Development process and apparatus
First Claim
1. An electrostatographic imaging apparatus comprised of an imaging means, a charging means, an exposure means, a development means, and a fixing means, the improvement residing in the development means comprising in operative relationship a tensioned deflected flexible imaging means;
- a transporting means;
a development zone situated between the imaging means and the transporting means;
the development zone containing therein electrically insulating toner particles, and electrically insulating magnetic carrier particles, means for causing the flexible imaging means to move at a speed of from about 5 cm/sec, to about 50 cm/sec, means for causing the transporting means to move at a speed of from about 6 cm/sec to about 100 cm/sec, the means for imaging and the means for transporting moving at different speeds; and
the means for imaging and the means for transporting having a distance therebetween of from about 0.05 millimeters to about 1.5 millimeters.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to an electrostatographic imaging apparatus, and an electrostatographic imaging method utilizing such apparatus, wherein the apparatus is comprised of an imaging means, a charging means, an exposure means, a development means, and a fixing means, the improvement residing in the development means comprising in operative relationship a tensioned deflected flexible imaging means; a transporting means; a development zone situated between the imaging means and the transporting means; the development zone containing therein electrically insulating toner particles, and electrically insulating magnetic carrier particles, means for causing the flexible imaging means for causing the transporting member to move at a speed of from about 5 cm/sec, to about 50 cm/sec; means to move at a speed of from about 6 cm/sec to about 100 cm/sec, the means for imaging and the means for transporting moving at different speeds; and the means for imaging and the means for transporting having a distance therebetween of from about 0.05 millimeters to about 1.5 millimeters.
30 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An electrostatographic imaging apparatus comprised of an imaging means, a charging means, an exposure means, a development means, and a fixing means, the improvement residing in the development means comprising in operative relationship a tensioned deflected flexible imaging means;
- a transporting means;
a development zone situated between the imaging means and the transporting means;
the development zone containing therein electrically insulating toner particles, and electrically insulating magnetic carrier particles, means for causing the flexible imaging means to move at a speed of from about 5 cm/sec, to about 50 cm/sec, means for causing the transporting means to move at a speed of from about 6 cm/sec to about 100 cm/sec, the means for imaging and the means for transporting moving at different speeds; and
the means for imaging and the means for transporting having a distance therebetween of from about 0.05 millimeters to about 1.5 millimeters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17)
- a transporting means;
- 12. An electrostatographic imaging apparatus comprised in operative relationship of a tensioned deflected flexible imaging member, a transporting roller means containing magnets therein attached to the transporting roller core, said roller containing thereon insulative developer particles comprised of electrically insulating toner particles, and electrically insulating magnetic carrier particles, whereby toner particles are transferred to the deflected flexible imaging member with the further provision that there is provided a low magnetic field means in a development zone encompassed by the deflected flexible imaging member, and the transporting roller means, and high magnetic fields at the entrance and exit regions of said development zone.
- 18. An electrostatographic imaging method which comprises forming an electrostatic image on a tensioned deflected flexible imaging member contained in an electrostatographic imaging apparatus comprised of an imaging means, a charging means, an exposure means, a development means, a transfer means, and a fixing means, the improvement residing in the development means comprised in operative relationship of a deflected flexible imaging means, and a transporting means, means for causing the transporting means to move at a speed of from about 6 cm/sec to about 100 cm/sec, means for causing the deflected flexible imaging member means to move at a speed of from about 5 cm/sec to about 50 cm/sec, the means for transporting and the means for imaging moving at different speeds, said deflected flexible imaging member means and said transporting means having a distance therebetween of from about 0.05 millimeters to about 1.5 millimeters, the deflection of the flexible imaging member means caused by electrically insulating developer particles comprised of electrically insulating toner particles, and electrically insulating magnetic carrier particles situated in a development zone encompassed by said deflected flexible imaging member means, and said transporting means, said deflection and said relative movement of the deflected flexible imaging member means and transporting means providing sufficient force so as to cause agitation of said developer particles, means for introducing a high electric field into the development means, wherein said electrically insulating toner particles migrate from said electrically insulating magnetic carrier particles, the migration being in the direction of the deflected flexible imaging member means, said migration resulting from the rotation of the electrically insulating carrier particles in one direction and subsequently in another direction, whereby said electrically insulator toner particles are made continuously available immediately adjacent the deflected flexible imaging member means, and wherein agitation and the presence of an electrical field in a development zone causes toner particles to migrate and deposit on the electrostatic latent image, followed by transferring the developed image to a substrate, and permanently fixing the image thereto.
Specification