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. 05, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 26, 1998
Tomoo Izumi, Osaka, JP;
Hiroyuki Yamasaki, Amagasaki, JP;
Satoshi Deishi, Ibaraki, JP;
Takashi Kondo, Sakai, JP;
Katsuhiko Takeda, Toyonaka, JP;
Akihito Ikegawa, Sakai, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member having an electrostatic latent image carried on its surface, a release agent application device for applying a release agent to the surface of the image carrying member, an ink developing device for bringing an ink into contact with the image carrying member having the electrostatic latent image formed thereon and the release agent applied thereto, to form an ink image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image, and an ink supplying device for supplying a replenishing ink to the ink developing device when the release agent is mixed with the ink in the ink developing device to control the viscosity of the ink, wherein the replenishing ink differs in viscosity from the ink in the ink developing device. And, the supply of ink is varied as a function of the environmental conditions, such as temperature. Image forming methods are disclosed for using the disclosed image forming apparatuses.