Electrostatic color printing system with sonic toner release development

An electrophotographic printing machine adapted to print a document in at least two different colors. An electrostatic latent image is recorded on the photoconductive member. A non-interactive development system is employed to develop the latent image. The developing system includes a first toner carrying piezoelectric polymer belt for conveying toner of a first color to the latent image on the photoconductive member and a second toner carrying piezoelectric polymer belt for conveying toner of a second color to the latent image. A first developer activation stylus selectively vibrates toner carrying surface areas of the first toner carrying piezoelectric polymer belt to develop a first portion of the latent image with the first color. A second developer activation stylus selectively vibrates toner carry surface areas of the second toner carrying piezoelectric polymer belt to develop a second portion of the latent image with the second color.

This invention relates generally to an electrophotographic printing 
machine, and more particularly concerns a printing machine adapted to 
print a document in at least two different colors. 
In the process of electrophotographic printing, a photoconductive surface 
is charged to a substantially uniform potential. The photoconductive 
surface is imagewise exposed to record an electrostatic latent image 
corresponding to the informational areas of an original document being 
reproduced. Alternatively, a light beam, such as a laser beam may be 
modulated to expose the charged portion of a photoconductive surface 
selectively, thereby recording a latent image thereon. In either case, 
information is recorded as an electrostatic latent image on the 
photoconductive surface. Thereafter, a developer material is transported 
into contact with the electrostatic latent image. Typical developer 
materials include carrier granules having toner particles adhering 
triboelectrically thereto. The toner particles are attracted from the 
carrier granules of the developer material onto the latent image. The 
resultant toner powder image is then transferred from the photoconductive 
surface to a sheet and permanently affixed thereto. The foregoing 
generally describes a typical mono-color electrophotographic printing 
machine. 
Recently, electrophotographic printing machines had been developed which 
produce highlight color copies. A typical highlight color printing machine 
records successive electrostatic latent images on the photoconductive 
surface. When combined, these electrostatic latent images form a latent 
image corresponding to the entire original document being printed. One 
latent image is usually developed with black toner particles. The other 
latent image is developed with color highlighting toner particles, e.g. 
red toner particles. These developed toner powder images are transferred 
sequentially to a sheet to form a color highlighted document. A color 
highlighting printing machine of this type is a two-pass machine. Single 
pass highlight color printing machines using tri-level printing have also 
been developed. Tri-level electrophotographic printing is described in 
greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,929. As described in this patent, 
the latent image is developed with toner particles of first and second 
colors. The toner particles of one of the colors are positively charged 
and the toner particles of the other color are negatively charged. In one 
embodiment, the toner particles are supplied by a developer which 
comprises a mixture of triboelectrically relatively positive and 
relatively negative carrier beads. The carrier beads support, 
respectively, relatively negative and relatively positively charged toner 
particles. Such a developer is generally supplied to the charge pattern by 
cascading it across the imaging surface supporting the charge pattern. In 
another embodiment, the toner particles are presented to the charge 
pattern by a pair of magnetic brushes. Each brush supplies a toner of one 
color and one charge. In yet another embodiment, the development system is 
biased to about the background voltage. Such biasing results in a 
developed image and improves color sharpness. 
In tri-level electrophotographic printing, the charge on the 
photoconductive surface is divided in three, rather than two, ways as is 
the case in mono-color printing. The photoconductive surface is charged 
and exposed imagewise such that one image corresponds to the charged areas 
and remains at the full charged potential. The other image, which 
corresponds to discharged image areas, is exposed to discharge the 
photoconductive surface to its residual potential. The background areas 
are exposed to reduce the photoconductive surface potential to about 
halfway between the charged and discharged potentials. A developer unit 
arranged to develop the charged images is typically biased to a potential 
between the background potential and the full potential. The developer 
unit arranged to develop the discharged imaged areas is typically biased 
to a level between the background potential and the discharged potential. 
The single pass nature of this system dictates that the electrostatic 
latent image passes through the developer unit in a serial fashion. 
Another type of printing machine which may produce highlight color copies 
initially charges the photoconductive member. Thereafter, the charged 
portion of the photoconductive member is discharged to form an 
electrostatic latent image thereon. The latent image is subsequently 
developed with black toner particles. The photoconductive member is then 
recharged and imagewise exposed to record the highlight color portions of 
the latent image thereon. A highlight latent image is then developed with 
toner particles of a color other than black, e.g. red. Thereafter, both 
toner powder images are transferred to a sheet and subsequently fused 
thereto to form a highlight color document. Various types of printing 
machines have hereinbefore been used as illustrated by the following 
disclosures, which may be relevant to certain aspects of the present 
invention. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,848, Patentee: Snelling, Issued: Sep. 13, 1983. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,059, Patentee: O'Brien, Issued: Apr. 21, 1987. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,672, Patentee: Parker et al., Issued: Aug. 2, 1988. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,314, Patentee: Parker et al., Issued: Sep. 13, 1988. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,503, Patentee: Snelling, Issued: May 23, 1989. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,504, Patentee: Parker et al., Issued: May 23, 1989. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,636, Patentee: Rees et al., Issued: Jun. 26, 1990. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,021, Patentee: Williams, Issued: Jan. 8, 1991. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,955, Patentee: May et al., Issued: Feb. 5, 1991. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,139, Patentee: May et al., Issued: Mar. 5, 1991. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,351, Patentee: Waki et al., Issued: Mar. 26, 1991. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,367, Patentee: Hays, Issued: Apr. 23, 1991. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,838, Patentee: Parker et al., Issued: Jun. 4, 1991. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,570, Patentee: Hays et al., Issued: Jul. 16, 1991. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,893, Patentee: Tabb, Issued: Sep. 3, 1991. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,949, Patentee: Parker et al., Issued: Sep. 17, 1991. 
The relevant portions of the foregoing patents may be summarized as 
follows: 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,848 discloses a multi-color printer wherein the 
photoconductive member is charged, exposed and developed with toner 
particles of a first color. Thereafter, the photoconductive member is 
reexposed, developed with toner particles of a second color and the toner 
particles of both colors transferred to a sheet. After transferring the 
toner particles to the sheet, the toner particles are fused thereto. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,059 describes an apparatus on which a document is 
printed in two different colors. Ions are projected onto a dielectric 
surface to record a first electrostatic latent image thereon. The first 
electrostatic latent image is developed with toner particles of a first 
color. Thereafter, the first electrostatic latent image recorded on the 
dielectric member is substantially neutralized. A second ion projector 
then projects ions onto the dielectric surface to record another 
electrostatic latent image. This second electrostatic latent image is then 
developed with toner particles of a second color. The toner particles of 
the first color and the second color are transferred from the dielectric 
member to a sheet and subsequently fused thereto forming a highlight color 
document. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,672 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,314 describe a developer 
apparatus for forming toner images in black and at least one highlighting 
color in a single pass of the photoreceptor through the use of a tri-level 
system. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,452 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,503 describes a system for 
forming a highlight color copy wherein a photoconductive belt is charged, 
exposed, and developed to a first toner powder image thereon. Thereafter, 
the photoconductive belt is recharged, reexposed and developed with toner 
particles of another color. The toner particles of both colors are then 
transferred from the photoconductive belt to a sheet and, subsequently, 
fused thereto, forming a highlight color document. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,504 describes a tri-level system using a magnetic brush 
development apparatus having a plurality of developer housings with the 
magnetic rolls disposed in the second developer housing being constructed 
so that the radial component of the magnetic force field produces a 
magnetically free development zone intermediate the photoconductive 
surface and the magnetic rolls. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,636 describes a printing machine which forms a 
two-color output copy in a single pass. A latent image is formed having 
three separate discharge levels corresponding to the black information, 
color fluorescent areas and the background areas. The black and color 
areas are developed with appropriately colored toner by developer units 
biased to the appropriate levels. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,351 describes an electrophotographic printing machine 
which employs a plurality of developer units capable of forming 
multi-color images and full-color images. Different developer bias 
voltages are applied to the developer roller so as to match the 
photoconductive surface properties. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,367 describes a development system employing electrode 
wires disposed in the development zone between the donor roller and the 
photoconductive surface. Toner particles are transported by the donor 
roller to the development zone. The electrode wires are electrically 
biased to detach toner particles from the donor roll forming a toner 
powder cloud in the development zone. Toner particles from the toner 
powder cloud develop the electrostatic latent image recorded on the 
photoconductive surface. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,570 describes a scavengeless development system for use 
in a tri-level printing machine. A first magnetic brush developer unit 
develops the charged area with black toner particles and a second magnetic 
brush developer unit having electrically biased electrode wires in the 
development zone, develops the discharged areas with toner particles of a 
color other than black. 
Pursuant to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an 
electrophotographic printing machine adapted to print indicia on a 
document, including a member having a latent image recorded therein. And, 
a development system which includes a first donor surface transporting 
first marking particles and a second donor surface transporting second 
marking particles, the first donor surface vibrating to develop a first 
portion of the latent image with the first marking particles with the 
second donor surface being substantially non-vibrating, the second donor 
surface vibrating to develop a second portion of the latent image with the 
second marking particles with the first donor surface being substantially 
non-vibrating. 
Pursuant to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a 
developer apparatus for developing a selected portion of a latent image 
recorded on a photoconductive member in a printing machine including a 
donor surface transporting marking particles, wherein a first portion of 
the donor surface vibrates to develop the selected portion of the latent 
image with the marking particles with a second portion of the donor 
surface being substantially non-vibrating.

While the present invention will hereinafter be described in connection 
with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is not 
intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is 
intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may 
be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the 
appended claims. 
For a general understanding of the features of the present invention, 
reference is made to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 schematically depicts an 
electrophotographic printing machine incorporating the features of the 
present invention therein. It will become evident from the following 
discussion that the features of the present invention may be used in a 
wide variety of printing machines and is not specifically limited in this 
application to the particular embodiment depicted herein. 
Referring now to FIG. 5, the electrophotographic printing machine employs a 
photoconductive belt 10. Preferably, the photoconductive belt 10 is made 
from a photoconductive material coated on a ground layer, which, in turn, 
is coated on an anti-curl backing layer. The photoconductive material is 
made from a transport layer coated on a generator layer. The transport 
layer transports positive charges from the generator layer. The interface 
layer is coated on the ground layer. The transport layer contains small 
molecules of di-m-tolydiphenydiphenylbithenyldiamine dispersed in a 
polycarbonate. The generation layer is made from trigonal selenium. The 
grounding layer is made from a titanium coated mylar. The ground layer is 
very thin and allows light to pass therethrough. Other suitable 
photoconductive materials, ground layers, and anti-curl backing layers may 
also be employed. Belt 10 moves in the direction of arrow 12 to advance 
successive portions of the photoconductive surface sequentially through 
the various processing stations disposed about the path of movement 
thereof. Belt 10 is entrained about stripping roller 14, tensioning roller 
16, idler rollers 18, and drive roller 20. Stripping roller 14 and idler 
rollers 18 are mounted rotatably so as to rotate with belt 10. Tensioning 
roller 16 is resiliently urged against belt 10 to maintain belt 10 under 
the desired tension. Drive roller 20 is rotated by a motor coupled thereto 
by suitable means such as a belt drive. As roller 20 rotates, it advances 
belt 10 in the direction of arrow 12. 
Initially, a portion of the photoconductive surface passes through charging 
station A. At charging station A, two corona generating devices, indicated 
generally by the reference numerals 22 and 24, charge photoconductive belt 
10 to a relatively high, substantially uniform potential. Corona 
generating device 22 places all the required charge on photoconductive 
belt 10. Corona generating device 24 acts as leveling device, and fills in 
any areas missed by corona generating device 22. 
Next, the charged portion of the photoconductive surface is advanced 
through imaging station B. At imaging station B, the uniformly charged 
photoconductive surface is exposed by an imager, such as a laser based 
input and/or output scanning device 26, which causes the charged portion 
of the photoconductive surface to be discharged in accordance with the 
output from the scanning device. The scanning device is a laser raster 
output scanner (ROS). The ROS performs the function of creating the output 
image copy on the photoconductive surface. It lays out the image in a 
series of horizontal scan lines with each line having a certain number of 
pixels per inch. The ROS may include a laser with rotating polygon mirror 
blocks and a suitable modulator or, in lieu thereof, a light emitting 
diode array (LED) as a write bar. An electronic subsystem (ESS) 28 is the 
control electronics which prepare and manage the image data flow between 
the data source and the ROS. It may also include a display, user interface 
and electronic storage, i.e. memory, functions. The ESS is actually a 
self-contained, dedicated mini computer. The photoconductive surface, 
which is initially charged to a high charge potential, is discharged 
imagewise in the background areas and remains charged in the image areas 
in the black parts of the image. Alternatively, the photoconductive 
surface can be discharged in the image areas while the background areas 
remain charged. 
As will be understood by those skilled in the xerographic arts, the color 
developing materials normally consist of a suitable carrier material with 
relatively smaller color material (referred to as toner). Toner is drawn 
to the image areas while being repelled in the background areas. The 
toners employed for multi-color toner images are charged to have the same 
polarity, and preferably the toner is non-magnetic. 
The present invention, development apparatus 200a is shown that 
accomplishes sonic toner release in a non-interactive development process 
having minimal interactive effects between deposited (developed) toner and 
subsequently presented toner. The development apparatus 200a is a means to 
achieve multicolor single transfer systems without cross-color 
contamination of images and/or developer materials (scavenging effects). 
The development apparatus 200a is typical of developing apparatuses of the 
present invention and comprises a piezoelectric polymer belt 205 as a 
donor member having a portion thereof closely spaced with respect to belt 
10 in what is commonly known as touchdown development. The piezoelectric 
belt 205 is entrained around roller 210 and development stylus 215. Roller 
210 is the driver and is positioned adjacent a magnetic brush toner 
loading device 220. Belt 205 has a D.C. bias applied to its outside 
surface by a D.C. source (not shown). The outside surface of the belt 
includes a conductive coating thereon. An A.C. source 230 applies a bias 
to development activation stylus 215. Thus, the basic concept of sonic 
toner release is achieved by locally reducing the net force of adhesion of 
toner to the loaded donor surface by acoustic agitation of the donor 
surface by A.C. source 230. Sufficient reduction of the net force of 
adhesion of toner to the donor surface enables .sub.q E electrostatic 
forces to selectively remove toner from the donor and transport it to 
desired areas of development on the receptor. 
In sonic toner release development, use is made of motions of a charged 
particle bearing surface (donor) to controllably counter forces adhering 
the particles to the surface. These motions can be adjusted in magnitude 
such that particles continue to adhere to the donor surface unless they 
are additionally effected by an electric field of appropriate direction 
and magnitude to remove them from the donor. In the case wherein the 
electric field is due to proximity of an electrostatic image, the released 
toner will selectively traverse to the image, thereby developing it. 
The selective toner removal characteristics of sonic toner release 
development distinguish it from powder cloud (and jumping) development 
where airborne toner is presented to the entire receptor regardless of 
it's potential. This distinction provides an important copy quality 
advantage with sonic toner release since wrong sign and un-charged toner 
deposition is inhibited. In addition, interaction effects between 
successive developments with different toners (colors) are minimal. 
Development system advantages obtained with single transfer and enabled by 
non-interactive development include simplified (on the receptor) 
registration of images, increased thruput, and reduced system complexity. 
Development activated stylus 215 of the present invention is activated by 
the ESS in both the process direction and orthogonal to the process 
direction by controlling both the timing and the inboard/outboard 
locations of acoustic motions imparted to multiple development activation 
styluses, localized areas of development are defined to selectively 
develop a single latent electrostatic image with selected highlight 
colors. Development stylus 215 has only relatively low resolution 
development area addressability in the cross process direction of order 
0.010 inch, for example, for typical highlight colored business documents. 
It should be evident that if higher cross process resolution was desired 
one could increase the number of addressable styli. Addressability in the 
process direction depends upon the precision of timing and the time 
response of the acoustic excitation of the donor surface. The 
addressability of the development stylus determines how close adjacent 
image areas of different colors may be. 
The development stylus of the present invention employs an electrode array 
which is incorporated to enable the desired control of areas of acoustic 
motion of the donor belt. An advantage of this electrode array is the 
ability to introduce "active damping" of motion at the edges of 
development areas by applying appropriately phase shifted voltages to 
electrodes in the vicinity of the edges. This technique is used to 
suppress/reduce noise at audio frequencies, and it should be applicable to 
ultrasonic frequencies as well. 
FIG. 2A shows the (ideal) step in acoustic motion desired at the edge of a 
development area along with envisioned actual motion without employing 
active damping. FIG. 2B illustrates the application of phase shifted 
voltages to electrodes in the vicinity of the edge which then act as 
active damping electrodes rather then primary driving electrodes. 
The electrode array also provides control of acoustic motion locations 
orthogonal to the process direction. With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, 
passive acoustic damping material 5 is positioned upstream and downstream 
of each individual electrode 6 to limit the active donor area in that 
direction. Height of electrodes 6 "d" determines the minimum length of 
developed area in the process direction while timing and driving voltage 
applications to electrodes 6 controlled by the ESS determines the actual 
location of developed area edges. FIG. 4 is an enlarged drawing showing 
details of a single electrode of the development stylus engaged with the 
donor belt. 
Having in mind the construction and the arrangement of the principal 
elements thereof, it is believed that a complete understanding of the 
development stylus may be now had from a description of its operation. 
Referring to FIGS. 1A-C which illustrates sequential development of a 
single latent electrostatic image (FIG. 1A) by two development apparatus. 
As the latent image passes by development apparatus 200a, the ESS controls 
each individual electrode of development stylus 215a so that toner (i.e. 
black toner) is only released in area 8 (FIG. 1B). As the partial 
developed latent image passes by development apparatus 200b, the ESS 
controls each individual electrode of development stylus 215b so that 
different color toner (i.e. red toner) is only released in area 4 (FIG. 
1C). It is preferred that ESS has a color controller to control the 
development stylus so that reproduced (output) images have the same color 
as scanned input image. Alternatively, an edit pad can be employed with 
the ESS to select areas on the original to be copied in a desired color. 
After the latent image is selectively developed with black toner particles 
and with toner particles of a color other than black, belt 10 advances the 
resultant toner powder image to transfer station D. At transfer station D, 
a sheet or document is moved into contact with the toner powder image. 
Thus, photoconductive belt 10 is exposed to a pre-transfer light from a 
lamp (not shown) to reduce the attraction between the photoconductive belt 
and the toner powder image. Next, a corona generating device 41 charges 
the sheet to the proper magnitude and polarity as the sheet is passed 
through photoconductive belt 10. The toner powder image is attracted from 
photoconductive belt 10 to the sheet. After transfer, a corona generator 
42 charges the sheet to the opposite plurality to detack the sheet from 
belt 10. Conveyor 44 advances the sheet to fusing station E. 
Fusing station E includes a fuser assembly indicated generally by the 
reference numeral 46, which permanently affixes the transferred toner 
powder image to the sheet. Preferably, fuser assembly 46 includes a heated 
fuser roll 48 and a pressure roll 50 with the powder image on the sheet 
contacting fuser roll 48. The pressure roll is cammed against the fuser 
roll to provide the necessary pressure to fix the toner powder image to 
the copy sheet. The fuser roll is internally heated by a quartz lamp. 
Release agent, stored in a reservoir, is pumped to a metering roll. A trim 
blade trims off the excess release agent. The release agent transfers to a 
donor roll and then to the fuser roll. 
After fusing, the sheets are fed through a decurler 52. Decurler 52 bends 
the sheet in a first direction and puts a known curl in the sheet, and 
then bends it in the opposite direction to remove that curl. 
Forwarding rollers 54 than advance the sheet to duplex turn roll 56. Duplex 
solenoid gate 58 guides the sheet to the finishing station F or to duplex 
tray 60. At finishing station F, sheets are stacked in a compiler to form 
sets of cut sheet. The sheets of each set are optionally stapled to one 
another. The set of sheets are then delivered to a stacking tray. In a 
stacking tray, each set of sheets may be offset from an adjacent set of 
sheets. 
With continued reference to FIG. 5, duplex solenoid gate 58 directs the 
sheet into duplex tray 60. Duplex tray 60 provides an intermediate or 
buffer storage for those sheets that have been printed on one side on 
which an image will be subsequently printed on the second, opposed side 
thereof, i.e. the sheets being duplexed. The sheets are stacked in duplex 
tray 60 face down on top of one another in the order in which they are 
being printed. 
In order to complete duplex printing, the simplex sheets in tray 60 are 
fed, in seriatim, by bottom feeder 62 from tray 60 back to transfer 
station D via a conveyor 64 and rollers 66 for transfer of the toner 
powder image to the opposed side of the sheet. Inasmuch as successive 
sheets are fed from duplex tray 60, the proper or clean side of the sheet 
is positioned in contact with belt 10 at transfer station D so that the 
toner powder image is transferred thereto. The duplex sheet is then fed 
through the same path as the simplex sheet to be advanced to finishing 
station F. 
Sheets are fed to transfer station D from secondary tray 68. Secondary tray 
68 includes an elevator driven by a bi-directional AC motor. Its 
controller has the ability to drive the tray up or down. When the tray is 
in the down position, stacks of sheets are loaded thereon or unload 
therefrom. In the up position, successive sheets may be fed therefrom by 
sheet feeder 70. Sheet feeder 70 is a friction retard feeder utilizing a 
feed belt and take-away rolls to advance successive sheets to transport 64 
which advances the sheets to rolls 66 and then to transfer station D. 
Sheets may also be fed to transfer station D from the auxiliary tray 72. 
Auxiliary tray 72 includes an elevator driven by a bi-directional AC 
motor. Its controller has the ability to drive the tray up or down. When 
the tray is in the down position, stacks of sheets are loaded thereon or 
unloaded therefrom. In the up position, successive sheets may be fed 
therefrom by sheet feeder 74. Sheet feeder 74 is a friction retard feeder 
utilizing a feed belt and take-away rolls to advance successive sheets to 
transport 64 which advances the sheets to rolls 66 and to transfer station 
D. 
Secondary tray 68 and auxiliary tray 72 are secondary sources of sheets. A 
high capacity feeder indicated generally by the reference numeral 76, is 
the primary source of sheets. High capacity feeder 76 includes a tray 78 
supported on elevator 80. The elevator is driven by a bi-directional AC 
motor to move the tray up or down. In the up position, the sheets are 
advanced from the tray to transfer station D. A fluffer and air knife 
directs air onto the stack of sheets on tray 78 to separate the uppermost 
sheet from the stack of sheets. A vacuum pulls the uppermost sheet against 
the belt 81. Feed belt 81 feeds successive uppermost sheets from the stack 
to a take-away drive roll 82 and idler rolls 84. The drive rolls and 
modular rolls guide the sheet onto transport 86. Transport 86 advances the 
sheet to roll 66 which, in turn, move the sheet to transfer station D. 
Invariably, after the sheet is separated from photoconductive belt 10, some 
residual toner particles remain adhering thereto. After transfer, 
photoconductive belt 10 passes beneath corona generating device 94 which 
charges the residual toner particles to the proper polarity. Thereafter, 
the pre-charge array lamp (not shown), located inside photoconductive belt 
10 discharges the photoconductive belt in preparation for the next imaging 
cycle. Residual particles are removed from the photoconductive surface at 
cleaning station G. 
Cleaning station G includes an electrically biased cleaner brush 88 and two 
de-toning rolls 90 and 92, i.e. waste and reclaim de-toning rolls. The 
reclaim roll is electrically biased negatively relative to the cleaner 
roll so as to remove toner particles therefrom. The waste roll is 
electrically biased positively relative to the reclaim roll so as to 
remove paper, debris and wrong sign toner particles. The toner particles 
on the reclaim roll are scrapped off and deposited in a reclaim auger (not 
shown), where it is transported out of the rear of the cleaning station G. 
While this invention has been described in conjunction with a preferred 
embodiment thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, 
and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, 
it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and 
variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended 
claims.