Eastman-kodak Company

Arthur S Kroll

Frank A Shuster

Michael L DeCecca

Ralph E Williams

Lawrence A Hill

Arthur E Dunn

Jerry Eugene Livadas

Michael Wilfred Mosehauer

George P Kasper

Michael E Jacobs

Timothy Gilbert Armstrong

Garold F Fritz

James G Rydelek

Kelly Stephen Robinson

Richard A Weitzel

Allen Kass

Susan P Westbrook

Wunan Chang

David M Gaudino

John M Beres

Michael F Jacobs

David R Fairport

A development station for applying toner to an electrostatic image includes a rotatable magnetic core and a roughened sleeve on which developer moves to develop the image. The outside surface of the sleeve contains fine extrusion-formed serrations, which serrations provide a roughness for the outside surface contributing to movement of developer in response to rotation of the magnetic core.

Development station having a roughened toning shell

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

A toner monitor in an electrostatographic machine is automatically calibrated when a toner monitor is periodically caused to read a simulated nominal toner concentration. Any difference between the monitor's output and that expected for the simulated nominal toner concentration is applied to a compensation device. The simulated nominal toner concentration signal is obtained by periodic alignment of the toner monitor with a magnetically permeability member.

Developer mix monitoring for color developer stations

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.

Apparatus for positioning a development unit with respect to an image

A development station for developing electrostatic images includes a housing which has a vertically oriented separating wall which divides the housing into first and second chambers. In assembly both chambers are open at the top permitting ready loading of one chamber with a mixture of toner and carrier and the other chamber with substantially toner. The separating wall includes an opening at the bottom for passage of toner into the chamber containing the mixture. A toner applicator is located at the top of the chamber containing the mixture and a cover is permanently affixed across the tops of the chambers, totally sealing the chambers except for an opening in the cover opposite the toner-applicator. Because of the design of the station, especially the chambers which are open at the top for easy loading of toner and carrier, the station can economically be made disposable. A method for assembling the elements which make up the development station and for loading the toner and/or carrier in the various chambers is also described.

Disposable development station using two component developer and method

A replaceable development station usable for developing electrostatic images in an apparatus having a toner monitor and a channel for slidably receiving the development station includes a chamber containing a supply of a development mixture of toner and carrier particles. A recess is defined in one wall of the chamber for receiving the toner monitor, the recess being defined by a thinned region of the wall such that the toner monitor is separated from the developer mixture by a wall region substantially thinner than the general wall thickness.

Development station having toner monitor

A device for developing electrostatic images carried on a film belt in an apparatus receiving the developing device includes device location surfaces which seat on apparatus location surfaces in the apparatus to locate the device with respect to the apparatus. Film support surfaces on the device support the film belt a fixed spacing from a developer applicator. The film support surfaces are located within tight tolerances with respect to the surface of the applicator to provide accurate positioning of the applicator and film belt.

Device for developing electrostatic images on a film belt

A device for developing electrostatic images includes a toner supply chamber for holding a supply of dry toner and a feed member located generally at the bottom of the supply chamber. To break up agglomeration of toner in the supply chamber an agitator, for example an elongated polypropylene fiber brush, is placed on top of the feed member and is supported totally at its periphery by the feed member and associated walls of the supply chamber. As the feed member rotates, the agitator is rotated to maintain the toner in particulate form.

Device for developing electrostatic images

Disclosed is apparatus for scavenging charged particles (e.g. triboelectrically carrier particles) from an electrographic recording element. Such apparatus comprises a conductive grid positioned in close proximity to the path of the recording element, and biasing means for electrically biasing the grid so as to attract the charged particles from the recording element yet prevent them from depositing on, and thereby contaminating, the grid.

Biased scavenging grid for electrographic apparatus

Electrographic development is obtained by predeterminedly rotating an alternating pole core of a magnetic brush applicator, within a surrounding applicator shell, to supply developer, of the kind including small particle, hard-magnetic carrier and electrically insulative toner, to an electrostatic imaging member which moves past a development station with predetermined linear velocity. The shell can be stationary or rotate at a velocity significantly less than the image member velocity. The core is predeterminedly rotated so that (i) its fields effect a large portion of transport through the development zone and (ii) the developer moves co-currently with the imaging member and at a linear velocity generally equal to the imaging member velocity.

Electrographic development method, apparatus and system

An electrographic development apparatus comprises a magnetic brush applicator having cooling means for dissipating thermal energy from the developer as it is transported by the brush. Such cooling means preferably comprises means for passing a cooling fluid through the interior of the brush while in use. Alternatively, such cooling means comprises a hollow skive through which a cooling fluid is circulated.

Electrographic development apparatus

Contrast and/or density adjustment of developed electrographic images is effected in a development system comprising a hard magnetic carrier and a magnetic brush having a rotary core and shell. The adjustment is effected by cooperatively varying the core and shell rotation rates, within predetermined ranges, in a manner which maintains the operative developer linear velocity generally equal to, and co-current with, the velocity of an electrographic image member's movement through the development zone.

Electrographic apparatus, method and system employing image development

Improved electrographic development is obtained in the presence of a development electrode field by predeterminedly rotating both the core and shell of a magnetic brush applicator to supply developer, of the kind comprising small particle, hard-magnetic carrier and electrically insulative toner, to an electrostatic imaging member which moves past a development station with predetermined linear velocity. In one preferred embodiment the core and shell are predeterminedly rotated so that the shell moves through the development zone at a rate preventing toner that is plated-out on the shell from affecting image development and so that the developer moves co-currently with the imaging member at a generally equal linear velocity.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Arthur S Kroll