US5282005A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cross process vibrational mode suppression in high frequency vibratory energy producing devices for electrophotographic imaging
Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1993-01-13
•
Granted: 1994-01-25
•
Expires: 2013-01-13
Abstract
Abstract An electrophotographic device having an imaging member with a charge retentive surface, driven along an endless path through a series of processing stations that create a latent image on the charge retentive surface, develop the image with toner, and bring a sheet of paper or other transfer member into intimate contact with the charge retentive surface at a transfer station for electrostatic transfer of toner from the charge retentive surface to the sheet. For the enhancement of toner release from a surface at any of the processing stations, a resonator suitable for generating vibratory energy is arranged in line contact with the back side of the non-rigid member, to uniformly apply vibratory energy thereto. The resonator includes a vibrational energy producing device; a horn member for transmitting vibrational energy, divided into a plurality of horn elements, each horn element including a horn portion and a contacting portion in substantially non-contacting relationship with a horn portion and a contacting portion or any adjacent horn elements, each horn vibrating when driven by the vibratory energy producing piezoelectric device, in an axial mode toner releasing vibration, and a transverse mode causing non-uniform response among the horn elements; and an energy dissipating media inserted into the inter element gaps for substantially damping the transverse mode vibration, while substantially allowing the axial mode vibration.
Inventors
- 👤 William J. Nowak
- 👤 David B. Montfort
- 👤 Ronald E. Stokes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 21:47
CPC Classifications
B; B06; B06B; B06B3/00; G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/14; G03G15/16; G03G21/00; G03G21/0005; G03G2221/00; G03G2221/0005; G03G2221/0021
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
In an imaging device having a non-rigid imaging member with a charge retentive surface for supporting an image thereon, means for creating a latent image on the charge retentive surface, means for imagewise developing the latent image with toner, means for electrostatically transferring the developed toner image to a copy sheet, and a resonator for enhancing toner release from the charge retentive surface and producing relatively high frequency vibratory energy, and having a portion thereof adapted for contact across the non-rigid member, generally transverse to the direction of movement thereof, the resonator comprising: a horn member for applying the high frequency vibratory energy to the non-rigid member, having a platform portion, a horn portion, and a contacting portion; vibratory energy producing means coupled to said horn platform, for generating the high frequency vibratory energy; means for coupling the horn member to the non-rigid member to apply axial mode toner releasing vibration thereto; said horn member divided into a plurality of horn elements across said charge retentive surface of said imaging member, each horn element including a horn portion spaced from any adjacent horn elements, with adjacent horn elements forming a inter horn element gap thereinbetween, each horn vibrating, when driven by said vibratory energy producing means, in an axial mode releasing toner from the charge retentive surface, and a transverse mode, causing non-uniform response among said horn elements; and means for substantially damping said transverse mode vibration, while substantially allowing said axial mode vibration.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
244 words
In an imaging device having a non-rigid imaging member with a charge retentive surface for supporting an image thereon, means for creating a latent image on the charge retentive surface, means for imagewise developing the latent image with toner, means for electrostatically transferring the developed toner image to a copy sheet, and a resonator for enhancing toner release from the charge retentive surface and producing relatively high frequency vibratory energy, and having a portion thereof adapted for contact across the non-rigid member, generally transverse to the direction of movement thereof, the resonator comprising: a horn member for applying the high frequency vibratory energy to the non-rigid member, having a platform portion, a horn portion, and a contacting portion; vibratory energy producing means coupled to said horn platform, for generating the high frequency vibratory energy; means for coupling the horn member to the non-rigid member to apply axial mode toner releasing vibration thereto; said horn member divided into a plurality of horn elements across said charge retentive surface of said imaging member, each horn element including a horn portion spaced from any adjacent horn elements, with adjacent horn elements forming a inter horn element gap thereinbetween, each horn vibrating, when driven by said vibratory energy producing means, in an axial mode releasing toner from the charge retentive surface, and a transverse mode, causing non-uniform response among said horn elements; and means for substantially damping said transverse mode vibration, while substantially allowing said axial mode vibration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said damping means includes an energy dissipating material inserted into an inter horn element gap defined by adjacent horn elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said energy dissipating material inserted into an inter horn element gap is a visco-elastic material having the characteristics that when the horn element vibrates in the axial mode, energy dissipation is at a minimum, while when the horn element vibrates in the transverse mode, energy dissipation is at a maximum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said damping means includes an energy dissipating material on a surface of said horn member, coupling the horn portions of each horn element to adjacent horn elements, bridging at least one inter horn element gap defined by adjacent horn elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said energy dissipating material on a surface of said horn member, is a visco-elastic material having the characteristics that when the horn element vibrates in the axial mode, energy dissipation is at a minimum, while when the horn element vibrates in the transverse mode, energy dissipation is at a maximum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said vibratory energy producing means includes a substantially continuous piezoelectric element having a direction of vibration generally perpendicular to said charge retentive surface of said imaging member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said vibratory energy producing means includes at least one piezoelectric element, corresponding to one or more of said horn elements, said at least one piezoelectric element having a direction of vibration generally perpendicular to said charge retentive surface of said imaging member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said horn elements are characterized by including a horn portion and an imaging member contacting portion in substantially non-contacting relationship with a horn portion and a contacting portion of any adjacent horn elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
167 words
A resonator adapted to enhance toner release from an imaging member, comprising: a horn member for applying high frequency vibratory energy to an image bearing member, having a platform portion, a horn portion, and a contacting portion; vibratory energy producing means coupled to said horn platform, for generating the high frequency vibratory energy; means for coupling the horn member to a non-rigid member to apply axial mode toner releasing vibration thereto; said horn member divided into a plurality of horn elements across said belt member, each horn element including a horn element horn portion and a horn element contacting portion in substantially non-contacting relationship with a horn element horn portion and a horn element contacting portion of any adjacent horn elements, each horn element vibrating, when driven by said vibratory energy producing means, in an axial mode toner releasing vibration, and a transverse mode causing non-uniform response among said horn elements; and means for substantially damping said transverse mode vibration, while substantially allowing said axial mode vibration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
167 words
A resonator adapted to enhance toner release from an imaging member, comprising: a horn member for applying high frequency vibratory energy to an image bearing member, having a platform portion, a horn portion, and a contacting portion; vibratory energy producing means coupled to said horn platform, for generating the high frequency vibratory energy; means for coupling the horn member to a non-rigid member to apply axial mode toner releasing vibration thereto; said horn member divided into a plurality of horn elements across said belt member, each horn element including a horn element horn portion and a horn element contacting portion in substantially non-contacting relationship with a horn element horn portion and a horn element contacting portion of any adjacent horn elements, each horn element vibrating, when driven by said vibratory energy producing means, in an axial mode toner releasing vibration, and a transverse mode causing non-uniform response among said horn elements; and means for substantially damping said transverse mode vibration, while substantially allowing said axial mode vibration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as defined in claim 9, wherein said damping means includes an energy dissipating material inserted into an inter horn element gap defined by adjacent horn elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device as defined in claim 10, wherein said energy dissipating material inserted into an inter horn element gap is a visco-elastic material having the characteristics that when the horn element vibrates in the axial mode, energy dissipation is at a minimum, while when the horn element vibrates in the transverse mode, energy dissipation is at a maximum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
A device as defined in claim 9, wherein said damping means includes an energy dissipating material on a surface of said horn member, coupling the horn portions of each horn element to adjacent horn elements, bridging at least one inter horn element gap defined by adjacent horn elements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device as defined in claim 12, wherein said energy dissipating material on the surface of said horn member, is a viscoelastic material having the characteristics that when the horn element vibrates in the axial mode, energy dissipation is at a minimum, while when the horn element vibrates in the transverse mode, energy dissipation is at a maximum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device as defined in claim 9, wherein said horn elements are characterized by including a horn portion and an imaging member contacting portion in substantially non-contacting relationship with a horn portion and a contacting portion of any adjacent horn elements.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
247 words
In an imaging device having a non-rigid member with a charge retentive surface for supporting an image thereon, means for creating a latent image on the charge retentive surface, means for imagewise developing the latent image with toner, means for electrostatically transferring the developed toner image to a copy sheet, and a resonator for enhancing toner release from the charge retentive surface and producing relatively high frequency vibratory energy, and having a portion thereof adapted for contact across the non-rigid member, generally transverse to the direction of movement thereof, the resonator comprising: a horn member for applying high frequency vibratory energy to the non-rigid member, having a platform portion, a horn portion, and a contacting portion; vibratory energy producing means coupled to said horn platform portion, for generating the high frequency vibratory energy; means for coupling the horn member to the non-rigid member to apply axial mode toner releasing vibration thereto; said horn member divided into a plurality of horn elements across said belt member, each horn element including a horn element horn portion and a horn element contacting portion in substantially non-contacting relationship with a horn element horn portion and a horn element contacting portion of any adjacent horn elements, each horn element vibrating, when driven by said vibratory energy producing means, in an axial mode toner releasing vibration, and a transverse mode causing non-uniform response among said horn elements; and means for substantially damping said transverse mode vibration, while substantially allowing said axial mode vibration.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
247 words
In an imaging device having a non-rigid member with a charge retentive surface for supporting an image thereon, means for creating a latent image on the charge retentive surface, means for imagewise developing the latent image with toner, means for electrostatically transferring the developed toner image to a copy sheet, and a resonator for enhancing toner release from the charge retentive surface and producing relatively high frequency vibratory energy, and having a portion thereof adapted for contact across the non-rigid member, generally transverse to the direction of movement thereof, the resonator comprising: a horn member for applying high frequency vibratory energy to the non-rigid member, having a platform portion, a horn portion, and a contacting portion; vibratory energy producing means coupled to said horn platform portion, for generating the high frequency vibratory energy; means for coupling the horn member to the non-rigid member to apply axial mode toner releasing vibration thereto; said horn member divided into a plurality of horn elements across said belt member, each horn element including a horn element horn portion and a horn element contacting portion in substantially non-contacting relationship with a horn element horn portion and a horn element contacting portion of any adjacent horn elements, each horn element vibrating, when driven by said vibratory energy producing means, in an axial mode toner releasing vibration, and a transverse mode causing non-uniform response among said horn elements; and means for substantially damping said transverse mode vibration, while substantially allowing said axial mode vibration.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3113225A
Cited
US3190793A
Cited
US3422479A
Cited
US3483034A
Cited
US3653758A
Cited
US3854974A
Cited
US3635762A
Cited
US3713987A
Cited
US3733238A
Cited
FR2280115A1
Cited
US4007982A
Cited
US4111546A
Cited
US4121947A
Cited
US4363992A
Cited
US4568955A
Cited
US4546722A
Cited
US4651043A
Cited
US4684242A
Cited
JPS62195685A
Cited
US4794878A
Cited
US4833503A
Cited
US5045746A
Cited
US5030999A
Cited
US5005054A
Cited
US5016055A
Cited
US5025291A
Cited
US5010369A
Cited
US4987456A
Cited
US5081500A
Cited
US5210577A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-01-24 | 1997-07-26 | 1998-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-01-24 | 2001-07-26 | 2002-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-01-24 | 2005-07-26 | 2006-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |