Toner mixing in magnetic brush developement apparatus.

摘要

A magnetic brush development apparatus (10) for applying developer material to a latent image on a moving image carrying member (12) includes a housing (14) having a portion defining a sump (S) adapted to contain a supply of developer material, and a magnetic brush (36) located within the housing (14) in spaced relation to the sump portion (S) for applying developer material to the latent image. A feed mechanism (60) including a metering assembly (50) located within the housing (14) between the sump portion (S) and the magnetic brush (36) transports developer material from the sump (S) to the magnetic brush (36), and a mechanism (26) located in the sump portion (S) agitates developer material and transports developer material to the feed mechanism (60). A take-off skive (74) for stripping development material from the magnetic brush (36) after application to a latent image and directing such material to the sump portion (S) is mounted so that the skive (74) is self-adjustably supported between the metering assembly (50) and the magnetic brush (36). In order to enhance the mixing of developer material, flow of developer material is directed from the wall of the housing adjacent to the sump portion back into the agitating and transport mechanism. Further, developer material in the sump portion (S) is replenished by a device which includes a reservoir (72) for replenishment material adjacent to the sump portion (S), a flow communication path (18a) between the reservoir (72) and the sump portion (S) and a selectively rotatable roller (90) located relative to the path to control flow of replenishment material through the path. Measuring the level of replenishment material in the reservoir is facilitated by the material monitor (94) located in the bottom of the reservoir (72) immediately upstream of the flow communication path. Still further, a shield (44) is located upstream of the development zone between the housing (14) and the image carrying member (12) for containing developer material within the development zone to substantially prevent escape of airborne particulate material from the apparatus.