Eastman-kodak Company

David J Ellingham

Bruce J Rubin

William Yurich Fowlkes

Richard C Baughman

Frank S Stepanik

Peter S Alexandrovich

William B Vreeland

Marcus Stephen Bermel

Robert I Edelman

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

A transfer member, for example, a transfer drum utilizes a vacuum applied through vacuum openings to the drum surface for holding a receiving sheet. A toner image is transferred to the sheet under the urging of an electric field. The vacuum openings are made small enough to prevent a visible artifact caused by nontransfer of toner in the vicinity of the opening but large enough to still maintain a vacuum contributing to the holding force of the sheet. According to a preferred embodiment, larger vacuum holes are formed in the drum and a conductive insert defining or helping define small vacuum openings is inserted in each vacuum hole. The insert maintains the continuity of the electric field in the hole region, but its geometry provides the small openings to maintain the vacuum. The invention is particularly useful in apparatus in which more than one color toner image is transferred in registry to the receiving sheet.

Transfer apparatus having a transfer member with vacuum means

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 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.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

David J Ellingham