EP0657786B1 - 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
EP0657786B1
EP0657786B1 EP19940110985 EP94110985A EP0657786B1 EP 0657786 B1 EP0657786 B1 EP 0657786B1 EP 19940110985 EP19940110985 EP 19940110985 EP 94110985 A EP94110985 A EP 94110985A EP 0657786 B1 EP0657786 B1 EP 0657786B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
toner
liquid toner
roller
meniscus
liquid
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Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19940110985
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0657786A1 (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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    • 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.
  • 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.
  • EP-A-0481516 discloses a wet development apparatus for a recording machine.
  • the apparatus includes a development roller disposed in contact or near a latent image carrier and an application head for applying a uniform layer of wet developer to the roller.
  • the upper portion of the developer application head which is made of electroconductive material is kept at an electric potential which is higher than that of the development roller, thus generating an electric field between the upper portion of the developer application head and the developer roller.
  • the wet developer which has a high concentration of solid, is driven out of the developer outflow slot of the head and uniformerly applied to the peripheral surface of the development roller.
  • the liquid toner is ejected by the developer application head and transferred to the development roller by electrostatic effects.
  • FIG. 1 A preferred embodiment of the apparatus for reducing fringe field edge effect development of imaged photoconductor areas is shown in schematic 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 V 1 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.
  • D 2 in Fig. 1 between the surface of toner delivery roller 12 and the photoconductor surface 44. In the preferred embodiment, this dimension is within the range of .05mm to .08mm, in order to effectively and completely develop imaged areas on photoconductor surface 44 at nip 46.
  • 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 plenum 20 As liquid toner overfills toner delivery plenum 20, it eventually fills 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 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 D 1 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 V 3 .
  • 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.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Wet Developing In Electrophotography (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Ein Flüssigelektrophotographiesystem, das eine Photoleiteroberfläche (44) mit nicht entwickelten, mit einem Bild versehenen Bereichen und einen Flüssigtoner mit darin befindlichen geladenen Tonerschwebeteilchen verwendet, wobei das Flüssigelektrophotographiesystem folgende Merkmale aufweist:
    eine leitfähige, geladene Rolle (12), die in einer benachbarten, elementaren Querausrichtung mit der photoleitfähigen Oberfläche (44) zum Bilden einer Berührungslinie (46) drehbar angeordnet ist, zum wirksamen Entwickeln von mit einem Bild versehenen Bereichen der Photoleiteroberfläche (44), indem auf die nicht entwickelten, mit einem Bild versehenen Bereiche der Photoleiteroberfläche (44) geladene Tonerteilchen aufgebracht werden;
    eine Einrichtung zum Drehen der Oberfläche der Rolle (12), auf der sich die Flüssigtonerschicht befindet, in die Berührungslinie (46), die zwischen der Rolle und der photoleitfähigen Oberfläche gebildet ist; und
    eine Einrichtung zum Aufbringen einer Flüssigtonerschicht auf der Oberfläche der Rolle (12), mit
    einer Einrichtung (42) zum Bilden eines länglichen schichtförmigen Meniskus aus Flüssigtoner;
    einer Einrichtung (20, 28) zum Zuführen und andauernden Nachfüllen des Flüssigtonermeniskus mit mehr Toner, wenn der Flüssigtoner von dem Meniskus auf die Oberfläche der Rolle (12) aufgetragen wird; und
    einer Einrichtung zum Positionieren der Flüssigtonermeniskusbildungseinrichtung (42) in einer elementaren benachbarten Ausrichtung mit der Rolle (12), wobei der Meniskus die Oberfläche der Rolle (12) berührt, wobei eine Flüssigtonerschicht auf der Oberfläche der Rolle (12) aufgebracht wird, wenn die Rolle (12) gedreht wird.
  2. Das System gemäß Anspruch 1, bei dem die Einrichtung (42) zum Bilden eines länglichen schichtförmigen Flüssigtonermeniskus spezifiziert ist durch:
    einen Tonerzuführkörper (16) mit einem länglichen Schlitz (22) für den Durchgang des Flüssigtoners (36) durch denselben und eine Plenumeinrichtung (20) für die Aufnahme eines Flüssigtonervorrats von der Einrichtung zum Zuführen und andauernden Nachfüllen des Flüssigtonermeniskus und das Durchführen desselben durch dieselbe zu dem länglichen Schlitz (22).
  3. Das System gemäß Anspruch 1 oder 2, bei dem die Einrichtung (20, 28) zum Zuführen und andauernden Nachfüllen des Flüssigtonermeniskus mit mehr Toner, wenn der Flüssigtoner von dem Meniskus auf die Oberfläche der Rolle (12) aufgebracht wird, spezifiziert ist durch:
    ein Reservoir (34) zum Halten des Flüssigtoners; und
    eine Einrichtung zum Pumpen des Flüssigtoners (28), die mit der Einrichtung (42) zum Bilden eines länglichen schichtförmigen Flüssigtonermeniskus wirksam verbunden ist, um den Flüssigtoner (36) von dem Reservoir (34) zu der Einrichtung (42) zum Bilden eines länglichen schichtförmigen Meniskus aus Flüssigtoner (16) zu pumpen.
  4. Ein Verfahren zum Zuführen eines Toners zu einer Entwicklungsberührungslinie in einem Flüssigelektrophotographiesystem, das eine Photoleiteroberfläche (44) mit nicht entwickelten, mit einem Bild versehenen Bereichen, einen Flüssigtoner mit darin befindlichen geladenen Tonerschwebeteilchen und eine leitfähige geladene Rolle aufweist, die in einer benachbarten, elementaren Querausrichtung mit der photoleitfähigen Oberfläche (44) zum Bilden einer Berührungslinie (46) für eine elektrophotographische Entwicklung drehbar angeordnet ist, zum wirksamen Aufbringen von geladenen Tonerteilchen auf die nicht entwickelten Bildbereiche der leitfähigen Oberfläche (44), wobei das Verfahren folgende Schritte aufweist:
    Aufbringen einer Schicht des Flüssigtoners auf der Oberfläche der Rolle (12) durch:
    Bilden eines länglichen schichtförmigen Flüssigtonermeniskus;
    Positionieren des länglichen schichtförmigen Flüssigtonermeniskus in einer elementaren benachbarten Ausrichtung mit der Rolle (12), wobei der Meniskus die Oberfläche der Rolle (12) berührt, wobei eine Schicht des Flüssigtoners auf der Rollenoberfläche aufgetragen wird, wenn die Rolle (12) gedreht wird; und
    Zuführen und andauerndes Nachfüllen des Flüssigtonermeniskus mit mehr Toner, wenn der Flüssigtoner von dem Meniskus auf der Oberfläche der Rolle (12) aufgetragen wird;
    Drehen der Oberfläche der Rolle (12) mit dem darauf aufgetragenen Flüssigtoner in die Berührungslinie (46), die zwischen der Rolle (12) und der photoleitfähigen Oberfläche (44) gebildet ist.
  5. Das Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 4, bei dem der Schritt des Zuführens und andauernden Nachfüllens des Flüssigtonermeniskus mit mehr Tinte, wenn der Toner von dem Meniskus auf der Oberfläche der Rolle aufgetragen wird, durch folgende Schritte spezifiziert ist:
    Halten eines Vorrats des Flüssigtoners (36) in einem Reservoir (34); und
    Pumpen des Flüssigtoners von dem Reservoir in den länglichen schichtförmigen Flüssigtonermeniskus.
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

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

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

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
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
EP0852754A1 (de) * 1995-09-29 1998-07-15 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Abstreiferapparat und verfahren zur entfernung von entwicklerflüssigkeit von einem abbildungssubstrat und herstellungsverfahren
US5596398A (en) * 1995-09-29 1997-01-21 Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company Apparatus and method for cleaning developer from an imaging substrate
JPH11512836A (ja) * 1995-09-29 1999-11-02 ミネソタ・マイニング・アンド・マニュファクチャリング・カンパニー 画像形成支持体から現像液を除去する装置及び方法
KR19990063860A (ko) * 1995-09-29 1999-07-26 스프레이그 로버트 월터 화상 형성 재료로부터 현상액을 제거하는 장치 및 방법
US5576815A (en) * 1995-09-29 1996-11-19 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Development apparatus for a liquid electrographic imaging system
JPH11512838A (ja) * 1995-09-29 1999-11-02 ミネソタ・マイニング・アンド・マニュファクチャリング・カンパニー 現像装置から後板状現像液を除去する装置
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
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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JPS5929868B2 (ja) * 1978-08-31 1984-07-24 キヤノン株式会社 静電像現像装置
JPS62187867A (ja) * 1985-11-04 1987-08-17 ベンソン，インコ−ポレイテツド プロツタトナ−ステ−シヨン
US5387760A (en) * 1990-10-19 1995-02-07 Seiko Epson Corporation Wet recording apparatus for developing electrostatic latent image

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JPH07199674A (ja) 1995-08-04
DE69410411D1 (de) 1998-06-25
DE69410411T2 (de) 1998-12-17
EP0657786A1 (de) 1995-06-14

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