Patent ID: 6385415
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A magnetic brush development station for a reproduction apparatus, said magnetic brush development station comprises:a housing forming, at least in part, a reservoir for developer material, said reservoir having a pressure equalization seal; a mechanism, associated with said housing for readily moving said housing relative to said reproduction apparatus; a mechanism for selectively readily replenishing and/or emptying at least one component of developer material with respect to said reservoir, a plurality of augers located in said housing for mixing developer material within said reservoir, a drive for said augers, said drive extending through said housing and having a seal therefor, said drive for said augers includes an easily serviced assembly, said assembly includes a substantially cylindrical housing extending through said development station housing, two bearings positioned in said cylindrical housing with a spacer between said bearings, an auger drive member, and wherein said seal for said drive surround a rotatable shaft connected to an auger, said seal includes a lip seal formed of a material which is able to stretch sufficiently to maintain contact with said shaft while the shaft is being rotated by the drive member, whereby said assembly is robust as to wear and heat generation; a development roller mounted within said housing for delivering developer material from said reservoir to a development zone, said development roller including a core magnet inside a shell, said core magnet and said shell having relative rotation, said core magnet extending less than the entire length of said development roller such that a developer nap on said shell does not extend to an end of said development roller; a metering skive, extending the length of said development roller, for controlling the quantity of developer material delivered from said reservoir portion of said housing to said development zone, said metering skive positioned parallel to a longitudinal axis of said development roller at a location upstream in the direction of shell rotation prior to the development zone; and a magnetic seal located in association with said skive at each end of said development roller, the magnetic field of said magnetic seal being sufficient to substantially prevent leakage of developer material from the ends of said development roller.