Multiplex image reproducing apparatus

Claim 3

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 1 wherein the surface of a developer layer on a developer feeding carrier does not contact with the surface of the toner image on the image retainer.

Claim 4

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2 comprising means for superposing at least one portion of a spot distribution exposure of the preceding image exposure and at least one portion of a spot distribution exposure of the following image exposure.

Claim 5

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 3 wherein the spots of the preceding image exposure and the following image exposure are varied in size.

Claim 6

In an apparatus for reproducing multiplex images comprising an electrostatic image formed on an image retainer, means for developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer by using a developer consisting of a plurality of components, means for superposing a plurality of toner images on the image retainer, the improvement characterized in that said developing means operates under a condition mentioned below: 0.2≦V.sub.AC /(d·f) [(V.sub.AC /d)-1500]/f≦1.0 where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developed bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer and a developer feeding carrier for a feeding developer.

Claim 7

In an apparatus for reproducing multiplex images comprising an electrostatic image formed on an image retainer, means for developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer by using a developer consisting of a plurality of components, means for superposing a plurality of toner images on the image retainer, the improvement characterized in that said developing means operates under a condition mentioned below: 0.2≦V.sub.AC /(d·f) [(V.sub.AC /d)-1500]/f≦1.0 where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developed bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer and a developer feeding carrier for a feeding developer.

Claim 8

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 5 wherein the gap between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier is larger than the thickness of the developer layer formed on the developer feeding carrier during developing.

Claim 9

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 5 comprising multiplex images formed by using developers in order from the developer having a smaller absolute value of mean charge quantity.

Claim 10

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 3 comprising multiplex images formed by reducing successively the amplitude of the AC component of electrical field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development.

Claim 11

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 5 comprising multiplex images formed by increasing successively the frequency of the AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development.

Claim 12

In an apparatus for reproducing multiplex images comprising an electrostatic image formed on an image retainer, means for developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer by using a one-component developer, and means for superposing a plurality of toner images on the image retainer, the improvement characterized in that said developing means operates under the following condition: 0.2≦V.sub.AC /(d·f)≦1.6 where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer and a developer feeding carrier for a feeding developer.

Claim 13

In an apparatus for reproducing multiplex images comprising an electrostatic image formed on an image retainer, means for developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer by using a one-component developer, and means for superposing a plurality of toner images on the image retainer, the improvement characterized in that said developing means operates under the following condition: 0.2≦V.sub.AC /(d·f)≦1.6 where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer and a developer feeding carrier for a feeding developer.

Claim 14

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 10 wherein the gap between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier is larger than the thickness of a developer layer formed on the developer feeding carrier during development.

Claim 15

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 10 comprising multiplex images formed by using developers in order from the developer having a smaller absolute value of mean charge quantity.

Claim 16

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 10 comprising multiplex images formed by reducing successively the amplitude of the AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development.

Claim 17

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 10 comprising multiplex images formed by increasing successively the frequency of the AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development.

Claim 18

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 10 wherein the electrostatic image retaining member of the image retainer consists of a photosensitive member.

Claim 19

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2 wherein the electrostatic image retaining member of the image retainer consists of a dielectric member.

Claim 22

In an apparatus for reproducing multiplex images comprising an electrostatic image formed on an image retainer, means for developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer by using a developer consisting of a plurality of components, and means for superposing a plurality of toner images on the image retainer, the improvement characterized in that said developing means operates under a condition mentioned below: 0.2≦V.sub.AC /(d·f) [(V.sub.AC /d)-1500]/f≦1.0 where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer and a developer feeding carrier for feeding developer; the gap between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier is larger than the thickness of a developer layer formed on the developer feeding carrier during development; multiplex images formed by reducing successively the amplitude of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development, and multiplex images formed by increasing successively the frequency of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development.

Claim 23

In an apparatus for reproducing multiplex images comprising an electrostatic image formed on an image retainer, means for developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer by using a developer consisting of a plurality of components, and means for superposing a plurality of toner images on the image retainer, the improvement characterized in that said developing means operates under a condition mentioned below: 0.2≦V.sub.AC /(d·f) [(V.sub.AC /d)-1500]/f≦1.0 where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer and a developer feeding carrier for feeding developer; the gap between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier is larger than the thickness of a developer layer formed on the developer feeding carrier during development; multiplex images formed by reducing successively the amplitude of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development, and multiplex images formed by increasing successively the frequency of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development.

Claim 24

In an apparatus for reproducing multiplex images comprising an electrostatic image formed on an image retainer, means for developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer by using a one-component developer, and means for superposing a plurality of toner images on the image retainer, the improvement characterized in that said developing means operates under a condition mentioned below: 0.2≦V.sub.AC /(d·f)≦1.6 where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer and a developer feeding carrier for feeding developer; the gap between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier is larger than the thickness of a developer layer formed on the developer feeding carrier during development; multiplex images formed by reducing successively the amplitude of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development; and multiplex images formed by increasing successively the frequency of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development.

Claim 25

In an apparatus for reproducing multiplex images comprising an electrostatic image formed on an image retainer, means for developing the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer by using a one-component developer, and means for superposing a plurality of toner images on the image retainer, the improvement characterized in that said developing means operates under a condition mentioned below: 0.2≦V.sub.AC /(d·f)≦1.6 where V AC is an amplitude (V) of AC component of developing bias, f is a frequency (Hz), and d is a gap (mm) between the image retainer and a developer feeding carrier for feeding developer; the gap between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier is larger than the thickness of a developer layer formed on the developer feeding carrier during development; multiplex images formed by reducing successively the amplitude of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development; and multiplex images formed by increasing successively the frequency of AC component of electric field applied between the image retainer and the developer feeding carrier during development.

Claim 28

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2 comprising a two-component developer having a toner and an insulating carrier.

Claim 29

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2 comprising a one-component developer consisting of an insulating toner.

Claim 30

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2 wherein the image retainer consists of a photosensitive image retainer having a photoconductive photosensitive layer and a transparent insulating layer, in that order, laminated on an electroconductive supporting member, and means for forming an electrostatic image by primary charging, secondary charging, image exposure simultaneous with the secondary charging and sequential uniform exposure, said primary charging dropping a potential of the electrostatic images substantially to zero.

Claim 31

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2 wherein the image retainer consists of a photosensitive image retainer having a photoconductive photosensitive layer and a transparent insulating layer laminated on an electroconductive supporting member, in that order, means for forming the electrostatic image of a first toner image by primary charging, secondary charging and sequential image exposure, said primary charging dropping a potential of the electrostatic images substantially to zero, and means for forming the electrostatic image of a second toner image by primary charging, secondary charging, and sequential image exposure, said primary charging dropping a potential of the electrostatic images substantially to zero.

Claim 32

The method of reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2 wherein the image retainer consists of a photosensitive image retainer having a photoconductive photosensitive layer and a transparent insulating layer laminated on an electroconductive supporting member, in that order, means for forming the electrostatic image of a first toner image by primary charging, secondary charging, image exposure simultaneous with the secondary charging and sequential uniform exposure, said primary charging dropping a potential of the electrostatic images substantially to zero, and means for forming the electrostatic image of a second toner image by primary charging, secondary charging, image exposure simultaneous with the secondary charging and sequential uniform exposure, said primary charging dropping a potential of the electrostatic images substantially to zero.

Claim 33

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 2 wherein the image retainer consists of a photosensitive image retainer having a photoconductive photosensitive layer and a transparent insulating layer, in that order, laminated on an electroconductive supporting member, and means for forming the electrostatic image of a toner image by uniform primary charging on said photosensitive image retainer in the first developing, uniform secondary charging in a plurality reversed to said primary charging and sequential image exposure, said primary charging dropping a potential of the electrostatic images substantially to zero.

Claim 34

In a color image forming apparatus comprising an image retainer, means for forming a color image on said image retainer, transfer means for transferring on a transfer member the color image formed on said image retainer by said color image forming means, and fixing means for fixing on said transfer member the color image transferred on said transfer member by said transfer means, the improvement characterized in that said color image forming means comprises only one latent image forming means, and a plurality of developing means for visualizing a latent image formed on said image retainer by said latent image forming means, said one latent image forming means being used repeatedly in one cycle of a reproduced image forming step.

Claim 35

In a color image forming apparatus comprising an image retainer, means for forming a color image on said image retainer, transfer means for transferring on a transfer member the color image formed on said image retainer by said color image forming means, and fixing means for fixing on said transfer member the color image transferred on said transfer member by said transfer means, the improvement characterized in that said color image forming means comprises only one latent image forming means, and a plurality of developing means for visualizing a latent image formed on said image retainer by said latent image forming means, said one latent image forming means being used repeatedly in one cycle of a reproduced image forming step.

Claim 36

The color image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said latent image forming means comprises means for applying an electric charge, a light source, a deflector for deflecting a light irradiated from the light source, and a scanning optical system arranged between said light source and said image retainer.

Claim 37

The color image forming apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said electric charge applying means comprises a primary charger and a secondary charger.

Claim 38

The color image forming apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said light source in said scanning optical system is a laser light source.

Claim 39

The color image forming apparatus according to claim 30 wherein said deflector in said scanning optical system is a rotary polygon mirror.

Claim 40

The color image forming apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said developing means is arranged in the vicinity of said image retainer in non-contact fashion.

Claim 41

The color image forming apparatus according to claim 27 wherein an alternating electric field is applied between said image retainer and said developing means.

Claim 42

The color image forming apparatus according to claim 27 comprising electrical charge eliminating means for eliminating a residual electric charge on said image retainer each time at which said latent image forming means is used, said charge eliminating means being arranged in the vicinity of said transfer means.

Claim 43

The apparatus for reproducing multiplex images according to claim 17 consisting of a single means for forming an electrostatic image on said image retainer, and at least two of said means for developing said electrostatic image formed on the image.