Electrophotography – Image formation – Development
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-07
2001-07-31
Grainger, Quana M. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Image formation
Development
C399S164000, C399S250000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269233
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus used a liquid developer, in particular, which can be used for a long time without causing a swelling of a photo-conductor material caused by the liquid developer and a heating characteristic of the photo-conductor material.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 4-181961 discloses an electrophotographic apparatus, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. HEI 4-35161 discloses an image forming apparatus, and Japanese Patent No. 2701768 discloses an image forming apparatus. In these apparatuses, an electrostatic latent image formed on a photo-conductor unit is transferred to such as a film electrostatically, and the transferred electrostatic latent image is developed. And further, in these apparatuses, the film is contacted firmly with the photo-conductor unit on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, and after this, powder development is applied to the transferred image. However, there is a problem that transferring the electrostatic latent image to the film is not performed sufficiently by only contacting the film firmly with the photo-conductor unit. And further, there is another problem that it is difficult to realize an image had high resolution by applying the powder development.
And Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 6-35273 discloses an image forming apparatus. In this apparatus, a film is contacted firmly on a photo-conductor unit, and after this, the photo-conductor unit is exposed. However, in this apparatus, the film is required to have transparency, and there is a problem that a characteristic of the transparency is changed by contacting the developer, and in resulting with, reliability is deteriorated.
In order to solve these problems, by using a liquid developer in which charged toner particles are contained in a carrier solvent, an image made of toners is formed on a developed image carrier, and after this, the carrier solvent in the developed image is removed and the image is transferred and fixed on a recording medium. This image forming apparatus used the liquid developer has been realized. At this image forming apparatus, a clear image can be obtained because the toner particles in the liquid developer are small.
However, in the conventional image forming apparatuses used the liquid developer, at the time when the developed image is transferred and fixed on the recording medium, squeezing and drying processes are required to remove the carrier solvent in the developed image. And the photo-conductor unit is a carrier for an electrostatic latent image and a developed image, and the developed image is formed directly on the photo-conductor unit. Therefore, there is a problem that the photo-conductor unit is required to have characteristics such as preventing from swelling, having heat-resistant, and being a long life.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus used a liquid developer which can be used for a long time without causing a swelling of a photo-conductor material caused by the liquid developer and a heating characteristic of the photo-conductor material.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, for achieving the objects mentioned above, there is provided an image forming apparatus used a liquid developer. The image forming apparatus provides an electrostatic latent image forming unit and a belt type developed image carrier which rotates in a state that a part of the inside surface of the belt type developed image carrier contacts firmly with the latent image forming unit. And an electrostatic latent image is transferred to the belt type developed image carrier from the electrostatic latent image forming unit, and the electrostatic latent image transferred on the belt type developed image carrier is developed by a liquid developer.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus used a liquid developer provides an electrostatic latent image forming unit, a charging means for charging the electrostatic latent image forming unit, a latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image forming unit, a belt type developed image carrier which rotates in a state that a part of the inside surface of the belt type developed image contacts firmly with the latent image forming unit, an electrostatically image transferring means for electrostatically transferring the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image forming unit to the belt type developed image carrier, a developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image transferred on the belt type developed image carrier by transporting a liquid developer to the belt type developed image carrier, a squeezing means for squeezing a residual liquid developer from the developed image on the belt type developed image carrier by applying pressure, a vaporizing means for vaporizing the residual liquid developer contained in the developed image on the belt type developed image carrier by applying heat and pressure, and a transferring/fixing means for transferring and fixing on a recording medium the developed image after the residual liquid developer was squeezed and vaporized.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the vaporizing means provides a heating unit for applying heat and a drying roller for applying pressure, and the heating unit faces the drying roller by having the belt type developed image carrier between them.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the transferring/fixing means provides a heating unit for applying heat and a transferring/fixing roller for applying pressure, and the heating unit faces the transferring/fixing roller by having the belt type developed image carrier between them.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the image forming apparatus used the liquid developer further provides a heating/sustaining component which provides the heating unit in the vaporizing means and the heating unit for the transferring/fixing means and also sustains the rotation of the belt type developed image carrier.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the image forming apparatus used the liquid developer further provides a heating/sustaining component which provides the heating unit for the transferring/fixing means and also sustains the rotation of the belt type developed image carrier.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the developing means develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the belt type developed image carrier at the reverse surface of the surface that the belt type developed image carrier contacts with the electrostatic latent image forming unit.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the developing means and the squeezing means are disposed at the position where the inside surface of the belt type developed image carrier contacts firmly with the electrostatic latent image forming unit, and the vaporizing means is disposed at the position where the inside surface of the belt type developed image carrier does not contact firmly with the electrostatic latent image forming unit.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the developing means is disposed at the position where the inside surface of the belt type developed image carrier contacts firmly with the electrostatic latent image forming unit, and the squeezing means and the vaporizing means are disposed at the position where the inside surface of the belt type developed image carrier does not contact firmly with the electrostatic latent image forming unit.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the developing means, the squeezing means, and the vaporizing means are disposed at the position w
Grainger Quana M.
McGinn & Gibb PLLC
NEC Corporation
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