Storage assembly and installable unit

Abstract

The utility model discloses a storage assembly and an installable unit, the storage assembly can be installed on a drum box with a drum frame and a photosensitive drum independent of a developing box, the drum frame is provided with an installation groove, and the storage assembly, the drum box and the developing box can be installed in imaging equipment as a whole; the storage assembly comprises a support; a chip supported by the holder, the chip having an electrical contact surface and a storage portion for storing information of the developing cartridge, the electrical contact surface extending in a first direction; the support comprises a main body part which is provided with an accommodating cavity for accommodating a chip; the first clamping buckle is used for connecting the main body part and the mounting groove; the second clamping buckle is used for connecting the main body part and the mounting groove; in the first direction, the electric contact surface, the first clamping buckle and the second clamping buckle are arranged in sequence; compared with the prior art, the chip rack provided by the utility model is provided with a plurality of clamping buckles so as to adapt to drum boxes of different models, and the applicability of the chip rack is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of electronic photographic imaging, in particular to a storage component and a mountable unit. Technical Background

[0002] The processing cartridge in the prior art generally includes a drum cartridge and a developer cartridge mounted on the drum cartridge, wherein the developer cartridge is mounted with a storage component for identification and counting by the printer. Each time the developer in the developer cartridge is used up, it is necessary to refill the developer cartridge with developer and replace the storage component, or replace a new developer cartridge with a storage component. The service life of the drum cartridge is significantly longer than the service life of the developer cartridge and the ordinary counting storage component. For example, for some models of processing cartridges, the service life of the drum cartridge can match the service life of multiple developer cartridges.

[0003] The design of the processing cartridge in the prior art has the following problems: generally speaking, the storage component is expensive, and frequent replacement of the storage component will increase the printing cost. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, the present invention provides a storage assembly and an installable unit to solve the above technical problems, which are mainly achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0005] A storage assembly can be mounted independently of a developing cartridge on a drum cartridge having a drum frame and a photosensitive drum, wherein a mounting slot is provided on the drum frame, and the storage assembly, the drum cartridge, and the developing cartridge can be mounted as a whole in an imaging device;

[0006] The storage component includes:

[0007] Bracket;

[0008] a chip supported by the bracket, the chip having an electrical contact surface and a storage portion for storing information of the developing cartridge, the electrical contact surface extending in a first direction;

[0009] The bracket comprises:

[0010] The main body is provided with a receiving cavity for receiving the chip;

[0011] a first snap-fit ​​buckle, used to connect the main body and the mounting slot;

[0012] a second snap-fit ​​buckle, used to connect the main body and the mounting slot;

[0013] In the first direction, the electrical contact surface, the first snap-fit ​​buckle and the second snap-fit ​​buckle are arranged in sequence.

[0014] Furthermore, the bracket includes a connecting portion for connecting the main body and the mounting slot, and the connecting portion is connected to the main body;

[0015] The connecting portion extends in the first direction, and when viewed along a second direction intersecting the first direction, the connecting portion is in an overall arc shape.

[0016] Furthermore, in the first direction, the second snap-fit ​​buckle is further away from the electrical contact surface than the first snap-fit ​​buckle;

[0017] In a third direction intersecting the first direction, the second snap-fit ​​buckle is further away from the electrical contact surface than the first snap-fit ​​buckle.

[0018] Furthermore, the main body is provided with a limiting portion on the opposite side of the first snap buckle in the first direction. When the storage assembly is installed to the drum box, the limiting portion is used to limit the movement of the storage assembly in a third direction, which intersects with the first direction.

[0019] Furthermore, the limiting portion includes a limiting groove arranged at the front end of the chip accommodating cavity, the limiting groove extends in a first direction, and a limiting protrusion extends from the inside of the limiting groove to limit the movement of the chip rack and the drum box in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

[0020] Furthermore, the limiting portion includes an upper limit plate and a lower limit plate. When the storage assembly is installed to the drum box, in a third direction intersecting the first direction, the upper limit plate is located above the drum frame and the lower limit plate is located below the drum frame.

[0021] Furthermore, the accommodating cavity is provided with a first opening on one side in a third direction, the electrical contact surface is exposed through the first opening, and the third direction intersects with the first direction.

[0022] Furthermore, the accommodating cavity is provided with a second opening on one side in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and the second opening is used for allowing the chip to enter and exit the accommodating cavity.

[0023] Furthermore, the second opening includes a stopper, and the stopper is movable between a first position and a second position;

[0024] The first position is set to a position that allows the chip to enter and exit the accommodation cavity, and the second position is set to a position for preventing the chip from escaping from the accommodation cavity.

[0025] The utility model also provides a mountable unit, comprising the storage assembly and a developing box; the developing box comprises:

[0026] a housing for accommodating a developer, the housing having a first side and a second side separately disposed in the first direction, and a third side and a fourth side separately disposed in a second direction intersecting the first direction;

[0027] a developing roller rotatable about a developing roller axis extending in the second direction, the developing roller being located on the first side of the housing in the first direction;

[0028] an input gear having a coupling portion for receiving a driving force from outside the developing cartridge, the input gear being located on the third side of the housing in the second direction;

[0029] a receiving groove, the receiving groove being used to receive the chip rack;

[0030] The accommodating groove is closer to the first side of the housing than to the second side of the housing in the first direction, and the accommodating groove is closer to the third side of the housing than to the fourth side of the housing in the second direction.

[0031] Beneficial effects:

[0032] The utility model installs a storage component that stores the information of the developing cartridge on the drum cartridge. When the processing cartridge is in use, the storage component on the drum cartridge can establish a communication connection with the electronic photographic imaging device. In this way, even if the storage component is not provided on the developing cartridge, the processing cartridge can be used normally, and the processing cartridge is more convenient to use. In addition, in the case where the storage component is a non-counting storage component or a storage component with a counting limit that matches the service life of the drum cartridge, on the one hand, after the developer in the developing cartridge is used up, it is only necessary to process the developing cartridge, such as adding developer or replacing a new developing cartridge, without replacing the storage component.

[0033] The chip rack of the utility model is provided with a plurality of snap-fit ​​buckles to adapt to drum cartridges of different models, thereby improving the applicability of the chip rack. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 This is an exploded schematic diagram of the developing cartridge, chip rack, and drum cartridge in Example 1 of the present utility model;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the storage chip being installed on the chip rack in Example 1 of the present utility model;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the chip rack in Example 1 of the present utility model;

[0037] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the chip rack in Example 1 of the present invention from another angle;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the chip rack in Example 1 of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom of the chip rack in Example 1 of the present utility model;

[0040] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the drum box in Example 1 of the present utility model;

[0041] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the developing box, chip rack and drum box device in Example 1 of the present utility model;

[0042] Figure 9 In the embodiment 1 of the present invention Figure 8 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0043] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the drum box in Example 2 of the present utility model;

[0044] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the chip rack and drum cartridge device in Example 2 of the present utility model;

[0045] Figure 12 In the second embodiment of the present invention Figure 11 Enlarged view of point B in the middle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and technical effect of the embodiment of the present invention more clear, the technical solution of the process cartridge of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiment described is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, not the only embodiment. Based on the embodiment of the present invention, other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0047] Example 1:

[0048] Figure 1 The figure shows an exploded schematic diagram of a developing cartridge, a drum cartridge, and a memory chip in a process cartridge; the process cartridge is an imaging consumable used in an electronic photographic imaging device (not shown, hereinafter referred to as "imaging device"). The process cartridge includes a drum cartridge 50, a developing cartridge 100, and at least one memory chip 180. The drum cartridge 50 includes a photosensitive drum 52 and a drum frame 51 for supporting the photosensitive drum 52 and for accommodating the developing cartridge 100. Figure 7As shown, the drum frame 51 is also provided with a chip mounting slot 53, a pushing portion, a locking portion and a conveying roller 56. The chip mounting slot 53 is located on the left side of the drum frame 51 in the left-right direction, and is located between the photosensitive drum 52 and the conveying roller 56 in the front-to-back direction. The conveying roller 56 is used to convey imaging paper as an imaging carrier to the photosensitive drum 56. The output roller 56 is arranged adjacent to the chip mounting slot 53 in the front-to-back direction. One side of the chip mounting slot 53 is configured as an arc-shaped protrusion 53b adapted to the conveying roller 56. The chip mounting slot 53 is provided with a limited opening 53a on the opposite side of the arc-shaped protrusion 53b. Figure 1 As shown, the developer cartridge 100 includes a housing 101 for accommodating developer. The developer cartridge 100 also includes a stirring frame, a powder feed roller, and a developing roller for conveying the developer. When the developer cartridge 100 is mounted on the drum cartridge 50, the developing roller contacts the photosensitive drum 52. A gear train for driving the stirring frame, the powder feed roller, and the developing roller is disposed on the left side of the housing 101. A protective cover 102 is also disposed on the left side of the housing 101, covering at least a portion of the gear train. The gear train includes a drive gear 111, which is connectable to an imaging device to receive a driving force from the imaging device. When the developer cartridge 100 is mounted on the imaging device, the coupling portion of the drive gear 111 connects to a driving member in the imaging device to receive the driving force from the imaging device. The driving force is then transmitted to the stirring frame, the powder feed roller, and the developing roller via the gear train, driving the stirring frame, the powder feed roller, and the developing roller to rotate, thereby conveying the developer within the housing 101 to the photosensitive drum 52 to develop the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 52.

[0049] The memory chip 180 stores the information of the developer cartridge 100, or the memory chip 180 stores the information of the developer cartridge 100 and the drum cartridge 50 at the same time; when the process cartridge is installed in the imaging device, the memory chip 180 can establish a communication connection with the imaging device so that the imaging device can read the information in the memory chip 180 or write information to the memory chip 180. Figure 2 As shown, the storage chip 180 includes an electrical contact surface 181 and a storage portion 182, and the storage portion 182 stores information such as the model, age, and maximum print volume of the developing cartridge 100 and / or the drum cartridge 50; the storage portion 182 is electrically connected to the electrical contact surface 181, and the electrical contact surface 181 can contact an electrical contact point (not shown) in the imaging device to form an electrical connection with the imaging device, thereby establishing a communication link between the developing cartridge 100 and the imaging device. When the service life of the developing cartridge 100 and / or the drum cartridge 50 is about to expire, the imaging device can prompt the user to replace the developing cartridge 100 and / or the drum cartridge 50 with a new one in time through the operation panel or indicator light.

[0050] like Figure 2-6The chip rack 200 is shown in the figure. The chip rack 200 is used to support and fix the memory chip 180 and is installed on the processing box together with the memory chip 180. Specifically, the chip rack 200 can be detachably installed on the drum box 50. The chip rack 200 includes a main body 210, a limiting portion 220 and a connecting portion 230. The limiting portion 220, the main body 210 and the connecting portion 230 are arranged from front to back in the front-to-back direction. The main body 210 is used to accommodate the memory chip 180. The interior of the main body 210 is provided with an accommodating cavity 211. The accommodating cavity 211 includes a plurality of accommodating cavities 211 in the upper and lower directions. The electrical contact surface 181 of the memory chip 180 is exposed through the downward-facing exposure opening. An access opening 212 for allowing the memory chip 180 to enter and exit is provided on one side of the accommodating cavity 211. An elastic stopper 213 is provided at the access opening 212 of the accommodating cavity 211 to prevent the memory chip 180 from falling out. A notch 214 is also provided on the opposite side of the access opening 212 of the accommodating cavity 211 to facilitate a user pushing the memory chip 180 from the side away from the access opening 212, making it easier for the memory chip 180 to be removed from the interior of the accommodating cavity 211. The limiting portion 220 includes a limiting groove 221 provided at the front end of the main body 210 in the front-to-back direction. The limiting groove 221 extends in the left-to-right direction, and a limiting protrusion 222 extends from the interior of the limiting groove 221. An upper limiting plate 223 and a lower limiting plate 224 are provided on the upper and lower sides of the upper limiting groove 221 in the upper and lower directions, respectively. The connecting portion 230 includes a first snap-fit ​​buckle 231, a second snap-fit ​​buckle 232, an elastic portion 233 and an operating portion 234. The main body 210, the elastic portion 233, the first snap-fit ​​buckle 231, the second snap-fit ​​buckle 232 and the operating portion 234 are arranged in sequence from front to back in the front-to-back direction. When viewed along the left-right direction, the snap-fit ​​buckle 233 is constructed as an arc-shaped structure that matches the arc-shaped protrusion 53b.

[0051] The following will be combined Figure 1 and Figure 9The installation process of the chip rack 200 to the processing box and the installation status of the chip rack 200 on the processing box are described in detail. The user first moves the memory chip 180 to the side of the chip rack 200 close to the inlet and outlet opening 212, and at the same time aligns the support plate 180a of the memory chip 180 extending in the front and rear directions with the guide groove 211a opened on the front and rear sides of the accommodating cavity 211. Then, the user pushes the memory chip 180 from the side of the inlet and outlet opening 212 into the interior of the accommodating cavity 211. At this time, the memory chip 180 is located on the side of the elastic stop portion 213 close to the accommodating cavity 211 to fix the memory chip 180 inside the chip rack 200, and the electrical contact surface 181 of the memory chip 180 is exposed to the bottom of the chip rack 200 through the exposure opening. When the user places the electrical contact surface 181 vertically downward, the limiting groove 221 on the front of the chip rack 200 is aligned with the front edge 53d of the chip mounting slot 53, and the limiting protrusion 222 is aligned with the limiting opening 53a. At the same time, the user installs the chip rack 200 from the top and rear to the front and bottom to the drum box 50, so that the limiting protrusion 222 is inserted into the limiting opening 53a, and the limiting groove 221 is clamped on the front edge 53d of the chip mounting slot 53. At this time, the upper limit plate 223 and the lower limit plate 224 are respectively located above and below the front edge 53d to limit the movement of the chip rack 200 in the up and down directions. At this time, the electrical contact surface 181 is exposed to the bottom of the drum box 50 through the chip mounting slot 53. Afterwards, the user presses down on the connecting portion 230 of the chip holder 200. Under the action of the pressing force, the connecting portion 230 is sheathed above the arc-shaped protrusion 53b, and the first snap-fit ​​buckle 231 of the connecting portion 230 is snapped under the rear edge 53c of the chip mounting groove 53, thereby preventing the chip holder 200 from falling off the drum cartridge 50. This completes the connection between the chip holder 200 and the drum cartridge 50. The user installs the developer cartridge 100 from top to bottom inside the drum frame 51. At this time, the chip holder 200 is located on the side of the developer cartridge 100 near the drive gear 111 in the left-right direction. Specifically, the chip holder 200 is located below the protective cover 102; it is worth noting that in order to achieve the attachment of the chip holder 200 to the developer box 100, a space avoidance portion is provided at the bottom of the protective cover 102 in the developer box 100 to leave sufficient space between the developer box 100 and the drum box 50, and the space avoidance portion is constructed as a groove 103 adapted to the chip holder 200. When the developer box 100 is installed to the drum box 50, at least part of the chip holder 200 is located inside the groove 103.

[0052] In order to facilitate the removal of the storage chip 180 in the processing box, the chip rack 200 is provided with an elastic part 233 and an operating part 234. The elastic part 233 is arranged between the main body 210 and the connecting part 230. Furthermore, the elastic part 233 is connected to the lower rear side of the main body 210 to increase the movement margin of the elastic part 233, so that the connecting part 230 obtains a larger movement amount, so as to facilitate the release of the first snap buckle 231 and the rear edge 53c of the chip mounting slot 53, so as to facilitate the separation of the chip rack 200 from the drum box 50. Specifically, when the user needs to replace the memory chip 180, the user pulls up the operating part 234. Under the action of the pulling force, the elastic part 233 is deformed by the force, so that the connecting part 230 rotates upward around the elastic part 233, and the first snap buckle 231 is detached from the snap connection with the rear edge 53c, which makes it convenient for the user to take out the chip rack 200 and the memory chip 180 in the chip rack 200. It is convenient to update the damaged memory chip 180, and it is also convenient to collect the replaced memory chips 180 that have reached their service life, thereby reducing the pollution of the memory chip 180 to the environment, and it is also convenient to reuse the chip rack 200, thereby reducing the cost of use.

[0053] Example 2:

[0054] In this embodiment, Figure 10 A drum cartridge 60 different from that in the above-mentioned embodiment 1 is shown in FIG. Figure 11-12 FIG2 shows a schematic diagram of the chip holder 200 mating with the drum cartridge 60. The drum cartridge 60 includes a drum frame 61, a photosensitive drum 62, a chip mounting slot 63, and a conveying roller 66. Unlike the drum cartridge 60 in Example 1, the chip mounting slot 63 and the conveying roller 66 at least partially overlap in the front-to-back direction. That is, the chip mounting slot 63 in this embodiment is longer in the front-to-back direction than the chip mounting slot 53 in Example 1. The chip holder 200 is provided with a second snap-fitting catch 232, which is further away from the main body 210 in the front-to-back direction than the first snap-fitting catch 231. When the chip holder 200 is mounted on the drum cartridge 60, the second snap-fitting catch 232 snaps under the rear edge 53c of the chip mounting slot, thereby securing the chip holder 200 within the chip mounting slot 63 of the drum cartridge 50. The provision of the second snap-fitting catch 232 allows the chip holder 200 to adapt to the drum cartridge 60, extending the range of its use.

[0055] When the chip holder 200 is installed on the drum box 60, the user installs the chip holder 200 on the drum box 60 from the top rear to the front and bottom, so that the limiting protrusion 222 is inserted into the limiting opening 63a, and the limiting groove 221 is clamped on the front edge 63d of the chip mounting groove 63. At this time, the upper limit plate 223 and the lower limit plate 224 are respectively located above and below the front edge 63d to limit the movement of the chip holder 200 relative to the drum frame 61 in the up and down directions. Afterwards, the user presses the connecting part 230 of the chip holder 200 downward. Under the action of the pressing force, the connecting part 230 is sleeved on the top of the arc protrusion 63b, and the second clamping buckle 232 of the connecting part 230 is clamped to the bottom of the rear edge 63c of the chip mounting groove 63, thereby preventing the chip holder 200 from falling off from the drum box 60 by itself, thereby completing the connection between the chip holder 200 and the drum box 60.

[0056] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit the same. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments can still be modified, or some of the technical features thereof can be replaced by equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A storage assembly that can be mounted independently of a developer cartridge onto a drum cartridge having a drum frame and a photosensitive drum, wherein the drum frame is provided with a mounting slot, and the storage assembly, the drum cartridge, and the developer cartridge can be mounted as a whole in an imaging device; The storage component includes: Bracket; a chip supported by the bracket, the chip having an electrical contact surface and a storage portion for storing information of the developing cartridge, the electrical contact surface extending in a first direction; Characterized in that the bracket comprises: The main body is provided with a receiving cavity for receiving the chip; a first snap-fit ​​buckle, used to connect the main body and the mounting slot; a second snap-fit ​​buckle, used to connect the main body and the mounting slot; In the first direction, the electrical contact surface, the first snap-fit ​​buckle and the second snap-fit ​​buckle are arranged in sequence.

2. The storage component according to claim 1, wherein: The bracket includes a connecting portion for connecting the main body and the mounting slot, and the connecting portion is connected to the main body; The connecting portion extends in the first direction, and when viewed along a second direction intersecting the first direction, the connecting portion is in an overall arc shape.

3. The storage component according to claim 1, wherein: In the first direction, the second snap-fit ​​buckle is further away from the electrical contact surface than the first snap-fit ​​buckle; In a third direction intersecting the first direction, the second snap-fit ​​buckle is further away from the electrical contact surface than the first snap-fit ​​buckle.

4. The storage component according to claim 1, wherein: The main body is provided with a limiting portion on the opposite side of the first snap-fit ​​buckle in the first direction. When the storage assembly is installed to the drum box, the limiting portion is used to limit the movement of the storage assembly in a third direction, which intersects with the first direction.

5. The storage component according to claim 4, characterized in that The limiting portion includes a limiting groove arranged at the front end of the chip accommodating cavity, the limiting groove extends in a first direction, and a limiting protrusion extends from the inside of the limiting groove to limit the movement of the chip rack and the drum box in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

6. The storage assembly according to claim 4, wherein: The limiting portion includes an upper limit plate and a lower limit plate. When the storage assembly is installed to the drum box, in a third direction intersecting the first direction, the upper limit plate is located above the drum frame and the lower limit plate is located below the drum frame.

7. The storage assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The accommodating cavity is provided with a first opening on one side in a third direction, the electrical contact surface is exposed through the first opening, and the third direction intersects the first direction.

8. The storage assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The accommodating cavity is provided with a second opening on one side in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and the second opening is used for allowing the chip to enter and exit the accommodating cavity.

9. The storage assembly according to claim 8, wherein: The second opening includes a stopper, the stopper being movable between a first position and a second position; The first position is set to a position that allows the chip to enter and exit the accommodation cavity, and the second position is set to a position for preventing the chip from escaping from the accommodation cavity.

10. A mountable unit, characterized in that: The storage assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and a developing box; the developing box comprises: a housing for accommodating a developer, the housing having a first side and a second side separately disposed in the first direction, and a third side and a fourth side separately disposed in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a developing roller rotatable about a developing roller axis extending in the second direction, the developing roller being located on the first side of the housing in the first direction; an input gear having a coupling portion for receiving a driving force from outside the developing cartridge, the input gear being located on the third side of the housing in the second direction; a receiving groove, the receiving groove being used to receive the chip rack; The accommodating groove is closer to the first side of the housing than to the second side of the housing in the first direction, and the accommodating groove is closer to the third side of the housing than to the fourth side of the housing in the second direction.

Images