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AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsPeter W. Bracken, Jeffery R. Brener, Martin V. DiGirolamo, Sam E. Mullinix, Jr., Donald W. Stafford, Peter E. Wallin
Estimating the term…
A compliant doctor blade having excellent toner metering capabilities is disclosed. The doctor blade includes a compliant laminate (3) having a resin film backing layer and carrying a binder which contains abrasive particles, such as silicon carbide particles, and a conducting means. In a preferred embodiment the conducting means are conductive carbon black particles which are contained in the resin binder which also includes the abrasive silicon carbide. The compliant laminate is supported on an aluminum bar (1). The bar has fastened to its bottom face a compliant foam layer (2) which includes on its bottom face a shim (10) having a stiffness of from about 0.5 to about 31.0 inches of deflection/inch of length/pounds of force. The laminate is bent under the foam layer and shim where it contacts the developer roller (6). The conductive layer remains conductive as it wears during use. In addition, this doctor blade minimizes toner buildup in the prenip area and provides effective and uniform metering of the toner on the developer roller.
An electrically energized doctor blade for metering charged electrophotographic toner held on a developer roller by physically contacting a sector of said roller with a surface of said blade which is electrically charged, said blade comprising a compliant backing member, a supporting member to position said blade adjacent to said roller, a compliant foam layer attached to the side of said supporting member facing the developer roller, a shim having a stiffness of from about 0.5 to about 31.0 inches of deflection/inch of length/pounds of force attached to the side of the compliant foam layer facing the developer roller, and a layer on said compliant backing member comprising conducting means and a solid binder having dispersed throughout said binder grit particles, said compliant backing member, said conducting means and said layer with grit being attached to said supporting member and being bendable to extend under said foam layer and shim to contact said layer with grit and said conducting means with said sector of said developer roller during use.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.