Toner cleaning apparatus for a photocopy machine

Claim 2

In a copying machine comprising a source of copy sheet material, a photoconductive recording member, exposure means for producing electrostatic images of an original on said photoconductive member, developing means for applying toner to said electrostatic images on said photoconductive member, means for effecting a transfer of said developed image to said copy sheet material including a transfer roller mounted for rotation adjacent said photoconductive member, whereby said toner is attracted toward said transfer roller to be deposited on said copy sheets synchronously interposed between said transfer roller and said photoconductive member, cleaning means for cleaning toner inadvertently transferred to the surface of said transfer roller comprising magnetic means mounted adjacent the outer surface of said transfer roller for removing the toner thereon by triboelectric forces created between said toner and said magnetic means, comprising a roller member mounted for rotation including magnetizable particles carried thereon for triboelectrically attracting toner from the surface of said transfer roller.

Claim 3

In a copying machine comprising a source of copy sheet material, a photoconductive recording member, exposure means for producing electrostatic images of an original on said photoconductive member, developing means for applying toner to said electrostatic images on said photoconductive member, means for effecting a transfer of said developed image to said copy sheet material including a transfer roller mounted for rotation adjacent said photoconductive member, whereby said toner is attracted toward said transfer roller to be deposited on said copy sheets synchronously interposed between said transfer roller and said photoconductive member, cleaning means for cleaning toner inadvertently transferred to the surface of said transfer roller comprising magnetic means mounted adjacent the outer surface of said transfer roller for removing the toner thereon by triboelectric forces created between said toner and said magnetic means, comprising a roller member mounted for rotation including magnetizable particles carried thereon for triboelectrically attracting toner from the surface of said transfer roller.

Claim 4

In a copying machine comprising a source of copy sheet material, a photoconductive recording member, exposure means for producing electrostatic images of an original on said photoconductive member, developing means for applying toner to said electrostatic images on said photoconductive member, means for effecting a transfer of said developed image to said copy sheet material including a transfer roller mounted for rotation adjacent said photoconductive member, whereby said toner is attracted toward said transfer roller to be deposited on said copy sheets synchronously interposed between said transfer roller and said photoconductive member, cleaning means for cleaning toner inadvertently transferred to the surface of said transfer roller comprising magnetic means mounted adjacent the outer surface of said transfer roller for removing the toner thereon by triboelectric forces created between said toner and said magnetic means, comprising a roller member mounted for rotation including magnetizable particles carried thereon for triboelectrically attracting toner from the surface of said transfer roller.

Claim 5

Cleaning means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said roller member includes mounted therein a stationary magnet about which said roller member rotates.

Claim 6

Cleaning means as claimed in claim 1 further including a container of magnetizable particles in which said cleaning roller member rotates for replenishing said particles on the outer surface of said last-mentioned roller member as the particles become toner laden.

Claim 7

Cleaning means as claimed in claim 1 further including means mounted in said container of magnetizable particles for stirring said particles to cause a movement thereof within said container.

Claim 8

In a copy machine comprising a source of copy sheet material, a photoconductive member, exposure means for producing images of an original on said photoconductive member, and developing means for applying developer powder of a first polarity to said images on said photoconductive member, a transfer station including a combination of a transfer roller having an electrical charge of a polarity opposite to that of said developer powder and mounted for rotation adjacent said photoconductive member, whereby said powder is attracted toward said roller member to be deposited on copy sheet material interposed between said transfer roller and photoconductive member and cleaning means for cleaning toner inadvertently transferred to said transfer roller from the surface of said transfer roller comprising a roller member and a stationary permanent magnet mounted within said roller, the magnetic field created by said magnet being greatest in strength adjacent said surface and 180* therefrom, said roller being rotatable about said magnet and including magnetizable particles held magnetically to said roller by said magnet, for triboelectrically attracting developer powder from said surface, thereby to remove said powder therefrom.

Claim 9

In a copy machine comprising a source of copy sheet material, a photoconductive member, exposure means for producing images of an original on said photoconductive member, and developing means for applying developer powder of a first polarity to said images on said photoconductive member, a transfer station including a combination of a transfer roller having an electrical charge of a polarity opposite to that of said developer powder and mounted for rotation adjacent said photoconductive member, whereby said powder is attracted toward said roller member to be deposited on copy sheet material interposed between said transfer roller and photoconductive member and cleaning means for cleaning toner inadvertently transferred to said transfer roller from the surface of said transfer roller comprising a roller member and a stationary permanent magnet mounted within said roller, the magnetic field created by said magnet being greatest in strength adjacent said surface and 180* therefrom, said roller being rotatable about said magnet and including magnetizable particles held magnetically to said roller by said magnet, for triboelectrically attracting developer powder from said surface, thereby to remove said powder therefrom.

Claim 10

A copying machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said cleaning means further includes a source of magnetizable particles for replenishing the supply thereof on the outer surface of said cleaning roller as said particles become toner laden.

Claim 11

In a copying machine comprising a source of copy sheet material, a photoconductive member, exposure means for producing images of an original on saiD photoconductive member and developing means for applying electroscopic developer powder of a first polarity to said images on said photoconductive member, a transfer station including, in combination, a transfer roller having an electrical charge of a polarity opposite to that of said developer powder, mounted for rotation adjacent said photoconductive member, whereby said powder is attracted toward said transfer roller to be deposited on copy sheet material interposed between said transfer roller and photoconductive member, and transfer roller cleaning means including magnetic means mounted adjacent said transfer roller whereby developer powder carried on said transfer roller is triboelectrically attracted from said transfer roller to said magnetic means and is thereby removed from the former, said transfer roller cleaning means including a cleaning roller member mounted in axial alignment with and adjacent said transfer roller and having mounted therein, along the axis thereof permanent magnet means, said cleaning roller being rotatable about said magnet means and including magnetizable particles disposed on the outer surface of said cleaning roller by said magnet means for triboelectrically attracting developer powder from the surface of said transfer roller thereby to maintain the surface of said last mentioned roller free of developer powder.

Claim 12

In a copying machine comprising a source of copy sheet material, a photoconductive member, exposure means for producing images of an original on saiD photoconductive member and developing means for applying electroscopic developer powder of a first polarity to said images on said photoconductive member, a transfer station including, in combination, a transfer roller having an electrical charge of a polarity opposite to that of said developer powder, mounted for rotation adjacent said photoconductive member, whereby said powder is attracted toward said transfer roller to be deposited on copy sheet material interposed between said transfer roller and photoconductive member, and transfer roller cleaning means including magnetic means mounted adjacent said transfer roller whereby developer powder carried on said transfer roller is triboelectrically attracted from said transfer roller to said magnetic means and is thereby removed from the former, said transfer roller cleaning means including a cleaning roller member mounted in axial alignment with and adjacent said transfer roller and having mounted therein, along the axis thereof permanent magnet means, said cleaning roller being rotatable about said magnet means and including magnetizable particles disposed on the outer surface of said cleaning roller by said magnet means for triboelectrically attracting developer powder from the surface of said transfer roller thereby to maintain the surface of said last mentioned roller free of developer powder.

Claim 13

A copying machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein said transfer roller cleaning means further includes a container partially filled with a supply of magnetizable particles for the replenishment of said particles on the outer surface of said cleaning roller member, said cleaning roller member being mounted within said container so that a portion of the outer surface thereof is always in contact with said supply of magnetizable particles located therein.

Claim 14

A copying machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said container further includes mounted therein stirring means for circulating the magnetizable particles within said container.