Magnetic brush developing station

Abstract

Abstract In a developer station for an electrophotographic printing or copying machine, there is provided apparatus which affords effective intermixing of carrier and toner particles in the developer mix and which enables the developer mix to be removed from the station prior to replacement in an automatic and simplified fashion. Transport and developer rollers are mounted in the station for conducting developer mix from a supply chamber to communication with a charge image carrier. A pair of rotary screws are disposed in the station on one side of the rollers with conveyance directions opposite to one another for conducting developer mix back and forth through the station enabling fresh toner to blend into the developer mix and maintaining uniform mixing of toner and carrier particles of the mix. On the other side of the developer roller from the mixing screws, there is provided a guide plate assembly which receives developer mix spilled off the top of the developer drum after passing by the image carrier and conducts this spilled-off mix laterally through the housing toward one end of the housing. At this one end of the housing there is provided a discharge opening in the housing floor underlying the flow communication between the first screw receiving the fresh toner and the second screw disposed in the main body mix supply chamber. Overlying the discharge opening and extending between a stripper means acting upon the developer roller and the discharge opening is a discharge plate which serves to conduct stripped away developer mix particles into the discharge opening. For removal of developer mix from the station, particles are conveyed by the mixing screws, the developer and transport rollers, the guide plate assembly, and the discharge plate until substantially all of the developer mix contained in the station is passed into the discharge opening.

Inventors

• 👤 Erich Baier
• 👤 Rainer Koefferlein
• 👤 Bernhard Schlageter

Bibliographic Details