Canon is Awarded European Patent for OPC Drum Mounting in a Cartridge

Canon has been awarded a European patent—EP 1536297 B1—that  teaches a method of simplifying the mounting and positioning of a photoreceptor drum in a cartridge. This invention was already registered as CN1621970A in China in 2005.

According to the patent specification, it aims “to further develop a process cartridge, to provide an improved mounting method for an electrophotographic photosensitive drum to a drum frame of a process cartridge, and to provide a drum replacing method of replacing an electrophotographic photosensitive drum provided in a process cartridge, such that mounting and positioning of the photosensitive drum in the process cartridge are simplified.”

The document notes the advantages of the patent as “to provide a process cartridge capable of reducing its size in a longitudinal direction of a photosensitive drum”, and “reducing the number of parts and is inexpensive”.

The Recycler suggests the above patent may impact certain cartridge remanufacturing in Europe.