Electrophotographic device having a.c. biased cleaning member

In an electrostatographic device having a charge retentive surface for development of latent images formed thereon with toner, a transfer station for transferring developed latent images to another surface, and means of cleaning residual toner remaining after transfer of the developed latent images from said charge retentive surface, said cleaning means comprising:

• a conductive cleaning blade;
• said cleaning blade having an cleaning edge supported adjacent to the charge retentive surface;
• an A.C. power supply, electrically connected to said cleaning blade, and driving said cleaning blade to a corona producing condition at said cleaning edge, whereby residual toner, remaining after transfer of the developed latent images from said charge retentive surface, is released from said charge retentive surface as it approaches said cleaning blade to form a toner cloud;
• and
• means for directing an airflow past said cleaning blade for the collection and transport of clouding toner to a sump.

In an electrostatographic device having a charge retentive surface for development of latent images formed thereon with toner, a transfer station for transferring developed latent images to another surface, and means of cleaning residual toner remaining after transfer of the developed latent images from said charge retentive surface, said cleaning means comprising:

• a conductive cleaning blade;
• said cleaning blade having an cleaning edge supported adjacent to the charge retentive surface;
• an A.C. power supply, electrically connected to said cleaning blade, and driving said cleaning blade to a corona producing condition at said cleaning edge, whereby residual toner, remaining after transfer of the developed latent images from said charge retentive surface, is released from said charge retentive surface as it approaches said cleaning blade to form a toner cloud;
• and
• a biased toner collecting surface for collecting clouding toner from the area adjacent to said cleaning blade, said toner collecting surface movable to a toner releasing position where toner is removed from said toner collecting surface.

In an electrostatographic device utilizing a charge retentive surface for development of latent images formed thereon with toner, and an arrangement for transferring developed latent images to another surface, and means of cleaning residual toner remaining after transfer on said charge retentive surface, said cleaning means comprising:

• a conductive cleaning blade;
• said cleaning blade having a cleaning edge supported adjacent to the charge retentive surface;
• an A.C. power supply, electrically connected to said cleaning blade, for driving said cleaning blade to a corona producing condition at said cleaning edge, whereby toner is released from said surface to form a toner cloud in the area adjacent to the cleaning blade;
• and
• a toner collecting surface including an electrostatic traveling wave arrangement for collecting clouding toner and moving said toner along said surface way from said area adjacent the cleaning blade.

In an electrostatographic device utilizing a charge retentive surface for development of latent images formed thereon with toner, and an arrangement for transferring developed latent images to another surface, a method of cleaning residual toner remaining after transfer on said charge retentive surface from the surface comprising the steps:

• providing a conductive cleaning blade having a cleaning edge adjacent to the charge retentive surface;
• driving said cleaning blade to a corona producing condition at said cleaning edge;
• bringing at lease a portion of the charge retentive surface bearing residual toner remaining after transfer into close proximity to said cleaning edge, whereby toner is released from said surface to form a toner cloud in the area adjacent to the cleaning blade;
• and
• collecting toner from said cloud for removal from said area adjacent to the cleaning blade.

In an electrostatographic device having a charge retentive surface for development of latent images formed thereon with toner, a transfer station for transferring developed latent images to another surface, and means of cleaning residual toner remaining after transfer of the developed latent images from said charge retentive surface, said cleaning means comprising:

• a conductive cleaning blade;
• said cleaning blade having an cleaning edge, and formed into a continuous loop with a portion of said cleaning edge supported adjacent to the charge retentive surface in cleaning relationship therewith;
• means for moving said cleaning blade along a path defined by said continuous loop to bring new portions of said cleaning edge into position adjacent to the charge retentive surface;
• an A.C. power supply, electrically connected to said cleaning blade, and driving said cleaning blade to a corona producing condition at said cleaning edge, whereby residual toner, remaining after transfer of the developed latent images from said charge retentive surface, is released from said charge retentive surface as it approaches said cleaning blade, and collects on a surface of said blade;
• and
• means for removing said toner from said blade surface, at a location removed from said charge retentive surface.

In an electrostatographic device having a charge retentive surface for development of latent images formed thereon with magnetic toner, a transfer station for transferring developed latent images to another surface, and means of cleaning residual magnetic toner remaining after transfer of the developed latent images from said charge retentive surface, said cleaning means comprising:

• a conductive cleaning blade;
• said cleaning blade having an cleaning edge supported adjacent to the charge retentive surface;
• an A.C. power supply, electrically connected to said cleaning blade, and driving said cleaning blade to a corona producing condition at said cleaning edge, whereby residual magnetic toner, remaining after transfer of the developed latent images from said charge retentive surface, is released from said charge retentive surface as it approaches said cleaning blade to form a toner cloud;
• and
• a toner collecting surface having a series of magnetically attractive areas thereon for collecting clouding magnetic toner from the area adjacent to said cleaning blade, said toner collecting surface movable to a toner releasing position where magnetic toner is removed from said toner collecting surface.

In an electrostatographic device having a charge retentive surface for development of latent images formed thereon with toner, a transfer station for transferring developed latent images to another surface, and means of cleaning residual toner remaining after transfer of the developed latent images from said charge retentive surface, said cleaning means comprising:

• a conductive wire;
• said cleaning member supported adjacent to the charge retentive surface;
• an A.C. power supply, electrically connected to said cleaning member, and driving said cleaning blade to produce an electric field at said charge retentive surface, whereby residual toner, remaining after transfer of the developed latent images from said charge retentive surface, is released from said charge retentive surface into a cloud as it approaches said cleaning member, and
• means for removing said clouded toner from the area adjacent to said cleaning.