Appeal No. 2000-0335
Application No. 08/780,551 Page 12
is adhered onto the toner conveying member 7, while being
attracted to fixed magnet 12 (col. 4, lines 3-6). As the toner
reciprocally moves between the base electrodes 3 and the toner
conveying member 7 due to the action of the AC voltage, the
control member is rubbed by the reciprocally moving toner,
providing a control member cleaning effect (col. 2, line 66
through col. 3, line 3). In addition, (col. 4, lines 54-58)
“[f]urther, if the apparatus is designed such that the toner
itself contacts the control member when the toner reciprocally
moves between the toner conveying member and the control member,
this toner cleans the toner conveying member side.” If the toner
is conductive, the charged toner reciprocally moves between the
conveying member and the control member due to the alternating
electric field formed between the two members (col. 4, line 67
through col. 5, line 2).
Fujii additionally discloses (col. 5, lines 33-42) that:
[T]he toner can be readily conveyed to the control
member without being scattered and, due to the
alternating electric field formed between the toner
supporting member and the control member, the toner can
be supplied to the control member without being
scattered. Also, the toner reciprocally moving between
the above-mentioned two members due to the alternating
electric field lightly strikes the surface of the
control member, and thus the toner is prevented from
clogging the openings 4.
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Last modified: November 3, 2007