Electrophotographic apparatus having improved, fixed-contact grounding structure

Claim 1

In electrophotographic apparatus of the type having an operative electrographic path and constructed to mount and move a photoconductor image sheet, which includes a photoconductive insulator layer overlying a conductive layer on an insulative support, along such path, a device for coupling such conductive layer to a source of reference potential, said device comprising: (a) an engaging member having a support portion; (b) a plurality of sharp, electrically conductive probe elements consisting of vitreous carbon particles which are structurally coupled to said support portion and electrically coupled to a source of reference potential; (c) means for mounting said engaging member for movements such that: (1) said probe elements are movable into and out of a low resistance, ohmic contact with the conductive layer of such an image sheet and (2) said engaging member and said probe elements are movable along the operative path of said apparatus with a contacted image sheet; and (d) means for urging said engaging member in a direction such that said probe elements will penetrate into electrical contact with such conductive layer.