Abstract: A toner collecting unit includes a housing, an inlet, a first fan, a lower duct, a first filter, and an oscillation motor. The inlet is provided in the housing. Toner flows into the inlet together with an air flow. The first fan is arranged in the interior of the housing and is configured to suck the air flow flowing from the inlet and to exhaust the air outside the housing. The lower duct guides the air flow upward from below. The first filter is arranged in an upper part of the lower duct so that its approach surface, which the air flow enters, faces downward.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier, a supply compartment having a downstream end portion positioned outside the development area in the axial direction of the developer carrier, a collection compartment disposed lower than the supply compartment, first and second communication ports respectively formed in the downstream end portion and an upstream end portion of the supply compartment, a developer circulation unit including first and second developer conveyance members respectively provided in the supply compartment and the collection compartment, a toner supply port formed in an upper portion of the downstream end portion of the supply compartment, and an airflow path limiter provided in the downstream end portion of the supply compartment, closer to the development area than the toner supply port in the axial direction of the developer carrier, to restrict an airflow path above the developer in the downstream end portion of the supply compartment.

Abstract: An air discharging apparatus to discharge pressurized air at a predetermined timing is disclosed. The disclosed air discharging apparatus includes an air pump including a cylinder and a piston configured to reciprocate in the cylinder; an opening and closing member provided at an air discharge opening of the air pump and configured to open and close the air discharge opening; and a switching mechanism providing mechanical coupling between the piston and the opening and closing member. The mechanical coupling keeps the opening and closing member in a closed state until the piston reaches a predetermined position in a compression stroke and switches the opening and closing member to an opened state when the piston reaches the predetermined position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has: a housing; a member to be cooled provided inside the housing, the member to be cooled in which heat builds up; an airflow producing portion provided in a predetermined position of the housing for taking in air outside the housing; an air guide member for passing the air thus taken in through a hollow cross-section part, and guiding the air to the member to be cooled to cool the member to be cooled; an air inlet portion provided at one end of the air guide member for taking in the air from the airflow producing portion; and an air blowoff portion provided at another end of the air guide member for sending the air to the member to be cooled, the air blowoff portion in which the cross-sectional area of the hollow cross-section part is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the hollow cross-section part in the air inlet portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member; a charger; a light irradiator; a developing device; a transfer device; an image bearing member's cleaner; and a fixing device, wherein the fixing device includes a fixing member configured to fix a toner image upon application of heat and pressure thereto; a pressing member configured to press the recording material toward the fixing member; and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the fixing member and/or the pressing member, wherein the cleaning member has an outermost layer including a reactive material which increases viscoelasticity of a binder resin of the toner by reacting with the binder resin.

Abstract: There is disclosed a system for cleaning marking material from a surface portion of a movable photoconductive member. The system includes a first rotatable brush, a blade and a second rotatable brush arranged in sequential order along the movable photoconductive member. The first rotatable brush is for removing a first amount of marking material from the surface portion of the movable photoconductive member as the surface portion of the movable photoconductive member moves past said first rotatable electrostatic brush. The blade, in engaging contact with the movable photoconductive member, is for removing a second amount of marking material from the surface portion of the movable photoconductive member. The second rotatable brush, positioned in interference contact with the movable photoconductive member, is for removing substantially all residual marking material that was not removed by the first rotatable brush and the blade.

Abstract: A photoconductor belt cleaning system is described. This system can utilize in one embodiment one cleaning brush and a cleaning blade, and in a second embodiment, two cleaning brushes, brush 1 and brush 2, with a cleaning blade. In the second embodiment, the cleaning blade is located in the system before brush 2, and adjacent to brush 1. The brushes are charged in an opposite polarity to the charge of the toner to be removed from the photoconductor belt.

Abstract: A charged particles cleaning apparatus for cleaning and removing charged particles from a surface includes (a) a housing; (b) a surface scrubbing member mounted within the housing for contacting the surface and frictionally removing charged particles therefrom; (c) an air blower for pulling an air stream out of the housing; (d) a manifold connecting the housing to the air blower for directing the air stream and charged particles therein out of the housing, the manifold including manifold walls having inside surfaces defining a duct passage for the air stream; and (e) at least one biasing source connected to the inside surfaces of the manifold walls for biasing the inside surfaces to prevent build up of charged particles on the inside surfaces, thereby reducing costs of periodic cleaning of the manifold walls.

Abstract: Embodiments herein comprise a compact dust abatement apparatus that includes at least one manifold shaped to fit next to a belt or drum of a printing engine, at least one blower/fan positioned within the manifold, and at least one air duct connected to the manifold. The manifold has a vacuum opening adjacent the belt or drum and an exit opening where the air duct connects to the manifold. The blower is positioned inside the manifold, between the vacuum opening and the exit opening, such that the blower draws air and particles from the vacuum opening toward the exit opening. Thus, the blower creates a vacuum at the vacuum opening. The air duct directs air and particles from the manifold to a location away from the sensitive components. The inclusion of the blower inside the vacuum manifold provides for compactness without sacrificing performance.

Abstract: A cleaning blade is arranged such that a tip end thereof is brought into contact with a toner image carrying member in an upwardly directed state, to scrape off residual toner from the toner image carrying member. A casing body defines a waste toner chamber accommodating the scraped toner therein. The casing body is formed with an air passage communicated to an exterior of the casing body, so that an air stream is created within the waste toner chamber.

Abstract: Cleaning a microwave device, in particular for drying print substrate in a printing machine, with a microwave source providing an irradiation field and a resonator chamber, wherein a microwave-penetrable material on the inside surfaces of the resonator chamber for forming a material layer that allows any dirt accumulated on it to protrude into the irradiation field.

Abstract: An electromagnetic induction exothermic roller (21) having, in the order from the surface, at least a release layer, induction exothermic layer (22), an elastic layer (23), and a core (24). Exothermic roller (21) is pressed by a press member (31) to form a nip portion (34) and heat up a heating subject material (11) passing through the nip portion (34). The induction exothermic layer (22) has a layer prepared by dispersing an electrically conductive filler in the base material consisting of a heat resistant resin or heat resistant rubber. For this reason, the induction exothermic layer (22) can easily deform, so that a nip portion (34) having a large width (W) can be formed. Further, the durability of the induction exothermic layer (22) against repeated bending is improved.

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 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: An installed or temporarily inserted air flow instrument 48 measures air flow in a pneumatic subsystem of a cleaning station in a copier or printer. The air flow instrument has a pitot tube 52 and a static pressure tube 54. The pitot tube is substantially parallel to the length of in-line adapter 50, is centered within in-line adapter 50, and terminates in impact end 74. Static pressure tube 54 is substantially transverse to the length of in-line adapter 50. Static pressure tube 54 penetrates adapter wall 64 of in-line adapter 50 and is flush with adapter inner surface 66 of in-line adapter 50. The pressure difference at the ends of the pitot and static pressure tube represents a measurement of the air flow in the body of the air flow instrument.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid carrier removing system which efficiently removes liquid carrier from a liquid developed image on a latent image bearing member, and reduces disturbance of a visible image formed with toner particles. The liquid carrier of the liquid developed image on the latent image bearing member is sucked by an absorbing cylinder, the surface of which is formed by a porous layer and pressed to the bearing member. A vacuum system is coupled to the absorbing cylinder to make the inside of the cylinder be negative pressure. The liquid carrier taken in the absorbing cylinder is sucked and collected inside the cylinder. In order that the pressed region of the absorbing cylinder may not be subjected to the sucking action by the negative pressure, a shield, which covers a part of the inside wall of the absorbing cylinder, is provided. Sucking and removing the liquid carrier of the liquid developed image and collection of the sucked liquid carrier are carried out separately.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of forming a cleaning system for an electrostatographic reproduction system having a photoconductive drum partially within a cleaning system housing and a cleaning brush having conductive core fibers within the cleaning system housing contacting the photoconductive drum with a detoner roller also within the cleaning system housing contacting the cleaning brush. The cleaning system housing is provided with ports that allow for air in enter of leave the cleaning system housing. A curved deflector plate is positioned such that it is spaced about ⅛″ from the cleaning brush. The deflector plate is attached to the enclosure on a side where the brush fibers are moving towards the detoner roller. A skive is made to contact the detoner roller, a baffle is formed contacting the skive and a side of the cleaning housing.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for eliminating stray background toner in electrostatic printer images by first electrostatically neutralizing any background toner charge and then removing neutralized toner. An ac corona wire positioned between a developer unit and a background toner scavenger is employed to neutralize unwanted background toner. Alternately, a high current density ac discharge between two electrodes separated by a dielectric layer may be employed as a bipolar ion source. Toner may be scavenged using either a vacuum suction manifold and/or a rotating brush.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of forming a cleaning system for an electrostatographic reproduction system having a photoconductive drum partially within cleaning system housing and a cleaning brush having conductive core fibers within the cleaning system housing contacting the photoconductive drum with a detone roller also within the cleaning system housing contacting the cleaning brush. The cleaning system housing is provided with ports that allow for air entering or leaving the cleaning system housing. A curved deflector plate is positioned such that it is spaced about ⅛″ from the cleaning brush. The deflector plate is attached to the enclosure on a side where the brush fibers are moving towards the detone roller. A skive is made to contact the detone roller, a baffle is formed contacting the skive and a side of the cleaning housing.

Abstract: An electrostatographic recording apparatus and method includes recording of electrostatic images and a patch area on an endless imaging member. The recording is operative in accordance with adjustable parameters to adjust density of the patch area. A development station is operative in accordance with another parameter for adjusting density of the images and the patch area. A sensor senses density of a toned patch area and generates a first signal representing density of the toned patch area. A transfer station transfers images on the image member to a transfer medium. A cleaning station located downstream of the sensor and the transfer station cleans remnant toner and the patch area on the imaging member. The cleaning station is adjustable to alter cleaning performance.

Abstract: A channel for recirculating a stream of air located adjacent a stream of marking particles exiting substantially tangentially from a marking particle transport member within a developer unit is provided. The stream of marking particles defines an inner boundary thereof extending tangentially from a first position adjacent to the transport member and defines an outer boundary thereof spaced from the transport member and the inner boundary. The channel includes a first member positioned outside the stream of marking particles. At least a portion of the first member is positioned substantially adjacent the outer boundary of the stream of marking particles and is spaced from the transport member. The channel also includes a second member connected to the first member and a third member connected to the second member. The second member is positioned adjacent the transport member and is spaced from the stream of marking particles.