Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for effecting the charging of insulating toner particles in a charging zone situated between a moving roller, and a toner transporting roller or belt with a coating thereover comprised of a mixture of fluoropolymers and conductive particulate particles, such as carbon black. The coating may be textured with silica particles. Useful polymers selected for the coating include fluorinated ethylene propylenepolytetrafluoro ethylene copolymers.

Abstract: A method of developing a latent electrostatic charge image formed on a photoconductor surface comprising the steps of applying a thin viscous layer of electrically charged toner particles to an applicator roller preferably by electrically assisted separation thereof from a liquid toner suspension, defining a restricted passage between the applicator roller and the photoconductor surface which approximates the thickness of the viscous layer, transferring the toner particles from the applicator roller to the photoconductor surface due to the preferential adherence thereof to the photoconductor surface under the dominant influence of the electric field strength of the electrostatic latent image carried by said photoconductive surface, the quantity of toner particles transferred being proportional to the relative incremental field strength of the latent electrostatic image.

Abstract: A blade for cleaning toner from a liquid developed imaging surface comprises a body of high conductivity formed of rubber impregnated with carbon particles and a tip contacting the imaging surface formed of an inherently conductive rubber of lesser conductivity, the liquid developer affecting the conductivity of the body but not that of the tip, and the tip being replaceably inserted in a cooperating re-entrant cavity of large surface area formed in the body to provide a low contact resistance therebetween.

Abstract: Fuser apparatus for fusing a toner image to a support moved along a path which is inclined to the horizontal transversely to the direction of movement of the support. A fuser member is mounted adjacent to the path and has a wick for applying release material which is fluid at fusing temperatures to the fuser member. The wick is inclined to the horizontal and includes discontinuities or barriers to retard migration of release material to the lower end of the wick due to the influence of gravity.

Abstract: An electrophotographic imaging method comprises a first process for charging an electrically insulating layer formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum, and a second process for image-exposing the charged insulating layer to form an electrostatic latent image thereon. The first process includes a first step for bringing a pliable contactor having a specific electric resistance of 10.sup.8 .OMEGA..multidot.cm in contact with the insulating layer, and a second step for impressing a voltage on the contactor in contact with the insulating layer by means of an electrode having a specific resistance lower 10.sup.5 to 10.sup.7 .OMEGA..multidot.cm. Thus the insulating layer is charged.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus is provided with a rotating body, a device to form an image on the rotating body, a device to transfer an image formed by the image forming device onto a transfer member, and a light source to radiate light over the rotating body controller controls the power supply to the light source prior to image formation to thereby control the quantity of light from the light source before commencement of image formation. The rotating body is rotated in such a manner that after power supply control by the controller, no image is formed at a bright and dim light quantity changeover position with respect to the rotating body.

Abstract: A heat-fixing device includes a heat plate along which a transfer medium bearing thereon a toner image is advanced during which the toner image becomes fixed to the transfer medium by fusing, the heat plate including a plurality of heating sections arranged along the direction of advancement of said transfer medium each of the heating sections being provided with at least one electrical heater. The device also includes a control circuit for controlling the operation of the heaters such that, under a non-steady-condition, only selected ones of the heaters are set in operation thereby only the corresponding heating sections are positively heated; whereas, under a steady-state condition, all of the heaters are operated at the same time thereby maintaining all of the heating sections at a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A control device for operation of a copying machine includes a timer capable of counting a predetermined unit of time and being activated upon completion of a copying operation. The copying machine can be stopped upon the elapse of the predetermined unit of time. Paper detection sensors are provided for determining the presence of copy paper in the transportation paper supply passageway, and upon such detecting the copying machine continues to ensure that any paper in the paper transportation system of the copying machine will be removed. If after a second elapse of time, copy paper is still detected, a jam signal can then be provided to the operator.

Abstract: An electrophotographic process including forming, on a photosensitive plate, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to optical information, developing the latent image by the reversal development and transferring the developed image onto a transfer material includes the improvement whereby a voltage of polarity opposite to that of the developer is applied to the photosensitive plate at least during the time from the end of the reversal development to the transfer step. This improvement in the electrophotographic process and apparatus for same prevents developer particles from being scattered away from the photosensitive plate and thereby also avoids the trouble of distortion of the image at the transfer step.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for developing electrostatic charge patterns on discrete electrographic sheets. The trail edge of a sheet and the lead edge of a successive sheet are overlapped to form a shingled train of sheets. The shingled train of sheets is then moved in pattern-developing relation to a developer station where electroscopic marking particles are applied to develop the charge patterns.

Abstract: Apparatus for imaging and developing electrophotographic elements includes a single module (16) within which there is housed three processing stations (18, 20, 22) equidistantly spaced apart at distances corresponding to the distance separating the image frames of an electrophotographic element microformat. The first station (18) charges and exposes a first image frame of the element (12), the second station (20) tones and preliminarily dries the first image frame while a second image frame is located at the first station (18) for charging and exposure, and the third station (22) completes the drying and fuses the first image frame while the second image frame is now toned and partially dried, a new third image frame being presented to the first station (18) for charging and exposure. An intermittent film transport system, not shown, conveys the film element (12) in a unidirectional mode throughout the processing as indicated by the directional arrow (24).

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for toning a latent electrostatic image on an exposed photoconductive surface of an electrophotographic member, using liquid toner comprising toner particles suspended in an electrically insulating liquid dispersant. Plural, generally identical, toner modules are arranged side by side at a first level, each module comprising a toner tray having a development electrode mounted on the upper surface thereof. The development electrode has a planar upper surface. A motor operates an articulated linkage which causes the tray to be elevated to a second level for toning, one of the modules being selected from the others. Antifriction bearing surfaces are mounted on the upper surface of the tray at opposite ends of the development electrode. The antifriction surfaces extend upwardly of the development electrode a short distance slightly above the upper surface thereof to define a gap between the development electrode and the surface to be toned.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus using a high-frequency characterized in that an electric field concentration conductor is provided in conjunction with an opposed conductor. A recording medium is moved through an electric field concentration area formed by these conductors.

Abstract: A paper leaf handling apparatus has a receiving unit for receiving paper leaves, distributor for distributing to the receiving unit the paper leaves having images formed thereon and conveyed from an image formation apparatus to the paper leaf handling apparatus, detector for detecting the connected condition of the paper leaf handling apparatus and the image formation apparatus, and warner for warning of any improper connection detected by the detector.

Abstract: An electrophotographic recording apparatus comprises an electrophotosensitive member, and a corona discharge device located adjacent the electrophotosensitive surface thereof. The corona discharge device includes a discharge wire spaced from the electrophotosensitive surface, and a covering member for substantially covering the space between the discharge wire and the electrophotosensitive surface at each end of the discharge wire. In some embodiments the covering member spans the space between the discharge wire and the electrophotosensitive surface and contacts the electrophotosensitive surface.

Abstract: The slit exposure optical system for a copying machine generally includes two mirror-carrying movable tables of which one is driven at half the speed of the other. Normally each table is driven from one and the same end which means that the other end of each table must follow. If such following is not precise, aberrations in the optical system result. The present invention provides means for interconnecting the nondriver ends of the tables in such a manner that the movement of the nondriver ends will precisely follow the movement of the driver ends and aberrations are thereby avoided.

Abstract: An Edge Printing Device is utilized adjacent to the exposure station of a document reproducing apparatus having an auxiliary document handling apparatus mounted over the exposure station. The documents, moving over the exposure station drive a friction roller which in turn rotates an indicia roller so that supplemental information thereon is copied simultaneously with the image on the moving document. The supplemental information is produced on an edge portion of the copy sheet, in an area beyond the lateral dimensions on the copy sheet.

Abstract: A cold pressure fuser comprising three rolls two of which have their axes parallel to each other and form a nip through which copy sheets having toner images pass. The third roll serves to apply the required load to the other two rolls to create the required pressure in the nip therebetween. The axis of the third roll is overskewed relative to the other rolls such that the distribution of the load between it and the roll which it contacts is peaked at its center and zero at its ends. A pair of load releasing arms are provided to remove the loading from the rolls to thereby facilitate paper jam clearance.

Abstract: Flash fusing apparatus for fixing toner images to copy substrates. The apparatus is characterized by the provision of a power supply and control for a flash lamp which produces multiple flashes which are coupled to a discrete portion of a copy substrate. Each individual flash is insufficient to effect fusing of the toner images, however, a predetermined number of flashes impinging on the same discrete portion of a copy substrate will effect coalescence of the toner after which cooling of the toner takes place resulting in fixing thereof to the substrate.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic system in which latent images of negative and positive polarities formed electrostatically on a photoconductive member or a dielectric member are successively developed with two different kinds of toners and then transferred onto a transfer medium, an image transfer and sheet separation apparatus comprises a precharger for uniformalizing the different polarities of the toners carried on the photoconductive member or the dielectric member, a transfer charger for transferring the toners onto the transfer medium, and a conductive member for image transfer and sheet separation located to become intimately engaged by the transfer medium and provided with means for applying a voltage.