Eastman-kodak Company

Lawrence A Hill

Ralph E Williams

Arthur S Kroll

Michael E Jacobs

Robert Seth Sherwin

Leon Richard Hale

Kelly Stephen Robinson

Kenneth A Arnold

Michael F Jacobs

Arthur S Knoll

Equipment for laminating webs has a pressure sensitive roller formed of a polymeric material layer resistant to wetting by molten polyethylene resin. A web transport surface for conveying the web during lamination is formed by the pressure sensitive layer and abutting solid, relatively thick polymeric material layers, preferably Teflon, which is secured against movement about the core and urged into substantial uniformity with the pressure sensitive layer by a locking ring assembly.

Lamination equipment

A roller for conveying web in a resin coating environment is formed by a core having solid polymeric material layers arranged on opposite end portions of a pressure sensitive layer. Means of securing the polymeric material layer to the core is provided to prevent the polymeric material from moving axially along the core. Hence, the polymeric material layer and pressure sensitive layer are arranged on the core to form a generally uniform rotatable web transport surface for conveying web exposed to molten polyethylene resin without the web transfer surface bearing the web being attacked and wetted with the coating material.

Roller for conveying web in a resin coating environment

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 is provided for use with an electrostatographic machine in which a toner monitor is automatically calibrated when a fresh development station is loaded into the machine. The detected toner concentration in the development station is used by the monitor as a reference signal against which future readings are compared. The reference signal is reset upon machine power-up correspond to the detected toner concentration in the development station, but only when there is a fresh development station in the machine. The development station provides for indicating when the reference signal has previously been set for the developer mix. The reference value would not be reset upon other than the first time the machine is powered up with a particular development station. The indicating means is preferably a frangible member such as an electrical fuse.

Replaceable developer station having indicator for determining whether

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

A development station for a low cost copier or printer has a housing having walls that divide the housing into two separate chambers. The first chamber contains a developer mix including carrier particles and toner. The second chamber holds a supply of toner particles. The second chamber holds a single supply of fresh toner particles that are periodically metered to the first chamber. The second chamber is fully enclosed and sealed so that the supply of toner in the second chamber cannot be replenished. A plate in the second chamber rests on top of the toner supply and urges the toner downwardly in the chamber as the toner supply is delivered to the first chamber. When the toner supply is exhausted, the plate blocks the passageway for toner from the second chamber to the first chamber. Thus, if an opening is formed in the top of the second chamber and a new supply of toner is provided to the chamber through the opening, the plate prevents delivery of the new toner supply to the first chamber. Therefore the plate prevents a new supply of toner that may be incompatible with the carrier particles in the second chamber from being used in the development station.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Lawrence A Hill