Abstract: A novel liquid toner development system is disclosed. The liquid development system includes conductive core-shell particles comprising silver-copper or copper-silver. A novel apparatus and method relying on the novel liquid toner development system results in electro-conductive patterning capable of high conductivity with low background fogging, reduced processing time and reduced environmental impact.

Abstract: A novel liquid toner development system is disclosed. The liquid development system includes conductive core-shell particles comprising silver-copper or copper-silver. A novel apparatus and method relying on the novel liquid toner development system results in electro-conductive patterning capable of high conductivity with low background fogging, reduced processing time and reduced environmental impact.

Abstract: (1) Electrophotographic liquid developer comprising electrically insulating medium liquid and toner dispersed in the medium liquid, wherein the toner has a melt viscosity (.eta.) in a range from 2.times.10.sup.2 poises to 1.times.10.sup.5 poises at 100.degree. C. in a dry state, and has a glass transition temperature of 20.degree. C. or more.(2) Electrophotographic liquid developer comprising electrically insulating medium liquid and toner dispersed in the medium liquid, wherein the toner contains binder resin exhibiting at least one peak in each of ranges of a molecular weight lower than 5000 and of a molecular weight of 5000 or more when detected by a gel permeation chromatography (GPC).

Abstract: A liquid developer having a superior sedimentation characteristic and floating characteristic and an image forming apparatus using said liquid developer, wherein said liquid developer comprising toner dispersed in liquid medium and the difference in specific gravity between said toner and said liquid medium is at or lower than a prescribed level.

Abstract: A liquid developer having polymer particles dispersed in a dispersion medium, wherein the polymer particles have a mean volume particle size d.sub.50 of 0.5.about.5.0 .mu.m, and degree of flatness (longest diameter of a single particle/shortest diameter of a single particle) is greater than 1.5 but less than 30.

Abstract: A color image forming method and apparatus of the electrophotographic type with a plurality of liquid developing devices. In a plurality of liquid developing devices accommodating liquid developer comprising colored microparticles dispersed in an electrically insulated fluid medium are used to form toner images of different colors, which are electrostatically transferred and overlaid one over another on a transfer medium to produce an overlaid toner image. The color image forming method and apparatus providing excellent overlay transfer characteristics for toner images transferred to a transfer medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid developer for electrophotography comprising: carrier liquid, and toner particles, dispersed in the carrier liquid, formed of binder resin and colorant, wherein said carrier liquid contains acidic dispersion resin and basic dispersion resin which are soluble in said carrier liquid. Further, the present invention provides a liquid developer for electrophotography comprising: carrier liquid, and toner particles, dispersed in the carrier liquid, formed of binder resin and colorant, wherein said liquid developer contains a basic dispersion resin that is soluble in said carrier liquid and has a moisture content of 500.about.20,000 ppm, and has an acidic group on the surface of the toner particle.

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 method for producing a liquid developer comprising steps of:adding a colored resin to a nonpolar dispersion medium;elevating the temperature of said nonpolar dispersion medium above the melting point of said resin;producing a resin emulsion by mixing said heated nonpolar dispersion medium containing said resin therein; andcooling said resin emulsion so as to obtain colored resin microparticles.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member for use in image forming apparatus which produce images by transferring a toner image formed on an image-bearing member to an intermediate transfer member, and transferring the toner image held on said intermediate transfer member to a recording medium. The intermediate transfer member comprises at least three layers of a conductive substrate, intermediate layer, and surface layer, and the volume resistivity of said surface layer is lower than the volume resistivity of said intermediate layer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a liquid developer monitoring device comprising a first electrode which contacts with a liquid developer comprising a liquid medium and electrically charged toner particles dispersed therein, a second electrode being either a developing roller or a separate roller which provides a fresh surface and immerses said surface in the liquid developer, an electric power source which applies a bias voltage between said first and second electrodes so as to deposit the toner particles on the second electrode, and a sensor which measures magnitude of current flowing between said first and second electrodes during the deposition of the toner particles. A cleaning device removes the deposited toner on the second electrode. The sensor includes an electric coil, a magnet inserted in the coil and a Hall element.

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: An image forming apparatus including an device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image carrying member using a liquid developer containing toner particles dispersed in a fluid medium, and an intermediate transfer member having a surface layer onto which is transferred the developer image from the image carrying member, water absorption of the surface layer being in the range between 0.15 and 10.0 percent by weight.

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: A charging device including a charging member which is in contact with or minutely spaced from a surface of a photosensitive member, device for applying a constant voltage to the charging member, and a controller for controlling the voltage applied to the charging member when a current flowing from the charging member to the surface of the photosensitive member exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A liquid-type developing device for use in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or printer, that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image holding member using a liquid-type developer. In the liquid-type developing device, a developer carrying member supplies the liquid-type developer to the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier at a developing region, and a removing member removes residual liquid-type developer remained on the surface of the developer carrying member after development.Before removing the residual liquid-type developer remained by the removing member, a fluid supplying member supplies a fluid on the surface of the developer carrying member so that the removing member removes said residual liquid-type developer with said fluid.

Abstract: A charging device and method in which a charging member, for example, of a brush, plate, film or roller type, for charging a charge-receiving member is disposed at a predetermined distance from the charge-receiving member. The distance is adjusted at not greater than a discharge start distance when the discharge is started and is adjusted at greater than the discharge start distance and less than a discharge stop distance after the discharge is started. The discharge start distance is the distance at the start of discharge when two electrodes are in close proximity as a voltage is applied, and the discharge stop distance is the distance directly before a stable discharge stops when two electrodes are separated while in state of discharge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image carrying member onto which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing device that accommodates a liquid developer including toner particles for forming a toner image on the image carrying member by developing the electrostatic latent image, and an intermediate transfer member onto which .is transferred the toner image formed on the surface the image carrying member. The image on the surface of the intermediate transfer member is further transferred onto a recording medium. The intermediate transfer member surface has a mean roughness of 0.5-10 times greater than the volume-average particle size of the toner particles.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a contact charging device, in which an electrically conductive member contacts a surface of an electrostatic latent image carrier for charging the surface, wherein at least impurity atom selected from the group consisting of elements of Group IA, II, VI and VII of the periodic table is adhered to the electrically conductive member, and a total content of the impurity atom is in a range from 0.05 wt % to 0.45 wt% with respect to all atoms including the impurity atom and atoms forming the electrically conductive member.

Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising:a photosensitive member having an amorphous carbon layer on a surface thereof; anda developing device accommodating a toner for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member, the toner including magnetic particles each of which has at least either of octahedron shape and irregular shape.