US3752119A - Liquid toner applicator - Google Patents

Liquid toner applicator Download PDF

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Publication number
US3752119A
US3752119A US00151843A US3752119DA US3752119A US 3752119 A US3752119 A US 3752119A US 00151843 A US00151843 A US 00151843A US 3752119D A US3752119D A US 3752119DA US 3752119 A US3752119 A US 3752119A
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United States
Prior art keywords
side plates
distributor
electrostatic latent
container
latent images
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00151843A
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English (en)
Inventor
J Matkan
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Canon Inc
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Canon Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of US3752119A publication Critical patent/US3752119A/en
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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 relates to improvements in electrophotography and electrostatic printing, and in particular relates to a developing apparatus whereby a surface to be developed may be maintained in accurately controlled immersion within a body of liquid dispsered toner.
  • liquid developer which liquid developer normally comprises a pigment or other marking particle dispersed in a carrier liquid, characterised by such carrier liquid having a volume resistivity in excess of ohm-cm and dielectric constant less than three.
  • Such liquid developers may also contain resins or oils or other materials incorporated with the marking particles, such additives being the well known polarity control agents, fixing agents, dispersing agents and the like.
  • the marking particles, together with additives which deposit to form the developed image are referred to generally as toners, and thus a liquid developer consists essentially of electrostatically attractable toner particles in suspension in a carrier liquid.
  • immersion baths such as are commonly used in office copying machines and the like, which usually suffer from the disadvantage that they are bulky and of relatively slow developing action.
  • immersion systems are normally open, and thus subject to spillage of developer liquid if moved.
  • roller assmeblies in which the recording member to be developed is fed in proximity to a roller or series of rollers wetted with dispersed toner.
  • roller assemblies may give rise to a developing defect commonly referred to as ghosting, which may occur because of local denudation of toner particles from the film of developer carried by the roller, or may be caused by deposition of toner material in pattern form on the roller surface, which deposit adversely influences the biasing action of the developing roller.
  • Still further mechanisms involve the use ofjets or the like directed towards the surface to be developed, the developer being pumped to the jets and caused to impinge on the surface being developed.
  • Such mechanisms may produce local underdeveloped areas at the point of contact of the jet with the surface due to the scouring action of the relatively high velocity directional stream of developer.
  • This present invention relates to a means whereby these various disadvantages of the prior art mechanisms referred to may be overcome, while retaining the advantages of providing a fast but uniform developing action in a relatively small space, and which may if desired be arranged to contain the toner dispersion of a closed container excepting when the equipment is in operation, thus allowing transport of the equipment without the risk of spillage of liquid dispersed toner.
  • the present invention is in effect an immersion device in which dispersed toner is fed to a developing station through a distributing system so as to achieve a particular pool contact with the image being developed without direct contact by streams which could by excessive washing action or turbulence disturb image deposition, excess dispersion being returned to a reservoir.
  • the invention thus consists essentially of a distributor mounted in a substantially horizontal position and having disposed along its upper face exit means whereby dispersed toner fed into said distributor is moved to form a pool in an area above said distributor, side plates being associated with the distribution to maintain the said pool in position, the distributor and said plates being however so positioned in relation to the surface bearing the electrostatic latent image to be developed that the pool of liquid dispersed toner has a height such that it touches said image bearing surface without direct flow streams from the distributor impinging on the surface being developed.
  • Control of the height of the developer pool formed above the distributor can be done by use of end plates selected in relation to the rate of flow of liquid to the pool.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a desired system incorporating the developing station of the present invention
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate alternative forms of the overflow device which contains the liquid dispersed toner at the developing site
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate alternative forms of the distributor
  • FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate alternative forms of the side plates of the overflow device and FIG. 8 shows a baffled liquid distributor.
  • a container 1 contains a liquid dispersed toner 2, which toner may be maintained in suspension when necessary by use of the impeller 3.
  • the distributor 6 conveys toner dispersion to an area immediately above it which is designated 7, and which forms a liquid guiding well, the dimensions of this being so selected in relation to liquid flow and the diameter and shape of the orifices 8 to eliminate substantially the directional flow characteristics of the toner dispersion introduced by the shape and dimensions of the orifices 8 in the distributor 6.
  • the orifices can normally be oneeighth inch in diameter or greater but may be less in those instances where an exceptionally low developer flow rate is found to be desirable or required.
  • drum ll may have on its surface a layer of permanent photoconductor or may alternatively be a carrier member for a web or individual sheets of electrophotographic, or electrographic recording members as required in any particular instance.
  • the area of contact of the toner dispersion and the member being developed may be varied by varying the width of gap 12 between the side plate It and drum ill, and in addition tion, using similar reference numerals for correspond- I ing parts, in which end plates 16 are used to increase the depth of the contained dispersion toner pool.
  • FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the distributor 6, showing in particular how the dispersed developer 2 passes through multiple orifices 8 to form the developing pool 9 indicated in FIG. I.
  • FIG. 5 is shown a variation in which the individual orifices of the distributor 6 are replaced with a continuous slot 17. It will be realised that the toner dispersion can be fed into the distributor 6 through either end or both ends, or at the centre, or at any other point as desired. 1
  • FIGS. 6 and 7 show alternative shapes for side plate 10, FIG. 6 showing these as substantially flat in accordance with FIG. 1 while FIG. 7 shows curved plates 10A substantially parallel with the surface of drum 11.
  • baffle above orifices 8 or slot to further reduce the directional flow characteristics associated with the orifice 8 or slot which may also allow the distance 7 to be reduced.
  • FIG. 8 Such a form is shown in FIG. 8 where the baffle is designated 19 and serves further to ensure that there are no direct streams from the orifices 8 in the distributor 6 which could impinge on the photoconductor surface to cause excessive washing action thereby damaging the image.
  • the developing unit 6, l0, l4 and 16 may be insulated from ground if desired in order that a bias voltage can be applied to the side plates 10 to further control development, such an arrangement being indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1 wherein 20 represents a bias voltage supply device, and 21 are the feed leads to the plates 10 and drum 11, and in addition squeegee rollers or other means may also be included to limit the carry out of carrier liquid without departing from the essential features of this invention.
  • a squeegee roller is shown dotted in FIG. 1 and designated 22.
  • this present invention has the advantage of applying constantly agitated dispersed toner containing marking particles in such manner that at the site of image development the marking particles are constantly replenished uniformly over the full length of the image area without over or under concentration in localised areas due to the flow pattern, further characterised in that this present invention eliminates disturbance of developed image deposits by direct impingement of liquid in the imaging areas as flow pattern cancellation and equalisation take place substantially below the surface to be developed.
  • Apparatus for developing electrostatic latent images comprising, in combination, a container for containing a liquid dispersed toner, agitation means mounted in said container for maintaining said toner in suspension, a collectormounted above said container, return means interconnecting the bottom of said collector with said container in fluid flow communication, a pair of sheet-like side plates mounted, in V-shaped relationship with respect to each other, in said collector; an elongated U-shaped well interconnecting the adjacent side edges of said side plates, an elongated tube-shaped distributor mounted in said elongated well having upwardly directed openings therein, pump means mounted in said container, means interconnecting said pump means and said distributor in fluid flow communicatiomsaid last named means including a regulating valve for controlling the fluid flow to said distributor,'said side plates and said well being mounted to coact to form a pool having a top surface which touches a surface to be developed carried on a drum.
  • Apparatus for developing electrostatic latent images according to claim 1 further comprising end plates connecting the end edges of said side plates, respectively, to coact with said side plates to form a pool having a top surface which touches a surface to be developed carried on a drum.
  • Apparatus for developing electrostatic latent images according to claim 1, further comprising a baffle mounted in said well overlying said openings and being disposed in spaced relationship with respect thereto.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Wet Developing In Electrophotography (AREA)
US00151843A 1970-06-11 1971-06-10 Liquid toner applicator Expired - Lifetime US3752119A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPA148370 1970-06-11

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3752119A true US3752119A (en) 1973-08-14

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00151843A Expired - Lifetime US3752119A (en) 1970-06-11 1971-06-10 Liquid toner applicator

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US (1) US3752119A (de)
JP (4) JPS5115747B1 (de)
GB (1) GB1359033A (de)

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3916827A (en) * 1973-03-07 1975-11-04 Scott Paper Co Perforate development electrode
US3916829A (en) * 1973-05-11 1975-11-04 Canon Kk Device for liquid development
US3926145A (en) * 1974-03-04 1975-12-16 Honeywell Inf Systems Toner concentration detector
US3980049A (en) * 1975-01-28 1976-09-14 Ricoh Co., Ltd. Developing unit for electrophotography
US3994257A (en) * 1971-12-25 1976-11-30 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Developing device in an electrophotographic copying apparatus
US4010288A (en) * 1974-10-04 1977-03-01 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method of preventing evaporation of liquid on an image-bearing member
US4015561A (en) * 1974-12-12 1977-04-05 Xerox Corporation Anti-gravitational cascade development for electrostatic processors
US4023899A (en) * 1974-06-29 1977-05-17 Ricoh Co., Ltd. Excess developing liquid removing device for electrophotography
US4032229A (en) * 1975-01-14 1977-06-28 Ricoh Co., Ltd. Construction of electrophotographic copying machines with a cleaning unit for photosensitive surface
US4077711A (en) * 1974-05-28 1978-03-07 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Electrophotographic copying apparatus of wet developing type
US4110029A (en) * 1973-09-27 1978-08-29 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Liquid developer for an electrostatic copying device
FR2398332A1 (fr) * 1977-07-21 1979-02-16 Agfa Gevaert Ag Dispositif de developpement electrophotographique par voie humide
US4146324A (en) * 1971-07-08 1979-03-27 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Liquid developing device in electrophotographic copying apparatus
US4423134A (en) * 1974-11-12 1983-12-27 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Developing unit for electrophotography
US4693206A (en) * 1985-08-06 1987-09-15 Precision Image Corporation Self-seating toning shoe for electrostatic drum printers
US4768061A (en) * 1986-02-25 1988-08-30 Coulter Stork Patents B.V. Device for the development of a latent electrostatic image, apparatus for producing prints by electrophotographic means and method for developing a latent electrostatic image
US4767689A (en) * 1985-08-06 1988-08-30 Precision Image Corporation Electrostatic color printing method
US4827309A (en) * 1986-03-10 1989-05-02 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Liquid developing apparatus with a plurality of fountain and discharge slits
US5017968A (en) * 1988-11-21 1991-05-21 Nec Corporation Liquid development apparatus having comb-like electrode

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS60185388A (ja) * 1984-03-02 1985-09-20 菱有工業株式会社 ヒ−タ−の製造方法

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4146324A (en) * 1971-07-08 1979-03-27 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Liquid developing device in electrophotographic copying apparatus
US3994257A (en) * 1971-12-25 1976-11-30 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Developing device in an electrophotographic copying apparatus
US3916827A (en) * 1973-03-07 1975-11-04 Scott Paper Co Perforate development electrode
US3916829A (en) * 1973-05-11 1975-11-04 Canon Kk Device for liquid development
US4110029A (en) * 1973-09-27 1978-08-29 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Liquid developer for an electrostatic copying device
US3926145A (en) * 1974-03-04 1975-12-16 Honeywell Inf Systems Toner concentration detector
US4077711A (en) * 1974-05-28 1978-03-07 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Electrophotographic copying apparatus of wet developing type
US4023899A (en) * 1974-06-29 1977-05-17 Ricoh Co., Ltd. Excess developing liquid removing device for electrophotography
US4010288A (en) * 1974-10-04 1977-03-01 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method of preventing evaporation of liquid on an image-bearing member
US4423134A (en) * 1974-11-12 1983-12-27 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Developing unit for electrophotography
US4015561A (en) * 1974-12-12 1977-04-05 Xerox Corporation Anti-gravitational cascade development for electrostatic processors
US4032229A (en) * 1975-01-14 1977-06-28 Ricoh Co., Ltd. Construction of electrophotographic copying machines with a cleaning unit for photosensitive surface
US3980049A (en) * 1975-01-28 1976-09-14 Ricoh Co., Ltd. Developing unit for electrophotography
FR2398332A1 (fr) * 1977-07-21 1979-02-16 Agfa Gevaert Ag Dispositif de developpement electrophotographique par voie humide
US4193682A (en) * 1977-07-21 1980-03-18 Agfa-Gevaert, A.G. Apparatus for developing latent images of X-rayed objects
US4693206A (en) * 1985-08-06 1987-09-15 Precision Image Corporation Self-seating toning shoe for electrostatic drum printers
US4767689A (en) * 1985-08-06 1988-08-30 Precision Image Corporation Electrostatic color printing method
US4768061A (en) * 1986-02-25 1988-08-30 Coulter Stork Patents B.V. Device for the development of a latent electrostatic image, apparatus for producing prints by electrophotographic means and method for developing a latent electrostatic image
US4827309A (en) * 1986-03-10 1989-05-02 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Liquid developing apparatus with a plurality of fountain and discharge slits
WO1987006860A1 (en) * 1986-05-09 1987-11-19 Precision Image Corporation Self-seating toning shoe for electrostatic drum printers
US5017968A (en) * 1988-11-21 1991-05-21 Nec Corporation Liquid development apparatus having comb-like electrode

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1359033A (en) 1974-07-03
JPS5182631A (en) 1976-07-20
JPS5547749B2 (de) 1980-12-02
JPS5115747B1 (de) 1976-05-19
JPS5182632A (en) 1976-07-20
JPS5267339A (en) 1977-06-03

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