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:
Feb. 22, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 26, 1997
Keiji Itsukushima, Watarai-gun, JP;
Yoshio Ozawa, Watarai-gun, JP;
Yojiro Sato, Watarai-gun, JP;
Hisashi Mukataka, Watarai-gun, JP;
Kyocera Corporation, Kyoto, JP;
Abstract
The invention seeks to provide an electrophotographic apparatus, which can have a simplified and safe construction in an image forming apparatus using an a-Si photo-sensitive drum and form clear images free from the flow of image or 'fog'. The image forming apparatus that is sought uses image development a non-magnetic uni-component toner prepared by a polymerization process as a preamble, and is characterized in that a developing roller is rotated in contact with an a-Si photo-sensitive drum via a layer of non-magnetic uni-component toner. The volume resistivity of the developing roller is set to 3.times.10.sup.7..OMEGA. cm or below. The photo-sensitive drum has a surface layer with an element ratio composition represented as (a-Si.sub.1-x C.sub.x :H), x being 0.95.ltoreq.x<1, the dynamic push hardness of the outer surface of the surface layer being 300 kgf/mm.sup.2 or below, the hardness of the surface layer being set to be higher on the inner side than on the outer surface, and a developing roller is rotated while carrying a non-magnetic uni-component toner prepared by a polymerization process at a peripheral speed different from that of the photo-sensitive drum, thereby causing the carried toner to rub the surface of the photo-sensitive drum for electrophotographic development.