| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080205927 | XEROGRAPHIC CUSTOMER REPLACEMENT UNIT KIT - A customer replaceable unit kit contains a customer replaceable unit having a xerographic component customer replaceable unit already loaded with toner and/or waste bottles and one or more additional toner bottles to extend the life of the xerographic component customer replaceable unit. The customer replaceable unit kit allows the removal and replacement of new and used toner bottles with ease and no spillage. The customer replaceable unit kit contains compartments that store and seal used bottles as the additional toner bottles are removed from the customer replaceable unit kit. The depleted customer replaceable unit kit can be shipped to a predetermined destination for remanufacturing, recycling, and/or proper disposal. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20090092410 | CORONA CHARGING DEVICE CLEANER - A device that improves the effectiveness of a corona charging element cleaner by forcing it to travel to the end-limits of the outboard end of the corona charging element to ensure that the corona charging element is completely wiped clean. The device uses a pawl and rack to affect a ratchet-like motion, the direction of which permits travel in the opposite direction only after the limit of travel is reached. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090110416 | LONG LIFE CLEANING SYSTEM WITH REPLACEMENT BLADES - Systems and methods are described that facilitate replacing cleaning blades employed to chisel excess toner from a photoreceptor surface. For example, a cleaning unit can comprise a blade holder with a plurality of cleaning blades attached thereto, which is rotated (e.g., by an actuator) to remove a used cleaning blade from the photoreceptor surface and position a new cleaning blade against the photoreceptor surface. Blade replacement can be triggered by a detected defect on an output image or by detected excess toner on the photoreceptor surface downstream from the cleaning blade. Additionally, blade replacement can be triggered as a function of blade use (e.g., measured in time, prints, photoreceptor cycles), friction force on the blade, or a combination thereof, to achieve a desired (e.g., low) cleaning unit failure probability. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090190975 | DUAL BLADE CLEANING SYSTEM - A cleaning system for cleaning a moving surface of an image forming device, such as a photoreceptor. The cleaning system includes first and second links each having three pivot connections for pivotally connecting first and second cleaning blades together in mutually exclusive cooperative movement alternating between a common Cleaning Position at a first location and respective Suspended Positions. The cleaning system can include a Doctor Blade arrangement in which the cleaning blades are disposed in a Doctor Blade orientation in the Cleaning Position. The cleaning system can include a Wiper Blade arrangement in which the cleaning blades are disposed in a Wiper Blade orientation in the Cleaning Position. The first and second cleaning blades form similar Blade Holder Angles, Blade Deflection Angles and Working Angles when occupying the Cleaning Position. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090304402 | CLEANING METHOD FOR COMPENSATING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND BLADE AGE IN A CLEANING SUBSYSTEM - A method for controlling blade interference in a single blade or multi-blade xerographic cleaner based on a look-up table for environmental conditions and blade age. Temperature and humidity sensors and a blade age counter are used to provide information to a controller, which adjusts the blade interference through a stepper motor based on the preloaded table. This allows lower blade load in most conditions over life, compared to the known method of setting the initial load high enough to cover these stress factors at worse case levels. The look-up table is empirically determined for a give blade material and xerographic system, e.g., photoreceptor, toner, etc. It takes into account the variation in blade load itself as a function of the environment and blade age. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090304406 | METHOD FOR ADJUSTING CLEANING BLADE LOAD ON A PHOTORECEPTOR - A method for controlling a xerographic single or multiple blade cleaning subsystem includes sensing the actual cleaning blade load against a photoreceptor with a transducer and adjusting it to a desired value. A feedback loop through a stepper motor will set the desired load by changing blade to photoreceptor interference. This will correct for the effects of piece part tolerances, blade modulus changes with environment and set with age. A single transducer and positioning system can achieve the desired average blade load, or one at each end can also keep the load even from end to end. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090304407 | VARIABLE INTERFERENCE CLEANING BLADE METHOD - A control method for monitoring the cleaning performance of a single or multiple blade xerographic cleaning subsystem includes looking at the photoreceptor post-cleaner with a full width array sensor and adjusting the blade load on the photoreceptor to the minimum required to maintain effective cleaning. Blade load is adjusted using a stepper motor. Monitoring of cleaning failures can be done during non-print time, when a toner patch is developed to evaluate cleaning. Re-adjustment is needed periodically since environmental stresses can change, and the blade ages due to set and wear. Two toner patches at the ends of the blade with two stepper motors can be used to assure the same load from end to end. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20100021198 | BLADES, PRINTING APPARATUSES, REPLACEABLE CARTRIDGES AND METHODS OF TREATING SUBSTANCES ON SURFACES - Blades, printing apparatuses, replaceable cartridges and methods of treating substances on surfaces are disclosed. An embodiment of a blade for treating a substance on a surface of a component includes a body having a free end portion with a surface, and which is comprised of an elastomeric material. A bi-material spring is adapted to apply a load to the body such that the surface of the body treats the substance on the surface of the component. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100053261 | BLADE ENGAGEMENT APPARATUS FOR IMAGE FORMING MACHINES - A blade engagement apparatus for metering release agent onto an image forming device associated moving surface, such as a Solid Ink Jet drum. The blade engagement apparatus includes a blade positioning mechanism having a blade holder rotated about a fixed pivot point disposed a distance L | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100053292 | DUAL BLADE RELEASE AGENT APPLICATION APPARATUS - A application apparatus for metering release agent onto an image forming device moving surface, such as a Solid Ink Jet drum. The application apparatus includes a blade positioning mechanism with first and second links each having three pivot connections for pivotally connecting first and second blades together in mutually exclusive cooperative movement alternating between a common working position at a first location and respective suspended positions. The application apparatus can include a doctor blade arrangement in which the blades are disposed in a doctor blade orientation in the working position. The application apparatus can include a wiper blade arrangement in which the blades are disposed in a wiper blade orientation in the working position. The first and second blades form similar blade holder angles, blade deflection angles and Working Angles when occupying the working position. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100053293 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING BLADE LOADS FOR BLADES ENGAGING IMAGE FORMING MACHINE MOVING SURFACES - Systems and methods of providing controlled blade engagement with an image forming machine moving surface are provided for metering a release agent onto the surface, cleaning the surface, or both. A blade engagement apparatus is provided having a controller controlling an actuator connected to a blade positioning mechanism for providing controlled engagement of the blade with the moving surface. The minimum blade load applied by the blade to the moving surface needed to prevent defects is determined and maintained for increasing the useful life of the blade. Control systems and methods utilizing single and separately operable dual blade positioning mechanisms are provided. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100054830 | BLADE ENGAGEMENT APPARATUS FOR IMAGE FORMING MACHINES - A blade engagement apparatus moving blades into working positions in engagement with an image forming device moving surface for cleaning and/or metering release agent onto the surface. The blade engagement apparatus includes a pair of spaced apart links having slots receiving pins extending from the blades and an actuator rotating the links for moving the blades along track slots into and out of the working positions. The links couple the blades together for mutually exclusive cooperative movement alternating between the working positions and respective suspended positions wherein the blades are removed from the moving surface. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100086321 | DYNAMIC PHOTO RECEPTOR WEAR RATE ADJUSTMENT BASED ON ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR FEEDBACK - A xerographic marking engine adjusts a charging actuator value, such as an AC peak-to-peak voltage or an AC peak-to-peak current, based on a determined knee value, V | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100150629 | ELECTROSTATIC ROLL CLEANER - This is a cleaning roll for a xerographic cleaning station. The roll comprises a compliant foam layer covered with a fabric overcoating. The cleaning station also contains a detoning roll which contacts the cleaning roll to attract residual toner for disposal out of the station. There is an electrical connection in the station to a biasing structure which will bias both the fabric overcoating and the detoning roll. | 06-17-2010 |
