Electrographic ribbon and method implementing a skive

• US 7,248,823 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Buhay-Kettelkamp, Wendy Sue, Eck, Edward Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh, Ryan D.
• Application Number:
  US10/949,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20050123321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 399/254, 399/256, 399/263, 372/50, 366/320
• US Class Current: 399/254
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0822 Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0827 Augers

Abstract

A blender for electrographic developer has an outer cylindrical surface having an axis, the blender being adapted to rotate about the axis; and a skive defining an outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning a length along said axis.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a blender having a blender wall for electrographic two-component developer, comprising magnetic carrier particles and toner particles, the blender defining an outer cylindrical surface and comprising an elongate shaft having two ends and an intermediate location between said two ends and an axis, said blender being adapted to rotate about said axis;

an inner helical ribbon mounted concentrically to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith and having a pitch;

an outer helical ribbon mounted concentrically to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith and having an opposite pitch relative to said pitch,

said inner helical ribbon being disposed within said outer helical ribbon;

another inner helical ribbon mounted to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith adjacent to said inner helical ribbon and having another pitch;

another outer helical ribbon mounted to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith adjacent to said outer helical ribbon and having another opposite pitch relative to said another pitch,

said another inner helical ribbon being disposed within said another outer helical ribbon;

said outer helical ribbon and said another outer helical ribbon being terminated to provide an opening spanning said intermediate location through which developer is drawn into said inner helical ribbon and said another inner helical ribbon upon rotation of said longitudinal shaft; and

a skive, spaced a distance from the blender wall and terminating at a location relative to the intermediate location to enhance the transmission of the toner component defining an outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning a length along said axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said outer cylindrical surface having a circumference, said skive being an only skive disposed around said circumference.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising another skive defining another outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning another length along said axis.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, said outer cylindrical surface having a circumference, said skive being an only skive disposed around said circumference,

comprising another skive defining another outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning another length along said axis,

said outer cylindrical surface having another circumference, said another skive being another only skive disposed around said another circumference.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising another skive defining another outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning another length along said axis, said length and said another length being adjacent each other along said axis without overlap.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising another skive defining another outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning another length along said axis, said length and said another length being adjacent each other along said axis without overlap, said skive and said another skive terminating at an intermediate location between two opposing ends of said blender spaced along said axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising another skive defining another outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning another length along said axis, said length and said another length being adjacent each other along said axis without overlap, said skive and said another skive terminating a length from each other spanning an intermediate location between two opposing ends of said blender spaced along said axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, said blender comprising a helical ribbon disposed along said shaft.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, said blender comprising a helical ribbon disposed along said shaft and having an outer surface coincident with said outer cylindrical surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, said blender comprising an outer helical ribbon disposed along said shaft and having an outer surface coincident with said outer cylindrical surface, and an inner helical ribbon disposed along said shaft within said outer helical ribbon.

11. A method, comprising:

blending electrographic two-component developer, comprising magnetic carrier particles and toner particles with a blender defining an outer cylindrical surface, the blender comprising an elongate shaft having two ends and an intermediate location between said two ends and an axis, said blender being adapted to rotate about said axis,

an inner helical ribbon mounted concentrically to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith and having a pitch;

an outer helical ribbon mounted concentrically to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith and having an opposite pitch relative to said pitch,

said inner helical ribbon being disposed within said outer helical ribbon;

another inner helical ribbon mounted to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith adjacent to said inner helical ribbon and having another pitch;

another outer helical ribbon mounted to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith adjacent to said outer helical ribbon and having another opposite pitch relative to said another pitch,

said another inner helical ribbon being disposed within said another outer helical ribbon;

said outer helical ribbon and said another outer helical ribbon being terminated to provide an opening spanning said intermediate location through which developer is drawn into said inner helical ribbon and said another inner helical ribbon upon rotation of said longitudinal shaft; and

a skive defining an outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning a length along said axis to provide adequate flow for a control system to operate and terminating at a location relative to the intermediate location to enhance the transmission of the toner component.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising rotating said blender.

13. The method of claim 11, said blender comprising a helical ribbon disposed along said shaft.

14. The method of claim 11, said blender comprising a helical ribbon disposed along said shaft and having an outer surface coincident with said outer cylindrical surface.

15. The method of claim 11, said blender comprising an outer helical ribbon disposed along said shaft and having an outer surface coincident with said outer cylindrical surface, and inner helical ribbon disposed along said shaft within said outer helical ribbon.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, said inner helical ribbon and said another inner helical ribbon meeting at said intermediate location in the form of a plow.

17. The method of claim 11, said electrographic toner comprising hard magnetic carriers and MICR toner particles.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a blender for electrographic developer defining an outer cylindrical surface having an axis, said blender being adapted to rotate about said axis;

a skive defining an outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning a length along said axis;

an elongate shaft having two ends and an intermediate location between said two ends;

an inner helical ribbon mounted concentrically to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith and having a pitch;

an outer helical ribbon mounted concentrically to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith and having an opposite pitch relative to said pitch,

said inner helical ribbon being disposed within said outer helical ribbon;

another inner helical ribbon mounted to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith adjacent to said inner helical ribbon and having another pitch;

another outer helical ribbon mounted to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith adjacent to said outer helical ribbon and having another opposite pitch relative to said another pitch,

said another inner helical ribbon being disposed within said another outer helical ribbon; and

said outer helical ribbon and said another outer helical ribbon being terminated to provide an opening spanning said intermediate location through which developer is drawn into said inner helical ribbon and said another inner helical ribbon upon rotation of said longitudinal shaft.

19. A method, comprising:

blending electrographic developer with a blender defining an outer cylindrical surface having an axis, said blender being adapted to rotate about said axis,

a skive defining an outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning a length along said axis;

an elongate shaft having two ends and an intermediate location between said two ends;

an inner helical ribbon mounted concentrically to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith and having a pitch;

an outer helical ribbon mounted concentrically to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith and having an opposite pitch relative to said pitch,

said inner helical ribbon being disposed within said outer helical ribbon;

another inner helical ribbon mounted to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith adjacent to said inner helical ribbon and having another pitch;

another outer helical ribbon mounted to said elongate shaft for rotation therewith adjacent to said outer helical ribbon and having another opposite pitch relative to said another pitch,

said another inner helical ribbon being disposed within said another outer helical ribbon;

said outer helical ribbon and said another outer helical ribbon being terminated to provide an opening spanning said intermediate location through which developer is drawn into said inner helical ribbon and said another inner helical ribbon upon rotation of said longitudinal shaft.