BIASED ELECTRODE TRANSFER APPARATUS

• US 3,633,543 A
• Filed: 12/05/1969
• Issued: 01/11/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl R. Pitasi, Eugene F. Young
• Original Assignee: Carl R. Pitasi, Eugene F. Young
• Inventors: Pitasi, Carl R., Young, Eugene F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kee Chi, James
• Application Number:
  US04/882,798
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 118/621,637 117/17.5 355/3 95/1A 96/1R,1A,1E,1SD
• US Class Current: 118/621
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/167 at least one of the recording member or the transfer member being rotatable during the transfer

Abstract

A roller for pneumatically supporting copy sheets in the transfer station of a xerographic machine. The roller is electrically biased to transfer toner images from a photoreceptive member to copy sheets supported on the roller. Recirculation of the roller may effect the transfer of superimposed images to the backing sheets.

Claims

1. Apparatus for transferring charged toner to a backing sheet from a member electrostatically supporting the toner powder including, a rotatable cylinder having a peripheral surface adapted to support and bring the backing sheet into contact with the member bearing the toner powder to be transferred, vacuum means within said cylinder to retain the backing sheet thereon and means to apply an electrical bias to the cylinder to effect the electrostatic transfer of the toner from the member to the backing sheet.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the surface of said cylinder includes a high-vacuum section to support the leading edge of the backing sheet and a low-vacuum section to support the remainder of the sheet.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cylinder includes an apertured member of an electrically conductive material having a supplemental apertured layer thereover.

4. Apparatus for effecting the transfer of electrostatically charged powder to an insulating backing sheet including, a cylindrically shaped member formed of an electrically conductive material and having apertures therethrough, means to create a vacuum internal of said member to thereby pneumatically retain an insulating backing sheet thereon, means to apply an electrical bias opposite that on the powder to said member sufficient to create a field through an insulating backing sheet supported thereon and means to rotate said member about its axis whereby an insulating backing sheet supported thereon may contact the toner powder to cause its transfer thereto.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 and further including means to feed an insulating backing sheet to said cylinder.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further including an indented portion on the surface of said member adapted to be contacted by the leading edge of the insulating backing sheet.

7. Apparatus for transferring Charged toner powder to an insulating backing sheet from a cylindrically shaped member electrostatically bearing the toner powder including a cylinder having a peripheral surface adapted to support and bring the backing sheet into contact with the member bearing the toner powder to be transferred, means to rotate the member about its axis to continually bring toner powder adjacent said cylinder, means to rotate said cylinder at a linear speed equal to the linear speed of the member and at a distance therefrom such that when an insulating backing sheet is supported on said cylinder it will contact the toner powder on the member, means within said cylinder to pneumatically retain the backing sheet thereon and means to apply an electrical bias to said cylinder to effect the electrostatic transfer of the toner powder from the member to the backing sheet.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said cylinder includes a first layer constituting a core and formed of an electrically insulating member, a second layer constituting the exterior surface and formed of a resilient material and a third layer of an electrically conductive material intermediate said first and second layers.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first, second and third layers are all apertured to permit the flow of air therethrough.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9 and further including a first vacuum section within the portion of said cylinder adapted to receive the leading edge of the insulating backing sheet and a second vacuum section within the portion of said cylinder adapted to receive the remainder of the insulating backing sheet.