Eastman-kodak Company

Other

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag

Nexpress Solutions, Inc.

Christopher Stephen Garcia

Paul Essic Thompson

Scott H Schwallie

Ronald R Holland

Donald Steven Hensel

Gary Edwin Nichols

Thomas K Hilbert

Timothy Gilbert Armstrong

Kenneth M Patterson

Charles R Winterberger

D Steven Kepner

James R Carey

Jerry Eugene Livadas

Michael E Jacobs

W Charles Kasiske

Scott Thomas Slattery

Thomas Samuel Albrecht

Patricia D Reuschle

Daniel Francis Vespone

Cathlyn Y Yu

Pamala J O'Brien

Matthias Hermann Regelsberger

Timothy John Young

Kenneth Joseph Brown

John R Thompson

David E Hockey

Richard George Allen

Philip A Stern

Donald Calvin Buch

James A Zimmer, Jr

Thomas S Albrecht

Thomas W Gray

Charles W Spehrley

Jeffrey R Ulreich

Blaise P Pelligra

James George Blum

Michelle Wise

Michelle Dawn Wise

Brian L Mayou

Kenneth Michael Patterson

Thomas Kurt Hilbert

Blaise Philip Pelligra

A paper transport system for transporting a web in a printing system includes a stationary bar positioned such that the web slides over a portion of an exterior surface of the bar, a rotatable source roller for supplying unused cover material, and a rotatable take-up roller for receiving used cover material. Cover material extends between the source roller and the take-up roller and is disposed over the portion of the exterior surface of the bar that the web slides over. A locking mechanism can be used to maintain tension in the cover material.

Replaceable cover for bars in a printing system

Apparatus for precisely positioning one or more of the work stations of a document printer/copier relative to an internal drum, including a first member, attached to either a work station or the internal drum, having two sections, each section having a reference surface forming an angle therebetween, an actuator for changing the included angle between the first reference surface and second reference surface, thus enabling the included angle to be increased or decreased, and a second member having a reference surface that mates with the pair of reference surfaces, associated with the other of the work station or the internal drum, so as to accurately adjust the work station relative to the internal drum dependent upon the included angle of the first reference surface and second reference surface.

Apparatus for precisely adjusting the position of work stations in a document printer/copier

An improved electrophotographic toning station for use in an electrophotographic printer includes a unitary bearing cap and tension sprocket assembly that allows for the use an intermediate drive chain to drive a primary drive sprocket that drives the toning shell at high speed, through a primary drive chain. A unitary bearing cap and tension sprocket assembly that allows the tension sprocket assembly to be properly located relative to the intermediate and primary drive sprockets, such that the components of the toning station may be adjusted relative to each other without interference from the tension sprocket assembly.

Toning station intermediate bearing cap and tension assembly

The invention relates generally to apparatus for electrostatic image development and, in particular, apparatus that implement a magnetic brush with a drum photoconductor. According to an aspect of the invention, a method and apparatus for developing an electrostatic image are provided implementing a drum photoconductor and a magnetic brush contacting the drum photoconductor. The magnetic brush includes a mixture of toner and hard magnetic carriers.

Electrostatic image developing method and apparatus using a drum photoconductor and hard magnetic carriers

A magnetic brush development station with a housing forming a reservoir for developer material has a plurality of augers located in the housing for mixing developer material. A drive for the plurality of augers includes an assembly having a body extending through the development station housing. A plurality of bearings are positioned in the body with a spacer between the plurality of bearings. A rotatable shaft is connected between the plurality of augers and an auger drive member. A seal for the rotatable shaft has a lip formed of a material which is able to stretch sufficiently to maintain sealing contact with the shaft while the shaft is being rotated by the auger drive member.

Development station for a reproduction apparatus

A seal for a rotary shaft extending from a container containing agitated abrasive particulates through a wall of the container. The seal includes a first polymeric member around the shaft and in engagement with the wall of the container with the shaft rotating inside the first member. The first member is in engagement with a second polymeric member positioned around the shaft for rotation with the shaft and relative to the first member. A third compressible member is positioned around the shaft for rotation with the shaft and the second member. A retaining ring maintains the first, second and third members in compression between the retaining ring and the wall.

Shaft seal

A magnetic brush development station for a reproduction apparatus. The magnetic brush development station includes a housing forming, at least in part, a reservoir for developer material. The reservoir has a pressure equalization seal. A mechanism is associated with the housing for readily moving the housing relative to the reproduction apparatus. Another mechanism selectively readily replenishes and/or empties at least one component of developer material with respect to the reservoir. A plurality of augers are located in the housing for mixing developer material within the reservoir. A drive for the augers, extending through the housing, has a seal therefor. A development roller, mounted within the housing, delivers developer material from the reservoir to a development zone. The development roller includes a core magnet inside a shell such that the core magnet and the shell having relative rotation. The core magnet extends less than the entire length of the development roller such that the developer nap on the shell does not extend to the end of the development roller. A metering skive, extending the length of the development roller, controls the quantity of developer material delivered from the reservoir portion of the housing to the development zone. The metering skive is positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the development roller at a location upstream in the direction of shell rotation prior to the development zone. Further, a magnetic seal is located in association with the skive at each end of the development roller. The magnetic field of the magnetic seal is sufficient to substantially prevent leakage of developer material from the ends of the development roller.

A seal assembly for preventing developer material from damaging the drive shaft bearing in an electrographic reproduction apparatus development station. The development station has a housing defining internal chambers for particulate developer material, a rotatable mixer located in a developer material reservoir chamber within the housing, a developer device for applying developer material to an electrostatic image to be developed, a rotatable transporting mechanism for moving developer material from the reservoir chamber to the developer device, and at least one drive shaft, carried in a bearing supported by the development station housing, for rotating the rotatable mixer, the rotatable transporting mechanism, and the developer device. The seal assembly includes a plurality of seal members associated with the drive shaft and extending progressively outwardly, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft, from the developer material housing chambers of the development station toward the bearing. At least one of the seal members rotates with the drive shaft while adjacent seal members remain stationary.

Seal assembly for electrographic reproduction apparatus development station

A mechanism for adjusting the location of a rotatable mixer and rotatable transport mechanism within the development station housing of an electrographic reproduction apparatus development station. The development station includes a housing, a rotatable mixer assembly located in a developer material reservoir within the housing, a developer device for applying developer material to an electrostatic image to be developed, a rotatable transport mechanism for moving developer material from the reservoir to the developer device, and a drive mechanism for rotating the rotatable mixer, the rotatable transport mechanism, and the developer device. The adjustment mechanism describes a first locating device for adjustably positioning the drive mechanism relative to the reservoir of the development station housing, and a second locating device for adjustably positioning the rotatable mixer and the rotatable transport mechanism relative to the development station housing. The second locating device includes a spacer member for maintaining a predetermined fixed distance between the rotatable mixer and the rotatable transport mechanism.

Adjustment mechanism for development station elements

An apparatus and method for replenishing toner and collecting used toner in an electrostatographic machine. The apparatus includes a replenishment hopper having a supply of fresh toner. A development device feeds toner onto a recording member having an electrostatic image to be developed. A feeding device feeds fresh toner to the development device from a replenishment bottle. A replenishment motor drives the feeding device to feed fresh toner to the development device. A collection container or bottle collects used toner removed from a recording member. A controller tracks a first accumulated motor operating on-time and is programmed to compare the operating on-time with a first pre-programmed value for determining when the collection container is to be emptied or to be replaced or that the machine is to be cycled down. The controller also tracks a second accumulated motor operating on-time for determining when the replenishment bottle is to be replaced.

Toner replenishment and collection apparatus and method

An adjustment mechanism for setting up spacing of a development station for a reproduction apparatus within a desired tolerance range such that marking particles from the development station properly develop electrostatic images. The adjustment mechanism includes a datum member and a cam having a locating post for the development station extending from the cam. The datum member includes, for example, a bracket in the reproduction apparatus, and at least one pin attached to the bracket. The cam is adjustably associated with the datum member so as to selectively position the locating post a predetermined distance from the datum member. The adjustable cam includes, for example, a member defining a plurality of spaced openings, the openings capable of receiving the at least one pin of the datum member so as to position the locating post dependent upon which opening the at least one pin is received within. Accordingly, location of the development station relative to the datum member may be set within a desired tolerance range.

Adjustment setup mechanism for support rails of a development station

A receptacle for particulate matter to be supplied to an apparatus. The receptacle includes a container, adapted to store particulate matter. The container has an opening defined therein. A substantially rigid, relatively nondeformable flange has a portion permanently connected to the container within the defined opening so as to facilitate placement and removal of the receptacle with the apparatus.

Receptacle for particulate matter

A receptacle for particulate matter to be supplied to a reproduction apparatus. The receptacle includes a container, adapted to store particulate matter, has an opening defined therein. A flange is located about the defined opening so as to facilitate placement and removal of the receptacle with the reproduction apparatus. A breathable seal member is provided having a body portion and a readily accessible end portion. The body portion is bonded to the flange for covering the defined opening. The bond is particularly formed in a pattern of repeating minimum and maximum distances from the defined opening to reduce the forces required to break the bond and remove the breathable seal from the flange.

Slide cover breathable seal for a marking particle receptacle

A receptacle for particulate matter to be supplied to a reproduction apparatus. The receptacle includes a container adapted to store particulate matter. The container has an opening defined therein, and a flange located about the defined opening so as to facilitate placement and removal of the receptacle with the reproduction apparatus. A slide cover is supported by the flange for selective movement to a first position covering the defined opening and a second position uncovering the defined opening. The slide cover is releasably secured to the container in an out of the way location when the slide cover is in the second position.

Slide cover for marking particle receptacle

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Christopher Stephen Garcia