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:
Sep. 09, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 13, 1995
Mie Yoshino, Kawasaki, JP;
Makoto Obu, Yokohama, JP;
Takeo Tsukamoto, Yokohama, JP;
Seiichi Miyakawa, Nagareyama, JP;
Yusuke Takeda, Yokohama, JP;
Masami Hiramatsu, Yokohama, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A wet-type image forming apparatus produces a high-quality toner image by condensing a toner image on a photosensitive drum and adhering the toner image onto the photosensitive drum without contacting a liquid carrier applied on the photosensitive drum. The photosensitive drum carries a latent image formed thereon. The toner image is formed by developing the latent image by using a developing liquid including the liquid carrier and toner dispersed in the liquid carrier. An excessive amount of liquid carrier on the photosensitive drum is removed after the toner image is formed. An electric field is formed which causes a current to flow between an electrically conductive member and the photosensitive drum. An air gap is formed between the liquid carrier on the photosensitive drum and the electrically conductive member so that the current flows through the gap, the liquid carrier and the toner image. The toner image on the photosensitive drum is transferred to a transfer material after the toner image passes an area in which the electric field is generated.