US Patent Office Approves NoTwist Drum Gear

The US Patent and Trademark Office has approved a NoTwist™ drum gear mechanism that will not infringe Canon’s patents in aftermarket printer cartridges.

China-based UTEC were quick to celebrate the approval with the announcement of aftermarket color toner cartridges that use their parent company, Print-Rite’s approved NoTwist™ drum gears technology (US PAT. NO. 8,275,291B2).

Print-Rite says, “We are pleased to announce that our US patent application on NoTwist™ drum gear printer cartridge, developed and designed in our laboratories, has been granted by the US. Print-Rite’s U.S. Patent No. 8,275,291.

A Print-Rite technical spokesperson told RT Media that their new patented design is a better than the original gearing on the OEM cartridge. “The strength of engagement/fit between the photosensitive drum’s non-twisted part at the longitudinal ends and the twisted coupling hole at the driving part is affected due to the axial force generated leading to the separation of the two.” What this means is that during shipping or other unstable situations, damage may occur to the new, branded OEM cartridge, making it difficult for it to fit into the printer.  According to Print-Rite, such cases have been reported.

Print-Rite claims its new ‘NoTwist™ Gear’ technology enhances the overall printing performance for end users by enhancing the toner – printer engagement stability through the mechanism of a highly reliable source of a receiving and transmitting driving force, using a non-twisted driving force transmitter and a corresponding process cartridge that engages in a very secure interlocking system based on protrusions at the end of the OPC, seating perfectly with the help of anti-separating grooves.

Since Canon has been chasing any infringements over its twisted-gear patent for some time, this patent is regarded as a breakthrough for both OEM and non-OEM solutions.

Print-Rite says the new non-infringing, patented products will now be offered to customers. The company claims to have as long recognition of the importance of intellectual property rights worldwide, and it is pleased that the US Patent Office has recognized the invention of its new product. Print-Rite now has more than 2,400 patents of its own.

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