# US 6,817,701 B2 · Image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 6,817,701 B2
- Document ID: US6817701B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/225,483
- Filed: 2002-08-22
- Published: 2003-03-27
- Granted: 2004-11-16
- Earliest claimed: 2001-08-28
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Atsunori Kitazawa; Kiyoteru Katsuki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6817701B2

## CPC

- G03G 15/346: {by modulating the powder through holes or a slit}
- B41J 2/4155: {for direct electrostatic printing [DEP]}
- G03G 2217/0025: where the toner starts moving from behind the electrode array, e.g. a mask of holes
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

The width of a spacer which defines a gap between a development roller and an FPC is set to the width of a toner layer which is carried on the development roller or narrower. This prevents an edge portion of the spacer from getting deformed. In addition, as the spacer is made of a material whose work function is approximately the same as the work function of toner, it is possible to suppress disturbance of a surface potential of the toner layer. Further, for the purpose of maintaining the uniformity of the toner layer, it is desirable to restrict the amount of the toner on the development roller to a predetermined value or smaller.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image farming apparatus, comprising:
a back electrode;
a toner carrier which transports a toner layer, which is formed by electrified toner, to a toner transfer starting position which is faced with said back electrode while carrying said toner layer and moving in a predetermined travel direction;
toner transfer controlling means which is disposed between said toner carrier and said back electrode and controls toner transfer from said toner transfer starting position on said toner carrier toward said back electrode so that toner arrives at an image receiving member which is transported between said back electrode and said toner transfer controlling means and a toner image is accordingly formed; and
gap defining means which comes in contact with said toner layer and accordingly defines a gap between said toner carrier and said toner transfer controlling means,
wherein said gap defining means has a width in a width direction, which is perpendicular to said travel direction of said toner carrier, smaller than a width of said toner layer in said width direction and comes in contact with said toner layer within both edge portions of said toner layer in said width direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gap defining means comes in contact with said toner layer an upstream position to said toner transfer starting position in said travel direction of said toner carrier.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gap defining means comes in contact with said toner layer at a downstream position to said toner transfer starting position in said travel direction of said toner carrier.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein a toner carrier side surface of at least one of said gap defining means and said toner transfer controlling means and a surface of said toner carrier are conductive or semi-conductive, while said toner is non-conductive.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gap defining means is made of a material having a work function approximately the same as a work function of said toner.

### Claim 6

An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a back electrode;
a toner carrier which transports a toner layer, which is formed by electrified toner, to a toner transfer starting position which is faced with said back electrode while carrying said toner layer and moving in a predetermined travel direction;
toner transfer controlling means which is disposed between said toner carrier and said back electrode and controls toner transfer from said toner transfer starting position on said toner carrier toward said back electrode so that toner arrives at an image receiving member which is transported between said back electrode and said toner transfer controlling means and a toner image is accordingly formed; and
gap defining means which defines a gap between said toner carrier and said toner transfer controlling means,
wherein said gap defining means is made of a material having a work function approximately the same as a work function of said toner, and comes in contact with said toner layer at an upstream position to said toner transfer starting Position in said travel direction of said toner carrier.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The image forming apparatus of claim 6, wherein the thickness of said toner layer carried on said toner carrier is restricted to smaller than 2d where the symbol d denotes a volume mean diameter of said toner.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The image forming apparatus of claim 7, wherein the thickness of said toner layer is restricted to approximately 1d.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The image forming apparatus of claim 6, wherein the quantity of said toner carried on said toner carrier is 0.8 mg/cm2 or smaller.

### Claim 10

An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a back electrode;
a toner carrier which transports a toner layer, which is formed by electrified toner, to a toner transfer starting position which is faced with said back electrode while carrying said toner layer and moving in a predetermined travel direction;
toner restricting means which restricts a quantity of said toner carried on said toner carrier to a predetermined value at an upstream position to said toner transfer starting position in said travel direction of said toner carrier;
toner transfer controlling means which is disposed between said toner carrier and said back electrode and controls toner transfer from said toner transfer starting position on said toner carrier toward said back electrode so that toner arrives at an image receiving member which is transported between said back electrode and said toner transfer controlling means and a toner image is accordingly formed; and
gap defining means which comes in contact with said toner layer at a position between said toner transfer starting position and said toner restricting means and defines a gap between said toner carrier and said toner transfer controlling means,
wherein said toner restricting means restricts a thickness of said toner layer to smaller than 2d where the symbol d denotes a volume mean diameter of said toner.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The image forming apparatus of claim 10, wherein said toner restricting means restricts the thickness of said toner layer to approximately 1d.

### Claim 12

An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a back electrode;
a toner carrier which transports a toner layer, which is formed by electrified toner, to a toner transfer starting position which is faced with said back electrode which carrying said toner layer and moving in a predetermined travel direction;
toner restricting means which restricts a quantity of said toner carried on said toner carrier to a predetermined value at an upstream position to said toner transfer starting position in said travel direction of said toner carrier;
toner transfer controlling means which is disposed between said toner carrier and said back electrode and controls toner transfer from said toner transfer starting position on said toner carrier toward said back electrode so that toner arrives at an image receiving member which is transported between said back electrode and said toner transfer controlling means and a toner image is accordingly formed; and
gap defining means which comes in contact with said toner layer at a position between said toner transfer starting position and said toner restricting means and defines a gap between said toner carrier and said toner transfer controlling means,
wherein said toner restricting means restricts the quantity of said toner transported to said toner transfer starting position to 0.8 mg/cm2 or smaller.