Cleaning of electrostatographic surfaces

Claim 5

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further comprising: means for periodically interrupting the contact between the surface of the inflated member and the recording surface to permit particles accumulated on the recording surface to move past the elastic member.

Claim 6

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the means for periodically interrupting the contact between said surface of the inflated member and the recording surface comprises means connected to the inflated elastic member to periodically inflate and deflate said inflated elastic member to maintain and interrupt, respectively, the contact.

Claim 7

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the means for periodically interrupting contact between the inflated elastic member and the recording surface comprises means connected to said inflated elastic member to move said surface thereof into and out of contact with said recording surface.

Claim 8

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 and further comprising means to supply a dry solid lubricant to said recording surface.

Claim 9

The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the support means comprises: a housing holding said inflated elastic member with said portion of said surface of the elastic member extending beyond said housing; means pivotally supporting said housing; and a resilient member positioned against said housing biassing said housing toward the recording surface to maintain said portion of said surface of the elastic member in contact with the recording surface.

Claim 10

In an electrophotographic imaging apparatus including a movable electrophotographic recording surface; a charging station to provide an electrostatic charge on said recording surface; an imaging station to provide an electrostatic latent image on said recording surface; a development station for applying toner to said recording surface to thereby render the electrostatic latent image visible; a transfer station for transfering the toner image to a support medium; a cleaning station for removing residual toner from the recording surface; and means for moving the recording surface past the charging station, imaging station, development station, transfer station and cleaning station, the improvement comprising: said cleaning station including: an inflated elastic member; and support means maintaining a portion of the surface of the inflated elastic member in contact with saId recording surface to prevent residual toner particles from moving past said inflated elastic member.

Claim 11

In an electrophotographic imaging apparatus including a movable electrophotographic recording surface; a charging station to provide an electrostatic charge on said recording surface; an imaging station to provide an electrostatic latent image on said recording surface; a development station for applying toner to said recording surface to thereby render the electrostatic latent image visible; a transfer station for transfering the toner image to a support medium; a cleaning station for removing residual toner from the recording surface; and means for moving the recording surface past the charging station, imaging station, development station, transfer station and cleaning station, the improvement comprising: said cleaning station including: an inflated elastic member; and support means maintaining a portion of the surface of the inflated elastic member in contact with saId recording surface to prevent residual toner particles from moving past said inflated elastic member.

Claim 12

The apparatus as defined in claim 7 and further comprising: means for periodically interruption the contact between the surface of the inflated member and the recording surface whereby particles accumulated on the recording surface are moved by the recording surface past the inflated elastic member to the development station.

Claim 13

The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the movable electrophotographic recording surface is an annular surface on a rotatable drum.

Claim 14

The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the means for periodically interrupting the contact between the surface of said inflated member and the recording surface comprises means connected to the inflated elastic member to periodically inflate and deflate said inflated elastic member to maintain and interrupt, respectively, the contact.

Claim 15

The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the means for periodically interrupting contact between the surface of the inflated member and the recording surface comprises means connected to said inflated elastic member to move said surface thereof into and out of contact with said recording surface.

Claim 16

The apparatus as defined in claim 9 and further comprising means to supply a dry solid lubricant to said recording surface.

Claim 17

The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for interrupting contact between the surface of the inflated elastic member and the recording surface comprises at least one groove extending axially across said annular recording surface.

Claim 18

The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the inflated elastic member is in the form of a tube.

Claim 19

The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the tube has a diameter from about 0.5 inch to about 3 inches.

Claim 20

The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the support means for the elastic member comprises: a housing holding said inflated elastic member with said portion of said surface of the elastic member extending beyond said housing; means pivotally supporting said housing; and a resilient member positioned against said housing biassing said housing toward the recording surface to maintain said portion of said surface of the elastic member in contact with the recording surface.

Claim 21

In an imaging process wherein a movable electrostatographic recording surface is moved past a charging station to provide an electrostatic charge on said recording surface; an imaging station to provide an electrostatic latent image on said recording surface, a development station for applying toner to said recording surface to thereby render the electrostatic latent image visible; a transfer station for transferring the toner image from the recording surface to a support medium, said recording surface having residual toner thereon, the improvement comprising: maintaining an inflated elastic member in contact with the movable recording surface having the residual toner particles thereon to prevent the particles from moving past the inflated elastic member whereby the particles are accumulated on the recording surface; and periodically removing the accumulated toner particles from the recording surface.

Claim 22

In an imaging process wherein a movable electrostatographic recording surface is moved past a charging station to provide an electrostatic charge on said recording surface; an imaging station to provide an electrostatic latent image on said recording surface, a development station for applying toner to said recording surface to thereby render the electrostatic latent image visible; a transfer station for transferring the toner image from the recording surface to a support medium, said recording surface having residual toner thereon, the improvement comprising: maintaining an inflated elastic member in contact with the movable recording surface having the residual toner particles thereon to prevent the particles from moving past the inflated elastic member whereby the particles are accumulated on the recording surface; and periodically removing the accumulated toner particles from the recording surface.

Claim 23

The process as defined in claim 17 wherein the accumulated toner particles are periodically removed from the recording surface by periodically interrupting contact between the inflated elastic member and the recording surface and returning the accumulated toner particles on the recording surface to the development station.

Claim 24

The process as defined in claim 18 wherein said contacting is periodically interrupted by inflating and deflating said elastic member.

Claim 25

The process as defined in claim 18 wherein said contacting is periodically interrupted by moving the inflated elastic member away from the recording surface.