Articulated development apparatus

Claim 2

In a magnetic brush development apparatus for developing images on a moving imaging surface arranged for movement about an axis of rotation, said apparatus including at least one magnetic brush development member for applying developer to said surface where it moves about said axis, said member extending across said imaging surface from side-to-side of said member to define a gap therebetween extending from said imaging surface to said member, the improvement wherein, said apparatus further includes: means for maintaining said gap substantially constant from side-to-side of said member, said maintaining means including means for compensating for runout of said imaging surface and for side-to-side phase variations in said runout, said compensating means including means for supporting said development member for movement toward and away from said imaging surface, said supporting means including means for supporting said member for side-to-side tilting movement with respect to said imaging surface.

Claim 3

An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said development member comprises a magnetic brush development roll and further including follower means associated with said roll, said follower means engaging said moving imaging surface to space said roll from said imaging surface to define said gap.

Claim 4

An apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said roll is rotatably supported in a housing and wherein said supporting means supports said housing for said movement toward and away from said imaging surface and for said side-to-side tilting movement with respect to said imaging surface, and wherein said follower means is connected to said housing, said follower means engaging said moving imaging surface to space said housing and said roll from said imaging surface to define said gap, and means for urging said housing so that said follower means engages said imaging surface.

Claim 5

An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said imaging surface comprises a cylindrical outer surface of a drum-like member.

Claim 6

In a development apparatus for developing images on a moving imaging surface, said apparatus including at least one development member extending across the imaging surface to define a gap therebetween, the improvement wherein, said apparatus further includes: means for maintaining said gap substantially constant, said maintaining means including means for supporting said development member for movement toward and away from said imaging surface, said support means also including means for supporting said member for tilting movement with respect to said imaging surface, said tilting movement support means including means for supporting said development member for tilting with respect to said surface in a first plane, and means for supporting said development member for tilting with respect to said surface in a second and different plane, and ball and socket means connecting said member to a stationary support member whereby said maintaining means is adapted to compensate for runout of said imaging surface and for side-to-side phase variations in said runout and whereby said apparatus is fully articulated.

Claim 7

In a development apparatus for developing images on a moving imaging surface, said apparatus including at least one development member extending across the imaging surface to define a gap therebetween, the improvement wherein, said apparatus further includes: means for maintaining said gap substantially constant, said maintaining means including means for supporting said development member for movement toward and away from said imaging surface, said support means also including means for supporting said member for tilting movement with respect to said imaging surface, said tilting movement support means including means for supporting said development member for tilting with respect to said surface in a first plane, and means for supporting said development member for tilting with respect to said surface in a second and different plane, and ball and socket means connecting said member to a stationary support member whereby said maintaining means is adapted to compensate for runout of said imaging surface and for side-to-side phase variations in said runout and whereby said apparatus is fully articulated.

Claim 8

An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said tilting means for side-to-side movement is arranged to provide a component of tilt in a first substantially horizontal plane with respect to said imaging surface and a component of tilt in a substantially vertical plane with respect to the imaging surface whereby said apparatus is adapted to compensate for both horizontal and vertical skew.

Claim 9

An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said development apparatus comprises a magnetic brush development apparatus and wherein said development member comprises a magnetic brush development roll.

Claim 10

An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said imaging surface comprises the cylindrical outer surface of a drum-like member.

Claim 11

In a reproducing apparatus including a moving imaging surface arranged for movement about an axis of rotation and means for developing images on said surface, said development means including at least one magnetic brush development member for applying developer to said surface where it moves about said axis, said member extending across said imaging surface from side-to-side of said member to define a gap therebetween extending from said imaging surface to said member, the improvement wherein, said apparatus further includes: means for maintaining said gap substantially constant from side-to-side of said member, said maintaining means including means for compensating for runout of said imaging surface and for side-to-side phase variations in said runout, said compensating means including means for supporting said development member for movement toward and away from said imaging surface, said supporting means including means for supporting said member for side-to-side tilting movement with respect to said imaging surface.

Claim 12

In a reproducing apparatus including a moving imaging surface arranged for movement about an axis of rotation and means for developing images on said surface, said development means including at least one magnetic brush development member for applying developer to said surface where it moves about said axis, said member extending across said imaging surface from side-to-side of said member to define a gap therebetween extending from said imaging surface to said member, the improvement wherein, said apparatus further includes: means for maintaining said gap substantially constant from side-to-side of said member, said maintaining means including means for compensating for runout of said imaging surface and for side-to-side phase variations in said runout, said compensating means including means for supporting said development member for movement toward and away from said imaging surface, said supporting means including means for supporting said member for side-to-side tilting movement with respect to said imaging surface.

Claim 13

An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said apparatus comprises an electrostatographic reproducing machine further including means for forming an electrostatic image on said imaging surface, said development means being adapted to develop said electrostatic image, and means for transferring said developed image from said imaging surface to a sheet of final support material.

Claim 14

An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said development member comprises a magnetic brush development roll and further including follower means associated with said roll, said follower means engaging said moving imaging surface to space said roll from said imaging surface to define said gap.

Claim 15

An apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said roll is rotatably supported in a housing and wherein said supporting means supports said housing for said movement toward and away from said imaging surface and for said side-to-side tilting movement with respect to said imaging surface, and wherein said follower means is connected to said housing, said follower means engaging said moving imaging surface to space said housing and said roll from said imaging surface to define said gap, and means for urging said housing so that said follower means engages said imaging surface.

Claim 16

An apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said imaging surface comprises a cylindrical outer surface of a drum-like member.

Claim 17

In a reproducing apparatus including a moving imaging surface and means for developing images on said surface, said development means including at least one development member extending across the imaging surface to define a gap therebetween, the improvement wherein, said apparatus further includes: means for maintaining said gap substantially constant, said maintaining means including means for supporting said development member for movement toward and away from said imaging surface, said support means also including means for supporting said member for tilting movement with respect to said imaging surface, said tilting movement support means including means for supporting said development member for tilting with respect to said surface in a first plane, and means for supporting said development member for tilting with respect to said surface in a second and different plane, and ball and socket means connecting said member to a stationary support member whereby said maintaining means is adapted to compensate for runout of said imaging surface and for side-to-side phase variations in said runout and whereby said apparatus is fully articulated.

Claim 18

In a reproducing apparatus including a moving imaging surface and means for developing images on said surface, said development means including at least one development member extending across the imaging surface to define a gap therebetween, the improvement wherein, said apparatus further includes: means for maintaining said gap substantially constant, said maintaining means including means for supporting said development member for movement toward and away from said imaging surface, said support means also including means for supporting said member for tilting movement with respect to said imaging surface, said tilting movement support means including means for supporting said development member for tilting with respect to said surface in a first plane, and means for supporting said development member for tilting with respect to said surface in a second and different plane, and ball and socket means connecting said member to a stationary support member whereby said maintaining means is adapted to compensate for runout of said imaging surface and for side-to-side phase variations in said runout and whereby said apparatus is fully articulated.

Claim 19

An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said imaging surface comprises the cylindrical outer surface of a drum-like member.

Claim 20

An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said tilting means for side-to-side movement is arranged to provide a component of tilt in a first substantially horizontal plane with respect to said imaging surface and a component of tilt in a substantially vertical plane with respect to the imaging surface whereby said apparatus is adapted to compensate for both horizontal and vertical skew.

Claim 21

An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said development apparatus comprises a magnetic brush development apparatus and wherein said development member comprises a magnetic brush development roll.