Developing device for photoconducting materials

Claim 2

A developing device for photoconductive copying material comprising walls forming a storage tank arranged to contain a supply of liquid developer with particles of pigment therein, means mounted on said storage tank and forming a longitudinally extending upwardly concave channellike guide having an inlet at one end for receiving the copying material and an outlet at the opposite end in the longitudinal direction for discharging the copying material after it passes through said channellike guide in which a continuous supply of liquid developer is provided for contact with the copying material as it passes therethrough, said means comprising a first guide element having an arcuate shape in the longitudinal direction of said channellike guide and defining the upper surface of said channellike guide and second guide element spaced closely below and having a configuration similar to said first guide elements so that said second guide element defines the lower surface of said channellike guide, a distributing channel for the liquid developer extending for and in the direction of the width of said channellike guide, a pump for delivering the liquid developer from said storage tank to said distributing channel from which the liquid developer flows into said channellike guide, and said means mounted on said storage tank providing an overflow from said channellike guide for returning the liquid developer to said storage tank after its passage through said guide and with the level of the overflow defining the liquid level in said channellike guide, wherein the improvement comprises means in combination with said first guide element for supplying liquid developer from said distributing channel into said channellike guide at a level below the liquid level in said guide and at a position located above the lowest level of said channellike guide and upstream from said overflow in the direction of movement of the copying material from the inlet to the outlet of said channellike guide so that coincident travel of the liquid developer and copying material is effected through said guide and any turbulence in the liquid developer is avoided, said overflow being formed at least by the downstream edge of said first guide element, the upstream edge of said first guide element being located above and upstream from the lowest level of said channellike guide, said first guide element being shorter in the longitudinal direction of said channellike guide than said second guide element and with the downstream edge of said first guide element being positioned upstream from the outlet from said channellike guide, said downstream edge of said first guide element located at a level below the inlet to said channellike guide, and said distributing channel located above said first guide element at a position spaced intermediate the upstream edge and downstream edge of said first guide element.

Claim 3

A developing device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upstream edge of said fiRst guide element is located within said channellike guide downstream from the inlet thereto and is positioned at a level below the downstream edge of said first guide element, said distributing channel extends in the direction of said upstream edge and is located adjacent thereto and said upstream edge forming at least the lower edge of an opening which in combination with said means for supplying liquid developer from said distributing channel affords communication with said channellike guide.

Claim 4

A developing device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein a portion of said first guide element adjacent the upstream edge thereof is spaced upwardly from and secured to the arcuately shaped portion of said first guide element and forms a bottom wall portion of said distributing channel.

Claim 5

A developing device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said means for supplying liquid developer from said distributing channel into said channellike guide comprises a calming chamber extending in the direction of said distributing channel and the upstream edge of said first guide element, at least one connecting orifice being provided between said distributing channel and said calming chamber, and said calming chamber arranged for supplying the liquid developer at the inlet opening into said channellike guide where the lower edge of said opening is formed by said upstream edge of said first guide element.

Claim 6

A developing device, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said means for supplying liquid developer comprises wall means in combination with the upstream edge of said first guide element forming a slotlike opening between said calming chamber and said channellike guide with said opening extending transversely across said guide, said slotlike opening having a height which is less than the height of the connecting orifice between said distributing channel and said calming chamber and the upper limit of said slotlike opening being located below the upper limit of the connecting orifice between said distributing channel and said calming chamber.

Claim 7

A developing device, as set forth in claim 5, wherein a common partition wall separates said distributing channel and said calming chamber, said partition wall containing a plurality of oblong holes with vertical axis equally distantly spaced from one another for forming connecting orifices between said distributing channel and said calming chamber.

Claim 8

A developing device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said distributing channel comprises a pair of sidewall sections integral with and extending upwardly from the upper surface of said first guide element, a horizontal bottom wall section extending between said sidewall sections and spaced vertically upwardly from the line of the arcuately shaped surface of said first guide element, a section of said first guide element extending between its upstream edge and the adjacent one of said sidewall sections forming in combination with said adjacent sidewall section a part of a calming chamber, a plurality of connecting orifices formed in said adjacent one of said wide sidewall sections for communicating between said distributing channel and said calming chamber, a cover member extending over said distributing channel and forming the upper limits of said calming chamber, said cover member being supported on said sidewall sections, said cover member having a downwardly projecting wall portion extending toward but spaced vertically above the upstream edge of said first guide element and forming therewith a slot-shaped opening extending transversely across said channellike guide for affording communication between said calming chamber and said channellike guide, and said cover having a downwardly projecting rim located within said distributing channel and adjacent the surface of said sidewall section separating said distributing channel and said calming chamber and said rim covering at least the upper portion of said connecting orifices between said distributing chAnnel and said calming chamber.

Claim 9

A developing device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a metal guide member secured to the lower surface of said first guide element and extending from the upstream edge thereof in the direction of movement of copying material through said channellike guide toward the downstream edge thereof, said metal guide member having a plurality of ribs extending in the longitudinal direction of said channellike guide.

Claim 10

A developing device, as set forth in claim 8, wherein a portion of said first guide element being offset upwardly from the line of its arcuately shaped configuration for forming an open transverse channel extending for the width of said channellike guide, said channel being opened at its base and being aligned below said distributing channel, said metal guide member extending across the lower opened end of said transverse channel and said metal guide member being perforated in the portion spanning said transverse channel for forming vent openings between said channellike guide and said transverse channel, and said transverse channel having an opening therefrom for venting gas collected in said transverse channel from said channellike guide.

Claim 11

A developing device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein upwardly extending walls being secured to the opposite longitudinally extending edges of said first guide element forming a trough-shaped insert, upwardly extending walls being secured to the longitudinally extending side edges of said second guide element forming a trough-shaped insert arranged to receive the trough-shaped insert formed by said first guide element and its sidewalls therein, one said sidewall of said first guide element and the adjacent said sidewall of said second guide element being arranged to form a pair of aligned upwardly extending openings, one of said openings being arranged to supply the liquid developer from said storage tank into said distributing channel and the other said opening being arranged as a return conduit from the trough-shaped insert formed by said first guide element to said storage tank for returning liquid developer thereto after its flow through said channellike guide, a tubular seal being disposed in said opening connecting said storage tank and said distributing channel, and the upper end of said other opening being located at the lowest point in said arcuately shaped first and second guide elements.

Claim 12

A developing device for photoconductive copying material comprising walls forming a storage tank arranged to contain a supply of liquid developer with particles of pigment therein, means mounted on said storage tank and forming a longitudinally extending upwardly concave channellike guide having an inlet at one end for receiving the copying material and an outlet at the opposite end in the longitudinal direction for discharging the copying material after it passes through said channellike guide in which a continuous supply of liquid developer is provided for contact with the copying material as it passes therethrough, said means comprising a first guide element having an arcuate shape in the longitudinal direction of said channellike guide and defining the upper surface of said channellike guide and a second guide element spaced closely below and having a configuration similar to said first guide elements so that said second guide elements defines the lower surface of said channellike guide, a distributing channel for the liquid developer extending for and in the direction of the width of said channellike guide, a pump for delivering the liquid developer from said storage tank to said distributing channel from which the liquid developer flows into said channellike guide, and said means mounted on said storage tank providing an overflow from said channellike guide for returning the liquid developer to said storage tank after its passage through said guide and with the level of the overflow defining the liquid level in said channellike guiDe, wherein the improvement comprises means for supplying liquid developer from said distributing channel into said channellike guide at a level below the liquid level in said guide and at a position located upstream from said overflow in the direction of movement of the copying material from the inlet to the outlet of said channellike guide so that coincident travel of the liquid developer and copying material is effected through said channellike guide and any turbulence in the liquid developer is avoided, said overflow being formed at least by the downstream edge of said first guide element, the upstream edge of said first guide element being located above the lowest level of said channellike guide, and said first guide element being shorter in the longitudinal direction of said channellike guide than said second guide element and with the downstream edge of said first guide element being positioned upstream from the outlet from said channellike guide, said walls forming said storage tank comprising a trough-shaped base part comprised of a bottom portion and upwardly extending sidewalls secured to bottom portion, guide means disposed within and secured to said trough-shaped base part, an intermediate base having a dish-shaped base portion arranged to receive said guide means in said trough-shaped base part, said first guide element having sidewalls forming a trough-shaped insert, said second guide element having sidewalls forming a second trough-shaped insert into which said trough-shaped insert formed by said first guide element is fitted, said first and second guide elements being supported on said intermediate base, said first guide element forming a collecting vessel extending transversely across said device and having several openings therethrough, said intermediate base forming a downwardly extending collecting chamber having a bottom wall section containing two openings, a first tubular wall means connected at its lower end to one of the openings in said collecting chamber and extending upwardly through one of the openings in said guide elements for forming a feed conduit for supplying liquid developer to said distributing channel, and a second tubular wall member forming an outlet conduit for the liquid developer from the collecting vessel formed by said first guide elements for supplying the developer downwardly into said storage tank.

Claim 13

A developing device for photoconductive copying material comprising walls forming a storage tank arranged to contain a supply of liquid developer with particles of pigment therein, means mounted on said storage tank and forming a longitudinally extending upwardly concave channellike guide having an inlet at one end for receiving the copying material and an outlet at the opposite end in the longitudinal direction for discharging the copying material after it passes through said channellike guide in which a continuous supply of liquid developer is provided for contact with the copying material as it passes therethrough, said means comprising a first guide element having an arcuate shape in the longitudinal direction of said channellike guide and defining the upper surface of said channellike guide and a second guide element spaced closely below and having a configuration similar to said first guide elements so that said second guide elements defines the lower surface of said channellike guide, a distributing channel for the liquid developer extending for and in the direction of the width of said channellike guide, a pump for delivering the liquid developer from said storage tank to said distributing channel from which the liquid developer flows into said channellike guide, and said means mounted on said storage tank providing an overflow from said channellike guide for returning the liquid developer to said storage tank after its passage through said guide and with the level of the overflow defining the liquid level in said channellike guiDe, wherein the improvement comprises means for supplying liquid developer from said distributing channel into said channellike guide at a level below the liquid level in said guide and at a position located upstream from said overflow in the direction of movement of the copying material from the inlet to the outlet of said channellike guide so that coincident travel of the liquid developer and copying material is effected through said channellike guide and any turbulence in the liquid developer is avoided, said overflow being formed at least by the downstream edge of said first guide element, the upstream edge of said first guide element being located above the lowest level of said channellike guide, and said first guide element being shorter in the longitudinal direction of said channellike guide than said second guide element and with the downstream edge of said first guide element being positioned upstream from the outlet from said channellike guide, said walls forming said storage tank comprising a trough-shaped base part comprised of a bottom portion and upwardly extending sidewalls secured to bottom portion, guide means disposed within and secured to said trough-shaped base part, an intermediate base having a dish-shaped base portion arranged to receive said guide means in said trough-shaped base part, said first guide element having sidewalls forming a trough-shaped insert, said second guide element having sidewalls forming a second trough-shaped insert into which said trough-shaped insert formed by said first guide element is fitted, said first and second guide elements being supported on said intermediate base, said first guide element forming a collecting vessel extending transversely across said device and having several openings therethrough, said intermediate base forming a downwardly extending collecting chamber having a bottom wall section containing two openings, a first tubular wall means connected at its lower end to one of the openings in said collecting chamber and extending upwardly through one of the openings in said guide elements for forming a feed conduit for supplying liquid developer to said distributing channel, and a second tubular wall member forming an outlet conduit for the liquid developer from the collecting vessel formed by said first guide elements for supplying the developer downwardly into said storage tank.

Claim 14

A device, as set forth in claim 11, wherein a pump housing secured to and extending downwardly from the bottom wall section of said collecting chamber, said bottom wall section having a third opening, a pump shaft extending through said third opening, said pump housing located below and forming a closure for the openings in the bottom wall section of said collecting chamber, said pump housing having an opening therethrough in alignment with said pump shaft, and a tubular socket concentrically disposed about said pump shaft and extending upwardly from the bottom wall section of said collecting chamber to the level of the first guide element.

Claim 15

A developing device, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said guide means in the trough-shaped base part of said storage tank comprising a first centering lug and a second centering lug arranged to engage said intermediate base, said first centering lug having a longitudinally extending striplike shape and extending in the direction of aligned interconnecting said first and second centering lugs, said second centering lug having a pin-shaped configuration and arranged to engage in the opening in the bottom wall section of said collecting chamber from which liquid developer is discharged into said storage tank, said second centering lug having a cross-shaped horizontal cross section, and a slot-shaped projection on the lower surface of said intermediate base for engagement with the upper edge of said intermediate base for engagement with the upper edge of said first centering lug.

Claim 16

A developing device, as set forth in claim 11, wherein a cover membeR positioned across and forming a closure on the upper end of said device for said intermediate base and said first and second guide elements, the peripheral edges of said cover member being supported on said intermediate base, and detachable fixing means for securing said cover said first and second guide elements and said intermediate base on said storage tank, downwardly directed webs being formed on the periphery of said storage tank, said fixing means comprising vertically extending shanks, hooks formed on the upper ends of said shanks for engagement with the upper end of said storage tank wall sections and said cover member, and a hook-shaped leg formed on the lower end of said shanks for engaging said downwardly directed webs, said downwardly directed webs having holes therethrough, and said fixing means having lugs thereon for engagement into the holes in said webs.

Claim 17

A developing device, as set forth in claim 14, wherein an upwardly directed U-shaped wall section is secured to the periphery of said cover and extends thereabout forming a circumferentially extending opened channel and an opening in said cover for providing communication to the interior of said intermediate base.

Claim 18

A developing device, as set forth in claim 12, wherein a pair of vertically spaced bushes positioned within said tubular socket for guiding said pump shaft, each said bush comprising an inner sleeve in contact with said pump shaft and a concentrically arranged outer sleeve spaced radially outwardly from said inner sleeve and a plurality of angularly spaced longitudinally extending mounting ribs formed on the exterior surface of said outer sleeve, and a plurality of angularly spaced radially extending webs located between said ribs and secured to said inner and outer sleeves.

Claim 19

A developing device, as set forth in claim 16, wherein a flange ring attached to the outer ends of said webs at one end of said sleeves, said ring being disposed radially outwardly from said outer sleeve and an annular orifice being formed between the inner surface of said ring and the outer surface of said inner sleeve and a continuation of said annular orifice being formed through said bush between the inner surface of said outer sleeve and the outer surface of said inner sleeve.