Patent ID: 6842599
Filing Date: 2005-01-11
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A developing unit for a liquid-development process in which a developer bearer body carrying a toner layer of liquid developer formed thereon is disposed to face an image bearer body in such a manner that toner particles of the liquid developer are caused to adhere to the image bearer body in a selective pattern corresponding to a recorded latent image, comprising an electrode module in the form of a flexible sheet which is adapted to contact the toner layer on said developer bearer body prior to development and to which a bias voltage is applied; wherein said electrode module separates the toner layer largely into a toner-rich layer and a carrier-rich layer by utilizing electrical migration occurring in the toner layer when an electric field is applied to the toner layer on the basis of the bias voltage; and wherein said electrode module is constructed in such a manner that said sheet is pulled toward a surface of said developer bearer body by a force attributable to surface tension and/or wetting characteristic of the liquid developer existing between said sheet and said developer carrying body, whereby said sheet comes into contact with the surface of the developer bearer body.