Patent · US Expired

Rotatable charging apparatus, and printing machine including the same

US6308032A · kind A · utility

2Cited by
5References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 19, 2000
Grant dateOct 23, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 19, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G15/0258
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A rotatable charging apparatus includes a length extending between a first end and a second end, with the rotatable charging apparatus centered about an axis parallel to the length. The rotatable charging apparatus outer periphery forms N apparatus positions. One charging device is fixed to each of N-1 apparatus positions. The remaining (Nth) apparatus position is devoid of a charging device, thus forming an "empty" charging device position. A host printing machine selectively causes the rotatable charging apparatus to rotate about its axis thereby selectively position any of its N-1 charging devices to face a proximately-located photosensitive element. When a problem exists with the current charging device, or when the total number of operating hours of the current charging device exceeds a fixed threshold, the printing machine causes the rotatable charging apparatus to rotate from its current charging device to position a new charging device facing the photosensitive element. Also, the printing machine causes the rotatable charging apparatus to rotate from its current charging device to the empty charging device position facing the photosensitive element when a power-down or hard…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.