Apparatus for metered filling of toner from a reservoir into the

Details Apparatus for metered filling of toner from a reservoir into the Apparatus for metered filling of toner from a reservoir into the

1990-08-30

1992-08-18

Grimley, A. T.

Dispensing

Agitator followed by discharge assistant and/or...

All rotary

222412, 222DIG1, 355260, 366156, 366158, 366320, G01F 1120

Patent

active

051391767

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention is directed to an apparatus for metered filling of toner from a reservoir into the developing station of a non-mechanical printer or copier device.
In copier device technology and in non-mechanical, fast data printers that operate on the principle of electro photography, charge images are generated on a charge image carrier, for example a photoconductive drum, and are subsequently inked with a toner in a developing station. Given employment of a photoconductive drum, the toner images are subsequently transferred onto standard paper and are thermically or chemically fixed thereon. As a rule, a two-component developer that is composed of ferromagnetic carrier particles and toner particles is employed for developing. With, for example, a magnetic brush arrangement, the developer mix is conducted past the charge image carrier (photoconductive drum) to which the toner particles remain adhering due to electrostatic forces. The returning mix is enriched with new toner from the toner reservoir before it flows back into the circulation of the carpet of mix in the developing station.
In order to achieve a uniform inking of the charge image via the developing station, the developing station must be uniformly supplied with toner in metered fashion over the entire width of the developing station. In the metered delivery of toner to the developer mix, the mechanical stressing on the toner must be minimum so that work can still be carried out disruption-free in the limit temperature range of the toner and so that clumping of the toner is prevented.
For delivering toner to a developing station in metered fashion, German Published Application 36 20 365 discloses that a conveyor means be provided that is composed of two elastic drums arranged between the walls of the exit region of the reservoir, these elastic drums closing the exit region and being oppositely driveable via an electromotive drive means.
Further, British Patent Application 2 065 617 A discloses that the toner reservoir be arranged laterally from the developing station and that the toner be supplied in a closed conveying tube via a screw-shaft.
What is referred to as roller formation of the toner can arise in the conveying tube due to the employment of a screw-shaft. This means that the toner assumes the shape of the conveying drum and forms clumps. The toner is also subject to a relatively high mechanical stressing.
A further disadvantage of a lateral delivery of toner to the developing station is comprised therein that a depletion of the developer mix occurs at the opposite end of the developing station given a high toner consumption.
It is an object of the invention to fashion an apparatus of the species initially cited such that the toner is metered into the developing station over the entire printing width without great mechanical stressing, being metered uniformly and free of clumps and independently of the toner supply in the reservoir.
In an apparatus of the species initially cited, this object is achieved by at least one metering drum extending along the developing station and arranged in the exit region of the toner reservoir to the developing station; a hollow conveyor helix situated in a conveying channel above the metering drums in optimally tight proximity thereto; the conveyor helix extending parallel along the metering drum into the toner reservoir; and the conveyor helix and the metering drum being coupled in terms of drive corresponding to the metering power such that an approximately uniformly high toner level is established above the metering drum.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention are provided by the conveyor helix being fashioned as a coil spring that has at least one end coupled to a central drive shaft. In a preferred embodiment, the conveyor helix is arranged in a conveyor tube that is open at one side in the region of the metering drum.
Ductors, such as ductor hoops which are oppositely driven, may be provided in the toner reservoir above the conveyor helix to brush the housing side wall of the toner reservoir.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3310205 (1967-03-01), Meyer
patent: 4682874 (1987-07-01), Fantuzzo
Goff, Jr., "Toner Cartridge with Internal Toner Transport", IBM Tech. Disc. Bulletin, vol. 15, No. 4, Sep. 1972, p. 1260.
Japanese Patent Abstract, No. (11) 60-238874 (A), vol. 10, (P-44), Apr. 22, 1986.

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