Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
Printing apparatus including a toner delivery system, said toner delivery system comprising: means for separating a quantity of charged toner into it positively and negatively charged components prior to the presentation of the toner to a development zone, said separating means comprising charged toner conveyor structure including means for creating at least one electrostatic travelling wave pattern for effecting movement of said charged toner.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
64 words
Printing apparatus including a toner delivery system, said toner delivery system comprising: means for separating a quantity of charged toner into it positively and negatively charged components prior to the presentation of the toner to a development zone, said separating means comprising charged toner conveyor structure including means for creating at least one electrostatic travelling wave pattern for effecting movement of said charged toner.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said conveyor structure comprises a pair of charged toner conveyors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 2 including means for oppositely biasing said pair of conveyors to opposite polarities whereby charged toner of one polarity is attracted to one of said conveyors and charged toner of the opposite polarity is attracted to the other of said conveyors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the magnitude of the electrical bias on each of said conveyors is at a level such that toner below a certain charge level is not attracted to the respective conveyors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said charged toner conveyor structure comprises a single charged toner conveyor and means for causing toner of one polarity to move toward one end of said single charged toner conveyor and toner of the opposite polarity to move to the opposite end thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for causing toner of one polarity to move toward one end of said single charged toner conveyor and toner of the opposite polarity to move to the opposite end thereof comprises means for superimposing a uniform electrostatic field perpendicular to the wave motion of said single conveyor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said means for superimposing a uniform electrostatic field perpendicular to the wave motion of said single conveyor comprises means for applying a dc voltage to said at least one single conveyor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said at least one single conveyor comprises a pair of three-phase AC voltage sources which are independently biased by said means for applying a DC voltage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 2 including means for charging uncharged toner and moving it to said conveyor structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said toner charging means comprises air ionization means for generating ions for charging said toner.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said air ionization means comprises a high voltage toner conveyor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said means for charging uncharged toner comprises a corona discharge device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
Printing apparatus according to claim 12 including an air source for carrying toner from a toner hopper past said corona discharge device.