High frequency vibratory enhanced cleaning in electrostatic imaging devices
First Claim
1. In an electrostatic imaging system in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a first surface of an imaging member moving along an endless path in a process direction, the latent image is developed with toner, and the toner image thus formed is transferred to another surface, a cleaning arrangement for cleaning residual toner from the imaging surface comprises:
- a cleaner to release and remove residual toner from the first surface;
cleaning enhancement means, arranged at an upstream position from said cleaner with respect to the process direction for enhancing toner release from the first surface, including an electrostatic discharge device supported at said upstream position in close association with a high frequency vibrating device;
said electrostatic discharge device supported to deposit ions on said residual toner and said first surface to dissipate charge thereon; and
said high frequency vibrating device coupled to a second surface of the imaging member at said upstream position, whereby said electrostatic discharge device and said high frequency vibrating device concurrently discharge the imaging member and mechanically release toner adhered thereto.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A piezoelectric transducer (PZT) device operating at a relatively high frequency is coupled to the backside of a somewhat flexible imaging surface to cause localized vibration at a predetermined amplitude, and is positioned in close association with a cleaning enhancing electrostatic charging or discharging device associated with the imaging surface cleaning function, whereby residual toner and debris (hereinafter referred to as simply toner) is fluidized for enhanced electrostatic discharge of the toner and/or imaging surface, and released from the mechanical forces adhering the toner to the imaging surface.
26 Citations
19 Claims
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1. In an electrostatic imaging system in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a first surface of an imaging member moving along an endless path in a process direction, the latent image is developed with toner, and the toner image thus formed is transferred to another surface, a cleaning arrangement for cleaning residual toner from the imaging surface comprises:
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a cleaner to release and remove residual toner from the first surface; cleaning enhancement means, arranged at an upstream position from said cleaner with respect to the process direction for enhancing toner release from the first surface, including an electrostatic discharge device supported at said upstream position in close association with a high frequency vibrating device; said electrostatic discharge device supported to deposit ions on said residual toner and said first surface to dissipate charge thereon; and said high frequency vibrating device coupled to a second surface of the imaging member at said upstream position, whereby said electrostatic discharge device and said high frequency vibrating device concurrently discharge the imaging member and mechanically release toner adhered thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In an electrostatic imaging system in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a first surface of an imaging member moving along an endless path in a process direction, the latent image is developed with toner, and the toner image thus formed is transferred to another surface, a cleaning arrangement for cleaning residual toner from the imaging surface comprises:
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a cleaner to release and remove residual toner from the first surface; cleaning enhancement means, arranged at an upstream position from said cleaner, with respect to the process direction, for enhancing toner release from the first surface, including an electrostatic charging device supported in close association with a high frequency vibrating device; said electrostatic charging device supported to deposit ions on said residual toner and said first surface to uniformly charge said residual toner and said first surface; and said high frequency vibrating device coupled to a second surface of the imaging member at said upstream position, whereby said electrostatic charging device and said high frequency vibrating device concurrently charge the imaging member and mechanically release toner adhered thereto. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In an electrostatic imaging system in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a first surface of an imaging member moving along an endless path in a process direction, the latent image is developed with toner, and the toner image thus formed is transferred to another surface, a cleaning arrangement for cleaning residual toner from the imaging surface comprises:
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a cleaner for the removal of residual toner from the first surface; an electrostatic discharge device arranged at an upstream position from said cleaner with respect to the process direction for enhancing toner release from the first surface, and supported in close association with a high frequency vibrating device; said high frequency vibrating device coupled to a second surface of the imaging member at said upstream position, whereby said electrostatic discharge device and said high frequency vibrating device concurrently discharge the imaging member and mechanically release toner adhered thereto.
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12. In an imaging system in which in an electrostatic latent image is formed on a first surface of a translucent photoconductive member moving along an endless path in a process direction, the latent image is developed with toner, and the toner image thus formed is transferred to another toner supporting surface, a cleaning arrangement for cleaning residual and debris from the imaging surface comprises:
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a cleaner to release and remove residual toner from the first surface; cleaning enhancement means, for enhancing toner release from the first surface including a discharge illumination source supported in close association with a high frequency vibrating device, at a position at or upstream from said cleaner, wherein said high frequency vibrating device is a piezoelectric transducer device, in contacting relationship with said photosensitive member and operable to apply high frequency energy to said photosensitive member to vibrate said member at a frequency of between about 50 kilohertz and 200 kilohertz; and said discharge illumination source arranged to illuminate a second surface of the translucent photosensitive member, and said high frequency vibrating device directly coupled to said second surface of the translucent photosensitive member, at the cleaning enhancement means position to concurrently discharge the photosensitive member and mechanically release toner adhered thereto.
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13. In an imaging system in which in an electrostatic latent image is formed on a first surface of a translucent photoconductive member moving along an endless path in a process direction, the latent image is developed with toner, and the toner image thus formed is transferred to another toner supporting surface, a cleaning arrangement for cleaning residual and debris from the imaging surface comprises:
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a cleaner to release and remove residual toner from the first surface; cleaning enhancement means, for enhancing toner release from the first surface including a discharge illumination source supported in close association with a high frequency vibrating device, at a position at or upstream from said cleaner, wherein said high frequency vibrating device is a piezoelectric transducer device, in contacting relationship with said photosensitive member and operable to apply high frequency energy to said photosensitive member to vibrate said member at an amplitude of between about 1 and 10 microns; and said discharge illumination source arranged to illuminate a second surface of the translucent photosensitive member, and said high frequency vibrating device directly coupled to said second surface of the translucent photosensitive member, at the cleaning enhancement means position to concurrently discharge the photosensitive member and mechanically release toner adhered thereto.
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14. In an imaging system in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a first surface of a translucent photoconductive member moving along an endless path in a process direction, the latent image is developed with toner, and the toner image thus formed is transferred to another toner supporting surface, a cleaning arrangement for cleaning residual and debris from the imaging surface comprises:
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a cleaner to release and remove residual toner from the first surface; cleaning enhancement means, supported at an upstream position from said cleaner for enhancing toner release from the first surface, including a discharge illumination source arranged to illuminate said photosensitive member for discharging residual charge thereon, a high frequency vibrating device directly coupled to said photosensitive member to mechanically release toner therefrom and a corona charging device arranged for charging to a uniform level the toner and first surface of the imaging member; said discharge illumination source and said high frequency vibrating device arranged in close association and at the upstream position along said second surface directly opposite said corona charging device along said member. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification