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US 5,296,879 AGranted
Image recording apparatus having detachable cartridge
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorShigeru Kagayama
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an image recording apparatus, a toner supply roll electrostatically charges toner particles and supplies the charged toner particles to a brush roll. The toner particles supplied to the brush roll are introduced into a portion adjacent to apertures of a particle controller. The particle controller controls the toner particles to pass through the apertures in accordance with image signals applied to the particle controller so as to form a corresponding visible image on an image receiving medium. At least the toner supply roll, the brush roll and the particle controller are formed into a single unit. The single unit is detachably mounted in a housing of the image recording apparatus to be easily replaced with a new one.
Claims39
An image recording apparatus for recording an image on an image receiving medium, comprising:
- storing means for storing toner particles;
- charging means for electrostatically charging the toner particles;
- toner mist producing means for receiving the electrostatically charged toner particles from said charging means and producing a mist of the electrostatically-charged toner particles;
- a particle controller having at least one row of apertures for selectively allowing the mist of electrostatically-charged toner particles to pass through the apertures;
- and
- a back electrode confronting said particle controller for electrostatically attracting the mist of electrostatically-charged toner particles that passed through the apertures of said particle controller;
- wherein at least said charging means, said toner mist producing means and said particle controller are formed in an image recording cartridge and
- wherein said image recording cartridge and said back electrode constitute a unit for defining a conveying passage of the image receiving medium at a position located between said particle controller and said back electrode and apart from said particle controller by a predetermined distance to thereby allow the image receiving medium to be conveyed along the conveying passage so that the mist of electrostatically-charged toner particles that passed through the apertures of said particle controller and were attracted toward said back electrode roller may be attached to the image receiving medium to thereby form a toner image thereon, said unit being detachably mounted in a shouting of said apparatus.
5 more elements
An image recording cartridge for use in an image recording apparatus for recording an image on an image receiving medium, comprising:
- charging means for electrostatically charging toner particles;
- toner mist producing means for receiving the electrostatically-charged toner particles from said charging means and producing a mist of the electrostatically-charged toner particles;
- a particle controller having at least one row of apertures for selectively allowing the mist of electrostatically-charged toner particles to pass through the apertures;
- and
- conveying passage defining means for defining a conveying passage of the image receiving medium at a position apart from said particle controller by a predetermined distance, the image receiving medium being conveyed along the conveying passage so that the mist of electrostatically-charged toner particles that passed through the aperture of said particle controller attach to the image receiving medium to form a toner image thereon;
- wherein said image recording cartridge is detachably mounted in a housing of said image recording apparatus.
3 more elements
An image recording apparatus for recording an image on an image receiving medium, comprising:
- storing means for storing toner particles;
- charging means for electrostatically charging the toner particles;
- toner mist producing means for receiving the electrostatically charged toner particles from said charging means ad producing a mist of the electrostatically-charged toner particles;
- a particle controller having at least on row of apertures for selectively allowing the mist of electrostatically-charged toner particles to pass through the apertures;
- a back electrode located to confront said particle controller or electrostatically attracting the mist of electrostatically-charged toner particles that passed through the aperture of said particle controller;
- and
- vibration applying means for vibrating said particle controlled to thereby prevent the charged toner particles from being attached to said particle controller;
- wherein at least said charging means, said toner mist producing means, said particle controller and said vibration applying means are formed in an image recording cartridge;
- and
- wherein said image recording cartridge and said back electrode constitutes a unit for defining a conveying passage of the image receiving medium at a position located between said particle controller and said back electrode and apart from said particle controller by a predetermined distance to thereby allow the image receiving medium to be conveyed along the conveying passage so that the mist of electrostatically-charged toner particles having passed through the aperture of said particle controller and attracted toward said back electrode roller may be attached to the image receiving medium to thereby form a toner image thereon, said unit being detachably mounted in a housing of said apparatus.
7 more elements
An image recording cartridge for use in an image recording apparatus for recording an image on an image receiving medium, comprising:
- charging means for electrostatically charging toner particles;
- toner mist producing means of receiving the electrostatically-charged toner particles from said charging means and producing a mist of the electrostatically-charged toner particles;
- a particle controller having at least one row of apertures for selectively allowing the mist of electrostatically-charged toner particles to pass through the apertures;
- vibration applying means for vibrating said particle controlled to they prevent the charged toner particles from being attached to said particle controller;
- and
- conveying passage defining means for defining a conveying passage of the image receiving medium at a position apart from said particle controller by a predetermined distance, the image receiving medium being conveyed along the conveying passage so that the mist of electrostatically-charged toner particles having passed through the aperture of said particle controller may be attached of the image receiving medium to form a toner image thereon;
- wherein said image recording cartridge is detachably mounted in a housing of said image recording apparatus.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.