 48 is electrically connected to the electrical contacts inside the printing device 10 and is subjected to an elastic force in direction B. Since multiple electrical contacts 481 are arranged along the length direction perpendicular to the processing cartridge 40, the elastic force can be concentrated on the end face A, minimizing the torque generated in the length direction of the processing cartridge 40. When the processing cartridge 40 is started by receiving the driving force from the printing device 10, the first driver 431 and the second driver 432 rotate clockwise, generating torques M1 and M2 respectively with the first driver 431 as the axis. Combined with the force in direction B acting on the processing cartridge 40, these three forces all act on the processing cartridge 40 in a clockwise direction, generating a total torque M, which will have a certain impact on the stability of the processing cartridge 40.

[0029] To maintain the stability of the processing cartridge 40 during operation and prevent poor contact between the memory chip 48, the conductive plate 44, and the electrical contacts of the printing device 10, the present invention positions the force B acting on the memory chip 48 between the first driver 431 and the conductive plate 48. Furthermore, the memory chip 48 and the conductive plate 44 are located above and below the axis connecting the first driver 431 and the second driver 432, respectively. Combined with the fact that the second driver 432 is closer to the first driver 431 than the conductive plate 44, the torque M2 is closer to the rotation axis of the processing cartridge 40, ensuring the stability of the processing cartridge 40 during operation.

[0030] The above describes how the positioning of the power source (first driver 431 and second driver 432) and the force B reduces the impact of vibration of the processing box 40 on the contact stability of the conductive sheet 44 and the memory chip 48. Furthermore, to improve the stability of the processing box 40's mounting structure, a positioning structure is provided on end face A, such as first and second positioning posts 491 and 492, or a positioning groove structure. The first positioning post 491 is positioned near the first driver 431 and the second driver 432, and between them, thus balancing the vibration and torque of the two drivers. The second positioning post 492 is positioned near the conductive sheet 44 or near the memory chip 48, i.e., away from the first driver 431 and the second driver 432, to bear the pressure of the memory chip 48. Thus, the first positioning post 491 and the second positioning post 492 are positioned on the left and right sides of the processing box 40, which can bear and balance the torque and force generated when the processing box 40 is driven.

[0031] While the embodiments disclosed in this invention are as described above, they are merely implementation methods adopted to facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of this invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make any modifications and changes to the form and details of the implementation without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed in this invention; however, the scope of patent protection of this invention shall still be determined by the scope defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A processing box, comprising an internal cavity for storing toner and a conveying assembly for conveying toner, wherein the processing box is detachably installed into a printing device along the axial direction of the conveying assembly, characterized in that, A driver for driving the conveying assembly to rotate is provided on the end face of the processing box in the mounting direction. A conductive plate is provided on the end face. The driver is located on the side of the end face close to the conveying assembly, and the conductive plate is located on the side of the end face opposite to the driver. The driver includes a first driver for conveying toner and a second driver for stirring toner. The first driver and the second driver are respectively connected to the conveying assembly and the stirring mechanism installed inside the processing box. The second driver is located above the first driver, and the conductive plate is located above the second driver. The conductive plate is located below the axis connecting the first driver and the second driver.

2. The processing box according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the processing cartridge is installed inside the printing device, the conductive sheet is positioned above the driver.

3. The processing box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second driver is located between the first driver and the conductive sheet, and is closer to the first driver relative to the conductive sheet.

4. The processing box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conductive sheet is located downstream of the direction of rotation of the driver.

5. The processing box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processing box is equipped with a storage chip for recording the amount of toner in the cavity, and the conductive sheet is electrically connected to the storage chip.

6. The processing box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processing box has a positioning structure on its end face that is positioned with the frame of the printing device. The positioning structure includes a first positioning post and a second positioning post. The first positioning post is close to the driver, and the second positioning post is located on the end face away from the driver.

7. A printing device, characterized in that, Includes the processing box as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The printing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The printing device includes a drive head connected to the driver to transmit driving force to the processing cartridge, and also includes an electrical contact electrically connected to the conductive sheet.

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