Xerox Corporation

Ballard French

John L McChesney

A liquid developer apparatus for developing an electrographic latent image formed on an image bearing surface of a recording medium wherein the liquid developer is applied to a region of a rotated applicator roll with flow controlling means positioned in spaced relation to the surface of the applicator roll to meter the amount of liquid developer applied to and carried by the applicator roll. The flow controlling means provides for uniform supply of liquid developer to a meniscus formed in a development gap formed between the moving recording medium and the applicator roll. The development gap is formed with the aid of a backrest electrode positioned opposite to the applicator roll over which the medium travels through the development gap. The backrest electrode may comprise a rotatably mounted roll. A bias is applied to the applicator roll and an opposite bias is applied to the backrest electrode to improve image contrast and to adjust image quality relative to the particular type of liquid developer and recording medium being employed. Image quality may be further adjusted according to liquid developer and recording medium tolerances by selectively adjusting the width of the development gap through movement of the backrest electrode relative to the applicator roll. The toned image is dryed with a dry roll in engagement with the moving medium down stream from the applicator roll and rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the medium. A bias is applied to the drying roll to effectively erase loosely attached toner particles on the image bearing surface and thereby prevent dryer roll smearing of the image.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Ballard French