Photocopying apparatus with magnetic brush developer and sheet guide

Abstract

Photocopying apparatus includes a magnetic brush for applying toner to a copy sheet having a photoconductive coating. The apparatus also includes an illuminating station for receiving a document having an image thereon, a lens system for projecting the illuminated document image, a corona charger unit for placing a uniform electrostatic charge on the photoconductive coating of the copy sheet and an imaging station for simultaneously receiving the projected document image and the uniformly electrostatically charged copy sheet. The imaging station includes a conductive ground plate effective to allow discharge of selected areas on the copy sheet when struck by the projected image to form a latent electrostatic image in accordance with the document image. The magnetic brush places a uniform layer of magnetically and electrically responsive particulate toner material in contact with a surface moved past a magnetic brush peripheral surface. A copy sheet feed mechanism, that defines a generally C-shaped path to permit the compact design of this photocopying apparatus, feeds the copy sheet from a supply with the conductive coating facing downwardly, sequentially to the corona charger unit, the imaging station, and then under the magnetic brush with the copy sheet photoconductive coating facing upwardly so that toner carried on the bottom peripheral surface of the magnetic brush assembly is deposited on the upwardly facing charged areas of the copy sheet.