Device for liquid development

Claim 2

A DEVELOPING DEVICE FOR DEVELOPING, WITH A LIQUID DEVELOPING AGENT, AN ELECTROSTTATIC IMAGE FORMED ON AN IMAGE BEARING MEMBER, COMPRISING: AN ELECTRODE FOR DEVELOPMENT, A RESERVOIR FOR THE DEVELOPING AGENT, SLIT WELL-UP MEANS FOR WELLING UP THE DEVELOPING AGENT, SAID MEANS BEING FORMED ON SAID ELECTRODE AND HAVING CLOSED ENDS, MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF THE DEVELOPING AGENT, SAID CONTROLLING MEANS BEING LOCATED ADJACENT SAIDD SLIT WELL-UP MEANS AND INCLUDING A STORING SUMP FOR THE LIQUID DEVELOPING AGENT AND A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS COMMUNICATING THE STORING SUMP WITH SAID SLIT WELL-UP MEANS, THE OPENINGS DIRECTING THE LIQUID DEVELOPING AGENT FROM THE STORING SUMP IN A DIRECTION DIFFERENT FROM THE WELL-UP DIRECTION OF THE LIQUID DEVELOPING AGENT AT THE SLIT OF SAID WELL-UP MEANS, AND MEANS FOR FEEDING TH LIQUID DEVELOPING AGENT FROM SAID RESERVOIR TO SAID CONTROLLING MEANS.

Claim 3

A developing device for developing, with a liquid developing agent, an electrostatic image form on an image bearing member, comprising: an electrode for development located at a lower position of a photosensitive drum, said electrode having an arcuate surface adapted for a surface of the photosensitive drum; a reservoir for the developing agent; well-up means for welling up the developing agent, said means having closed ends and being formed on said electrode at a position thereof where the photosensitive drum rotates in the downward direction, means for controlling the flow of the developing agent, said controlling means being located laterally adjacent said well-up means and including a storing sump for the liquid developing agent located a distance from said well-up means in a radial direction of the photosensitive drum, and alos including a plurality of openings communicating the storing sump with said well-up means; and means for feeding the liquid developing agent from said reservoir to said controlling means.

Claim 4

A developing device for developing, with a liquid developing agent, an electrostatic image form on an image bearing member, comprising: an electrode for development located at a lower position of a photosensitive drum, said electrode having an arcuate surface adapted for a surface of the photosensitive drum; a reservoir for the developing agent; well-up means for welling up the developing agent, said means having closed ends and being formed on said electrode at a position thereof where the photosensitive drum rotates in the downward direction, means for controlling the flow of the developing agent, said controlling means being located laterally adjacent said well-up means and including a storing sump for the liquid developing agent located a distance from said well-up means in a radial direction of the photosensitive drum, and alos including a plurality of openings communicating the storing sump with said well-up means; and means for feeding the liquid developing agent from said reservoir to said controlling means.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 2, wherein the well-up direction of the liquid developing agent at said well-up means is eccentric with respect to the center of the photosensitive drum in the direction of rotation of the drum.

Claim 6

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising means for forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum, means for developing the electrostatic latent image thus formed, means or removing excessive developing liquid from the photosensitive drum, means for transferring an image thus developed onto a transfer material, and means for cleaning the photosensitive drum, said means being located around the photosensitive drum in the order named, and said developing means being located lower than the level of the center of the photosensitive drum, and said developing means comprising, an electrode having an arcuate surface adapted for a surface of the photosensitive drum, a slit formed in the electrode to well up the developing liquid at a position where the photosensitive member rotates downwardly, a developing liquid storing sump located in parallel with said slit, and numerous openings for discharging the developing liquid from the storing sump in a substantially horizontal direction.

Claim 7

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising means for forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum, means for developing the electrostatic latent image thus formed, means or removing excessive developing liquid from the photosensitive drum, means for transferring an image thus developed onto a transfer material, and means for cleaning the photosensitive drum, said means being located around the photosensitive drum in the order named, and said developing means being located lower than the level of the center of the photosensitive drum, and said developing means comprising, an electrode having an arcuate surface adapted for a surface of the photosensitive drum, a slit formed in the electrode to well up the developing liquid at a position where the photosensitive member rotates downwardly, a developing liquid storing sump located in parallel with said slit, and numerous openings for discharging the developing liquid from the storing sump in a substantially horizontal direction.