Developing apparatus and process for an electrophotographic process
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorsAkiko Oikawa, Toshiya Satoh, Toru Miyasaka
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus for an electrophotographic process utilizes an agglomerate of toner powder so as to avoid scattering of toner powder. When the agglomerate is crushed or de-agglomerated to fine toner powder, only toner powder having a proper particle size for electrophotography is selected by a mesh member through which the toner must pass. The process can be utilized for a single component toner developing system and a component toner developing system.
Claims30
A developing apparatus for an electrophotographic process which comprises:
- a photoconductor;
- a charger for uniformly charging the surface of the photoconductor;
- an exposer for forming a latent electrostatic image on the surface of the charged photoconductor;
- and
- a developing unit for visualizing the latent electrostatic image by causing fine toner powder to adhere to the latent electrostatic image, wherein the developing unit comprises:
- (a) de-agglomerate means for de-agglomerating toner agglomerate to form said fine toner powder, and
- (b) classifying means for classifying and selecting toner powder usable for development according to particle size.
A developing apparatus for an electrophotographic process which comprises:
- a photoconductor;
- a charger for uniformly charging the surface of the photoconductor;
- an exposer for forming a latent electrostatic image on the charged surface of the photoconductor;
- and
- a developing unit for visualizing the latent electrostatic image by causing fine toner powder to adhere to the latent electrostatic image, wherein the developing unit comprises:
- (a) supply means for supplying a toner agglomerate,
- (b) de-agglomerate means for de-agglomerating the toner agglomerate to form said fine toner powder, and
- (c) classifying means for classifying and selecting toner powder usable for development according to particle size.
An electrophotographic process for an image forming apparatus which comprises the steps of:
- preparing an agglomerate of toner powder;
- supplying the agglomerate to a developing unit;
- de-agglomerating the agglomerate in the developing unit to form fine toner powder;
- and
- classifying and selecting toner powder usable for development according to particle size.
A developing apparatus for an electrophotographic process which comprises:
- a photoconductor;
- a charger for uniformly charging the surface of the photoconductor;
- an exposer for forming a latent electrostatic image on the surface of the charged photoconductor;
- and
- a developing unit for visualizing the latent electrostatic image by causing fine toner powder to adhere the latent electrostatic image, wherein the developing unit comprises:
- (a) de-agglomerate means for de-agglomerating toner agglomerate to form said fine toner powder,
- (b) classifying means for classifying and selecting toner powder usable for development according to particle size, and
- (c) collection means for collecting ultra-fine toner powder which was not classified and selected as toner powder usable for development in the developing apparatus.
A developing apparatus for an electrophotographic process which comprises:
- a photoconductor;
- a charger for uniformly charging the surface of the photoconductor;
- an exposer for forming a latent electrostatic image on the surface of the charged photoconductor;
- and
- a developing unit for visualizing the latent electrostatic image by causing fine toner powder to adhere the latent electrostatic image, wherein the developing unit comprises:
- (a) supply means for supplying a toner agglomerate,
- (b) de-agglomerate means for de-agglomerating toner agglomerate to form said fine toner powder,
- (c) classifying means for classifying and selecting toner powder usable for development according to particle size, and
- (d) collection means for collecting ultra-fine toner powder which was not classified and selected as toner powder usable for development in the developing apparatus.
An electrophotographic process for an imaging forming apparatus having a photoconductor, a charger for uniformly charging the surface of the photoconductor, an exposer for forming a latent electrostatic image on the surface of the charged photoconductor, and a developing unit for visualizing the latent electrostatic image by causing fine toner powder to adhere to the latent electrostatic image, the developing unit including de-agglomerate means for de-agglomerating toner agglomerate to form the fine toner powder, and classifying means for classifying and selecting toner powder usable for development according to particle size, the electrophotographic process including the steps of:
- de-agglomerating the toner agglomerate to form the fine toner powder utilizing the de-agglomerate means;
- and
- classifying and selecting toner powder usable for development according to particle size utilizing the classifying means.
An electrophotographic process for an image forming apparatus having a photoconductor, a charger for uniformly charging the surface of the photoconductor, an exposer for forming a latent electrostatic image on the surface of the charged photoconductor, and a developing unit for visualizing the latent electrostatic image by causing fine toner powder to adhere to the latent electrostatic image, the developing unit including supply means for supplying a toner agglomerate, de-agglomerate means for de-agglomerating the toner agglomerate to form the fine toner powder, and classifying means for classifying and selecting toner powder usable for development according to particle size, the electrophotographic process comprising the steps of:
- supplying toner agglomerate utilizing the supply means;
- de-agglomerating the toner agglomerate to form the fine toner powder utilizing the de-agglomerate means;
- and
- classifying and selecting the toner powder usable for development according to particle size utilizing the classifying means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.