U.S. patent number 3,838,919 [Application Number 05/439,950] was granted by the patent office on 1974-10-01 for color electrophotographic device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Toru Takahashi.
United States Patent |
3,838,919 |
Takahashi |
October 1, 1974 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
COLOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC DEVICE
Abstract
A photosensitive member comprises a substrate, a photoconductive
layer and an insulating layer. An electrostatic image corresponding
to a first color content of a multicolor original image is formed
on the photosensitive member and is developed by a color developing
agent of such first color. The developed image is applied for
temporary storage to an expanse of a transfer member placed in
contact with the photosensitive member. This practice is repeated
for at least a second color content of said original image using a
developing agent of the second color, the developed image being
applied to the same expanse of the transfer member. Discretely
colored images so formed and accumulated on the transfer member are
transferred at one time to an image recording member by pressing
the recording member against the transfer member.
Inventors: |
Takahashi; Toru (Tokyo,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo,
JA)
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Family
ID: |
27290463 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/439,950 |
Filed: |
February 5, 1974 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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830947 |
Jun 6, 1969 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
399/302;
430/47.1; 399/168; 399/222 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03G
15/0173 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G03G
15/01 (20060101); G03g 015/00 (); G03g
015/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;355/4,3R,17
;96/1.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
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3386379 |
June 1968 |
Gundlach et al. |
3531195 |
September 1970 |
Tanaka et al. |
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Primary Examiner: Greiner; Robert P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Watson Leavenworth Kelton &
Taggart
Parent Case Text
This is a division, of application Ser. No. 830,947, filed June 6,
1969.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electrophotographic copying machine for producing multicolor
copies of an original having multiple color contents
comprising:
a. a photosensitive member including a base, a photoconductive
layer on said base and an insulative layer on said photoconductive
layer;
b. electrostatic latent image forming means for successively
forming upon said photosensitive member electrostatic latent images
each corresponding to a selected color content of said
original;
c. developing means including a plurality of developing units for
developing each said electrostatic latent image with a developing
agent corresponding to the color content of said original involved
in said forming said electrostatic latent image;
d. first transfer means engageable with said photosensitive member
for receiving said developed images therefrom to form a multicolor
image; and
e. second transfer means for transferring said multicolor image
from said first transfer means to a recording member.
2. The copying machine claimed in claim 1 wherein said
electrostatic latent image forming means includes a primary
charging device for forming a uniform charge of first polarity on
the surface of said insulative layer, said photosensitive member
thereupon forming a layer of charge of second polarity opposite to
said first polarity in the region of the interface between said
photoconductive layer and said insulative layer, means for exposing
said photosensitive member to radiant energy patterns corresponding
to said selected color contents of said original and a secondary
charging device operable during such exposure of said
photosensitive member to apply to the surface of said insulative
layer a charge of said second polarity or an alternating current
corona discharge.
3. The copying machine claimed in claim 2 wherein said
electrostatic latent image forming means further includes means for
exposing said photoconductive layer to blanket activating radiation
after such operation of said secondary charging device.
4. An electrophotographic copying machine for producing multicolor
copies of an original having multiple color contents
comprising:
a. a photosensitive member;
b. electrostatic latent image forming means for successively
forming on said photosensitive member electrostatic latent images
each corresponding to a selected color content of said
original;
c. developing means including a plurality of developing units for
developing each said electrostatic latent image with a developing
agent corresponding to the color content of said original involved
in said forming of said electrostatic latent image;
d. first transfer means engageable with said photosensitive member
for receiving said developed images therefrom to form a multicolor
image; and
e. second transfer means for transferring said multicolor image
from said first transfer means to a recording member.
5. The copying machine claimed in claim 4 further comprising means
for cleaning said photosensitive member upon each receiving of a
developed image by said first transfer means.
6. The copying machine claimed in claim 4 wherein said first
transfer means comprises a transfer member engageable with said
photosensitive member, said transfer member receiving said
developed images for forming said multicolor image thereon.
7. The copying machine claimed in claim 6 wherein said transfer
member comprises a non-elastic surface layer.
8. The copying machine claimed in claim 6 wherein said transfer
member is drum-shaped.
9. The copying machine claimed in claim 4 wherein said
electrostatic latent image forming means includes color filter
means for exposing said photosensitive member to said selected
color contents of said original.
10. The copying machine claimed in claim 4 wherein said developing
means includes means for operating said developing units in
accordance with the color content of said original involved in
forming the electrostatic latent image thereby developed.
11. The copying machine claimed in claim 4 wherein said second
transfer means includes means engaging said recording member for
normally spacing said recording member from said first transfer
means and for selectively moving said recording member into contact
with said first transfer means to transfer said multicolor image to
said recording member.
12. The copying machine claimed in claim 6 further comprising means
for cleaning said transfer member upon each transfer of a
multicolor image from said transfer member to said recording
member.
13. The copying machine claimed in claim 11 wherein said means
engaging said recording member comprises spring means for normally
spacing said recording member from said first transfer means and
transfer roller means for selectively moving said recording member
into pressure-contacting relation with said first transfer means
against the bias of said spring means.
14. The copying machine claimed in claim 7 wherein said non-elastic
surface layer comprises a coating of semiconductor material.
15. The copying machine claimed in claim 7 wherein said non-elastic
surface layer comprises a coating of insulative material.
16. The copying machine claimed in claim 8 wherein said
photosensitive member is drum-shaped, wherein said photosensitive
member and said transfer member are disposed in substantially line
contact relation and wherein said recording material and said
transfer member are disposed in substantially line contact
relation, such line contacts being in a common plane.
Description
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic process and
device and more particularly to an improved color
electrophotographic process and device.
In conventional color electrophotographic methods, electrostatic
charge is first uniformly imparted to the surface of a
photosensitive member, a light image of an original is next
projected thereon through a color filter to form an electrostatic
latent image, this latent image is then developed with a developing
agent having a color corresponding to that of the color filter, and
the developed image is then transferred to an image recording
member. The cycle consisting of the above described steps is
repeated for each different color to forming the desired image upon
the image recording member.
There has been proposed a color electrophotographic method in which
electrostatic charge is imparted to a photosensitive member
consisting of an electrically conductive substrate and a
photoconductive layer laminated thereon, an electrostatic latent
image is next formed by exposure through a color filter, the latent
image is then developed with a developing agent having a color
corresponding to that of the filter, and the developed visible
image is transferred to an image recording member which is driven
in synchronism with the photosensitive member. However, such method
has a short coming in that color shears occur when the multicolor
printing is made upon a flexible member, such as fabric cloth,
paper sheets, etc., which tends to expand or contract. There has
been also proposed a method for transferring the pattern onto
fabrics by use of the first-mentioned color electrophotographic
methods. In this method, after formation the developed toner image
on the photosensitive member is transferred by providing gentle
contact between an image recording member and the toner image so as
to transfer this image use the electric field therebetween.
Therefore, the toner particles are only lightly attached on the nap
of the cloth so that when the toner is fused the toner cannot
penetrate into the fibers. That is, the toner is bonded to the
portions of the cloth which are subjected to the strongest washing
action so that the toner tends to be washed from the cloth. In
multicolor printing, one color is printed or transferred to the
cloth and another color is further printed or transferred to such
colored cloth so that the adhesive or bonding force of the toner
particles will not be improved even though the layer of the toner
particles is increased. Therefore, color resistance to washing is
very weak. In textile printing the printing conditions are more
severe as compared with paper sheet printing. The present invention
contemplates the elimination of the shortcomings described above by
the provision of an electrophotographic process in which each color
image is transferred to an intermediate blanket drum so that a
complete color image may be formed thereupon and thereafter this
image is transferred at one time to the image recording members
such as fabrics, thereby preventing color shears. The process
according to the present invention may be advantageously used in
printing textile fabrics. The primary object of the present
invention is therefore to provide an improved electrophotographic
process and device. Another object of the present invention is to
provide an improved color electrophotographic process and device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved
electrophotographic process and device which completely eliminates
color shears. A further object of the present invention is to
provide an improved color electrophotographic process and device
which can form high quality color images on fabrics. A still
further object of the present invention is to provide an improved
color electrophotgraphic process and device which can form high
contrast color images. In the embodiment of the present invention,
the electrophotographic sensitive member disclosed in applications,
Ser. Nos. 563,899 and 571,538 is advantageously used. The present
invention is characterized in that a photosensitive member whose
fundamental construction consists of a substrate, a photoconductive
layer and an insulating layer is precharged so that the
electrostatic charge may be uniformly imparted thereto, a light
image of an original is next projected through a color filter upon
the photosensitive member while simultaneously applying a second
electrostatic charge thereto, thereby forming an electrostatic
latent image, the latent image is then developed with a developing
agent of color corresponding to that of the color filter, the
developed toner image is then transferred to a blanket roller, the
above described steps being repeated so that toner images of
different color are transferred to the blanket roller, thereby
forming a complete color image and this complete color image is
transferred to an image recording member at one time, thereby
reproducing a color image of the original.
According to the process of the present invention, the
electrostatic latent image formed upon the electrophotographic
photosensitive member can be retained for a long time, and has
remarkably high sensitivity and the photoconductive layer can
withstand a large number of repetitive uses.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent from the following description
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a transverse elevational view of one embodiment of an
electrophotographic sensitive member used in the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a transverse elevational view of another embodiment of an
electrophotographic sensitive member used in the present
invention;
FIG. 3 to 5 are representative of the steps for forming an
electrostatic latent image according to a fundamental
electrophotographic process of the present invention;
FIG. 6 shows the visible image obtained by developing the
electrostatic latent image formed in the steps of FIGS. 3 to 5;
FIG. 7 shows the transfer of the visible image of FIG. 6 to an
image recording member;
FIG. 8 to 10 are representative of the steps for forming an
electrostatic latent image according to another fundamental
electrophotographic process of the present invention;
FIG. 11 shows the visible image obtained by developing the
electrostatic latent image formed in the steps of FIGS. 8 to 10;
and
FIG. 12 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a color
electrophotographic device suitable for carrying out the process of
the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a transverse elevational view of one preferred embodiment
of an electrophotographic photosensitive member advantageously used
in the present invention. Reference numeral 1 designates a
substrate, 2, a photoconductive layer, and 3, an insulating layer.
FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of another preferred
embodiment of an electrophotographic photosensitive member in which
the reference numeral 1 designates an electrically conductive
layer, 2, a photoconductive layer, and 3 and 3', insulating layers.
In the case of FIG. 1, the substrate 1 may be either a conductive
or an insulating layer. When the substrate 1 is made of conductive
material, various conductive materials may be used. For example,
they are of metal, such as copper, tin, aluminum and others. The
substrate consisting of hygroscopic paper sheet having a thin
aluminum foil bonded thereupon may be also used. Various insulating
materials may be used as the insulating substrate. For example,
they may be organic high molecular compounds such as fluororesins,
polycarbonate resins, polyethylenes, etc. or inorganic compounds
such as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, silica glass, TiO.sub.2, BN,
etc. The material for the photoconductive layer 2 may be selected
from any material exhibiting photoconductivity upon illumination by
radiation. For example, they may be CdS, CdSe, crystalline Se, ZnO,
TiO.sub.2, SeTe, PbO and other inorganic photoconductive materials
and mixtures thereof. According to the present invention,
crystalline Se which has been not been used heretofore because of
its low resistance, in sufficient for trapping or binding
electrostatic charge, may be used with better results. Naturally,
the photoconductive layer 2 may be made of an organic
photoconductor. There may be used various organic photoconductors,
for example: heterocylic compounds such as oxadiazole,
5-aminothiazole and the like; compounds having a fused ring such as
benzothiazole; compounds having a double bond such as acyl
hydrazone; compounds having an amino group such as aminocarbazole
triphenylamine, derivatives of triphyenylamins and aminated
biphenyl; compounds having a nitrile group such as aromatic
nitrile, for example, dicyano naphthalene and dicyano nitrophenol;
condensed products such as a condensation product of an aldehyde
with an aromatic amine; polyvinylcarbazole such as
poly-N-vinylcarbazole; vinyl polymer such as
.alpha.-alkylacrylamide polymer; and condensed polymer such as
condensed products of a halide of carboxylic acid with
triphenylamine.
Any material having a high resistance sufficent to trap or bind
electrostatic charge may be used in the insulating layer 3. It is
preferable to use a material having relatively high anti-abrasive
strength for repetitive uses. For example, organic high molecular
compounds such as fluororesins, polycarbonate resins, polyester
resins, and the like and inorganic compounds such as Al.sub.2
O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, silica glass, TiO.sub.2, BN, and the like may
be used. As the insulating layer 3', any material for the
insulating layer 3 may be used. In order to form an electrostatic
latent image of an original upon the electrophotographic
photosensitive member shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the photosensitive
member is precharged, that is imparted with electrostatic charge by
corona discharge, electrode charging, friction charging, etc. and
then electrostatic charge with polarity opposite to that of said
precharging, or AC voltage, is applied to the photosensitive member
while simultaneously projecting a light image of the original
thereon. Thereafter, if required, radiation to which the
photoconductive layer is sensitive is applied to the whole surface
of the photosensitive member, thereby forming upon the
photosensitive member an electrostatic latent image having high
contrast corresponding to the image of the original.
FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate the fundamental electrophotographic process
of the present invention for forming an electrostatic latent image
upon a photosensitive member. This process will be described with
respect to the photosensitive member consisting of three laminated
layers, that is, an electrically conductive substrate, a
photoconductive layer and an insulating layer. First, the
photosensitive member is precharged with electrostatic charge of
predetermined polarity by means 4, corona such as a corona
discharger, friction discharger or electrode discharger.
Electrostatic charge of positive polarity is imparted to the
surface of the photosensitive member, but the present invention is
of course not limited to positive polarity. In general, it is
preferable to impart positive electrostatic charge to the
photoconductive layer 2 when it is of n-type photoconductivity, and
negative electrostatic charge thereto when it is of p-type
photoconductivity, in the first or precharging step. By positive
precharging, negative electrostatic charge is considered to be
injected from the substrate side 1 and bound or trapped in the
interface between the photoconductive layer 2 and the insulating
layer 3 or in the portion of the photoconductive layer 2 adjacent
to the insulating layer 3.
Next, by means of an AC corona discharger 5, AC corona discharge is
applied to the precharged surface of the insulating layer 3 thereby
dissipating the electrostatic surface charge, while simultaneously
rediating the image of an original 6 upon the surface of the
photoconductive layer which is sensitive to that radiation. Thus,
an electrostatic latent image, due to the surface potential
difference corresponding to the light and dark pattern of the
original, is formed upon the insulating layer 3 as shown in FIG. 4.
In this embodiment, the insulating layer 3 is transmissive to
radiation to which the photoconductive layer 2 is sensitive. If
required, radiation is applied to the whole surface of the
photoconductive layer to form a better quality electrostatic latent
image corresponding to the light and dark pattern of the original
6. This is shown in FIG. 5. By such exposure, the electrostatic
charge, which is trapped or bound in the portion of the
photosensitive member corresponding to the dark portion (image
portion) of the original and which is not bound by the
electrostatic charge upon the insulating layer, is dissipated so
that the external field due to electrostatic charge of the
precharge polarity may be increased, thereby forming upon the
surface of the insulating layer an electrostatic latent image
having higher contrast than that of the electrostatic latent image
shown in FIG. 4. The electrostatic latent image so formed will not
be dissipated in ambient light and is stablized sufficiently for a
relatively longer time period. Thus, it is suitable for repetitive
use.
FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate the steps of another fundamental
electrophotographic process of the present invention for forming an
electrostatic image upon the surface of an electrophotographic
photosensitive member. The photoconductive member is first
precharged with electrostatic charge of predetermined polarity by
means 8, such as a corona discharger, friction discharger or
electrode discharger. The polarity may be determined in the same
manner as described in the first process above. In this case, the
electrostatic charge layer is formed in the interface between the
insulating layer 3 and the photoconductive layer 2, the polarity of
said charge layer being opposite to that of the electrostatic
charge on the surface of the insulating layer. This is shown in
FIG. 8.
Next, voltage of polarity opposite to that of the precharging is
applied to the surface used in insulating layer by a corona
discharger 9 while simultaneously a radiant energy image of an
original 10 is projected upon the surface of the photosensitive
member, photoconductive layer 2 being sensitive to such
radiation.
Therefore, the electrostatic charge condition or state of the
insulating layer 3 is varied depending upon the dark and light
pattern of the original, thereby forming an electrostatic latent
image due to surface potential difference as shown in FIG. 9. In
the dark portion of the image, a high potential results on the
photosensitive member.
Next, radiation is applied to the whole surface of the
photoconductive layer 2, thereby dissipating the electrostatic
charge in a portion of the interface between the photoconductive
layer and the insulating layer corresponding to the dark portion of
the original and not bound by the electrostatic charge on the
surface of the insulating layer, whereby the polarity of the
electrostatic charge on the surface is reversed and simultaneously
the surface potential difference is increased. Therefore, as shown
in FIG. 10, on the insulating layer surface is formed a high
contrast electrostatic latent image having a high potential at a
portion thereof corresponding to the light portion of the original.
In this process the electrostatic latent image so formed will not
dissipate in ambient light and is sufficiently stable for long term
use in the case of the first process described with reference to
FIGS 3 to 5.
After formation of the electrostatic latent image, it may be
developed by means of electrophotographic developing agents. The
developing step is shown in FIG. 11. When the photoconductive layer
is made of n-type photoconductive material, the surface potential
of the image portion after over-all-surface exposure is with
respect to that of the non-image portion while when the
photoconductive layer is made of p-type photoconductive material,
the surface potential of the image portion after over-all-surface
exposure is with respect to that of the non-image portion. The
polarity of the electrostatic charge at the image potion as
described above, directs selection of the polarity of electrostatic
charge imparted to the electrophotographic developing agents.
However, for some purposes, the polarity of electrostatic charge
imparted to the developing agents can be made otherwise selected.
The next step is to transfer the developed visible image to a
conductive or insulating image recording member such as paper
sheet, cloth, wood, metal foil, etc. by pressing the recording
member upon the toner image. It is preferable to apply corona
discharge or the like to the image recording member when the image
is transferred thereto. This is shown in FIG. 7 wherein, the toner
image is designated by reference numeral 12, the image recording
member by 11 and a corona discharger by 10. The discharger applies
corona dischage to the image recording member thereby transferring
the toner image 9 to the recording member.
According to the color electrophotographic process and device in
accordance with the present invention, in the step of simultaneous
exposure and secondary voltage application, the exposure is made
through one of a predetermined number of color filters, and the
latent image formed by the exposure is developed by use of the
developing agent corresponding to one specific color filter. The
developed color image is transferred to an intermediate blanket
drum. Such cycle is repeated for each color filter used. Then a
single color printing is made by transferring the complete color
image to an image recording member from the intermediate blanket,
as described in more detail hereinafter.
FIG. 12 shows one embodiment of a color electrophotographic device
adapted to carry out the electrophotographic process according to
the present invention. The device comprises a housing generally
designated by reference numeral 100 in which various components and
elements for carrying out the color printing are arranged. A
photosensitive member A consists of a substrate 1, a
photoconductive layer 2 and an insulating layer 3 laminated one
upon another in the order named, and has the configuration of a
roll adapted to be fitted over a rotary drum 13 which is rotated in
the direction indicated by the arrow by drive means (not shown). A
corona discharger 14 for precharging is in spaced relation with the
insulating layer 3 and has an electrode 14.sub.1 and a shield
14.sub.2 encircling said electrode. The electrode 14.sub.1 is
connected to a high voltage source (not shown), so that the surface
of the insulating layer 3 may be charged with uniform electrostatic
charge upon energization of the corona discharger 14. Positive or
negative polarity charge is imparted to the insulating layer 3
preferably in accordance with the n- or p-conductivity of the
photoconductive layer 2. An exposure unit 50 has optical system
comprising light sources 17 and 17' their reflecting plates or
hoods 17.sub.1 and 17.sub.1 ', a rotatable mirror 18, lens 19 and
color filter 20. An original 16 placed upon an original holder 40
is projected upon the insulating layer 3 through the color filter
20 selected from a predetermined number of color filters which may
be changed from one to another just prior to exposure. Another
corona discharger 15 which serves to apply the second voltage to
the photosensitive member is provided with a high voltage of
polarity opposite to that of the precharging voltage or high AC
voltage, so as to apply corona discharge upon the surface of the
insulating layer 3 from the electrode 15.sub.1 while the light
image of the original 16 is simultaneously projected or radiated
thereupon. In order to carry out the simultaneous light image
projection of the original, the upper portion of a shield 15.sub.2
of the corona discharger 15 is preferably open or made of a
transparent electrode which can transmit said light image
therethrough. Radiation means 21 is adapted to radiate the whole
surface of the photoconductive layer 2 and is, for example, an
incandescent lamp or fluorescent lamp so that the electrostatic
latent image formed in the preceding step may have increased
contrast. Developing agent containers 22, 23 and 24 contain therein
developing agents corresponding to the electrostatic latent images
formed through the color filters. For example, the container 22
contains yellow toner 22' for developing the latent image formed
through the blue filter. The magenta toner 23' for developing the
image formed through the green filter is provided in the container
23 and the cyan toner 24' for developing the latent image formed by
the red filter is provided in the container 24. Wet or dry type
developing agents may be used. For example, as dry type developing,
there may be used: a cyan toner containing Picolastic D--125 (Trade
mark, Esso Standard) which is a polystyrole resin and Orasol
Brilliant Blue GN (Trade mark, Ciba Ltd.) which is an oil soluble
metal complex dye; magenta toner containing Picolastic D--125 and
Orasol red G; and a yellow toner containing Picloastic D--125 and
Orasol yellow GRL, etc. They are best suited for transferring the
toner images to the paper sheets. In case of printing onto silk or
the like, it is preferable to use in development the cyan toner
containg Picolastic D--125 and Kayacyl Blue AGG (Trade mark, Nippon
Kayaku K.K.), which is an acid dyestuff, magenta toner containing
Picolastic D--125 and Kayanol Milling Red GRN, and yellow toner
containing Picolastic D--125 and Kayacyl Yellow GG. However, it
will be understood that the present invention is not limited to the
above developing agents, there. As wet type developing agents may
be used: the yellow developing solution in which the yellow toner
containing boiled linseed oil and lead chromate is dispersed in a
highly insulating liquid, such as n-pentane carbon tetrachloride,
Isoper H, etc; magenta developing solution in which the toner
containing boiled linseed oil and cadimum selenate is dispersed in
n-pentane; and the cyan developing solution in which the cyan toner
containing boiled linseed oil and phthalocyanine blue is dispersed
in n-pentane. The foregoing are examples only and all of the
conventional toners may be used in the present invention. In the
embodiment, three-color printing is used, but it is to be
understood that the present invention is of course not limited to
three-color printing. Any number of colors may be used in the
printing process of the present invention. Furthermore, when for
example the developing container 22 is actuated, the other two, 23
and 24, remain unoperated.
An intermediate blanket drum 26 is interposed between the
photosensitive member drum 13 and an image recording member so as
to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow. A color toner
image so developed is temporarily transferred onto the intermediate
blanket drum or roller 26 at a position such as 25. Thus, a number
of color toner images corresponding to the number of images formed
through the color filters may be transferred onto the intermediate
blanket drum 26 and then finally transferred to the flexible image
recording member to be printed. If required, a conductive film,
semi-conductor film or insulating film 27 may be coated over the
intermediate blanket drum 26. Cleaner means 28 is provided for
removing all of the remaining developing agent upon the
photosensitive member A after transferring the toner image formed
thereupon to the blanket drum or roller 26. For example, the
cleaner means 28 contains a fur brush for rubbing the surface of
the photosensitive member so as to remove the toner. However, the
present invention is not limited to such fur brush cleaner means.
For example, cleaning solution may be used to clean the surface of
the photosensitive member and the cleaning solution containing
therein the developing agent may be directed into a cleaning
chamber so that the toner may be separated and purified by
attracting the same to electrode plates disposed within the
chamber. Purified cleaning solution may then be recirculated for
further cleaning operation. A cleaner 36 is adapted to clean the
surface of the intermediate blanket drum 26 after transfer of the
images. A desired number of color toner images of one original
formed and transferred to the intermediate blanket drum or roller
26 may be transferred to the flexible image recording member 30 at
a position as 29. The image recording member 30 remains spaced from
the blanket drum 26 until all of the color toner images are
transferred to the intermediate blanket drum 26 from the
photosensitive member A. Thereafter, the image recording member 30
is brought in contact with the blanket drum 26 so that all of the
color toner images transferred thereupon may be transferred further
at one time to the image recording member 30. To an arm 45 are
connected a plunger 31 and a pressure roller 32 adapted to press
the image recording member against the blanket drum 26. A spring 33
is connected to the arm 45 to bias the arm to a retracted position.
The plunger 31 is adapted to move the pressure roller 32 toward and
away from the blanket drum 26. In this case, it is preferable that
the pressure applied to the image recording member 30 be higher
than 1 kg. The pressure roller 32 may serve as a transfer roller
when a voltage is applied across the intermediate blanket drum 26
and the pressure roller 32 in transferring the images to the
flexible image recording member 30. A fixing device 34 may be, for
example, composed of an infrared heater so that the toner of the
visible image transferred to the flexible image recording member 30
may be melted and fixed to the image recording member 30 when
passing through the fixing device 34. Feed rollers 46, 47 and 51
are provided for advancing the image recording member 30 in the
direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 12 and springs 49 and 53
are attached to the feed rollers 47 and 51 respectively through
their arms 48 and 52 so that the suitable tension may be imparted
to the advancing image recording member 30. The image recording
member 30 passed through the feed roller 51 may be discharged
directly out of the printing device or may be cut into a
predetermined length by a suitable cutting means (not shown) prior
to the discharge through an outlet 54.
A rolled image recording member 30' may be supplied and set in
position through a cover 61 attached to the housing 100 by a hinge
60. It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the use of a rolled image recording member. The image
recording member in the form of sheet may be fed into the printing
device one by one from a stack thereof.
The mode of operation of the color electrophotographic device
having the construction as described will now be described. First,
the photosensitive member A on the drum 13 is precharged by the
discharger 14 so that electrostatic charge may be uniformly
imparted to the surface thereof. Next by means of the optical
system comprising the light sources 17 and 17', the rotatable
mirror 18, the lens 19 and the filter 20, an image of the original
is projected upon the photosensitive member A while simultaneously
imparting electrostatic charge with polarity opposite to that of
the precharging voltage or applying AC corona discharge, so that
the electrostatic latent image due to the surface potential
difference corresponding to the light and dark pattern of the
original is formed upon the surface of the insulating layer. In
this case, for example, a blue filter is used. Next by the
radiation means 21, the whole surface of the photosensitive member
A is exposed so that an electrostatic latent image having highly
increased contrast is formed upon the surface of the photosensitive
member A. Thereafter, the electrostatic latent image is developed
by yellow toner corresponding to the blue filter. The developed
image is electrostatically transferred at position 25 to the
intermediate blanket drum which is rotating in synchronism with the
photosensitive member A. The latter is cleaned by the cleaner means
28. Next a green filter is used and the above described steps are
repeated in similar manner with the exception of the use of magenta
toner of color corresponding to the green filter. The developed
image is transferred to the blanket drum having the yellow toner
image thereupon formed by the preceding steps. The drum A is
cleaned by the cleaner means 28. Thereafter, a red filter is used.
The image forming steps described above are repeated so that a cyan
toner visible image is formed and transferred to the blanket drum
26 then bearing a two-colored toner image, whereby a three-color
toner image is formed upon the blanket drum 26. Then, the flexible
image recording member 30 such as fabric cloth which had been
spaced from the blanket drum 26 during the above three-color image
formation is pressed against the blanket drum 26 by the pressure
roller 32 which is protracted under force of the spring 33 since
the plunger 31 is released. Thus, three color toners may be forced
into the image recording member 30 by the pressure roller 32 so
that the toner particles may be more deeply and securely held in
the recording member 30 as compared with the case where the image
is transferred by the conventional photosensitive plate and the
transfer roller. In the fixing device 24, the toner held in the
recording member 30 is fused and fixed thereto securely and the
recording member is then discharged from the machine. The cleaner
26 is actuated only after the image has been completely transferred
to the image recording member 30 from the blanket drum 26 so as to
clean the same. It is preferable that all of the exposure portion
and the transfer portions 25 and 29 may be arranged in the same
plane, so that the vibrations caused by the impact of the roller 32
upon the drum 26 by the sudden release of the plunger 31 may be
prevented from adversely affecting the formation of the
electrostatic latent image during the exposure. Also in case the
photosensitive member A is subjected to radiation once a half cycle
in the drum 13, the actuation of the plunger 31 does not cause
color shears of printing.
According to the color electrophotographic process and device of
the present invention, each color image may be transferred once to
the blanket drum which rotates in precise synchronism with the
photosensitive member drum so that accurate registration may be
effected. Thereafter, the complete color image is transferred in
one step to the image recording member from the blanket drum so
that no color shear may occur. Therefore, the process and the
device of the present invention are well suited for multicolor
printing. Furthermore, since the visible image is forced into the
image recording member by the pressure roller when the cloth fabric
is printed, sufficient color fastness to washing is provided.
Furthermore, the photoconductive layer 2 on the photosensitive
member drum may be prevented from being damaged by contact with the
rigid blanket drum 26 because the photosensitive member drum
generally incorporates an insulating layer surface made of a strong
resin, such as a polyester resin .
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