Translating tribocharging blade

• US 6,088,564 A
• Filed: 08/13/1999
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Imes, Edward P., Stenzel, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SUSAN SHUK YIN
• Application Number:
  US09/373,677
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 399/272, 399/273, 399/274, 399/281, 399/283, 399/284
• US Class Current: 399/284
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0812 characterised by the developer regulating means, e.g. structure of doctor blade
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/09 using magnetic brush
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/183 Process cartridge

Abstract

An assembly for use in a development unit including a mechanism and a member. A mechanism translates the member in a direction along the free edge. The member cooperates with a development roll and the mechanism cooperates with the roll and translates the member simultaneously with the rotation of the roll.

Claims

1. An assembly for use in a development unit, said assembly comprising:

a member, said member defining a free edge thereof; and

a mechanism for translating said member in a direction along said free edge;

wherein said member cooperates with a development roll; and

wherein said mechanism is cooperable with the roll to translate said member simultaneously with a rotation of the roll.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mechanism comprises at least one of a cam, a solenoid and an electric motor.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said member comprises:

a metal body; and

a plastic tip secured to said body.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mechanism translates the member a distance ranging from between 0.02 and 0.50 inches.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said member comprises a blade.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the member comprises a tip secured to a body, the tip comprising at least one of a plastic, rubber, silicone rubber, and polyurethane material.

7. A developer unit for developing a latent image with marking particles, said developer unit comprising:

a housing defining a chamber for storing a supply of marking particles therein;

an advancing member for advancing the marking particles on a surface thereof from the chamber of said housing in a first direction toward a latent image; and

a controlling member for at least one of charging the marking particles and regulating a thickness of a layer of marking particles on the surface of said advancing member, said controlling member defining a free edge thereof; and

a mechanism for translating said controlling member in a direction along said free edge.

8. A developer unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said mechanism comprises at least one of a cam, a solenoid and an electric motor.

9. A developer unit as claimed in claim 7:

wherein said controlling member cooperates with said advancing member; and

wherein said mechanism is cooperable with said advancing member to translate said controlling member simultaneously with a rotation of said advancing member.

10. A developer unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said controlling member comprises:

a metal body; and

a plastic tip secured to said body.

11. A developer unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said mechanism translates said controlling member a distance ranging from between 0.02 and 0.50 inches.

12. A developer unit as claimed in claim 7:

wherein said controlling member comprises a blade;

wherein said advancing member comprises a development roll defining an axis of rotation thereof; and

wherein said controlling member is movable along a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said advancing member.

13. A developer unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said controlling member comprises a blade.

14. A developer unit as claimed in claim 7:

wherein said controlling member and said advancing member define a interaction zone therebetween; and

wherein said mechanism translates said controlling member in a direction along said interaction zone.

15. A process cartridge for use in a printing machine comprising, said process cartridge including:

a housing defining a chamber for storing a supply of marking particles therein;

an advancing member for advancing the marking particles on a surface thereof from the chamber of said housing in a first direction toward a latent image; and

a controlling member for at least one of charging the marking particles and regulating a thickness of a layer of marking particles on the surface of said advancing member, said controlling member defining a free edge thereof; and

a mechanism for translating said controlling member in a direction along said free edge.

16. A process cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein said mechanism comprises at least one of a cam, a solenoid and an electric motor.

17. A process cartridge as claimed in claim 15:

wherein said controlling member cooperates with said advancing member; and

wherein said mechanism is cooperable with said advancing member to translate said controlling member simultaneously with a rotation of said advancing member.

18. A process cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein said controlling member comprises:

a metal body; and

a plastic tip secured to said body.

19. A process cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein said mechanism translates said controlling member a distance ranging from between 0.02 and 0.50 inches.

20. A process cartridge as claimed in claim 15:

wherein said controlling member comprises a blade;

wherein said advancing member comprises a development roll defining an axis of rotation thereof; and

wherein said controlling member is movable along a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said advancing member.

21. A process cartridge as claimed in claim 15, wherein said controlling member comprises a blade.

22. A process cartridge as claimed in claim 15:

wherein said controlling member and said advancing member define an interaction zone therebetween; and

wherein said mechanism translates said controlling member in a direction along said interaction zone.

23. An electrophotographic printing machine of a type including a developer unit, said developer unit comprising:

a housing defining a chamber for storing a supply of marking particles therein;

an advancing member for advancing the marking particles on a surface thereof from the chamber of said housing in a first direction toward a latent image; and

a controlling member for at least one of charging the marking particles and regulating a thickness of a layer of marking particles on the surface of said advancing member, said controlling member defining a free edge thereof; and

a mechanism for translating said controlling member in a direction along said free edge.

24. A printing machine as claimed in claim 23, wherein said mechanism comprises at least one of a cam, a solenoid and an electric motor.

25. A printing machine as claimed in claim 23:

wherein said controlling member cooperates with said advancing member; and

wherein said mechanism is cooperable with said advancing member to translate said controlling member simultaneously with a rotation of said advancing member.

26. A printing machine as claimed in claim 23, wherein said controlling member comprises:

a metal body; and

a plastic tip secured to said body.

27. A printing machine as claimed in claim 23, wherein said mechanism translates said controlling member a distance ranging from between 0.02 and 0.50 inches.

28. A printing machine as claimed in claim 23:

wherein said controlling member comprises a blade;

wherein said advancing member comprises a development roll defining an axis of rotation thereof; and

wherein said controlling member is movable along a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said advancing member.

29. A printing machine as claimed in claim 23, wherein said controlling member comprises a blade.

30. A printing machine as claimed in claim 23:

wherein said controlling member and said advancing member define a interaction zone therebetween; and

wherein said mechanism translates said controlling member in a direction along said interaction zone.

31. A method for developing a latent image with marking particles, comprising the steps of:

providing a housing;

defining a chamber for storing a supply of marking particles in the housing;

advancing the marking particles with an advancing member on a surface thereof from the chamber of the housing in a first direction toward a latent image;

performing at least one charging the marking particles and regulating a thickness of a layer of marking particles on the surface of said advancing member with a controlling member; and

translating the controlling member with respect to the advancing member to provide for uniform wear of at least one of the advancing member and the controlling member.