Patent ID: 6029036
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A liquid developing apparatus comprising:an image bearing member, the image bearing member having a surface on which an electrostatic latent image can be formed and being adapted to move in one direction;a pre-wet mechanism to form a film of pre-wet liquid on the surface of the image bearing member;a developing agent bearing member, the developing agent bearing member having a surface that carries an electrically charged liquid developing agent and being adapted to move in accord with the image bearing member, said development agent bearing member further being adapted to bring said liquid developing agent which is on the surface thereof into contact with the image bearing member to thereby supply said liquid developing agent to the surface of the electrostatic latent image to thereby develop the image;a developing agent supply mechanism that forms a 5 to 40 .mu.m film of liquid developing agent on the surface of the development agent bearing member;wherein said liquid developing agent has a viscosity of 100 to 10,000 mPa.s., wherein said pre-wet liquid is a chemically inert dielectric liquid that has good release properties,wherein a gap is disposed between the surface of the image bearing member and the surface of the developing agent bearing member, and wherein said gap is greater than the thickness of the film of liquid developing agent but smaller than the sum of the thicknesses of the pre-wet liquid film and the liquid developing agent film,wherein the image bearing member is a drum with a surface formed from photosensitive material, the development agent bearing member is a continuous flexible belt with an external surface that can carry liquid developing agent, and has at least one drive roller that moves said belt in accord with the image bearing member, and the gap between the surfaces of the developing agent bearing member and the image bearing member is maintained by means of adjusting the tension of the belt of the developing agent bearing member.