Sealing arrangement for an auger

Abstract: Sealing arrangement for an auger mounted within a container for particulate material, comprising a threaded sealing member (14) adapted to engage the auger flight (21) and to be driven along the auger housing on rotation of the auger. The sealing member is a sliding fit within the auger housing (11, 13) but is restrained against rotation about the auger axis. On first rotating the auger in its working direction the sealing member (14) travels along the auger until it passes beyond the end of the auger flight (21) into a non-functional storage position (23).

Description: This invention relates to a dispensing container for particulate material, and more particularly to a sealing arrangement for an auger mounted within such a container. The invention is particularly, although not exclusively, useful as a transit seal for a xerographic cassette which includes an auger for dispensing particulate toner material to the development apparatus of a xerographic copying machine. In xerographic copying machines, especially the smaller, lower copy volume machines, there is an increasing use of a xerographic cassette in which some or most of the elements required to carry out the xerographic process are contained. For example, the cassette may contain a photoreceptor, a charge corotron, a developing device, a transfer corotron, and a cleaning device. The cassette may be inserted into, and removed from, the main body of a xerographic copying machine when it is desired to use different coloured toner, or when a cassette is exhausted or otherwise needs replacement. A cassette of this general kind is described in EP-A-0 249 928. When such a cassette contains particulate toner material, there is the problem that the toner must be prevented from reaching parts of the copying machine where it is not wanted, and various kinds of sealing arrangements have been used. One form of sealing arrangement for an auger which is transporting toner in an electrographic development apparatus is described in US-A-4 101 211. One type of xerographic cassette of the kind just outlined includes a supply of developer material, and is also provided internally with an auger for delivering replenishment toner to the development station, which typically includes a magnetic brush developer roll. The cassette, when supplied to the machine user, is loaded with developer material, and the problem arises that during shipment of the cassette, developer material may travel along the auger with a consequent risk of contamination of the cassette interior. The present invention is intended to overcome this problem, and according to the invention there is provided a dispensing container for particulate material, including an auger mounted within an auger housing for dispensing particulate material from the container, and a sealing device associated with the auger, characterised in that the sealing device comprises a threaded sealing member adapted to engage the auger flight and to be driven along the auger housing on rotation of the auger, the sealing member being a sliding fit within the auger housing and comprising means for preventing its rotation about the auger axis, the sealing member being positioned initially in a sealing position at one end of the auger housing, and the arrangement being such that on first rotating the auger in its working direction the sealing member travels along the auger until it passes beyond the end of the auger flight into a non-functional storage position at the other end of the auger housing. During assembly, the sealing member is threaded onto the auger, and the auger is rotated (in the direction opposite to its working direction) to move the sealing member to a stop position within the auger housing. This forms a seal to prevent developer material from passing beyond the sealing member during shipment of the cassette. When the cassette is first used, the initial few revolutions of the auger drive the sealing member to the other end of the auger, and beyond the end of the auger flight, where the sealing member then stays, performing no further useful function. A sealing arrangement in accordance with the invention, as incorporated in a xerographic cassette, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the essential elements of an auger of a xerographic cassette incorporating the seal of the invention, Figure 2 is a front view of the sealing member, Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a rear view of the sealing member. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown an auger 10 which is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis within an auger housing defined by a part-cylindrical recess 11 in an upper portion of a xerographic cassette casing 12, and a U-shaped toner dispensing tube 13 in the lower part of the cassette. The left-hand part of the dispensing tube 13, as seen in Figure 1, is of substantially half-cylindrical shape, whereas the right-hand part is of U-shaped cross-section. In use, the auger is rotated anti-clockwise to convey toner from the right, as viewed in Figure 1, towards the left of the dispensing tube 13 to dispense toner into the body of developer material in the developer station (not shown) of the cassette. The toner may be derived from a cartridge (not shown) which may be shipped separately from the cassette, and used to replenish toner consumed during the copying process. During manufacture of the cassette, the developer material, including magnetizable carrier beads and toner powder, is loaded into the development station. To prevent the developer material from travelling back along the auger during shipping of the cassette and possibly causing damage, a sealing member 14 is used. The sealing member 14 is shaped, as shown in detail in Figures 2 to 4, to slidingly fit within the auger housing. The upper part of the sealing member has an inverted U-shaped protrusion 15 adapted to slidingly fit within the recess 11. The lower portion 16 of the sealing member 14 is shaped to be a sliding fit within the dispensing tube 13. The lower ends 17 of the protrusion 15 form steps which slidingly engage the ledges 18 at the top of the left-hand part of dispensing tube 13, and positively prevent rotation of the sealing member 14. A shaped hole 20 in the sealing member 13 is formed in thread configuration, like a threaded nut, so as to engage the auger flight 21. Thus on rotation of the auger, the sealing member 14 is driven along the auger, in a direction depending on the direction of rotation of the auger. With the sealing member on the auger, a seal is formed with the auger housing, i.e. between the sealing member and the recess 11 and dispensing tube 13. A more positive location of the sealing member may be provided by rotating the auger clockwise so as to drive the sealing member against stops 19 constituted by the steps between the left-hand and right-hand parts of the dispensing tube 13. During shipping, the auger drive may be secured with the seal in the 'stop' position described. In order to ensure a good seal, a resilient or compliant material, such as a plastics foam or a felted material, may be provided around the surfaces of the sealing member which slidingly engage the auger housing, as well as its surfaces which threadingly engage the auger flight. The sealing member may be made entirely from such a material, provided the material is sufficiently rigid, or alternatively may be secured to a rigid, generally annular member. Alternatively to the resilient seal, or in addition, the sealing member may be formed of, or include, a magnetic material. This has the effect of attracting carrier particles to it in magnetic brush fashion, thereby enhancing the seal. In this way, escape of developer material during transit of the cassette may be efficiently prevented. As an alternative to the use of a magnetic material in the sealing member, it may comprise or include a magnetisable material, such as soft iron. In this case, magnets 22, such as permanent magnets of a ferrite material, may be located outside the auger housing, on either side of the dispensing tube 13 adjacent the stops 19. Opposite poles of the two magnets face one another. When the sealing member 13 is located in the 'stop' position, the magnetisable material in the sealing member becomes magnetised, and provides additional sealing in magnetic brush fashion. Such magnets, if of sufficient magnetic strength, may be used to provide a magnetic brush seal without the need for a sealing member 13. When the cartridge is required for use, it is inserted into the copying machine, and the auger is rotated anti-clockwise by drive systems within the machine for dispensing toner as described above. The initial few rotations of the auger drive the sealing member 14 along the auger, to the left as shown in Figure 1, until the sealing member passes the end of the auger flight 21. A portion 23 of the auger shaft beyond the working area of the auger has no flight, so the sealing member is no longer driven once it arrives at this portion of the auger shaft. It accordingly remains in that position, serving no further useful purpose, for the remainder of the life of the cassette. If the sealing member includes a magnetisable material, it will cease to be magnetic once it has been driven away from the 'stop' position adjacent the magnets.

Claims: A dispensing container for particulate material, including an auger (10) mounted within an auger housing (11, 12) for dispensing particulate material from the container, and a sealing device (14) associated with the auger, characterised in that the sealing device (14) comprises a threaded (20) sealing member adapted to engage the auger flight (21) and to be driven along the auger housing on rotation of the auger, the sealing member (14) being a sliding fit within the auger housing (11, 12) and comprising means (17) for preventing its rotation about the auger axis, the sealing member being positioned initially in a sealing position at one end of the auger housing, and the arrangement being such that on first rotating the auger in its working direction the sealing member travels along the auger until it passes beyond the end of the auger flight into a non-functional storage position (23) at the other end of the auger housing. The sealing arrangement of claim 1 including stop means (19) on the auger housing whereby the sealing member may be driven against the stop means and into the sealing position by rotating the auger in the direction opposite its working direction. The sealing arrangement of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the sealing member (14) includes a resilient portion at least around its edges which slidingly engage the auger housing. The sealing arrangement of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the sealing member (14) includes a resilient portion at least around its surfaces which slidingly engage the auger flight. The sealing arrangement of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the sealing member includes or comprises a magnetic material. The sealing arrangement of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the sealing member (14) includes or comprises a magnetisable material, and wherein magnets (22) are provided outside the auger housing and adjacent a stop means (19) for the sealing member, whereby the magnetisable material becomes magnetic when the sealing member is at or near the stop means.

Inventors: BHAGWAT ANIL GOPALAO, CARTER ROBERT ALBERT, MASHAM ROGER DEREK, BHAGWAT, ANIL GOPALAO, CARTER, ROBERT ALBERT, MASHAM, ROGER DEREK
Applicants: XEROX CORP, XEROX CORPORATION
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G03G15
IPC codes: G03G21, B65G33, G03G15, F16J15