Patent US3753174A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3753174A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Developing unit
Assignee: SCM Corp
•
Filing: 1972-02-16
•
Granted: 1973-08-14
•
Expires: 1992-02-16
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
- 👤 G Miller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 03:59
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/06; G03G15/10; G03G15/108
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
Apparatus for developing a latent electrostatic image on a surface of a carrier into a visible image, comprising an image intensifier having an electrically conductive surface movable along a developing path, fluid supply means for supplying fluid to the surface of said image intensifier, guide means for guiding an incoming image-bearing carrier along said developing path with the electrostatic image-bearing surface of the carrier facing the electrically conductive surface of the image intensifier, and fluid pressure means for applying fluid under pressure to said image-bearing carrier over an elongated distance of said developing path to press the image-bearing surface of the carrier into an effective field control spacing with the surface of said image intensifier over the elongated distance of said developing path.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
Apparatus for developing a latent electrostatic image on a surface of a carrier into a visible image, comprising an image intensifier having an electrically conductive surface movable along a developing path, fluid supply means for supplying fluid to the surface of said image intensifier, guide means for guiding an incoming image-bearing carrier along said developing path with the electrostatic image-bearing surface of the carrier facing the electrically conductive surface of the image intensifier, and fluid pressure means for applying fluid under pressure to said image-bearing carrier over an elongated distance of said developing path to press the image-bearing surface of the carrier into an effective field control spacing with the surface of said image intensifier over the elongated distance of said developing path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
Apparatus for developing a latent electrostatic image on a surface of a carrier into a visible image according to claim 1, wherein said fluid pressure means applies fluid under pressure to said image-bearing carrier over an elongated distance of said developing path to press the image-bearing surface of the carrier into a substantially constant spaced relation with the surface of said image intensifier over the elongated distAnce of said developing path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive surface of said image intensifier moves along said developing path in a substantially straight plane, and said guide means guides said image-bearing carrier substantially parallel to the surface of said image intensifying member over an elongated distance of said developing path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said image intensifier comprises an endless belt having an electrically conductive surface movable along said developing path, and said endless belt being mounted for movement in a substantially straight line along an elongated distance of said developing path.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive surface of said image intensifier has an arcuate cross-sectional configuration movable along said developing path in an arcuate direction, and said guide means guides said image-bearing carrier along said developing path substantially parallel to the surface of said image intensifier over an elongated distance of said developing path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
91 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said image intensifier comprises a cylinder having an electrically conductive surface, said cylinder being rotatably mounted for moving the electrically conductive surface along said developing path, said guide means comprising arcuate-shaped ridges facing the electrically conductive surface of said cylinder and extending in the direction of movement of said electrically conductive surface along said developing path for guiding the leading edge of an incoming image-bearing carrier along said developing path in substantially constant spaced relation to the electrically conductive surface of said image intensifying cylinder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluid pressure means comprises means defining a chamber for receiving fluid under pressure, said chamber-defining means including a wall extending along said developing path with one side of the wall facing the electrically conductive surface of said image intensifier, and said wall having orifices formed therein for directing fluid from said chamger toward the electrically conductive surface of said image intensifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said guide means comprises ridges formed on said wall and extending along said developing path in substantially constant spaced relation from the surface of said image intensifier for guiding the leading edge of an incoming image-bearing carrier along said developing path in substantially constant spaced relation with the electrically conductive surface of said image intensifier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said wall defines a trough through which the electrically conductive surface of said image intensifier moves and for containing a quantity of developing liquid when fluid is supplied under pressure to said pressure chamber and directed through the orifices formed in said wall toward the electrically conductive surface of said image intensifier.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
154 words
Apparatus for developing a latent electrostatic image into a visible image, comprising a trough for containing developing liquid, an image intensifier having an electrically conductive surface and being movable through said trough, fluid supply means for supplying developing liquid to the surface of said image intensifier as it moves through said trough, guide means for guiding an image-bearing surface of an incoming carrier into engagement with the developing liquid on the surface of said image intensifier, means defining a chamber adjacent said trough for liquid under pressure, said chamber-defining means further defining orifices providing fluid communication between said chamber and said trough for directing liquid under pressure from said chamber toward said image intensifier moving through said trough to press the image-bearing surface of said carrier into an effective field control spacing with the electrically conductive surface of said imagE intensifier over an elongated distance of the movemnt of the carrier through said trough.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
154 words
Apparatus for developing a latent electrostatic image into a visible image, comprising a trough for containing developing liquid, an image intensifier having an electrically conductive surface and being movable through said trough, fluid supply means for supplying developing liquid to the surface of said image intensifier as it moves through said trough, guide means for guiding an image-bearing surface of an incoming carrier into engagement with the developing liquid on the surface of said image intensifier, means defining a chamber adjacent said trough for liquid under pressure, said chamber-defining means further defining orifices providing fluid communication between said chamber and said trough for directing liquid under pressure from said chamber toward said image intensifier moving through said trough to press the image-bearing surface of said carrier into an effective field control spacing with the electrically conductive surface of said imagE intensifier over an elongated distance of the movemnt of the carrier through said trough.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-13 | 1977-02-12 | 1977-08-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-13 | 1981-02-12 | 1981-08-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-13 | 1985-02-12 | 1985-08-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |