US 5,398,104 AGranted

Passive toner concentration control system

AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company

InventorDavid J. Arcaro

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Abstract

In an electrophotographic printer, an apparatus for supplying a liquid toner that has a solids concentration within a predefined range. A concentrated solids material and a carrier liquid is contained within a reservoir. The concentrated solids has a solids concentration higher than the predefined range and has settled out from the carrier liquid. A tube has its orifice submerged in the concentrated solids material A second tube has its orifice submerged in the carrier liquid. To insure that the second tube remains above the concentrated solids material and simultaneously below the upper surface, a float is formed around the tube. Finally, a mixer is connected to the two tubes and mixes the concentrated solids with carrier liquid to create the liquid toner. The solids concentration range is directly related to the rations of the two orifices.

Claims9

Dependent claims

In a liquid electrophotographic printer, an apparatus for supplying a liquid toner concentrate, said liquid toner concentrate being comprised of toner solids and toner carrier, said apparatus comprising of:

toner cartridge that holds said toner solids and said toner carrier, said toner solids having a higher density than said toner carrier whereby said toner solids settle out from said toner carrier;
first tube having a first end and a second end, said first tube further having an orifice, said first end of said first tube being submerged in said toner solids;
second tube having a first end and a second end, said second tube further having an orifice, said first end of said second tube being submerged in said toner carrier, said first end further having a float attached whereby said float allows said first end of said second tube to extract only said toner carrier;
and
said second end of said first tube being connected to said second end of said second tube, said toner carrier and said toner solid being mixed together where said second end of said first tube connects to said second end of said second tube to create said liquid toner concentrate.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.