Toner cartridge and laser printer
By employing a dual-development unit design and utilizing the particle size difference of magnetic toner, laser printers achieve efficient and controllable thickness printing, solving the problem of unstable thickness pattern printing in existing technologies and improving the printer's applicability and print quality.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-13
AI Technical Summary
Existing laser printing technology cannot reliably print patterns with a certain thickness. Traditional 3D printing equipment is complex and expensive, UV inkjet printing is slow and expensive, and the printing process of foaming developer is uncontrollable, making it difficult to meet the regular printing needs of office and home scenarios.
The dual developing unit design utilizes the differences in particle size and magnetic properties between the first and second toners. Through the cooperation of the first developing roller and the photosensitive drum, the first toner is transferred onto the developing medium, and then cured by the magnetic field and heat of the second toner to form an imaging pattern with a certain thickness.
It enables efficient and controllable printing of patterns with a certain thickness on laser printers, is compatible with regular office printing needs, reduces costs, avoids odors, and improves print quality and stability.
Smart Images
Figure CN223993046U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of electrophotographic imaging technology, specifically to a toner cartridge and a laser printer equipped with the toner cartridge. Background Technology
[0002] Laser printers are widely used in office and home environments, offering significant advantages such as high printing speed and high output quality. However, current laser printing technology cannot directly and reliably print patterns of a certain thickness, such as Braille. While traditional 3D printing technology can achieve three-dimensional structure forming, its equipment is complex and expensive, making it difficult to be compatible with regular office printing needs. UV inkjet printing, although capable of printing to a certain thickness, uses UV inks with a strong odor and requires UV lamps for curing. Furthermore, UV inkjet printing is slower than laser printers, and UV ink cartridges are more expensive than toner cartridges, making it unsuitable for ordinary office and home environments. Additionally, some existing toner cartridges contain foaming developers. When used with a laser printer to cure the foaming developer onto a developing medium (such as paper), it expands and foams within a certain time to form a certain thickness. However, this printing method suffers from drawbacks such as long foaming time and poor controllability of the foaming process [the direction and thickness of the foam expansion (i.e., the degree of expansion, which is affected by environmental conditions)], making it difficult to guarantee.
[0003] In summary, existing technologies are insufficient to meet both the standard printing efficiency requirements in office and home settings and the printing needs for a certain thickness, especially for special needs such as Braille printing. Utility Model Content
[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, the primary objective of this invention is to provide a toner cartridge that can meet printing requirements for a certain thickness, improve printing efficiency, offer strong controllability, and is environmentally friendly.
[0005] The second objective of this invention is to provide a laser printer equipped with the aforementioned toner cartridge, which can achieve printing of a certain thickness, and has high printing efficiency, good environmental performance, and strong controllability.
[0006] To achieve the first objective of this utility model, a toner cartridge is provided, comprising a first developing unit and a drum unit. The first developing unit includes a first toner hopper and a first developing roller. The first toner hopper stores first toner, and the first developing roller is rotatably mounted on the first toner hopper. The drum unit includes a drum frame and a photosensitive drum. The drum frame is connected to the first toner hopper, and the photosensitive drum is rotatably mounted on the drum frame, allowing it to contact the first developing roller. The toner cartridge also includes a second developing unit, with the drum unit located between the first and second developing units. The second developing unit includes a second toner hopper and a second developing roller. The second toner hopper is connected to the drum frame, and the second toner hopper stores second toner. The second developing roller is rotatably mounted on the second toner hopper. The first toner includes first magnetic particles, and the second toner can be attracted by the magnetic field of the first toner.
[0007] As can be seen from the above, through the cooperation of the first developing roller and the photosensitive drum, the first toner is transferred and solidified onto the developing medium (such as paper). When the developing medium moves to the second developing unit, the first toner on the developing medium attracts the second toner onto itself through its own magnetic field. Then, the second toner is solidified and firmly attached to the developing medium, so that the image has a certain thickness, thereby achieving thickness printing.
[0008] A further option is that the particle size of the first toner is between 3 micrometers and 5 micrometers; and the particle size of the second toner is between 0.05 millimeters and 0.2 millimeters.
[0009] As can be seen from the above, the first toner uses a particle size similar to that of conventional toner cartridges, enabling the first developing roller and photosensitive drum to transfer the first toner onto the developing medium using conventional imaging technology. At the same time, when the second toner cartridge does not store the second toner (i.e., when the second developing unit is not in use), the toner cartridge can perform conventional printing, improving the practicality of the toner cartridge. Furthermore, through the particle size design of the second toner, when the second toner is adsorbed onto the first toner and solidified on the developing medium, the image formed by the second toner can have a certain raised thickness, providing the user with a perceptible three-dimensional effect.
[0010] A further option is that the second carbon powder is ferromagnetic carbon powder or ferrimagnetic carbon powder; or the second carbon powder includes second magnetic particles, the relative magnetic poles of the second magnetic particles and the first magnetic particles being opposite polarities.
[0011] As can be seen from the above, when the second toner is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic, the adsorption effect of the first toner on it can be ensured; when the second magnetic particles contained in the second toner are opposite in polarity to the first magnetic particles in the first toner, the second toner can be more accurately and firmly adsorbed onto the first toner.
[0012] A further embodiment includes a first developing unit that further comprises a first stirring frame and a first powder discharge blade. The first stirring frame is rotatably mounted inside the first powder hopper, and the first powder discharge blade is mounted on the first powder hopper, with the blade of the first powder discharge blade abutting the surface of the first developing roller. The second developing unit further comprises a second stirring frame and a second powder discharge blade. The second stirring frame is rotatably mounted inside the second powder hopper, and the second powder discharge blade is mounted on the second powder hopper, with the blade of the second powder discharge blade abutting the surface of the second developing roller. The toner cartridge further comprises a drive wheel assembly, which is connected to the first developing roller, the second developing roller, the photosensitive drum, the first stirring frame, and the second stirring frame, respectively.
[0013] As can be seen from the above, the first stirring frame is used to stir the first toner in the first toner hopper, preventing the first toner from solidifying and allowing it to move better to the first developing roller. The first toner discharge blade can control the thickness of the first toner layer on the first developing roller, ensuring the transfer and imaging effect of the first toner. Similarly, the second stirring frame is used to stir the second toner in the second toner hopper, preventing the second toner from solidifying and allowing it to move better to the second developing roller. The second toner discharge blade can control the thickness of the second toner layer on the second developing roller, ensuring that the second toner is better adsorbed onto the first toner and guaranteeing the imaging effect. By linking the first developing roller, the second developing roller, the photosensitive drum, the first stirring frame, and the second stirring frame through the transmission wheel assembly, the transmission structure can be simplified, the number of drive sources can be reduced, and the volume of the toner cartridge can be reduced.
[0014] A further embodiment includes a first curing element mounted on the second toner cartridge along the paper feed direction of the toner cartridge. The first curing element is located downstream of the second developing roller and is used to heat and cure the second toner.
[0015] As can be seen from the above, the first curing element added to the original toner cartridge is installed in the second toner hopper and located downstream of the second developing roller in the paper feeding direction. It can promptly heat and cure the second toner adsorbed onto the first toner. This ensures that the second toner adheres firmly to the developing medium, preventing it from falling off or shifting during subsequent transport, effectively improving the firmness and stability of the image, and guaranteeing the quality of thickness printing.
[0016] A further embodiment includes a first fixing roller mounted on the drum frame and / or the second toner cartridge, positioned between the photosensitive drum and the second developing roller along the paper feed direction.
[0017] As can be seen from the above, the first curing element and the first fixing roller achieve layered fixing of the first toner and the second toner, which not only ensures that the first toner is firmly attached to the developing medium, but also avoids displacement or blurring due to uncured second toner when it is adsorbed or superimposed, thereby improving the accuracy and image clarity of multi-layer printing.
[0018] A further proposed approach is to heat the first curing element at a temperature between 60°C and 150°C.
[0019] As can be seen from the above, this design can improve the curing effect of the second toner, protect the developing medium, and avoid excessive energy consumption.
[0020] To achieve the second objective of this utility model, this utility model provides a laser printer, including a body with a toner cartridge mounting cavity, wherein the laser printer also includes the aforementioned toner cartridge, which is installed in the toner cartridge mounting cavity.
[0021] As can be seen from the above, by configuring the aforementioned toner cartridge, the laser printer can support both regular printing and thickness printing modes, achieving diversified printing and meeting different user needs. Compared to 3D printers, it is more compatible with regular office printing needs; compared to UV inkjet printers, it has lower operating costs, faster printing speed, and virtually no odor in the printed image; compared to toner cartridges using foaming developers, the toner cartridge of this invention offers better printing controllability and maintains consistent image thickness.
[0022] To achieve the second objective of this utility model, this utility model also provides a laser printer, including a body with a toner cartridge mounting cavity. The laser printer further includes the aforementioned toner cartridge, which is installed in the toner cartridge mounting cavity. The toner cartridge mounting cavity is provided with a second curing element and / or a second fixing roller. Along the paper feeding direction of the toner cartridge, the second curing element is located downstream of the second developing roller. The second curing element is used to heat and cure the second toner. The heating temperature of the second curing element is between 60°C and 150°C. Along the paper feeding direction, the second fixing roller is located between the photosensitive drum and the second developing roller.
[0023] As can be seen from the above, by designing and configuring the toner cartridge in the laser printer, the laser printer can support both regular printing and thickness printing modes, achieving diversified printing and meeting different user needs. Compared with 3D printers, it is more compatible with regular office printing needs; compared with UV inkjet printing, it has lower operating costs, faster printing speed, and virtually no odor in the printed image; compared with toner cartridges using foaming developers, the toner cartridge of this invention offers better printing controllability and maintains consistent image thickness. Attached Figure Description
[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the printing process of an embodiment of the toner cartridge of this utility model.
[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the paper in an embodiment of the toner cartridge of this utility model.
[0026] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Detailed Implementation
[0027] Toner cartridge examples
[0028] Combination Figure 1 The toner cartridge 100 includes a first developing unit 1, a drum unit 2, a second developing unit 3, and a drive wheel assembly; wherein the first developing unit 1 and the second developing unit 3 are respectively located on opposite sides of the drum unit 2.
[0029] The first developing unit 1 includes a first powder hopper 11, a first developing roller 12, a first stirring frame 13 and a first powder discharge blade 14. The first powder hopper 11 stores first toner 111, and the first toner 111 includes first magnetic particles. It should be noted that conventional toner typically includes resin, carbon black, magnetic materials (such as magnetic iron oxide), charge control agents, and external additives. Conventional toner production methods include pulverization, which involves mixing resin, carbon black, and magnetic materials in a specific ratio, then kneading them at high temperature to form a homogeneous melt (primarily to melt the resin), extruding it into strips and cooling it. The strips are then pulverized into micron-sized particles using equipment such as hammer mills and air jet mills, and qualified particle sizes are selected. Finally, external additives such as lubricants can be added, and the mixture is packaged. The difference between the first toner 111 of this application and conventional toner is that it uses magnetic particles (such as magnets) instead of magnetic materials. The other components and processing methods are consistent with conventional toner. Since no chemical reaction occurs between the resin, carbon black, and magnetic particles (or magnetic materials) during processing, the preparation of the first toner 111 of this application presents no technical obstacles for those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the first toner 111, by including first magnetic particles, can generate a certain magnetic field. Furthermore, since the first toner 111 can generate a magnetic field, in order to ensure that the first developing roller 12 can reliably transfer the first toner 111 to the photosensitive drum 22 of the drum unit 2, the spindle of the first developing roller 12 is preferably a conductive roller rather than a magnetic roller.
[0030] The first developing roller 12 is rotatably mounted on the first toner hopper 11. The first developing roller 12 is used to transfer the first toner 111 to the photosensitive drum 22. The first stirring frame 13 is rotatably mounted inside the first toner hopper 11. The first stirring frame 13 is used to fully stir the toner stored in the first toner hopper 11 to prevent solidification of the first toner 111 due to environmental humidity, long-term static storage, and other factors during storage. This ensures the fluidity of the first toner 111 and ensures that the first toner 111 can move evenly onto the first developing roller 12, so that the first toner 111 being transferred is evenly distributed and the amount of toner is sufficient, avoiding imaging quality problems such as blurry or missing colors in the image (such as text, patterns, etc.).
[0031] The first toner blade 14 is mounted on the first toner hopper 11. The blade of the first toner blade 14 is adjacent to the surface of the first developing roller 12 to precisely control the thickness of the first toner layer 111 on the first developing roller 12. This avoids excessive toner 111 being transferred to the developing medium (such as paper 10, which will be used as an example below) due to the thickness of the toner layer, thereby avoiding problems such as blurred or bleeding images. Furthermore, it also avoids the toner layer being too thin, which would result in pale or unclear images.
[0032] The drum unit 2 includes a drum frame 21, a photosensitive drum 22, and a charging roller 23. The drum frame 21 is connected to the first toner cartridge 11. Preferably, the drum frame 21 and the first toner cartridge 11 are movably connected, so that the photosensitive drum 22 can contact or separate from the first developing roller 12. The photosensitive drum 22 is mounted on the drum frame 21, and the charging roller 23 is movably mounted on the photosensitive drum 22, with the surface of the charging roller 23 in contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 22.
[0033] Combination Figure 2 The second developing unit 3 includes a second toner hopper 31, a second developing roller 32, a second stirring frame 33, and a second toner discharge blade 34. The second toner hopper 31 is connected to the drum frame 21 and stores second toner 311. The second developing roller 32 is rotatably mounted on the second toner hopper 31 and is used to control the adsorption of the second toner 311 onto the first toner 111. The second stirring frame 33 is rotatably mounted inside the second toner hopper 31 and is used to fully stir the toner stored in the second toner hopper 31 to prevent solidification of the second toner 311 during storage due to environmental humidity, long-term static storage, etc., thus ensuring the fluidity of the second toner 311 and ensuring that the second toner 311 can move evenly onto the second developing roller 32, so that the adsorbed second toner 311... 1. The toner is evenly distributed and sufficient in quantity, avoiding imaging quality problems such as blurry or missing colors in the image (such as text, patterns, etc.); the second toner blade 34 is installed on the second toner hopper 31, and the blade of the second toner blade 34 is adjacent to the surface of the second developing roller 32 to precisely control the thickness of the second toner 311 layer on the second developing roller 32, avoiding excessive second toner 311 adsorbed on the first toner 111 due to the thickness of the toner layer, thereby avoiding problems such as blurry or color bleeding in the image; furthermore, it can also avoid the toner layer being too thin, resulting in a pale and unclear image.
[0034] In some embodiments, the second toner 311 is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic (i.e., conventional toner), allowing it to be attracted by the magnetic field of the first toner 111. When the second toner 311 is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic, the attraction effect of the first toner 111 is ensured. Because ferromagnetic and ferrimagnetic materials have strong magnetic response characteristics, the second toner 311 can be rapidly and efficiently magnetized under the magnetic field generated by the first magnetic particles in the first toner 111. This significantly enhances the magnetic attraction between the second and first toners, allowing the second toner 311 to be more stably and abundantly attracted to the first toner 111 attached to the developing medium. This efficient attraction process ensures that the second toner 311 can fully participate in imaging during thickness printing, resulting in a more uniform and full thickness of the imaged pattern, avoiding localized insufficient or missing thickness, and effectively improving the quality and stability of thickness printing.
[0035] In some embodiments, the second toner 311 includes second magnetic particles. The fabrication of the second toner 311 can refer to the fabrication of the first toner 111 described above. That is, the preparation of the second toner 311 does not present any technical obstacles for those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the relative magnetic poles of the second magnetic particles of the second toner 311 and the first magnetic particles of the first toner 111 are opposite polarities. When the second magnetic particles contained in the second toner 311 have opposite magnetic poles to the first magnetic particles in the first toner 111, according to the principle of magnetism, opposite poles attract each other, and a strong magnetic attraction is generated between them. This allows the second toner 311 to be more accurately and firmly adsorbed onto the first toner 111. Precise adsorption means that during the printing process, the second toner 311 can be accurately positioned in the location of the first toner 111, avoiding the diffusion and displacement of the second toner 311. This ensures the clarity and accuracy of the image pattern, so that whether it is fine text or complex graphics, clear outlines and accurate details can be maintained in thick printing. The firm adsorption ensures that the second toner 311 will not easily fall off or shift during the subsequent curing process and the use of the printed matter. This not only improves the durability and stability of the printed pattern, but also further enhances the quality and reliability of thick printing, enabling the printed matter to better meet the needs of various practical application scenarios.
[0036] Preferably, the particle size of the first toner 111 is between 3 micrometers and 5 micrometers, and the particle size of the second toner 311 is between 0.05 millimeters and 0.2 millimeters. The particle size range of the first toner 111 is similar to that of the toner in a conventional toner cartridge 100, which allows the first developing roller 12 and the photosensitive drum 22 to transfer the first toner 111 onto the developing medium using conventional imaging technology. Simultaneously, when the second toner hopper 31 is not storing the second toner 311 (i.e., when the second developing unit 3 is not in use), the toner cartridge 100 can still perform regular printing, improving its practicality. This allows users to directly use the toner cartridge 100 for everyday document printing and other tasks without needing to replace it when thick printing is not required, saving time and costs and improving equipment efficiency. The second toner 311, with a particle size between 0.05 mm and 0.2 mm, is crucial for achieving the raised thickness and three-dimensionality of the imaged pattern. When the second toner 311 is attracted and solidified onto the paper 10 by the magnetic field of the first toner 111, the larger particle size of the second toner 311 forms a noticeable raised structure on the surface of the paper 10. From a microscopic perspective, this particle size range ensures appropriate spacing and stacking between the second toner 311 particles; it prevents the formation of noticeable raised areas due to excessively small particle size, and avoids coarse and uneven imaging due to excessively large particle size. From a macroscopic perspective, users can visually perceive a noticeable thickness in the imaged pattern and feel a strong three-dimensional effect upon touch, enabling the toner cartridge 100 to meet special printing needs, such as Braille printing.
[0037] The transmission wheel assembly is connected to the first developing roller 12, the second developing roller 32, the photosensitive drum 22, the first stirring frame 13, and the second stirring frame 33, respectively. The transmission wheel assembly links the first developing roller 12, the second developing roller 32, the photosensitive drum 22, the first stirring frame 13, and the second stirring frame 33, which simplifies the transmission structure, reduces the number of drive sources, and helps to reduce the volume of the toner cartridge 100.
[0038] In some embodiments, the toner cartridge 100 further includes a first curing element 4, which is mounted on the second toner hopper 31 and located downstream of the second developing roller 32 along the paper feed direction of the toner cartridge 100. When the toner cartridge 100 is installed in the toner cartridge 100 mounting cavity of the laser printer, the first curing element 4 is electrically connected to the control system of the laser printer, enabling the control system to control the start and stop of the first curing element 4. The first curing element 4 is used to heat and cure the second toner 311, so that the second toner 311 is stably and firmly attached to the paper 10 and the first toner 111. Preferably, the heating temperature of the first curing element 4 is between 60°C and 150°C. By designing the heating temperature of the first curing element 4, the curing effect of the second toner 311 can be effectively guaranteed, so that the second toner 311 can be effectively melted and firmly attached to the paper 10, thereby ensuring the stability and durability of the imaging pattern, and also protecting the paper 10 from deformation and scorching due to high temperature, thus maintaining print quality. By setting a first curing element 4 on the toner cartridge 100 and designing the position of the second curing element, the second curing element can heat and cure the second toner 311 adsorbed on the first toner 111 in a timely manner, so as to ensure that the second toner 311 is firmly attached to the paper 10 and avoids it from falling off or shifting during subsequent transport, effectively improving the firmness and stability of the image and ensuring the thickness printing quality.
[0039] In some embodiments, the toner cartridge 100 further includes a first fixing roller 51, which is mounted on the drum frame 21 and / or the second toner hopper 31, and is located between the photosensitive drum 22 and the second developing roller 32 along the paper feed direction of the toner cartridge 100. When the toner cartridge 100 is installed in the toner cartridge 100 mounting cavity of the laser printer, the first fixing roller 51 is electrically connected to the control system of the laser printer, so that the control system can control the start and stop of the first fixing roller 51 and operate according to set parameters (such as controlling the heating temperature of the first fixing roller 51). The first fixing roller 51 cooperates with the third fixing roller 53 in the toner cartridge 100 mounting cavity of the laser printer to ensure that the first toner 111 is firmly attached to the paper 10, and to prevent displacement or blurring due to uncured second toner 311 during subsequent adsorption or superposition, thereby improving the accuracy and image clarity of multi-layer printing.
[0040] In summary, the design of the toner cartridge 100 allows the first toner 111 to be precisely transferred to the surface of the paper 10 through the cooperation of the first developing roller 12 and the photosensitive drum 22. It is then cured onto the paper 10 using conventional curing methods, ensuring the first toner 111 is firmly attached. When the paper 10 moves smoothly and precisely to the position of the second developing unit 3 under the drive of the printer's transport mechanism, the magnetic field generated by the first magnetic particles in the first toner 111 effectively attracts the second toner 311. After the second toner 311 is attracted to the paper 10 with the first toner 111 attached, it undergoes a similar curing process as the first toner 111 (such as heat curing (melting the resin)) to ensure the second toner 311 is firmly attached to the paper 10. This design enables thickness printing, which offers several significant advantages over traditional single-layer toner printing. Visually, thickness printing creates a stronger sense of depth and layering, resulting in more vivid and realistic images, greatly enhancing the quality and aesthetics of the printed materials. This is particularly suitable for applications requiring high visual fidelity, such as art printing and advertising materials. In terms of tactile experience, the thickness of the printed image provides a unique tactile sensation, increasing the texture and quality of the printed product. This can be applied to the production of Braille, high-end business cards, certificates, and more. Furthermore, the use of dual developing units and magnetic field adsorption for toner printing results in a relatively simple structure, requiring no major modifications to existing printers. This facilitates upgrades to existing printers and offers promising market prospects and economic value.
[0041] First embodiment of laser printer
[0042] The laser printer includes a body and a toner cartridge. The laser printer also includes the toner cartridge described above. The toner cartridge is installed in the toner cartridge mounting cavity. The toner cartridge is the toner cartridge described in the above toner cartridge embodiment, and the toner cartridge is provided with a first curing element and a first fixing roller. Since the toner cartridge is provided with a first curing element and a first fixing roller, in this embodiment, the toner cartridge mounting cavity does not need to be provided with a curing element and a fixing roller (such as the second fixing roller mentioned below) that cooperates with a third fixing roller (located in the toner cartridge mounting cavity).
[0043] Second embodiment of laser printer
[0044] The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment of the laser printer is that, in this embodiment:
[0045] The toner cartridge mounting cavity is equipped with a second fixing roller, which is electrically connected to the laser printer's control system. The second fixing roller cooperates with a third fixing roller located within the toner cartridge mounting cavity to cure the first toner adhering to the paper, thereby ensuring the first toner is firmly adsorbed onto the paper. Along the paper feed direction of the toner cartridge, the second fixing roller is located between the photosensitive drum and the second developing roller. The second toner cartridge is equipped with a first curing element; therefore, in this embodiment, the toner cartridge mounting cavity does not need to be equipped with a curing element. Similarly, a toner cartridge without a first fixing roller can be used.
[0046] Third embodiment of laser printer
[0047] The difference between this embodiment and the second embodiment of the laser printer is that, in this embodiment:
[0048] The toner cartridge mounting cavity also includes a second curing element, which is electrically connected to the laser printer's control system. Since the laser printer has a second curing element and a second fixing roller, the toner cartridge in this embodiment does not require a first curing element and a first fixing roller. Specifically, along the paper feed direction of the toner cartridge, the second curing element is located downstream of the second developing roller. The second curing element is used to heat and cure the second toner, and the heating temperature of the second curing element is between 60°C and 150°C.
[0049] Fourth embodiment of laser printer
[0050] The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment of the laser printer is that, in this embodiment:
[0051] Instead of a first curing element, a second curing element is installed in the toner cartridge mounting cavity. This second curing element is electrically connected to the laser printer's control system and is located downstream of the second developing roller along the toner cartridge's paper feed direction. The second curing element is used to heat and cure the second toner, with a heating temperature between 60°C and 150°C. Since the second toner cartridge has a first fixing roller, in this embodiment, the toner cartridge mounting cavity does not need to contain a fixing roller (such as the second fixing roller) that cooperates with the third fixing roller (located in the toner cartridge mounting cavity).
[0052] As can be seen, by designing and configuring the aforementioned toner cartridge for the laser printer, the laser printer can support both regular printing and thickness printing modes, achieving diversified printing and meeting different user needs. Compared to 3D printers, it is more compatible with regular office printing needs; compared to UV inkjet printers, it has lower operating costs, faster printing speed, and virtually no odor in the printed image; compared to toner cartridges using foaming developers, the toner cartridge of this invention offers better printing controllability and maintains consistent image thickness.
[0053] First embodiment of laser printer printing method
[0054] The printing method provided in this embodiment is applicable to the laser printer described in the first or second embodiment of the laser printer above. The printing method includes:
[0055] Obtain the print command, which can be obtained through a client [such as a computer client, a mobile terminal (such as a mobile phone, tablet, etc.) client].
[0056] According to the acquired printing instructions, the photosensitive drum is charged. Specifically, the laser beam is controlled to scan the photosensitive drum according to the printing data sent in the printing instructions, so as to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum. At the same time, the rotation of the first developing roller and the photosensitive drum is controlled, so that the first toner is attracted from the first developing roller to the electrostatic latent image. The paper is controlled to pass through the photosensitive drum, so that the first toner on the photosensitive drum is transferred to the paper.
[0057] As the paper is controlled to pass through a fixing element (such as a first fixing roller or a second fixing roller), the fixing element and the third fixing roller are controlled to cure the first toner on the paper so that the first toner is firmly attached to the paper.
[0058] When the paper passes the second developing roller, the first toner on the paper will adsorb the second toner on the second developing roller onto itself (that is, the second toner is adsorbed onto the first toner). When the paper is controlled to pass the first curing element, the first curing element is controlled to cure the second toner adsorbed onto the first toner, thereby forming an imaging pattern (including but not limited to text, graphics, images, etc.) with a certain thickness.
[0059] After completing the current printing cycle, the photosensitive drum is cleaned and de-energized to ensure image quality for the next printing cycle.
[0060] Second embodiment of the printing method of laser printer
[0061] The printing method provided in this embodiment is applicable to the laser printer described in the third embodiment of the laser printer above, and the printing method includes:
[0062] Obtain the print command, which can be obtained through a client [such as a computer client, a mobile terminal (such as a mobile phone, tablet, etc.) client].
[0063] According to the acquired printing instructions, the photosensitive drum is charged. Specifically, the laser beam is controlled to scan the photosensitive drum according to the printing data sent in the printing instructions, so as to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum. At the same time, the rotation of the first developing roller and the photosensitive drum is controlled, so that the first toner is attracted from the first developing roller to the electrostatic latent image. The paper is controlled to pass through the photosensitive drum, so that the first toner on the photosensitive drum is transferred to the paper.
[0064] As the paper is controlled to pass through the second fixing roller, the second fixing roller and the third fixing roller are controlled to solidify the first toner on the paper so that the first toner is firmly attached to the paper.
[0065] When the paper passes the second developing roller, the first toner on the paper will adsorb the second toner on the second developing roller onto itself (that is, the second toner is adsorbed onto the first toner). When the paper is controlled to pass the second curing element, the second curing element is controlled to cure the second toner adsorbed onto the first toner, thereby forming an imaging pattern (including but not limited to text, graphics, images, etc.) with a certain thickness.
[0066] After completing the current printing cycle, the photosensitive drum is cleaned and de-energized to ensure image quality for the next printing cycle.
[0067] When printing using the laser printer described in the fourth embodiment of the laser printer, the printing method can refer to the laser printing methods described in the first and second embodiments of the laser printer printing method, and therefore will not be repeated here.
[0068] In summary, the images produced by the above printing methods can have a certain thickness, meeting users' special printing needs, such as printing Braille and other images with thickness, thus improving the applicability and practicality of laser printers.
[0069] Finally, it should be emphasized that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. For those skilled in the art, the present utility model can have various changes and modifications. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.
Claims
1. A toner cartridge comprising: a first developing unit, the first developing unit comprising a first powder bin and a first developing roller, the first powder bin storing a first toner therein, the first developing roller rotatably mounted on the first powder bin; a drum unit, the drum unit comprising a drum frame and a photosensitive drum, the drum frame connected with the first powder bin, the photosensitive drum rotatably mounted on the drum frame, the photosensitive drum contactable with the first developing roller; characterized in that the toner cartridge further comprises: a second developing unit, the drum unit disposed between the first developing unit and the second developing unit, the second developing unit comprising a second powder bin and a second developing roller, the second powder bin connected with the drum frame, the second powder bin storing a second toner therein, the second developing roller rotatably mounted on the second powder bin, the first toner comprising first magnetic particles, the second toner being adsorbable by a magnetic field of the first toner. 2.The toner cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: a particle size of the first toner is between 3 microns and 5 microns; a particle size of the second toner is between 0.05 millimeters and 0.2 millimeters. 3.The toner cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that: the second toner is a ferromagnetic toner or a ferrimagnetic toner; or the second toner comprises second magnetic particles, the second magnetic particles having opposite polarity to that of the first magnetic particles. 4.The toner cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that: the first developing unit further comprises a first stirring frame and a first powder outlet knife, the first stirring frame rotatably mounted in the first powder bin, the first powder outlet knife mounted on the first powder bin, a blade portion of the first powder outlet knife abutting a surface of the first developing roller; the second developing unit further comprises a second stirring frame and a second powder outlet knife, the second stirring frame rotatably mounted in the second powder bin, the second powder outlet knife mounted on the second powder bin, a blade portion of the second powder outlet knife abutting a surface of the second developing roller; the toner cartridge further comprises a transmission wheel set, the transmission wheel set connected with the first developing roller, the second developing roller, the photosensitive drum, the first stirring frame and the second stirring frame respectively. 5.The toner cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: the toner cartridge further comprises a first solidification element, the first solidification element mounted on the second powder bin, along a paper feeding direction of the toner cartridge, the first solidification element located at a downstream end of the second developing roller, the first solidification element configured to heat and solidify the second toner. 6.The toner cartridge according to claim 5, characterized in that: the toner cartridge further comprises a first fixing roller, the first fixing roller mounted on the drum frame and / or the second powder bin, along the paper feeding direction, the first fixing roller located between the photosensitive drum and the second developing roller. 7.The toner cartridge according to claim 6, characterized in that: a heating temperature of the first solidification element is between 60 ℃ and 150 ℃. 8.A laser printer comprising a body, the body having a toner cartridge mounting cavity, characterized in that: The laser printer further comprises the toner cartridge as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, which is installed in the toner cartridge installation cavity.
9. A laser printer comprising a body having a toner cartridge installation cavity, characterized in that: The laser printer further comprises the toner cartridge as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, which is installed in the toner cartridge installation cavity, the toner cartridge installation cavity is provided with: a second fusing element, which is located at the downstream end of the second developing roller in the paper feeding direction of the toner cartridge, the second fusing element is used for heating and fusing the second toner, the heating temperature of the second fusing element is between 60°C and 150°C; and / or a second fixing roller, which is located between the photosensitive drum and the second developing roller in the paper feeding direction.