Cleaning system for a multicolor electrophotographic printing machine

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said removing member includes: a rotatably mounted tubular member; and means for attracting a cleaning material to said tubular member.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: said first attracting means includes a first roller coupled electrically to said biasing means; and said second attracting means includes a second roller, spaced from said first roller, electrically coupled to said biasing means.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 3, further including means for transporting the particles attracted to said first roller and said second roller to a location remote therefrom.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said transporting means includes: a first auger positioned adjacent said first roller for transporting the particles from said first roller to the remote location; and a second auger positioned adjacent said second roller for transporting the particles from said second roller to the remote location.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the cleaning material includes magnetic particles.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said attracting means includes an elongated magnetic member disposed interiorly of and spaced from said tubular member.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said biasing means includes: a first voltage source arranged to electrically bias said first roller to a voltage level so as to attract particles from the cleaning material on said tubular member thereto; a second voltage source arranged to electrically bias said first roller to a voltage level so that substantially no particles are attracted from the cleaning material on said tubular member thereto; and first means for switching from said first voltage source during one cycle of the apparatus to said second voltage source during the other cycle of the apparatus.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said biasing means includes: a third voltage source arranged to electrically bias said second roller to a voltage level so as to attract particles from the cleaning material on said tubular member thereto; a fourth voltage source arranged to electrically bias said second roller to a voltage level so that substantially no particles are attracted from the cleaning material on said tubular member thereto; and second means for switching from said fourth voltage source during one cycle of the apparatus to said third voltage source during the other cycle of the apparatus.

Claim 11

An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having residual particles of one color adhering to a photoconductive member during one cycle and particles of a different color adhering thereto during another cycle thereof, wherein the improvement includes: a particle removing member; first means for attracting the particles of one color from said removing member thereto; second means for attracting the particles of the other color from said removing member thereto; and means for electrically biasing said first attracting means and said second attracting means to a plurality of voltage levels with said first attracting means being electrically biased to a voltage level so as to attract the particles of one color from said removing member during one cycle of the apparatus with said second attracting means being electrically biased to a voltage level so that substantially no particles are attracted thereto, and said second attracting means being electrically biased to a voltage level so as to attract particles of the other color from said removing member during the other cycle of the apparatus with said first attracting means being electrically biased to a voltage level so that substantially no particles are attracted thereto.

Claim 12

An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having residual particles of one color adhering to a photoconductive member during one cycle and particles of a different color adhering thereto during another cycle thereof, wherein the improvement includes: a particle removing member; first means for attracting the particles of one color from said removing member thereto; second means for attracting the particles of the other color from said removing member thereto; and means for electrically biasing said first attracting means and said second attracting means to a plurality of voltage levels with said first attracting means being electrically biased to a voltage level so as to attract the particles of one color from said removing member during one cycle of the apparatus with said second attracting means being electrically biased to a voltage level so that substantially no particles are attracted thereto, and said second attracting means being electrically biased to a voltage level so as to attract particles of the other color from said removing member during the other cycle of the apparatus with said first attracting means being electrically biased to a voltage level so that substantially no particles are attracted thereto.

Claim 13

A printing machine according to claim 10 wherein said removing member includes: a rotatably mounted tubular member; and means for attracting a cleaning material to said tubular member.

Claim 14

A printing machine according to claim 11, wherein: said first attracting means includes a first roller coupled electrically to said biasing means; and said second attracting means includes a second roller, spaced from said first roller, coupled electrically to said biasing means.

Claim 15

A printing machine according to claim 12 further including means for transporting the particles attracted to said first roller and said second roller to a location remote therefrom.

Claim 16

A printing machine acording to claim 13 wherein said transporting means includes: a first auger positioned adjacent said first roller for transporting the particles from said first roller to the remote location; and a second auger positioned adjacent said second roller for transporting the particles from said second roller to the remote location.

Claim 17

A printing machine according to claim 14 further including a waste container, positioned at the remote location, for receiving the particles transported to the remote location transported thereto from said first roller by said transporting means.

Claim 18

A printing machine according to claim 15, further including: means for recording electrostatic latent images on the photoconductive member; and means for developing the latent images with particles of the one color during one cycle of the photoconductive member and particles of the other color during the other cycle of the photoconductive member.

Claim 19

A printing machine according to claim 16 wherein said transporting means transports the particles from the second roller to said developing means.

Claim 20

A printing machine according to claim 17, wherein the cleaning material includes magnetic particles.

Claim 21

A printing machine according to claim 18, wherein said attracting means includes an elongated magnetic member disposed interiorly of and spaced from said tubular member.

Claim 22

A printing machine according to claim 12, wherein said biasing means includes: a first voltage source arranged to electrically bias said first roller to a voltage level so as to attract particles from the cleaning material on said tubular member thereto; a second voltage source arranged to electrically bias said first roller to a voltage level so that substantially no particles are attracted from the cleaning material on said tubular member thereto; and first means for switching from said first voltage source during one cycle of the photoconductive member to said second voltage source during the other cycle of the photoconductive member.

Claim 23

A printing machine according to claim 20, wherein said biasing means includes: a third voltage source arranged to electrically bias said second roller to a voltage level so as to attract particles from the cleaning material on said tubular member thereto; a fourth voltage source arranged to electrically bias said second roller to a voltage level so that substantially no particles are attracted from the cleaning material on said tubular member thereto; and second means for switching from said fourth voltage source during one cycle of the photoconductive member to said third voltage source during the other cycle of the photoconductive member.