US3633544A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Turbocloud development
Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1969-07-03
•
Granted: 1972-01-11
•
Expires: 1989-07-03
Abstract
Abstract A powder cloud development device for developing a latent electrostatic image with toner wherein the toner is conveyed to the latent image area by a forced air system. A development electrode is mounted adjacent the image area to improve development and the electrode includes means to induce turbulence in the flow. A precipitation roller collects the toner in the flow after it passes the image area to control the toner concentration circulating in the device.
Inventors
- 👤 Ernest A Weiler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 03:26
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/06; G03G15/08; G03G15/0803
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; a supply of developer material, fan means for generating a flow of air for carrying developer material to the support surface bearing the latent electrostatic image, conducting means connecting with said fan means for conducting said flow of air past said support surface, rotatable dispensing means having one portion of the surface thereof communicating with the developer material in said supply and having another portion of the surface thereof communicating with the airflow in said conducting means for rotatably conveying said developer material on the surface of said rotatable dispensing means from said supply to said conducting means for introducing the developer on the surface of said rotatable dispenser to said airflow, and air return means for directing the airflow back to said fan means after passing the surface to be developed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; a supply of developer material, fan means for generating a flow of air for carrying developer material to the support surface bearing the latent electrostatic image, conducting means connecting with said fan means for conducting said flow of air past said support surface, rotatable dispensing means having one portion of the surface thereof communicating with the developer material in said supply and having another portion of the surface thereof communicating with the airflow in said conducting means for rotatably conveying said developer material on the surface of said rotatable dispensing means from said supply to said conducting means for introducing the developer on the surface of said rotatable dispenser to said airflow, and air return means for directing the airflow back to said fan means after passing the surface to be developed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image as in claim 1 and further including, a precipitator for removing unused developer material from the air of the flow of air after the airflow passes the surface to be developed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotatable dispensing means is a roller made of a surface having a triboelectric relationship with the developer material to place an electrostatic charge on the developer material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including an electrically grounded conductive electrode spacedly mounted adjacent the image-bearing surface to cause developer material to flow therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the electrode further includes turbulence inducing means for effecting turbulence of the flow of developer material to eliminate directional development effects.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the turbulence-inducing means is a series of protrusions on the surface of the electrode to extend into the flow of developer material.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
141 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; fan means for creating a flow of air, dispensing means mounted adjacent said flow of air for introducing electrostatically charged developer material into the flow to be carried thereby, conveying means connected to the fan means and the dispensing means for directing the flow of air carrying charged developer material past a surface bearing a latent image to be developed, and receiving means for directing the airflow back to the fan means after passing the surface to be developed, said receiving means including a precipitator for removing unused developer material from the flow after passing the surface to be developed, said precipitator comprising a roller made of a material that forms a triboelectric relationship with the developer material to allow developer to be collected thereon.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
141 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; fan means for creating a flow of air, dispensing means mounted adjacent said flow of air for introducing electrostatically charged developer material into the flow to be carried thereby, conveying means connected to the fan means and the dispensing means for directing the flow of air carrying charged developer material past a surface bearing a latent image to be developed, and receiving means for directing the airflow back to the fan means after passing the surface to be developed, said receiving means including a precipitator for removing unused developer material from the flow after passing the surface to be developed, said precipitator comprising a roller made of a material that forms a triboelectric relationship with the developer material to allow developer to be collected thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 7 further including a developer reservoir mounted adjacent the roller to receive developer material collecTed thereon whereby the reservoir supplies developer to the dispensing means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the roller includes scraper element adapted to scrape off developer material collected thereon to allow it to be received by the reservoir.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
139 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; fan means for creating a flow of air, dispensing means mounted adjacent said flow of air for introducing electrostatically charged developer material into the flow to be carried thereby, conveying means connected to the fan means and the dispensing means for directing the flow of air carrying charged developer material past a surface bearing a latent image to be developed, and receiving means for directing the airflow back to the fan means after passing the surface to be developed, said receiving means including a precipitator for removing unused developer material from the flow after passing the surface to be developed, said precipitator including a roller coupled to a bias potential of opposite polarity than the charge on the developer to attract developer thereto.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
139 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; fan means for creating a flow of air, dispensing means mounted adjacent said flow of air for introducing electrostatically charged developer material into the flow to be carried thereby, conveying means connected to the fan means and the dispensing means for directing the flow of air carrying charged developer material past a surface bearing a latent image to be developed, and receiving means for directing the airflow back to the fan means after passing the surface to be developed, said receiving means including a precipitator for removing unused developer material from the flow after passing the surface to be developed, said precipitator including a roller coupled to a bias potential of opposite polarity than the charge on the developer to attract developer thereto.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
145 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; fan means for creating a flow of air, dispensing means mounted adjacent said flow of air for introducing electrostatically charged developer material into the flow to be carried thereby, conveying means connected to the fan means and the dispensing means for directing the flow of air carrying charged developing material past a surface bearing a latent image to be developed, and receiving means for directing the airflow back to the fan means after passing the surface to be developed, said receiving means including a precipitator for removing unused developer material from the flow after passing the surface to be developed and a baffle member coupled to an electrical bias potential as the same polarity as the charge on the developer material to repel developer material therefrom to the precipitator.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
145 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; fan means for creating a flow of air, dispensing means mounted adjacent said flow of air for introducing electrostatically charged developer material into the flow to be carried thereby, conveying means connected to the fan means and the dispensing means for directing the flow of air carrying charged developing material past a surface bearing a latent image to be developed, and receiving means for directing the airflow back to the fan means after passing the surface to be developed, said receiving means including a precipitator for removing unused developer material from the flow after passing the surface to be developed and a baffle member coupled to an electrical bias potential as the same polarity as the charge on the developer material to repel developer material therefrom to the precipitator.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
160 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; fan means for creating a flow of air, dispensing means mounted adjacent said flow of air for introducing electrostatically charged developer material with the flow to be carried thereby, conveying means connected to the fan means and the dispensing means for directing the flow of air carrying charged developing material past a surface bearing a latent image to be developed, an electrically grounded conductive electrode spacedly mounted adjacent the image-bearing surface to cause developer material to flow therebetween, said electrode including turbulence inducing means for effecting turbulence of the flow of developer material to eliminate directional development effects and said turbulence inducing means includes a series of tufts of fibers mounted on the surface of the electrode to extend with the flow of developer material, and receiving means for directing the airflow back to the fan means after passing the surface to be developed.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
160 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; fan means for creating a flow of air, dispensing means mounted adjacent said flow of air for introducing electrostatically charged developer material with the flow to be carried thereby, conveying means connected to the fan means and the dispensing means for directing the flow of air carrying charged developing material past a surface bearing a latent image to be developed, an electrically grounded conductive electrode spacedly mounted adjacent the image-bearing surface to cause developer material to flow therebetween, said electrode including turbulence inducing means for effecting turbulence of the flow of developer material to eliminate directional development effects and said turbulence inducing means includes a series of tufts of fibers mounted on the surface of the electrode to extend with the flow of developer material, and receiving means for directing the airflow back to the fan means after passing the surface to be developed.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
156 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; fan means for creating a flow of air, dispensing means mounted adjacent said flow of air for introducing electrostatically charged developer material into the flow to be carried thereby, conveying means connected to the fan means and the dispensing means for directing the flow of air carrying charged developing material past a surface bearing a latent image to be developed. an electrically grounded conductive electrode spacedly mounted adjacent the image-bearing surface to cause the developer material to flow therebetween, said electrode including turbulence inducing means for effecting turbulence of the flow of developer material to eliminate directional developmeNt effects, said turbulence inducing means including vibrating means connected to the electrode to move the electrode to and from the image bearing surface, and receiving means for directing the airflow back to the fan means after passing the surface to be developed.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
156 words
An apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material comprising; fan means for creating a flow of air, dispensing means mounted adjacent said flow of air for introducing electrostatically charged developer material into the flow to be carried thereby, conveying means connected to the fan means and the dispensing means for directing the flow of air carrying charged developing material past a surface bearing a latent image to be developed. an electrically grounded conductive electrode spacedly mounted adjacent the image-bearing surface to cause the developer material to flow therebetween, said electrode including turbulence inducing means for effecting turbulence of the flow of developer material to eliminate directional developmeNt effects, said turbulence inducing means including vibrating means connected to the electrode to move the electrode to and from the image bearing surface, and receiving means for directing the airflow back to the fan means after passing the surface to be developed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the electrode includes a surface of alternatively directed perforated funnels to create an additional airflow through the perforations to effect turbulence of the flow of developer material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
89 words
In an apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material including a developer flow generator for moving charged developer in a fluid flow medium past an image bearing surface to be developed, the improvement therein comprising a turbulence inducing means mounted adjacent the developer material flow passing the image-bearing surface to be developed to prevent directional development effects, said turbulence-inducing means including an electrically grounded development electrode, said development electrode being vibrated relative to the image-bearing surface to be developed to induce turbulence.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
89 words
In an apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material including a developer flow generator for moving charged developer in a fluid flow medium past an image bearing surface to be developed, the improvement therein comprising a turbulence inducing means mounted adjacent the developer material flow passing the image-bearing surface to be developed to prevent directional development effects, said turbulence-inducing means including an electrically grounded development electrode, said development electrode being vibrated relative to the image-bearing surface to be developed to induce turbulence.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 15 wherein the electrode includes a series of elements extending into the developer material flow to create turbulence therein.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
121 words
In an apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material including a developer flow generator for moving charged developer in a fluid flow medium past an image bearing surface to be developed, the improvement therein comprising a turbulence inducing means mounted adjacent the developer material flow passing the surface bearing the latent electrostatic image to be developed to prevent directional development effects, said turbulence inducing means including; an electrically grounded development electrode for repelling charged developer in the developer material flow, and means for oscillating said development electrode relative to said image bearing surface for inducing turbulence in the developer material flow as said developer material flow passes the surface bearing the latent electrostatic image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
121 words
In an apparatus for developing a support surface bearing a latent electrostatic image with developer material including a developer flow generator for moving charged developer in a fluid flow medium past an image bearing surface to be developed, the improvement therein comprising a turbulence inducing means mounted adjacent the developer material flow passing the surface bearing the latent electrostatic image to be developed to prevent directional development effects, said turbulence inducing means including; an electrically grounded development electrode for repelling charged developer in the developer material flow, and means for oscillating said development electrode relative to said image bearing surface for inducing turbulence in the developer material flow as said developer material flow passes the surface bearing the latent electrostatic image.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-10 | 1975-07-12 | 1976-01-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-10 | 1979-07-12 | 1980-01-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-10 | 1983-07-12 | 1984-01-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |