Photoreceptor web grounding structure of liquid...

Details Photoreceptor web grounding structure of liquid... Photoreceptor web grounding structure of liquid...

1999-12-29

2001-01-23

Moses, Richard (Department: 2852)

Electrophotography

Machine operation

Electrical connection

C399S111000, C399S116000, C399S162000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06178300

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for grounding a photoreceptor web installed at a liquid electrophotographic printer. The present application is based on Korean Patent Application No. 99-26341, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid electrophotographic printer such as a color laser printer, as shown in
FIG. 1
, includes a photoreceptor web
10
, which circulates while being supported by a plurality of rollers
11
,
12
and
13
installed at a belt unit in the printer. A predetermined electrostatic latent image is formed on one side of the photoreceptor web
10
by a laser scanner
16
. The electrostatic latent image is developed into a colored image by a development unit
17
. The developed image is dried as it passes a drying unit
14
and printed on a sheet of paper
1
at a transfer unit
15
. Reference numerals
18
and
19
denote a charging device and a topping corona for applying a predetermined voltage to the photoreceptor web
10
for formation and removal of the electrostatic latent image, respectively. That is, the photoreceptor web
10
is charged to a high voltage by the topping corona
19
and a voltage of only a portion of the photoreceptor web
10
scanned by the laser scanner
16
drops. Thus, the electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoreceptor web
10
due to the difference in electric potential. After the image developed while passing the development unit
15
is printed on the paper
1
, the image is charged by the charging device
18
and the voltage of the image formed on the photoreceptor web
10
changes to a normal state so that the electrostatic latent image is removed.
In order to charge the photoreceptor web
10
to a predetermined electric potential and maintain the electric potential, at least a portion of the photoreceptor web
10
must be grounded. That is, the grounded state enables maintenance of a relative voltage value.
According to the conventional technology, a grounding brush
20
fixed to a main frame (not shown) is provided so that one side of the photoreceptor web
10
is in contact with the grounding brush
20
when circulating. That is, the photoreceptor web
10
is grounded via the grounding brush
20
and the main frame.
However, as the photoreceptor web
10
is repeatedly contaminated with developer adhering thereto while printing, the grounding brush
20
contacting the photoreceptor web
10
gradually becomes contaminated with the developer. As the contamination becomes significant, the grounding brush
20
may lose its grounding effectiveness. When the contamination becomes serious, the grounding brush
20
is preferably replaced by a new one. However, as the grounding brush
20
is fixed at the main frame in the printer of the conventional structure, the procedure of disassembling and installing the grounding brush
20
to replace it is difficult as one must manually do these jobs while fitting one's hands through a narrow space of the printer, or alternatively, the printer itself must be disassembled. Hence, a structure that allows for the easy replacement of the grounding brush
20
is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problems, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an improved photoreceptor web grounding structure of a liquid electrophotographic printer which enables replacement of a grounding brush easily and quickly.
Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, there is provided a photoreceptor web grounding structure of a liquid electrophotographic printer for grounding a photoreceptor web installed in the printer, which comprises a removable cartridge detachably installed in the printer, a first grounding brush installed at the removable cartridge and contacting the photoreceptor web, and a second grounding brush installed at a main frame to be in contact with the first grounding brush when the removable cartridge is installed in the printer.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3533692 (1970-10-01), Blanchette et al.
patent: 5436696 (1995-07-01), Orlowski et al.
patent: 5537189 (1996-07-01), Imes
patent: 5930560 (1999-07-01), Sawaki

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