Carrier recovery apparatus of liquid electrophotographic printer
US6101356A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 2, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 8, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 2, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/107
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The carrier recovery apparatus includes a water/carrier separating unit with a level sensor installed at a predetermined level on a purge tank. The level sensor detects the level of the liquid carrier in the purge tank and generates a signal representing the level of the liquid carrier. The water/carrier separating unit also has a pump driven to draw out the water and liquid carrier stored in the purge tank through a connection pipe connected to the bottom of the purge tank in accordance with the signal generated from the level sensor, a first branching pipe branched off from the connection pipe to be connected to a waste water tank, and having a first valve selectively opened or closed, a second branching pipe branched off from the connection pipe to be connected to the carrier tank, and having a second valve selectively opened or closed, and a conductivity sensor installed at one end of the first branching pipe, for detecting the conductivities of the water and the liquid carrier and transmitting a control signal for selectively opening or closing the first valve and the second valve.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.