Method and apparatus for inductive electrophotography

Claim 2

The invention according to claim 1 in which said insulative member includes a length in excess of the length of said predetermined region and wherein said series of initial steps includes the steps of forming a further electrostatic image on a region of said charge bearing surface lateral of said first mentioned region, applying said excess length of insulative member in direct contact with said lateral region subsequent to said further electrostatic image formation thereafter developing said further electrostatic image on said thin insulative member, and carrying said further image away from said electrostatic charge attraction.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1, in which said insulative member is in the form of a continuous loop.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1 in which said insulative member comprises a film formed of plastic having a thickness of from about 0.25 mil to about 1.5 mils.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1 in which said thin insulative member has sufficient transparency to said radiation for radiative discharge therethrough of said charged photoconductive surface, said insulative member being applied to said charged photoconductive surface prior to exposure thereof.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 1 in which said insulative member and photoconductive surface each include a plurality of portions at least equal in total length to a corresponding plurality of the length of said predetermined region and wherein said series of initial steps includes the steps of successively applying adjacent portions of said insulative member in direct contact with corresponding adjacent portions of said photoconductive surface, successively charging adjacent portions of said photoconductive surface prior to application of a corresponding insulative member portion thereto, successively exposing adjacent charged portions of said photoconductive surface to form successive electrostatic images, successively applying further toner to said adjacent insulative member portions subsequent to exposure of corresponding portions of said photoconductive surface and while in direct contact with said photoconductive surface to form successive toner images, and successively transferring said toner images to one or more support members.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 7 in which said successive exposures are effected with successively different wavelengths of radiation.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 8 in which said successive toner images are successively transferred to a single support member.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 1 in which said insulative member includes a length in excess of the length thereof applied to said photoconductive surface in said initial steps and wherein at least one of said plurality of series of steps is conducted on said excess length.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 1 in which said charging step in conducted to apply a potential sufficient to effect adherence, by induction, of toner to said insulative member in said direct contact but insufficient to discharge upon removal of said toner.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 9 in which said first mentioned toner and said further Toner comprise different color toners for respective application to adjacent insulative member portions whereby to provide plural color reproduction copies.

Claim 12

A process for electrostatic reproduction, comprising a series of initial steps, including an image-forming step, and a subsequent plurality of said series omitting said image-forming step, to produce a plurality of reproduction copies, said initial steps and plural series being conducted with a single thin insulative member, said initial series of steps comprising: forming an image to be reproduced as an electrostatic charge on a predetermined region of a charge bearing surface therefor adapted for carrying an electrostatic charge, said electrostatic charge having a potential sufficient to effect development of said image but insufficient to discharge upon removal of said developed image; thereafter applying a thin insulative member, having a thickness of about 0.1 mil to about 3.0 mils and a resistivity of at least 1013 ohms/ of surface, with a surface thereof in direct contact with said charge bearing surface region; thereafter developing said electrostatic image on said thin insulative member by applying toner thereto to form a toner image thereon while said thin insulative member is in said direct contact; separating said insulative member from said charge-bearing surface; and transferring said toner image from said thin insulative member to a support member.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 1 in which said predetermined region is exposed to said pattern of radiation prior to application of said thin insulative member.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 1 in which said predetermined region is exposed to said pattern of radiation subsequent to application of said thin insulative member.