Classifications

• • 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
  • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
  • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
  • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
  • G03G15/0844—Arrangements for purging used developer from the developing unit
• • 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
  • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
  • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
  • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device and a method for replacing at least one component of a flowable medium.
• the invention further relates to the use of such a device in a printer or copier.
• the flowable medium used therein is a developer, especially a two-component developer, which contains a toner and a magnetic carrier each in particle form.
• charge images of characters to be printed are generated on an intermediate carrier, for example a drum with an electrophotographic layer.
• the intermediate carrier with the charge images is guided into a development station, in which the charge images are developed and thus made visible.
• the toner particles of a two-component developer are conveyed through the carrier particles in the direction of the intermediate carrier and electrically attracted by the charge carriers on the intermediate carrier.
• the carrier particles are returned to the developer station.
• the developed charge images are transferred to a recording medium, for example a paper web, and fixed on it.
• the toner material within the two-component developer is consumed in the development process. Fresh toner is refilled in accordance with this consumption.
• the returned carrier material is subject to an aging process, which can affect the print or copy quality. thats why it is also necessary to gradually renew the base material.
• WO 98/39691 the overall disclosure of which is referred to here, describes a printing or copying device in which a recording medium can be printed in monochrome and / or in color.
• Several developer stations are provided, each of which is assigned a color for color printing.
• a replacement In order to maintain the print quality in such printers or copiers, a replacement must take place at certain time intervals because of the aging of the developer or the aging component contained in it in the form of the carrier. Previously, this could be done, for example, by completely emptying developer stations and then refilling them, which is very time-consuming and involves an interruption in the printing or copying operation.
• Developer with aged carrier can be replaced by fresh developer in such a way that developer stations of fresh toner and fresh carrier are supplied separately from one another in such a way that a defined amount of toner and carrier guaranteeing the printing or copying quality is always present in the developer so that printing or copying does not have to be interrupted.
• US Pat. No. 4,358,196 discloses a device for replacing aged developer with fresh developer in a development station of an electrophotographic device.
• This known device contains two dosing devices, via which one of the developer stations is fed with fresh developer and the other of which is aged developer is discharged from the development station, so that good printing quality guaranteeing developers is always present in the development station.
• the toner concentration can be regulated in a separate control circuit so that there is always an amount of toner which ensures the print quality in the development station.
• the regulation can take place in such a way that the toner concentration is recorded and regulated either directly by means of a sensor or indirectly by recording the coloration of the pressure. In the case of direct control, however, the toner concentration cannot be determined exactly due to unavoidable control deviations, and in some cases cannot be determined at all in the case of indirect control, which can result in quality losses.
• the ratio of toner to carrier is usually known for the volume of the two-component developer supplied.
• the ratio of toner to carrier in the volume of the removed developer can, however, differ from the ratio in the supplied developer because, due to control deviations, the toner concentration in the development station can deviate upwards or downwards from the toner concentration of the supplied developer.
• both volumes are the same, the proportion of the carrier in the removed developer can deviate upwards or downwards from the proportion of the carrier in supplied developers.
• H iS ⁇ ss: N ⁇ - H 3 ⁇ ⁇ - O 3 ⁇ co o TJ 3 ⁇ H 1 O iQ H 3 O ⁇ d ⁇ - ⁇ - C ⁇ d ⁇ - ⁇ -3 3 rt rt ⁇ - ⁇ 3 Cd rt 3 ⁇ - rt 3 ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ 3 o
• DJ ⁇ - ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ l-i ⁇ -i DJ ⁇ s DJ ⁇ - ⁇ - ⁇ - l-i ⁇ o rt ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ - o DJ C ⁇ 3 o ⁇ - ⁇
• DJ S ⁇ rt ⁇ Cd ⁇ Q • 3 ⁇ ⁇ rt d: 3 DJ: DJ 3 " ⁇ 3 * li H 3 ⁇ - ⁇ - ⁇ - ⁇ ⁇
• Each developer station receives fresh aging components from a reservoir common to all developer stations, in particular carrier material in the case of a two-component developer. Furthermore, each developer station has a separate toner storage container, from which toner of the respective color is fed to the container of the respective developer station. In this way it is possible to supply several developer stations with different colored toner material together with carrier material, so that the aging carrier material is gradually replaced in each developer station. It is therefore not necessary to carry out a separate exchange of carrier material or developer for each developer station.
• Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a device according to the invention
• FIGS. 2A to 2C show an exemplary embodiment for determining a predetermined amount of a flowable medium for the
• Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of a device according to the invention
• Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of a device according to the invention.
• FIG. 5 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention.
• DJ 03 CTi DJ 3 co ⁇ N CL 3 CL ⁇ Di rt 3 rt ⁇ s. 3 ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ - «a ⁇ - rt ⁇ ⁇ d rt ⁇ d G ⁇ ⁇ rt csi ⁇ - rt ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ H" 1 ⁇ - ⁇ up tr ⁇ O ⁇ ⁇ - 3 o ⁇ s: 3 tfl er 3 " ⁇ rt co d rt ⁇ ti ⁇ 3 03 rt ⁇ C ⁇ Cd P- ⁇ - cn et cn 3 ⁇ O DJ ⁇ P ⁇ - DJ sQ ⁇ DJ: ⁇ - ⁇ ⁇ Hi ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ 0 ⁇ 3 ⁇ o Cfl cn d rt ⁇ O ⁇ 3 rt ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ rt
• the filling level in the container 10 therefore regulates itself as a function of the predetermined developer filling level 17 ′′ and the supply quantity itself. The process continues until the predetermined developer filling level 17 ′′ is reached again.
• the feed inlet 13 and the discharge outlet 15 are preferably arranged on the container 10 such that fresh developer or fresh carrier 14 supplied during the replacement process cannot flow off together with the aged developer 16.
• this is the
• FIGS. 2A to 2C show an exemplary embodiment for measuring a predetermined amount of fresh developer or carrier 14.
• a tube 20 leading to the feed inlet 13 according to FIG. 1 into which fresh developer or fresh carrier 14 is introduced from above, two are clocked Valves 21 and 22 are provided one behind the other or one below the other.
• valve 21 In a first phase according to FIG. 2A, the valve 21 is open and the valve 22 is closed, so that fresh developer or fresh carrier 14 is guided in the direction of an arrow D through the tube 20 to the closed valve 22.
• the opening time of the valve 21 defines a certain amount of fresh developer or carrier 14.
• both valves 21 and 22 are closed, as a result of which the predetermined developer or carrier quantity to be supplied to the mixer 10 according to FIG. 1 is measured, ie this quantity is enclosed between the two valves 21 and 22.
• valve 21 is closed and the valve 22 is open, so that the amount of developer or carrier located between the two valves 21 and 22 flows in the direction of an arrow E to the developer supply inlet 13 according to FIG. 1 ,
• FIG. 3 shows a second exemplary embodiment according to the invention, in which, in contrast to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the supply of fresh developer or carrier 14 is regulated via the removal of aged developer 16 becomes.
• this exemplary embodiment is also a self-regulating device based on a predetermined developer filling level in the container 10.
• a clocked valve 30 is provided in the discharge outlet 15, the opening time of which determines the amount of aged developer 16 removed. As a result, the developer filling level drops by a corresponding amount and the same amount of fresh developer or carrier 14 is supplied via the feed inlet 13.
• the developer supply inlet 13 must end at least with the target developer filling level.
• the exact vertical position continues to depend on the pressure built up by the mixture in the developer sump 12 at the predetermined developer filling level in order to block the inflow of fresh developer or carrier 14 through the developer mixture itself.
• the removal of aged developer 16 reduces the total amount of developer in the developer sump 12 and thus leads to a the developer level and, at the same time, a falling pressure at the outlet of the feed inlet 13. This falling pressure at the feed inlet 13 allows fresh developer or carrier 14 to be fed. This process continues until the predetermined developer filling level is reached again or the back pressure at the outlet of the feed inlet 13 blocks the supply of fresh developer or carrier 14.
• the predetermined fill level is defined by a fill level sensor 45.
• valve 30 in the discharge outlet 15 is actuated in a clocked manner via a control module 44, the opening time of which determines the amount of the aged developer that has been removed (cf. FIG. 3).
• the fill level sensor 45 determines whether the developer in the container 10 has reached the specified fill level or not. According to a control block S1, a decision is made as to whether the fill level "full" has been reached or not. If this is not the case, ie the decision "no" is made, a valve actuation module 4 is actuated, which in turn is a valve 30 ', via which fresh developer or fresh carrier 14 is fed to the feed inlet 13 via a feed pipe 20. This continues until the fill level sensor 45 detects that the predetermined fill level has been reached again.
• the toner is supplied from a toner storage container 35 containing toner 36, on which a toner conveying roller 37 is provided, which is driven by a drive motor 38.
• the toner concentration TK is less than the target value S, i.e. If the decision "yes” is made in the control block S3, a control module 43 for the drive motor 38 is controlled, which in turn actuates the toner conveying roller 37 in the sense of supplying toner to the container 10.
• an intermediate carrier 34 which can be a drum with an electrophotographic layer, is colored via a inking roller 33.
• a drive motor 31 for the paddle wheel 9 is controlled via a control module 41 with a time counter 42.
• a replacement interval T is determined by the time counter 42, within which fresh developer or fresh carrier 14 is supplied in each case.
• FIG. 7 shows an embodiment with several developer stations 50, 51, 52 for printing with different co PO PO ⁇ > ⁇ > o C ⁇ o C ⁇ o c ⁇
• DJ Ps- ua o ⁇ ⁇ u 3 3 3 3 3 * ⁇ 3 ⁇ 3 rt ⁇ Hi P- ⁇ - ⁇ rt tr " H" o ⁇ DJ 3 ⁇ P- 3 ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ -> ⁇ cn d: 3 ⁇ DJ s: ⁇ d ⁇ - d CL cn er 3 DJ> 3 ⁇ ⁇ d ⁇ er 3 3 d 3 ⁇ tr ⁇ H " ⁇ - ⁇ cn and others 3 ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ - ⁇ hd O: d: CL to ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ tn ⁇ - Cd 3 ⁇ ⁇ 3 ⁇ rt ⁇

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Dry Development In Electrophotography (AREA)
• Wet Developing In Electrophotography (AREA)
• Photosensitive Polymer And Photoresist Processing (AREA)
• Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

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Family Cites Families (18)

• 2001
  • 2001-02-19 DE DE10107647A patent/DE10107647A1/de not_active Ceased
• 2002
  • 2002-02-18 AT AT02722095T patent/ATE282219T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-02-18 DE DE50201515T patent/DE50201515D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-02-18 WO PCT/EP2002/001708 patent/WO2002067060A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2002-02-18 EP EP02722095A patent/EP1362264B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2007
  • 2007-07-09 US US11/774,817 patent/US7437106B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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