| 摘要 |
A stiffener which extends the life of a keeper blade used in toner cartridge assemblies to provide a seal with the photoreceptor drum between the waste toner hopper and the remainder of the cartridge assembly. The stiffener is attached along the length of the keeper blade and is also used to secure the keeper blade to the waste toner hopper. Two sides of the stiffener are provided with an adhesive, such as a two-sided tape. One side of the stiffener is attached to the keeper blade, and then the other side of the stiffener is used to secure the keeper blade to the waste toner hopper. The thickness of the stiffener is selected to set the distance between the keeper blade and the photoreceptor drum. The stiffener is made of a resilient material which may also be conductive. So the stiffener will not kink during cleaning or other maintenance and will conduct heat away from the keeper blade to prevent the blade from warping. In another embodiment, the keeper blade itself is made of or coated with a conductive material to extend the life of the blade.
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