US3552957A - Clamped photoconductive unit for electrophotography - Google Patents

Clamped photoconductive unit for electrophotography Download PDF

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Publication number
US3552957A
US3552957A US620906A US3552957DA US3552957A US 3552957 A US3552957 A US 3552957A US 620906 A US620906 A US 620906A US 3552957D A US3552957D A US 3552957DA US 3552957 A US3552957 A US 3552957A
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United States
Prior art keywords
photoconductive
clamp
conductive layer
layer
sheet
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Expired - Lifetime
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US620906A
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English (en)
Inventor
Howard T Hodges
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Eastman Kodak Co
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Eastman Kodak Co
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/75—Details relating to xerographic drum, band or plate, e.g. replacing, testing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41L—APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR MANIFOLDING, DUPLICATING OR PRINTING FOR OFFICE OR OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSES; ADDRESSING MACHINES OR LIKE SERIES-PRINTING MACHINES
    • B41L29/00—Devices for attaching printing elements or formes to supports

Definitions

  • This invention deals with apparatus for electrophotographic processes having a photosensitive member with at least two layers, an electrophotosensitive layer and a conductive layer.
  • the member may also contain other layers, for example, support layers, protective surface layers, barrier layers and/or masking layers.
  • This invention has particular application to photosensitive members which are re-usable, flexible, transparent sheets.
  • a clamp contacts the conductive layer over a broad enough area to give good electrical continuity without dependence on fracturing of the layer.
  • it is sufliciently lightweight to be carried by the photoconductive member. Accordingly, the clamp can be reliably and permanently attached to the photoconductive member in the factory. With the clamp as part of the photoconductive unit, it is easily connected to the electrophotographic apparatus in the field.
  • the invention has special application to flexible photoconductive sheets because the clamping arrangement can add rigidity to the sheet and insure its proper alignment in electrophotographic apparatus even though the sheet is installed in the apparatus by an unskilled operator.
  • the clamp itself can contain mounting-pin perforations or other means for attaching the unit to a drum or other carrier or mount.
  • FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are greatly enlarged cross sections illustrating clamped photoconductive units according to this invention.
  • FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are perspective views of various embodiments of the invention.
  • FIGS. 9, 10, 11, and 12 are perspective views illustrating structures for mounting the photoconductive units in electrophotographic equipment.
  • a support 10 has at least two extremely thin layers coated thereon, a photoconductive layer 13 and a conductive layer 11, together forming a photoconductive member.
  • protective, masking, barrier and/or other layers also can be coated on the support.
  • an area 14 of the conductive layer 11 is exposed, i.e., not covered by the photoconductive layer 13. Permanent mechanical and electrical contact are made with this fragile conducting layer 11 by gripping the layer 11 and the support 10 between two portions 15 and 16 of a clamp.
  • portion 15 of the clamp touching the conducting layer 11 comprises a conducting plate, while the other portion 16 touching the support layer may be either conducting or insulating. According to FIG. 1, these two portions 15 and 16 are urged toward each other by one or more rivets or other fastening means 17.
  • support is formed of flexible film.
  • Upper and lower clamp portions 21 and 22 may consist of a single sheet of metal, preferably spring metal, folded over to clamp the support and the exposed area 14 of the conductive layer 11. That is, the upper plate portion 21 and the lower portion 22 are made from a single sheet and the clamping pressure is provided by the material itself folded and forced into clamping relation.
  • the upper plate 21 extends not only over the exposed area 14 of the conductive layer 11 but also overlaps an area 23 of the photoconductor. Clamp 21 overlaps both the area 14 of the conductive layer 11 and the area 23 and applies pressure to both.
  • a second feature shown in FIG. 2 is a lug 24, which may be formed from the lower portion 22 and extends into the flexible support 10 to clamp it tightly and to keep it from slipping between the clamp portions 21 and 22. In many applications of the invention lug 24 will not be necessary since in general the clamp portions 21 and 22 hold the film very tightly.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the exposed area 14 of the conductive layer 11 does not extend to the edge of the support 10.
  • a lower clamp portion 51 is shown as being formed of insulating material and secured to the upper conducting clamp portion by a rivet 52.
  • an area of the photoconductor 13 is shown along the edge of the conductive layer 11, the total thicknesses of the layers 11 and 13 is very small and their compression between the clamp members 15 and 51 is such that layer 11 is pressed against the clamp portion 15, in spite of the presence of the photoconductor, both to the left and the right of the area of contact.
  • the presence of other thin layers between, on top of or below the photoconductor and the conductive layers similarly do not interfere with the invention, as illustrated by the presence of a barrier layer 12 between the conductive layer 11 and the photoconductive layer 13.
  • Clamping structures as described above in accordance with the invention have been found to provide good contact with extremely thin conductive layers that are mounted on the surfaces of supports. In actual experience, the components thus mounted provide the necessary electrical contact with elements of electrophotographic apparatu and cannot be easily damaged by improper usage. Although for many applications it is not necessary to use any conductive paint, glue, paste or other soft conductive material between the clamp and the conductive layers, on some occasions there is an advantage in using such materials. Such soft conductive layer helps achieve no fracturing contact between the clamp and an unsmooth plate. Use of such a soft conductive material is shown in FIG. 4 at 9. Use of the clamped photoconductive unit applied in the factory according to the invention allows application of any such intermediate-material more readily and under more controlled conditions than if it had to be applied in the field.
  • One such method is to apply the photoconductive and other surface layers from a coating means (hopper, roll, etc.) somewhat narrower than the sheet being coated so that none of the coating is applied to the edge strips of the conductive layer.
  • the coating can be applied through a stencil that covers Where no coating is desired.
  • such coatings can be removed where desired, with solvent which does not dissolve the conductive layer or the support.
  • FIG. 1 An important feature of this invention is the convenience provided by the clamps for alignment in and attachrnent to electrophotographic apparatus.
  • perforations shown by broken lines 18 and 19 arearranged to fit over pins, preferably spring urged pins, in an electrophotographic copier.
  • the pins and perforations are so arranged that the photoconductive sheet is in proper alignment in the machine when the pins engage these perforations. If the bottom portion 16 is formed of metal and rests on a conductive drum, electrical connection of layer 11 to the drum is assured through the rivets 17.
  • the plate 16 is formed of insulating material and contact is to be made through the pins on the copier, it is sometimes better to have the perforations 18 on the plate 15 slightly smaller than the diameter of the perforations on the portion 16 and the support 10. This slight clearance assures that the pins engage the conductive plate 15.
  • FIGS. 5 through 8 Other perspective views of the clamps are shown in FIGS. 5 through 8 with emphasis on the means for attaching them to an electrophotographic printer.
  • the clamp portions are sufficiently lightweight, and are factory attached to the photoconductive member, so that they can be carried by that member, together forming a unitary clamped photoconductive unit.
  • the difficulties of electrical contact between the clamp and the thin layer are surmounted in the factory, thereby insuring excellent electrical contact when the unit is installed in a machine.
  • the conductive upper plate 31 is riveted as at 32 to a lower plate 33, which extends considerably beyond the edge 36 of the support 10.
  • the perforations 34 are solely in the lower plate 33.
  • the clamp and edge 36 of the support can be of the same length.
  • FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 2 and illustrates a further feature in which clamp 21 has upper and lower portions, the lower portion extending beyond the sides of the support 10, as shown at 22, with the perforations 26 located in this extension.
  • FIG. 8 shows another embodiment using a wrap-around or a folded clamp 40. In this case, lugs 42, which are bendable, replace rivets 17 and 52. The mounting perforations 43 are in the portion of clamp 40 lying outside the margin of support 10.
  • clamp members and 61 are curved. They clamp the support 10 and its thin conductive layer and hold them tightly by means of rivets 62.
  • the curvature of the clamp permits its easy mounting on a rod 63, which is spring urged to supply torque, as shown by arrow 64, stretching the photoconductive sheet by pins 65 pressing against the sides of the perforations.
  • FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 show a mounting of the photoconductive unit in various electrophotographic copiers.
  • a flexible photoconductive sheet is held taut so that it normally lies fiat, for example, during exposure of the sheet in the machine.
  • a chain drive carrying a clamp 71 moves the photoconductive unit through the various stations of the electrophotographic copier.
  • each clamp 71 is a fixed rod 72 carrying thereon a cylindrical sleeve, which is partly rotatable on the rod 72.
  • successive sleeves 75 are urged in opposite directions (clockwise and counterclockwise), by springs 74 engaging respective pins on the rods and sleeves.
  • it is sufiicient for one sleeve to be fixed on its associated rod and for the other sleeve to be rotatable and spring urged.
  • FIG. 10 Two slightly different types of photoconductor units are shown in FIG. 10.
  • One sheet 101 has a respective curved clamp portion 76 on each end of the sheet, i.e., along the leading and trailing edges. These clamp portions 76 are held together by rivets 77 and include perforations which fit over pins 78 in sleeves 75. The spring urged rotation of the sleeves 75 engaging the two ends of the sheet, tends to stretch the sheet and hold it fiat.
  • the second unit 102 is the same as the first except that it has the metal clamps only at one edge of the sheet and merely has perforations 81 in the sheet itself to extend over the pins 78. According to the invention, the clamp on either or both ends of the sheet is used for mounting the unit on a carrier shown in FIG. 10.
  • the sheet is wrapped around a section of a carrier comprising a drum 89.
  • drum 89 has a longitudinal V-groove 85 in its periphery, and a series of pins 82 are located along each side of the groove.
  • Clamps 15 and 16, corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2 contain perforations which fit over pins 82, one series of which can be spring urged toward the center of the drum or the bottom of the groove.
  • a brush 83 engages the upper plate 16 of the clamp to maintain electrical contact between the photoconductor unit and the machine.
  • FIG. 12 is an embodiment which has clamp portions 15 and 16 as hereinabove described at one end of the sheet, with perforations 18 to fit over fixed pins 95 that are mounted in bars 72.
  • the other end of the sheet includes, between a pair of clamps 91 and 92, a resilient metal sheet or Web 19, which acts as an extension of the clamp.
  • the outer end of a resilient conductor sheet 90 has perforations or a pair of clamping plates 93 and 94, also with perforations to fit over the pins 95 on which is mounted the leading edge of a next photoconductor unit. If electrical contact between the photoconductor units and the machine is obtained through the pins 95, sheet 90 need not be conductive. More reliable electrical contact, however, is obtained if the sheets 90 are formed of conducting material.
  • the resiliency of the sheet or web 90 holds the sheets taut and may also help prevent xerographic toner from passing through gaps between units.
  • Extra cross bars may be included with the sheet laid across them to hold the photoconductive surface 13 slightly higher than the end clamps for convenience in toning.
  • the invention is useful with any extremely thin conductive layer, the invention is most important when using transparent conductive layers.
  • transparent conductive layers examples of such conductive layers and their thicknesses can be found in US. 3,245,833, Trevoy.
  • exceptional transparency is critical to the process and when nonmetallic conductors are used, such thicknesses commonly are in the neighborhood of 0.1 microns.
  • Other less dense materials can be somewhat thicker than 0.1 microns and still be at least partially transparent and partially conductive and therefore useful in some electrophotographic processes.
  • An electrophotosensitive unit for use in an electrographic apparatus of the type having an electrical terminal and having a carrier that is adapted to move between electrophotographic stations, said unit comprising:
  • clamp means preassembled on said layered member and adapted to be mounted on said carrier and connected to said terminal, said clamp means havmg (1) an electrically conductive plate portion overlying said exposed area of the conductive layer,
  • a photoconductive unit for insertion into electrophotographic apparatus of the type having an electrical terminal comprising (A) a photoconductive member including (1) a support layer,
  • clamp means permanently attached to and carried by said photoconductive member and adapted to be electrically connected to said electrical terminal and having 1) an electrically conductive plate portion having a surface overlying said exposed area of the conductive layer,
  • ( 3) means urging said portions toward each other to establish electrical contact between the conductive layer and the conductive plate portion.
  • a photoconductive unit usable in an electrophotographic printer comprising ,(A) a photoconductive sheet including (1) a flexible transparent support layer,
  • a clamp means permanently attached to and carried on said photoconductive sheet having (1) an electrically conductive plate portion, a surface thereof overlying said exposed area of the conductive layer,
  • a unitary element for electrophotographic apparatus comprising (A) a photoconductive sheet including 1) a flexible transparent support layer,
  • a photoconductive unit according to claim 4 wherein said plate portions comprise metal plates and said urging means comprises at least one rivet extending through the support layer.
  • a photoconductive unit usable in an electrophotographic printer comprising (a) a photoconductive sheet including (1) a flexible transparent support layer,
  • clamp means supported by and attached to said photoconductive sheet as an integral portion thereof and running at least the full length of said edge thereby adding rigidity to said sheet, said clamp means having (1) an electrically conductive plate portion having a smooth surface overlying said exposed area of the conductive layer,
  • a photoconductive unit usable in an electrophotographic printer comprising (a) a photoconductive sheet including 1) a flexible transparent support layer,
  • a clamp means carried on said photoconductive sheet as an integral portion thereof and having (1) an electrically conductive plate portion, a smooth surface thereof overlying said exposed area of the conductive layer,
  • a photoconductive unit for insertion as a compo-- nent part in an electrophotographic apparatus said apparatus being of the type having a carrier for positioning a photoconductive layered member in electrophotographically operative position in said apparatus, said carrier including electrically conductive mounting pins electrically connected to an electrical ground, said unit comprising (a) a photoconductive sheet including (1) a flexible transparent support layer,
  • clamp means carried as an integral assembly by said photoconductive sheet and running at least the full length of said edge thereby adding rigidity to said sheet, said clamp means having (1) an electrically conductive plate portion having a surface overlying said exposed area of the conductive layer, said surface being smooth enough that if pressed against said conductive layer it will not substantially fracture it,

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Discharging, Photosensitive Material Shape In Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
  • Electrophotography Configuration And Component (AREA)
  • Photoreceptors In Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Electrophotography Using Other Than Carlson'S Method (AREA)
US620906A 1967-03-06 1967-03-06 Clamped photoconductive unit for electrophotography Expired - Lifetime US3552957A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US62090667A 1967-03-06 1967-03-06

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US (1) US3552957A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1622952B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR1556091A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1225681A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3619050A (en) * 1969-06-19 1971-11-09 Eastman Kodak Co Web-handling apparatus and cartridge and web usable therewith
US3749927A (en) * 1970-07-03 1973-07-31 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd Electrostatic charging process for electrophotographic photosensitive material
US3792924A (en) * 1969-02-24 1974-02-19 Konishiroku Photo Ind Electrophotographic copying system
US3827803A (en) * 1971-04-16 1974-08-06 Addressograph Multigraph Copier-duplicator machine
US3834808A (en) * 1970-12-29 1974-09-10 Canon Kk Electronic photographic copying machine
US3867026A (en) * 1970-08-03 1975-02-18 Minolta Camera Kk Electrophotographic copier of transfer type
US3930852A (en) * 1973-04-11 1976-01-06 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Electrophotographic sensitive member with attaching means
US3934256A (en) * 1972-05-23 1976-01-20 Ricoh Co., Ltd. Identification card producing apparatus
US4120720A (en) * 1974-01-18 1978-10-17 Scott Paper Company Combined means for accurately positioning electrostatographic recording members during imaging and means for establishing electrical connection with the intermediate conductive layer thereof
WO1980000195A1 (en) * 1978-06-22 1980-02-07 Eastman Kodak Co Method for providing electrical connection means in an electrographic element
US4344698A (en) * 1980-10-01 1982-08-17 Eastman Kodak Company Electrophotographic apparatus having improved grounding means
US4540271A (en) * 1983-06-29 1985-09-10 Eastman Kodak Company Electrophotographic apparatus having improved, fixed-contact grounding structure
US5321480A (en) * 1993-05-06 1994-06-14 Eastman Kodak Company Fuser having a detachable belt
US5683840A (en) * 1996-04-11 1997-11-04 Xerox Corporation Method and apparatus for grounding migration imaging members

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2065614C3 (de) * 1970-04-02 1982-10-07 Canon K.K., Tokyo Elektrophotographisches Mehrfarbenkopiergerät
DE2746065C3 (de) * 1977-10-13 1981-10-22 Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven Vorrichtung zur automatischen Befestigung einer austauschbaren endlichen Fotoleiterbahn an einer Führungstrommel in einem elektrofotografischen Kopiergerät
US4292386A (en) * 1978-12-22 1981-09-29 Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Photoconductive drum with paper layer attachment

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3792924A (en) * 1969-02-24 1974-02-19 Konishiroku Photo Ind Electrophotographic copying system
US3619050A (en) * 1969-06-19 1971-11-09 Eastman Kodak Co Web-handling apparatus and cartridge and web usable therewith
US3749927A (en) * 1970-07-03 1973-07-31 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd Electrostatic charging process for electrophotographic photosensitive material
US3867026A (en) * 1970-08-03 1975-02-18 Minolta Camera Kk Electrophotographic copier of transfer type
US3834808A (en) * 1970-12-29 1974-09-10 Canon Kk Electronic photographic copying machine
US3827803A (en) * 1971-04-16 1974-08-06 Addressograph Multigraph Copier-duplicator machine
US3934256A (en) * 1972-05-23 1976-01-20 Ricoh Co., Ltd. Identification card producing apparatus
US3930852A (en) * 1973-04-11 1976-01-06 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Electrophotographic sensitive member with attaching means
US4120720A (en) * 1974-01-18 1978-10-17 Scott Paper Company Combined means for accurately positioning electrostatographic recording members during imaging and means for establishing electrical connection with the intermediate conductive layer thereof
WO1980000195A1 (en) * 1978-06-22 1980-02-07 Eastman Kodak Co Method for providing electrical connection means in an electrographic element
JPS55500394A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1978-06-22 1980-07-03
US4344698A (en) * 1980-10-01 1982-08-17 Eastman Kodak Company Electrophotographic apparatus having improved grounding means
US4540271A (en) * 1983-06-29 1985-09-10 Eastman Kodak Company Electrophotographic apparatus having improved, fixed-contact grounding structure
US5321480A (en) * 1993-05-06 1994-06-14 Eastman Kodak Company Fuser having a detachable belt
US5683840A (en) * 1996-04-11 1997-11-04 Xerox Corporation Method and apparatus for grounding migration imaging members

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Publication number Publication date
DE1622952B2 (de) 1976-10-14
DE1622952A1 (de) 1971-01-14
GB1225681A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-03-17
FR1556091A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1969-01-31

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