Electrophotographic copier

Claim 2

An electrophotographic copier comprising in combination: a photosensitive member substantially in the form of an endless belt traversing forward and return runs about a pair of laterally spaced rollers and composed of a flexible film base having an electrically conductive face and an inorganic semiphotoconductive layer of a thickness of 0.5 to 1.0 micron and an organic semi-photoconductive layer of a thickness of 10 to 30 microns superposed on the conductive face, exposure means for projecting the full light image of an original document to the electrically charged sensitive member lying in the full image-focal plane along a run of the belt which is parallel to the plane of the original to expose the surface to the light and thereby form an electrostatic latent image thereon, drive means for driving the photosensitive member from its standby position during each cycle of transfer operation, means for bringing the image receiving face of transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the latent image bearing sensitive face of the travelling photosensitive member and driving the transfer paper at the same speed as the photosensitive member, the transfer paper being composed of a base having an electrically conductive face and a dielectric coating formed thereon, means for grounding the bases of both photosensitive member and transfer paper, the grounding means acting to electrically ground both an electroconductive roller included in the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means, the roller and the latter driving means acting to bring the image receiving face of the transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the face of the photosensitive member, and developing means for supplying toner to the transfer paper bearing the transferred electrostatic latent image so as to visualize the latent image.

Claim 3

An electrophotographic copier comprising in combination: a photosensitive member substantially in the form of an endless belt and composed of a flexible film base having an electrically conductive face, and inorganic semiphotoconductive layer and organic semiphotoconductive layer superimposed on the conductive face, exposure means for guiding reflected light from the face of an original document to the electrically charged sensitive surface of the photosensitive member to expose the surface to the light and thereby form an electrostatic latent image thereon, drive means for driving the photosensitive member from its standby position during each cycle of transfer operation, means for bringing the image receiving face of transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the latent image bearing sensitive face of the travelling photosensitive member and driving the transfer paper at the same speed as the photosensitive member, the transfer paper being composed of a base having an electrically conductive face and a dielectric coating formed thereon, means for grounding the bases of both photosensitive member and transfer paper, the grounding means acting to electrically ground both an electroconductive roller included in the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means, the roller and the latter driving means acting to bring the image receiving face of the transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the face of the photosensitive member, and developing means for supplying toner to the transfer paper bearing the transferred electrostatic latent image so as to visualize the latent image, said photosensitive member including a plurality of photosensitive sheets arranged in an endless belt reeved around the phOtosensitive member driving means, with the photosensitive faces on the faces of the photosensitive sheets arranged substantially in the form of an endless belt, so as to provide a photosensitive face divided into a plurality of sections.

Claim 4

An electrophotographic copier comprising in combination: a photosensitive member substantially in the form of an endless belt and composed of a flexible film base having an electrically conductive face, and inorganic semiphotoconductive layer and organic semiphotoconductive layer superimposed on the conductive face, exposure means for guiding reflected light from the face of an original document to the electrically charged sensitive surface of the photosensitive member to expose the surface to the light and thereby form an electrostatic latent image thereon, drive means for driving the photosensitive member from its standby position during each cycle of transfer operation, means for bringing the image receiving face of transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the latent image bearing sensitive face of the travelling photosensitive member and driving the transfer paper at the same speed as the photosensitive member, the transfer paper being composed of a base having an electrically conductive face and a dielectric coating formed thereon, means for grounding the bases of both photosensitive member and transfer paper, the grounding means acting to electrically ground both an electroconductive roller included in the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means, the roller and the latter driving means acting to bring the image receiving face of the transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the face of the photosensitive member, and developing means for supplying toner to the transfer paper bearing the transferred electrostatic latent image so as to visualize the latent image, said photosensitive member including a plurality of photosensitive sheets arranged in an endless belt reeved around the phOtosensitive member driving means, with the photosensitive faces on the faces of the photosensitive sheets arranged substantially in the form of an endless belt, so as to provide a photosensitive face divided into a plurality of sections.

Claim 5

The copier as set forth in claim 2 wherein the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means give to the photosensitive member and transfer paper rotational movement for copying cycles identical in number to the number of colors of the copying operation.

Claim 6

An electrophotographic copier comprising in combination: a photosensitive member substantially in the form of an endless belt and composed of a flexible film base having an electrically conductive face and inorganic semiphotoconductive layer and organic semiphotoconductive layer superimposed on the conductive face exposure means for guiding reflected light from the face of an original document to the electrically charged sensitive surface of the photosensitive member to expose the surface to the light and thereby form an electrostatic latent image thereon, drive means for driving the photosensitive member from its standby position during each cycle of transfer operation, means for bringing the image receiving face of transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the latent image bearing sensitive face of the travelling photosensitive member and driving the transfer paper at the same speed as the photosensitive member, the transfer paper being composed of a base having an electrically conductive face and a dielectric coating formed thereon, means for grounding the bases of both photosensitive member and transfer paper, the grounding means acting to electrically ground both an electroconductive roller included in the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means, the roller and the latter driving means acting to bring the image receiving face of the transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the face of the photosensitive member, developing means for supplying toner to the transfer paper bearing the transferred electrostatic latent image so as to visualize the latent image, position control means for returning the photosensitive member to the original standby position for each cycle of copying operation and including a cam plate to be rotated one turn for each cycle of copying operation, means for giving an electrical signal to position detecting circuits upon detecting under the control of the cam plate that the photosensitive member has reached an exposure position, and means for giving an electrical signal to the position detecting circuits upon detecting that one copying cycle has been completed.

Claim 7

An electrophotographic copier comprising in combination: a photosensitive member substantially in the form of an endless belt and composed of a flexible film base having an electrically conductive face and inorganic semiphotoconductive layer and organic semiphotoconductive layer superimposed on the conductive face exposure means for guiding reflected light from the face of an original document to the electrically charged sensitive surface of the photosensitive member to expose the surface to the light and thereby form an electrostatic latent image thereon, drive means for driving the photosensitive member from its standby position during each cycle of transfer operation, means for bringing the image receiving face of transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the latent image bearing sensitive face of the travelling photosensitive member and driving the transfer paper at the same speed as the photosensitive member, the transfer paper being composed of a base having an electrically conductive face and a dielectric coating formed thereon, means for grounding the bases of both photosensitive member and transfer paper, the grounding means acting to electrically ground both an electroconductive roller included in the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means, the roller and the latter driving means acting to bring the image receiving face of the transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the face of the photosensitive member, developing means for supplying toner to the transfer paper bearing the transferred electrostatic latent image so as to visualize the latent image, position control means for returning the photosensitive member to the original standby position for each cycle of copying operation and including a cam plate to be rotated one turn for each cycle of copying operation, means for giving an electrical signal to position detecting circuits upon detecting under the control of the cam plate that the photosensitive member has reached an exposure position, and means for giving an electrical signal to the position detecting circuits upon detecting that one copying cycle has been completed.

Claim 8

The copier as set forth in claim 4 wherein the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means give to the photosensitive member and transfer paper rotational movement for copying cycles identical in number to the number of colors of the copying operation.

Claim 9

An electrophotographic copier comprising in combination: a photosensitive member substantially in the form of an endless belt and composed of a flexible film base having an electrically conductive face and inorganic semiphotoconductive layer and organic semiphotoconductive layer superimposed on the conductive face exposure means for guiding reflected light from the face of an original document to the electrically charged sensitive surface of the photosensitive member to expose the surface to the light and thereby form an electrostatic latent image thereon, drive means for driving the photosensitive member from its standby position during each cycle of transfer operation, means for bringing the image receiving face of transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the latent image bearing sensitive face of the travelling photosensitive member and driving the transfer paper at the same speed as the photosensitive member, the transfer paper being composed of a base having an electrically conductive face and a dielectric coating formed thereon, means for grounding the bases of both photosensitive member and transfer paper, the grounding means acting to electrically ground both an electroconductive roller included in the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means, the roller and the latter driving means acting to bring the image receiving face of the transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the face of the photosensitive member, developing means for supplying toner to the transfer paper bearing the transferred electrostatic latent image so as to visualize the latent image, position control means for returning the photosensitive member to the original standby position for each cycle of copying operation, and changeover means for changing over the position control means to change the sensitive face to be used for a copying operation from a particular sensitive face to another sensitive face in succession and including a cam plate to be rotated one turn for each copying cycle, detecting members arranged around the cam plate and identical in number to the number of the sections of the photosensitive face and a switching member for selectively giving an electrical signal produced by the operation of the detecting member to the position detecting circuits, the detecting member being operable to emit electric signal upon detecting the angular position of the cam plate, the switching member being operable to give only the selected electrical signal to the position detecting circuits.

Claim 10

An electrophotographic copier comprising in combination: a photosensitive member substantially in the form of an endless belt and composed of a flexible film base having an electrically conductive face and inorganic semiphotoconductive layer and organic semiphotoconductive layer superimposed on the conductive face exposure means for guiding reflected light from the face of an original document to the electrically charged sensitive surface of the photosensitive member to expose the surface to the light and thereby form an electrostatic latent image thereon, drive means for driving the photosensitive member from its standby position during each cycle of transfer operation, means for bringing the image receiving face of transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the latent image bearing sensitive face of the travelling photosensitive member and driving the transfer paper at the same speed as the photosensitive member, the transfer paper being composed of a base having an electrically conductive face and a dielectric coating formed thereon, means for grounding the bases of both photosensitive member and transfer paper, the grounding means acting to electrically ground both an electroconductive roller included in the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means, the roller and the latter driving means acting to bring the image receiving face of the transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the face of the photosensitive member, developing means for supplying toner to the transfer paper bearing the transferred electrostatic latent image so as to visualize the latent image, position control means for returning the photosensitive member to the original standby position for each cycle of copying operation, and changeover means for changing over the position control means to change the sensitive face to be used for a copying operation from a particular sensitive face to another sensitive face in succession and including a cam plate to be rotated one turn for each copying cycle, detecting members arranged around the cam plate and identical in number to the number of the sections of the photosensitive face and a switching member for selectively giving an electrical signal produced by the operation of the detecting member to the position detecting circuits, the detecting member being operable to emit electric signal upon detecting the angular position of the cam plate, the switching member being operable to give only the selected electrical signal to the position detecting circuits.

Claim 11

The copier as set forth in claim 6, wherein the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means give to the photosensitive member and transfer paper rotational movement for copying cycles identical in number to the number of colors of the copying operation.

Claim 12

An electrophotographic copier comprising in combination: a photosensitive member substantially in the form of an endless belt and composed of a flexible film base having an electrically conductive face and an inorganic semi-photoconductive layer, and an organic semi-photoconductive layer, superposed on the conductive face exposure means for guiding reflected light from the face of an original document to the electrically charged sensitive surface of the photosensitive member to expose the surface to the light and thereby form an electrostatic latent image thereon, drive means for driving the photosensitive member from its standby position during each cycle of transfer operation, means for bringing the image receiving face of transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the latent image bearing sensitive face of the travelling photosensitive member and driving the transfer paper at the same speed as the photosensitive member, the transfer paper being composed of a base having an electrically conductive face and a dielectric coating formed thereon, means for grounding the bases of both photosensitive member and transfer paper, the grounding means acting to electrically ground both an electroconductive roller included in the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means, the roller and the latter driving means acting to bring the image receiving face of the transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the face of the photosensitive member, and developing means for supplying toner to the transfer paper bearing the transferred electrostatic latent image so as to visualize the latent image, the exposure means including a filter for separating the original image into three color images; the transfer paper driving means comprising a drum having a circumference equal to the entire peripheral length of the photosensitive member in the form of an endless belt, the drum being operable to retain the transfer paper on its peripheral face and move the same in synchronism with the photosensitive member with the transfer paper in snug-fit contact with the sensitive face of the member; and the developing means including liquid developing seCtions of three or four colors, the developing section of each color being positionable at a developing position of the transfer paper in corresponding relation to the change of the filter, the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means giving to the photosensitive member and transfer paper rotational movement for copying cycles identical in number to the number of colors of the copying operation.

Claim 13

An electrophotographic copier comprising in combination: a photosensitive member substantially in the form of an endless belt and composed of a flexible film base having an electrically conductive face and an inorganic semi-photoconductive layer, and an organic semi-photoconductive layer, superposed on the conductive face exposure means for guiding reflected light from the face of an original document to the electrically charged sensitive surface of the photosensitive member to expose the surface to the light and thereby form an electrostatic latent image thereon, drive means for driving the photosensitive member from its standby position during each cycle of transfer operation, means for bringing the image receiving face of transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the latent image bearing sensitive face of the travelling photosensitive member and driving the transfer paper at the same speed as the photosensitive member, the transfer paper being composed of a base having an electrically conductive face and a dielectric coating formed thereon, means for grounding the bases of both photosensitive member and transfer paper, the grounding means acting to electrically ground both an electroconductive roller included in the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means, the roller and the latter driving means acting to bring the image receiving face of the transfer paper into snug-fit contact with the face of the photosensitive member, and developing means for supplying toner to the transfer paper bearing the transferred electrostatic latent image so as to visualize the latent image, the exposure means including a filter for separating the original image into three color images; the transfer paper driving means comprising a drum having a circumference equal to the entire peripheral length of the photosensitive member in the form of an endless belt, the drum being operable to retain the transfer paper on its peripheral face and move the same in synchronism with the photosensitive member with the transfer paper in snug-fit contact with the sensitive face of the member; and the developing means including liquid developing seCtions of three or four colors, the developing section of each color being positionable at a developing position of the transfer paper in corresponding relation to the change of the filter, the photosensitive member driving means and the transfer paper driving means giving to the photosensitive member and transfer paper rotational movement for copying cycles identical in number to the number of colors of the copying operation.