Method of developing latent electrostatic images

Abstract

Abstract A LATENT ELECTROSTATIC IMAGE ON A SURFACE OF A CARRIER IS DEVELOPED INTO A VISIBLE IMAGE BY MOVING THE CARRIER ALONG A DEVELOPING PATH WITH THE IMAGE-BEARING SURFACE CONTACTING A DEVELOPING LIQUID IN EFFECTIVE FIELD CONTROL SPACING WITH AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SURFACE OF AN IMAGE INTENSIFIER MOVING ALONG THE DEVELOPING PATH. DEVELOPING LIQUID IS SUPPLIED TO THE SURFACE OF THE IMAGE INTENSIFIER BY A POROUS WIPER WETTED WITH DEVELOPING LIQUID, AND AN INCOMING IMAGE-BEARING CARRIER IS GUIDED ALONG THE DEVELOPING PATH IN CONTACT WITH THE DEVELOPING LIQUID BY RIDGES EXTENDING ALONG THE DEVELOPING PATH ON AN UPWARDLY CONCAVE WALL WHICH FORMS A TROUGH THROUGH WHICH THE IMAGE INTENSIFIER MOVES. AS THE CARRIER MOVES THROUGH THE DEVELOPING TROUGH, THE IMAGE-BEARING SURFACE IS PRESSED INTO EFFECTIVE FIELD CONTROL SPACING WITH THE IMAGE INTENSIFIER OVER AN ELONGATED DISTANCE OF THE DEVELOPING PATH BY DEVELOPING LIQUID WHICH IS RECEIVED INTO A CHAMBER AND DIRECTED AGAINST THE BACK SIDE OF THE CARRIER BY ORIFICES FORMED IN THE UPWARDLY CONCAVE WALL. AFTER PASSING THROUGH THE TROUGH, THE CARRIER IS GUIDED THROUGH A PAIR OF COOPERATING SQUEEGEE ROLLERS WHICH REMOVE EXCESS DEVELOPING LIQUID FROM THE CARRIER.

Inventors

• 👤 George J Miller

Bibliographic Details