Color electrophotographic printing machine

Claim 2

An electrophotographic printing machine, including: a photoconductive member; means for charging said photoconductive member to a substantially uniform level; means for exposing said charged photoconductive member to a light image recording an electrostatic latent image thereon, said exposing means being adapted to form color filtered light images and a non-color filtered light image; means for developing the electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member with toner particles, said developing means being arranged to develop the electrostatic latent image corresponding to the non-color filtered light image with black toner particles and the electrostatic latent image corresponding to the color filtered light images with toner particles complementary in color thereto, said developing means comprising first means for depositing black toner particles onto the non-color filtered electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive members, first means for actuating said toner particle depositing means in response to the non-color filtered electrostatic latent image advancing to a predetermined location, whereby said first toner particle depositing means moves from an inoperative position spaced from the non-color filtered electrostatic latent image to a position adjacent thereto and in operative communication therewith, and first biasing means for resiliently urging said first toner depositing means from the position adjacent the non-color filtered electrostatic latent image to an inoperative position spaced therefrom; means for transferring the toner powder image adhering to The electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member to a sheet of support material; and means for fusing the toner powder image to the sheet of support material.

Claim 3

A printing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said charging means includes: an elongated shield defining an open-ended chamber; a pair of spaced, substantially parallel conductive coronode wires mounted in said shield, said pair of coronode wires extending substantially in a longitudinal direction along the length of said shield; and a plurality of spaced, substantially parallel grid wires mounted in said shield and extending substantially in a longitudinal direction along the length thereof, said plurality of grid wires partially enclosing the open end of said shield with one of said coronode wires being disposed in the chamber therebeneath and the other of said coronde wires being disposed in the unenclosed portion of the chamber of said shield.

Claim 4

A printing machine as recited in claim 2, wherein said charging means further includes: a wiper member positioned within said shield contacting said pair of coronode wires and the interior surface of said grid wires opposed from said pair coronode wires; and means for moving said wiper member in substantially a longitudinal direction along the length of said coronode wires and said grid wires.

Claim 5

A printing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said exposing means includes: a light source arranged to illuminate an original document disposed in the printing machine; and lens means for receiving the light rays from the origianl document to form a light image thereof.

Claim 6

A printing machine as recited in claim 4, wherein said exposing means further includes means, disposed in the path of the light image, for filtering the light image to produce a single color light image.

Claim 7

A printing machine as recited in claim 5, wherein said filtering means includes: a cyan filter adapted to be interposed into the light image path to transmit a cyan light image therethrough; and a red filter adapted to be interposed into the light image path to transmit red light image therethrough.

Claim 8

A printing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said first toner depositing means includes: a developer housing defining a chamber storing a developer mix comprising carrier granules and black toner particles; conveyor means mounted for movement within the chamber of said developer housing and arranged to move the developer mix from a first region to an intermediate region; rotary diven transport means mounted within the chamber of said developer housing and arranged to move the developer mix from the intermediate region to a second region for discharge thereat; rotary driven developer means mounted within the chamber of said developer housing closely proximate to said transport means for receiving the developer mix therefrom and arranged to deposit black toner particles onto the non-color filtered electrostatic latent image when in operative communciation therewith; and means for driving said conveyor means such that the reaction torque to the driving moment applied to said conveyor means pivots said developer housing disposing said developer means adjacent the non-color filtered elecrostatic latent image in operative communication therewith.

Claim 9

A printing machine as recited in claim 7, wherein: said transport means includes a first tubular membe of non-magnetic material, and first magnetic means fixably disposed within said first tubular member for creating a magnetic field in the path of the periphery of said first tubular member; and said developer menas includes a second tubular member of non-magnetic material, and second magnetic means fixedly disposed within said second tubular member for creating a magnetic field in the path of the periphery of said second tubular member.

Claim 10

An electrophotographic printing machine, including: a photoconductive member; MEANS for charging said photoconductive member to a substantially uniform level; means for exposing said charged photoconductive member to a light image recording an electrostatic latent image thereon, said exposing means being adapted to form color filtered light images and a non-color filtered light image; means for developing the electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member with toner particles, said developing means being arranged to develop the electrostatic latent image corresponding to the non-color filtered light image with black toner particles and the electrostatic latent image corresponding to the color filtered light images with toner particles complementary in color thereto, said developing means comprising second means for depositing toner particles complementary in color to the color filtered light image onto the color filtered electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member, second means for actuating said second toner particle depositing means in response to the color filtered electrostatic latent image advancing to a predetermined location, whereby said second toner particle depositing means moves from an inoperative position spaced from the color filtered electrostatic latent image to a position adjacent thereto and in operative communication therewith, and second biasing means for resiliently urging said second toner depositing means from the position adjacent the color filtered electrostatic latent image to an inoperative position spaced therefrom; means for transferring the toner powder image adhering to the electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member to a sheet of support material; and means for fusing the toner powder image to the sheet of support material.

Claim 11

An electrophotographic printing machine, including: a photoconductive member; MEANS for charging said photoconductive member to a substantially uniform level; means for exposing said charged photoconductive member to a light image recording an electrostatic latent image thereon, said exposing means being adapted to form color filtered light images and a non-color filtered light image; means for developing the electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member with toner particles, said developing means being arranged to develop the electrostatic latent image corresponding to the non-color filtered light image with black toner particles and the electrostatic latent image corresponding to the color filtered light images with toner particles complementary in color thereto, said developing means comprising second means for depositing toner particles complementary in color to the color filtered light image onto the color filtered electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member, second means for actuating said second toner particle depositing means in response to the color filtered electrostatic latent image advancing to a predetermined location, whereby said second toner particle depositing means moves from an inoperative position spaced from the color filtered electrostatic latent image to a position adjacent thereto and in operative communication therewith, and second biasing means for resiliently urging said second toner depositing means from the position adjacent the color filtered electrostatic latent image to an inoperative position spaced therefrom; means for transferring the toner powder image adhering to the electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member to a sheet of support material; and means for fusing the toner powder image to the sheet of support material.

Claim 12

A printing machine as recited in claim 9, wherein said second toner depositing means includes: a developer housing defining a chamber storing a developer mix comprising carrier granules and toner particles complementary in color to the color filtered light image; and conveyor means mounted for movement within the chabmer of said developer housing and arranged to move the developer mix from a first region to an intermediate region; rotary driven transport means mounted within the chamber of said developer housing and arranged to move the developer mix from the intermediate region to a second region for discharge thereat; rotary driven developer means mounted within the chamber of said developer housing closely proximate to said transport means for receiving the developer mix therefrom and arranged to deposit the colored toner particles onto the color filtered electrostatic latent image when in operative communication therewith; and means for driving said conveyor means such that the reaction torque to the driving moment applied to said conveyor means pivots said developer housing disposing said developer means adjacent the color filtered electrostatic latent image in operative communication therewith.

Claim 13

A printing machine as recited in claim 10, wherein: said transport means includes a first tubular member of non-magnetic material, and first magnetic means fixably disposed within said first tubular member for creating a magnetic field in the path of the periphery of said first tubular member; and said developer means includes a second tubular member of non-magnetic material, and second magnetic means fixedly disposed within said second tubular member for creating a magnetic field in the path of the periphery of said second tubular member.

Claim 14

A printing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said transferring means includes: corona generating means disposed adjacent said photoconductive member and adapted to apply an alternating charge potential to said photoconductive member pre-conditioning the toner particles thereon to readily facilitate the transfer therefrom; a transfer member operatively associated with said corona generating means and having the sheet of suPport material secured releasably thereto; and means for electrically biasing said transfer member to a potential of sufficient magnitude and polarity to attract the pre-conditioned toner particles from the electrostatic latent image recored on said photoconductive member to the sheet of support material secured thereto.

Claim 15

A printing machine as recited in claim 12, wherein said corona generating means includes: an elongated shield defining an open-ended chamber; and a corona discharge elecrode mounted in the chamber of said shield and arranged therein to generate ions for charging the toner particles deposited on the electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member.

Claim 16

A printing machine as recited in claim 12, wherein said transfer member includes: a cylindrical core of electrically conductive material; a first layer of resilient material entrained about said cylindrical core and being substantially in contact therewith; and a scond layer of resilient material entrained about said first layer of resilient material and being substantially in contact therewith.

Claim 17

A printing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said fusing means includes: means for transporting the sheet of support material with the toner powder image deposited on one surface thereof along a path of movement, said transporting means being arranged to be in substantial contact with the other surfaces of the support material; means for heating said transporting means; and a radiant energy source arranged to be in thermal communication with a sheet of support material for supplying the energy output thereof onto the sheet of support material being moved with the toner powder image thereon by said transporting means along the path of movement for affixing substantially permanently the toner powder image to the sheet of support material. 16. An electrophotographic printing machine, including: a photoconductive member; means for charging said photoconductive member to a substantially uniform level; means for exposing said charged photoconductive member to a light image recording an elecrostatic latent image thereon, said exposing means being adapted to form color filtered light images and a non-color filtered light image; means for developing the electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member with toner particles, said developing menas being arranged to develop the electrostatic latent image corresponding to the non-color filtered light image with black toner particles and the electrostatic latent image corresponding to the color filtered light images with toner particles complementary in color thereto; means for transferring the toner powder image adhering to the electrostatic latent image recorded on said photoconductive member to a sheet of support material; and means for fusing the toner powder image to the sheet of support material, said fusing comprising a lower housing member defining an interior open-ended chamber, a frame member mounted removably in the chamber of said lower housing member, a plurality of rollers mounted rotatably on said frame member, said rollers being positioned spaced from one another and having the axes of rotation thereof substantially parallel to one another, an endless belt member having a plurality of apertures therein, said belt member being entrained about said rollers, means for removing air from the chamber of said lower housing to secure releasably the sheet of support material to the exterior surface of said belt member, means for heating said belt member, and a radiant energy source arranged to be in thermal communication with a sheet of support material for supplying the energy output thereof onto the sheet of support material moved with the toner powder image thereon by said belt member along the path of movement for affixing substantially permanently the toner powder image to the sheet of support material.

Claim 18

A printinG machine as recited in claim 16, wherein said heating means includes: a plate member mounted in the open end of the chamber of said lower housing member interposed between said rollers and substantially contacting the interior surface of said belt member; and at least one resistant heating element disposed in the chamber of said lower housing member, said heating element being positioned in the path of movement of the air being removed from the chamber heating the air which heats said belt member.

Claim 19

A printing machine as recited in claim 16, wherein said radiant energy source includes: a cover mounted on said lower housing member and defining with said lower housing member a passageway enabling said endless belt member to move the sheet of support material therethrough; at least one radiant heat strip secured to said cover member, said heat strip being configured to furnish substantially uniform radiation across the sheet of support material; and reflecting means interposed between said cover member and said radiant heat strip directing the energy output therefrom onto the sheet of support material to permanently affix the toner powder image thereto.