Patent Application
20060018682
The present disclosure relates to xerographic printing apparatus, and particularly to a connector by which a charging device, such as a corotron or a scorotron, is connected to a voltage source within a machine.
In the well-known process of electrostatographic or xerographic printing, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a charge-retentive imaging surface, typically a “photoreceptor,” and then developed with an application of toner particles. The toner particles adhere electrostatically to the suitably-charged portions of the photoreceptor. The toner particles are then transferred, by the application of electric charge, to a print sheet, forming the desired image on the print sheet. An electric charge can also be used to separate or “detack” the print sheet from the photoreceptor.
For the initial charging, transfer, or detack of an imaging surface, the most typical device for applying a predetermined charge to the imaging surface is a “corotron,” of which there are any number of variants, such as the scorotron or dicorotron. Common to most types of corotron is one or more bare conductors, in proximity to the imaging surface, which is electrically biased and thereby supplies ions for charging the imaging surface. The conductor typically comprises a wire (often called a “corona wire”) or a metal bar or ribbon forming saw-teeth (a “pin array”). The conductor extends parallel to the imaging surface and along a direction perpendicular to a direction of motion of the imaging surface. Other structures, such as a screen, conductive shield and/or nonconductive housing, are typically present in a charging device, and some of these may be electrically biased as well. A corotron having a screen or grid disposed between the conductor and the photoreceptor is typically known as a “scorotron”.
The present disclosure relates to a connector by which a charging device, such as a corotron or a scorotron, is connected to a voltage source within a xerographic printing machine.
According to one aspect, there is provided a charging device useful in an electrostatographic printing apparatus, comprising a first corona member and a second corona member. An end block defines at least two channels therein, each channel substantially encasing a portion of a corona member. A conductive pin is anchored in the end block. Each of the first corona member and second corona member define an opening engaging a portion of the conductive pin. A cover block substantially covers the channels in the end block.
At some locations around the photoreceptor 102 it is desired to direct one or more electric fields toward the photoreceptor. Typically such stations are for initial charging or for transfer of marking material from the photoreceptor to a print sheet. In either case, a common device used for this purpose is called a “scorotron”, an example of which is shown as 10. The scorotron 10 includes, in this embodiment, three “corona members” 20, 22, 24, each of which is a bare conductive member, such as a wire or a ribbon, which emits an electric field when it is electrically biased (by means not shown). Interposed between the corona members 20, 22, 24 and the adjacent surface of photoreceptor 102 is a screen 26, which may be externally biased as well to aid in directing electric fields from the corona members 20, 22, 24 to the photoreceptor 102.
The main piece at the end of scorotron 10 can be called an end block 28. The end block 28 is made largely of an insulative material, such as plastic. The end block 28 defines, in this embodiment, three distinct channels therein, indicated as 30, 32, and 34. Further in this embodiment, each of the corona members 20, 22, 24 is in the form of a conductive ribbon defining, along a main length thereof, a series of regularly-spaced sawtooth pins. The portion of each corona member 20, 22, 24 disposed within end block 28 does not define sawtooth pins, but extends through one of the respective channels 30, 32, 34. Each channel should substantially encase a portion of one corona member 20, 22, 24: the channel does not have to contact the corona member, but should be closely spaced therefrom.
Anchored within end block 28 is a conductive pin 40, in the form of a flat spade, which is shown partially withdrawn from end block 28 in
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The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others.
