Eastman-kodak Company

Arthur E Dunn

Michael L DeCecca

Arthur S Kroll

James G Rydelek

Jerry Eugene Livadas

David M Gaudino

Michael E Jacobs

David R McDougal

Michael E Baister

David R Fairport

A toner container has three chambers for holding three different color toners. The container is receivable by a receiving structure having a pair of opposing slots for receiving flanges on the base of the toner container. The receiving mechanism is part of a development device which includes a movable carriage for moving a plurality of development units into alignment with a development position. A portion, for example, an applicator of each development unit is movable with respect to the rest of the unit into toning relation with an image member at the development position.

Color image forming apparatus and toner container

Image forming apparatus includes a developing device for developing electrostatic images with dry toner. The developing device has more than one developing unit supported on a carriage for movement through a development position. A unitary sump component defines the sump for each unit and includes a mixing device in each sump. The sump component is removable for replacement of developer. The sump component includes a shaft extending from the component which is engageable by a drive in the developing device.

Image forming apparatus having a sump component for multiple developing

Image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive drum cartridge which has an opening through which toner is applied to an electrostatic image formed on the photoconductive drum. To provide more than one color, a development device includes four toning units which are indexible into alignment with the toning opening in the cartridge. Each toning unit includes an applicator assembly at the top of the unit which is movable with respect to the rest of the unit toward the toning opening. A resilient lift mechanism engages a pair of ledges at opposite ends of the applicator assembly and is actuatable to move the applicator assembly toward the toning opening. A sensor senses arrival of each toning unit in a position aligned with the toning opening. A logic and control in response to a signal from the sensor rotates a cam member which is resiliently coupled to the pins for moving the applicator assembly. The applicator assembly includes three positioning protrusions that seat on flat surfaces adjacent ends of the opening in the cartridge.

Image forming apparatus including indexible toning units

A series of electrostatic images carried by a drum or similar image member are toned with different colored toners by a movable developing device. The developing device moves a series of developing units to a position aligned with the drum. An applicator is an aligned unit is moved relative to the rest of the unit toward the drum to operatively position the unit for developing each electrostatic image.

Method and apparatus for applying toner to an electrostatic image

An applicator of a developing portion of an image-forming apparatus is permanently located with respect to an image member. A plurality of developing units are separately positionable with respect to said applicator for supplying developer to the applicator. Each of said development units can contain toner of different colors. The applicator and image member can be part of a cartridge which is separately loadable into the image-forming apparatus.

Apparatus for applying toner to an electrostatic image

An applicator for a development unit is precisely positioned with respect to an image member, such as a photoconductive drum. A pair of pins are fixed with respect to the image member and fit in a pair of holes that are fixed with respect to the applicator. A roller on each of opposite ends of the applicator engages a surface of the image member to properly space the applicator and image member, while the pins and holes control relative lateral and rotational movement.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Arthur E Dunn