US3692403A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic control of toner concentrations
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1971-12-23
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Granted: 1972-09-19
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Expires: 1991-12-23
Abstract
Abstract Controls for manually selecting toner concentrations in a xerographic imaging system are overridden to prevent overtoning. A drive mechanism responsive to copy production incrementally resets the toner controls to a standard toner concentration when that level is exceeded.
Inventors
- 👤 Lyman H Turner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 01:26
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H75/00; B65H75/02; B65H75/18; B65H75/185; G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/06; G03G15/08; G03G15/0822; G03G15/0848; G03G15/0849; B65H2701/00; B65H2701/30; B65H2701/31; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S222/00; Y10S222/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
Electrostatic imaging apparatus comprising copying means for creating electrostatic latent images on plate members, developing means positionable relative to a plate member for developing a latent image on the plate forming a toner particle image, toner particle dispensing means for supplying toner particles to the developing means for the formation of toner particle images, operator control means coupled to the dispensing means for establishing the quantity of toner particles supplied to the developing means including a plurality of operator selectable toner settings each of which make a different quantity of toner particles available to the developing means and drive means coupled to the control means for changing an operator selected toner setting in response to the number of toner images formed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
121 words
Electrostatic imaging apparatus comprising copying means for creating electrostatic latent images on plate members, developing means positionable relative to a plate member for developing a latent image on the plate forming a toner particle image, toner particle dispensing means for supplying toner particles to the developing means for the formation of toner particle images, operator control means coupled to the dispensing means for establishing the quantity of toner particles supplied to the developing means including a plurality of operator selectable toner settings each of which make a different quantity of toner particles available to the developing means and drive means coupled to the control means for changing an operator selected toner setting in response to the number of toner images formed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive means includes means for incrementally changing said toner setting.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive means includes means for changing an operated selected toner setting to a standard toner setting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plate member includes a xerographic plate and said copying means includes means for electrostaTically charging the plate and means for exposing the plate to light to create the latent image.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said xerographic plate is reusable.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dispensing means includes a reciprocating gate dispensing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means includes a pivotally supported handle manually adjustable to the plurality of toner settings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said dispensing means includes a reciprocating gate dispensing means and said control means includes means for varying the length of travel of a reciprocating member in said dispensing means for scaling the quantity of particles supplied to the developing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said control means includes a pivotally mounted handle coupled to said dispensing means for establishing a different length of travel for the reciprocating means at different angular positions of the handle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means includes a control shaft adjustable to a plurality of angular settings comprising the toner settings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said drive means includes means for angularly displacing said control shaft by some incremental angular amount upon one revolution of a drive member shaft rotated in proportion to a cycle during which a toner image is formed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said drive means includes a yoke member coupled at one end to a common shaft and at the other end to the driving member to impart a wrench motion to the yoke member in response to rotation of the driving member shaft and clutch means coupled between said common and control shafts to rotate the control shaft in one direction in response to the wrench motion of the yoke member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said drive means further includes stop pad means for limiting the rotation of control shaft to an angular position corresponding to a standard toner setting.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said clutch means includes roller clutch means coupled between said yoke member and the common shaft and friction clutch means coupled between the control and common shafts.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said clutch means includes wrap spring clutch means coupled between the common and control shafts.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said plate member is a continuous xerographic plate and said driving member shaft includes a shaft rotating at an angular velocity related to the recirculating rate of the xerographic plate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said control shaft includes a handle coupled thereto for enabling an operator to manually rotate the control shaft to one of the toner settings.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-19 | 1976-03-20 | 1976-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-19 | 1980-03-20 | 1980-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-19 | 1984-03-20 | 1984-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |