Apparatus for dispersing and transporting particulates

摘要

The apparatus for dispersing particles metered from a hopper and falling in a stream, comprises a main toner hopper with dispense hole (108) out of which an auger assembly is positioned. A spiralling auger blade (112) is mounted on a shaft (114) for pulling toner from the dispensing ports (108). An upper cover (109) overlies the auger blade while lower cover (116) underlies the auger assembly. A toner dispersing and migrating member underlies the dispensing ports. As the auger blade pulls toner from the of hopper (38), the toner is metered from dispensing ports in the lower cover across the length of a developer housing and in width of screened portion of a toner dispersing and migrating member (122). The member mounted at one end with a flexible hanging member is suspended from a hanging point in the side of lower developer housing portion (104). At the opposite end a connector (127) joins member to a linear motor (125) through a hole at the opposite end of the member. The fresh toner dispensed from hopper is dispersed and transported into position across the length and process directions in the developer housing to replenish toner levels in the developer which are transported by rollers.