Electrographic devices for the development composition and transfer of particles images

Claim 9

A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said generating means comprises means for changing the direction of said electric field.

Claim 10

A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said generating means comprises means for changing the direction of said electric field.

Claim 11

An electrographic device comprising a conductivity pattern formed by areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, an insulating backing member onto which said conductivity pattern is affixed, a fluid insulating layer in juxtaposition to said conductivity pattern so that said conductivity pattern is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, first and second electrode means between which are disposed said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, at least one of said electrode means being a grid electrode, said grid electrode being in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern and being juxtaposed to said fluid insulating layer, means for blowing a cloud of electrically chargeable particles onto said conductivity pattern thereby coating the same, means for generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member an electric field of sufficient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said electrically chargeable particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said conductivity pattern thereby producing a stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern said portion of said particles removed from said conductivity pattern migrating tHrough the openings in said grid electrode and being removed from said electric field.

Claim 12

An electrographic device comprising a conductivity pattern formed by areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, an insulating backing member onto which said conductivity pattern is affixed, a fluid insulating layer in juxtaposition to said conductivity pattern so that said conductivity pattern is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, first and second electrode means between which are disposed said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, at least one of said electrode means being a grid electrode, said grid electrode being in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern and being juxtaposed to said fluid insulating layer, means for blowing a cloud of electrically chargeable particles onto said conductivity pattern thereby coating the same, means for generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member an electric field of sufficient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said electrically chargeable particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said conductivity pattern thereby producing a stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern said portion of said particles removed from said conductivity pattern migrating tHrough the openings in said grid electrode and being removed from said electric field.

Claim 13

A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said generating means comprises means for changing the direction of said electric field.

Claim 14

A device as defined in claim 7 further comprising a photoconductive non-insulating layer and means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to an electromagnetic radiation so that said conductivity pattern is formed in said photoconductive non-insulating layer.

Claim 15

An electrographic device comprising a thin photoconductive non-insulating layer, an insulating backing member onto which said photoconductive non-insulating layer is affixed, a fluid insulating layer in juxtaposition to said photoconductive non-insulating layer so that said photoconductive non-insulating layer is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, first and second electrode means between which are disposed said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, at least one of said electrode means being a grid electrode, said grid electrode being in spaced relationship with said photoconductive non-insulating layer and being juxtaposed to said fluid insulating layer, means for blowing a cloud of electrically chargeable particles onto said photoconductive non-insulating layer thereby coating the same, means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to a first pattern of electromagnetic radiation to form a first conductivity pattern in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, said first conductivity pattern comprising areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, means for generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member a first electric field of sufficient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said electrically chargeable particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said first conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said first conductivity pattern thereby producing a first stable electrographic image on said photoconductive non-insulating layer said portion of said particles removed from said first conductivity pattern migrating through the openings in said grid electrode and being removed from said electric field, said device further comprising means for blowing a second cloud of electrically chargeable particles onto said photoconductive non-insulating layer thereby coating the same, means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to a second pattern of electromagnetic radiation to form a second conductivity pattern in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, said second conductivity pattern comprising areas having differing conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, means for generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member a second electric field of sufficient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said electrically chargeable particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said second conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said second conductivity pattern thereby producing a second stable electrographic image on said photoconductive non-insulating layer said portion of said particles removed from said second conductivity pattern migrating through the openings in said grid electrode and being removed from said second electric field.

Claim 16

An electrographic device comprising a thin photoconductive non-insulating layer, an insulating backing member onto which said photoconductive non-insulating layer is affixed, a fluid insulating layer in juxtaposition to said photoconductive non-insulating layer so that said photoconductive non-insulating layer is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, first and second electrode means between which are disposed said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, at least one of said electrode means being a grid electrode, said grid electrode being in spaced relationship with said photoconductive non-insulating layer and being juxtaposed to said fluid insulating layer, means for blowing a cloud of electrically chargeable particles onto said photoconductive non-insulating layer thereby coating the same, means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to a first pattern of electromagnetic radiation to form a first conductivity pattern in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, said first conductivity pattern comprising areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, means for generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member a first electric field of sufficient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said electrically chargeable particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said first conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said first conductivity pattern thereby producing a first stable electrographic image on said photoconductive non-insulating layer said portion of said particles removed from said first conductivity pattern migrating through the openings in said grid electrode and being removed from said electric field, said device further comprising means for blowing a second cloud of electrically chargeable particles onto said photoconductive non-insulating layer thereby coating the same, means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to a second pattern of electromagnetic radiation to form a second conductivity pattern in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, said second conductivity pattern comprising areas having differing conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, means for generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member a second electric field of sufficient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said electrically chargeable particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said second conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said second conductivity pattern thereby producing a second stable electrographic image on said photoconductive non-insulating layer said portion of said particles removed from said second conductivity pattern migrating through the openings in said grid electrode and being removed from said second electric field.

Claim 17

A device as defined in claim 10 wherein at least one of said generating means comprises changing the direction of said electric field.

Claim 18

An electrographic device comprising a conductivity pattern includIng at least an area formed from a non-insulating material so that said conductivity pattern is formed by areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, an insulating backing member onto which said conductivity pattern is affixed, means for coating said conductivity pattern with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, an insulating image carrier against said layer of electrically chargeable particles so that said coated conductivity pattern is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said insulating image carrier, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said insulating backing member and said insulating image carrier to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said electrically chargeable particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said conductivity pattern thereby producing a stable electrographic image on said insulating image carrier by said portion of said particles removed from said conductivity pattern.

Claim 19

An electrographic device comprising a conductivity pattern includIng at least an area formed from a non-insulating material so that said conductivity pattern is formed by areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, an insulating backing member onto which said conductivity pattern is affixed, means for coating said conductivity pattern with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, an insulating image carrier against said layer of electrically chargeable particles so that said coated conductivity pattern is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said insulating image carrier, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said insulating backing member and said insulating image carrier to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said electrically chargeable particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said conductivity pattern thereby producing a stable electrographic image on said insulating image carrier by said portion of said particles removed from said conductivity pattern.

Claim 20

A device as defined in claim 12 further comprising a photoconductive non-insulating layer and means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to an electromagnetic radiation so that said conductivity pattern is formed in said photoconductive non-insulating layer.

Claim 21

A device as defined in claim 12 wherein said generating means comprises means for alternatively modulating said electric field.

Claim 22

An electrographic device comprising a photoconductive non-insulating layer, an insulating backing member onto which said photoconductive non-insulating layer is affixed, an electrographic image of electrically chargeable particles being formed on said photoconductive non-insulating layer, an insulating image carrier against said electrically chargeable particles so that said photoconductive non-insulating layer is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said insulating image carrier, means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to an electromagnetic radiation inducing a uniform high electric conductivity in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, means for generating an electric field across said insulating image carrier and said insulating backing member to charge the electrically chargeable particles of said electrographic image from said uniformly conductive photoconductive non-insulating layer whereby said electrographic image is electrically transferred onto said insulating image carrier.

Claim 23

An electrographic device comprising a photoconductive non-insulating layer, an insulating backing member onto which said photoconductive non-insulating layer is affixed, an electrographic image of electrically chargeable particles being formed on said photoconductive non-insulating layer, an insulating image carrier against said electrically chargeable particles so that said photoconductive non-insulating layer is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said insulating image carrier, means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to an electromagnetic radiation inducing a uniform high electric conductivity in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, means for generating an electric field across said insulating image carrier and said insulating backing member to charge the electrically chargeable particles of said electrographic image from said uniformly conductive photoconductive non-insulating layer whereby said electrographic image is electrically transferred onto said insulating image carrier.

Claim 24

A device as defined in claim 15 wherein said generating means comprises means for alternatively modulating said electric field.

Claim 25

An electrographic device comprising a conductivity pattern including at least an area formed from a non-insulating material so that said conductivity pattern is formed by areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, an insulating backing member onto which said conductivity pattern is affixed, means for coating said conductivity pattern with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, a fluid insulating layer in juxtaposition to said conductivity pattern so that said coated conductivity pattern is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, first and second electrode means between which are disposed said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, at least one of said electrode means being a grid electrode, said grid electrode being in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern and being juxtaposed to said fluid insulating layer, means for generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member an electric field of sufFicient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said conductivity pattern thereby producing a stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern said portion of said particles removed from said conductivity pattern migrating through the openings in said grid electrode and being removed from said electric field.

Claim 26

An electrographic device comprising a conductivity pattern including at least an area formed from a non-insulating material so that said conductivity pattern is formed by areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, an insulating backing member onto which said conductivity pattern is affixed, means for coating said conductivity pattern with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, a fluid insulating layer in juxtaposition to said conductivity pattern so that said coated conductivity pattern is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, first and second electrode means between which are disposed said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, at least one of said electrode means being a grid electrode, said grid electrode being in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern and being juxtaposed to said fluid insulating layer, means for generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member an electric field of sufFicient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said conductivity pattern thereby producing a stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern said portion of said particles removed from said conductivity pattern migrating through the openings in said grid electrode and being removed from said electric field.

Claim 27

A device as defined in claim 17 wherein said generating means comprises means for alternatively modulating said electric field.

Claim 28

An electrographic device comprising a photoconductive non-insulating layer, an insulating backing member onto which said photoconductive non-insulating layer is affixed, means for coating said photoconductive non-insulating layer with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, a fluid insulating layer in juxtaposition to said photoconductive non-insulating layer so that said coated photoconductive non-insulating layer is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to a pattern of electromagnetic radiation to form a conductivity pattern in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, said conductivity pattern comprising areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, first and second electrode means between which are disposed said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, at least one of said electrode means being a grid electrode, said grid electrode being in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern formed in said photoconductive non-insulating layer and being juxtaposed to said fluid insulating layer, means for generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member a first electric field of sufficient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said conductivity pattern thereby producing a stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern said portion of said particles removed from said conductivity pattern migrating through the openings in said grid electrode and being removed from said first electric field, said device further comprising means for placing a copy material against the particles of said electrographic image, means for uniformly exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to an electromagnetic radiation inducing a uniform high electric conductivity in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, means for generating a second electric field across said copy material and said photoconductive non-insulating layer to charge said particles from said uniformly conductive photoconductive non-insulating layer whereby said electrographic image is electrically transferred onto said copy material.

Claim 29

An electrographic device comprising a photoconductive non-insulating layer, an insulating backing member onto which said photoconductive non-insulating layer is affixed, means for coating said photoconductive non-insulating layer with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, a fluid insulating layer in juxtaposition to said photoconductive non-insulating layer so that said coated photoconductive non-insulating layer is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to a pattern of electromagnetic radiation to form a conductivity pattern in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, said conductivity pattern comprising areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, first and second electrode means between which are disposed said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, at least one of said electrode means being a grid electrode, said grid electrode being in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern formed in said photoconductive non-insulating layer and being juxtaposed to said fluid insulating layer, means for generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member a first electric field of sufficient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said conductivity pattern thereby producing a stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern said portion of said particles removed from said conductivity pattern migrating through the openings in said grid electrode and being removed from said first electric field, said device further comprising means for placing a copy material against the particles of said electrographic image, means for uniformly exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to an electromagnetic radiation inducing a uniform high electric conductivity in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, means for generating a second electric field across said copy material and said photoconductive non-insulating layer to charge said particles from said uniformly conductive photoconductive non-insulating layer whereby said electrographic image is electrically transferred onto said copy material.

Claim 30

A device as defined in claim 19 wherein at least one of said generating means comprises means for alternatively modulating said electric field.

Claim 31

An electrographic device comprising a photoconductive non-insulating layer, an insulating backing member onto which said photoconductive non-insulating layer is affixed, a fluid insulating layer in juxtaposition to said photoconductive non-insulating layer so that said photoconductive non-insulating layer is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, first and second electrode means between which are disposed said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, at least one of said electrode means being a grid electrode, said grid electrode being in spaced relationship with said photocondUctive non-insulating layer and being juxtaposed to said fluid insulating layer, means for placing a mass of electrically chargeable particles in contact with said photoconductive non-insulating layer, means for maintaining said photoconductive non-insulating layer in the dark and simultaneously generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member a first electric field of sufficient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles thereby forming a thin uniform layer of coating particles on said photoconductive non-insulating layer, means for removing said coated photoconductive non-insulating layer from said first electric field, an insulating layer placed against said photoconductive non-insulating layer so that said coated photoconductive non-insulating layer is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said insulating layer, means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to an electromagnetic radiation to form a conductivity pattern in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, said conductivity pattern being formed by areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, means for generating a second electric field of sufficient strength across said insulating backing member and said insulating layer to charge said particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said conductivity pattern thereby producing a stable electrographic image.

Claim 32

An electrographic device comprising a photoconductive non-insulating layer, an insulating backing member onto which said photoconductive non-insulating layer is affixed, a fluid insulating layer in juxtaposition to said photoconductive non-insulating layer so that said photoconductive non-insulating layer is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, first and second electrode means between which are disposed said insulating backing member and said fluid insulating layer, at least one of said electrode means being a grid electrode, said grid electrode being in spaced relationship with said photocondUctive non-insulating layer and being juxtaposed to said fluid insulating layer, means for placing a mass of electrically chargeable particles in contact with said photoconductive non-insulating layer, means for maintaining said photoconductive non-insulating layer in the dark and simultaneously generating between said electrodes and across said fluid insulating layer and said insulating backing member a first electric field of sufficient strength to charge said electrically chargeable particles thereby forming a thin uniform layer of coating particles on said photoconductive non-insulating layer, means for removing said coated photoconductive non-insulating layer from said first electric field, an insulating layer placed against said photoconductive non-insulating layer so that said coated photoconductive non-insulating layer is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said insulating layer, means for exposing said photoconductive non-insulating layer to an electromagnetic radiation to form a conductivity pattern in said photoconductive non-insulating layer, said conductivity pattern being formed by areas having differing electric conductivity characteristics ranging from an area exhibiting maximum conductivity to an area exhibiting minimum conductivity, means for generating a second electric field of sufficient strength across said insulating backing member and said insulating layer to charge said particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it continues to coat said conductivity pattern thereby producing a stable electrographic image.

Claim 33

A device as defined in claim 21 further comprising means for blowing said electrically chargeable particles through said grid electrode simultaneously with the generation of said first electric field so that said electrically chargeable particles are placed in contact with said photoconductive non-insulating layer.

Claim 34

A device as defined in claim 21 wherein at least one of said generating means comprises means for alternatively modulating said electric field.

Claim 35

An electrographic device comprising a non-insulating photoconductive layer provided with an electrographic image developed on said non-insulating photoconductive layer, an insulating backing onto which said non-insulating photoconductive layer is affixed, means for placing a copy material against the particles of said electrographic image so that said particles image is interposed between said copy material and said non-insulating photoconductive layer, means for exposing said non-insulating photoconductive layer to radiation inducing a high uniform conductivity in said non-insulating photoconductive layer, and means for generating across said copy material and said non-insulating photoconductive layer an electric field of sufficient strength to attract the particles of said electrographic image from said uniformly conductive non-insulating photoconductive layer onto said copy material.

Claim 36

An electrographic device comprising a non-insulating photoconductive layer provided with an electrographic image developed on said non-insulating photoconductive layer, an insulating backing onto which said non-insulating photoconductive layer is affixed, means for placing a copy material against the particles of said electrographic image so that said particles image is interposed between said copy material and said non-insulating photoconductive layer, means for exposing said non-insulating photoconductive layer to radiation inducing a high uniform conductivity in said non-insulating photoconductive layer, and means for generating across said copy material and said non-insulating photoconductive layer an electric field of sufficient strength to attract the particles of said electrographic image from said uniformly conductive non-insulating photoconductive layer onto said copy material.