Toner remixing developing unit
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorChang-Soo Rhee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A developing unit for an electrophotographic apparatus that uses a cleaning roll, oppositely charged from the toner remaining on the developing roller, to clean a developing roller after a latent electrostatic image has been developed into a latent toner image. The ink is removed from the developing roller and mixed with fresh toner from the toner cartridge to maintain a uniform charge throughout the toner that is applied to the developing roller and to increase the quality of resolution obtained when printing for an extended period of time.
Claims23
A developing unit for an electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a frame;
- a reservoir inside said frame containing a plurality of toner;
- a toner supply roller rotatably attached to said frame for collecting said toner that is emitted from said reservoir;
- a mixing area in said developing unit positioned between said reservoir and said toner supply roller;
- a developing roller rotatably attached to said frame and having a layer of said toner on an outer surface before developing a latent image;
- a cleaning roller rotatably attached to said frame adjacent to said developing roller, said cleaning roller oppositely charged from and removing said toner remaining on said developing roller after the development of said latent image;
- and
- said frame bearing a groove accommodating rotation of said cleaning roller against an edge of said frame in proximate contact with said cleaning roller with said toner on said cleaning roller being separated from said cleaning roller and propelled into said mixing area.
A developing unit for an electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a frame having a groove;
- a reservoir inside said frame containing a plurality of toner;
- a toner supply roller rotatably attached to said frame for collecting said toner that is emitted from said reservoir;
- said frame defining a channel disposed between said reservoir and said toner supply roller, said channel providing a mixing area for said toner;
- a developing roller rotatably attached to said frame and having a layer of said toner on an outer surface before developing a latent image;
- a cleaning roller rotatably attached to said frame partially recessed into said groove and rotatably fixed adjacent to said developing roller, said cleaning roller oppositely charged from and removing said toner remaining on said developing roller after the development of said latent image;
- and
- said frame bearing said groove accommodating rotation of said cleaning roller against an edge of said frame in proximate contact with said cleaning roller with said toner on said cleaning roller being separated from said cleaning roller and propelled into said mixing area.
A developing unit for an electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:
- a frame having a groove;
- a reservoir inside said frame containing a plurality of toner;
- a toner supply roller rotatably attached to said frame for transporting said toner that is emitted from said reservoir;
- said frame defining a channel disposed between said reservoir and said toner supply roller, said channel providing a mixing area for said toner;
- a developing roller rotatably attached to said frame and having a layer of said toner on an outer surface before developing a latent image;
- said toner supply roller transferring said toner to said developing roller;
- a cleaning roller rotatably attached to said frame and partially recessed into said groove adjacent to said developing roller, said cleaning roller oppositely charged from and removing said toner remaining on said developing roller after the development of said latent image;
- a cleaning voltage charger supplying a voltage to said cleaning roller;
- and
- said frame bearing said groove accommodating rotation of said cleaning roller against an edge of said frame in proximate contact with said cleaning roller with said toner on said cleaning roller being separated from said cleaning roller and propelled into said mixing area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.