The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 24, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 04, 1997
Gene F Day, Hillsborough, CA (US);
Arthur E Bliss, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Phoenix Precision Graphics, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A continuous purification method for removing neutral, as well as ionic, contaminants from liquid toner in an electrostatic printing system is disclosed. This method involves circulating liquid toner from a toner supply tank through a common volume which includes the toning applicator. The liquid toner is introduced to solid and ionic contaminants in the common volume and as the toner is circulated back to the toner supply tank for each toning pass, some contaminants and toner are left in the common volume. Next a wash fluid from a wash fluid supply tank is circulated through the common volume after each toning pass, the wash fluid mixing with the toner and the contaminants. This mixture is then passed through an electrophoretic purifier to remove the contaminants. Then the mixture passes through a porous particulate filter to remove any remaining contaminants before it returns back to the wash fluid supply tank.