US 4,063,533 A · Multiple brush developer applying apparatus with a toner diverter blade

Abstract

Magnetically attractable toner carrying materials are transported into contact with latent electrostatic images on the photoconductor surface of a drum by multiple magnetic roll brush elements. One brush extracts toner material from a source and transports it through a zone including contact of the toner carrying materials with one area of the latent image drum surface. The first brush acts as a conveyor and a diverter blade or bar is arranged to redirect at least a portion of the magnetic toner carrying materials onto the second brush. The second brush transports the diverted materials into contact with the latent image drum surface at yet another area thereof. The diverter bar or blade is positionable so as to control the quantity of materials diverted or transferred between the brush rolls.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Apparatus for applying magnetically attractable toner carrying materials from a supply source to an area of a member containing a latent image requiring development comprising:

a first magnetic brush having a movable element cooperative with a first magnet configuration for magnetically extracting and retaining toner carrying material from the supply source onto a surface of said element and for transporting said extracted material into intimate contact with a first portion of the latent image area;
a second magnetic brush mounted adjacent said first brush and having a movable element cooperative with a second magnet configuration for magnetically retaining toner carrying material on a surface of said element and for delivering said retained materials into intimate contact with a second portion of the latent image area;
means positioned between said first and second brushes for diverting a portion of the toner carrying materials from said first brush element surface to said second brush element surface for transport thereby to the second latent image area portion;
and
means selectably adjusting said diverting means for controlling the quantity of tone carrying materials transferred from said first brush to said second brush.

2 more elements

In an apparatus for developing latent electrostatic images present on the circumferential photoconductor surface of a rotating drum by using magnetically attractable toner carrying materials introduced into a sump, an improvement comprising:

first and second magnetic brush assemblies each including a magnetically transparent cylinder rotatably mounted in surrounding relation to an elongated magnet configuration;
said first magnetic brush assembly being mounted for causing the external surface of said first cylinder to pass through the sump and in spaced proximity to the photoconductor surface, said first brush assembly magnet configuration producing a magnetic field through said first cylinder through a zone coextensive with movement of said first cylinder from the sump to at least the point of proximity to the photoconductor surface for transporting the toner carrying materials into intimate contact with the photoconductor surface at least at said point of photoconductor proximity;
said second magnetic brush assembly being mounted in parallel spaced relation to both said first brush assembly and the drum photoconductor surface, said second brush assembly magnet configuration producing a magnetic field through said second cylinder through a zone coextensive with movement of said second cylinder from a point in proximity to said first brush assembly to a point beyond the photoconductor surface with said second brush assembly zone including an intermediate point in spaced proximity to the photoconductor surface for transporting the toner carrying materials into intimate contact with the photoconductor surface at least at said intermediate point;
an elongated plate positioned in parallel relation between said brush assemblies for diverting at least a portion of the toner materials from said first brush assembly cylinder onto the initial portion of said zone on said second brush assembly cylinder;
and
means adjustably positioning said elongated plate for controlling the quantity of toner carrying materials diverted from said first cylinder to said second cylinder.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multiple brush developer applying apparatus with a toner diverter blade

Life of this patent

Multiple brush developer applying apparatus with a toner diverter blade

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10