Air jet cleaner for one pump color imager
AssigneePhoenix Precision Graphics, Inc.
InventorGene F. Day
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrostatic color printer or copier which uses a single pump for controlling fluid toner at low flow velocities and a separate pump or blower for an air jet used to expel fluid from common passages between applications of different colors. A full width toning applicator admits toner and air in a manner so that air limits flow of toner beyond the applicator. During a purging cycle, more air is admitted, forming an air jet which blasts surfaces and passages clear of liquid.
Claims14
A color system for producing a developed image on a surface of a recording medium having an electrostatic latent image comprising,
- a toner applicator in communication with a recording medium surface supporting an electrostatic latent image to be toned,
- a single pump selectively connected to a plurality of toner supply vessels, each toner supply vessel holding toner of a different color, the pump connected to feed said toner applicator with toner of a selected color, one color at a time over common passages, and
- means having an air outlet for directing high velocity air into said common passages with positive pressure for expelling liquid therefrom.
A toner system for producing an image on a surface of a recording medium,
- means for electrostatically charging a recording medium,
- a toner applicator means for applying liquid toner to the recording medium,
- a single pump means for supplying toner from a plurality of toner supply vessels to the toner applicator means through common passages forming a loop from the toner supply vessels to the toner applicator means and back to the supply vessels where excess toner is collected, and
- air supply means having an air outlet for directing high velocity air into said common passages for purging toner therefrom into said supply vessels.
A color system for producing a developed image on a surface of a recording medium comprising,
- means for moving a recording medium surface relative to an electrostatic image charging head,
- a toner applicator in fluid communication with said surface and having about a width spanning the entire image to be formed,
- pump means connected to a plurality of different toner supply vessels and a wash fluid vessel by means of a selector for forcing toner and wash fluid from said vessels into the toner applicator,
- a common passageway extending from the selector to the toner applicator and extending through the pump, the common passageway having a return portion from the toner applicator to the supply vessels and the wash fluid vessel, and
- air supply means for directing an air jet into the common passageway through one or more valves capable of isolating the air supply means from the common passageway.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.