Multiplex image reproducing method

Claim 3

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 1, wherein the developings other than the first time developing are carried out in such a manner that the surface of a developer layer on a developer feeding carrier (31) does not contact with the surface of the toner image on the image retainer (1).

Claim 4

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2, wherein a two-component developer (D) having a toner and an insulating carrier is used, and the developing is carried out under such a condition that an oscillating electric field is applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31).

Claim 5

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2, wherein a one-component developer (D) consisting of an insulating carrier is used, and the developing is carried out under such a condition that an oscillating electric field is applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31).

Claim 6

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2, wherein the image retainer (1) consists of a photosensitive image retainer formed by laminating on an electroconductive supporting member a photoconductive photosensitive layer and a transparent insulating layer in this order, and the electrostatic image for forming a toner image is formed by primary charging, secondary charging and sequential image exposure.

Claim 7

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2, wherein the image retainer (1) consists of a photosensitive image retainer formed by laminating on an electroconductive supporting member a photoconductive photosensitive layer and a transparent insulating layer in this order, and the electrostatic image for forming a toner image is formed by primary charging, secondary charging, image exposure simultaneous with the secondary charging and sequential uniform exposure.

Claim 8

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2, wherein the image retainer (1) consists of a photosensitive image retainer formed by laminating on an electroconductive supporting member a photoconductive photosensitive layer and a transparent insulating layer in this order, the electrostatic image for forming a first toner image is formed by primary charging, secondary charging and sequential image exposure, and then the electrostatic image for forming a second toner image is formed by primary charging, secondary charging, and sequential image exposure.

Claim 9

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2, wherein the image retainer (1) consists of a photosensitive image retainer formed by laminating on an electroconductive supporting member a photoconductive photosensitive layer and a transparent insulating layer in this order, the electrostatic image for forming a first toner image is formed by primary charging, secondary charging, image exposure simultaneous with the secondary charging and sequential uniform exposure, and then the electrostatic image for forming a second toner image is formed by primary charging, secondary charging, image exposure simultaneous with the secondary charging and sequential uniform exposure.

Claim 10

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2, wherein the image exposure is a spot distribution exposure so that at least one portion of a spot of the preceding image exposure and at least one portion of a spot of the following image exposure are superposed with each other.

Claim 11

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 9, wherein the spots of the preceding image exposure and the following image exposure can be varied in size.

Claim 12

ll. In a method of reproducing multiplex images comprising the steps of forming an electrostatic image on an image retainer (1), developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer (1) by using a developer (D) consisting of a plurality of components, and repeating the steps of the above to superpose a plurality of toner images on the image retainer (1), the improvement characterized in that each developing step is carried out under a condition mentioned below: where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer (1) and a developer feeding carrier (31) for feeding developer (D).

Claim 13

ll. In a method of reproducing multiplex images comprising the steps of forming an electrostatic image on an image retainer (1), developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer (1) by using a developer (D) consisting of a plurality of components, and repeating the steps of the above to superpose a plurality of toner images on the image retainer (1), the improvement characterized in that each developing step is carried out under a condition mentioned below: where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer (1) and a developer feeding carrier (31) for feeding developer (D).

Claim 14

The.method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 11, wherein the gap (d) between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) is kept larger than the thickness of a developer layer formed on the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step.

Claim 15

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the multiplex images are formed by using developers (D) in order from the developer (D) having a smaller absolute value of mean charge quantity.

Claim 16

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 11, 12 or 13, wherein the multiplex images are formed by reducing successively the amplitude of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step.

Claim 17

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 11, 12, 13 or 14, wherein the multiplex images are formed by increasing successively the frequency of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step.

Claim 18

In a method of reproducing multiplex images comprising the steps of forming an electrostatic image on an image retainer (1), developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer (1) by using a one-component developer (D), and repeating the steps of the above to superpose a plurality of toner images on the image retainer (1), the improvement characterized in that each developing step is carried out under a condition mentioned below: where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer (1) and a developer feeding carrier (31) for feeding developer (D).

Claim 19

In a method of reproducing multiplex images comprising the steps of forming an electrostatic image on an image retainer (1), developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer (1) by using a one-component developer (D), and repeating the steps of the above to superpose a plurality of toner images on the image retainer (1), the improvement characterized in that each developing step is carried out under a condition mentioned below: where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer (1) and a developer feeding carrier (31) for feeding developer (D).

Claim 20

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 16, wherein the gap between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) is kept larger than the thickness of a developer layer formed on the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step.

Claim 21

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the multiplex images are formed by using developers (D) in order from the developer (D) having a smaller absolute value of mean charge quantity.

Claim 22

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 16, 17 or 18, wherein the multiplex images are formed by reducing successively the amplitude of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step.

Claim 23

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 16, 17, 18 or 19, wherein the multiplex images are formed by increasing successively the frequency of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step.

Claim 24

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2, wherein the electrostatic image retaining member of the image retainer (1) consists of a photosensitive member.

Claim 25

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2, wherein the electrostatic image retaining member of the image retainer (1) consists of a dielectric member.

Claim 28

In a method of reproducing multiplex images comprising the steps of forming an electrostatic image on an image retainer (1), developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer (1) by using a developer (D) consisting of a plurality of components, and repeating the steps of the above to superpose a plurality of toner images on the image retainer (1), the improvement characterized in that each developing step is carried out under a condition mentioned below: where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer (1) and a developer feeding carrier (31) for feeding developer (D); that the gap (d) between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) is kept larger than the thickness of a developer layerformed on the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step; that the multiplex images are formed by reducing successively the amplitude of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step, and that the multiplex images are formed by increasing successively the frequency of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step.

Claim 29

In a method of reproducing multiplex images comprising the steps of forming an electrostatic image on an image retainer (1), developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer (1) by using a developer (D) consisting of a plurality of components, and repeating the steps of the above to superpose a plurality of toner images on the image retainer (1), the improvement characterized in that each developing step is carried out under a condition mentioned below: where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer (1) and a developer feeding carrier (31) for feeding developer (D); that the gap (d) between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) is kept larger than the thickness of a developer layerformed on the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step; that the multiplex images are formed by reducing successively the amplitude of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step, and that the multiplex images are formed by increasing successively the frequency of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step.

Claim 30

In a method of reproducing multiplex images comprising the steps of forming an electrostatic image on an image retainer (1), developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer (1) by using a one-component developer (D), and repeating the steps of the above to superpose a plurality of toner images on the image retainer (1), the improvement characterized in that each developing step is carried out under a condition mentioned below: where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer (1) and a developer feeding carrier (31) for feeding developer (D); that the gap (d) between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier is kept larger than the thickness of a developer layer formed on the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step; that the multiplex images are formed by reducing successively the amplitude of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step; and that the multiplex images are formed by increasing successively the frequency of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step.

Claim 31

In a method of reproducing multiplex images comprising the steps of forming an electrostatic image on an image retainer (1), developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer (1) by using a one-component developer (D), and repeating the steps of the above to superpose a plurality of toner images on the image retainer (1), the improvement characterized in that each developing step is carried out under a condition mentioned below: where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer (1) and a developer feeding carrier (31) for feeding developer (D); that the gap (d) between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier is kept larger than the thickness of a developer layer formed on the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step; that the multiplex images are formed by reducing successively the amplitude of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step; and that the multiplex images are formed by increasing successively the frequency of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer (1) and the developer feeding carrier (31) in each developing step.