Abstract: A removal nip having a predetermined width is formed by a sweep roller pressurizing mechanism, which adjusts the length of a tension spring by rotating an adjustment screw, and adjusting the size of an energizing force of a sweep roller with respect to a photosensitive drum. A pressurizing mechanism similar to the sweep roller pressurizing mechanism is also provided in a developing roller, to adjust the energizing force of the developing roller, to thereby form a developing nip having a predetermined width.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developing roller including a roller portion. The developing roller is rotatable while carrying a developing liquid on the roller portion. The developing unit also includes a voltage applying device that applies a voltage to the roller portion to form an electric field for development between the roller portion and an image carrier, whereby the developing liquid deposited on the roller portion is transferred to a latent image formed on the image carrier. The roller portion includes a volume resistivity ranging from 0 ?·cm to 107 ?·cm.

Abstract: A coating system comprising: a rotating roller; an electrode having a surface located adjacent the roller that defines a space between the surface of the roller and the electrode surface, which space has first and second apertures located at different angular positions about the axis of the roller, wherein the electrode surface is formed with at least one drain aperture located between the first and second apertures; a voltage source that applies a voltage difference between the electrode and the roller; and a source of liquid toner comprising charged toner particles dispersed in a carrier liquid that discharges the liquid toner into the space through the first aperture, wherein a portion of the liquid toner discharged into the space coats a region of the surface of the roller that passes by the electrode, a portion exits the space through the second aperture and a portion exits through the at least one drain aperture.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus using a highly viscous, dense developing liquid consisting of a carrier liquid and toner. A developing unit including a developer carrier and a coating member for coating the developing liquid on the developer carrier. The developer carrier conveys the liquid to a developing zone to develop a latent image formed on the image carrier with the liquid. In the developing zone, the toner in the liquid is moved toward the image by electrophoresis to form a toner layer in which the toner is present in the earner liquid and a carrier layer in which the toner is absent in the same. When the developer carrier and image carrier are moved away from the developing zone, the toner is moved toward the image over a degree at which the developing liquid can separate at the boundary between the toner layer and the carrier layer.

Abstract: A liquid image developing system, including a cartridge in which a developer is stored; a supply line; a development container to which the developer is supplied from the cartridge through the supply line; a photosensitive body in the development container; a development roller partially soaked in the developer in the development container and rotating opposite to the photosensitive body; a depositing member to create a potential difference required to attach the developer to a circumference of the development roller, opposite to the development roller; a metering blade to scratch the developer attached to the circumference of the development roller to a predetermined thickness; and an agitator to agitate the developer contained in the development container. Accordingly, a high-concentration developer can be directly used in the development operation without a dilution operation, and thus the structure to supply the developer can be considerably simplified.

Abstract: A developing device for forming a toner image from an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier comprises a developing container for storing a liquid developing agent with viscosity of 100 mPa.s or more, and a developing agent carrier for supporting and transporting the liquid developing agent within the developing container. A developing bias voltage wherein a DC voltage component and an AC voltage component have been superimposed is applied to the developing agent carrier, thereby providing a uniform toner image with high resolution without deterioration of the image quality such as fogging, reduction of image density, irregularity in the image density, and the like, due to high viscosity of the developing agent.

Abstract: A liquid developer imaging system and a method using the system for developing an image, including a cartridge for containing a developing solution; a developing container for receiving the developing solution supplied from the cartridge via a predetermined supply line; a developing roller partly submerged in the developing solution contained in the developing container, installed to be rotated facing a photosensitive object; and a metering blade for scraping off the developing solution coated on the surface of the developing roller to a predetermined thickness, is provided. According to the system, a developing supply structure can be considerably simplified because a high-density developing solution is directly used in developing an image without a process of diluting the solution, and an image can be developed to have high definition because the concentration of the developing solution coated on the developing roller is regularly controlled by a metering blade.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to use a highly viscous, dense developing liquid consisting of a carrier liquid and toner. The apparatus includes a developing unit with a developer carrier and a coating member for coating the developing liquid on the developer carrier. The developer carrier conveys the liquid to a developing zone where it faces an image carrier to develop a latent image on the image carrier. In the developing zone, the toner is caused to move toward the image by electrophoresis to form a toner layer in which the toner is present in the carrier liquid and a carrier layer in which the toner is absent. When the developer carrier and image carrier are moved from each other, the toner moves toward the image such that the developing liquid separates at the boundary between the toner and carrier layers.

Abstract: A removal nip having a predetermined width is formed by a sweep roller pressurizing mechanism, which adjusts the length of a tension spring by rotating an adjustment screw, and adjusting the size of an energizing force of a sweep roller with respect to a photosensitive drum. A pressurizing mechanism similar to the sweep roller pressurizing mechanism is also provided in a developing roller, to adjust the energizing force of the developing roller, to thereby form a developing nip having a predetermined width.

Abstract: A liquid image developing system including a development container in which a developer having a charge is stored, a photosensitive body, and a development roller which is partially soaked in the developer in the development container and to rotate and form development nip. The system further includes a depositing portion to apply an electric potential to attach the developer to the surface of the development roller, a metering portion to regulate the developer attached to the surface of the development roller at a predetermined thickness at a front end of the development nip, and a cleaning portion to clean the surface of the development roller at a rear end of the development nip.

Abstract: This invention related to a developing unit for maintaining constant density in an electrophotographic imaging process, said developing unit comprising:

Abstract: This invention related to a developing unit for maintaining constant density in an electrophotographic imaging process. The developing unit comprises a developer roll, wherein the developer roll comprises a surface and a first voltage is applied to the developer roll; a skive device, wherein the skive device is positioned in contact with the developer roll and a second voltage is applied to the skive device; a cleaning device for the developer roll, wherein the cleaning device is in contact with the developer roll; and an ink container, wherein the developer roll and the cleaning device are inside the ink container. It is preferred that a current measuring device is present to measure current flow between said skive device and said developer, or a voltage meter is present to measure a voltage across a known resistor that is in series with the power supply to the skive device.

Abstract: A liquid image developing system, including a cartridge in which a developer is stored; a supply line; a development container to which the developer is supplied from the cartridge through the supply line; a photo sensitive body in the development container; a development roller partially soaked in the developer in the development container and rotating opposite to the photosensitive body; a depositing member to create a potential difference required to attach the developer to a circumference of the development roller, opposite to the development roller; a metering blade to scratch the developer attached to the circumference of the development roller to a predetermined thickness; and an agitator to agitate the developer contained in the development container. Accordingly, a high-concentration developer can be directly used in the development operation without a dilution operation, and thus the structure to supply the developer can be considerably simplified.

Abstract: An image forming process wherein a latent image-bearing surface of a supporting member is contacted with a toner-containing liquid developer to develop the latent image with the liquid developer and to form a toner image covered with a layer of the liquid developer. The toner image-bearing surface is treated with a squeezing member to squeeze the liquid developer layer therefrom. The toner image-bearing surface is then treated with a voltage impressing member to impart a bias voltage to the toner image. The toner image is transferred from the surface to an intermediate transfer medium and then to a transfer medium.

Abstract: An excess toner removal area is made broader over the whole area with respect to a developer applied area that is broader than an image effective area. Thereby a liquid developer, that tends to spread slightly broader than the applied area after being applied to a photoreceptor drum, is removed by a sweep roller that can sweep excess toner present in an area broader than the original applied area and an excess toner remaining area is then prevented from being formed on the photoreceptor drum. Accordingly, the excess toner on the latent image carrier is removed as much as possible, and a transfer medium and peripheral members are prevented from being soiled due to residual excess toner.

Abstract: In a wet-type developing unit (300), a plating roller (400) is disposed parallel to a development roller (110) at a predetermined distance. The plating roller (400) is connected to a variable power source (402) controlled by a voltage controller (404). The plating roller (400) is supplied with a voltage from the variable power source (402) and has an electric potential higher than that of the development roller (110) to move charged particle toners included in a liquid developer film adhered on the development roller (110) toward the development roller (110). The plating roller (400) reduces thickness of the liquid developer film and increase a solid component ratio of the liquid developer film. When the solid component ratio is large, pressure given by a squeezed roller (118) can be smaller.

Abstract: An electrophotographic imaging process includes the steps of

Abstract: A developing unit using a developing liquid and an image forming apparatus including the same are disclosed. The developing unit includes a developing roller made up or a core formed of metal or similar conductive material and a roller portion formed of silicone rubber, urethane rubber or similar elastic material. The roller portion has a volume resistivity ranging from 0 &OHgr;·cm to 107 &OHgr;·cm. The developing roller with this configuration reduces irregular development.

Abstract: A wet image-forming apparatus including a developing roller for developing latent images on a photoreceptor with a liquid developer, a developing blade for removing toner particles adhering to the surface of the developing roller, a brush roller for removing the toner particles from the developing blade, and a reservoir which stores the liquid developer, wherein substantially the same voltages as a developing voltage applied to the developing roller are applied to the brush roller and the reservoir. Since substantially the same voltages are applied at least to the brush roller, the reservoir and the developing roller, the apparatus of the present invention does not generate the accumulation of the toner particles.

Abstract: An imaging system for effecting electrostatic printing of an image, wherein the imaging system includes at least one contact electrostatic printing engine operable in a novel fashion upon a copy substrate, wherein the contact electrostatic printing engine images and develops an electrostatic latent image representative of the image on an imaging member, and subsequently transfers the developed image from the imaging member to the copy substrate in a direct adhesive transfer step.

Abstract: A developing device of the type using a developing liquid and applicable to an image forming apparatus includes a developing roller and a sweep roller. The developing roller is pressed against a photoconductive drum to thereby form a nip. The sweep roller is positioned downstream of the nip in the direction of rotation of the drum and pressed against the drum in such a manner as to sandwich a developed toner layer. The surface of the sweep roller moves at substantially the same speed as the surface of the drum. A bias voltage (250 V) close to the surface potential (100 V to 200 V) of the toner layer formed on the drum is applied to the sweep roller. The bias causes the sweep roller to attract stray excess toner present on the background of the drum after development, thereby preventing a toner image from being blurred.

Abstract: In a wet-type developing apparatus in which a latent image carrying member and a squeeze roller are moved in the opposite directions to each other while they are not brought into contact with each other at the closest position thereof, a liquid toner layer on the latent image carrying member which is smaller in thickness than the gap interval between the latent image carrying member and the squeeze roller is made to invade into the gap, and the liquid toner invading into the gap between the squeeze roller and the latent image carrying member are brought into contact with the squeeze roller by electrical attractive force based on electric field formed between the squeeze roller and the latent image carrying member, thereby forming meniscus.

Abstract: An imaging system for effecting electrostatic printing of an image, wherein the imaging system includes at least one contact electrostatic printing engine operable in a novel fashion upon a copy substrate, for imaging and development of a latent image representative of the image, and subsequent transfer of the developed image to the copy substrate. The developed image is created by separating and selectively transferring portions of a high solids content secondary toner cake layer in correspondence with the image and non-image regions of the latent image. A toner cake layer delivery apparatus draws from a supply of high solids content liquid developing material to form a primary toner cake layer on a movable donor member. The primary toner cake layer is subject to uniform charging to a first polarity followed by an induced charge of a second, opposing polarity to a selectable depth.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrying member that carries an electrostatic latent image on a surface thereof, and an ink holding member that is disposed in opposing relation to the latent image carrying member and holds a thin layer of conductive ink on a surface thereof. The surface of the ink holding member is formed of a conductive material and has a plurality of projecting portions. The image forming apparatus further comprising a voltage applying unit that applies, to the projecting portions, a voltage of polarity different from that of a potential of the electrostatic latent image and thereby causes the ink to jump from the projecting portions located in opposing relation to the electrostatic latent image toward the electrostatic latent image. In the image forming apparatus, the following weak inequality is satisfied:(h1+h2-h3)/(h1+h2).gtoreq.0.

Abstract: A liquid developing apparatus includes a developing roller for developing a latent image on a surface of a photoconductor belt by using a liquid developer. The developing roller is opposed to the surface of the photoconductor belt. A cleaning electrode is provided to remove toner particulates from the surface of the developing roller. The cleaning electrode is opposed to the developing roller with a predetermined distance. A first voltage and a second voltage are applied to the developing roller and the cleaning electrode, respectively. The second voltage applied to the cleaning electrode has an AC component to remove toner particulates from the developing roller.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image generation device such as an electrophotographic printer comprises an image bearing belt, a development section, a toner image transfer section, a toner concentration sensor, and an electrical charge control section. A latent image due to variations in electric potential is formed on the image bearing belt by irradiation of photo image light. The development section applies a liquid developing agent on the surface of the image bearing belt and thereby changes the latent image into a visible toner image. The toner image transfer section transfers the toner image on the surface of the image bearing belt to the surface of a sheet and thereby executes printing to the sheet. The toner concentration sensor detects the concentration of toner particles in the liquid developing agent.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the type depositing a developing liquid on a developing sleeve in the form of a thin layer, developing a latent image formed on a photoconductive element with the liquid and transferring the resulting toner image to a recording medium is disclosed. The developing sleeve is implemented as a conductive hollow tubular member. A drive roller is rotatably disposed in the bore of the developing sleeve and extends in the axial direction of the sleeve. A cleaning blade is pressed against the outer periphery of the sleeve for pressing the drive roller via the sleeve. The drive roller and cleaning blade cooperate to cause the sleeve to rotate. An applicator roller applies the liquid to the outer periphery of the sleeve. An electric field for development is formed in a developing region between the photoconductive drum and the sleeve. The liquid is transferred from the sleeve to the latent image formed on the drum for thereby developing it.

Abstract: A liquid developer transfer device disposed between a reservoir accommodating a liquid developer having a fluid medium and electrically charged toner particles dispersed therein and an electrostatic latent image carrying member, which performs toner transfer by repeating electrodeposition.

Abstract: A developing device employing a liquid developer in which the development speed is increased and a developer squeezing operation may be eliminated while high-speed development and uniform development of the half-tone density may be realized simultaneously. The developing device includes a developer tank 53 containing a liquid developer 1 and a supply roll 3 for uniformly depositing the liquid developer 1 on the surface of the developer roll 54 from the developer tank 53. The liquid developer is comprised of charged toner particles 5A dispersed in an electrically insulating liquid. The charged toner particles 5A are made up of at least a coloring agent and a resin. The developing device also includes an electrical field impressing unit for impressing an electrical field across the liquid developer 1 deposited on the surface of the developer roll 2 for forming a liquid toner layer 6 formed by the charged toner particles 5A collected together.

Abstract: In an electrostatographic liquid immersion development (LID) reproduction machine having an image bearing member having an image bearing surface, a development apparatus having a development electrode for forming a development nip with the image bearing surface and for effectively dissipating residual counter charges from the development nip. The development apparatus includes a housing mounted against the image bearing member and defining a sump portion, a conduit member having a development opening, a recovery chamber, and an opening into the recovery chamber. The development electrode consists of a conductive development shoe and a bias source connected to the development shoe. The development electrode is mounted across the development opening of the conduit member, and closely spaced from the image bearing surface for forming the development nip.

Abstract: An apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image on an imaging member with a liquid developing material, including a liquid developing material applicator, the housing defining an aperture adapted for transporting liquid developing material into contact with the imaging member, the housing further including a planar surface adjacent the aperture for providing a liquid developing material application region in which the liquid developing material can flow freely with the imaging member; a developing roll situated adjacent the liquid developing material applicator and downstream therefrom relative to a path of travel of the imaging member; and a cleaning system, operatively coupled to the liquid developing material applicator, for cleaning residue liquid developer material from the liquid developing material applicator and the developing roll.

Abstract: Toning apparatus for toning an electrostatic latent image, having image and background portions at different potentials on an imaging surface. The apparatus comprises an endless toning surface coated with a layer of concentrated toner and engaging the imaging surface at a toning region. The apparatus additionally comprises a source of voltage connected to the toning surface and electrifying the toning surface to a voltage operative to selectively transfer at least a portion of the layer to image portions on the imaging surface. A developed mass per unit area (DMA) controller having an input indicative of the DMA on the imaging surface is operative to adjust the DMA on the toning surface in response to the input.

Abstract: A liquid developer for developing an electrostatic latent image having a carrier fluid and electrically charged toner particles dispersed therein, wherein the liquid developer satisfies the following relationship:25.0.gtoreq.V.sub.0 /.DELTA.V.sub.10 .gtoreq.1.5wherein V.sub.0 denotes surface potential of a toner particle layer electrically deposited on a conductive substrate by applying bias voltage between the substrate and an electrode confronting with the substrate, and .DELTA.V.sub.10 denotes change of the surface potential decaying for 10 seconds after shutting off the bias voltage.

Abstract: A wet-type image forming apparatus produces a high-quality toner image by condensing a toner image on a photosensitive drum and adhering the toner image onto the photosensitive drum without contacting a liquid carrier applied on the photosensitive drum. The photosensitive drum carries a latent image formed thereon. The toner image is formed by developing the latent image by using a developing liquid including the liquid carrier and toner dispersed in the liquid carrier. An excessive amount of liquid carrier on the photosensitive drum is removed after the toner image is formed. An electric field is formed which causes a current to flow between an electrically conductive member and the photosensitive drum. An air gap is formed between the liquid carrier on the photosensitive drum and the electrically conductive member so that the current flows through the gap, the liquid carrier and the toner image.

Abstract: A liquid development and transfer apparatus includes a plurality of applicators for supplying developing solution uniformly to the surface of an electrostatic latent image. A voltage opposite in polarity to the electrostatic latent image is applied to one applicator and a voltage the same polarity as the latent image is applied to the other applicator. At least one of the applicators is a dish type development electrode. After development of the electrostatic latent image for a given color on the electrostatic latent image carrier, solvent contained in the developed image layer is removed or heated, and color superimposing development is performed consecutively in similar fashion for other colors. By collectively transferring the resulting developed image to a recording paper or an intermediate transfer medium, color superimposing development can be accomplished with high accuracy without mixing of the colors of the developing solutions.

Abstract: An electrographic development process with liquid toner. In the process charged toner particles are moved electrostatically from the liquid dispersion containing them to a charged photoconductor surface. An intermediate development component collects the charged toner particles from the dispersion and carries them out of the liquid phase in a manner to reduce the amount of liquid carrier that is applied to the image bearing substrate or photoconductor. In one embodiment of the invention an intermediate conductive substrate and at least one squeeze mechanism are placed between the dispersion and the photoconductor surface. An electrical bias with the same polarity as the toner particles is applied between the conductive substrate and the first squeeze mechanism. In another embodiment of the invention, the toner dispersion is a high-concentrate slurry, and no roller is necessary between the dispersion and the photoconductor surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compacting a liquid ink developed image on an image bearing surface in a multicolor electrostatographic printing machine of the type utilizing liquid developing material, particularly an image-on-image type liquid ink multicolor system. The image compacting apparatus includes a biased electrode situated proximate to the image on an image bearing surface, and a liquid applicator for depositing liquid insulating material in a conditioning gap defined by the electrode and the image bearing surface. A high electric potential is applied to the electrode for generating a large electric field in the gap to electrostatically compress toner particles into image areas on the image bearing surface. The liquid insulating material is deposited into the conditioning gap for avoiding the risk of air breakdown as may occur in an electrostatic device of this nature due to the small geometry of the apparatus and the tendency of air ionization in an air gap between electrically biased surfaces.

Abstract: The current invention discloses methods and devices for duplicating images on image-carrying media of various characteristics using a liquid carrier based developer. The various characteristics of the image-carrying media include absorbency, surface smoothness and coating materials. In order to render an optimal image, these surface characteristics require the adjustments of certain operational parameters related to steps or components of the duplication using the liquid carrier based developer. Among other things, a step of packing toner particles or a toner particle packing means and a step of transferring toner particles or a transfer means were adjusted alone or in combination with other steps or components. The adjustments of these two operational parameters significantly improve the rendered image quality on an image-carrying medium.

Abstract: Imaging apparatus including:an image-forming surface having formed thereon a latent electrostatic image, the latent electrostatic image including image regions at a first voltage and background regions at a second voltage;a developer surface charged to a third voltage intermediate the first and second voltages and having a second surface urged against and adapted for operative engagement with the image-forming surface at a development region;an applicator assembly operative to apply a layer of concentrated liquid toner comprising charged toner particles and carrier liquid onto the developer surface;a developer operative to develop the latent image by transferring less than the total thickness of the layer of concentrated liquid toner from the developer surface to the image regions of the image-forming surface thereby to form a developed image on the image-forming surface; andapparatus for transferring the developed image from the image-forming surface to a final substrate.

Abstract: A liquid developer apparatus comprises a developer unit for applying a liquid developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on a recording medium, and a switch circuit for selectively outputting to the developer unit one of a first bias voltage and a second bias voltage which has the same polarity as that of the electrostatic latent image and is higher than the first bias voltage. The switch circuit outputs the second bias voltage during a predetermined period of time other than a period of time in which the electrostatic latent image is developed.

Abstract: Liquid developing method and liquid developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image carrying member via a toner dispersed in a carrier liquid. An electrostatic latent image is formed on an image carrying surface, a liquid developer layer having a bottom layer of toner particles as the main constituent and a top layer of liquid carrier as the main constituent is formed on a developer holding surface and the electrostatic image is contacted with the top layer without substantially contacting the bottom layer with the image carrying surface. A member for maintaining a clearance between an image carrying member and a developer holding member at a predetermined space in which the top layer contacts with the electrostatic latent image without contacting the bottom layer to the image carrying member is provided.

Abstract: Toning apparatus for toning an electrostatic latent image, having image and background portions at different potentials on an imaging surface. The apparatus comprises an endless toning surface coated with a layer of concentrated toner and engaging the imaging surface at a toning region. The apparatus additionally comprises a source: of voltage connected to the toning surface and electrifying the toning surface to a voltage operative to selectively transfer at feast a portion of the layer to image: portions on the imaging surface. A developed mass per unit area (DMA) controller having an input indicative of the DMA on the imaging surface is operative to adjust the DMA on the toning surface in response to the input.