Electrophotographic copying machine

Claim 2

An electrophotographic copying machine including a photosensitive medium, electrostatic latent image formation means, liquid type developing means, transfer means and cleaning means, said photosensitive medium having developing liquid collection grooves formed at the opposite end portions thereof, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid to the areas of said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action is started.

Claim 3

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said cleaning means further comprises liquid delivery means for delivering cleaning liquid from said cleaning liquid tank to said cleaning liquid application means.

Claim 4

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 2, wherein liquid in said cleaning liquid tank is developing liquid, and said liquid delivery means delivers developing liquid from said tank to said cleaning liquid application means and to said liquid type developing means.

Claim 5

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 3, wherein said liquid delivery Means includes distributor means for distributing the developing liquid from said cleaning liquid tank to said cleaning liquid application means before cleaning action is started, and for distributing the developing liquid from said tank to said developing means during the cleaning action. (

Claim 6

An electrophotographing copying machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said cleaning liquid application means includes a developing liquid conduit disposed adjacent to one end of said blade in such a manner that the open end portion of said conduit is somewhat inclined downwardly, and a cleaning liquid blocking plate provided at the other end of said blade in corresponding relationship with one of said grooves formed on said photosensitive medium.)

Claim 7

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said blade is oriented in a counter-direction with respect to the direction of movement of said photosensitive medium.

Claim 8

An electrophotographic copying machine including a medium capable of bearing thereon an electrostatic latent image of the original to be copied, means for establishing said electrostatic latent image on said medium, liquid developing means for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a cleaning member disposed in contact with said medium for cleaning same for repeated use, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said cleaning member near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said cleaning member is started.

Claim 9

An electrophotographic copying machine including a medium capable of bearing thereon an electrostatic latent image of the original to be copied, means for establishing said electrostatic latent image on said medium, liquid developing means for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a cleaning member disposed in contact with said medium for cleaning same for repeated use, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said cleaning member near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said cleaning member is started.

Claim 10

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said cleaning means further comprises liquid delivery means for delivering cleaning liquid from said cleaning liquid tank to said means for applying cleaning liquid.

Claim 11

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 8, wherein liquid in said cleaning liquid tank is developing liquid, and said liquid delivery means delivers developing liquid from said tank to said means for applying cleaning liquid and to said liquid developing means.

Claim 12

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 9, wherein said liquid delivery means includes distributor means for distributing the developing liquid from said cleaning liquid tank to said means for applying cleaning liquid before cleaning action is started, and for distributing the developing liquid from said tank to said liquid developing means during the cleaning action.

Claim 13

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 7 further comprising means for collecting cleaning liquid applied to said medium and said cleaning member.

Claim 14

An electrophotographic copying machine including a medium capable of bearing thereon an electrostatic latent image of the original to be copied, means for establishing said electrostatic latent image on said medium, liquid developing means for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium for cleaning same for repeated use, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said cleaning blade is started.

Claim 15

An electrophotographic copying machine including a medium capable of bearing thereon an electrostatic latent image of the original to be copied, means for establishing said electrostatic latent image on said medium, liquid developing means for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium for cleaning same for repeated use, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said cleaning blade is started.

Claim 16

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 12, wherein said cleaning means further comprises liquid delivery means for delivering cleaning liquid from said cleaning liquid tank to said means for applying cleaning liquid.

Claim 17

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 13, wherein liquid in said cleaning liquid tank is develoPing liquid, and said liquid delivery means delivers developing liquid from said tank to said means for applying cleaning liquid and to said liquid developing means.

Claim 18

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 14, wherein said liquid delivery means includes distributor means for distributing the developing liquid from said cleaning liquid tank to said means for applying cleaning liquid before cleaning action is started, and for distributing the developing liquid from said tank to said liquid developing means during the cleaning action.

Claim 19

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 12 further comprising means for collecting cleaning liquid applied to said medium and said blade.

Claim 20

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 12, wherein said means for applying cleaning liquid includes a liquid conduit having an opening therein disposed adjacent to said blade with the opening inclined downwardly.

Claim 21

An electrophotographic copying machine including a photosensitive medium in the form of a rotary drum electrostatic latent image formation means for forming on said photosensitive medium an electrostatic image of the original to be copied, liquid developing means for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material, and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said blade is started.

Claim 22

An electrophotographic copying machine including a photosensitive medium in the form of a rotary drum electrostatic latent image formation means for forming on said photosensitive medium an electrostatic image of the original to be copied, liquid developing means for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material, and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said blade is started.

Claim 23

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 18, wherein said cleaning means further comprises liquid delivery means for delivering cleaning liquid from said cleaning liquid tank to said means for applying cleaning liquid.

Claim 24

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 19, wherein liquid in said cleaning liquid tank is developing liquid, and said liquid delivery means delivers developing liquid from said tank to said means for applying cleaning liquid and to said liquid developing means.

Claim 25

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 20, wherein said liquid delivery means includes distributor means for distributing the developing liquid from said cleaning liquid tank to said means for applying cleaning liquid before cleaning action is started, and for distributing the developing liquid from said tank to said liquid developing means during the cleaning action.

Claim 26

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 18 further comprising means for collecting cleaning liquid applied to said medium and said blade.

Claim 27

An electrophotographic copying machine as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for applying cleaning liquid includes a liquid conduit having an opening therein disposed adjacent to said blade with the opening inclined downwardly.

Claim 28

An electrophotographic copying machine including a photosensitive medium, electrostatic latent image formation means for forming on said photosensitive medium an electrostatic image of the original to be copied, liquid developing means, post charger means for applying a corona charge on the thus developed image, transfer means for thereafter transferring the developed image to copy material, and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said blade is started.

Claim 29

An electrophotographic copying machine including a photosensitive medium, electrostatic latent image formation means for forming on said photosensitive medium an electrostatic image of the original to be copied, liquid developing means, post charger means for applying a corona charge on the thus developed image, transfer means for thereafter transferring the developed image to copy material, and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said blade is started.

Claim 30

An electrophotographic copying machine including a drum type medium rotatable about A horizontal axis and capable of bearing thereon an electrostatic latent image of the original to be copied, means for establishing said electrostatic latent image on said medium, liquid developing means positioned below the horizontal axis of said drum type medium for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a cleaning member disposed in contact with said medium for cleaning same for repeated use, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said cleaning member near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said cleaning member is started, said transfer means, cleaning means and means for establishing the latent image being positioned sequentially around the drum type medium from the developing means in the direction of rotation.

Claim 31

An electrophotographic copying machine including a drum type medium rotatable about A horizontal axis and capable of bearing thereon an electrostatic latent image of the original to be copied, means for establishing said electrostatic latent image on said medium, liquid developing means positioned below the horizontal axis of said drum type medium for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a cleaning member disposed in contact with said medium for cleaning same for repeated use, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said cleaning member near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said cleaning member is started, said transfer means, cleaning means and means for establishing the latent image being positioned sequentially around the drum type medium from the developing means in the direction of rotation.

Claim 32

An electrophotographic copying machine as in claim 25 wherein said cleaning means is located above said horizontal axis and at the periphery of said drum type medium where it rotates downwardly.

Claim 33

An electrophotographic copying machine including a drum type medium rotatable about a horizontal axis and capable of bearing thereon an electrostatic latent image of the original to be copied, means for establishing said electrostatic latent image on said medium, liquid developing means positioned below the horizontal axis of said drum type medium for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium for cleaning same for repeated use, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said cleaning blade is started, said transfer means, cleaning means and means for establishing the latent image being positioned sequentially around the drum type medium from the developing means in the direction of rotation.

Claim 34

An electrophotographic copying machine including a drum type medium rotatable about a horizontal axis and capable of bearing thereon an electrostatic latent image of the original to be copied, means for establishing said electrostatic latent image on said medium, liquid developing means positioned below the horizontal axis of said drum type medium for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium for cleaning same for repeated use, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said cleaning blade is started, said transfer means, cleaning means and means for establishing the latent image being positioned sequentially around the drum type medium from the developing means in the direction of rotation.

Claim 35

An electrophotographic copying machine as in claim 27 wherein said cleaning means is located above said horizontal axis and at the periphery of said drum type medium where it rotates downwardly.

Claim 36

An electrophotographic copying machine including a drum type photosensitive medium rotatable about a horizontal axis, electrostatic latent image formation means for forming on said photosensitive medium an electrostatic image of the original to be copied, liquid developing means positioned below the horizontal axis of said drum type photosensitive medium for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material, and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said blade is started, said transfer means, cleaning means and means for forming the latent image being positioned sequentially around the drum type photosensitive medium from the developing means in the direction of rotation.

Claim 37

An electrophotographic copying machine including a drum type photosensitive medium rotatable about a horizontal axis, electrostatic latent image formation means for forming on said photosensitive medium an electrostatic image of the original to be copied, liquid developing means positioned below the horizontal axis of said drum type photosensitive medium for developing said electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the thus developed image to copy material, and cleaning means, said cleaning means comprising a blade of resilient material having one edge disposed in contact with said medium, a cleaning liquid tank, and means for applying cleaning liquid from said liquid tank to the areas of both said medium and said blade near the contact area therebetween before cleaning action of said blade is started, said transfer means, cleaning means and means for forming the latent image being positioned sequentially around the drum type photosensitive medium from the developing means in the direction of rotation.

Claim 38

An electrophotographic copying machine as in claim 29 wherein said cleaning means is located above said horizontal axis and at the periphery of said drum type medium where it rotates downwardly.