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:
Nov. 10, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 03, 1997
Tomoaki Okada, Hiroshima, JP;
Toyofumi Shimada, Hiroshima, JP;
Hiroaki Ikeda, Hiroshima, JP;
Hiroyoshi Kawamura, Mihara, JP;
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus and method in which the flow of a toner image formed on an image carrier is prevented at the time of removing a surplus liquid developer and at the time of transfer of the image onto a transfer material. The apparatus includes an image carrier, a device for forming an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the image carrier, and a developing section for supplying a liquid developer onto the electrostatic latent image so as to form a toner image. The apparatus also includes a device for removing a surplus liquid developer remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the toner image is formed. A transfer device transfers the toner image onto a surface of a transfer material. An electric charge giving device, which is disposed between the developing section and the device for removing the surplus liquid developer, applies an electric charge to the toner image in a same polarity as that of the toner image.