Apparatus and method for damping a corona wire in an electrographic printer
View Patent ↗The present invention is in the field of electrographic printers (including copiers). More specifically this invention relates to a corona charging device used to charge the surface of a photoconductor. At least one wire in a corona charger in an electrographic printer is damped by contacting the wire with a damping pad. In one preferred embodiment, the damping pad is a foamed silicone elastomer.
1. A corona wire damper for damping at least one corona wire mounted at a terminal end to a charger body, comprising:
a damping pad; and,
a pad holder holding said damping pad and attachable to the charger body such that said damping pad contacts the at least one corona wire proximate the terminal end;
wherein said pad holder comprises a pair of arms configured to engage mating portions of the charger body, and each arm comprises a protuberance.
2. A corona charger for an electrographic printer, comprising:
a charger body;
at least one corona wire mounted at a terminal end to said charger body;
a damping pad; and,
a pad holder holding said damping pad and attached to said charger body such that said damping pad contacts said at least one corona wire proximate the terminal end;
wherein said pad holder comprises a pair of arms wrapping around mating portions of said charger body, and each arm comprises a protuberance that engages a mating structure on said charger body.
3. A method for damping at least one corona wire mounted at a terminal end to a charger body in an electrographic printer, comprising:
contacting said at least one corona wire with a damping pad proximate the terminal end;
further comprising rotating said damping pad to contact a fresh surface of said pad with said at least one corona wire.
4. A method for damping at least one corona wire mounted at a terminal end to a charger body in an electrographic printer, comprising:
contacting said at least one corona wire with a damping pad proximate the terminal end;
further comprising moving said damping pad laterally relative to said at least one corona wire to contact a fresh surface of said pad with said at least one corona wire.
5. A method for damping at least one corona wire mounted at a terminal end to a charger body in an electrographic printer, comprising:
contacting said at least one corona wire with a damping pad proximate the terminal end;
further comprising holding said damping pad in a pad holder having a pair of arms, and registering said pad holder to said charger body with a protuberance formed in each arm.