Patent US2407993A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4063808A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4063808A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for neutralizing toner in a no charge exchange transfer
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1976-03-23
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Granted: 1977-12-20
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Expires: 1996-03-23
Abstract
Abstract In a no-charge-exchange transfer, the transfer sheet leaving a no-charge-exchange transfer roller contains little or no electrical charge except for the charged toner. Accordingly, the charged toner tends to explode off the sheet or migrate on the sheet due to like charge on the toner causing toner particles to repel each other. A neutralizing corona is provided adjacent the image side of the copy sheet. This corona is positioned after the nip of the transfer roller and before the copy sheet leaves the transfer roller. Ions emitted from the neutralizing corona reduce the charge on the toner particles to substantially zero. Thus, the toner particles no longer repel. Forces of adhesion hold the particles to the paper after the sheet leaves the transfer roller and proceeds to the fusing station.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry Wellington Simpson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 10:46
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/14; G03G15/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for stabilizing toner particles on a copy member as the copy member leaves the transfer station in a xerographic process, said apparatus comprising: transfer means at the transfer station for guiding the copy member into contact with the photoconductor, said transfer means having a bias field to assist the transfer of toner particles when the copy member is in contact with with the photoconductor; said bias field of said transfer means holding toner particles on the copy member after the copy member leaves the region of contact with the photoconductor; means for neutralizing forces of repulsion between the toner particles on the copy member, said neutralizing means being mounted adjacent the toner image side of the copy member after the copy member has left the region of contact with the photoconductor and before the copy member has left the bias field of said transfer means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for stabilizing toner particles on a copy member as the copy member leaves the transfer station in a xerographic process, said apparatus comprising: transfer means at the transfer station for guiding the copy member into contact with the photoconductor, said transfer means having a bias field to assist the transfer of toner particles when the copy member is in contact with with the photoconductor; said bias field of said transfer means holding toner particles on the copy member after the copy member leaves the region of contact with the photoconductor; means for neutralizing forces of repulsion between the toner particles on the copy member, said neutralizing means being mounted adjacent the toner image side of the copy member after the copy member has left the region of contact with the photoconductor and before the copy member has left the bias field of said transfer means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said neutralizing means comprises: a corotron having a conductive shield and at least one corona wiere, the opening through the conductive shield being positioned adjacent the toner image side of the copy member; means for supplying current to the corona wire of said corotron whereby said corotron provides an ion current to the copy member to substantially neutralize charges on toner particles on the copy member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 2 and in addition: means for adjusting the current supplied by said supply means to a level that ion current flowing to said copy member from said corotron produces substantially net zero change on toner particles on the copy member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 2 and in addition: means for adjusting the separation between said corotron and said copy member to a position where the ion current flowing from said corotron to said copy member is at a level to neutralize charges on toner particles on said copy member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
146 words
Method for neutralizing toner particles on a copy member after toner particles are transferred from a photoconductor to the copy member in the nip region between a no-charge-exhange transfer roller and the photoconductor were the toner particle transfer is in reponse to a bias field emanating from the transfer roller comprising the steps of: wrapping the copy member on the no-charge-exchange transfer roller for a predetermined distance after the nip region whereby toner particles are held on the copy member by the bias field of the transfer roller; spraying ions onto the toner particles on the copy member before the copy member unwraps from the transfer roller, said ions being of a polarity opposite to the charge on the toner particles, said spraying of ions providing sufficient charge to neutralize the toner particles before the copy member leaves the region of wrap about the transfer roller.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
146 words
Method for neutralizing toner particles on a copy member after toner particles are transferred from a photoconductor to the copy member in the nip region between a no-charge-exhange transfer roller and the photoconductor were the toner particle transfer is in reponse to a bias field emanating from the transfer roller comprising the steps of: wrapping the copy member on the no-charge-exchange transfer roller for a predetermined distance after the nip region whereby toner particles are held on the copy member by the bias field of the transfer roller; spraying ions onto the toner particles on the copy member before the copy member unwraps from the transfer roller, said ions being of a polarity opposite to the charge on the toner particles, said spraying of ions providing sufficient charge to neutralize the toner particles before the copy member leaves the region of wrap about the transfer roller.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 5 and in addition: adjusting the quantity of ions reaching the toner particles on said copy member during said spraying step whereby said toner particles are neutralized without being significantly undercharged or overcharged.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 5 and in addition: discharging the outer surface of said transfer roller after the copy member has unwrapped from the transfer roller so that the transfer roller surface has no charge prior to the surface entering the nip region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
87 words
In a xerographic copying process having a no-charge-exchange transfer roller with an electric field emanating therefrom for transferring toner particles from a photoconductor to a copy web, the improvement comprising; means for neutralizing the toner particles to substantially zero net charge; said neutralizing means being mounted adjacent the toner image side of the copy web after the copy web has left the nip between the transfer roller and the photoconductor and before the copy member has left the influence of the electric field from the transfer roller.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
87 words
In a xerographic copying process having a no-charge-exchange transfer roller with an electric field emanating therefrom for transferring toner particles from a photoconductor to a copy web, the improvement comprising; means for neutralizing the toner particles to substantially zero net charge; said neutralizing means being mounted adjacent the toner image side of the copy web after the copy web has left the nip between the transfer roller and the photoconductor and before the copy member has left the influence of the electric field from the transfer roller.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said neutralizing means comprises: corona means for generating an ion flow; shield means for directing the ion flow of said corona means towards said copy web and away from said photoconductor whereby toner particles on said copy web are neutralized without destroying the latent electrostatic image on the photoconductor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 9 and in addition: means for adjusting the ion flow from said corona means to a value sufficient to neutralize toner particles on said copy web so that the toner particles will be substantially free of charge and will not repel each other after leaving the electric field of said transfer roller.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 8 and in addition: means for wiping surface charge from the transfer roller after said copy web has left the transfer foller and before the surface of the transfer roller again enters the nip between the transfer roller and the photoconductor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-12-19 | 1981-06-20 | 1981-12-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-12-19 | 1985-06-20 | 1985-12-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-12-19 | 1989-06-20 | 1989-12-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |