Eastman-kodak Company

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag

Other

Nexpress Solutions, Inc.

Paul Essic Thompson

Christopher Stephen Garcia

Kenneth M Patterson

Charles R Winterberger

Edward Michael Eck

Philip A Stern

James George Blum

Eric C Stelter

Joseph E Guth

Thomas K Hilbert

Kenneth Joseph Brown

Kurt E Jones

James Denny Anthony

Donald Steven Hensel

Gerald M Darby, Ii

Gary Edwin Nichols

Laverne N Lincoln, Jr

Blaise P Pelligra

Douglas D Fisher

Timothy W Reynolds

Gerard M Darby

Gerald Francis Barnes

Kenneth Michael Patterson

Blaise Philip Pelligra

John P Toepper

An apparatus and related method for a self-cleaning toner roller device adjacent a toner roller. The cleaning device having one or more shields to capture the toner debris from the toner roller, a toner debris receptacle to collect the toner debris, and a controller to move the applicator from an operational mode to a self-cleaning mode.

Self-cleaning electrophotographic toning roller system

A developer mixing apparatus, comprising: a housing including a chamber that holds developer; a first ribbon blender disposed within the chamber and elongate along a first longitudinal axis; and, a second ribbon blender disposed within the chamber and elongate along a second longitudinal axis, wherein the first and second ribbon blenders move developer in different directions.

Developer mixing apparatus having four ribbon blenders

The fuser roller and heater rollers of the fusing system can become contaminated with ink and other foreign material when pre-printed materials are run through them. The contamination can create regions of cold spots, which in turn results in poor fusing. Other image defects may result. According the various aspects of the invention, a heater roller cleaner, method and apparatus are provided for applying an array of differential pressure generating areas to a heater roller surface in a fuser assembly while rotating the heater roller surface.

Heater roller cleaner, method and apparatus for a fuser assembly

The invention relates to a toner replenisher and method for an electrographic imaging machine, including flow of toner through a toner replenisher and sealing between a toner replenisher and a toner bottle. According to the numerous aspects of the invention, a toner replenisher and method for an electrographic imaging machine are provided, including improved flow of toner through a toner replenisher and/or improved sealing between a toner replenisher and a toner bottle.

Toner replenisher and method for an electrographic imaging machine

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

A replenisher for facilitating flow of toner in an electrophotographic apparatus. The replenisher includes a sump for receiving the toner. An beater element having a plurality of blades is rotatably mounted within the sump wherein some of the blades impart a shear force and a normal force along the axis of rotation to the toner while others of the blades impart a shear force and a normal force towards or away from the axis of rotation to the toner as the beater is rotated through the toner. This effectively &ldquo;aerates&rdquo; the toner and keeps it mobile within the sump.

Mechanism for agitating the toner in the replenisher of an electrophotographic machine

The invention relates generally to development apparatus for mixing and applying developer material to a latent image on an image-bearing member in an electrostatographic reproduction machine, such as a copier or printer. More particularly, this invention relates to a blender of the type for mixing electrostatographic developer comprising a plurality of blender segments mounted on a shaft. A resilient spacer is provided, according to an aspect of the invention, wherein said resilient spacer and said plurality of blender segments are compressed between said pair of stops. Residual looseness due to tolerance stack-up is eliminated.

Electrostatographic blender assembly and method

An electrophotographic printer having an improved flexible drive chain cover located to protect the toning shell drive chain from contamination with toner dust. The electrophotographic printer may include a rigid drive chain cover located adjacent the flexible drive chain guard and locate so that the flexible drive chain guard and the rigid drive chain overlap.

Toning station drive chain cover assembly

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 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 shower curtain retainer assembly for retaining the bottom of a shower curtain against a shower enclosure wall is described. The assembly includes a first set of plastic disks, a second set of plastic disks and a set of magnetically responsive plates. A magnet is encased in each plastic disk. The magnetically responsive plates are attached to the inside wall of the shower enclosure that is adjacent to the bottom of the shower curtain. The first set of plastic disks are positioned on the front face of the shower curtain and are aligned with the positions of the magnetically responsive plates. The second set of plates are positioned on the back face of the curtain in juxtaposition with the first set of plastic disks. The first and second sets of plastic disks are held in place by magnetic attraction forces from the magnets encased in the disks. When the shower curtain is closed, the first set of plastic disks become magnetically attached to the magnetically responsive plates. Because the bottom of the shower curtain is interposed between the first and second sets of plastic disks, it becomes secured against the shower enclosure wall. A variation of the invention includes attaching the magnetically responsive plates to part of the top side of a shower mat which extends over the base and wall of the shower enclosure. The bottom side of the mat is secured by suction cups to the base and wall which also enhances user safety.

Shower curtain retainer assembly

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 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

An electrostatographic recording apparatus includes an endless recording member upon which toner images are recorded. A densitometer is provided for measuring density of a toned area on the recording member. The densitometer includes a light emitting and/or light sensitive component that is located in an internal space confined by the endless recording member. The densitometer further includes a slidable support upon which the component is mounted in facing relationship with and proximate to an internal facing portion of the recording member. A stationary mounting structure is attached to a film core upon which the film-like recording member is supported. The slidable support is received within the stationary mounting structure. An electrical circuit is electrically connected to the component and is mounted on a side of the slidable support that is opposite in facing direction to that of the component.

Growing community of inventors

Webster, NY, United States of America

Paul Essic Thompson