Remanufacturing method of developer accommodating unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9535372-B2
Application number	US-201514920316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2015
Priority date	Oct 27, 2014
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

Provided is a remanufacturing method of a developer accommodating unit including a flexible container provided with an opening and configured to accommodate developer, and a frame member configured to accommodate the flexible container. The remanufacturing method includes refilling the developer into the flexible container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A remanufacturing method of a developer accommodating unit including a flexible container configured to accommodate developer and provided with a plurality of openings for discharging the developer into a frame member, and the frame member configured to accommodate the flexible container, the remanufacturing method comprising:
refilling developer into the flexible container inside the frame member.

2. The remanufacturing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
processing a frame member communication hole on the frame member; and
processing a container communication hole on the flexible container,
wherein the refilling refills the developer into the flexible container inside the frame member through the frame member communication hole and the container communication hole.

3. The remanufacturing method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
communication hole sealing for sealing at least either one of the frame member communication hole and the container communication hole to seal the developer refilled in the flexible container.

4. The remanufacturing method according to claim 2 ,
wherein the container communication hole is larger than one of the plurality of openings.

5. The remanufacturing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
attaching a sealing member to the plurality of openings of the flexible container to reseal the plurality of openings.

6. The remanufacturing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
processing a frame member communication hole on the frame member,
wherein the refilling refills the developer into the flexible container inside the frame member through the frame member communication hole.

7. The remanufacturing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
injecting compressed air into the flexible container.

8. The remanufacturing method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the refilling comprises refilling the developer through at least one of the plurality of openings of the flexible container.

9. The remanufacturing method according to claim 8 ,
wherein the developer accommodating unit further includes a sealing member configured to seal the plurality of openings and to expose the plurality of openings when winded, and an unsealing member attached to the sealing member and operable to move to unseal the plurality of openings, and
wherein the remanufacturing method further comprises removing at least a part of the sealing member before the refilling.

10. The remanufacturing method according to claim 9 ,
wherein the sealing member has a perforation.

11. The remanufacturing method according to claim 9 ,
wherein the sealing member includes a sealing portion configured to close the plurality of openings, and a fixing portion configured to be fixed to the unsealing member, and
wherein the sealing portion and the fixing portion are adhered to each other.

12. The remanufacturing method according to claim 9 ,
wherein the sealing member has a thinner film thickness at a portion at which the unsealing member is fixed than a film thickness at a portion at which the plurality of openings of the flexible container is sealed.

13. The remanufacturing method according to claim 9 ,
wherein a frame member communication hole is formed on the frame member, and at least the sealing member is removed through the frame member communication hole.

14. The remanufacturing method according to claim 9 ,
wherein a frame member communication hole is formed on the frame member, at least the sealing member is removed through the frame member communication hole, and the developer is refilled into the flexible container through the frame member communication hole and the at least one of the plurality of openings.

15. The remanufacturing method according to claim 8 ,
further comprising:
processing the at least one of the plurality of openings so as to enlarge the one of the plurality of openings, before the refilling.

16. The remanufacturing method according to claim 15 ,
wherein the plurality of openings are processed to connect the plurality of openings.

17. The remanufacturing method according to claim 15 ,
wherein the plurality of openings are processed to form an opening larger than an area that includes all of the plurality of openings.

18. The remanufacturing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
processing, on the flexible container, another opening different from the plurality of openings before the refilling.

19. The remanufacturing method according to claim 18 ,
wherein the developer accommodating unit further includes a sealing member configured to seal the plurality of openings and to expose the plurality of openings when being moved, and an unsealing member attached to the sealing member and configured to move to unseal the plurality of openings, and
wherein the remanufacturing method further comprises removing at least a part of the sealing member before the refilling.

20. The remanufacturing method according to claim 18 ,
wherein the developer accommodating unit is a developer accommodating unit in which a regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer on a developer bearing member is attached to the frame member, and
wherein the remanufacturing method further comprises separating only the regulating member from the frame member before the another opening processing.

21. The remanufacturing method according to claim 18 ,
wherein the another opening is processed to be larger than one of the plurality of openings.

22. A remanufacturing method of a developing device including a developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member, and a developer accommodating unit remanufactured by the remanufacturing method according to claim 1 .

23. A remanufacturing method of a cartridge including an image bearing member, a developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member, and a developer accommodating unit remanufactured by the remanufacturing method according to claim 1 .

24. A remanufacturing method of an image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, a developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member, and a developer accommodating unit remanufactured by the remanufacturing method according to claim 1 .

25. A remanufacturing method of a developer accommodating unit including a flexible container configured to accommodate developer and provided with a plurality of openings for discharging the developer into a frame member, and the frame member configured to accommodate the flexible container, the remanufacturing method comprising:
refilling developer after forming a cut portion or a through hole on the flexible container inside the frame member.

26. A remanufacturing method of a developing device including a flexible container configured to accommodate developer and provided with an opening for discharging the developer into a frame member, and the frame member configured to accommodate the flexible container and a developer bearing member, the remanufacturing method comprising:
taking out the developer bearing member from the frame member; and
refilling developer into the frame member.

27. A remanufacturing method of a developing device including a flexible contain

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Isobe Yuta
• Kase Takashi
• Yano Kouki
• Ikeda Takahiro
• Usui Yusuke
• Toba Shinjiro
• Sato Masaaki
• Kashiide Yosuke
• Nishiya Satoshi
• Suzuki Tatsuya
• Matsuda Kohei

Classifications

• G03G15/0894 Primary

  Reconditioning of the developer unit, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the unit, e.g. resealing of the unit before refilling with toner · CPC title

• G03G15/0874

  non-rigid containers, e.g. foldable cartridges, bags · CPC title