Abstract: A non-interactive development system generates a toner cloud in a development zone by an AC biased stationary electrode positioned in contact with the back surface of a movable toned dielectric donor belt having a patterned electrode structure on the front surface thereof. The AC biased electrode produces AC fringe fields near the edges of the patterned electrode structure that cause the generation of a toner cloud for developing an electrostatic latent image. The donor belt is partially wrapped around a magnetic brush to produce a toner loading zone. Isolated patterned electrodes on the donor belt near the entrance region of the toner loading zone are biased to cause unloading of toner from the donor belt, while isolated electrodes near the exit region of the toner loading zone are biased to cause toner reloading of the donor belt.

Abstract: A toner removal apparatus for a reproducing machine has a cylindrical brush mounted for rotation in a closely fitting housing. The housing has an open side confronting a moving photoreceptor. Brush fibers extend through the housing open side into interfering contact with the photoreceptor and sweep toner therefrom. A slot in the housing parallel to the brush is connected to a vacuum source to draw air into the housing open side, through the brush fibers, and out the housing slot. First and second parallel bars are mounted on opposite sides of the housing slot and extend into contact with the brush fibers. The first bar compresses and then releases the brush fibers to flick toner therefrom. The second bar extends into the housing a lesser amount than the first bar and contacts the brush fibers without compression thereof, thereby providing an air seal, so that all of the air flows through the brush fibers.

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printhead for a printer has a temperature sensor attached thereto for monitoring the operating temperature thereof. A maximum printhead operating temperature is stored in a memory of the printer's control circuitry and, if the printhead temperature sensed by the temperature sensor during a printing operation exceeds the maximum operating temperature stored is the memory, a signal is generated indicating that the printhead has stopped ejecting ink droplets and must be checked for depriming or a depleted ink supply.

Abstract: A positionable wiper blade is positioned by a translatable carriage contact and clean a printhead nozzle face. The carriage translates a removable ink tank support structure with an attached ink jet printhead from a printing location to a non-printing location where the positionable wiper blade is located. A replaceable ink supply tank is installed on the support structure and replaced when the ink is depleted. The wiper blade is moved into wiping position by movement of the carriage and when the carriage is translated away from the non-printing location towards the printing location, the wiper blade cleans the printhead nozzle face and flicks the ink removed from the nozzle face into a backstop receptacle.

Abstract: A priming system for selectively priming one of the two printheads of a multicolor ink jet printer. When one of the printheads require periodic priming, the printheads are transported to the printer's maintenance station where individual caps are moved to cover the nozzle faces of the printheads. The priming system has two individual peristaltic pumps, each one of which is connected to a respective one of the caps. The two peristaltic pumps have a single mechanical input to drive selectively one of the pumps and not the other by a positionable swing gear. Each one of the pumps is adapted to prime only one of the printheads. The swing gear engages the drive gear of one pump when the direction of rotation of the input is clockwise and the swing gear engages the drive gear of the other pump when the direction of rotation of the input is counterclockwise.