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:
May. 24, 2005
Filed:
Aug. 05, 2002
Satoshi Sakai, Kanazawa, JP;
Isao Nagata, Tsubata-machi, JP;
Hironaga Hongawa, Uchinada-machi, JP;
Shigeharu Okano, Hakui, JP;
Eri Yamanishi, Hakui, JP;
Yutaka Nakashima, Kanazawa, JP;
Akihiko Inamoto, Uchinada-machi, JP;
Tadashi Nishikawa, Tsubata-machi, JP;
Norihiro Yamasaku, Oyabe, JP;
Satoshi Sakai, Kanazawa, JP;
Isao Nagata, Tsubata-machi, JP;
Hironaga Hongawa, Uchinada-machi, JP;
Shigeharu Okano, Hakui, JP;
Eri Yamanishi, Hakui, JP;
Yutaka Nakashima, Kanazawa, JP;
Akihiko Inamoto, Uchinada-machi, JP;
Tadashi Nishikawa, Tsubata-machi, JP;
Norihiro Yamasaku, Oyabe, JP;
PFU Limited, Ishikawa, JP;
Abstract
A liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus forms on a toner-image-bearing body a plurality of color images developed by a plurality of developing units, one for each color, that use liquid toner. One or more carrier-removing units for removing excessive carrier from a toner layer that forms a toner image are disposed downstream of each developing unit and upstream of the next developing unit disposed upstream of the former developing unit with respect to a process progress direction. Each carrier-removing unit includes two or more conductive collection rollers to which a bias voltage is applied in such a direction as to press toner against the toner-image-bearing body and which is brought into contact with the toner-image-bearing body. The upstream roller is rotated in the same direction as the direction of surface movement of the toner-image-bearing body, whereas the downstream roller is rotated in the opposite direction. The result is that influence of carrier on the already transferred image is suppressed, and hence occurrences of irregular transfer of the images and occurrences of disturbance of the already transferred image are minimized.