Sealed print particle transfer interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11614698-B2
Application number	US-201817049114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2018
Priority date	Aug 30, 2018
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

Examples of a print particle transfer interface of a donor container are described herein. Some examples of the print particle transfer interface include a static interface portion to engage a receiving container. The static interface portion includes a static opening. Some examples of the print particle transfer interface include a rotating output assembly with a cylindrical valve seat and a seal component surrounding a valve opening. In some examples, the cylindrical valve seat rotates with respect to the static interface portion to align the valve opening for dispensing print particle to the receiving container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A print particle transfer interface of a donor container, comprising:
a static interface portion to engage a receiving container, wherein the static interface portion comprises a static opening, the static interface portion having a static alignment component to overlap a portion of a mating interface portion of the receiving container; and
a rotating output assembly comprising a cylindrical valve seat and a seal component surrounding a valve opening,
wherein the cylindrical valve seat is to rotate with respect to the static interface portion to align the valve opening for dispensing print particle to the receiving container; and
wherein the seal component is to mate with a mating seal component of the receiving container to prevent untrapped print particles from contaminating the dispensing of the print particle to the receiving container.

2. The print particle transfer interface of claim 1 , wherein a rotating axis of the cylindrical valve seat is perpendicular to a central axis of the donor container.

3. The print particle transfer interface of claim 1 , wherein the seal component is affixed to an exterior surface of the cylindrical valve seat.

4. The print particle transfer interface of claim 1 , wherein the seal component contacts an interior surface of the static interface portion.

5. The print particle transfer interface of claim 1 , wherein in a closed position, the valve opening is sealed against the static interface portion by the seal component to prevent print particle transfer.

6. The print particle transfer interface of claim 5 , wherein in the closed position, the seal component contacts the mating seal component of the receiving container through the static opening.

7. The print particle transfer interface of claim 1 , wherein the seal component is to rotate with the cylindrical valve seat to an open position to expose the valve opening to the static opening to permit print particle transfer.

8. The print particle transfer interface of claim 1 , wherein the seal component is to wipe print particle at the static opening into the donor container during rotation of the cylindrical valve seat from an open position to a closed position.

9. The print particle transfer interface of claim 1 , wherein the seal component is to press against the mating seal component of the receiving container during rotation of the cylindrical valve seat.

10. The print particle transfer interface of claim 1 , wherein the seal component comprises a curved shape conforming to a curve of the cylindrical valve seat.

11. The print particle transfer interface of claim 1 , wherein the static alignment component is to align the static interface portion with the mating interface portion.

12. A print particle transfer interface assembly, comprising:
a donor container comprising a static interface portion with a static opening, a cylindrical valve seat and a seal component surrounding a valve opening; and
a receiving container comprising a mating seal component surrounding a mating opening,
wherein the static interface portion is to engage with the receiving container to align the static opening with the mating opening,
wherein the cylindrical valve seat is to rotate with respect to the static interface portion to align the valve opening with the mating opening for dispensing print particle from the donor container to the receiving container,
wherein the seal component is to mate with the mating seal component of the receiving container to prevent untrapped print particles, and
wherein the static interface portion includes a static alignment component to overlap a portion of a mating interface portion of the receiving container.

13. The print particle transfer interface assembly of claim 12 , wherein the seal component of the donor container is to press against the mating seal component of the receiving container during mating of the donor container with the receiving container.

14. The print particle transfer interface assembly of claim 12 , wherein the seal component is to wipe print particle back into the donor container during rotation of the cylindrical valve seat from an open position to a closed position to contain the print particle within the donor container with zero or near-zero untrapped print particle volume.

15. A print particle transfer interface of a receiving container, comprising:
a mating interface portion to engage a static interface portion of a donor container;
a mating opening to receive a print particle transfer; and
a mating seal component surrounding the mating opening,
wherein a cylindrical valve seat of the donor container is to rotate with respect to the static interface portion to align a valve opening with the mating opening for dispensing print particle to the receiving container,
wherein a seal component of the donor container is adapted to mate with the mating seal component of the receiving container to prevent untrapped print particles from contaminating the dispensing of the print particle to the receiving container, the seal component surrounding the valve opening, and
wherein a portion of the mating interface portion is overlapped by a static alignment component of the static interface portion.

16. The print particle transfer interface of claim 15 , wherein the seal component of the donor container is to press against the mating seal component of the receiving container during mating of the donor container with the receiving container.

17. The print particle transfer interface of claim 15 , wherein the mating seal component is to contact the seal component of the donor container through a static opening of the donor container.

18. A method, comprising:
engaging a static interface portion of a donor container with a mating interface portion of a receiving container, a portion of the mating interface portion being overlapped by a static alignment component of the static interface portion;
aligning a static opening of the static interface portion with a mating opening of the receiving container, wherein a seal component of the donor container is adapted to mate with a mating seal component of the receiving container to prevent untrapped print particles, the seal component surrounding a valve opening;
rotating a cylindrical valve seat with respect to the static interface portion to align the valve opening with the mating opening; and
transferring print particles from the donor container to the receiving container.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising:
rotating the cylindrical valve seat from an open position to a closed position, wherein the seal component wipes print particle at the static opening back into the donor container to contain the print particle within the donor container with zero or near-zero untrapped print particle volume.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the seal component rotates with the cylindrical valve seat to an open position to expose the valve opening to the mating opening to permit print particle transfer.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Luke Jeffrey H
• Lavigne Mathew Craig

Classifications

• B65D83/06

  for dispensing powdered or granular material · CPC title

• B33Y40/00

  Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling · CPC title

• G03G15/0881

  Sealing of developer cartridges · CPC title

• B65D47/268

  the valve member pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the container mouth axis (B65D47/266 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C64/259

  Interchangeable · CPC title