Method and composition for recoating toner cartridge developing member

Abstract

Methods of recoating a developing member such as the doctor blade, developing member bar or a developing sleeve, of an electro-photographic image forming apparatus, such as a laser printer toner cartridge, methods of re-using the original components by re-coating them, to cut the cost of using new aftermarket parts and to reduce waste, which methods include close quality control and “tailoring” of formulations to a specific developing system, thus achieving better print quality in terms of density, page yield, and uniformity for the repaired or remanufactured toner cartridge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for recoating a spent laser printer toner cartridge doctor bar comprising:
 providing a spent laser printer toner cartridge doctor bar having a surface, the surface including at least one surface irregularity;   eliminating the at least one surface irregularity;   abrasively blasting the surface;   cleaning the surface with an organic solvent;   spray coating the surface with a coating that includes a mixture of a conductive powder and a binder powder to form a re-coated doctor bar; and, curing the re-coated doctor bar in an oven at a temperature in the range of 375°-420° F. for between about 15 and about 25 minutes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said abrasively blasting includes blasting with aluminum grit 220. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said abrasively blasting is accomplished with a blasting gun operated at a pressure in the range of 30-60 psi. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting essentially of acetone, MEK, iso-propyl-alcohol, xylene, other alcohols, and highly volatile glycols. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one surface irregularity includes a portion of the surface covered by an original conductive coating, and wherein eliminating the at least one surface irregularity includes stripping the original conductive coating from the surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture includes the conductive powder and the binder powder in a ratio of between 30 parts by weight of conductive powder to 70 parts by weight of binder powder and 70 parts by weight of conductive powder to 30 parts by weight of binder powder. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the binder powder is resin binder. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive powder is graphite powder. 
     
     
         9 . A composition for re-coating a laser printer toner cartridge doctor bar comprising a mixture of a conductive powder and a binder powder, the mixture having a ratio of conductive powder to binder powder in the range of 30:70 to 70:30 by weight. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the conductive powder is carbon powder. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the conductive powder has a mean particle diameter of 17 microns. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the binder powder is an organic resin. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the binder powder is an epoxy resin powder. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the binder powder is a urethane resin powder. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the binder powder is a polyester resin powder. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the composition is for re-coating a laser printer toner cartridge doctor bar. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the composition is applied to a laser printer toner cartridge doctor bar. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the composition is configured to coat a laser printer toner cartridge doctor bar. 
     
     
         19 . A toner regulating member comprising:
 a surface configured to support a first coating material; and   a second coating material disposed above the surface, wherein the second coating material comprises a mixture of a conductive powder and a binder powder, the mixture having a ratio of conductive powder to binder powder in the range of 30:70 to 70:30 by weight.   
     
     
         20 . The toner regulating member of  claim 19 , wherein the conductive powder is carbon powder. 
     
     
         21 . The toner regulating member of  claim 19 , wherein the conductive powder has a mean particle diameter of 17 microns. 
     
     
         22 . The toner regulating member of  claim 19 , wherein the binder powder is an organic resin. 
     
     
         23 . The toner regulating member of  claim 19 , wherein the binder powder is an epoxy resin powder. 
     
     
         24 . The toner regulating member of  claim 19 , wherein the binder powder is a urethane resin powder. 
     
     
         25 . The toner regulating member of  claim 19 , wherein the binder powder is a polyester resin powder. 
     
     
         26 . The toner regulating member of  claim 19 , wherein the toner regulating member is a doctor bar.