JP2926829B2 - Wet developing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wet developing apparatus, and more particularly, to a developing method including forming a latent image on a photoreceptor mounted on a rotating drum and then including a developing solution. The present invention relates to a wet developing device that develops the latent image by bringing a belt into close contact with a latent image forming surface of the photoconductor.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in an electrophotographic apparatus, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photoconductor based on image information using a photoconductive phenomenon, and a coloring powder (toner) is attached to the electrostatic latent image. This is visualized and developed. This development method includes two methods, a method called dry development in which powder toner is used in a dry state, and a method called wet development in which toner is used in a state of being dispersed in an insulating liquid. Also,
In the wet development method, a method of contacting the toner with the photoconductor includes an immersion method, a dropping method, a jetting method, and a contact method.

As a typical example of the contact type, a lower portion of a conductive developing belt is immersed in a developer, and a guide roller is used in a state where the upper side of the developing belt is in contact with an electrostatic latent image surface of a photoconductor on a rotating drum. 2. Description of the Related Art There is a developing device having a structure in which a developing solution that is moved and sucked into a lower portion of a developing belt in the developing solution is developed by bringing the developing solution into contact with an electrostatic latent image surface of a photoconductor.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the developing belt is usually required to have a liquid absorbing property, and is made of a flexible material such as cloth and sponge. As a result, the developing belt may be sagged, the uniform contact with the electrostatic latent image surface of the photosensitive paper may not be maintained, and the developing belt may be stuck at the station, so that a high quality image can be obtained. I could not do it.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, eliminates the slack of the developing belt, constantly keeps the contact with the electrostatic latent image surface of the photosensitive paper, smoothes the supply of the developer, It is an object of the present invention to provide a wet developing device capable of obtaining a high quality image.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve this object, in a wet developing apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention, after a latent image is formed on a photoreceptor mounted on a rotating drum, a developing solution is contained. In a wet developing device that develops the latent image by closely contacting the developing belt with the latent image forming surface of the photoconductor, the developing belt is disposed below the rotating drum,
A developer storage tank that stores the developer and impregnates the developer by bringing a part of the development belt into contact with the developer, a pair of guide rollers that guide the development belt below the drum, A driving projection provided on a peripheral surface of the rotating drum; and an engaging hole provided on the developing belt and engaging with the driving projection, wherein the driving belt is configured to drive the driving belt based on rotation of the rotating drum. The developing belt is driven in a state where the developing belt is pulled by cooperation of the projection and the engagement hole.

Further, the wet developing device according to claim 2, after forming a latent image on a photoreceptor mounted on a rotating drum, a developing belt containing a developer is brought into close contact with the latent image forming surface of the photoreceptor, In a wet developing device for developing a latent image, driving projections arranged in a row on both right and left sides of a peripheral surface of the rotating drum, and a length provided on the developing belt and inclined inward with respect to a traveling direction of the developing belt. And an engaging hole which is formed in a hole shape and engages with the driving projection.

Further, it is preferable that the driving protrusions are arranged in a row on both right and left sides of the peripheral surface of the rotary drum, and the engaging holes are formed in a long hole shape which is inclined inward with respect to the traveling direction of the developing belt.

[Operation] In the wet developing device according to claim 1 of the present invention having the above-described configuration, the driving projections engage with the engagement holes as the rotating drum rotates, and the developing belt is driven. At this time, the developing belt is guided through a pair of guide rollers below the rotating drum, and is driven in a state where the developing belt is pulled by the cooperation of the driving projection and the engaging hole based on the rotation of the rotating drum. As a result, the developing belt comes into close contact with the photoconductor on the rotating drum, and the latent image on the latent image forming surface of the photoconductor is developed.

Further, in the wet developing device according to the present invention, since the engaging hole is formed in a long hole shape inwardly inclined with respect to the traveling direction of the developing belt, the driving projection is engaged with the engaging hole. The post-developing belt is pulled in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotating drum.

This makes it possible to prevent the developing belt from sagging in the traveling direction.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of an electrophotographic apparatus to which the wet developing apparatus of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG.

That is, the charger 10 and the exposure device 1
1, pre-wet device 12, developing device 5, squeeze roller 1
3 are provided respectively. A photosensitive paper 2 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the drum 1.

 FIG. 1 shows an enlarged view of the vicinity of the developing device 5.

The developing belt 3 has an endless belt shape, and the guide roller 4
a, rotatably supported by guide roller 4b and auxiliary roller 7a, auxiliary roller 7b, with its upper part in contact with the electrostatic latent image surface on photosensitive paper 2 and its lower part immersed in developer 6 It is arranged in.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of driving projections 8 are provided on both left and right sides of the outer peripheral surface of the drum 1 so that the developing belt 3
Are provided with track holes 9 which engage with the driving projections 8. The track hole 9 is formed in a long hole shape inclined inward with respect to the traveling direction of the developing belt 3.

 Next, the operation will be described.

After an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive paper 2 wound around the outer peripheral surface of the drum 1 by the charger 10 and the exposure device 11, the electrostatic latent image surface is wet by the pre-wet device 12 in order to prevent background contamination. And sent to the developing section. In the developing section, the driving protrusion 8 of the drum 1 and the track hole 9 of the developing belt 3 are engaged with each other to form a loop around four rollers of a guide roller 4a, a guide roller 4b, an auxiliary roller 7a, and an auxiliary roller 7b. The developing belt 3 is moved in the direction of arrow A. With the movement of the developing belt 3, the developer 6 is sucked into the developing belt 3 at a portion immersed in the developer 6 at a lower portion thereof, and the developer 6 is contacted with an electrostatic latent image surface of the photosensitive paper 2 at an upper portion. The developer 6 is supplied to the latent image surface, whereby the image is obtained by developing. As shown in FIG. 2, the developing belt 3 moves due to the movement of the developing drum 1 in the direction of arrow A and the engagement between the driving projections 8 provided on the drum 1 and the track holes 9 provided on the belt 3. Is in addition to the force drawn in the drum circumferential direction A,
The drum 1 is also pulled outward in the axial direction, and does not sag.

The photosensitive paper 2 developed and supplied with the developer 6 in the developing section is
Excess developer 6 is squeezed out by the squeeze roller 13, and the operation is completed.

As described in detail above, in the wet developing apparatus of the electrophotographic apparatus of this embodiment, the driving projection 8 engages with the track hole 9 as the drum 1 rotates, and the developing belt 3 is driven. And the latent image on the latent image forming surface of the photosensitive paper is developed, so that a high quality image can always be obtained without the sagging of the developing belt 3.

Further, since the track hole 9 is formed in the shape of a long hole inclined inward with respect to the traveling direction of the developing belt 3, after the driving projection 8 is engaged with the track hole 9, the developing belt 3 rotates the drum 1. The developing belt 3 is also pulled outward in the axial direction, and the developing belt 3 does not slack in this direction.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, in the wet developing device of the present invention, the driving projections engage with the engagement holes as the rotating drum rotates, and the developing belt is driven, so that the developing belt rotates. Since the latent image on the latent image forming surface of the photoconductor is developed in close contact with the photoconductor on the drum, a high-quality image can always be obtained without the slack of the developing belt.

Further, when the engaging hole is formed in a long hole shape inclined inward with respect to the traveling direction of the developing belt, the developing belt is pulled outward in the rotation axis direction of the rotary drum after the driving projection is engaged with the engaging hole. Therefore, the developing belt can obtain an even higher quality image in this direction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of a developing device, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a drum and a developing belt, and FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a configuration of an electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a drum, 2 is photosensitive paper, 3 is a developing belt, 6 is a developer, 8 is a driving projection, and 9 is a track hole.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] After a latent image is formed on a photoreceptor placed on a rotating drum, a developing belt containing a developer is brought into close contact with a latent image forming surface of the photoreceptor to develop the latent image. In the wet developing device, a developer storage tank that is disposed below the rotating drum, stores the developer, and impregnates the developer by bringing a part of the developing belt into contact with the developer. A pair of guide rollers for guiding the developing belt, a driving protrusion provided on a peripheral surface of the rotating drum, and an engaging hole provided on the developing belt and engaging with the driving protrusion. The wet developing device is characterized in that the drive belt is driven in a state where the developing belt is pulled by the cooperation of the drive projection and the engagement hole based on the rotation of a rotary drum. 2. A wet type developing method for forming a latent image on a photoreceptor placed on a rotating drum, and then bringing a developing belt containing a developer into close contact with a development surface of the photoreceptor to develop the latent image. In the developing device, driving protrusions arranged in a row on both right and left sides of a peripheral surface of the rotary drum, and formed on the developing belt and formed in a long hole shape inclined inward with respect to a traveling direction of the developing belt, And an engaging hole for engaging with the driving projection.