Apparatus and method of packaging an electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus and method of packaging an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a keeping part to keep an image forming unit disposed in the image forming apparatus, external cushion members to wrap the image forming apparatus, and an external packaging box to package the image forming apparatus wrapped by the external cushion members. When the image forming apparatus is placed on the market, the image forming unit is packaged by a sealing bag and a plurality of internal cushion elements, and is then kept in the image forming apparatus. As a result, it is possible to protect the image forming unit from external impact and to reduce a size of the packaged image forming apparatus.

1 . An apparatus to package an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: 
 a keeping part to keep an image forming unit in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus;    external cushion members to wrap the electrophotographic image forming apparatus; and    an external packaging box to package the electrophotographic image forming apparatus wrapped by the external cushion members.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a packaging unit to package the image forming unit,    wherein the keeping part has a predetermined size that enables the image forming unit to be packaged by the packaging unit and kept in the keeping part.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the packaging unit comprises a sealing bag to seal the image forming unit and a plurality of internal cushion elements to cover the image forming unit sealed by the sealing bag and to buff the image forming unit and internal components of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       4 . A packaging apparatus to package an imaging forming apparatus, the packaging apparatus comprising: 
 a keeping part disposed in the image forming apparatus to keep an image forming unit having a developer therein;    one or more external cushion members disposed on an outside surface of the image forming apparatus and to cushion the image forming apparatus; and    an external packaging box to contain the image forming apparatus having the one or more external cushions disposed thereon.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a packaging part to package the image forming unit such that the image forming unit with the packaging part is kept in the keeping part.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the packaging part comprises a sealing bag to seal the image forming unit and one or more internal cushion elements to cushion the image forming unit sealed in the sealing bag.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the keeping part has a predetermined size so that the image forming unit with the packaging part fits therein.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the one or more internal cushion elements cushion the image forming unit from damaging contact with internal components of the image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the packaging part further packages one or more accessories associated with the image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the one or more external cushion members disposed on the outside surface of the image forming apparatus includes an upper cushion member disposed on an upper surface of the image forming apparatus and a lower cushion member disposed on a lower surface of the image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the external packaging box has a predetermined size so that the image forming apparatus with the upper and lower cushion members fits into the external packaging box.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the upper external cushion member includes a space disposed on a top surface of the upper external cushion member so that one or more accessories associated with the image forming apparatus are stored therein.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the one or more accessories includes at least one of: an installation guide and a power cable.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the image forming apparatus is an electrographic image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the keeping part orients the image forming unit such that a developer outlet of the image forming unit is directed upward and the developer is prevented from leaking when the external packaging box is transported in an upright position.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the keeping part is located inside a main body of the image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       17 . A method of packaging an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the method comprising: 
 providing a keeping part to keep an image forming unit in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus;    keeping the image forming unit in the keeping part;    wrapping the electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which the image forming unit is kept with external cushion members; and    inserting the electrophotographic image forming apparatus wrapped with the external cushion members into an external packaging box.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 packaging the image forming unit using a packaging part before the image forming unit is kept in the keeping part.    
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the image forming unit is kept in an orientation such that a developer outlet of the image forming unit is directed upward in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus so that a developer is prevented from being discharged while the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is being transported.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the image forming unit is kept in the keeping part together with accessories associated with the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the external cushion members is provided with an accessory reservoir so that accessories associated with the electrophotographic image forming apparatus are kept therein.  
   
   
       22 . A method of packaging an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit having developer therein, the method comprising: 
 packaging the image forming unit;    providing the packaged image forming unit to a keeping part disposed in a main body of the image forming apparatus;    disposing one or more cushion members on an outer surface of the main body of the image forming apparatus; and    inserting the image forming apparatus with the one or more cushioning elements disposed thereon into a packaging box.    
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein packaging the image forming unit further comprises placing the image forming unit in a sealing bag and placing the sealing bag with the image forming unit therein in between one or more internal cushion elements.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein packaging the image forming unit further comprises packaging the image forming unit with one or more accessories in a packaging part to be kept together in the keeping part.  
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein providing the packaged image forming unit to the keeping part further comprises orienting the packaged image forming unit such that a developer outlet of the image forming unit is directed upward and the developer is prevented from leaking when the packaging box is transported in an upright position.  
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein disposing one or more cushion members on an outer surface of the main body of the image forming apparatus further comprises disposing an upper cushion member on an upper surface of the main body and disposing a lower cushion member on a lower surface of the main body  
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 before inserting the image forming apparatus with the one or more cushioning elements disposed thereon into the packaging box, placing one or more accessories associated with the image forming apparatus into a space disposed on a top surface of the upper external cushion member so that the one or more accessories associated with the image forming apparatus are stored in the space.    
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the one or more accessories including at least one of a guide and a cable.  
   
   
       29 . A package to transport an image forming apparatus, the package comprising: 
 a packaging box having an image forming apparatus disposed therein and one or more cushioning elements disposed between an outer surface of the image forming apparatus and the packaging box; and    a packaging part having an image forming unit, and disposed in a main body of the image forming apparatus.    
   
   
       30 . The package according to  claim 29 , wherein the image forming apparatus comprises a keeping part formed therein, and the packaging part is kept in the keeping part in the main body of the image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       31 . The package according to  claim 29 , wherein the image forming unit is an electrostatic image forming apparatus comprising a photosensitive medium on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a developer to convert the electrostatic latent image into a visible image.  
   
   
       32 . The package according to  claim 29 , wherein the packaging part comprises at least one cushion member disposed between the image forming unit and the packaging box to enclose the image forming unit.  
   
   
       33 . The package according to  claim 32 , wherein the packing part comprises a bag disposed between the at least one cushion member and the image forming unit to enclose the image forming unit.  
   
   
       34 . The package according to  claim 29 , wherein the image forming unit is not disposed between the image forming apparatus and the packaging box.  
   
   
       35 . The package according to  claim 29 , wherein the main body of the image forming apparatus comprises a paper feeding roller, a transfer roller, a fixing roller, and an exposure unit.  
   
   
       36 . The package according to  claim 35 , wherein the packaging part is disposed between the exposure unit and the paper feeding part.