Low-profile electrophotographic copying machine

A low-profile electrophotographic copying machine comprising:

• an electrophotographic imaging belt;
• a charging station an exposure station;
• and a development station;
• a carrier medium supply and feed station;
• a folded optical projection station having a pair of spaced beams for directing a light image from a document to said electrophotographic belt;
• and a transfer station for applying the developed image to a carrier medium which is received from said supply thereof, spaced roller means for mounting and driving said electrophotographic belt and forming thereby a pair of closely proximate, horizontally oriented reaches of said belt, the lower reach defining said exposure station between its ends, said development station being disposed nested between said spaced beams and within said optical projection system, a copy platen for holding said document oriented to face said optical projection system with the upper reach of said electrophotographic belt spaced laterally from said copy platen and at generally about the same level thereof, said carrier medium supply and feed station being disposed above said electrophotographic imaging station likewise at about the same level as said copy platen and a housing for containing said electrophotographic imaging belt, said folded optical projection station, said developing station and said developing station being mounted partially nested within said folded optical projection station with said electrophotographic imaging station being located between and closely proximate to both said developing station and said carrier medium supply station.

A low-profile electrophotographic copying machine especially suitable for table top use comprising

• an electrophotographic imaging belt having an outwardly facing photoconductive coating and mounted for rotation in a parallel horizontal movement on at least a pair of spaced rollers, at least one of said rollers being driven and drive means for said one roller, the belt being formed in a general elongate oval and having upper and lower reaches,
• a charging station, including a corona generating device arranged adjacent the path of said belt for applying a charge potential thereto as the belt travels therepast and an exposure station located along said lower reach downstream of said charging station whereat a light image is projected onto said charged belt to form an electrostatic latent image on said lower reach,
• a horizontal copy platen arranged substantially parallel with and spaced laterally from said electrophotographic belt,
• a folded optical projection station including a projection system for projecting a light image of a document from the copy platen to said electrophotographic belt at said exposure station to form said electrostatic latent image on the lower reach of said belt,
• a development station located along the path of said belt downstream of said exposure station for developing said electrostatic latent image as the electrophotographic belt travels therepast,
• a carrier medium supply and feed station mounted above the upper reach of said electrophotographic belt whereby to dispense carrier medium to said belt subsequent to development of said electrostatic latent image thereon,
• an image transfer station, including means for transferring said developed image onto said carrier medium after receipt of said carrier medium from said supply and feed station and propelling said carrier medium having said transferred image toward the exterior of said machine and a housing including an upper portion, a lower portion and a pair of side portions defining a pair of opposite upper corner portions, said copy platen being located adjacent one upper corner portion and the carrier medium supply station being located adjacent the opposite upper corner portion, said optical projection system including a rigid basket-like support member having a pair of equally inclined but oppositely facing walls and a pair of mirrors secured to said inclined walls, each mirror being secured to a respective facing inclined wall surface, and said basket-like support member including an upstanding apertured partition and a lens system seated within said apertured partition in alignment with said mirrors for projecting an image from the copy platen to said electrophotographic belt onto the lower reach thereof, said development station being seated upon said partition within upper portion of said basket-like support member, and said electrophotographic belt being located between said development station and said carrier supply station, said development station including a toner cartridge in close proximity of one end of said lower reach of said electrophotographic belt and said charging station being disposed adjacent the opposite end of said lower reach of said electrophotographic belt, means seated on said partition for supporting said cartridge at said development station-, said cartridge having an open top along its length and a roller applicator disposed within said cartridge, and a conductive surface facing said photoconductive surface of said belt and defining a toning gap therebetween.

A low-profile electrophotographic copying machine especially suitable for table top use and comprising:

• an electrophotographic belt having an exterior photoconductive coating;
• a charging station;
• an exposure station;
• a development station;
• a carrier medium supply and feed station;
• a folded optical projection station having a pair of spaced mirrors for directing a light image from a document to said electrophotographic belt;
• a transfer station for applying the developed image to a carrier medium which is received from said supply thereof;
• means for mounting and driving said electrophotographic belt in an oval path and defining a pair of closely proximate, horizontally oriented belt reaches, the lower reach defining said exposure station between its ends, said development station disposed nested between said spaced mirrors and within said optical projection system, a copy platen for holding said document oriented to face said optical projection system, said reaches of said electrophotographic belt being spaced laterally from said copy platen and the upper reach thereof being generally at about the same level as said copy platen, said drive means for rotating said electrophotographic belt including a drive roller for guiding said belt through the developing station, said carrier medium supply and feed station disposed immediately above said upper reach of said electrophotographic belt likewise at about the same level as said copy platen.

A low-profile electrophotographic copying machine especially suitable for table top use comprising:

• an endless electrophotographic belt having an outwardly facing photoconductive surface and mounted for rotation in a parallel horizontal movement on at least a pair of spaced rollers and forming a generally elongate oval having a pair of substantially parallel horizontally oriented closely proximate upper and lower belt reaches, the lower belt reach being positioned to define an image plane, at least one of said rollers being driven and drive means for driving the said one roller,
• a charging station, including a corona generating device arranged adjacent the path of said belt for applying a charge potential to the belt and an exposure station located along said lower reach downstream of said charging station whereat a light image is projected onto said charged belt at the image plane to form an electrostatic latent image on said lower reach;
• a horizontal copy platen arranged substantially parallel with and spaced laterally from said electrophotographic belt generally at about the same level as said upper reach of said electrophotographic belt,
• a folded optical projection station including a projection system for projecting a light image of a document from the copy platen to said electrophotographic belt at said exposure station to form said electrostatic latent image on the lower reach of said belt at the image plane,
• a development station located along the path of the lower reach of said belt downstream of said exposure station for developing said electrostatic latent image as the electrophotographic belt travels therepast,
• a carrier medium supply and feed station, mounted above the upper reach of said electrophotographic belt whereby to dispense carrier medium to said belt subsequent to development of said electrostatic latent image on the belt,
• an image transfer station including means for transferring said developed image onto said carrier medium after receipt of said carrier medium from said supply and feed station and propelling said carrier medium having said transferred image toward the exterior of said machine, the upper reach of the electrophotographic belt being positioned proximate both said last mentioned two stations,
• a housing for containing said electrophotographic imaging system, said folded optical projection station, said developing station and said supply and feed station, said developing station being mounted partially nested within said folded optical projection station, said electrophotographic belt and spaced rollers being located between said developing station and said supply and feed station in close proximity thereto, said housing including an upper portion, a lower portion and a pair of side portions defining a pair of opposite upper corner portions, said copy platen being located adjacent one upper corner portion and the supply and feed station being located adjacent the opposite upper corner portion;
• said optical projection system including a rigid basket-like support member having a pair of equally inclined but oppositely facing walls and mirror means secured to a respective facing inclined wall surface, said basket-like support member including an upstanding apertured partition and a lens system seated fixedly within said apertured partition in alignment with said mirrors for projecting an image from the copy platen to the lower reach of said electrophotographic belt, said development station being located seated upon said partition within the upper portion of said basket-like support member,
• said development station including a toner cartridge in close proximity of said one end of the lower reach of said electrophotographic belt and said charging station being disposed adjacent the opposite end of the lower reach of said electrophotographic belt and said charging station being disposed adjacent the opposite end of the lower reach of said electrophotographic belt proximate the commencement of said lower reach.

A low-profile electrophotographic copying machine comprising:

• an electrophotographic imaging belt, a charging station;
• an exposure station;
• a development station;
• a carrier medium supply and feed station;
• a folded optical projection station having a pair of spaced mirrors for directing a light image from a document to said electrophotographic belt;
• a transfer station for applying the developed image to a carrier medium received from said supply and feed station;
• spaced roller means for mounting said electrophotographic belt forming a generally elongate oval having a pair of closely proximate, horizontally oriented generally parallel upper and lower belt reaches;
• said exposure station being located between ends of the lower reach of said belt;
• said development station disposed nested between said spaced mirrors and at least partially within said optical projection system;
• a copy platen for holding said document oriented to face said optical projection system with the upper reach of said electrophotographic belt being spaced laterally from said copy platen and at about the same level as said copy platen;
• drive means for rotating said spaced roller means through said stations along said reaches, said supply and feed station being disposed immediately above said upper reach of said electrophotographic imaging belt and spaced roller means likewise disposed at about the level of said copy platen;
• and a housing for containing said electrophotographic belt and spaced roller means, said folded optical projection station, said developing station mounted partially nested within said folded optical projection station and said electrophotographic belt and spaced roller means, located in close proximity to and between said developing station and said supply and feed station;
• said optical projection system having a rigid support member of basket-like configuration having a pair of oppositely outwardly inclined end walls, a floor and connecting walls and an upstanding partition integral with said floor and disposed between said end walls, a pair of planar mirrors disposed in facing relationship upon respective ones of said end walls and a lens arrangement secured to said partition whereby to project said document image from said copy platen to the downwardly facing lower belt reach at the exposure station.