Device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid

Claim 1

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, wherein said developing fluid containing sections are formed around the periphery of the developing roller by providing adjacent grooves each having a groove bottom and groove walls, the pitch of the groove defined as the distance between adjacent groove wall tops being in the range from 0.08 to 0.15 millimeters and the angle formed by adjacent groove walls defining the degree of opening of each groove being in the range from 15* to 20*, said groove walls having smooth tops.

Claim 2

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, wherein said developing fluid containing sections are formed around the periphery of the developing roller by providing adjacent grooves each having a groove bottom and groove walls, the pitch of the groove defined as the distance between adjacent groove wall tops being in the range from 0.08 to 0.15 millimeters and the angle formed by adjacent groove walls defining the degree of opening of each groove being in the range from 15* to 20*, said groove walls having smooth tops.

Claim 5

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid, comprising: a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for deliverying a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller snd said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, and cylindrical end pieces of greater diameter than the keep roller fixed to the axial ends of the keep roller coaxially therewith to maintain the keep roller spaced apart from the developing roller by a clearance which is slightly less than the thickness of the recording sheet, so that a surface of the recording sheet on which the electrostatic image is formed is brought into contact with at least the crests formed on the periphery of the developing roller when the recording sheet is fed between the peripheries of the developing roller and the recording sheet keep roller, but the developing roller and the recording sheet keep roller are spaced from each other and out of contact of each other when no recording sheet is present between them to avoid staining the sheet keep roller with developing fluid from the developing roller.

Claim 6

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid, comprising: a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for deliverying a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller snd said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, and cylindrical end pieces of greater diameter than the keep roller fixed to the axial ends of the keep roller coaxially therewith to maintain the keep roller spaced apart from the developing roller by a clearance which is slightly less than the thickness of the recording sheet, so that a surface of the recording sheet on which the electrostatic image is formed is brought into contact with at least the crests formed on the periphery of the developing roller when the recording sheet is fed between the peripheries of the developing roller and the recording sheet keep roller, but the developing roller and the recording sheet keep roller are spaced from each other and out of contact of each other when no recording sheet is present between them to avoid staining the sheet keep roller with developing fluid from the developing roller.

Claim 7

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged resions of the recording sheet, wherein said container and said developing roller are movable relative to each other before and after a developing operation, and including means for bringing the developing roller to a position in which its periphery is partly immersed in the developing fluid in the container before initiation of the developing operation and to a position in which its periphery is entirely immersed in the developing fluid in the container after termination of the developing operation.

Claim 8

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged resions of the recording sheet, wherein said container and said developing roller are movable relative to each other before and after a developing operation, and including means for bringing the developing roller to a position in which its periphery is partly immersed in the developing fluid in the container before initiation of the developing operation and to a position in which its periphery is entirely immersed in the developing fluid in the container after termination of the developing operation.

Claim 10

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to sad developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, wherein said container is provided with a cover, said container being opened as a result of relative movements of the cover and the developing roller before initiation of a developing operation to bring the developing roller to a position in which its periphery is partly immersed in the developing fluid in the container and closed as a result of relative movements of the cover and the developing roller after termination of the developing operation to bring the developing roller to a position in which its periphery is entirely immersed in the developing fluid in the container.

Claim 11

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to sad developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, wherein said container is provided with a cover, said container being opened as a result of relative movements of the cover and the developing roller before initiation of a developing operation to bring the developing roller to a position in which its periphery is partly immersed in the developing fluid in the container and closed as a result of relative movements of the cover and the developing roller after termination of the developing operation to bring the developing roller to a position in which its periphery is entirely immersed in the developing fluid in the container.

Claim 12

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply memeber for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor memBer into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, wherein said developing fluid supply means comprises a developing fluid supply roller and means for immersing said developing fluid supply roller in its entirely in the developing fluid in the container when no developing operation is being carried out.

Claim 13

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply memeber for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor memBer into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, wherein said developing fluid supply means comprises a developing fluid supply roller and means for immersing said developing fluid supply roller in its entirely in the developing fluid in the container when no developing operation is being carried out.

Claim 14

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, wherein said doctor member is a roller, and including means for intermittently rotating the doctor member roller around its longitudinal axis.

Claim 15

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, wherein said doctor member is a roller, and including means for intermittently rotating the doctor member roller around its longitudinal axis.

Claim 16

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid Containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, wherein said doctor member is a roller of irregular cross-section.

Claim 17

A device for developing an electrostatic image with a developing fluid comprising a developing roller formed on its periphery with a multitude of minute valleys and crests, with the valleys serving as developing fluid containing sections, developing fluid supply means comprising a container for containing therein a developing fluid and a developing fluid supply member for delivering a supply of the developing fluid from said container to said developing roller, means for rotating said developing roller, a doctor member made of a material capable of suitably absorbing fluid, means for bringing the doctor member into intimate pressing engagement with the periphery of said developing roller so as to adjust the fluid level of developing fluid in each developing fluid containing section and keep it below the crests or maximum diameter portions of the developing roller, and means comprising at least one recording sheet keep roller juxtaposed to said developing roller for bringing a recording sheet fed between the peripheries of said developing roller and said recording sheet keep roller into intimate contact with the periphery of said developing roller so that the developing fluid in said developing fluid Containing sections on the periphery of the developing roller may be attracted to an electrostatic image formed on the recording sheet and adhere thereto so that the image can be developed into a visible image while no developing fluid adheres to non-charged regions of the recording sheet, wherein said doctor member is a roller of irregular cross-section.