Electronic color printing system

Claim 3

The system according to claim 1 in which said additional beam impinges on said photoreceptor at a predetermined distance from the point where said first mentioned beam impinges on said photoreceptor, and image signal control means for delaying input of the color image signals to said second modulating means to register said second color image with said first color image.

Claim 6

The system according to claim 1 in which said first and second color developing means have first and second color developers respectively, said second color developer being darker than said first color developer to reduce the possibility of visibly degrading said second color image with said first color image.

Claim 7

The system according to claim 1 including image reading means for scanning a colored original to provide said color image signals.

Claim 8

In a multi-color reproduction apparatus, the combination of: (a) a movable photoreceptor; (b) means to charge said photoreceptor in preparation for imaging; (c) first and second beams of high intensity radiation; (d) beam directing means to impinge said beams on said photoreceptor at predetermined spaced points, said first beam impinging on said photoreceptor upstream of said second beam; (e) beam scanning means for scanning said beams across said photoreceptor; (f) first modulator means for modulating said first beam in accordance with first color image signals whereby said first beam selectively discharges said photoreceptor to provide a first color latent electrostatic image on said photoreceptor; (g) first developer means for developing said first color latent electrostatic image with a first color developer, said first developer means being disposed between the points where said first and second beams impinge on said photoreceptor whereby to develop said first color image before said photoreceptor is scanned by said second beam; (h) second modulator means for modulating said second beam in accordance with second color image signals whereby said second beam selectively discharges said photoreceptor to provide a second color latent electrostatic image on said photoreceptor; (i) image signal controlling means for synchronizing input of said second color image signals with input of said first color image signals to register said second color latent electrostatic image with said first color latent electrostatic image; and (j) second developer means for developing said second color latent electrostatic image with a second color developer whereby to provide a multi-color image.

Claim 9

In a multi-color reproduction apparatus, the combination of: (a) a movable photoreceptor; (b) means to charge said photoreceptor in preparation for imaging; (c) first and second beams of high intensity radiation; (d) beam directing means to impinge said beams on said photoreceptor at predetermined spaced points, said first beam impinging on said photoreceptor upstream of said second beam; (e) beam scanning means for scanning said beams across said photoreceptor; (f) first modulator means for modulating said first beam in accordance with first color image signals whereby said first beam selectively discharges said photoreceptor to provide a first color latent electrostatic image on said photoreceptor; (g) first developer means for developing said first color latent electrostatic image with a first color developer, said first developer means being disposed between the points where said first and second beams impinge on said photoreceptor whereby to develop said first color image before said photoreceptor is scanned by said second beam; (h) second modulator means for modulating said second beam in accordance with second color image signals whereby said second beam selectively discharges said photoreceptor to provide a second color latent electrostatic image on said photoreceptor; (i) image signal controlling means for synchronizing input of said second color image signals with input of said first color image signals to register said second color latent electrostatic image with said first color latent electrostatic image; and (j) second developer means for developing said second color latent electrostatic image with a second color developer whereby to provide a multi-color image.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 7 in which said first color developer is transparent to said second beam whereby said second beam exposes said photoreceptor through said first color developer.

Claim 11

The apparatus according to claim 7 in which said first color developer is substantially opaque to said second beam so that said first color developer inhibits exposure of said photoreceptor by said second beam in areas of said photoreceptor where said first color developer is present.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 7 in which said image signal controlling means times input of said second color image signals so that said first and second color images are slightly offset from one another.

Claim 13

The apparatus according to claim 7 including raster scanning means for scanning a color image to provide said first and second color image signals.

Claim 14

The apparatus according to claim 7 including a third beam of high intensity radiation, said beam directing means impinging said third beam on said photoreceptor downstream of said second color developer means, said beam scanning means scanning said third beam across said photoreceptor in unison with said first and second beams; third modulator means for modulating said third beam in accordance with third color image signals whereby said third beam selectively discharges said photoreceptor to provide a third color latent electrostatic image on said photoreceptor, said image signal controlling means synchronizing input of said third color image signals with input of said first and second color image signals to register said third color latent electrostatic image with said first and second color latent electrostatic images; and third developer means for developing said third color latent electrostatic image with a third color developer whereby to provide a multi-color image.

Claim 15

The apparatus according to claim 12 in which said first and second color developers are transparent to said second and third beams respectively whereby to enable said second and third beams to expose said photoreceptor through said first and second color developers respectively.

Claim 16

The apparatus according to claim 12 in which said image signal controlling means times input of said second and third color image signals so that said second and third color images are slightly offset from one another and from said first color image.

Claim 17

The apparatus according to claim 12 including raster scanning means for scanning a color original to provide said first, second and third color image signals.

Claim 18

In the method of producing color images, the steps which comprise: (a) scanning a first writing beam modulated in accordance with first color image signals across a charged photoreceptor; (b) developing areas discharged by said first beam with a first color toner to form a first color image on said photoreceptor; (c) scanning at least a second writing beam modulated in accordance with second color image signals across the same area of said photoreceptor as scanned by said first beam; and (d) developing areas discharged by said second beam with a second color toner to form a second color image on said photoreceptor in registered relation with said first color image.

Claim 19

In the method of producing color images, the steps which comprise: (a) scanning a first writing beam modulated in accordance with first color image signals across a charged photoreceptor; (b) developing areas discharged by said first beam with a first color toner to form a first color image on said photoreceptor; (c) scanning at least a second writing beam modulated in accordance with second color image signals across the same area of said photoreceptor as scanned by said first beam; and (d) developing areas discharged by said second beam with a second color toner to form a second color image on said photoreceptor in registered relation with said first color image.

Claim 20

The method according to claim 16 including the step of developing said first color image with first color toner that is transparent to said second beam so that on subsequent scanning of said photoreceptor by said second beam, areas of said photoreceptor covered by said first color toner may be discharged in accordance with said second color image signals.

Claim 21

The method according to claim 16 including the steps of: using a photoreceptor that is at least partially transparent to said second beam; and impinging said second beam on the side of said transparent photoreceptor opposite the side on which color images are developed whereby to selectively discharge the same area of said photoreceptor as scanned by said first beam including areas of said photoreceptor covered by said first color developer without requiring said first color developer to be transparent to said second beam.

Claim 22

The method according to claim 16 in which said first and second color images comprise color separation images, and including the steps of scanning a third writing beam modulated in accordance with third color separation image signals across the same area of said photoreceptor as scanned by said first and second beams; and developing areas discharged by said third beam with a third color toner to form a third color separation image on said photoreceptor in registered relation with said first and second color separation images.