OPC Drum Gear Hub Crimping for Remanufacturing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for remanufacturing imaging components, such as OPC drums, face challenges in efficiently reusing drum gears due to inadequate adhesion techniques, which complicate multiple reuse cycles and may damage the components.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the removal of the gear hub from a spent OPC drum using various gear hub removal tools and subsequent crimping of a replacement drum to the gear hub to form a remanufactured assembly, ensuring secure attachment without surface modification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If adhesive is used to attach drum gears to replacement OPC drums, then the drum gears can be attached to new drums, but the adhesion difficulty increases for multiple remanufacturing cycles and surface modification is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the chemical adhesion system (adhesive) with a mechanical fastening system (set screw and slot). The set screw engages with a slot in the drum gear, providing a purely mechanical attachment that eliminates adhesive-related problems while enabling easy assembly and disassembly for multiple remanufacturing cycles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanical connection system consisting of the set screw, slot, and retaining clip. This intermediary mechanism mediates between the drum gear and replacement drum, providing secure attachment without requiring surface modification or adhesive, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable attachment and manufacturing ease

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If surface modification or scratching is performed on drum gears to ensure adequate adhesion, then adhesive bonding is improved, but component integrity is compromised and reuse difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidcomponent damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the need for surface modification by replacing adhesive-based attachment with a mechanical fastening system. The set screw engages with a slot in the drum gear, providing secure attachment without any surface alteration, thus preventing component damage while maintaining reliable connection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the retaining clip a disposable component that can be easily replaced, while preserving the expensive drum gear intact. This approach allows multiple remanufacturing cycles without damaging the drum gear, as the retaining clip can be replaced rather than reusing a damaged connection system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables efficient reuse of drum gears by securely attaching them to new or recoated OPC drums, extending their lifespan and simplifying the remanufacturing process while maintaining component integrity.

Implementation Method 1

crimping a replacement photoconductive drum to the gear hub to form a remanufactured drum assembly

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCrimping: Deformation

Data Source

PatentUS10018957B2Systems and methods for reusing imaging gears

Publication Date: 2018.07.10 STATIC CONTROL COMPONENTS INC

AI summary

Systems and methods of reusing an imaging component include providing a used photoconductive drum assembly comprising a cylindrical photoconductive drum and a gear hub extending from an end of the photoconductive drum; removing the gear hub from the end of the photoconductive drum; and crimping a replacement photoconductive drum to the gear hub to form a remanufactured drum assembly.