Xerographic developer unit with specialized exit port for developer material
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsAjay Kumar, Jonathan Sadik, Keith Nau, David Reed, Richard Kjar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a basic design of a developer unit for electrostatographic printing apparatus, an exit port is defined in the housing of the developer unit, for the passage of waste or surplus toner therethrough. An insert, defining a predetermined spillover barrier height and a predetermined exit angle, is associated with the exit port. Different types of inserts can be provided for operating the basic design of developer unit at different print output speeds, or with different compositions of developer material.
Claims20
An electrostatographic printing apparatus, comprising:
- a developer housing, for retaining a quantity of developer material;
- an exit port defined in the developer housing for passage of developer material out of the developer housing;
- and
- an insert associated with the exit port, the insert defining at least one of a predetermined barrier height and a predetermined exit surface angle for developer material passing through the exit port.
A method of providing a first printing apparatus and a second printing apparatus, the first printing apparatus having a first developer unit and the second printing apparatus having a second developer unit, the first developer unit and the second developer unit having a substantially similar design and each defining an exit port for passage of developer material therefrom, comprising:
- installing in the first developer unit an insert of a first type, the insert of the first type defining at least one of a first predetermined barrier height and a first predetermined exit surface angle for developer material passing through the exit port thereof;
- and
- installing in the second developer unit an insert of a second type, the insert of the second type defining at least one of a second predetermined barrier height and a second predetermined exit surface angle for developer material passing through the exit port thereof.
An insert suitable for associating with an exit port defined in a developer unit of an electrostatographic printer, the insert defining at least one of a predetermined barrier height and a predetermined exit surface angle for developer material passing through the exit port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.