Granted Patent B2

US 7,218,886 · App. 10/894,815 · Granted May 15, 2007

Abstract

Claims (43)

1. A method for removing a residue from an imaging member comprising:

contacting at least a portion of the imaging member with a wash liquid capable of removing the residue from the imaging member; and

removing the wash liquid contaminated with residue by applying an absorbent material to the contacted portion of the imaging member;

wherein the absorbent material includes toner.

2. A method for removing a residue from an imaging member comprising:

contacting at least a portion of the imaging member with a wash liquid capable of removing the residue from the imaging member;

removing the wash liquid contaminated with residue by applying an absorbent material to the contacted portion of the imaging member; and

removing at least a portion of the applied absorbent material and contaminated wash liquid associated with the absorbent material with an electrostatic cleaner.

3. A method for removing a residue from an imaging member comprising:

contacting at least a portion of the imaging member with a wash liquid capable of removing the residue from the imaging member; and

removing the wash liquid contaminated with residue from the imaging member,

wherein the residue comprises reaction products of corona effluents with volatile organic chemicals.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the residue comprises morpholine and the wash liquid comprises a solvent for morpholine.

5. A method for removing a residue from an imaging member comprising:

mounting a pad on a removable module, wherein the pad is presoaked with a wash liquid capable of removing the residue from the imaging member;

docking the removable module in a selected location adjacent the imaging member;

contacting at least a portion of the imaging member with the presoaked pad;

driving the imaging member while the presoaked pad is in contact with the imaging member; and

removing the wash liquid contaminated with residue from the imaging member;

wherein the module is configured for removably replacing a component of an imaging device which incorporates the imaging member and docking of the module includes replacing the component with the module.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the component includes at least one of at least a portion of a transfer deck and at least a portion of a charging station.

7. A system for removing residue from a substrate comprising:

a pad;

a wash liquid carried by the pad;

a module configured for mounting adjacent the substrate for contacting the substrate with the pad whereby the residue is brought into contact with the wash liquid; and

means associated with the pad for removably mounting the pad to the module;

wherein the module is configured for removably replacing one of a corona generator and a charging station of an associated imaging system for forming latent images on the substrate.

8. An imaging system comprising:

an imaging member;

means for forming a latent image on the imaging member;

means for transferring the latent image to a transfer material;

means for driving the imaging member relative to the forming and transferring means; and

a cleaning module capable of replacing at least a portion of the forming and transferring means, the cleaning module comprising a carrier material soaked with a wash liquid, whereby when the means for driving drives the imaging member, the wash liquid removes residue from the imaging member, the residue being formed during forming of a latent image.

9. The imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the imaging member comprises a photoreceptor belt.

10. The imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the means for forming a latent image comprises at least one charging station for charging the imaging member prior to forming a latent image, at least a portion of the charging station being in the form of a removable module; and the cleaning module is configured for selectively replacing the module of the charging station.

11. The imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the means for transferring the latent image includes a removable module comprising a corona generating device and wherein the cleaning module is configured for selectively replacing the removable module comprising the corona generating device.

12. A method for cleaning a substrate surface contaminated with a morpholine deposit comprising:

contacting the substrate with water and an alcohol to remove the morpholine deposit and, thereafter, contacting the substrate with a toner to absorb the water, alcohol, and removed morpholine deposit.

13. A method for imaging comprising:

forming images on an imaging member;

transferring the images to transfer media, wherein the formation of the images results in a residue being formed on the imaging member which reduces the quality of the transferred image;

contacting the imaging member with a wash liquid to remove residue; and

applying a toner composition to the imaging member to remove the wash liquid and residue from the imaging member.

Assignments (9)