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:
Aug. 05, 1997
Filed:
Apr. 01, 1996
Gary A Denton, Lexington, KY (US);
Henry R Till, Fairport, NY (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for compacting a liquid ink developed image on an image bearing surface in a multicolor electrostatographic printing machine of the type utilizing liquid developing material, particularly an image-on-image type liquid ink multicolor system. The image compacting apparatus includes a biased electrode situated proximate to the image on an image bearing surface, and a liquid applicator for depositing liquid insulating material in a conditioning gap defined by the electrode and the image bearing surface. A high electric potential is applied to the electrode for generating a large electric field in the gap to electrostatically compress toner particles into image areas on the image bearing surface. The liquid insulating material is deposited into the conditioning gap for avoiding the risk of air breakdown as may occur in an electrostatic device of this nature due to the small geometry of the apparatus and the tendency of air ionization in an air gap between electrically biased surfaces. Preferably, the liquid insulating material is the very same material utilized as the liquid carrier component of the liquid developing material.