Liquid toner recycling system and method
US4799452A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 23, 1987 |
| Grant date | Jan 24, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 23, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/104
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A toner recycling system having separate supply tank of clear liquid dispersant and tanks of color concentrate. The liquid dispersant is continuously circulated from its supply tank by a pump along lines to a toner applictor then back to the supply tank. Color concentrate containing charge bearing solid pigment particles are selectively injected and mixed with the dispersant by means of pumps or valves to form liquid toner whenever developing a latent image is desired. The excess toner is collected and sent to a solids separator, either dedicated to a particular color of toner or common to all toners, where an electrically biased electrode repels the solid pigment particles toward a particle accumulating surface, thereby separating the particles from the dispersant. The dispersant is returned to the supply tank, while the particles which have accumulated on the surface of either a drum or belt as a layer of concentrate is scraped off by a blade and returned to the appropriate tank.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.