Blade for metering liquid developer

Claim 1

An apparatus for development of electrostatographic patterns on an imaging surface comprising: a. an imaging surface; b. a means for creating a charge pattern on the imaging surface and maintaining a development threshold within a range of about 60 v at operating temperatures of from about 10° to about 40° C; c. a liquid developer applicator for presenting the liquid developer to the charge pattern, said applicator having a surface pattern of raised and recessed portions, said recessed portions being adapted to contain liquid developer and said raised portions being adapted to set up a frequency of from about 300 Hz to about 6,000 Hz in a doctor blade edge when in moving contact therewith; and d. a blade for metering liquid developer in the applicator to the imaging surface, said blade being formed from a material having a complex modulus of elasticity value at 20° C and 700 Hz of from about 4 MN/m 2 to about 20 MN/m 2 which varies from that value by from about 3 MN/m 2 at temperature of about 40° C to about 7 MN/m 2 at temperatures of about 10° C but not less than a value of about 0.5 MN/m 2 , said blade being urged against said applicator surface by a force of from about 25 gm/cm to about 250 gm/cm.

Claim 2

An apparatus for development of electrostatographic patterns on an imaging surface comprising: a. an imaging surface; b. a means for creating a charge pattern on the imaging surface and maintaining a development threshold within a range of about 60 v at operating temperatures of from about 10° to about 40° C; c. a liquid developer applicator for presenting the liquid developer to the charge pattern, said applicator having a surface pattern of raised and recessed portions, said recessed portions being adapted to contain liquid developer and said raised portions being adapted to set up a frequency of from about 300 Hz to about 6,000 Hz in a doctor blade edge when in moving contact therewith; and d. a blade for metering liquid developer in the applicator to the imaging surface, said blade being formed from a material having a complex modulus of elasticity value at 20° C and 700 Hz of from about 4 MN/m 2 to about 20 MN/m 2 which varies from that value by from about 3 MN/m 2 at temperature of about 40° C to about 7 MN/m 2 at temperatures of about 10° C but not less than a value of about 0.5 MN/m 2 , said blade being urged against said applicator surface by a force of from about 25 gm/cm to about 250 gm/cm.

Claim 4

A method for development of a charge pattern on an imaging surface comprising: a. forming an electrostatic charge pattern on an imaging surface and maintaining the development threshold within a range of about 60 v at operating temperatures of from about 10° to about 40° C.; b. providing a liquid developer applicator surface for presenting the liquid developer to the charge pattern, said applicator having a surface pattern of raised and recessed portions, said recessed portions being adapted to contain liquid developer and said raised portions being adapted to set up a frequency of from about 300 Hz to about 6,000 in a doctor blade edge when in moving contact therewith; and c. doctoring said applicator surface with a blade for metering liquid developer in the applicator recesses, said blade being formed from a material having a complex modulus of elasticity value at 20° C and 700 Hz of from about 4 MN/m 2 to about 20 MN/m 2 which varies from that value by from about 3 MN/m 2 at temperatures of about 40° C to about 7 MN/m 2 at temperatures of about 10° C but not less than a value of about 0.5 MN/m 2 , said blade being urged against said applicator surface by a force of from about 25 gm/cm to about 250 gm/cm; and d. bringing said applicator surface sufficiently close to said imaging surface to effect development of said charge patterns.

Claim 5

A method for development of a charge pattern on an imaging surface comprising: a. forming an electrostatic charge pattern on an imaging surface and maintaining the development threshold within a range of about 60 v at operating temperatures of from about 10° to about 40° C.; b. providing a liquid developer applicator surface for presenting the liquid developer to the charge pattern, said applicator having a surface pattern of raised and recessed portions, said recessed portions being adapted to contain liquid developer and said raised portions being adapted to set up a frequency of from about 300 Hz to about 6,000 in a doctor blade edge when in moving contact therewith; and c. doctoring said applicator surface with a blade for metering liquid developer in the applicator recesses, said blade being formed from a material having a complex modulus of elasticity value at 20° C and 700 Hz of from about 4 MN/m 2 to about 20 MN/m 2 which varies from that value by from about 3 MN/m 2 at temperatures of about 40° C to about 7 MN/m 2 at temperatures of about 10° C but not less than a value of about 0.5 MN/m 2 , said blade being urged against said applicator surface by a force of from about 25 gm/cm to about 250 gm/cm; and d. bringing said applicator surface sufficiently close to said imaging surface to effect development of said charge patterns.