Process and compositions for protecting images with resin films

Claim 1

A process for applying protective coatings to an image-bearing member, which member has a developed image on a surface thereof which is contiguous to an electrically conductive backing, using an electrode closely spaced from said image-bearing surface, said process comprising the steps of applying an electrical bias potential between such electrode and conductive backing; applying to the image-bearing surface of said member in the presence of said electrical bias potential a resin suspension comprising an electrically insulating liquid carrier vehicle having therein charge-bearing particles of a graft copolymer to deposit said copolymer particles uniformly over said member, said copolymer having a linear backbone chain formed of a polyene which is soluble in said carrier vehicle, said backbone chain having grafted thereto pendant side chains formed from monomers selected from the group consisting of acrylic and methacrylic acids, styrene, acrylonitrile, vinyl esters, and vinyl ethers, substantially all of said side chains being insoluble in said carrier vehicle; and affixing said uniformly deposited particles to said member.