Abstract: A charging device including a coronode having a wire composite including a core having a dielectric material and a coating layer of conduct material thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a moving surface having toner particles thereon, including: a housing defining an open ended chamber; means, disposed in the chamber of the housing with a portion thereof extending outwardly from the open end of the chamber of the housing into contact with the surface, for cleaning toner particles therefrom, the removed particles moving away from the cleaning means; means for lubricating the cleaning means, the lubricating means located downstream from the cleaning means, in a direction of motion of the surface, the lubricating means collecting and transporting toner particles from a center portion of the moving surface to both end portion of the moving surface; and an auger, located downstream from the cleaning means and the lubricating means, in the direction of motion of the surface, collecting the toner particles that escape from the lubricating means.

Abstract: Method for producing a firm, motion-resistant connection between mating surfaces of a male member, such as a shaft or hub, and a female member such as a bore. One or more thin ribs of pressure-deformable composition, such as integral soft metal or plastic, are formed on one of the mating surfaces, which ribs deform and spread between the surfaces when the male member is forced into the bore to connect the members. According to a preferred embodiment, the shaft is the fixed core shaft of a xerographic toner developer roller within a toner cartridge and/or the hub of a bearing support member for the shaft, and the bore is a central core shaft-engaging bore in the hub and/or a hub-engaging bore in the cartridge housing, and the connection is an electroconducting connection providing near-zero capacitance.

Abstract: A developer unit is arranged with a replenish port for adding developer compound to the developer pan. The replenish port is arranged so that developer compound added to the replenish port falls through the port to an inclined ramp at one end of the developer pan. Further, the inclined ramp's angle of incline is arranged to exceed the developer compound's angle of repose. As a result, the added developer compound flows down the ramp and towards the agitator. The agitator, in turn, propels the developer compound towards the donor roll.

Abstract: A charging apparatus for applying a uniform electrostatic charge to a charge retentive surface is provided. There is also provided a housing; an array of pin electrodes supported by said housing and positioned adjacent said surface in a non-contact relationship; wherein each pin in said array being composed of austenitic stainless steel; a power supply operatively coupled to said pin electrodes for supplying a predetermined current to each of said pin electrode, wherein said predetermined current ranges from 5 &mgr;A/pin and which co-acts with a protruding distance of the pins from the housing so as to optimize the charge uniformity and to minimize the ozone generated within said charging apparatus.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing or copying machine includes a functional module which can be readily removed and replaced. The module includes a monitor in the form of an electronically-readable memory, which includes information about how the particular module is to be operated. In a remanufacturing process, certain combinations of codes in the memory are noted to determine whether individual parts in the module should be replaced.

Abstract: A supporting apparatus for supporting a photoconductive member within the housing of a printing cartridge for use in a printing machine is provided. The supporting apparatus includes a body, a connecting feature and a supporting feature. The connecting feature is connected to the body for quick and removable connection to the housing. The supporting feature is connected to the body cooperating with the body for rotatably supporting the photoconductive member within the housing.

Abstract: A developer unit for developing a latent image with marking particles is provided. The developer unit includes a housing defining a chamber for storing a supply of marking particles therein. The developer unit also includes an advancing member for advancing the marking particles on a surface thereof from the chamber of the housing in a first direction toward the latent image. The developer unit also includes a first regulating member for charging the marking particles and for regulating the thickness of the layer of marking particles on the surface of the advancing member. The developer unit also includes a second regulating member spaced from the first regulating member. The second regulating member serves to at least one of charge the layer of marking particles on the surface of the advancing member and regulate the thickness of the layer of marking particles on the surface of the advancing member.

Abstract: A charging apparatus for applying a uniform electrostatic charge to a charge retentive surface is provided. The charging apparatus is operably electrically connectable to a power supply for supplying an electrical bias to the charging apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing and an electrode mounted to the housing and positioned adjacent the surface in a non-contact relationship therewith. The apparatus also includes a shield connected to the housing and at least partially surrounding the electrode. The apparatus also includes an electrical connector, electrically connected to the shield and electrically connectable to the power supply for providing an electrical bias to the shield. The electrical connector extends from the shield and is integral therewith.

Abstract: A drive member for use in a printing machine is provided. The drive member cooperates with a drive shaft including a drive shaft feature. The drive shaft is adapted to transfer torque therebetween. The drive member cooperates with a torque transferring component to transfer torque therebetween. The drive member includes a body. The body defines an aperture therein. The body defines an axis of rotation thereof. The drive member further includes a torque transferring feature associated with the body for transferring torque between the body and the torque transferring component and a torque transmitting feature extending from the body in the direction of the axis, at least a portion of the torque transmitting feature having an arcuate periphery.

Abstract: A charging apparatus for applying a uniform electrostatic charge to a charge retentive surface is provided. The charging apparatus is operably electrically connectable to a power supply for supplying an electrical bias to the charging apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing and an electrode mounted to the housing and positioned adjacent the surface in a non-contact relationship therewith. The apparatus also includes an electrical connector, electrically connected to the electrode and electrically connectable to the power supply. The electrical connector provides an electrical bias to said electrode. The electrical connector extends from the electrode and is integral therewith.

Abstract: A charging module for applying a uniform electrostatic charge to a charge retentive surface is provided. The charging module is operably electrically connectable to a power supply for supplying an electrical bias to the charging apparatus. The charging module is mountable into a process cartridge. The process cartridge includes a cartridge mounting surface for cooperation with the charging apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing including a housing mounting feature and an electrode. The electrode is mounted to the housing and is positioned adjacent the surface in a non-contact relationship therewith. The housing mounting feature is adapted to be cooperable with the cartridge mounting surface to secure the placement of the charging module into the cartridge without the need for any installation tools.

Abstract: A spring for use in a process cartridge for use in a printing machine is provided. The spring for urging a development roll mounted to a development housing pivotably mounted to a process cartridge housing toward a latent image to form a developed image. The spring includes an arm fixedly secured to either the process cartridge housing or the development housing. The arm includes a distal end thereof. The distal end of the arm is contactable with the other of either the process cartridge housing or the development housing.

Abstract: A charging apparatus for applying a uniform electrostatic charge to a charge retentive surface is provided. The apparatus includes a housing and an array of pin electrodes supported by the housing and positioned adjacent the surface in a non-contact relationship. The apparatus also includes a generally U shaped shield connected to the housing and at least partially surrounding the array of pin electrodes. The apparatus also includes a grid positioned across distal ends of the shield. The grid defines an effective charge length and an effective grid width. The apparatus also includes a power supply operatively coupled to the pin electrodes for supplying a predetermined current to each of the pin electrode. The power supply provides a predetermined voltage to the grid.

Abstract: A drive member for use in a printing machine is provided. The drive member cooperates with a drive shaft to transfer torque therebetween. The drive member further cooperates with a torque transferring component to transfer torque therebetween. The drive member includes a body defining an aperture therein and an axis of rotation thereof. The drive member further includes a torque transferring feature associated with the body for transferring torque between the body and the torque transferring component. The drive member further includes a fit enhancing feature extending from the body toward the aperture for enhancing the fit between the body and the drive shaft.

Abstract: An electrostatographic process cartridge detachably mountable into a cavity defined by mated machine modules forming parts of an electrostatographic reproduction machine. The process cartridge includes a housing having walls defining a process chamber and a rotatable cylindrical photoreceptor mounted to the walls and horizontally within the process chamber. The cylindrical photoreceptor has a fixed rotational closed loop path within the process chamber. The process cartridge also includes plural process components including a toner image transferring component, a cleaning component, a charge erase light component, a charging component, an imagewise exposure component, and a development component, each acting along the closed loop path for consistently producing high quality toner images. The plural components each have a critical acting position spaced circumferentially along the closed loop path, and the critical acting positions include a 234.degree.

Abstract: An electrostatographic process cartridge detachably mountable into a cavity defined by mated modules forming parts of an electrostatographic reproduction machine. The process cartridge includes an elongate plastic housing having a first side and a second side, as well as an inner surface defining a process chamber. It also includes a rotatable photoreceptive member mounted within the process chamber and to the housing and having an image bearing surface for holding a formed toner image; a rotatable developer member mounted to the housing, and forming a critical development gap with the photoreceptive member within the process chamber for enabling jumping toner image development on the image bearing surface; a drive assembly mounted at the second side of the housing for coupling to the photoreceptive member; and a gear train mounted at the second side of the housing, and coupled to the drive assembly and the developer member for transmitting drive to the developer member.

Abstract: A system for providing a plurality of process cartridges for developing with marking particles a latent image with common components is provided. The system includes a housing and a member mounted to the housing for advancing the marking particles toward the latent image. The system also includes a first pan securable to the housing and defining a first cavity therebetween. The first cavity defines a first volume. The system also includes a second pan securable to the housing and defining a second cavity therebetween. The second cavity defines a second volume substantially different than the first volume. The housing, the member and the first pan are assemblable to form a first process cartridge including the first volume. The housing, the member and the second pan are assemblable to form a second process cartridge including the second volume.

Abstract: A bearing support for use in a process cartridge including a roll rotatably mounted to a housing is provided. The roll is used for transporting marking particles to a latent image to form a developed image. The bearing support supports the roll and provides an electrical path between the roll and a voltage source. The bearing support includes a body having a first feature for cooperation with the roll and a second feature for cooperation with the housing. At least one of the first feature and the second feature provides for rotatable motion between the housing and the roll. The bearing support further includes a third feature for providing an electrical path between the roll and the voltage source.

Abstract: A bearing support for use in a process cartridge including a roll rotatably mounted to a housing is provided. The roll is used for transporting marking particles to a latent image to form a developed image. The bearing support supports the roll and provides an electrical path between the roll and a voltage source. The bearing support includes a body having a first feature for cooperation with the roll and a second feature for cooperation with the housing. At least one of the first feature and the second feature provides for rotatable motion between the housing and the roll. The bearing support further includes a third feature for providing an electrical path between the roll and the voltage source.