Eastman-kodak Company

Clyde M Creveling

Francisco Luiz Ziegelmuller

Carl R Bothner

Timothy Gilbert Armstrong

Richard A Weitzel

David L Thompson

Victor C Solomon

Donald G McKeown

Thomas E Reding

Carla A Rauschenplat

Lynn W Arnold

Leon A Baltrus

In an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus employing at least one corona charger having an elongated shell and at least one corona wire running in the longitudinal direction within the walls of the charger shell, a device for collecting contamination products and harmful gasses from the corona charger. The collection device comprises a duct located within the shell of the charger closely adjacent to the walls thereof, the duct defining a series of ports spaced along the duct in the longitudinal direction of the charger shell. A flow of air into the duct is provided to directly collect harmful gasses produced by the corona charger and collect contamination products from the environment within the reproduction apparatus without allowing such contamination products to contact and contaminate the corona wire or shell.

Device for collecting contamination products and ozone from a corona

For use in an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus, a roller transfer assembly of compact configuration for effecting transfer of a pigmented marking particle image from a dielectric support to a receiver member. The roller transfer assembly comprises an electrically biased transfer roller, a mechanism for cleaning the transfer roller, and a detack mechanism for facilitating release of the receiver member from the dielectric support. A unitary housing is provided for supporting the transfer roller for free rotation about its longitudinal axis, supporting the cleaning mechanism in operative association with the transfer roller, and for supporting the detack mechanism. The unitary housing is supported for movement to a first position in operative association with the dielectric support and a second inoperative position remote from the dielectric support, and a mechanism is provided for selectively moving the unitary housing to the first position or to the second position.

Roller transfer assembly

Office machines, such as electrostatographic reproducing machines, laser printers, and facsimile machines, utilize corona discharge devices, which generate ozone. Some electrostatographic reproducing machines include a film belt arranged in a look having a plurality of such ozone generating corona discharge devices positioned therearound. In order to remove ozone from these machines at the locations where such ozone is generated, an ozone collection system is provided in which each corona device has a hood in proximity therewith connected by a hose to a manifold. The manifold is, in turn, connected by a hose to an ozone-removing canister which includes an air suction pump, a plenum, and an annular filter of activated carbon. The suction pump pulls airstreams into the hoods, which airstreams entrain ozone from proximate each corona device. The velocity of the air entraining the ozone is reduced in the plenum of the canister so that the air diffuses through the filter at a rate slow enough for the filter to be effective in removing the ozone therefrom.

Ozone removal system

Scavenging apparatus for removing substantially all unwanted particles from the image and non-image areas of an electrostatographic imaging member without appreciable adverse effects on the desired image remaining thereon, includes an alternating pole magnetic roller for rotatably creating a fast changing magnetic field, a stationary ac biased shell for enclosing the magnetic roller and for creating a low, but fast changing electrostatic field, and a low vacuum system. This apparatus combines the effects of such magnetic and electrostatic fields with those of the low vacuum system to gently loosen and effectively remove unwanted particles from the imaging member, without resort to relatively strong electrostatic field and vacuum values that are likely to adversely affect the desired loose toner image still on the imaging member.

Scavenging apparatus

The inner diameter of a single and compact external dusthood that houses the fiber brush of a brush-vacuum cleaning apparatus, is made to be substantially less than the average outer diameter of such fiber brush, thereby creating a substantial interference fit of the brush with the inside of such an external dusthood. The substantial interference contact between the brush and the inside of the external dusthood is such that any open or free air passage ways or air pockets between the brush and the external dusthood are eliminated, and such that toner particles removed by the brush from an image bearing surface are immediately entrained and carried (through the external dusthood) against the inside wall of such external dusthood, thereby preventing such particles from ever becoming airborne, or building up anywhere within the external dusthood.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Clyde M Creveling