ELECTROPHORETIC LIGHT IMAGE REPRODUCTION PROCESS
First Claim
2. An electrophoretic light image reproduCtion process defined in claim 1 wherein said electric voltage is an A.C. voltage.
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Abstract
Electrophoretic light image reproduction process is disclosed in which a D.C. voltage is applied to a double layer of a photoconductive layer and an electrophoretic suspension layer including a dispersion of at least one electrophoretic material in a finely divided powder form suspended in a suspending medium, whereby said D.C. voltage changes the optical reflective property of said electrophoretic suspension layer due to electrophoretic movement of said electrophoretic material, said photoconductive layer is exposed to a light image so that the light-struck area has a low electrical resistance, an electric field is applied to said double layer having said electrophoretic suspension layer changed in the optical reflective property and having said photoconductive layer lowered in the electrical resistance at the light-struck area, whereby said electrophoretic material at said light-struck area moves electrophoretically and reproduces said light image on said electrophoretic suspension layer.
347 Citations
18 Claims
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2. An electrophoretic light image reproduCtion process defined in claim 1 wherein said electric voltage is an A.C. voltage.
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3. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process defined by claim 1 wherein said suspension layer is enclosed in a housing having two opposite housing walls, one of which is transparent with respect to said light image and has said photoconductive layer attached therein, another of which is transparent with respect to visible light.
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4. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process defined by claim 1 wherein said suspension layer is enclosed in a housing having two opposite housing walls, one of which is transparent with respect to said light image and visible light and has said photoconductive layer attached thereto which is transparent with respect to visible light.
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5. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process defined by claim 3 wherein said housing is interposed between two electrodes at least one of which is in the form of a roller, said D.C. voltage is applied to said double layer by applying a D.C. voltage between said two electrodes while said roller electrode is brought into rolling contact with one of said two opposite housing walls, said electric voltage is applied to said double layer by applying a reverse D.C. voltage between said two electrodes while said roller electrode is brought into rolling contact with said one of two opposite major housing walls.
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6. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process defined by claim 3 wherein said one of two opposite major housing walls has a first electrode attached therein which is transparent with respect to said light image, said first electrode has said photoconductive layer attached thereto, said another of two opposite housing walls has a second electrode attached therein which is transparent with respect to visible light, said D.C. voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode so as to apply said D.C. voltage to said double layer, said electric voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode so as to apply said electric field to said double layer.
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7. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process defined by claim 3 wherein said housing is interposed between two electrodes at least one of which is a corona discharge electrode, said D.C. voltage is applied to said double layer by applying a D.C. voltage between said two electrodes so as to charge at least one of said two opposite housing walls with corona ions in one polarity from said corona discharge electrode, said electric voltage is applied to said double layer by applying a reverse D.C. voltage between said two electrodes so as to charge said one of two opposite major housing walls with corona ions in another polarity from said corona discharge electrode.
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8. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said D.C. voltage is applied to said double layer while said photoconductive layer is being uniformly exposed to light over the entire surface thereof.
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9. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electric voltage is a D.C. reverse voltage.
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10. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said suspending medium having a color different from that of said electrophoretic material is a colored suspending medium selected from the group consisting of a colored solution and a colored dispersion having colored neutral particles dispersed in a liquid.
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11. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electrophoretic suspension layer consists essentially of a suspension comprising one electrophoretic material in a finely divided powder form dispersed in a suspending medium including a porous layer of a color different from that of said electrophoretic material, said porous layer being parallel to said electrophoretic suspension layer.
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12. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed iN claim 1 wherein said electrophoretic suspension layer consists essentially of a suspension having at least two types of electrophoretic materials in a finely divided powder form dispersed in a suspending medium, one of said two types of electrophoretic materials being of a color and charge polarity different from the other.
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13. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electrophoretic suspension layer consists essentially of a suspension having at least two types of electrophoretic materials in a finely divided powder form dispersed in a suspending medium, one of said two types of electrophoretic materials being of a color and electrophoretic mobility different from the other.
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14. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said suspending medium is a material which is hardenable by application of a hardener thereto.
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15. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said suspending medium consists essentially of a heat hardenable material such as drying oil and thermosetting resin.
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16. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said suspending medium consists essentially of a heat softenable material such as thermoplastic resin and wax.
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17. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reproduced image is erased by applying a D.C. voltage to said double layer while said photoconductive layer is being uniformly exposed to light over the entire surface.
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18. An electrophoretic light image reproduction process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reproduced image is erased by applying an A.C. voltage to said double layer while said photoconductive layer is being uniformly exposed to light over the entire surface.
Specification