US4816877A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Refillable toner cartridge and method of manufacture thereof
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1988-02-25
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Granted: 1989-03-28
•
Expires: 2008-02-25
Abstract
Abstract A refillable cartridge for a copier, laser printer or similar xerographic printing process device, is provided. A method of manufacture of the refillable cartridge is also provided. The cartridge of the invention includes an upper portion with an upper chamber for clean toner and includes a lower portion with a lower chamber for toner waste. The upper portion has a refill hole, opening into the upper chamber. The lower portion has a discharge hole opening into the lower chamber. The refill hole and the discharge hole have respective seal members. The method of manufacture of the cartridge includes the steps of mounting on a support a plastic cartridge having an upper portion with an upper chamber, forming a refill hole in the upper portion by using, for example a hot iron rod for heating the respective adjoining plastic portion until the refill hole is formed; and forming a discharge hole in the lower portion.
Inventors
- 👤 Fred Keen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 10:04
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G21/00; G03G21/16; G03G21/18; G03G21/1803; G03G21/181; G03G15/00; G03G15/06; G03G15/08; G03G15/0894; G03G21/10; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00987; G03G2221/00; G03G2221/16; G03G2221/1648; G03G2221/18; G03G2221/183; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S222/00; Y10S222/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of manufacture of a refillable cartridge for a copier, laser printer or similar xerographic printing process device comprising the steps of: mounting on a support a plastic cartridge used in said xerographic printing having an upper portion with an upper chamber for clean toner and having a lower portion with a lower chamber for toner waste; forming a refill hole in the upper portion opening into the upper chamber; and forming a discharge hole in the lower portion opening into the lower chamber.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of manufacture of a refillable cartridge for a copier, laser printer or similar xerographic printing process device comprising the steps of: mounting on a support a plastic cartridge used in said xerographic printing having an upper portion with an upper chamber for clean toner and having a lower portion with a lower chamber for toner waste; forming a refill hole in the upper portion opening into the upper chamber; and forming a discharge hole in the lower portion opening into the lower chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1, including the steps, of: covering the refill hole with a seal member having an adhesive layer for attachment to the upper portion; and, covering the discharge hole with a seal member having an adhesive layer attached to the lower portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, including the steps of: attaching a refill washer with an adhesive layer and a washer hole to the upper body, with the washer hole axially aligned with the refill hole.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 3 including the steps of: covering the washer hole with a seal member having an adhesive layer for attachment thereto; and covering the discharge hole with a seal member having an adhesive layer attached to the lower portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the perimeter edge of said refill hole is disposed within the perimeter edge of said washer hole.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said step of forming the refill hole includes the operation of using a hot iron rod for heating the adjoining plastic portion of the cartridge until said refill hole is formed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the perimeter edge of said refill hole is disposed within the perimeter edge of said washer hole.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The methods of manufacture claimed in either claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 wherein said plastic cartridge prior to the modification thereof by the steps set forth in the respective claim is the cartridge received from a supplier and ready for use in said xerographic printing process device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
70 words
A refillable cartridge for a copier, laser printer, or similar xerographic printing process device comprising: a cartridge body having an upper portion with an upper chamber for clean toner and having a lower portion with a lower chamber for toner waste; said upper portion having at least one refill hole opening into the upper chamber; and said lower portion having at lease one discharge hole opening into the lower chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
A refillable cartridge for a copier, laser printer, or similar xerographic printing process device comprising: a cartridge body having an upper portion with an upper chamber for clean toner and having a lower portion with a lower chamber for toner waste; said upper portion having at least one refill hole opening into the upper chamber; and said lower portion having at lease one discharge hole opening into the lower chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The cartridge of claim 9, wherein said upper portion has a refill washer with a washer hole, said washer hole being axially aligned with said refill hole.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The cartridge of claim 10, wherein said upper portion has a flexible seal member with an adhesive layer for sealing the refill hole and for covering said refill washer and wherein said lower portion has a flexible seal member with an adhesive layer for sealing the discharge hole.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
86 words
The cartridge of claim 11, wherein said cartridge body is composed of a plastic material, said cartridge further including operational members necessary in the operation of the xerographic printing process device, said cartridge having a useable life of about five cycles of use in the xerographic printing process device, and wherein said upper chamber has a volume equal to about the volume of one refill, whereby a single refilled cartridge plus four quantities of refill toner will last approximately over the life of the plastic cartridge.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The cartridge of claim 10 wherein the perimeter edge of said refill hole is disposed within the perimeter edge of said washer hole.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The cartridge of claim 11 wherein the perimeter edge of said refill hole is disposed within the perimeter edge of said washer hole.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The cartridge of claim 12 wherein the perimeter edge of said refill hole is disposed within the perimeter edge of said washer hole.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-03-27 | 1992-09-26 | 1993-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-03-27 | 1996-09-26 | 1997-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-03-27 | 2000-09-26 | 2001-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |