Magnetic seal for a developer apparatus

Abstract: A magnetic seal (132,232) for sealing a member (90,290) rotated about its axis in a developer apparatus (60) is provided. The seal includes a magnetic field producing member (117,213) and magnetizable members (142,242). The magnetizable members are positioned adjacent and on opposite faces (121,221) of the magnetic member. The magnetizable members have at least a portion (160,260) thereof progressively increasing in thickness in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the member as distance from the axis increases. The magnetizable members are spaced (136) from the member and provide magnetic fields (140,240) to capture developer material and prevent the passage thereof past the seal .

Description: The present invention relates to a developer or developing apparatus for an electrophotographic printer. More specifically, the invention relates to a seal for sealing journals within such a developer apparatus. A typical prior art developer bearing arrangement is shown in Figure 2. An apparatus 10 for sealing a shaft or journal 16 includes a magnetic seal 11 which is located inboard from a bearing 12. The bearing 12 is typically a sealed ball bearing having lip seal on both sides thereof. The shaft 16 extends inwardly into the chamber formed by a developer housing 15. The chamber contains developer material. The shaft 16 extends through an opening in the developer housing 15. The magnetic seal 11 is located in the opening adjacent the chamber. The shaft 16 is made of a magnetic material and a magnetic field 17 is established between the magnetic seal 11 and the shaft 16. The bearing 12 is located adjacent an outer face of the developer housing 15. Magnetized carrier granules 14 are magnetically attracted to the magnetic seal 11 and form a barrier in the opening of the housing 15 surrounding the shaft 16. If the bearing does not use grease, the lip seals may not be absolutely necessary. However, the magnetic seals are not completely effective in containing the toner or carrier. When vibrations and mechanical forces are present in the developer housing, the magnetic attraction of the beads to the magnet are not sufficient to overcome the vibrations and mechanical forces, and toner or carrier beads will pass through the seal. As the journal rotates in the housing, the magnetic seals cooperating with the electrically conductive journal generate eddy currents that contribute to a heating problem. Further, carrier beads collect around the outer edge and face of the magnetic seal, where the magnetic field is weaker and, frequently, the magnetic attractive forces are insufficient to contain them on the seal so that they migrate into the bearing and cause bearing failure and require that the beads to be replenished. The magnetic seals and the bearings must be spaced far apart to prevent the carrier beads that collect in the wide magnetic field around the outer edge and face of the magnetic seal from entering the bearing. As the bearing is made of a magnetizable material, the magnetic seal could magnetize the bearing and draw the beads into the bearing, if the seal is too close thereto. This spacing apart of the seals and bearings necessitates a longer shaft and wider developer housing adding cost and and leading to more bulky copy machines. As more compact copiers and printers are produced, the developer housings become smaller and the augers and rollers rotate more swiftly aggravating the aforementioned heating problem. Temperature rise within development bearings generally rises linearly with the speed of the shaft. Color printers and copiers which usually require a plurality of developer housings particularly use small developer housings and small swiftly rotating rollers and augers. Also as the printing market demands faster printers and copiers, the amount of power required run the machines increases with machine speed, thereby increasing the heat generated by the interfaces between the rotating and stationary components. US-A-5,287,148 discloses a developing apparatus for developing electrostatic images. The apparatus includes a container for containing developer including magnetic material. A rotatable member is provided which is rotatable in the container in contact with the developer, the rotatable member being supported on bearings. A stationary magnetic member is disposed out of position inside the container and adjacent to the bearing with a clearance from the rotatable member. The stationary member encloses the rotatable member. The stationary member has first and second magnetic poles disposed adjacent to each other and having the same polarity to form a repelling magnetic field to form a magnetic brush of the developer in the clearance between the magnetic member and the rotatable member. US-A-5,267,007 discloses a developing apparatus having a rotatable member in contact with developer having magnetic particles in a container. The rotatable member is supported in the container by a bearing. A magnetic member encloses a portion of the rotatable member adjacent the bearing. The rotatable member includes a ferromagnetic material with a portion facing the magnetic material. The ferromagnetic material is magnetized by the magnetic member. A magnetic field is formed between the material and the member forming a magnetic brush of developer. US-A-3,788,275 discloses a device in which a magnetic flux field forms a shield of magnetic granules about a shaft member journaled for rotary movement. The shield is arranged to prevent contamination of the shaft member. Means for impelling the granules entrapped by the shield away from the bearing in the form of spiral grooves in a rotating member is also provided. One object of the present invention is to provide a more effective magnetic seal for a developer apparatus. According to the present invention, there is provided a developing apparatus including a rotating member and a magnetic seal wherein the rotating member fits through a seal bore in the magnetic seal, the magnetic seal including a magnetic field producing member having opposed faces and wherein the magnetic field producing member produces a magnetic field in a space between the seal bore and the rotating member such that carrier particles contained in the developer apparatus form a curtain between the magnetic seal and the rotating member characterized in that the apparatus further includes at least one magnetizable member positioned adjacent and on at least one of the opposing faces of the magnetic field producing member, the magnetizable member having at least a portion thereof progressively increasing in thickness in a radial direction with respect to the axis of the rotating member. The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial sectional view of a magnetic seal with tapered shunts for a development housing according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of a prior art seal configuration for a development housing; Figure 3 is a plan view of a tapered shunt for use in a development housing; Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the tapered shunt of Figure 3 along the line 4- in the direction of arrows; Figure 5 is a schematic elevational view of an illustrative electrophotographic printing machine incorporating the magnetic seal with tapered shunts for the development housing of the present invention therein; Figure 6 is a partial sectional view of an alternate embodiment of a magnetic seal with tapered shunts and a flexible multi-pole magnet for a development housing according to the present invention; Figure 7A is a top view of a flexible multi-pole magnetic strip for use in a multi-pole magnetic seal; Figure 7B is a plan view of a flexible multi-pole magnetic strip for use in a multi-pole magnetic seal; and Figure 7C is a plan view of a flexible multi-pole magnetic strip formed into a ring for use in a multi-pole magnetic seal. Referring to Figure 5, there is shown an illustrative electrophotographic printing machine incorporating the development apparatus of the present invention therein. The printing machine incorporates a photoreceptor 40 in the form of a belt having a photoconductive surface layer 42 on an electroconductive substrate 44. The belt is driven by means of motor 54 along a path defined by rollers 49, 50 and 52, the direction of movement being counter-clockwise as viewed and as shown by arrow 46. Initially, a portion of the belt 40 passes through a charge station A at which a corona generator 48 charges surface 42 to a relatively high, substantially uniform, potential. A high voltage power supply 50 is coupled to device 48. Next, the charged portion of photoconductive surface 42 is advanced through exposure station B. At exposure station B, ROS 56 lays out the image in a series of horizontal scan lines with each line having a specified number of pixels per cm. The ROS includes a laser having a rotating polygon mirror block associated therewith. The ROS exposes the charged photoconductive surface of the printer. After the electrostatic latent image has been recorded on photoconductive surface 42, belt 40 advances the latent image to development station C. At development station C, a development system or developer unit 60, develops the latent image recorded on the photoconductive surface. The chamber in developer housing 81 stores a supply of developer material 59. The developer material 59 may be a two component developer material of at least magnetic carrier granules or beads having toner particles adhering triboelectrically thereto. The developer material may also comprise a one component developer material consisting primarily of toner particles. After the electrostatic latent image has been developed, belt 40 advances the developed image to transfer station D, at which a copy sheet 64 is advanced by roll 62 and guides 66 into contact with the developed image on belt 40. A corona generator 68 is used to spray ions on to the back of the sheet so as to attract the toner image from belt 40 to the sheet. As the belt turns around roller 49, the sheet is stripped therefrom with the toner image thereon. After transfer, the sheet is advanced by a conveyor (not shown) to fusing station E. Fusing station E includes a heated fuser roller 70 and a back-up roller 72. The sheet passes between fuser roller 70 and back-up roller 72 with the toner powder image contacting fuser roller 70. In this way, the toner powder image is permanently affixed to the sheet. After fusing, the sheet advances through chute 74 to catch tray 76 for subsequent removal from the printing machine by the operator. After the sheet is separated from photoconductive surface 42 of belt 40, the residual developer material adhering to photoconductive surface 42 is removed therefrom by a rotatably mounted fibrous brush 78 at cleaning station F in contact with photoconductive surface 42. Subsequent to cleaning, a discharge lamp (not shown) floods photoconductive surface 42 with light to dissipate any residual electrostatic charge remaining thereon prior to the charging thereof for the next successive imaging cycle. Referring also to Figure 1, a magnetic developer seal 132 for sealing a shaft is shown incorporated into the developer unit 60 of Figure 5. Developer housing 81 forms chamber 82 in which the developer material 59 is stored The developer material 59 is agitated and distributed by first and second augers 83 and 84, respectively, located in the chamber 82. The augers 83 and 84 may have any suitable shape, but typically, include spiral flights 86 which extend from centrally located auger shafts 88. Transport roll 94 is also located in the chamber 82 and is used to transport developer material 59 to donor roll 96. The donor roll 96 is also located in the chamber 82 and is used to transport the developer material 59 to the photoconductive belt 40. Journals 90 (see Figure 1) extend outwardly from the auger shaft 88, the transport roll 94 and the donor roll 96 and serve to support them. The developer housing 81 can be made from any suitable durable material, such as a metal, durable plastic, or a composite material. For example, the developer housing 81 may be inexpensively made of molded plastic. In Figure 1, a bearing outer periphery 114 of a bearing 116 may either be slidably fitted within a bearing housing bore 112 or be interference fitted thereto depending upon the load on the journal 90. The bearing 116 may be any suitable durable bearing such as a rolling element bearing, a journal bearing, or a sleeve bearing. The bearing 116 may be a greased radial ball bearing with lip seals, but preferably, the bearing 116 is a shielded or low friction sealed bearing or an unsealed bearing. To minimize the cost of the bearing 116 and to provide a low friction bearing, the bearing 116 may be a sleeve bearing having a non-stick surface, such as Teflon®, a trademark of DuPont (UK) Ltd. The sleeve bearing may include an internal ridge (not shown) to seal closely against the journal 90. The bearing 116 includes a bearing bore 122 to which the auger journal 90 matingly fits. The journal 90 may merely extend through the bearing 116 or, as shown in Figure 1, may have an end 154 which extends considerably beyond the bearing 116. A drive member (not shown), such as a gear may be matingly fitted to the journal 90 in the area outboard of the developer housing 81 and near the end 154 of the journal 90. The gear may be connected to a drive means (not shown) used to transmit torque to the journal 90. The seal 132 is secured to the developer unit 60 by any suitable means such as by fasteners, adhesives or an interference fit therebetween. A seal housing bore 124 located in the housing 81 is generally concentric with the bearing housing bore 112. For example, the magnetic seal 132 may be securely fitted to the seal housing bore 124 at an outer periphery 138 of the seal 132 by an interference fit. The journal 90 fits through a seal bore 126 of the magnetic seal 132 and extends into the bearing bore 122 of the bearing 116. The magnetic seal 132 is used to seal the developer material 59 within the chamber 82 of Figure 5. The seal 132 is spaced from the journal 90 with a space 136 being formed between the seal bore 126 of the seal 132 and the journal 90. The seal bore 126 seals against the journal 90. The seal 132 is preferably made from a combination of permanent magnetic material and magnetizable material. It should be appreciated, however, that the seal 132 may alternatively be made of a magnetic or magnetizable material. A magnetic field 140 is formed in the space 136 between the seal bore 126 and the journal 90. The field 140 attracts a quantity of carrier granules 141 to the space 136 to form a curtain of carrier granules 141 that inhibit the progression of the developer material 59 through the space 136. The magnetic seal 132 includes a body or magnet 117. The magnet 117 is preferably made from a permanent magnet, but it should be appreciated that the magnet 117 may alternately be made of permanent magnet particles embedded in a non-magnetic binder, e.g., nylon. The magnet 117 may have any suitable shape, but preferably has a washer shape with flat parallel faces 121 and a magnet cylindrical outer periphery 123. The periphery 123 is concentric with a cylindrical bore 125 of the magnet 117. The magnet 117 has a left pole 133 and a right pole 134. The left and right poles 133 and 134, respectively, have opposite polarity, the left pole 133 being a south pole and the right pole being a north pole 134 or vice versa. The magnet 117 thus forms the magnetic field 140. The seal 132 further includes shunts or magnetic field shapers 142. The shapers 142 may be made of any suitable magnetizable material. Ferrous material, for example, is particularly well suited for the use in the shapers 142. The shapers 142 preferably have a disc or washer shape. Preferably, the shapers 142 include a first shaper 144 and a second shaper 146. The first shaper 144 is located against one of the faces 121 of the magnet 117, while the second shaper 146 is located against the other face 121 of the magnetic member 117. The magnetic member 117 is thereby sandwiched between the first shaper 144 and the second shaper 146. The shaper 142 is shown in greater detail in Figures 3 and 4. The shaper 142 has a circular shaper periphery 150 which is concentric with a shaper cylindrical bore 152 of the shaper 142. The shaper 142 has a thickness 154 defined between parallel faces 156 of the shaper 142. To concentrate the magnetic field lines, the shaper 142 has a thickness TIS at the bore 152 which is less than a thickness TOS at the periphery 150. The thickness 154 of the shaper 142 may be reduced at the bore 152, with the thickness reduction being accomplished with face 156 of the shaper 142 having any appropriate shape. For example, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the thickness 154 of the shaper 142 may remain constant for a portion of the shaper 142 and be reduced for a distance L radially along the shaper 142 with the shaper 142 having a chamfer 160. If the thickness TOS is twice the thickness TIS the improvement in sealing efficiency is significant. The applicants have found that a thickness TOS of 3 mm with a thickness TIS of 1 mm is effective for a journal 90 having a diameter of 12 mm. Preferably, the thickness TIS at the bore 152 is biased to one of the faces 156 of the shaper 142. Referring again to Figure 1, the shapers 142 are positioned with the thickness TIS at the bore 152 biased inwardly toward the magnet 117, the chamfers 160 pointing outwardly. This configuration concentrates the magnetic field 140 into a smaller area. Periphery 150 of the shaper 142 has a diameter DS which preferably is approximately equal to diameter DM of the magnet periphery 123. Preferably, the diameter DS of the shaper 142 and the diameter DM of the magnet 117 are approximately equal and slightly larger than diameter DB of the seal housing bore 124 to provide an interference fit between the magnet 117 and the housing 81 as well as between the shapers 142 and the housing 81. It should be appreciated, however, that only one of the shapers 142 or the magnet 117 need have the interference fit with the housing 81. Since the other members are magnetically attracted to each other, they would remain in their proper position. Preferably, the seal bore 126 is defined by the shaper bore 152, the magnet bore 125 being substantially larger than the shaper bore 152. Preferably, the shaper bore 152 has a shaper bore diameter BS which is approximately 0.25 cm (0.10 inches) larger than journal diameter JD of the journal 90. The magnet 117 has a magnet bore diameter BM of approximately 0.13 cm (0.05 inches) larger than the shaper bore diameter BS. The smaller shaper bore diameters BS provide for a concentrated magnetic field near the journal 90 while providing ample space 136 between the shapers 142 to trap the carrier granules 141. The magnetic field 140 at the surface of the journal 90 must be strong enough to keep the carrier granules 141 suspended in the magnetic field to form the seal, yet weak enough to avoid having the carrier granules 141 score the journal surface and to avoid the generation of excessive heat from any currents generated between the rotating journal 90 and stationary magnetic seal 132. By providing the shapers 142 with shaper thickness TIS at the shaper bore 152 smaller than the shaper thickness TOS at the shaper periphery 150, the magnetic field 140 at the journal 90 may be highly concentrated. The concentration of the magnetic field 140 made possible by the shape of the shapers 142 permits distance D between the seal 132 and the bearing 116 to be minimized. Since the shapers 142 shape the magnetic field 140 in the seal 132, the journal 90 is preferably made of a non-magnetically conductive material. Since the journal 90 requires ample strength and rigidity, the journal 90 is made of a strong non-magnetic material, such as stainless steel. Since the journal 90 is made of a non-magnetically conductive material, the carrier particles 141 tend to not accumulate along the journal 90, reducing the probability of carrier granules 141 entering the bearing 116. While the invention may be practiced with the seal 132 of Figure 1 having a solitary magnetic member 117, the invention may likewise be practiced utilizing a magnetic member having multiple poles. Such a configuration is shown in Figure 6. Now referring to Figure 6, another alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in seal 232 for sealing a shaft in the developer unit 60. Seal 232 is similar to seal 132 of Figure 1, except that rather than having the seal 132 comprised of the solitary washer shaped outer magnet 117, the seal 232 is made of a flexible strip 213 which has seven (7) strip sections 215 therein each with a different polarity, which strip 213 is formed into a ring to make the seal 232. A developer housing 281 defines a chamber 282 which contains a supply of the developer material 59. An auger 284 is used to transfer, agitate, and triboelectrically charge the developer material 59 within the chamber 282. Extending from an end of the auger 284 is a journal 290 which is used to support the auger 284. The auger journal 290 extends through a seal bore 226 in the seal 232. The seal 232 serves to prevent the migration of the developer material 59 from the chamber 282. The developer seal 232 is preferably made from a magnetic or magnetizable material. A magnetic field 240 is formed in a space 236 between the seal bore 226 and the journal 290. The magnetic field 240 attracts a quantity of carrier granules 241 to the space 236 to form a curtain of carrier granules that inhibit the progression of the developer material 59 through the space 236. The seal 232 may include shunts or shapers 242 in the form of tapered magnetizable washers similar to shapers 142 of seal 132 of Figure 1. The shapers 242 are located on faces 243 of the seal 232 to assist in directing the magnetic field 240. Like shapers 142 of Figure 1 the shapers 242 include chamfers 260 to concentrate the magnetic field 240. The shunts may also include a magnetizable ring 239 fitted over a seal outer periphery 238. The developer seal 232 includes more than one magnetic pole 217 along the length of the journal 290 in order that the magnetic field 240 includes more than one lobe 219. A plurality of lobes 219 serves to improve the efficiency of the seal 232 permitting the use of less expensive weaker magnets and permitting greater distances between the seal 232 and the journal 290. The greater distances and weaker magnets reduce the force required to rotate the journal and the resulting heat generated therefrom. Further, the use of weaker fields and greater distances reduces the eddy current generated between the journal 290 and the magnetic seal 232 and the resulting heat generated therefrom. Further, by providing a seal with multiple lobes 219, the magnetic field around the outer of faces 243 is less, thereby attracting fewer carrier granules 241 to the outside of the seal 232 which may lose their magnetic bond to the seal 232 and migrate to bearing 216 causing damage thereto. The multi-pole developer seal 232 may be made of any suitable permanent magnet or permanent magnetic particles embedded in a non-magnetic binder, e.g. nylon. A number of the poles 217 greater than one may be used. The seal 232 is preferably made of a flexible magnetic strip which has seven (7) strip sections 215 which form the seven poles 217. The strip 213 is made of any suitable flexible magnetic or magnetizable material such as commercially available magnetic tape. Now referring to Figure 7A, the strip 213 is shown in more detail. The strip 213 includes seven (7) strip sections 215. It should be appreciated that the invention may be practiced with as few as two sections. An outer face 221 of end strip sections 223 of the strip 213 has a north polarity, while an inner face 225 of the end strip sections 223 has a south polarity. Each face of each section 215 has a polarity opposite to that of the adjacent section. The arrangement of the polarities of the sections 215 is best shown referring to Figure 7B. Referring to Figure 7C the flexible strip 213 is shown formed into a ring shape with the polarities of the end strip sections 223 as shown. Referring again to Figure 6, the strip 213 is shown installed into the seal 232 with the polarities of the seven (7) strip sections 215 shown. The seven (7) sections 215 form the seven (7) poles 217 and the corresponding lobes 219. Extending outboard of the seal 232 is the bearing 216 which is slidably fit to the auger journal 290. Preferably, as with the bearing 116 of Figure 1, bearing 216 is a sleeve bearing. The use of shunts having an inner thickness less than the outer thickness provides for a concentrated magnetic field which permits the placing of the magnetic seal more closely to the bearing. The use of tapered shunts in conjunction with a non-magnetic shaft reduces the length of carrier chains around the shunts reducing the likelihood of carrier beads entering the bearing and reduces the necessity of bearing seals. The use of tapered shunts with the tapered portions pointing inwardly provides for further concentration of the magnetic field thus improving the effectiveness of the magnetic seal. The use of a magnetic seal with tapered shunts, with the shunts extending inwardly from the magnet provides for a further concentration of the magnetic field and a space for the formation of the developer seal between the magnet and the shaft. The ability to reduce the size of developer units is particularly valuable for multi-color machines which have a multitude of developer units which must be placed adjacent the photoreceptive element.

Claims: A developing apparatus (60) including a rotating member and a magnetic seal (132, 232), wherein the rotating member fits through a seal bore (126, 226) in the magnetic seal (132, 232), the magnetic seal (132, 232) including a magnetic field producing member (117, 213) having opposed faces (121, 243) and wherein the magnetic field producing member (117, 213) produces a magnetic field (140, 240) in a space (136, 236) between the seal bore (126, 226) and the rotating member such that carrier particles (141, 241) contained in the developing apparatus (60) form a curtain between the magnetic seal (132, 232) and the rotating member characterized in that the apparatus further includes at least one magnetizable member (142, 242) positioned adjacent and on at least one of the opposing faces (121, 243) of the magnetic field producing member, the magnetizable member having at least a portion (160, 260) thereof progressively increasing in thickness in a radial direction with respect to the axis of the rotating member. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotating member comprises an elongated shaft or journal (90;290), wherein said magnetic field producing member comprises a radially magnetized ring shaped member mounted on the developing apparatus in a chamber (82) thereof; and wherein said magnetizable members are closer to the shaft then said magnetic field producing member is to the shaft. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the progressively increasing in thickness portion of the magnetizable members comprise a chamfer (160, 260) adjacent the shaft and opposed to the magnetic field producing member. A developing apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said magnetizable member increases in thickness by at least a factor of two. A developing apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the magnetic field producing member comprises a plurality of parallel ring shaped sections (215); wherein each section has an opposing inner face (225) and outer face (221); and wherein adjacent inner and outer faces have opposite polarities, so that each section produces a magnetic lobe (219) whereby the magnetic field (240) comprises a plurality of magnetic lobes. A developing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein a magnetizable ring (239) is fitted over the outer periphery (238) of the plurality of sections (215). A developing apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which is a component of an electrophotographic printing machine and is used to develop a electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor (40) thereof; wherein the developing apparatus has a housing (81) with driven augers (83, 84), developer transport roll (94), and donor roll (96) which have rotating members comprising shafts (90, 290) in bearings (116, 216) that penetrate the housing; wherein each bearing is protected by one magnetic seal; and wherein each magnetic seal (132, 232) captures carrier particles (140, 240) in their respective magnetic fields and prevents the passage of the developer material (59) to the bearings. A developing apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the rotating member is manufactured from a non-magnetic material.

Inventors: HART STEVEN C, MALICKI JAN M, PLAYFAIR DAVID B, HART, STEVEN C., MALICKI, JAN M., PLAYFAIR, DAVID B.
Applicants: XEROX CORP, XEROX CORPORATION
Application year: 1996
Main classification: G03G15
IPC codes: G03G15