Cleaning means for an overcoated photoconductive surface

Claim 1

An electrophotographic apparatus having an overcoated photoconductor element; means depositing a layer of charges on a surface of the photoconductor element, said deposited charges having a first polarity; means exposing said charged surface to a light image comprising a transparent corona source spraying on said charged surface charges of a polarity opposite to said deposited charges and means for projecting a light image through said transparent corona source simultaneously with said spraying of oppositely polarized charges thereby producing a preliminary latent image, and a light source for uniformly illuminating said medium contrast latent image to thereby obtain a final, higher contrast latent image; means applYing a toner to said exposed surface; a copy sheet; means for bringing said copy sheet into momentary contact with the toned surface; and means transferring the image from said toned surface to said copy sheet; in combination with a further light source illuminating the toned surface subsequent to transfer of the image and an erasing corona source spraying charges of a polarity opposite to said deposited charges on said toned surface subsequent to transfer of said image.