Patent ID: 6266073
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: G02B,H04N

Abstract:
An electrophotographic color printer, comprising:a scanning section configured to generate a plurality of selectively pulsed beams of energy to selectively discharge portions of an electrically charged photoconductive material to a first electrical potential; anda developer section comprising:a continuous rotatable surface;photoconductive material supported on the continuous surface;a base charging station positioned proximate to the photoconductive material and configured to impart a predetermined second electrical potential to the photoconductive material as the photoconductive material is moved past the base charging station by the rotatable surface and prior to the photoconductive material being discharged by the pulsed beams of laser energy from the scanning section:a first developing station configured to apply a first toner at a third electrical potential to portions of the photoconductive material discharged by a first beam of laser energy from the scanning section;a second developing station configured to apply a second toner at a fourth electrical potential to portions of the photoconductive material discharged by a second beam of laser energy from the scanning section and subsequent to the first toner;a third developing station configured to apply a third toner at a fifth electrical potential to portions of the photoconductive material discharged by a third beam of laser energy from the scanning section and subsequent to the second toner;a fourth developing station configured to apply a fourth toner at a sixth electrical potential to portions of the photoconductive material discharged by a fourth beam of laser energy from the scanning section and subsequent to the third toner; andwherein the ascending order of absolute values of the electrical potentials are the first, the fourth, the third, and the second electrical potential, and the absolute value of the fifth electrical potential is between the absolute values of the first and the fourth electrical potentials, and the absolute value of the sixth electrical potential is between the absolute values of the first and the fifth electrical potentials; andwherein developing stations are configured with respect to the continuous rotatable surface such that during operation the order of application of the toners to the continuous rotatable surface are the first, the second, the third and the fourth toners.