Patent ID: 6608984
Filing Date: 2003-08-19
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A developing method for a latent image on an image surface of an image carrier, comprising:providing a cylindrical developer carrier having a surface hardness lower than the surface hardness of the image carrier in contact with said image surface at least at two spaced apart points, with the cylindrical developer carrier surface being out of contact with the image surface between the two spaced apart points; moving opposite ends of said cylindrical developer carrier different distances relative to one another to bring the cylindrical developer carrier surface and the image surface between the two spaced apart points into contact to form a full contact region between the two spaced apart points; and transferring a single ingredient type developer from the cylindrical developer carrier surface to the image surface over the full contact region between the two spaced apart points to develop the latent image without density irregularities arising because of the absence of full contact between the cylindrical developer carrier surface and the image surface.