Patent US4149796A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4149796A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrophotographic apparatus comprising improved bias source for magnetic brush

Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1977-02-02
•
Granted: 1979-04-17
•
Expires: 1997-02-02
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A photoconductive sheet is wrappingly attached to an electrically conductive, grounded rotary drum so that part of the drum is covered by the sheet and another part of the drum is exposed. A magnetic brush developing member comprises a magnetic core and an electrically conductive sleeve surrounding the core. An electrically insulative layer is formed on the periphery of the sleeve. The core and/or sleeve are rotated to pick up toner particles which brushingly engage with the sheet to develop an electrostatic image formed thereon. A bias voltage is applied to the sleeve to prevent adherence of toner particles to white areas of the image. A regulator device maintains the bias voltage constant to prevent detrimental effects of charge buildup and dissipation across the electrically insulative layer on the sleeve of the magnetic brush.

Inventors

  • 👤 Tsukasa Adachi
  • 👤 Mitsuo Hasebe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 20:14
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/06; G03G15/065

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 157 words
An electrophotographic apparatus comprising: a photoconductive means including an electrically conductive, grounded rotary carrier and a photoconductive sheet attached to the periphery of the carrier, the sheet covering a first portion of the carrier, a magnetic brush developing means brushingly engaging with the sheet and a second exposed portion of the carrier upon rotation of the photoconductive means; and bias means comprising a bias voltage source and a regulator means for applying a bias voltage to the developing means in such a manner that the bias voltage is maintained substantially constant; the first portion of the carrier being electrically isolated from the second portion of the carrier, the first portion of the carrier being directly grounded and the second portion of the carrier being grounded through a resistor having a value selected such that the electrical resistance between the second portion of the carrier and ground is equal to the electrical resistance between the sheet and ground.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 157 words
An electrophotographic apparatus comprising: a photoconductive means including an electrically conductive, grounded rotary carrier and a photoconductive sheet attached to the periphery of the carrier, the sheet covering a first portion of the carrier, a magnetic brush developing means brushingly engaging with the sheet and a second exposed portion of the carrier upon rotation of the photoconductive means; and bias means comprising a bias voltage source and a regulator means for applying a bias voltage to the developing means in such a manner that the bias voltage is maintained substantially constant; the first portion of the carrier being electrically isolated from the second portion of the carrier, the first portion of the carrier being directly grounded and the second portion of the carrier being grounded through a resistor having a value selected such that the electrical resistance between the second portion of the carrier and ground is equal to the electrical resistance between the sheet and ground.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the resistor has a value between 50 million ohms and 100 million ohms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 108 words
An electrophotographic apparatus comprising: a photoconductive means including an electrically conductive, grounded rotary carrier and a photoconductive sheet attached to the periphery of the carrier, the sheet covering a first portion of the carrier; a magnetic brush developing means brushingly engaging with the sheet and a second exposed portion of the carrier upon rotation of the photoconductive means; and bias means comprising a bias voltage source and a regulator means for applying a bias voltage to the developing means in such a manner that the bias voltage is maintained substantially constant, the regulator means comprising a reverse biased diode connected between the voltage source and the developing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 108 words
An electrophotographic apparatus comprising: a photoconductive means including an electrically conductive, grounded rotary carrier and a photoconductive sheet attached to the periphery of the carrier, the sheet covering a first portion of the carrier; a magnetic brush developing means brushingly engaging with the sheet and a second exposed portion of the carrier upon rotation of the photoconductive means; and bias means comprising a bias voltage source and a regulator means for applying a bias voltage to the developing means in such a manner that the bias voltage is maintained substantially constant, the regulator means comprising a reverse biased diode connected between the voltage source and the developing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 138 words
An electrophotographic apparatus comprising: a photoconductive means including an electrically conductive grounded rotary carrier and a photoconductive sheet attached to the periphery of the carrier, the sheet covering a first portion of the carrier; a magnetic brush developing means brushingly engaging with the sheet and a second portion of the carrier upon rotation of the photoconductive means; and bias means comprising a bias voltage source and a regulator means for applying a bias voltage to the developing means in such a manner that the bias voltage is maintained substantially constant, the regulator means comprising an integrating circuit connected between the voltage source and the developing means and a switch connected between the voltage source and the integrating circuit for connecting the voltage source to the integrating circuit only when the developing means is in engagement with the sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 138 words
An electrophotographic apparatus comprising: a photoconductive means including an electrically conductive grounded rotary carrier and a photoconductive sheet attached to the periphery of the carrier, the sheet covering a first portion of the carrier; a magnetic brush developing means brushingly engaging with the sheet and a second portion of the carrier upon rotation of the photoconductive means; and bias means comprising a bias voltage source and a regulator means for applying a bias voltage to the developing means in such a manner that the bias voltage is maintained substantially constant, the regulator means comprising an integrating circuit connected between the voltage source and the developing means and a switch connected between the voltage source and the integrating circuit for connecting the voltage source to the integrating circuit only when the developing means is in engagement with the sheet.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3563734A Cited
US3850662A Cited
US3941472A Cited
US3924943A Cited
US3980049A Cited
US3950089A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1982-04-16 1982-10-16 1983-04-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1986-04-16 1986-10-16 1987-04-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1990-04-16 1990-10-16 1991-04-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag