Cross process vibrational mode suppression in high frequency vibratory

Abstract

An electrophotographic device having an imaging member with a charge retentive surface, driven along an endless path through a series of processing stations that create a latent image on the charge retentive surface, develop the image with toner, and bring a sheet of paper or other transfer member into intimate contact with the charge retentive surface at a transfer station for electrostatic transfer of toner from the charge retentive surface to the sheet. For the enhancement of toner release from a surface at any of the processing stations, a resonator suitable for generating vibratory energy is arranged in line contact with the back side of the non-rigid member, to uniformly apply vibratory energy thereto. The resonator includes a vibrational energy producing device; a horn member for transmitting vibrational energy, divided into a plurality of horn elements, each horn element including a horn portion and a contacting portion in substantially non-contacting relationship with a horn portion and a contacting portion or any adjacent horn elements, each horn vibrating when driven by the vibratory energy producing piezoelectric device, in an axial mode toner releasing vibration, and a transverse mode causing non-uniform response among the horn elements; and an energy dissipating media inserted into the inter element gaps for substantially damping the transverse mode vibration, while substantially allowing the axial mode vibration.