US3838920A - Electrophotographic copying apparatus - Google Patents

Electrophotographic copying apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3838920A
US3838920A US00352454A US35245472A US3838920A US 3838920 A US3838920 A US 3838920A US 00352454 A US00352454 A US 00352454A US 35245472 A US35245472 A US 35245472A US 3838920 A US3838920 A US 3838920A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
base
record paper
developing
copying apparatus
electrophotographic copying
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
US00352454A
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English (en)
Inventor
I Terashima
O Otubo
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Hitachi Ltd
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Hitachi Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hitachi Ltd filed Critical Hitachi Ltd
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Publication of US3838920A publication Critical patent/US3838920A/en
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
    • G03G15/01—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for producing multicoloured copies
    • G03G15/0142—Structure of complete machines
    • 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
    • G03G15/22—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20
    • G03G15/28—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20 in which projection is obtained by line scanning

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an electrophotographic copying apparatus and more particularly to a color electrophotographic copying apparatus.
  • the gradation in the developing thickness is the most important factor in the reproduction of colors of the manuscript through the overlapped application of a plurality of developing agents.
  • the gradation of the wet type electrophotography is very excellent as compared with that of the other type electrophotography. Namely, if an electrode is disposed in the vicinity of and parallel to the record paper when the developing agents are applied to the exposed surface of the paper, then a developed image having the same gradation and uniformity can be created very rapidly.
  • a record paper comprising a base paper having an appropriate electric resistance and a photoconductive layer formed on the base paper as a photosensitive layer. After the sensitive surface of the record paper has been uniformly electrified, the image on the manuscript is projected on the surface through a first color filter and then a first developing agent is applied to complete the first image production process.
  • the same record paper is again uniformly electrified, the exposure is perform through a second color filter, and a second developing agent is overlapped on the first color image to complete the second image production process.
  • a base is held exactly horizontal so that the record paper transported by a transport belt may have its sensitive surface disposed substantially parallel to the surface of the manuscript and one object of the present invention is to improve the degree of flatness of the record paper and the precision of the formed images.
  • Another object of the present invention is to make the developing means movable relative to the record paper and to make the base means to hold the transport belthorizontally movable in timing with the movement of the developing means.
  • a further object of the present invention is to enable the base means to fold with the movement of the developing means and therefore to securely hold the base means and the developing means at their predetermined positions by moving the base means in timing with the movement of the developing means.
  • An additional object of the present invention is to enable the base drive motor to drive the base drive shaft by connecting the base means with the shaft via a base drive arm.
  • a yet another object of the present invention is to increase the torque of the base drive motor driving the shaft by connecting a balance weight with the shaft via a balance arm.
  • the present invention is characterized mainly by comprising an electrifier, an exposure means, a developing means, and a base means, the electrifier, the exposure means and the developing means being movable relative to the record paper fixed to a predetermined position and the base means serving to maintain the record paper substantially horizontal and being movable during developing process relative to the record paper in timing with the movement of the developing means.
  • FIG. I is a vertical cross section of the device as a whole, according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section of the base drive section, partially enlarged, of the device shown in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a side view of the base drive section shown in FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of the movement of the base
  • FIG. 5 is a control circuit for a pinion driven by a base drive motor
  • FIGS. 6 to 9 show on enlarged scales base drive sections as other embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 a casing I which serves to block the external lights and also serves as an outer cover, has in its upper surface a transparent plate 3 on which a manuscript 2 to be copied is placed.
  • An exposure means 4 serves to turn the light emitted from a lamp 5 and reflected from the copying surface of the manuscript 2 onto a record paper 6.
  • An clectrifier 7 serves to uniformly charge the light-receiving surface of the record paper 6, the electrifier 7 being fixed to the exposure means 4 so as to be reversibly movable with the exposure means 4 within the internal defined between the extremities A and A.
  • a developing means 8 for developing the exposed record paper in accordance with an image forming process comprises at least two developing troughs 9 filled respectively with different developing agents for different colors, the developing means 8 being mounted on rails 10 with wheels 11 therebetween so that the means 8 may be reversibly translated between the extremities B and B.
  • a transport belt 12 is supported on a plurality of roller 13a 13d and serves to automatically feed the record paper 6 stored in a roll to the place where it is exposed.
  • the transport belt 12 is driven via a roller 14 equipped in the developing means 8 by a belt drive motor 15.
  • a movable base 16 is made of an electric conductor and has inhalation holes 17 in its upper surface and a suction fan (not shown) on its lower surface.
  • the movable base 16 and an auxiliary base 18 having almost the same structure are arranged under the transport belt 12 to convey the record paper 6. These bases 16 and 18 are coupled to each other by means of a coupling mechanism 19 so that the surfaces of the bases 16 and 18 brought into contact with the surface of the belt 12 may be in the same plane. As shown with alternatelong-and-two-short-dash line in FIG. 1, the bases 16 and 18 can fold at the coupling mechanism 19 by means of a link 20 and a pin 21.
  • the auxiliary base 18 has an arm 22 rigidly fixed to the end most remote from the coupling mechanism 19, which arm is swingably supported on a connecting pin 23 provided in a portion of the side wall of the developing means 8 while the end of the movable base 16 most remote from the coupling mechanism 19 is provided with an arm 24 mechanically coupled to a base drive shaft 25.
  • the base drive shaft 25 has on one end thereof a partially cogged or toothed disc 27, that is, a disc only a portion of whose circumference is provided with cogs or teeth 26, and on the other hand a balance weight 29 with a balance arm 28.
  • a base drive motor 30 is fixedly mounted on a side plate 31 by means of a metal piece 32 and the shaft 33 of the motor 30 is provided with a sprocket 34 mechanically coupled by means of chain 35 to a sprocket 37 provided on an electromagnetic clutch 36.
  • a pinion 38 is engaged with the cogs 26 of the partially cogged disc 27 and the drive power of the motor 30 is transmitted via the pinion 38 to the disc 27 by means of the clutch 36.
  • a cam 39 is fixed to the partially cogged disc 27 and serves to render a cam switch 40 off which is being turned on while the movable base 16 shifts and rotates by means of the cam 39 from its horizontal position to its another position of angle 6 (shown in FIG. 1), so that the current conduction through the electromagnetic clutch 36 may be controlled.
  • the rotation of the partially cogged disc 27 is limited in such a manner that the movable base 16 and the auxiliary base 18 may maintain their horizontal positions by means of a stopper 41.
  • a paper fixer 42 serves to fix one end of the record paper 6 so as to maintain the paper 6 exactly on the place where it is irradiated by the exposure light.
  • FIG. shows a circuit for controlling the pinion 38 driven by the base drive motor 30.
  • the motor 30 is so connected with a power source 44 through a switch 43 that it may be rotated reversibly or in both the forward and backward directions, and the electromagnetic clutch 36 is connected through the cam switch 40 with a dc. source 45. Therefore. the drive force of the motor 30 is transmitted through the clutch 36 to the pinion 38.
  • the starting switch provided externally (not shown) is rendered on.
  • the belt drive motor starts rotating and the transport belt 12 is rotated clockwise by means of the roller 14 (see FIG. 1).
  • the surfaces of the movable and auxiliary bases 16 and 18 brought into contact with the transport belt 12 are maintained almost horizontal so that the record paper 6, supplied from the roll and cut in an appropriate size, is fed by means of the transport belt 12 onto the exposure position, where one end of the paper 6 is rigidly clamped by the paper fixer 42.
  • the clectrifier 7. which is opposite to the upper sensitive surface of the paper 6 with a slight space therebetween is energized and translated rightward in FIG. 1 (from A to A) so as to uniformly charge the exposure surface of the record paper 6.
  • the current through the electrifier 7 is interrupted and simultaneously the exposure means 4 moves toward the position A.
  • the lamp 4 is lit to irradiate the manuscript 2 and the record paper 6 is appropriately exposed to the light reflected from the manuscript 2.
  • the belt drive motor 15 is rotated while the transport belt 12 is fixed at the guide roller 13a. then the belt 12 is drawn to the roller 14 due to the mechanism between them with the result that the developing means 8 to which the roller 14 is attached tends to move from the point P to the point P in FIG. 4. However. the developing means 8 is prevented from moving by the movable base 16 and the auxiliary base 18 in horizontal positions. At this time. the cam switch 40 is closed so that the electromagnetic clutch 36 is energized by the dc. source and the rotating torque of the base drive motor 30 is transmitted through the electromagnetic clutch 36 to the pinion 38.
  • the pinion 38 is engaged with the cogs 26 of the partially cogged disc 27 to cause the base drive shaft 25 to rotate clockwise in FIG. 2. Therefore. the movable base 16 resting in the horizontal position rotates clockwise about the base drive shaft 25 and simultaneously the developing means 8 also starts moving toward the position P that is. toward the position B in FIG. 1.
  • the developing means 8 moves a distance of! in FIG. 1, the movable base 16 rotates through an angle of 0 from its resting horizontal position. As a result of this, the pinion 38 is disengaged from the cogs 26 of the disc 27 to open the cam switch 40 so that the rotating torque of the base drive motor 30 is no longer transmitted to the pinion 38. The drive motor 30 then continues a non-load performance.
  • the developing means 8 still continues to move toward the position P, due to the action of the motor 15 so that the movable base 16 and the auxiliary base 18 will move to the extent that they are folded together, suspending almost vertically as shown in FIG. 4. Accordingly. the record paper 6 whose one end is fixed on a belt 12 is conveyed into the developing trough 9 of the developing means 8 by means of the guide rollers 13s and 13f to develop the record paper which developing trough has a first developing agent therein 12.
  • the belt drive motor 15 starts rotating inversely to cause the means 8 to return to the initial position P... At this time. the base drive motor 30 as well as the belt drive motor 15 is switched over to assume reverse rotation by a change-over switch 44 and they are in no-load performance since the cam switch 40 is now open.
  • the developing means 8 continues to be driven by the belt drive motor 15 until it has reached the point P, spaced apart by I from the point P and when it has reached the point P the weights of the movable and auxiliary bases 16 and 18 are added to the load of the belt drive motor 15 driving the developing means 8. Consequently, the load on the belt drive motor 15 increases in inverse proportion to the sine of the angle 0, Le. sin6, subtended by the movable base 16 with respect to its horizontal position so that it is impossible to restore the developing means 8 together with the bases 16 and 18 to their initial positions solely with the power of the belt drive motor 15.
  • the cam switch 40 is closed to energize the electromagnetic clutch 36 so that the torque of the base drive motor 30 is transmitted through the electromagnetic clutch 36 to the pinion 38.
  • the base drive motor 30 and the electromagnetic clutch 36 are energized continuously to further drive the base drive shaft and then the rotation of the partially cogged disc 27 is stopped by the stopper 41 provided corresponding to the horizontal positions of the bases 16 and 18 when the cogs 26 of the disc 27 butts against the stopper 41, so that the movable base 16 and the auxiliary base 18 coupled thereto are brought and held substantially in their horizontal positions.
  • the balance weight 29 serves
  • the electrifier 7 is again energized, moves to the position A, and charges the record paper 6 uniformly. Then, the exposure means 4 moves toward the position A and the record paper 6 is subjected to exposure. After the exposure step has been completed, the belt drive motor 15 and the base drive motor 30 are again inversely rotated to perform the next step of development immediately in which the record paper is conveyed into a developing trough 9 having a second developing agent therein.
  • the developing treatment can be performed with the record paper 6 fixed on the transport belt 2, and moreover in the steps of electrification and exposure the record paper can be in an exact flat surface so that the preciseness in the focussed image on the record paper can be improved.
  • FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which one end of the movable base 16 is swingably supported by a pin rod 50, a slide plate 52 having slit 51 is attached to the lower end portion of the base 16 and a slider 53 urged by means of a spring 54 locked to a pin 55 is inserted in the slit 51.
  • the slider 53 in the steps of electrification and exposure the slider 53 is in the right end of the slit 51 of the slide plate 52 and the restoring force of the spring 54 bears the weights of the movable base 16 and the auxiliary base 18 linked therewith to hold both the bases in their horizontal position.
  • the slider 53 moves in the slit 51 of the slide plate 52 to the left of the pin rod 50 of the movable base 16 and the movable and auxiliary bases 16 and 18 assume such a state as shown in FIG.
  • FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which a long slit 56 is cut longitudinally in the movable base 16 and a slide pin 57 is set in the slit 56 so that the movable base 16 and the developing means 8 coupled thereto can move horizontally. guided by the slide pin 57.
  • FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
  • the one end of the movable base 16 is supported swingably on the pin rod 50 while to the other end of the base 16 is fastened a length of wire 58 which is wound about a rotating shaft 59 provided in the developing means 8.
  • the movable base 16 rotates about the pin rod 50 according to the movement of the developing means 8 and the wire 58 is wound up or unwound by the rotating shaft 59 in timing with the rotation of the movable base 16.
  • An electrophotographic copying apparatus comprising exposure means for illuminating with a light source a manuscript placed on a casing and causing a record paper located at a predetermined exposure position to be exposed through an optical system to light reflected from said manuscript, transport means for transporting a record paper to said exposure'position.
  • electrifier means for uniformly charging the sensitive surface of the record paper placed at said exposure position
  • movable developing means for moving with respect to the exposed record paper to develop the exposed record paper in accordance with an imageforming process
  • base means for movement in response to the movement of said developing means to develop the exposed record paper from a first position where said base means serves for holding the transported record paper at said exposure position during charging by said electrifier means and exposure by said exposure means to a second position outside the path of the movement of said developing means.
  • An electrophotographic copying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a drive shaft connected to said base means and also to a base drive motor for transmitting the rotating torque of said drive motor to said base means, and a balance arm mounted to said drive shaft and provided at one end thereof with a balance weight, said balance weight aiding the rotation of said drive shaft.
  • An electrophotographic copying apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said base means has one end thereof connected to said drive shaft through a rotatable base drive arm, and said drive shaft is provided with a disc having teeth extending partially about the circumference thereof, and a pinion member driven by said drive motor engages the teeth of said disc for driv- I ing said disc.
  • An electrophotographic copying apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said drive motor is connected with an electric power source for rotation both in forward and backward directions and further comprising an electromagnetic clutch for drivingly connecting said drive motor and said pinion member.
  • said electromagnetic clutch being energized through a cam switch which is maintained in the closed condition during the rotation of said base drive arm from the first position of said base means through a predetermined angle 0.
  • An electrophotographic copying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said developing means includes a plurality of developing troughs, each trough containing a different developing agent.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Paper Feeding For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Wet Developing In Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Photographic Developing Apparatuses (AREA)
  • Photosensitive Polymer And Photoresist Processing (AREA)
  • Projection-Type Copiers In General (AREA)
  • Combination Of More Than One Step In Electrophotography (AREA)
US00352454A 1972-04-21 1972-04-18 Electrophotographic copying apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3838920A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP3958472A JPS544618B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-04-21 1972-04-21

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3838920A true US3838920A (en) 1974-10-01

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ID=12557131

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00352454A Expired - Lifetime US3838920A (en) 1972-04-21 1972-04-18 Electrophotographic copying apparatus

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3838920A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS544618B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2181006B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1401903A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3976372A (en) * 1973-11-13 1976-08-24 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Electrophotographical reproduction of a multicolor image
US4018522A (en) * 1974-08-29 1977-04-19 Ricoh Co., Ltd. Color electrophotographic copying machine

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5827158A (ja) * 1981-08-11 1983-02-17 Dainippon Screen Mfg Co Ltd 電子写真複写方法および装置
JPS58141643U (ja) * 1982-03-19 1983-09-24 三洋電機株式会社 Ａｍラジオ受信機
JPS61177008A (ja) * 1985-01-31 1986-08-08 Alps Electric Co Ltd コンバ−タ
US4931825A (en) * 1987-06-09 1990-06-05 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image recording apparatus provided with exposure unit using cathode ray tube

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3467468A (en) * 1967-03-30 1969-09-16 Rca Corp Automatic color electrophotographic apparatus
US3536399A (en) * 1968-11-29 1970-10-27 David L Herman Multicolor selective means for copying machines
US3637302A (en) * 1968-07-19 1972-01-25 Pelorex Corp Compact copying machine with multiple-function reciprocating carriage
US3705767A (en) * 1969-07-21 1972-12-12 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd Electrophotographic device

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3467468A (en) * 1967-03-30 1969-09-16 Rca Corp Automatic color electrophotographic apparatus
US3637302A (en) * 1968-07-19 1972-01-25 Pelorex Corp Compact copying machine with multiple-function reciprocating carriage
US3536399A (en) * 1968-11-29 1970-10-27 David L Herman Multicolor selective means for copying machines
US3705767A (en) * 1969-07-21 1972-12-12 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd Electrophotographic device

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3976372A (en) * 1973-11-13 1976-08-24 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Electrophotographical reproduction of a multicolor image
US4018522A (en) * 1974-08-29 1977-04-19 Ricoh Co., Ltd. Color electrophotographic copying machine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS544618B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1979-03-08
GB1401903A (en) 1975-08-06
AU5483273A (en) 1974-10-31
FR2181006B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1976-06-11
JPS493634A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-01-12
DE2320095A1 (de) 1973-10-25
DE2320095B2 (de) 1977-01-20
FR2181006A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-11-30

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