Apparatuses incorporating a composite support member

Claim 2

A magnetic support member for supporting magnetic particles in an electrostatographic reproducing machine, said support member being formed of a composite comprising a plurality of elongated bodies formed of a magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability distributed in a matrix formed of a non-magnetic material, said support member including a support surface and said elongated bodies being aligned with respect to said support surface such that the direction of their long dimension is generally perpendicular within about ± 30° to said support surface or to a tangent to said support surface.

Claim 3

A member as in claim 1, wherein said magnetic bodies comprise elongated cylinders.

Claim 4

A member as in claim 1, wherein said magnetic bodies have a conical shape with the vortices arranged at said support surface.

Claim 5

A member as in claim 1, wherein said support member comprises a hollow sleeve and said support surface comprises an endless surface.

Claim 6

A member as in claim 4, wherein said sleeve comprises a cylinder defining a cylindrical axis, and further including a plurality of axially extending strips of magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability arranged internally in said sleeve in association with said bodies, said strips being spaced apart asimuthally one from the other, whereby said bodies and said strips are adapted to preferentially concentrate an applied magnetic field in the bodies and to cause high field gradiants at said support surface in correspondence with said bodies.

Claim 7

A member as in claim 1, wherein the magnetic permeability of said bodies is at least about 10.

Claim 8

A magnetic transport apparatus for transporting magnetic particles in an electrostatographic reproducing machine comprising; a magnetic support member for supporting said magnetic particles, said support member being formed of a composite comprising a plurality of elongated bodies formed of a magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability distributed in a matrix formed of a non-magnetic material, said support member including a support surface and said elongated bodies being aligned with respect to said support surface such that the direction of their long dimension is generally perpendicular within about ± 30° to said support surface or to a tangent to said support surface; means associated with said support member for providing a strong magnetic field for attracting said magnetic particles to said support surface whereby said bodies provide a means for concentrating said magnetic field at their ends adjacent said support surface when said direction of the long dimension of said bodies is generally parallel to the direction of said magnetic field.

Claim 9

A magnetic transport apparatus for transporting magnetic particles in an electrostatographic reproducing machine comprising; a magnetic support member for supporting said magnetic particles, said support member being formed of a composite comprising a plurality of elongated bodies formed of a magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability distributed in a matrix formed of a non-magnetic material, said support member including a support surface and said elongated bodies being aligned with respect to said support surface such that the direction of their long dimension is generally perpendicular within about ± 30° to said support surface or to a tangent to said support surface; means associated with said support member for providing a strong magnetic field for attracting said magnetic particles to said support surface whereby said bodies provide a means for concentrating said magnetic field at their ends adjacent said support surface when said direction of the long dimension of said bodies is generally parallel to the direction of said magnetic field.

Claim 10

An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said magnetic bodies comprise elongated cylinders.

Claim 11

An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said magnetic bodies have a conical shape with the vortices arranged at said support surface.

Claim 12

An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said support member comprises a hollow sleeve and said support surface comprises an endless surface.

Claim 13

An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said sleeve comprises a cylinder defining a cylindrical axis, and further including a plurality of axially extending strips of magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability arranged internally in said sleeve in association with said bodies, said strips being spaced apart asimuthally one from the other, whereby said bodies and said strips are adapted to preferentially concentrate an applied magnetic field in the bodies and to cause high field gradiants at said support surface in correspondence with said bodies.

Claim 14

An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the magnetic permeability of said bodies is at least about 10.

Claim 15

An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said magnetic field providing means comprises a bar magnet.

Claim 16

An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said magnetic field providing means comprises a multi-pole permanent magnet.

Claim 17

An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said member is formed of a composite further including a conductive filler material.

Claim 18

An apparatus as in claim 7, further including an imaging surface and wherein said magnetic transport apparatus comprises a means for removing said magnetic particles from said imaging surface, and wherein said magnetic support member comprises a hollow sleeve and said support surface comprises an endless surface, and wherein said means for generating said magnetic field comprises means for providing a radial magnetic field between said imaging surface and said support surface for attracting said magnetic particles from said imaging surface to said support surface, said imaging surface and said support surface being arranged for relative movement.

Claim 19

An apparatus as in claim 7, further including an imaging surface and wherein said magnetic transport apparatus comprises a means for developing an electrostatic image on said imaging surface to render it visible, and wherein said magnetic support member comprises a hollow sleeve and said support surface comprises an endless surface, and wherein said means for generating said magnetic field comprises means for providing a radial magnetic field between said imaging surface and said support surface for forming a magnetic brush of said particles for sweeping across said imaging surface, said imaging surface and said support surface being arranged for relative movement.

Claim 20

In an electrostatographic reproducing machine including an imaging surface arranged for movement; means for forming an electrostatic image on said surface; means for developing said electrostatic image with magnetic toner particles to render it visible; means for transferring said developed image to a sheet of final support material; and means for cleaning said imaging surface of residual toner particles after said image transfer therefrom, said cleaning means including means for removing said residual toner particles from said imaging surface, the improvement wherein said cleaning means further includes means for receiving said toner particles from said removing means and for transporting said toner particles away therefrom, said receiving and transporting means comprising a magnetic transport member, said magnetic transport member being formed of a composite comprising a plurality of elongated bodies formed of a magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability distributed in a matrix formed of a non-magnetic material, said transport member including a support surface and said elongated bodies being aligned with respect to said support surface such that the direction of their long dimension is generally perpendicular within about ± 30° to said support surface, or to a tangent to said support surface; and means for providing a strong magnetic field in association with said transport member for magnetically attracting said particles from said removing means to said transport member.

Claim 21

In an electrostatographic reproducing machine including an imaging surface arranged for movement; means for forming an electrostatic image on said surface; means for developing said electrostatic image with magnetic toner particles to render it visible; means for transferring said developed image to a sheet of final support material; and means for cleaning said imaging surface of residual toner particles after said image transfer therefrom, said cleaning means including means for removing said residual toner particles from said imaging surface, the improvement wherein said cleaning means further includes means for receiving said toner particles from said removing means and for transporting said toner particles away therefrom, said receiving and transporting means comprising a magnetic transport member, said magnetic transport member being formed of a composite comprising a plurality of elongated bodies formed of a magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability distributed in a matrix formed of a non-magnetic material, said transport member including a support surface and said elongated bodies being aligned with respect to said support surface such that the direction of their long dimension is generally perpendicular within about ± 30° to said support surface, or to a tangent to said support surface; and means for providing a strong magnetic field in association with said transport member for magnetically attracting said particles from said removing means to said transport member.

Claim 22

A machine as in claim 18, wherein said magnetic bodies comprise elongated cylinders.

Claim 23

A machine as in claim 18, wherein said magnetic bodies have a conical shape with the vortices arranged at said support surface.

Claim 24

A machine as in claim 18, wherein said transport member comprises a hollow sleeve and said support surface comprises an endless surface.

Claim 25

A machine as in claim 21, wherein said sleeve comprises a cylinder defining a cylindrical axis, and further including a plurality of axially extending strips of magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability arranged internally in said sleeve in association with said bodies, said strips being spaced apart asimuthally one from the other, whereby said bodies and said strips are adapted to preferentially concentrate an applied magnetic field in the bodies and to cause high field gradiants at said support surface in correspondence with said bodies.

Claim 26

A machine as in claim 18, wherein the magnetic permeability of said bodies is at least about 10.

Claim 27

A machine as in claim 18, wherein said magnetic field providing means comprises a bar magnet.

Claim 28

A machine as in claim 18, wherein said magnetic field providing means comprises a multi-pole permanent magnet.

Claim 29

A machine as in claim 18, wherein said member is formed of a composite further including a conductive filler material.

Claim 30

A machine as in claim 18, further including means for electrically biasing said support surface to assist in attracting said toner particles thereto.

Claim 31

A machine as in claim 18, said magnetic transport member is also arranged in close proximity to said imaging surface, and wherein said magnetic field providing means includes means for providing a radial magnetic field between said support surface and said means for removing said particles from said imaging surface and a radial magnetic field between said support surface and said imaging surface; whereby said receiving and transporting means provides dual functions comprising removing said toner particles from said means for removing said toner particles and removing said toner particles directly from said imaging surface.

Claim 32

A machine as in claim 18, wherein said means for removing said toner particles comprises a brush.

Claim 33

A machine as in claim 18, wherein said means for removing said toner particles from said imaging surface comprises a roller.

Claim 34

A machine as in claim 18, wherein said means for removing said toner particles from said imaging surface comprises a web.

Claim 35

A machine as in claim 28, wherein said means for removing said toner particles from said imaging surface comprises a web.