EP0657786A1 - Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Entwicklung mit Reduktion des Streufeld-Randeffektes in der Flüssigtoner-Elektrophotographie - Google Patents

Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Entwicklung mit Reduktion des Streufeld-Randeffektes in der Flüssigtoner-Elektrophotographie Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0657786A1
EP0657786A1 EP94110985A EP94110985A EP0657786A1 EP 0657786 A1 EP0657786 A1 EP 0657786A1 EP 94110985 A EP94110985 A EP 94110985A EP 94110985 A EP94110985 A EP 94110985A EP 0657786 A1 EP0657786 A1 EP 0657786A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
toner
roller
liquid toner
meniscus
liquid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP94110985A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0657786B1 (de
Inventor
Kristina J. Barnes
Carl D. Geleynse
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HP Inc
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Hewlett Packard Co
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Publication of EP0657786A1 publication Critical patent/EP0657786A1/de
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Publication of EP0657786B1 publication Critical patent/EP0657786B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
    • G03G15/10—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a liquid developer
    • G03G15/101—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a liquid developer for wetting the recording material

Definitions

  • This invention generally relates to the use of a combination developer and liquid toner delivery drum to deliver liquid toner to a photoconductive surface to reduce unwanted fringe field edge effect toner development, and more particularly to a combination developer and liquid toner delivery roller that carries a film of toner from a supply source to a nip line formed between the combination developer and delivery drum and the photoconductive surface in both charged and discharged area development photoelectric processes.
  • discharged area development is disclosed and used to place the present invention in proper context.
  • a photoconductive drum is used, although photoconductive belts are also in common use, and the principles of this disclosure apply equally to either drums or belts.
  • discharged area development the photoconductor is provided with a uniform charge, either positive or negative.
  • the development roller is provided with a similar charge, as are the particles of toner to be applied to the photo-conductor.
  • the image to be developed is imprinted upon the photoconductor drum.
  • the dither pattern image is usually imaged by means of a laser print engine.
  • a print engine is used to expose portions of the surface of the photoconductor drum to form the imprint of the eventual printed image.
  • Other light sources are used for solid images. Exposure of the surface of the photoconductor to the light reduces the charge on the photoconductive surface material in the exposed area to a level significantly below that of the unexposed areas of the photoconductive surface.
  • the photoconductor drum, or belt, and a development roller must form an elemental development nip line at a precisely configured, spaced distance apart, and liquid toner, containing the appropriately charged particles, must be injected into the nip in order to develop the image.
  • Toner as it is being carried through the development nip, which is the elementally aligned closest point of approach between the photoconductive drum and the development roller, finds itself with no place to go except to those exposed or imaged areas that are part of the image to be printed or to be carried out of the nip. This is because the charged toner particles are repelled by the highly charged undeveloped surface areas of the photoconductor drum, and the similarly charged development roller. Thus the charged particles contained in the liquid toner are deposited onto the exposed image areas of the photoconductor for eventual transfer to the paper or other material to produce the printed image.
  • a problem is how to inject the liquid toner into the nip to produce the best possible developed images.
  • the correct amount of toner applied must be uniform along the entire length of the nip line. Too little toner delivered to the nip line will result in underdeveloped printed images; too much in overdevelopment in unimaged areas. Finally, care must be taken to insure that the undeveloped image on the photoconductor drum is not pre-exposed to liquid toner.
  • the development process which occurs within the nip between the development roller and the photoconductor is the result of the electromagnetic forces established by the charged development roller, the unexposed surfaces of the photoconductor, and the exposed surfaces.
  • charged particles of toner are repelled away from the development roller and the unexposed, still charged, surface areas of the photoconductor, and on to the exposed surface areas, which are at a substantially reduced charge or perhaps even to ground. If the development roller to photoconductor nip line were to be positioned directly at the bottom of the drum, this development process could be thought of as a vertical development process, or at least one that is normal to the surface of the photoconductor.
  • fringe fields are not the only electromagnetic fields which are established on the drum as it is being exposed.
  • the difference in the potential between exposed surface areas of the photoconductor at low potential, and adjacent unexposed areas at relatively high potential also establishes electromagnetic force fields on the surface of the drum in the vicinity of the boundaries between exposed and unexposed surfaces. These are called fringe fields.
  • These electromagnetic fields can be thought of conceptually as being horizontal or lateral electromagnetic fields on the surface of the photoconductor, as opposed to the vertical fields within the developer to photoconductor nip. These same fringe fields exist in charged area development.
  • fringe fields which are quite strong, are confined to a narrow region at the boundary of each imaged area. They are strong enough to deposit charged particles of toner in narrow regions of the undeveloped, imaged areas of the photoconductor surface adjacent to the boundary with the highly charged undeveloped, unimaged areas. This is called fringe field development or, the edge effect.
  • fringe field development the edge effect.
  • the existence of the edge effect has been known for a long time. In fact, the edge effect is clearly visible in the very first xerographic image produced by Chester F. Carlson, which was made on October 22, 1938.
  • the edge effect is still of concern. If the imaged photoconductor surface is pre-exposed to toner before being exposed to the developer nip, the fringe fields will start to develop by deposition of particles of charged toner in the boundary areas of the exposed, imaged areas of the surface. If the undeveloped photoconductor surface is pre-exposed to toner long enough, the edge effect produces undesirable excess toner development along the boundary areas.
  • liquid toner is delivered to the nip line either by spraying it into it or by immersing the nip line in a bath of liquid toner.
  • Both of these prior art methods of delivering liquid toner to the nip line pre expose the imaged photoconductor to liquid toner.
  • With a nozzle to nip toner delivery system there is overspray of toner onto the imaged photoconductor and with the nip immersion bath, the fringe fields within the imaged photoconductor surface start developing toner as soon as the photoconductor surface is immersed within the bath.
  • a combination developer and delivery roller which is used in conjunction with the photoconductive surface to form a development nip line in which toner particles are deposited to the discharged image areas of the photoconductive surface.
  • the combination developer and toner delivery roller is used to carry a uniform thin film of toner, on its surface, into the nip formed between the surfaces of the combination developer and toner delivery roller and the photo-conductor.
  • the liquid toner contains positively charged pigmented particles within a viscous, dielectric toner fluid.
  • the unimaged areas of the photo-conductor surface are highly charged, and the combination developer and toner delivery drum is also similarly, but to a lesser extent, charged.
  • Laser imaged areas on the photoconductor surface are discharged to a greatly reduced, but like charge.
  • the development nip between the photoconductor surface and the elementally aligned combination developer and toner delivery roller is closely maintained to provide for effective development of the imaged areas by deposit of charged toner particles onto the discharged, imaged areas of the photoconductor surface.
  • a layer of liquid toner containing charged toner particles is deposited onto the surface of the combined developer and toner delivery roller in a manner wherein there is no free floating liquid toner coming into pre-mature contact with the undeveloped, imaged photoconductor.
  • this is accomplished by means of a toner pump drawing a supply of liquid toner from a reservoir and pumping it into a toner delivery system assembly.
  • the toner delivery system assembly has formed integral therewith an internal plenum which fills completely, and overflows through an elongated, horizontally oriented slot, to form an elongated, meniscus of toner atop the slot.
  • the toner delivery system assembly is positioned in elemental alignment with the combination developer and toner delivery roller such that the meniscus of toner is in contact with the surface of the roller.
  • the rotating roller thereby picks up a layer of liquid toner which is carried or delivered directly into the development nip.
  • a reservoir pumping arrangement similar to the first embodiment is used.
  • a plurality of spray nozzles are substituted for the meniscus forming toner delivery assembly of the first embodiment.
  • a combination developer and delivery roller which is used in conjunction with the photoconductive surface to form a development nip line in which toner particles are deposited to the discharged image areas of the photoconductive surface.
  • the combination developer and toner delivery roller is used to carry a uniform thin film of toner, on its surface, into the nip formed between the surface of the combination developer and toner delivery roller and the photo-conductor surface.
  • the liquid toner contains positively charged pigmented particles within a viscous, dielectric toner fluid.
  • the unimaged areas of the photo-conductor surface are highly charged, and the combination developer and toner delivery drum is also similarly, but to a lesser extent, charged.
  • Laser imaged areas on the photoconductor surface are discharged to a greatly reduced, but like charge.
  • the development nip between the photoconductor surface and the elementally aligned combination developer and toner delivery roller is closely maintained to provide for effective development of the imaged areas by deposit of charged toner particles onto the discharged, imaged areas of the photoconductor surface.
  • a layer of liquid toner containing charged toner particles is deposited onto the surface of the combined developer and toner delivery roller in a manner wherein there is no free floating liquid toner coming into pre-mature contact with the undeveloped, imaged photoconductor.
  • this is accomplished by means of a toner pump drawing a supply of liquid toner from a reservoir and pumping it into a toner delivery system assembly.
  • the toner delivery system assembly has formed integral therewith an internal plenum which fills completely, and overflows through an elongated, horizontally oriented slot, to form an elongated meniscus of toner atop the slot.
  • the toner delivery system assembly is positioned in elemental alignment with the combination developer and toner delivery roller such that the meniscus of toner is in contact with the surface of the roller.
  • the rotating roller thereby picks up a layer of liquid toner which is carried or delivered directly into the development nip.
  • a reservoir pumping arrangement similar to the first embodiment is used.
  • a plurality of spray nozzles are substituted for the meniscus forming toner delivery assembly of the first embodiment.
  • FIG. 1 A first embodiment of the apparatus for reducing fringe field edge effect development of imaged photoconductor areas is shown in schematic representational format in Figs. 1 and 2. It is intended for use with liquid toner in a liquid toner electrophotography process.
  • the dimensional, voltage, and rotational speed information provided herein are representative of a functionally working discharge area development system, however, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that a wide range of dimensional, voltage and rotational speed variations will work equally well in other liquid electrophotography applications, including various charged area development processes.
  • Combination developer and toner delivery roller 12 picks up a uniform thin film of liquid toner from a meniscus of liquid toner forming atop toner delivery slot 22 of toner delivery assembly 14.
  • Combination developer and toner delivery roller 12 carries this uniform thin film of toner on its surface and into development nip 46 formed between the surfaces of combination developer and toner delivery roller 12 and photoconductor surface 44, which for purposes of this disclosure is a drum, but could just as easily be a belt or any other photoconductor surface.
  • Photoconductor surface 44 is, in this first embodiment, traveling in the direction of arrow V1 and at a velocity of approximately 75mm/second.
  • the liquid toner contains positively charged developer particles within a viscous toner fluid.
  • Combination developer and toner delivery roller 12 is biased to approximately + 400 volts, and undeveloped areas on photoconductor surface 44 are biased to approximately + 600 volts, with laser imaged areas having a reduced voltage bias in the range of + 20 volts to + 80 volts.
  • Combination developer and toner delivery roller 12 is formed of conductive material.
  • Photoconductor surface 44 is a conductive organic compound.
  • toner delivery plenum 20 has a sloped bottom surface which facilitates automatic drain out of toner delivery assembly 14 when pump 28 is not operating.
  • toner delivery slot 22 formed between toner delivery body 16 and face plate 18, and emanates therethrough to form an elongated convex meniscus of toner atop slot 22 where is presented to the surface of rotating combination developer and toner delivery roller 12 in the top surface area of toner delivery assembly 14 formed of toner pickup surface 24 of toner delivery body 16, and angled surface 42 of face plate 18.
  • toner delivery slot 22 Under ideal conditions, the exact quantity of toner that would be required for the electrophotography process should be pumped through toner delivery slot 22. Less than the full amount required to develop imaged areas on photoconductor surface 44 would result in underdeveloped images on photoconductor surface 44, which would be an unacceptable result. To preclude this, excess liquid toner is pumped through slot 22 in a quantity sufficient to insure that the toner layer 48 carried on the surface of combination developer and toner delivery roller 12 is sufficient to fully develop images on photoconductor surface 44. The excess toner 50 flows down toner drain surface 26 of toner delivery body 16 and back into the reservoir of toner 36 found at the bottom of reservoir 34.
  • Toner 48 carried on the surface of combination developer and toner delivery roller 12, is not held in place by means of any EMF field on the conductive surface of toner delivery roller 12, but rather the amount of toner 48 held in a nearly uniform film on the surface of toner delivery roller 12 is dependent upon the viscosity of the liquid toner, its surface tension properties, the adhesion properties between the toner and the metal surface of toner delivery roller 12, the velocity of toner delivery roller 12, and the spacing between the surface of combination developer and toner delivery roller 12 and toner delivery assembly 14 at the nip line formed between the surface of toner deliver roller 12 and toner pickup surface 24 and angled surface 42.
  • the spacing is shown as dimension D1 and is approximately 0.7mm.
  • the toner is formed of suspended charged particles in a dielectric liquid, having a viscosity of 1.2 centipoise.
  • a dielectric liquid having a viscosity of 1.2 centipoise.
  • the necessary spacing and rotational speeds can be empirically determined to provide for a uniform adequate layer of toner 48 being delivered to nip 46.
  • cleaning roller 58 which, in the preferred embodiment, is rotating in the direction of arrow V3.
  • the direction of rotation of cleaning roller 58 is not critical. It can rotate in either direction as long as there is relative motion between the surfaces of cleaning roller 58 and combination developer and toner delivery roller 12. Scavenged leftover toner 52 drops off of cleaning roller 58 back into the pool of liquid toner 36 found in reservoir 34.
  • Cleaning roller 58 in the preferred embodiment, is formed of a polymer foam.
  • toner delivery assembly 14 is shown in more detail in Fig. 3. As can be seen, it is formed of toner delivery body 16, which has formed integral therewith an internal toner delivery plenum 20. The bottom surface of toner delivery plenum 20 is sloped back down to tubular connector 38 so as to automatically drain liquid toner from plenum 20 when pump 28 is not in use. Toner delivery slot 22 is formed with careful attention to its back surface dimensions so that the slot formed between toner delivery body 16 and face plate 18 is of uniform width along its entire length. This insures that a uniform volume of toner is presented to toner delivery roller 12. Face plate 18 is attached to toner delivery body 16 by means of conventional bolts, not shown.
  • Fig. 4 is the second embodiment and is similar to the first embodiment except that instead of a toner 48 being deposited onto a combination developer and toner delivery roller 12 by means of a meniscus of liquid toner, a plurality of nozzles 54 are used to spray liquid toner 56. Again, as in the first embodiment, this embodiment of the invention is feasible, but it does have a requirement that a system of nozzles 54 be employed to insure a uniform layer of liquid toner 48.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Wet Developing In Electrophotography (AREA)
EP19940110985 1993-12-10 1994-07-14 Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Entwicklung mit Reduktion des Streufeld-Randeffektes in der Flüssigtoner-Elektrophotographie Expired - Lifetime EP0657786B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US16542893A 1993-12-10 1993-12-10
US165428 1993-12-10

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0657786A1 true EP0657786A1 (de) 1995-06-14
EP0657786B1 EP0657786B1 (de) 1998-05-20

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EP19940110985 Expired - Lifetime EP0657786B1 (de) 1993-12-10 1994-07-14 Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Entwicklung mit Reduktion des Streufeld-Randeffektes in der Flüssigtoner-Elektrophotographie

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EP (1) EP0657786B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH07199674A (de)
DE (1) DE69410411T2 (de)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5576815A (en) * 1995-09-29 1996-11-19 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Development apparatus for a liquid electrographic imaging system
US5596398A (en) * 1995-09-29 1997-01-21 Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company Apparatus and method for cleaning developer from an imaging substrate
US5713068A (en) * 1995-09-29 1998-01-27 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Apparatus and method for removing developer liquid from an imaging substrate
US5737673A (en) * 1995-09-29 1998-04-07 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Apparatus for removal of back-plated developer from a development device
US5754928A (en) * 1995-09-29 1998-05-19 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Squeegee apparatus and method for removing developer liquid from an imaging substrate
US5802436A (en) * 1997-03-04 1998-09-01 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Apparatus for removal of back-plated developer from a development device
US5805963A (en) * 1995-09-29 1998-09-08 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Apparatus and method for removing developer liquid from an imaging substrate
US5893012A (en) * 1998-02-17 1999-04-06 Imation Corp. Apparatus and method for removal of back-plated developer
US6091918A (en) * 1995-09-29 2000-07-18 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Squeegee apparatus and method for removing developer liquid from an imaging substrate

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR100331320B1 (ko) * 1998-06-30 2002-05-09 윤종용 습식인쇄기용잉크공급장치
JP2002328533A (ja) * 2001-05-01 2002-11-15 Toshiba Mach Co Ltd 印刷方法およびその装置
JP5870578B2 (ja) * 2011-09-22 2016-03-01 富士ゼロックス株式会社 画像形成装置

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2935270A1 (de) * 1978-08-31 1980-03-13 Canon Kk Elektrostatische bild-nassentwicklungseinrichtung
EP0223693A2 (de) * 1985-11-04 1987-05-27 Benson, Inc. Entwicklungseinrichtung für Plotter
EP0481516A2 (de) * 1990-10-19 1992-04-22 Seiko Epson Corporation Nassentwicklungs-Gerät und Verfahren

Patent Citations (3)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2935270A1 (de) * 1978-08-31 1980-03-13 Canon Kk Elektrostatische bild-nassentwicklungseinrichtung
EP0223693A2 (de) * 1985-11-04 1987-05-27 Benson, Inc. Entwicklungseinrichtung für Plotter
EP0481516A2 (de) * 1990-10-19 1992-04-22 Seiko Epson Corporation Nassentwicklungs-Gerät und Verfahren

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
ANONYMOUS: "TRIBOSPRAY ELECTROSTATIC DEVELOPER", RESEARCH DISCLOSURE, vol. 303, no. 87, July 1989 (1989-07-01), HAVANT GB, XP007113983 *

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5576815A (en) * 1995-09-29 1996-11-19 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Development apparatus for a liquid electrographic imaging system
US5596398A (en) * 1995-09-29 1997-01-21 Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company Apparatus and method for cleaning developer from an imaging substrate
US5713068A (en) * 1995-09-29 1998-01-27 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Apparatus and method for removing developer liquid from an imaging substrate
US5737673A (en) * 1995-09-29 1998-04-07 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Apparatus for removal of back-plated developer from a development device
US5754928A (en) * 1995-09-29 1998-05-19 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Squeegee apparatus and method for removing developer liquid from an imaging substrate
US5758236A (en) * 1995-09-29 1998-05-26 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Development apparatus for a liquid electrographic imaging system
US5805963A (en) * 1995-09-29 1998-09-08 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Apparatus and method for removing developer liquid from an imaging substrate
US6091918A (en) * 1995-09-29 2000-07-18 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Squeegee apparatus and method for removing developer liquid from an imaging substrate
US5802436A (en) * 1997-03-04 1998-09-01 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Apparatus for removal of back-plated developer from a development device
US5893012A (en) * 1998-02-17 1999-04-06 Imation Corp. Apparatus and method for removal of back-plated developer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH07199674A (ja) 1995-08-04
DE69410411T2 (de) 1998-12-17
DE69410411D1 (de) 1998-06-25
EP0657786B1 (de) 1998-05-20

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