Method and apparatus for forming a uniform layer of powder developer on a surface

Claim 2

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor member havinG a toner surface for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface in the form of a smooth uniform layer of toner, an improved means for loading the toner surface of the donor member with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improvement comprising; a pan for supporting a supply of toner for forming a toner bath, means supporting said donor member in said toner bath for forming toner areas of varying thickness including a thin area of active toner and a thicker area of inactive toner, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan supporting said toner for driving said toner in said thin active toner area into a fluid state sufficient for loading toner in a smooth layer onto the donor member surface and for driving said toner in thicker inactive areas into a state insufficient for loading toner onto the donor member toner surface in a smooth layer and means for moving said donor member toner surface through said active and inactive areas of said toner bath for loading toner onto the toner surface.

Claim 3

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor member havinG a toner surface for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface in the form of a smooth uniform layer of toner, an improved means for loading the toner surface of the donor member with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improvement comprising; a pan for supporting a supply of toner for forming a toner bath, means supporting said donor member in said toner bath for forming toner areas of varying thickness including a thin area of active toner and a thicker area of inactive toner, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan supporting said toner for driving said toner in said thin active toner area into a fluid state sufficient for loading toner in a smooth layer onto the donor member surface and for driving said toner in thicker inactive areas into a state insufficient for loading toner onto the donor member toner surface in a smooth layer and means for moving said donor member toner surface through said active and inactive areas of said toner bath for loading toner onto the toner surface.

Claim 4

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor member havinG a toner surface for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface in the form of a smooth uniform layer of toner, an improved means for loading the toner surface of the donor member with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improvement comprising; a pan for supporting a supply of toner for forming a toner bath, means supporting said donor member in said toner bath for forming toner areas of varying thickness including a thin area of active toner and a thicker area of inactive toner, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan supporting said toner for driving said toner in said thin active toner area into a fluid state sufficient for loading toner in a smooth layer onto the donor member surface and for driving said toner in thicker inactive areas into a state insufficient for loading toner onto the donor member toner surface in a smooth layer and means for moving said donor member toner surface through said active and inactive areas of said toner bath for loading toner onto the toner surface.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means supporting said donor member forms an active area of toner with an inactive area of toner on each side of the active area.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for moving the donor member toner surface moves the toner surface through one inactive area of toner for cleaning the toner surface with the toner in the inactive area, then through the active toner area for loading the toner surface with toner in the fluid state and then through the other inactive toner area for forming a layer of toner having uniform thickness.

Claim 7

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor roller for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface in the form of a smooth uniform layer of toner, an improved means for loading the donor roller with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improvement comprising; a pan for supporting a quantity of toner for forming a toner bath, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan at an angle sufficient for driving said toner to fill in voids in the toner for maintaining constant contact with the entire surface of the roller submerged in the toner bath and for driving toner in a sufficiently narrow layer, between a portion of the surface of the roller and said vibrating surface into a fluid state, means supporting said donor roller in said toner bath for forming varying depths of the toner in the toner bath with respect to the said surface of said pan for forming a layer in said pan sufficiently narrow in depth for being driven into a fluid state by the vibrations of said vibrating surface and means for rotating said roller through said toner bath and through said layer of toner driven into a fluid state for loading said surface of said roller with toner for forming a layer of toner on the surface of said donor roller.

Claim 8

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor roller for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface in the form of a smooth uniform layer of toner, an improved means for loading the donor roller with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improvement comprising; a pan for supporting a quantity of toner for forming a toner bath, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan at an angle sufficient for driving said toner to fill in voids in the toner for maintaining constant contact with the entire surface of the roller submerged in the toner bath and for driving toner in a sufficiently narrow layer, between a portion of the surface of the roller and said vibrating surface into a fluid state, means supporting said donor roller in said toner bath for forming varying depths of the toner in the toner bath with respect to the said surface of said pan for forming a layer in said pan sufficiently narrow in depth for being driven into a fluid state by the vibrations of said vibrating surface and means for rotating said roller through said toner bath and through said layer of toner driven into a fluid state for loading said surface of said roller with toner for forming a layer of toner on the surface of said donor roller.

Claim 9

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor roller for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface an improved means for loading the donor roller with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improvement comprising; a pan for supporting a quantity of toner therein, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan so supporting said toner, support means for supporting said donor roller so that at least a portion of the circumference of said Donor roller is submerged in the toner at least less than one-eighth of an inch from the surface of said pan and means for rotating said roller for passing the circumference of said roller through said powder developer.

Claim 10

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor roller for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface an improved means for loading the donor roller with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improvement comprising; a pan for supporting a quantity of toner therein, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan so supporting said toner, support means for supporting said donor roller so that at least a portion of the circumference of said Donor roller is submerged in the toner at least less than one-eighth of an inch from the surface of said pan and means for rotating said roller for passing the circumference of said roller through said powder developer.

Claim 11

An electrostatic recording apparatus as in claim 5 and in which said vibrating means vibrates the surface of said pan at an angle of 30* to 35* from the horizontal.

Claim 12

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means for developing an electrostatic image on the surface of an electrostatic image bearing drum in which toner particles are supplied to the surface of the electrostatic image bearing drum by a donor roller improved means for loading toner particles onto the surface of the donor roller for supplying toner particles in a uniform layer to the electrostatic image bearing drum, the improvement comprising, means for supporting said image bearing drum for rotating said drum by a drive means, means for supporting said donor roller for rotating said roller by a drive means, said drum and said roller positioned so that a portion of each of their respective surfaces are in contact, drive means for driving said drum and said roller in opposite directions respectively, pan means having a surface and sides for supporting a quantity of toner particles, said pan means positioned so that at least a portion of the periphery of said roller extends into said pan means for varying the thickness of the layer of toner particles supported in said means, the thickness of said layer varying from less than one-eighth of an inch to more than one-eighth of an inch thick, and means for vibrating the surface of said pan means at an angle sufficient to make fluid a portion of the layer of toner particles which has a thickness of substantially one-eighth of an inch or less.

Claim 13

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means for developing an electrostatic image on the surface of an electrostatic image bearing drum in which toner particles are supplied to the surface of the electrostatic image bearing drum by a donor roller improved means for loading toner particles onto the surface of the donor roller for supplying toner particles in a uniform layer to the electrostatic image bearing drum, the improvement comprising, means for supporting said image bearing drum for rotating said drum by a drive means, means for supporting said donor roller for rotating said roller by a drive means, said drum and said roller positioned so that a portion of each of their respective surfaces are in contact, drive means for driving said drum and said roller in opposite directions respectively, pan means having a surface and sides for supporting a quantity of toner particles, said pan means positioned so that at least a portion of the periphery of said roller extends into said pan means for varying the thickness of the layer of toner particles supported in said means, the thickness of said layer varying from less than one-eighth of an inch to more than one-eighth of an inch thick, and means for vibrating the surface of said pan means at an angle sufficient to make fluid a portion of the layer of toner particles which has a thickness of substantially one-eighth of an inch or less.

Claim 14

An electrostatic recording apparatus as in claim 2 and in which said vibrating means vibrates the surface of said pan means at an angle of 30* to 35* from the horizontal.

Claim 15

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor roller for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface in the form of a smooth uniform layer of toner, an improved means for loading the donor roller with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improvement comprising; a pan for supporting a supply of toner for forming a toner bath, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan so supporting said toner for driving said toner to fill in voids in the toner between said pan and said donor roller and for driving the toner in a predetermined area into a fluid state, said predetermined area in said bath at toner ranging in depth from substantially one-eighth of an inch to substantially less than one-eighth of an inch, means for supporting said donor roller so that at least a portion of the circumference of said roller is submerged in said toner and sufficiently close to the surface of said pan for forming said predetermined area in which said toner is driven into a fluid state upon being vibrated and means for rotating said roller for passing the surface of said roller through the toner bath.

Claim 16

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor roller for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface in the form of a smooth uniform layer of toner, an improved means for loading the donor roller with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improvement comprising; a pan for supporting a supply of toner for forming a toner bath, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan so supporting said toner for driving said toner to fill in voids in the toner between said pan and said donor roller and for driving the toner in a predetermined area into a fluid state, said predetermined area in said bath at toner ranging in depth from substantially one-eighth of an inch to substantially less than one-eighth of an inch, means for supporting said donor roller so that at least a portion of the circumference of said roller is submerged in said toner and sufficiently close to the surface of said pan for forming said predetermined area in which said toner is driven into a fluid state upon being vibrated and means for rotating said roller for passing the surface of said roller through the toner bath.

Claim 17

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor roller for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface in the form of a smooth uniform layer of toner, an improved means for loading the donor roller with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improVement comprising; a pan for supporting a supply of toner for forming a toner bath, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan supporting the toner for driving the toner to fill in voids in the toner between the pan and the donor roller and for driving the toner in the thinnest area between the roller and pan into a fluid state sufficient for loading toner in a smooth layer onto the roller while driving toner in the thicker areas between the roller and pan into a state insufficient for loading toner in a smooth layer onto the roller, means for supporting the donor so that at least a portion of the circumference of the roller is submerged in the toner and is sufficiently close to the surface of the pan so that upon vibrating the pan, the toner between the roller and pan is driven into a fluid state and means for rotating the roller for passing the surface of the roller through the toner bath.

Claim 18

An electrostatic recording apparatus having means to develop an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing surface in which the developing means includes a supply of toner for developing the latent image into a visible image and a donor roller for supplying a quantity of said toner to the electrostatic latent image bearing surface in the form of a smooth uniform layer of toner, an improved means for loading the donor roller with a uniform layer of toner for presentation to the latent image bearing surface, the improVement comprising; a pan for supporting a supply of toner for forming a toner bath, means for vibrating at least the surface of said pan supporting the toner for driving the toner to fill in voids in the toner between the pan and the donor roller and for driving the toner in the thinnest area between the roller and pan into a fluid state sufficient for loading toner in a smooth layer onto the roller while driving toner in the thicker areas between the roller and pan into a state insufficient for loading toner in a smooth layer onto the roller, means for supporting the donor so that at least a portion of the circumference of the roller is submerged in the toner and is sufficiently close to the surface of the pan so that upon vibrating the pan, the toner between the roller and pan is driven into a fluid state and means for rotating the roller for passing the surface of the roller through the toner bath.