Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Unwinding – With drive mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-26
2001-12-11
Jillions, John M. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Unwinding
With drive mechanism
C242S588200, C140S123000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328250
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is in the field of electrophotography. More specifically, it is directed to a method and apparatus for mounting wires into a corona charger housing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A corona charger is used to generate an electrostatic charge on a surface, for example, a sheet of paper, a photoconductor or a transport web. A corona charge typically includes one or more tightly strung corona wires. The two ends of each wire are firmly attached to the corona charger housing, for example, by copper lugs, or by manually twisted loops which are connected to the corona charger housing. Applying high voltage to these corona wires creates the requisite charge.
The corona wires are usually mounted one by one. Mounting and adjusting the tension of each wire independently of other wires is time consuming and relatively expensive. In the mounting process the wire is touched multiple times by tools or by the operator's hand. The mounting process includes unpacking the wire, mounting one end of each wire into the corona charger, attaching a tensioning spring to the other end of each wire, and mounting this other end of each wire and the tensioning spring into the corona charger housing.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,112,298, 4,258,258, 5,140,367, 5,181,069, 5,358,165, and 5,424,540 describe a corona charger that utilizes individual wires strung to produce separate corona wire strings. These patents do not disclose the process of assembling these wires.
FIG. 1
illustrates an OCE charger, including a five string corona wire strung in a serpentine manner. The corona wire is mounted on four grooved sleds, each of which is tensioned by a spring.
The tension of each spring has to be properly adjusted. This requires that some or all of these springs be adjusted several times, making it time consuming and relatively expensive to properly tension the corona wire.
Furthermore, the usual way of mounting corona wires in a corona charger is difficult and time consuming because these wires are thin and are easily damaged by handling. Even small damage to the wires can cause breakage or non-uniformity in the charge generated. Finally, the wires need to be renewed regularly because of contamination damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool for stringing corona wires in a charger, so that the direct handling of corona wires is minimized. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of stringing a corona wire in a corona charger housing.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for dispensing wire includes a wire dispenser pen with inner wall forming a hollow shaft adapted to receive a wire and a support structure attached to the wire dispenser pen. This support structure is adapted to receive a spool of wire.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the support structure includes a pin adapted to receive and to rotably support a spool of wire. The apparatus further includes a rotating spool roller. The spool roller has at least two positions, one of which enables it to be in contact with the spool of wire and the other which enables the spool of wire to be placed onto a rotating pin and into the support structure.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of mounting a corona wire into a corona charger housing from a spool tool comprises: (i) supporting a spool tool that includes a spool and wire dispenser pen; (ii) feeding a wire out of the wire dispenser pen and securing an open end of the wire to the corona charger housing; (iii) moving the spool tool to another section of the corona charger housing while feeding more wire out of the wire dispenser pen and stringing the wire across the corona charger housing; and (iv) securing a second end of the wire to the corona charger housing.
According to a preferred embodiment, prior to securing the second end of the wire, the spool tool is moved around at least one wire mount, producing at least two strings of corona wire in the corona charger housing.
It is an advantage of the present invention that it minimizes damage to fragile corona wires and simplifies mounting of corona wires in a corona charger housing.
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Jillions John M.
Nexpress Solutions LLC
LandOfFree
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