The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 31, 1994
Filed:
Jan. 19, 1993
Tomohiko Masuda, Takatsuki, JP;
Ken Matsubara, Takatsuki, JP;
Tsukasa Yagi, Toyonaka, JP;
Koji Wakamiya, Osaka, JP;
Hirohisa Kitano, Osaka, JP;
Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus which comprises a light shutter disposed between a source of light and an image carrier, which is electrostatically charged to a predetermined polarity, and capable of exhibiting a light transmissivity which varies according to a voltage applied to the light shutter. A first voltage of a predetermined direction is applied to the light shutter according to image information during a first period in which a first area of the image carrier passes across the light shutter, to form the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier. This electrostatic latent image is subsequently developed into a toner image. In order to substantially recover the light shutter from a light-induced fatigue, i.e., internal polarization of an electro-optical material forming the light shutter, a second voltage of a direction counter to the predetermined direction is applied to the light shutter during a second period in which a second area of the image carrier passes across the light shutter.