Toner image reproduction machine including a ball valve device having a pressure release assembly

A residual pressure free method of filling a pressurized hopper, the method comprising:

• (a) attaching a refill container, that is full, to a first end of a through-bore of a valve ball that is in a horizontal, hopper sealing position within a chamber of a valve housing mounted over a refill opening into the pressurized hopper, said valve housing having a wall defining said chamber, a first port, a second port, and an arc aperture into said chamber;
• (b) rotating said valve ball within said chamber in a first direction through said arc aperture, with said refill container attached, from said horizontal, hopper sealing position into a vertical, hopper opening position for material to flow from said refill container through a second end of said through-bore, and through said second port, into the pressurized hopper;
• (c) emptying the contents of the refill container into the pressurized hopper and thereby pressurizing the through-bore and the refill container, now emptied;
• (d) re-rotating said valve ball within said chamber in a second and opposite direction, with said refill container, now emptied, attached, from said vertical, hopper opening position into a hopper sealing position;
• (e) aligning said second end of said through-bore to a pressure release port formed through said wall of said valve housing and spaced from said first port and said second port;
• (f) waiting a few seconds for pressure within said through-bore and within said refill container, now emptied, to dissipate through said pressure release port;
• and
• (g) safely unloading the refill container, now emptied and depressurized, from said first end of said through-bore of the valve ball while in a hopper sealing position.

A development station including a pressurized hopper containing material used for developing images in an electrostatographic image reproduction machine, the development station comprising;

• (a) developer housings each containing in-use two-component developer material including toner particles and charged magnetic carrier particles for developing images;
• (b) a pressurized hopper containing charged magnetic carrier particles for adding to said developer housings;
• and
• (c) a ball valve device for filling said pressurized hopper without an unsafe blow-back condition, the ball valve device including:
• (i) a valve housing for mounting over a refill opening into a pressurized hopper, said valve housing having a wall defining a chamber, a first port, a second, and an arc aperture into said chamber;
• (ii) a valve ball within said chamber having an exterior surface, said valve ball being rotatable within said chamber and including a through-bore for material flow through said valve ball from a material container to and through said second port into the hopper, and said valve ball having a first hopper sealing position for pressure sealing said second port and the hopper from said through-bore, and a second hopper opening position for opening said second port and the hopper to said through-bore;
• and
• (iii) a pressure release assembly including a pressure release port formed through said wall of said valve housing from said chamber and spaced from said first port and said second port;
• and a pressure release assembly connected externally to said pressure release port for receiving pressure and remnant carrier particles, thereby allowing safe release of pressure within said through-bore and a refill container after refilling the pressurized hopper.

An electrostatographic image reproduction machine comprising:

• (a) a moveable imaging member including an imaging surface;
• (b) imaging means for forming a latent image on said imaging surface;
• (c) a toner development station including a pressurized hopper containing material used for developing said latent images;
• and
• (d) a ball valve device for filling said pressurized hopper without an unsafe blow-back condition, the ball valve device including:
• (i) a valve housing for mounting over a refill opening into a pressurized hopper, said valve housing having a wall defining a chamber, a first port, a second, and an arc aperture into said chamber;
• (ii) a valve ball within said chamber having an exterior surface, said valve ball being rotatable within said chamber and including a through-bore for material flow through said valve ball from a material container to and through said second port into the hopper, and said valve ball having a first hopper sealing position for pressure sealing said second port and the hopper from said through-bore, and a second hopper opening position for opening said second port and the hopper to said through-bore;
• and
• (iii) a pressure release assembly including a pressure release port formed through said wall of said valve housing from said chamber and spaced from said first port and said second port;
• and a pressure release assembly connected externally to said pressure release port for receiving pressure and remnant carrier particles, thereby allowing safe release of pressure within said through-bore and a refill container after refilling the pressurized hopper.