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. 16, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 24, 2002
Nobuhiro Miyakawa, Nagano-Ken, JP;
Shinji Yasukawa, Nagano-Ken, JP;
Nobumasa Abe, Nagano-Ken, JP;
Mikio Furumizu, Nagano-Ken, JP;
Kaneo Yoda, Nagano-Ken, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus including a latent image carrier and a developing device for charging a toner into a negative polarity by triboelectric charging, wherein the work function of the toner is set to be larger than the work function of the surface of the latent image carrier. When the apparatus includes an intermediate transfer medium, the work function of the toner is set to be larger than the work function of the surface of the intermediate transfer medium. In another embodiment, the work function &PHgr; of the surface of the latent image carrier, the work function &PHgr; of the toner, and the work function &PHgr; of the surface of the intermediate transfer medium are set to satisfy a relationship &PHgr; >&PHgr; >&PHgr; . These relationships help to reduce fog, and improve transfer efficiency which reduces the consumption of the toner.