Eastman-kodak Company

Bruce J Rubin

William Yurich Fowlkes

Dennis R Kamp

Richard C Baughman

David J Ellingham

Peter G Evans

William B Vreeland

William Mey

Kevin E Yousey

Frank S Stepanik

Peter S Alexandrovich

Thomas K Hilbert

James Raymond Flick

Richard A Weitzel

Carl B Richenberg

Victor C Solomon

Robin A Dispenza

David M Melos

A process of dissolving solid waste material in packed beds comprises the addition to the packed bed of a solvent for the solid waste and a material which releases a gas on contact with the solvent which forms channels in the packed bed allowing more rapid access of the solvent to the bed.

Method of accelerating the dissolution rate of accumulated filter cake

Method and apparatus for producing a hardcopy reproduction of image information. A uniform layer of toner particles is applied to a surface. A receiver sheet with a thermoplastic outer layer is placed over the layer of toner particles, the thermoplastic layer contacting the layer of toner particles. An electrostatic attraction is established between the layer of toner particles and the receiver sheet. The thermoplastic layer is imagewise exposed to heat to selectively soften the thermoplastic layer, allowing the toner particles opposite the softened thermoplastic to migrate into the layer. The receiver sheet is then removed from the surface, taking with it the migrated particles in an imagewise pattern.

Method and apparatus for reproducing image information

A uniform layer of charged toner particles is deposited onto a photoconductive layer of an imaging member. The toner particles are imagewise heated to imagewise tack selected ones of the particles to the photoconductive layer. The photoconductive layer is uniformly exposed to actinic radiation to discharge the toner particles while the layer is subjected to a gentle cleaning process which removes the nontacked toner particles.

Method for producing images

Image forming apparatus includes a toner cleaning device for cleaning toner off an image surface. The cleaning device includes a cleaning applicator for moving magnetic particulate cleaning material past the surface to be cleaned. Particulate material is moved from a sump to the cleaning applicator by a transport positioned between them. A detoning roller is positioned to attract toner from particulate material associated with the transport. When the cleaning device is not cleaning, it has a mode of operation in which the transport and the detoning roller continue to operate to continue to detone particulate material which moves from the sump around the transport and back to the sump.

Image forming apparatus having toner cleaning device

A magnetic roller cleaning apparatus for removing residual toner particles from an image-bearing surface in a copier or printer includes a housing and a rotatable magnetic roller for moving a nap of a magnetic cleaning mix in the housing. The cleaning apparatus also includes a detoning roller for removing residual toner particles from the nap being moved by the magnetic roller. The cleaning apparatus further includes a magnetic member mounted externally on the housing and upstream of the detoning roller for mixing a top portion and a bottom portion of the nap on the magnetic roller prior to detoning.

Magnetic roller cleaning apparatus

The present invention is used in an image-recording apparatus wherein a substantially uniform layer of triboelectrically charged thermoplastic toner particles is deposited onto an imaging member. The toner particles are imagewise heated such that the heated toner particles are thermally tacked to the imaging member. The imaging member is then contacted with a mass of magnetic carrier particles to attract nonheated toner particles to the carrier particles, thereby removing nonheated toner particles from the imaging member and ladening the carrier particles with the removed toner particles. In accordance with the invention, upon using the carrier particles to attract and remove toner from the imaging member, the toner-laden carrier particles are mixed with a supply of carrier particles in which the average number of toner particles per carrier particle is lower than that of said toner-laden carrier particles. This produces a mixture of carrier particles in which the average amount of toner attracted to each carrier particle is substantially lower than that of the toner-laden carrier particles. This mixture is then subjected to a detoning step in which essentially all of the toner on each carrier particle is removed prior to the carrier particles being contacted to the imaging member again.

Recording apparatus with magnetic brush removal of non-tacked toner

A method and apparatus for producing an image on an imaging member. The apparatus includes a magnetic brush for depositing a substantially uniform layer of thermoplastic toner particles onto the imaging member. A laser scanner device is utilized to imagewise heat selected toner particles such that the selected toner particles are lightly tacked to the imaging member. The imaging member is contacted by a second magnetic brush, which includes a supply of magnetic carrier particles preferably having a coercivity of greater than about 100 oersteds, at least two times to remove nonselected toner particles from the imaging member. Alternatively, the imaging member may be contacted by two separate magnetic brushes at least one time to remove nonselected toner particles from the imaging member.

Method and apparatus for removing untacked toner from images

A development apparatus for developing images on an image-bearing surface being moved through a fixed path in a copier or printer includes a magnetic development brush that has a rotatable magnetic core generating a first magnetic field thereabout, and a non-magnetic shell which forms a development nip with the image-bearing surface. The non-magnetic shell is contoured within the development nip so as to follow the shape of the fixed path of the image-bearing surface through such nip. The development brush further includes nip extending shoulder sections, and magnet keepers for forming field magnets within the first magnetic field of the magnetic core. The magnet keepers each generate an auxiliary magnetic field for enhancing and increasing the strength of a resultant magnetic field at and about the shoulder sections thereby enabling the continued forming of a consistent and desirably thick developer material nap around the extended shoulder sections.

Development apparatus having an extended development nip

A transfer apparatus includes a transfer member, for example, a transfer drum with a line of small closely spaced laser drilled vacuum holes to hold a receiving sheet to the drum surface. The transfer drum is formed by forming a layer of at least intermediate conductivity material on the surface of a core, forming at least one vacuum opening in the core and laser drilling in the layer a line of closely spaced small holes communicating with the opening. In one embodiment, a short focal length lens focuses a laser beam near the surface of the layer, which beam spreads below the surface to form a conical hole. The conical hole helps maintain the continuity of a transfer field while being free from clogging.

Method of making transfer apparatus having vacuum holes

A development apparatus for developing latent images on an image-bearing surface includes a magnetic core generating a first magnetic field, a non-magnetic shell surrounding and spaced from the magnetic core, and a transport assist magnet mounted at a desired spot between the non-magnetic shell and the magnetic core. The transport assist magnet generates a second magnetic field at and about the desired spot thereby creating a magnetic field strength gradient thereabout for assisting the magnetic transportation of magnetic developer material over the surface of the non-magnetic shell.

Extended NIP development apparatus having a transport assist magnet

A transfer apparatus includes a transfer member, for example, a transfer drum with a line of small closely spaced laser drilled vacuum holes to hold a receiving sheet to the drum surface. To maintain the continuity of a transfer field but be free from clogging, the holes are narrow near the surface of the drum but wider as they extend deeper in the drum. Conical holes are drilled in the drum by a laser. In one embodiment, a short focal length lens focuses a laser bear near the surface of the drum which beam spreads below the surface to form a conical hole.

Transfer apparatus having vacuum holes and method of making such

A transfer member, for example, a transfer drum utilizes a vacuum applied through vacuum holes to the drum surface for holding a receiving sheet. A toner image is transferred to the sheet under the urging of an electric field. To prevent non-transfer over the vacuum holes, the holes are filled or covered with a conductive material that is sufficiently conductive to maintain the electric field over the holes and sufficiently porous to maintain the vacuum at the surface. For example, a polyurethane foam material can be used for the material in or over the vacuum holes.

Apparatus for transferring toner images to a receiving sheet

Apparatus for transferring a toner image to a receiving sheet includes a transfer member with vacuum holes. To enhance the continuity of the transfer electric field, a conductive screen is placed on top of the vacuum holes. According to a preferred embodiment, the screen is conductive across the path of the receiving sheet, but insulative parallel to such path.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Bruce J Rubin