Automated touchdown developement system

Claim 2

A xerographic microfield donor member adapted to transport toner particles to a latent electrostatic image on the surface of a xerographic plate for development of said image, said donor member comprising: an endless electrically conductive support member carrying on a surface thereof a continuous dielectric layer, a plurality of electrically conductive screen patterns in contact with said dielectric layer and spaced by said dielectric layer from said conductive support, at least two of said screen patterns being electrically isolated from each other, means adapted to maintain said conductive support member at a reference potential; and means adapted to permit selective independent variation of the electrical potential of each of said screen patterns.

Claim 3

a developing station at which said layer of toner particles is presented in developing relation to a latent image on a xerographic plate, and d. programmed means adapted to permit independent variation of the electrical potential of each of said screen patterns, said means being programmed in accordance with the potential appropriate for each of said stations.

Claim 4

a developing station at which said layer of toner particles is presented in developing relation to a latent image on a xerographic plate, and d. programmed means adapted to permit independent variation of the electrical potential of each of said screen patterns, said means being programmed in accordance with the potential appropriate for each of said stations.

Claim 5

In a xerographic apparatus for developing a latent electrostatic image formed on the surface of a xerographic plate, means for developing said latent image, said means including: a. a microfield donor member adapted to transport toner particles to said latent image comprising, an endless electrically conductive support member carrying on a surface thereof a continuous dielectric layer, and a plurality of electrically conductive screen patterns in contact with said dielectric layer and spaced by said dielectric layer from said conductive support, at least two of said screen patterns being electrically isolated from each other; b. means adapted to maintain said conductive support member at a reference potential; c. means to continuously advance said donor member past a plurality of treating stations, said treating stations including:

Claim 6

In a xerographic apparatus for developing a latent electrostatic image formed on the surface of a xerographic plate, means for developing said latent image, said means including: a. a microfield donor member adapted to transport toner particles to said latent image comprising, an endless electrically conductive support member carrying on a surface thereof a continuous dielectric layer, and a plurality of electrically conductive screen patterns in contact with said dielectric layer and spaced by said dielectric layer from said conductive support, at least two of said screen patterns being electrically isolated from each other; b. means adapted to maintain said conductive support member at a reference potential; c. means to continuously advance said donor member past a plurality of treating stations, said treating stations including:

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a charging station at a point in advance of said developing station is located between said toner loading station and said developing station and includes a charging means adapted to place a uniform charge on said toner particles retained by said donor member of a polarity opposite to that of said latent image.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a toner agglomerate removal station is located between said charging station and said toner loading station and is operative to vacuum remove toner agglomerates and loosely adhering toner particles from said retained layer of toner particles.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a clean-up station is located between said charging station and said developing station and includes a rotatable, cylindrical clean-up member located adjacent said donor member so as to contact the outermost region of said layer of toner particles, said clean-up member being so constructed and designed to convert the layer of retained toner particles to one of comparatively uniform thickness and to remove toner agglomerates therefrom.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a clean-up station is located between said charging station and said developing station and includes a rotatable, cylindrical clean-up member located adjacent said donor member so as to contact the outermost region of said layer of toner particles, said clean-up member being so constructed and dEsigned to convert the layer of retained toner particles to one of comparatively uniform thickness and to remove toner agglomerates therefrom.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said clean-up member is an electrically biased, comparatively smooth-surfaced cylindrical member.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 7 having a toner removal means in association with said clean-up member adapted to remove toner particles from the surface of said clean-up member.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a charging means and a cleaning means are located between said developing station and said toner loading station, said charging means being operative after development and adapted to neutralize the charge on the toner particles to facilitate removal of toner by said cleaning means.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a toner removal means in association with said clean-up member is adapted to remove toner particles from the surface of said clean-up member.