US3743410A - Grounding apparatus for electrographic copy apparatus - Google Patents

Grounding apparatus for electrographic copy apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3743410A
US3743410A US00285963A US3743410DA US3743410A US 3743410 A US3743410 A US 3743410A US 00285963 A US00285963 A US 00285963A US 3743410D A US3743410D A US 3743410DA US 3743410 A US3743410 A US 3743410A
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United States
Prior art keywords
conductive
strip
imbibed
top surface
layer
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00285963A
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English (en)
Inventor
R Edelman
J Swapceinski
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Eastman Kodak Co
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Eastman Kodak Co
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Publication date
Application filed by Eastman Kodak Co filed Critical Eastman Kodak Co
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Publication of US3743410A publication Critical patent/US3743410A/en
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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

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT In electrographic apparatus employing a replaceable movable photoconductive member having a conductive layer, a photoconductive layer and an imbibed strip in the photoconductive layer connected to the conductive layer, a conductive rotatable member provides a continuous electrical path to a point of reference potential from the conductive layer through the imbibed conductive strip by having a line of contact with the top surface of the imbibed strip.
  • the rotatable member is disposed so that its axis of rotation is skewed with respect to the velocity vector of such line of contact whereby a scrubbing force is imparted to the strip surface to clean it and thereby maintain a good electrical connection between the strip and the conductive rotatable member.
  • This invention relates to electrographic apparatus utilizing a photosensitive member having at least two layers, a conductive layer and a photoconductive layer. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for placing the conductive layer at a reference potenl0 tial.
  • a rotatable member preferably of cylindrical configuration providing a rolling line of contact engagement with the top surface of a conductive imbibed strip in a photosensitive web or member has its axis of rotation skewed with respect to the velocity vector of the strip at the line of contact, the top surface of the imbibed metalized strip is scrubbed clean thereby insuring good electrical contact.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical section of an electrographic apparatus embodying the invention
  • FIGS. 2A and 2B show various views of the rotatable member shown in FIG. 1 in contact with the top surface of an imbibed conductive strip of a photoconductive member;
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2A.
  • FIG. 1 For a general understanding of an electrographic reproducing or copier apparatus wherein the invention has particular utility, reference is made to FIG. 1 wherein various stations of an electrophotographic apparatus are schematically illustrated.
  • an information medium 13 such as a document is illuminated by radiation from flash lamps 14. Such radiation is reflected from the medium and projected by a lens 15 onto a photoconductive member 16, shown as a web, to selectively dissipate change and form an electrostatic image.
  • the photoconductive member 18 had previously been uniformly charged at a charging station 20.
  • the photoconductive member 16 as shown in FIG. 3 is a layered structure in the form of a sandwich having a support 40, for example, photographic film base, a conductive layer 42 formed on such base and a photoconductive layer 44 formed on the conductive layer 42 but less than coextensive therewith to uncover an area wherein there is disposed an imbibed conductive strip 46 which is connected to the conductive layer 42.
  • conductive layer will be used to describe a thin layer of ordinarily conductive material, even though such layers are sometimes so thin that their surface resistivity is as high as 10' ohms per square inch or higher. It should be noted that some materials can be coated to a thickness which passes one-half the radiation striking it but which has a surface resistivity as low as 10 ohms per square inch. For a complete discussion of conductivity, transparency and thickness of such layers, reference is made to U. S. Pat. No. 3,245,833 to Trevoy.
  • the photoconductive layer 44 may comprise, for instance, a heterogeneous mixture of a bisphenol A- polycarbonate binder, a triarylmethane organic photoconductor and a pyrylium sensitizing dye.
  • the imbibed conductive strip 40 may be formed of a conductive lacquer which is imbibed through the uncovered area to bond to and make electrical contact with the conducting layer 42.
  • the strip 46 may be formed of a metalized material.
  • apparatus 10 further includes a development station 22 at which the electrostatic image is contacted with finely divided charged toner particles that adhere to the photoconductive layer in a configuration defined by the electrostatic image; a transfer station 24 in which toner particles are transferred in the .image configuration to a receiving surface of a copy sheet 26 on which it can be subsequently permanently fused; and a cleaning station (not shown) in which residual toner is removed from the photoconductive layer so that it can be resused. In certain known modifications of this same system, one or more of these stations may be eliminated. For a more complete description of an electrographic apparatus, reference is made to commonly assigned copending patent application Ser. No. l9l,304 filed Sept.
  • a reference potential or coupling means indicated generally at 50 which includes a rotatable conductive roller member 52.
  • reference potential has been shown to be at ground level. However, it is to be understood that in certain applications within the scope of this invention, a reference potential other than ground may be desirable especially in the instance where it is desired to control the amount of charge deposited on the photoconductive layer 42.
  • the conductive member 52 is preferably of cylindrical configuration but rollers having a circular cross-section such as cones, spheres and ellipsoids can also be utilized in accordance with the invention.
  • the member 52 is rotatably mounted on bearings 54 which define the axis of rotation 53 of the member 52.
  • a yoke member 56 formed of a highly conductive material is secured to the bearings.
  • An electrical lead 60 is connected to the yoke and directly connected to ground potential.
  • a spring assembly 66 is connected to the top surface of the yoke 52 and the main frame of the apparatus and urges the member 52 into a line of contact engagement with the top surface of the strip 46.
  • the yoke 56 holds the member 52 such that the axis of rotation 53 is skewed relative to the direction of movement of the line of contact portion of the strip 46.
  • the frictional engagement of the strip 26 and the member 52 causes the member 52 to rotate. Since the axis of rotation of the member 52 is skewed relative to the velocity vector of the top surface of the strip 46 at the line of contact, a lateral force of scrubbing action is applied to such surface to clean it of any particulate matter which may have been deposited thereon, thereby maintaining a good electrical contact.
  • the scrubbing rate can be adjusted by adjusting the skewed position of the axis 53 and/or the force applied by the spring assembly 66.
  • reference potential coupling means comprising:
  • a rotatable conductive member connected to a point of reference potential and disposed to have line of contact with the impact surface of the conductive strip which is skewed with respect to the velocity vector of the strip at such line of contact, whereby a scrubbing force is imparted to such surface to clean it.
  • an electrographic apparatus having a movable, flexible photoconductive member formed of an electrically conducting layer formed on a support, a photoconductive layer formed on the conductive layer but which is less than coextensive with the electrically conductive layer to uncover an area of the electrically conductive layer and an imbibed conductive strip disposed in such uncovered area and connected to the conductive layer, the imbibed conductive strip defining a top surface means for establishing a connection between the top surface of the imbibed conductive strip to electrically connect the conducting layer to a reference potential
  • a conductive member having a rotatable cylindrical portion defining an axis of rotation
  • d. means coupled to said conductive'member and adapted to position such conductive member such that the axis of rotation of said cylindrical portion is skewed with respect to the velocity vector of the line of contact of the top surface of the strip to provide a scrubbing action to clean the top surface of such strip as said cylindrical portion rotates.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Discharging, Photosensitive Material Shape In Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Photoreceptors In Electrophotography (AREA)
US00285963A 1972-09-05 1972-09-05 Grounding apparatus for electrographic copy apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3743410A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US28596372A 1972-09-05 1972-09-05

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3743410A true US3743410A (en) 1973-07-03

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00285963A Expired - Lifetime US3743410A (en) 1972-09-05 1972-09-05 Grounding apparatus for electrographic copy apparatus

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US3743410A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2198178B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1428145A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4049344A (en) * 1975-03-10 1977-09-20 Xerox Corporation Electrostatic imaging system
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
US4512653A (en) * 1983-06-15 1985-04-23 Eastman Kodak Company Method and apparatus for thermally-assisted grounding of an electrographic imaging member
US5581325A (en) * 1993-10-01 1996-12-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Process cartridge having an electroconductive grounding member and an image forming apparatus using such a process cartridge

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL7811711A (nl) * 1978-11-28 1980-05-30 Coulter Systems Corp Aanzetstuk voor het langs elektrofotografische weg vormen van een beeld, te gebruiken bij een optisch projektiestelsel.
GB2121694A (en) * 1982-06-11 1984-01-04 Tornado Model Products Limited Toy vehicles
GB2452769B (en) * 2007-09-17 2011-06-01 Motorola Inc Device and electrical contact mechanism therefor

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3166368A (en) * 1962-12-04 1965-01-19 Edward C Higgins Roller contact device for electrical coil
US3506259A (en) * 1967-10-12 1970-04-14 Xerox Corp Electrostatic sheet detacking apparatus

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB814828A (en) * 1956-07-12 1959-06-10 Ass Elect Ind Improvements relating to the provision of electrical connection between relatively movable parts

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3166368A (en) * 1962-12-04 1965-01-19 Edward C Higgins Roller contact device for electrical coil
US3506259A (en) * 1967-10-12 1970-04-14 Xerox Corp Electrostatic sheet detacking apparatus

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4049344A (en) * 1975-03-10 1977-09-20 Xerox Corporation Electrostatic imaging system
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
US4512653A (en) * 1983-06-15 1985-04-23 Eastman Kodak Company Method and apparatus for thermally-assisted grounding of an electrographic imaging member
US5581325A (en) * 1993-10-01 1996-12-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Process cartridge having an electroconductive grounding member and an image forming apparatus using such a process cartridge

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1428145A (en) 1976-03-17
FR2198178B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1976-11-19
FR2198178A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-03-29

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