Abstract: A toner container has an opening through which toner is dispensed. It is covered by a web seal which is removable by an operator to dispense the toner. A cleaning edge is positioned to engage the seal as it is removed and clean toner off the seal to prevent its soiling the hands or clothing of an operator removing it.

Abstract: Residual toner on a photoconductive or intermediate image member is adjusted in charge prior to cleaning by a roller which is rolled by the image member. The roller is biased to either apply charge to the toner or reduce charge, depending upon the type of cleaning. The roller includes a compliant blanket made of polyurethane covered by a thin coat of material having a Young's Modulus greater than 1.times.10.sup.7 Pascals.

Abstract: To assist transfer of toner images from a first transfer surface to a second transfer surface, the first transfer surface is actively cooled to prevent the toner sticking to it. Preferably, the cooling is accomplished by thermoelectric control device strips positioned in heat conducting relation with the first transfer surface. A thermoelectric control device can also be used to heat a second or receiving surface to which the toner is to be transferred to farther assist the transfer process.

Abstract: A process and system for inhibiting toner offset in a electrostatographic apparatus of the kind wherein toner images are contact fused to a copy sheet. Drops of offset inhibiting liquid are discretely directed to predetermined locations on the contacting surface of the apparatus fuser member. For example, a drop on demand, piezoelectric drop generator can controllably jet drops of silicone oil to form desired offset inhibiting patterns in accord with apparatus control signals, indicative of particular copy sheet and image requirements.

Abstract: Diffractive lenses having gradial zones (62, 70, 78, 90, 98, 106, 114) are formed by separately, sequentially spin casting and polymerizing successive radial zones of the lens to produce optical phase differences of 2.pi. between adjacent gradial zones. Diffractive lenses may be molded in plano-plano(60), plano-concave (68) and plano-convex (76) geometries and also may be combined with conventional plano-plano (84), convex-convex (92), plano-concave (100) and plano-convex (108) refractive lenses.

Abstract: A system for assisting the transfer of a toner image formed by electrostatographic apparatus and process to a copy sheet. The transfer assistance system and process utilize drop generators to form a release liquid pattern for joining with such toner image and a supply mechanism delivers release material, e.g., heat wax material, to the drop generators. In a preferred mode release liquid is applied, in a patterns customized to toner patterns, to an intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: A development station for applying dry toner to an image member includes a rotatable magnetic core and an input skive to determine the height of the developer nap on a shell surrounding the core. Toner flakes showing up in the toner application on the image member are substantially reduced by replacing a previously metallic skive with a non-conductive skive to prevent heating of the skive from eddy currents created by the rotating core.

Abstract: A zoom lens particularly usable in a color printer includes a first movable negative unit, a second movable positive unit and a third fixed unit. The third fixed unit has a single meniscus lens component having front and rear surfaces with a curvature within eight percent of each other. Preferably, the second movable positive unit includes a negative element having an Abbe V number between 41 and 47, which is part of a cemented triplet having Abbe V numbers higher than that of the negative element.

Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus creates two toner images on a single portion of an image member. The first toner image formed has multiple density levels. It is recharged before creating the second toner image. An aspect of the potential associated with the toner in the first toner image after the recharge step is monitored and used to control the process, for example, by setting a development bias on a development station used to tone the second toner image or by controlling the recharging step.

Abstract: A container for supplying toner includes a containing portion with an opening through which toner is moved into a receiving sump. A cover for the opening is flexible enough to move in an arcuate path from a position coveting the opening to a position of storage alongside a sidewall of the containing portion. The cover is stiff enough to be pushed back to its covering position. The leading edge of the cover in its movement back to its coveting position is made concave to the direction of movement so that it will more easily enter a channel partially defined by a seal around the opening. A protrusion on the cover enters a hole in a cover holding member when the cover is in its coveting position to lock the cover in place when the container is not on a receiving apparatus. The protrusion can be pushed out of the hole, unlocking the cover by an appropriate receiving member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is particularly usable with a relatively stiff receiving sheet. In one embodiment, it includes a transfer member around which the receiving sheet is attached. To maintain good contact between the receiving sheet and the transfer member, a pair of rollers are positioned to engage the receiving sheet in non-imaged margins to hold it intimately to the transfer member. The sheet may also be engaged at other positions in its path in the non-imaged margins to control its movement. In another embodiment, corona applied to the sheet before separation from the transfer member is specially biased to discourage premature or excessive separation because of the stiffness of the sheet. The bias can be then changed to encourage separation if a more flexible receiving sheet is used.

Abstract: An electrostatic printing apparatus includes the capability of effecting both thermal assisted transfer and electrostatic transfer and also either area modulation exposure, density modulation exposure or a combination of both area and density modulation exposure. The apparatus is usable with area modulation exposure while imaging on thermoplastic coated receiving material is accomplished preferably with thermal assisted transfer and density modulation exposure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer station having a transfer member and an erasing irradiation source. Variations in resistance of the transfer member due to relative humidity, age or the like, or of the receiving sheet are compensated for by adjusting the irradiation source to maintain consistency in the response time of the transfer field.

Abstract: A compact, simple real image finder includes an objective, a field lens, erecting optics and an eyepiece. The field lens is separated from an internal image sufficiently that it contributes substantially to the magnification of the finder.

Abstract: A toner image is transferred from an image member to a receiving sheet through first and second intermediate members. The first intermediate member is optimized for transfer from the photoconductor and has greater affinity for the toner than does the second intermediate member, which is optimized for transfer to the receiving sheet. This three transfer system provides transfer improvement over two transfer systems.

Abstract: A zoom lens particularly suitable for use in a camera using small format film has two moving lens groups, a front negative group and a rear positive group. The rear positive group has a stop, a positive component and a negative component movable as a unit. The positive and negative components are substantially separated, for example, by more than 30 percent of the length of the lens in the wide angle position.

Abstract: A toner image is transferred to a heat softened thermoplastic outer layer of a receiving sheet. The toner is transferred from an image member predominantly by heating the receiving sheet to a temperature which both softens the thermoplastic layer and, when the thermoplastic layer contacts the toner, sinters the toner sufficiently to cause toner to adhere both to the thermoplastic layer and to other particles of toner. To prevent blistering, the temperature to which the thermoplastic layer must be raised can be lowered, for example, to 100 degrees C. by also heating the image member to a temperature, above ambient, but less than the temperature that would either do damage to the image member or cause the toner to stick to it.

Abstract: A dry toner image is fixed to a thermoplastic layer on a receiving sheet by pressing a ferrotyping web against the image in the presence of sufficient heat to soften the layer. A curl preventing layer opposite the thermoplastic layer does not offset on a backing roller or the like because it has a melting point that is high compared to the thermoplastic layer.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus forms first and second toner images in the same portion of an image member. To prevent scavenging of toner in the first image into a second toning station, lightly held toner in the first image is removed from the image member prior to the second toning station.

Abstract: A development station for toning electrostatic images includes a particle removing device positioned adjacent an applicator. A variable bias is applicable to the particle removing device for periodically removing carrier from the applicator for disposal. Carrier is periodically added to the station during replenishment of toner. The particle removing device can also be biased to remove toner instead of or in addition to removing carrier to control conditions of excess toner concentration.