LASERJET PRO 300 COLOR

LASERJET PRO 400 COLOR

Theory of Operation

M351
M451

HP LaserJet Pro 300 color M351 and HP

LaserJet Pro 400 color M451
Theory of Operations

Copyright and License

Trademark Credits

2011 Copyright Hewlett-Packard

Development Company, L.P.

Microsoft, Windows, Windows XP,

and Windows Vista are U.S. registered
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Reproduction, adaptation, or translation

without prior written permission is
prohibited, except as allowed under the
copyright laws.
The information contained herein is subject
to change without notice.
The only warranties for HP products and
services are set forth in the express warranty
statements accompanying such products and
services. Nothing herein should be
construed as constituting an additional
warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical
or editorial errors or omissions contained
herein.
Part number: CE955-90966
Edition 1, 12/2011

Conventions used in this guide

TIP:

Tips provide helpful hints or shortcuts.

NOTE:

Notes provide important information to explain a concept or to complete a task.

CAUTION: Cautions indicate procedures that you should follow to avoid losing data or damaging the
product.
WARNING! Warnings alert you to specific procedures that you should follow to avoid personal
injury, catastrophic loss of data, or extensive damage to the product.

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Conventions used in this guide

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Table of contents

Theory of operation ................................................................................................................................. 1

Basic operation ........................................................................................................................ 2
Major product systems ............................................................................................... 2
Product components .................................................................................................. 3
Sequence of operation ............................................................................................... 4
Formatter control ...................................................................................................................... 5
Sleep Delay .............................................................................................................. 5
Input/output ............................................................................................................. 5
USB .......................................................................................................... 5
10/100 networking ................................................................................... 6
USB hosts .................................................................................................. 6
Memory .................................................................................................... 6
Flash memory ............................................................................. 6
Random access memory ............................................................... 6
Nonvolatile memory .................................................................... 6
Memory Enhancement technology ................................................. 6
Wireless radio .......................................................................................................... 6
Dimm slot ................................................................................................................. 6
PJL overview ............................................................................................................. 7
PML ......................................................................................................................... 7
Control panel ........................................................................................................... 7
Engine control system ............................................................................................................... 8
DC controller ............................................................................................................ 9
Low-voltage power supply ........................................................................................ 10
High-voltage power supply ....................................................................................... 11
Laser/scanner system ............................................................................................................. 12
Laser failure detection .............................................................................................. 12
Image-formation system ........................................................................................................... 13
Image-formation process .......................................................................................... 13
Latent-image formation stage .................................................................................... 14
Step 1: primary charging .......................................................................... 14
Step 2: laser-beam exposure ..................................................................... 15
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Developing stage .................................................................................................... 15

Step 3: development ................................................................................. 15
Transfer stage ......................................................................................................... 16
Step 4: primary transfer ............................................................................ 16
Step 5: secondary transfer ......................................................................... 16
Step 6: separation from the drum ............................................................... 17
Fusing stage ........................................................................................................... 17
Step 7: fusing .......................................................................................... 17
ITB cleaning stage ................................................................................................... 18
Step 8: ITB cleaning ................................................................................. 18
Drum cleaning stage ................................................................................................ 19
Step 9: drum cleaning .............................................................................. 19
Developing roller engagement/disengagement control ................................. 19
Pickup-and-feed system ........................................................................................................... 20
Jam detection ......................................................................................................... 22

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List of tables

Table 1Sequence of operation ............................................................................................................... 4

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List of figures

Figure 1Product systems ........................................................................................................................ 2

Figure 2Product components ................................................................................................................. 3
Figure 3Engine control system components ............................................................................................. 8
Figure 4DC controller circuit diagram ..................................................................................................... 9
Figure 5Low-voltage power supply ....................................................................................................... 10
Figure 6High-voltage power supply ...................................................................................................... 11
Figure 7Laser/scanner system ............................................................................................................. 12
Figure 8Image-formation system ........................................................................................................... 13
Figure 9Image-formation process ......................................................................................................... 14
Figure 10Primary charging ................................................................................................................. 14
Figure 11Laser-beam exposure ............................................................................................................ 15
Figure 12Development ....................................................................................................................... 15
Figure 13Primary transfer ................................................................................................................... 16
Figure 14Secondary transfer ............................................................................................................... 16
Figure 15Separation from the drum ..................................................................................................... 17
Figure 16Fusing ................................................................................................................................ 17
Figure 17ITB cleaning ........................................................................................................................ 18
Figure 18Drum cleaning ..................................................................................................................... 19
Figure 19Pickup-and-feed system ......................................................................................................... 20

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Theory of operation

This chapter presents an overview of the major components of the product, and includes a detailed
discussion of the image-formation system.

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Basic operation

Formatter control

Engine control system

Laser/scanner system

Image-formation system

Pickup-and-feed system

Basic operation
Major product systems
The product includes the following systems:

Engine control system

Laser/scanner system

Image-formation system

Pickup-and-feed system

Figure 1 Product systems

LASER SCANNER SYSTEM

IMAGE-FORMATION SYSTEM
ENGINE CONTROL
SYSTEM
PICKUP-and-FEED SYSTEM

OPTION

Theory of operation

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Product components
Figure 2 Product components
1

17

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16

15

14

13

12

11

10

Item

Description

Item

Description

Fuser unit

10

MP-tray feed roller

Pressure roller

11

Prmary transfer pad

Fuser sleeve

12

Intermediate transfer belt (ITB)

Delivery roller

13

Cassette pickup roller

Cartridge

14

Cassette transfer roller

Laser/scanner

15

Registration roller

Photosensitive drum

16

Secondary transfer roller

MP-tray separation pad

17

Duplex feed roller (duplex models only)

MP-tray pickup roller

Basic operation

Sequence of operation
Table 1 Sequence of operation

Period

Duration

Purpose

Remarks

WAIT

From the time the power is

turned on, the door is closed,
or the Sleep mode is released
until the printer gets ready for
a print job

Brings the printer to printing

readiness

Detects the pressurization

status of the pressure roller,
presence of the cartridges,
and home position of the
development unit; cleans the
ITB; and completes any
required calibration (color
registration control and
image stability)

STBY (Standby period)

From the end of the WAIT or

LSTR period until either the
print command is received
from the formatter or the
power is turned off

Maintains the printer in

readiness for a print
command

The printer enters Sleep mode

when the formatter sends a
sleep command and performs
color registration and image
stability control when the
formatter sends those
commands

INTR (Initial rotation period)

From the time the print

command is received from the
formatter during STBY until
the temperature of the fuser
reaches the target
temperature

Prepares the photosensitive

drum for printing

Starts up each high-voltage

bias, laser/scanner unit, and
fuser unit

PRINT

From the end of INTR period

until the last media completes
the fusing operation

Forms the images on the

photosensitive drum and
transfers the toner image to
the print media

Performs color misregistration

control and image
stabilization at a specified
print interval

LSTR (Last rotation period)

From the end of the PRINT

period until the delivery motor
stops rotating

Moves the printed sheet out

of the printer and stops
operation of the laser/
scanner unit and high-voltage
biases

The printer enters the INTR

period when the formatter
sends another print
command.

Theory of operation

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Formatter control
The formatter is involved in the following procedures.

Controlling the Sleep Delay function

Receiving and processing print data from the various product inputs

Monitoring control-panel functions and relaying product status information (through the control
panel and the bidirectional input/output)

Developing and coordinating data placement and timing with the DC controller PCA

Storing font information

Communicating with the host computer through the bidirectional interface

The formatter receives a print job from the bidirectional interface and separates it into image
information and instructions that control the printing process. The dc controller PCA synchronizes the
image-formation system with the paper-input and -output systems, and then signals the formatter to send
the print-image data.
The formatter also provides the electrical interface and mounting locations for the memory DIMM and
the hard-disk (hard disk drive or solid state drive).

Sleep Delay
When the product is in Sleep Delay, the control-panel backlight is turned off, but the product retains all
product settings, downloaded fonts, and macros. The default setting is a 15-minute idle time. Sleep
Delay can be turned off from the System Setup menu on the control panel.
The product exits Sleep Delay and enters the warm-up cycle when any of the following occurs.

A print job, valid data, or a PML or PJL command is received at the serial port.

The control panel is touched.

A document is loaded in the document feeder or the scanner lid is opened.

A tray is opened.

The engine-test button is pressed.

TIP: Error messages override the Sleep Delay message. The product enters Sleep mode at the
appropriate time, but the error message continues to appear.

Input/output
The following sections discuss the input and output features of the product.

USB
The product includes a universal serial bus (USB) 2.0 connection.

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Formatter control

10/100 networking
This product includes a 10/100 network connection.

USB hosts
The product includes USB hosts for USB flash drive and wireless communication control.

Memory
If the product encounters a problem when managing available memory, a clearable warning message
appears on the control panel.
Flash memory
NOR: Stores microprocessor control programs and internal character sets (fonts).
NAND: Stores fax memory and driver installation software.
Random access memory
The formatter has one DIMM slot. All models come with 128 MB of memory installed. Additional
memory can be added up to a maximum of 256 MB.
Nonvolatile memory
The product uses nonvolatile memory (NVRAM) to store I/O and information about the print
environment configuration. The contents of NVRAM are retained when the product is turned off or
disconnected.
Memory Enhancement technology
The HP Memory Enhancement technology (MEt) effectively doubles the standard memory through a
variety of font- and data-compression methods.
NOTE:

The MEt is available only in PCL mode; it is not functional when printing in PS mode.

Wireless radio
Wireless products contain a wireless card to enable 802.11b/g wireless communication.

Dimm slot
The DIMM slot can be used to add product memory.

Theory of operation

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PJL overview
Printer job language (PJL) is an integral part of configuration, in addition to the standard printer
command language (PCL). With standard cabling, use PJL to perform a variety of functions.

Two-way communication with the host computer through a bidirectional parallel connection. The
product can send the host computer information about such things as the control panel settings,
and the control panel settings can be changed from the host through two-way communication.

Dynamic I/O switching. The product can be configured with a host on each I/O by using
dynamic I/O switching. Even when the product is offline, it can receive data from more than oneI/
O simultaneously, until the I/O buffer is full.

Context-sensitive switching. The product can automatically recognize the personality (PS or PCL) of
each job and configure itself in that personality.

Isolation of print environment settings from one print job to the next. For example, if a print job is
sent to the product in landscape mode, the subsequent print jobs are printed in landscape mode
only if they are formatted for it.

PML
The printer management language (PML) allows remote configuration and status monitoring through the
I/O ports.

Control panel
The formatter sends and receives product status and command data to and from the control panel.

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Formatter control

Engine control system

The engine control system coordinates all printer functions and drives the other four systems.
The engine control system contains the DC controller, high-voltage power-supply PCA, power-supply
PCA, and fuser power supply PCA.
Figure 3 Engine control system components
ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM
LASER SCANNER SYSTEM
DC controlle r
IMAGE-FORMA TION SYSTEM
Formatter
High-volt age power supply
PICKUP-and-FEED SYSTEM

Power supply unit

OPTION

Theory of operation

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DC controller
Figure 4 DC controller circuit diagram
Fuser unit

DC controlle r
Fan

M
AC input

Power supply
unit

Motor

Solenoid

CL

Clutch

Cartridge
High-volt age
power supply

Switch

ITB unit
Photointerrupter

Option

Sensor

Laser scanner
Formatter
Operation panel

Fan
Solenoid

CL

Clutch

(Duplex model only)

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Engine control system

Low-voltage power supply

Figure 5 Low-voltage power supply

Fuser

Fuser

10

Theory of operation

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High-voltage power supply

Figure 6 High-voltage power supply

BLD4

BLD3

BLD1

DEV4

DEV3

DEV2

DEV1

PRI

BLD2

Blade
high-voltage
generation circuit

Developing
high-voltage
generation circuit

Primary charging
high-voltage
generation circuit

Cartridge
Photosensitive drum
Primary transfer pad
ICLB
ICLR

ITB

ITB cleaning brush

high-voltage
generation circuit

ITB cleaning roller

high-voltage
generation circuit

Secondary transfer
high-voltage
generation circuit

TR1_4

TR1_23

TR1_23

Secondary
transfer roller

TR1_1

TR2

ITB cleaning unit

Primary transfer
high-voltage
generation circuit
High-voltage power supply

DC controller

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Engine control system

11

Laser/scanner system
The formatter sends video signals to the DC controller, which controls the laser/scanner. When the
laser/scanner system receives those signals, it converts them to latent images on the photosensitive
drum.
Figure 7 Laser/scanner system

BLD4

BLD3

BLD1

DEV4

DEV3

DEV2

DEV1

PRI

BLD2

Blade
high-voltage
generation circuit

Developing
high-voltage
generation circuit

Primary charging
high-voltage
generation circuit

Cartridge
Photosensitive drum
Primary transfer pad
ICLB
ICLR

ITB

ITB cleaning brush

high-voltage
generation circuit

ITB cleaning roller

high-voltage
generation circuit

Secondary transfer
high-voltage
generation circuit

TR1_4

TR1_23

TR1_23

Secondary
transfer roller

TR1_1

TR2

ITB cleaning unit

Primary transfer
high-voltage
generation circuit
High-voltage power supply

DC controller

Laser failure detection

The optical-unit failure-detection sensor manages the laser/scanner unit failure-detection functions. The
DC controller identifies the laser/scanner unit failure and notifies the formatter if the laser/scanner unit
encounters the following conditions:

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Scanner motor failure

BD failure

Theory of operation

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Image-formation system
The image-formation system forms a toner image on media. The product includes four print cartridges
that contain the toner. Toner is applied in the following order, using only the colors necessary for a
specific image: yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk).
Figure 8 Image-formation system

Fuser uni t
Laser scanner
Laser beam
Cartridge
Photosensitive drum

ITB cleaning unit

ITB
Secondary
transfer roller

Primary transfer pad

High-volt age power supply

DC controller

Image-formation process
Laser printing requires the interaction of several different technologies including electronics, optics, and
electrographics to provide a printed page. Each process functions independently and must be
coordinated with the other processes. Image formation consists of the following processes:

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Latent-image formation

Development

Transfer

Fuser

ITB cleaning

Drum cleaning

Image-formation system

13

These processes are divided into nine steps, which are shown in Figure 9 Image-formation process
on page 14 and described in the following sections.
Figure 9 Image-formation process
: Media path
: Direction of drum rotation
: Block

Delivery

: Step
Latent image formation
7. Fusing

2. Laser beam exposure

Fuser
1. Primary charging
3. Development
Development

Photosensitive drum cleaning

Transfer

9. Drum cleaning

6. Separation
4. Primary transfer
5. Secondary transfer
8. ITB cleaning
Registration

ITB cleaning

Pickup

Latent-image formation stage

During the three steps that comprise this stage, a latent image is formed by applying a negative charge
to the photosensitive drum. You cannot see this image on the drum.

Step 1: primary charging

A high-voltage DC bias is applied to the primary charging roller, which is made of conductive rubber
and is in contact with the drum surface. As the roller moves across the drum, it applies the negative
charge to that surface.
Figure 10 Primary charging
Primary charging roller

DC bias
Photosensitive drum

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Theory of operation

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Step 2: laser-beam exposure

The laser beam scans the photosensitive drum to neutralize the negative charge on portions of the drum
surface. An electrostatic latent image is formed where the negative charge is neutralized.
Figure 11 Laser-beam exposure
Laser beam

Unexposed area

Exposed area

Developing stage
The developing cylinder comes in contact with the photosensitive drum and deposits toner on the
electrostatic latent image.

Step 3: development
Toner acquires a negative charge as a result of the friction from the developing cylinder rotating
against the developing blade. When the negatively-charged toner comes in contact with the drum, it
adheres to the electrostatic latent image. When the toner is on the drum, the image becomes visible.
Figure 12 Development
Developing blade

Developing cylinder

DC negative bias
Unexposed area

Exposed area

Exposed area

Unexposed area

Photosensitive drum

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Image-formation system

15

Transfer stage
Step 4: primary transfer
The toner image on the photosensitive drum is transferred to the ITB. The DC positive bias is applied to
the primary transfer pad. The negatively charged toner transfers to the ITB from the drum surface.
Figure 13 Primary transfer

Photosensitive
drum

ITB
Primary transfer pad
DC bias

Step 5: secondary transfer

The toner image on the ITB is transferred to the print media. The DC positive bias is applied to the
secondary transfer roller. As the media passes between the secondary transfer roller and the ITB, the
toner image is transferred to the media.
Figure 14 Secondary transfer
Media

ITB

ITB drive roller

Secondary transfer roller

DC bias

16

Theory of operation

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Step 6: separation from the drum

The elasticity of the print media and the curvature of the ITB drive roller cause the media to separate
from the ITB.
Figure 15 Separation from the drum
Media
ITB

ITB drive roller

Secondary transfer roller

Fusing stage
Until the fusing stage is complete, the image is not permanently affixed to the print media. The toner
can be easily smudged until the heat and pressure of the fusing process fix the image to the sheet.

Step 7: fusing
The product uses an on-demand fixing method to fix the toner image onto the media. The toner image
is permanently affixed to the print media by the heat and pressure.
Figure 16 Fusing

Fuser film
Pressure roller

Fuser heater

Toner

Media

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Image-formation system

17

ITB cleaning stage

Step 8: ITB cleaning
The ITB cleaning roller and the cleaning brush are applied with the DC positive bias to charge the
residual toner positive. Because the primary transfer pad is also applied with the DC positive bias, the
positively-charged residual toner is reverse-transferred to the photosensitive drum from the ITB surface.
Figure 17 ITB cleaning
Positive potential waste toner

Cartridge

Negative potential waste toner

Photosensitive drum
Partition sheet

ITB cleaning roller

ITB cleaning brush

ITB
Sweeper strip
DC bias

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Theory of operation

DC bias

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Drum cleaning stage

Most of the toner is removed from the photosensitive drum during the transfer stage. During the
cleaning stage, the residual, or waste, toner is cleared from the drum surface to prepare the surface for
the next latent-image formation.

Step 9: drum cleaning

The cleaning blade scrapes the residual toner off the surface of the photosensitive drum and deposits it
in the waste-toner container. The drum is now clear, and is ready for the next image-formation process.
Figure 18 Drum cleaning
Sweeper strip

Cleaning blade

Photosensitive
drum

Developing roller engagement/disengagement control

The developing roller engagement/disengagement control engages the required developing roller with
the photosensitive drum according to the print modefull-color mode or monochrome mode.
The necessary developing roller is engaged with the photosensitive drum only when required,
preventing a deterioration of the drums and making maximum use of the life. The engagement/
disengagement of the developing roller is controlled by the DC controller rotating the main motor and
changing the direction of the developing disengagement cam. The DC controller controls the
developing roller state, whether engaged or disengaged, by counting the main motor rotation after it
detects the signal from the developing home-position sensor.
All four color developing rollers disengage from the photosensitive drums when the product is turned on
and when a print operation is completed. The color developing rollers engage with the photosensitive
drums when the full-color mode is designated. Only the black developing roller engages with the
photosensitive drum when the monochrome mode is designated.
The DC controller determines an abnormality of the developing roller engagement/disengagement
function and notifies the formatter when it does not sense the signal from the developing home-position
sensor for a specified period during the developing roller engagement/disengagement operation.

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Image-formation system

19

Pickup-and-feed system
The pickup-and-feed system picks up and feeds the print media. It consists of several types of rollers,
sensors, motors, solenoids, and clutches.
Figure 19 Pickup-and-feed system
SR15

SR8

SR10

ITB
SR4

SR7
SR14
SR12
SR1

SR13

Deliver y roller
Flapper

SL5
CL2

M1
M4

Pressure roller

Fuser sleeve

Secondary transfe r roller

ITB

MP tray pickup roller

Registration roller
Cassette pickup rolle r
SL2

MP tray sep aration pad

M3
M5

SL1

CL1

Cassette sep aration roller

Duplex model only

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Item

Description

Item

Description

SR1

Paper feeder preregistration

sensor

M1

Drum motor

SR4

Registration sensor

M3

Registration motor

SR7

MP tray preregistration sensor

M4

Fuser motor

SR8

Fuser delivery sensor

M5

Pickup motor

SR10

Loop sensor

SL1

MP tray pickup solenoid

SR12

Pre-registration sensor

SL2

Cassette pickup solenoid

Theory of operation

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Item

Description

Item

Description

SR13

Cassette media-present sensor

SL5

Duplex reverse solenoid (duplex models only)

SR14

MP tray media present sensor

CL1

MP tray feed clutch

SR15

Face-down bin media-full sensor

(output bin)

CL2

Duplex feed clutch (duplex models only)

Pickup-and-feed system

21

Jam detection
The product uses the following sensors to detect the presence of media and to check whether media is
being fed correctly or has jammed:

Cassette media-presence sensor

Top-of-page sensor

Loop sensor

Priority slot media-presence sensor

Priority slot top-of-page sensor

Fuser delivery sensor

The product detects the following jams:

22

Pickup delay jam

Pickup stationary jam

Delivery delay jam

Delivery stationary jam

Fixing wrapping jam

Residual media jam

Theory of operation

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 2011 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

www.hp.com

*CE955-90966*
*CE955-90966*
CE955-90966