Electrographic devices for the non-electrostatic duplication of originals provided with a conductivity pattern formed from indicia and blank areas

Claim 2

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a first material having a greater electric conductivity to a portion formed from a second material having a lesser conductivity, means for placing a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles in contact with said conductivity pattern, means for generating an alternatively modulated electric field of sufficient strength across said conductivity pattern and said layer of electrically chargeable particles so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said layer of electrically chargeable particles and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains in said particles layer thereby forming a stable electrographic image.

Claim 3

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, means for coating said conductivity pattern with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, two electrodes between which said conductivity pattern is interposed, at least one of said electrodes being a grid electrode, means for maintaining said grid electrode in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern so that said coating particles layer is interposed between said conductivity pattern and said grid electrode and is electrically insulated from said grid electrode, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength between said electrodes so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to 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 remains on said conductivity pattern thereby forming 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 4

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, means for coating said conductivity pattern with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, two electrodes between which said conductivity pattern is interposed, at least one of said electrodes being a grid electrode, means for maintaining said grid electrode in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern so that said coating particles layer is interposed between said conductivity pattern and said grid electrode and is electrically insulated from said grid electrode, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength between said electrodes so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to 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 remains on said conductivity pattern thereby forming 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 5

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranGing from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, 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 layer in contact with said layer of electrically chargeable particles so that said coated conductivity pattern is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said insulating layer, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said insulating backing member and said insulating layer so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to said electrically chargeable particles whreby 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 remains on said conductivity pattern thereby forminig a stable electrographic image.

Claim 6

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranGing from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, 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 layer in contact with said layer of electrically chargeable particles so that said coated conductivity pattern is electrically insulated between said insulating backing member and said insulating layer, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said insulating backing member and said insulating layer so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to said electrically chargeable particles whreby 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 remains on said conductivity pattern thereby forminig a stable electrographic image.

Claim 7

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a aportion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, 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 first electrode placed against said insulating backing member so that said insulating member is disposed between said first electrode and said coated conductivity pattern, a grid-shaped second electrode in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern so that said layer of electrically chargeable particles is disposed between said conductivity pattern and said grid electrode and is electrically insulated from said grid electrode, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength between said electrodes so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to 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 remains on said conductivity pattern thereby forming 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 8

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a aportion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, 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 first electrode placed against said insulating backing member so that said insulating member is disposed between said first electrode and said coated conductivity pattern, a grid-shaped second electrode in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern so that said layer of electrically chargeable particles is disposed between said conductivity pattern and said grid electrode and is electrically insulated from said grid electrode, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength between said electrodes so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to 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 remains on said conductivity pattern thereby forming 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 9

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion from an insulating second material, an insulating backing member onto which said conductivity pattern is affixed, an image carrier, means for interposing a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles between said image carrier and said conductivity pattern so that said conductivity pattern is disposed between said insulating backing member and said layer of particles and said layer of particles is placed in contact with said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said insulating backing member and said image carrier so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said layer of electrically chargeable particles and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains in said particles layer thereby forming a first stable electrographic image on said image carrier and a second stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern.

Claim 10

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion from an insulating second material, an insulating backing member onto which said conductivity pattern is affixed, an image carrier, means for interposing a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles between said image carrier and said conductivity pattern so that said conductivity pattern is disposed between said insulating backing member and said layer of particles and said layer of particles is placed in contact with said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said insulating backing member and said image carrier so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said layer of electrically chargeable particles and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains in said particles layer thereby forming a first stable electrographic image on said image carrier and a second stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern.

Claim 11

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, a conductive backing member onto which said conductivity pattern is affixed, an image carrier, means for interposing a thin layer of Electrically chargeable particles between said image carrier and said conductivity pattern so that said conductivity pattern is disposed between said conductive backing member and said layer of particles and said layer of particles is placed in contact with said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said conductive backing member and said image carrier so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said layer of electrically chargeable particles and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains in said particles layer thereby forming a first stable electrographic image on said image carrier and a second stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern.

Claim 12

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, a conductive backing member onto which said conductivity pattern is affixed, an image carrier, means for interposing a thin layer of Electrically chargeable particles between said image carrier and said conductivity pattern so that said conductivity pattern is disposed between said conductive backing member and said layer of particles and said layer of particles is placed in contact with said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said conductive backing member and said image carrier so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern to said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said layer of electrically chargeable particles and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains in said particles layer thereby forming a first stable electrographic image on said image carrier and a second stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern.

Claim 13

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, a conductive image carrier, means for coating said conductive image carrier with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, means for placing said conductive image carrier against said conductivity pattern so that said layer of electrically chargeable particles is placed in contact with said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said conductivity pattern and said conductive image carrier so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern and said conductive image carrier to said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductive image carrier and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains on said conductive image carrier thereby forming a stable electrographic image on said conductive image carrier.

Claim 14

An electrographic device comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, a conductive image carrier, means for coating said conductive image carrier with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, means for placing said conductive image carrier against said conductivity pattern so that said layer of electrically chargeable particles is placed in contact with said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said conductivity pattern and said conductive image carrier so as to transfer electric charges from said conductivity pattern and said conductive image carrier to said electrically chargeable particles whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductive image carrier and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains on said conductive image carrier thereby forming a stable electrographic image on said conductive image carrier.

Claim 15

An electrographic apparatus comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion form an insulating second material, a development station including two electrodes, means for disposing said conductivity pattern between said electrodes, at least one of said electrodes being a grid electrode, means for placing said grid electrode in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern so that said conductivity pattern is electrically insulated from said grid electrode, means for coating said conductivity pattern with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles so that said layer of coating particles is disposed between said conductivity pattern and said grid electrode, means for generating a first electric field between said electrodes 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 remains in said conductivity pattern thereby forming a stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern, means for transporting said electrographic image bearing conductivity pattern from said development station to a transfer station, said transfer station including means for placing a copy material against the particles of said electrographic image on said conductivity pattern, means for generating a second electric field of sufficient strength across said conductivity pattern and said copy material to electrically remove said particles from said conductivity pattern thereby transferring said electrographic image from said conductivity pattern onto said copy material.

Claim 16

An electrographic apparatus comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion form an insulating second material, a development station including two electrodes, means for disposing said conductivity pattern between said electrodes, at least one of said electrodes being a grid electrode, means for placing said grid electrode in spaced relationship with said conductivity pattern so that said conductivity pattern is electrically insulated from said grid electrode, means for coating said conductivity pattern with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles so that said layer of coating particles is disposed between said conductivity pattern and said grid electrode, means for generating a first electric field between said electrodes 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 remains in said conductivity pattern thereby forming a stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern, means for transporting said electrographic image bearing conductivity pattern from said development station to a transfer station, said transfer station including means for placing a copy material against the particles of said electrographic image on said conductivity pattern, means for generating a second electric field of sufficient strength across said conductivity pattern and said copy material to electrically remove said particles from said conductivity pattern thereby transferring said electrographic image from said conductivity pattern onto said copy material.

Claim 17

An electrographic apparatus comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, said conductivity pattern being coated with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, a development sTation including means for placing an image carrier against said conductivity pattern so that said layer of coating particles is interposed between said image carrier and said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field across said coated conductivity pattern and said image carrier whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern thereby forming a first stable electrographic image on said image carrier from said removed particles and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains on said conductivity pattern thereby forming a second stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern, means for transporting said conductivity pattern bearing said second electrographic image from said dvelopment station to a transfer station, said transfer station including means for placing a copy material against the particles of said electrographic image on said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said conductivity pattern and said copy material to electrically remove said particles from said conductivity pattern thereby transferring said second electrographic image from said conductivity pattern onto said copy material.

Claim 18

An electrographic apparatus comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, said conductivity pattern being coated with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, a development sTation including means for placing an image carrier against said conductivity pattern so that said layer of coating particles is interposed between said image carrier and said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field across said coated conductivity pattern and said image carrier whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductivity pattern thereby forming a first stable electrographic image on said image carrier from said removed particles and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains on said conductivity pattern thereby forming a second stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern, means for transporting said conductivity pattern bearing said second electrographic image from said dvelopment station to a transfer station, said transfer station including means for placing a copy material against the particles of said electrographic image on said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said conductivity pattern and said copy material to electrically remove said particles from said conductivity pattern thereby transferring said second electrographic image from said conductivity pattern onto said copy material.

Claim 19

An electrographic apparatus comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, a conductive image carrier, said conductive image carrier being coated with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, a development station including means for placing said conductive image carrier against said conductivity pattern so that said layer of coating particles is interposed between said conductive image carrier and said conductivity pattern and is placed in contact with said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field across said conductivity pattern and said conductive image carrier whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductive image carrier thereby forming a first stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains on said conductivity pattern thereby forming a second stable electrographic image on said conductive image carrier, means for transporting said conductive image carrier bearing said second electrographic image from said development station to a transfer station, said transfer station including means for placing a copy material against the particles of said second electrographic image on said conductive image carrier, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said conductive image carrier and said copy material to electrically remove said particles from said conductive image carrier thereby transferring said second electrographic image from said conductivity pattern onto said copy material.

Claim 20

An electrographic apparatus comprising an original provided with a conductivity pattern ranging from a portion formed from a conductive first material to a portion formed from an insulating second material, a conductive image carrier, said conductive image carrier being coated with a thin layer of electrically chargeable particles, a development station including means for placing said conductive image carrier against said conductivity pattern so that said layer of coating particles is interposed between said conductive image carrier and said conductivity pattern and is placed in contact with said conductivity pattern, means for generating an electric field across said conductivity pattern and said conductive image carrier whereby a portion of said particles is sufficiently charged and removed from said conductive image carrier thereby forming a first stable electrographic image on said conductivity pattern and the remainder of said particles is insufficiently charged so that it remains on said conductivity pattern thereby forming a second stable electrographic image on said conductive image carrier, means for transporting said conductive image carrier bearing said second electrographic image from said development station to a transfer station, said transfer station including means for placing a copy material against the particles of said second electrographic image on said conductive image carrier, means for generating an electric field of sufficient strength across said conductive image carrier and said copy material to electrically remove said particles from said conductive image carrier thereby transferring said second electrographic image from said conductivity pattern onto said copy material.