Developer station with tapered auger system

Abstract

A developer station and method for an electrographic printer is provided that reduces developer agitation. The developer station includes a sump for holding a reservoir of magnetic developer comprising toner and carrier and a magnetic auger mounted above said sump and including a rotatable magnetic core surrounded by a substantially cylindrical rotatable toning shell rotatably mounted with respect to the core, said shell being adjacent to the photoconductor drum and defining a nip and a conveyance device for transporting developer in the developer station in a flow direction. The conveyance device has a tapered auger including a shaft and one or more blades such that the developer volume in the flow direction is controlled to maintain a uniform developer level in the sump as well as a conveyance controller for controlling the conveying device, including the tapered auger such that the tapered auger preferentially creates an uniform layer of developer on the toning shell.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.