초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for dampening annoying resonance noise in auger systems. The dampening effect is accomplished by an insert placed within an inner bore of an auger. The insert itself may be continuous or in segments and be comprised of material capable of absorbing vibrational energy. One emb

An apparatus and method for dampening annoying resonance noise in auger systems. The dampening effect is accomplished by an insert placed within an inner bore of an auger. The insert itself may be continuous or in segments and be comprised of material capable of absorbing vibrational energy. One embodiment of an insert is a tube that is purposefully cut longer than the auger itself in order to induce bending of the tube and contact with the sides of the auger bore.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An auger system, comprising: an auger having a length in an axial dimension of the auger and, along at least a portion of the length, an internal bore; an elongate insert having a longer dimension, the insert placed through at least a portion of the internal bore with the lon

What is claimed is: 1. An auger system, comprising: an auger having a length in an axial dimension of the auger and, along at least a portion of the length, an internal bore; an elongate insert having a longer dimension, the insert placed through at least a portion of the internal bore with the longer dimension of the insert extending along the length of the auger; and a containment member into which the auger is placed, wherein the insert curves along the length dimension of the auger relative to the auger and is in contact with the internal bore of the auger. 2. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the auger is flexible. 3. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the containment member is curved. 4. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the insert comprises a plurality of segments. 5. The auger system of claim 4, wherein the auger makes contact with the containment member and wherein portions of the segments are placed proximate to points at which the auger contacts the containment member. 6. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the auger has an end and wherein a portion of the insert extends beyond the end. 7. The auger system of claim 1, further comprising: a first terminus of the auger located at a first end of the length of the auger; and a second terminus of the auger located at a second end of the length of the auger, wherein the insert has a length that is longer than the length of the auger, the insert comprising: a first insert end located at a first end of the insert, and a second insert end located at a second end of the insert, wherein the first insert end and the second insert end are fixed at the first terminus and the second terminus, respectively, and an entire length of the insert resides within the inner bore of the auger. 8. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the insert comprises a tube. 9. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the insert comprises a resilient material. 10. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the insert comprises silicon rubber. 11. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the auger comprises a wire form auger. 12. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the auger comprises an auger having spiral blades with a rectangular cross-section. 13. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the auger comprises a spiraled blade and wherein, during operation, portions of the insert are in contact with most of the spirals. 14. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the auger system comprises a portion of a system for transport of waste toner within a printing system. 15. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the insert has an outside dimension and the internal bore has an inside dimension and wherein the ratio between the outside dimension of the insert and the inside dimension of the bore is approximately 0.7 plus or minus 0.2. 16. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the insert has an outside dimension and the internal bore has an inside dimension and wherein the difference between the outside dimension of the insert and the inside dimension of the bore is about 3.5 millimeters plus or minus 1 millimeter. 17. The auger system of claim 1, wherein the insert is removable from the auger bore. 18. A process for dampening vibrational energy in an auger system, comprising: inserting an elongate insert along a length dimension of an auger through an internal bore in the auger, the length dimension extending in an axial dimension of the auger, a longer dimension of the insert extending along the length of the auger; placing the auger into a containment member; and making contact between the insert and the internal bore of the auger by compressing at least one end of the insert along the length dimension of the auger, wherein making the contact comprises: curving the insert in the length dimension of the auger relative to the auger, and keeping the insert in a curved shape relative to the auger. 19. The process of claim 18, further comprising compressing the insert along its length dimension in order to induce bending. 20. An electrostatographic printer having an auger system according to claim 1 for transporting waste toner. 21. An auger system, comprising: an auger having a length extending in a longitudinal dimension of the auger and, along at least a portion of the length, an internal bore that extends along the longitudinal dimension of the auger; an elongate insert placed through at least a portion of the internal bore, the insert extending along the longitudinal dimension of the auger, wherein at a cross section through the auger and the insert, a longitudinal axis of the insert is non-parallel with a longitudinal axis of the auger; and a containment member into which the auger is placed.