A WET TYPE COLOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC COPYING MACHINE

Abstract: A colour electrophotographic copying machine has a wet-type of developing apparatus and a surplus developer removing device provided under a photosensitive material carrying device (1). The developing apparatus comprises a plurality of colour developing devices (eg. 3C) and a lifting means (40) for locating each developing device in each of a developing position, a blade contacting postion and a low­ ered position. The surplus developer removing device com­ prises a developer squeezing roller unit (50) and a developer recovery blade (52), both of which are provided at least in each colour developing device, and an air knife device (8). The blade is operated to be in contact with the non-image area of the surface upon the lowering movement of the dev­ eloping device from the developing position to the blade con­ tacting position in order to recover the remaining developer through the blade completely, thereby eliminating colour turbidity in the copy image.

Description: The present invention relates to a wet-type electrophotographic colour copying machine comprising a charger means disposed adjacent to a conductive receptor on which a desired latent image is produced for applying a static electricity as the receptor moves relatively to the charger means, an exposure means for exposing an original image to be copied; and a developing station for supplying a plurality of developing solutions to the receptor as the receptor moves relatively to the developing station, to make the latent image visible, said developing station comprising a plurality of a developer supplying means each for supplying a respective one of said developing solutions to the receptor, a lifting means for lifting a selected one of said supplying means so as to approach the receptor synchronously with the movement of the receptor, a squeezing roller mounted on said supplying means for squeezing a surplus developing solution supplied from said supplying means, an air knife disposed adjacent to said squeezing roller for damming up the surplus developing solution, and a recovery blade disposed adjacent to said supplying means, for removing the surplus developing solution on a non-image area of the receptor. European patent application EP -A1- 0 007 193 discloses a colour copier and having means to remove access developer from a receptor member. These means are further specified as being means comprising an air knife on each tank on the exit side of said tank in relation to carriage movement after a developer application, said air knife comprising a jet directed to discharge access developer back into said tank, said jet being connected to air supply means. This document further discloses specifying means to remove the excess developer comprising a squeegee roller on each tank on the exit side of said tank in relation to carriage movement after a developer application, said squeegee roller being disposed to discharge excess developer back into said tank. Further art in this field is described in the US-A-4 275 134, where a cleaner for cleaning the transfer drum from residual toner from the drum is described. Relevant is also the GB-A-1 476 782 which discloses a multi-colour electrophotographic copying apparatus comprising means to transport surplus developer from the image bearing member by means of an endless movable member and means for removing any unnecessary developing solution from the surface of the image bearing surface after the bulk has been transferred to the developer conveying surface. In this case there are mentioned a lot of different squeezing rollers and blades which may even be put from operative to inoperative position. However in a machine according to that patent specification no air knife is used nor is there a mention of three different height levels. The present invention aims to provide a wet-type electrophotographic colour copying machine in which colour turbidity is appreciably reduced by increasing the effectiveness of the known surplus developer removing device. The objective is solved by a link mechanism connected with said recovery blade, by which the recovery blade is actuated to contact with the receptor in a receded position of said supplying means, said lifting means locating the respective supplying means at three levels of height, at a first level the supplying means being located most closely to the receptor so as to allow said squeezing roller to remove part of the surplus developing solution in cooperation with said air knife, at a second level said supplying means being engaged with said link mechanism so as to allow said blade to contact with the receptor, whereby a remaining developing solution is completely removed from the receptor, and at a third level said supplying means and said blade being inoperative. Further advantages are gained when the colour developing device comprises a body casing, a head casing supported by resilient means within the body casing so as to be biased upward by the resilient means and a developing head mounted on the head casing, the head casing being provided with the developer squeezing roller unit and the developer recovery blade, and the developer recovery blade being swingably supported by a swing plate on the head casing and being adapted to be moved up to the blade contracting position when an arm fixedly secured to an end of a support shaft for the swing plate is operated by the relative lowering movement between the body casing and the head casing. In these embodiments, the photosensitive material carrying device comprises favourably a drum rotatably supported by a frame of the copying machine. The photosensitive material carrying device holds in another, further preferred embodiment a photoconductive photosensitive material wound around the drum. In another embodiment, the photosensitive material carrying device holds the photoconductive photosensitive material evenly on a flat plate. Accordingly, surplus developer remaining on the image-carrying surface is mostly removed by the squeezing roller unit during a developing process, and surplus developer which escapes to the surface behind the roller unit is returned to the area near the roller unit by the blowing air from the air knife device so as to be removed by the roller unit. When the image area of the image-carrying surface passes by the developing device, the supply of the developer is stopped, the developing device and the squeezing roller operatively leave the non-image area of the image carrying surface, and then the developer recovery blade moves up to contact the non-image area of the surface. Therefore, surplus developer remaining in the clearance between the image-carrying surface and the squezing roller is removed downwards by the recovery blade. In order that the present invention may be readily understood embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the principal part of a first embodiment of a wet-type electrophotographic colour copying machine according to the present invention, in which a photosensitive material carrying device of the copying machine comprises a drum; Figure 2 is a plan view of a colour developing device of the copying machine; Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the copying machine; Figure 4 is a side view of a principal part of a second embodiment of a wet-type electrophotographic colour copying machine according to the invention for use as a colour correction machine, in which a photosensitive material carrying device of the copying machine comprises a photosensitive material holder in the form of a flat plate; and Figure 5 is a side view of a principal part of the Figure 4 copying machine in an exposure position. Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a first wet-type electrophotographic colour copyng machine embodying the present invention has a photosensitive material carrying device in the form of a drum 1. As shown in Figure 3, drum 1 is rotatably supported by a frame of the copying machine and serves to carry a sheet of photosensitive material 2 on the peripheral surface thereof. A wet-type developing apparatus 3 is adapted to develop an electrostatic latent image generated on the photosensitive material 2. The wet-type developing apparatus 3 comprises a plurality of colour developing devices 3C, 3M, 3Y which are adapted to supply various kinds of colour developers as described in detail later. Spaced around the periphery of the drum 1 in the rotational direction A thereof there are arranged in order a winding device 4 for winding the photosensitive material 2 around the drum 1, a charger 5 for applying electrostatic charge to the photosensitive material 2, a focusing optical apparatus 6 for use in producing an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive material 2 in accordance with an original image, an auxiliary exposing device 7 for use in tone correction, an air knife device 8, a photosensitive material stripping device 10, a drum cleaning device 11 and a de-electrifier 12. The photosensitive material winding device 4 comprises photosensitive material feed rollers 14 and a press roller 15 for use in pressing down and winding the photosensitive material 2 onto the peripheral surface of the drum 1. The photosensitive material is fed to the rollers 14 from a roll in a magazine box 18 via a supply roller 17 and a rotary cutter 16. The optical apparatus 6 comprises an illuminating device 22 to illuminate an original 21 held on an original holding frame 20, a focusing lens unit 23, colour separating filters 24 and a reflecting mirror 25. The original 21 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow B with the holding frame. 20 and the electrostatic latent image is produced as a colour separated image projected through the focusing lens unit 23 and the colour separating filter 24 onto the photosensitive material 2 wound around the drum 1 from the strip-like illuminated images of the original 21. The wet-type developing apparatus 3 comprises a cyan developing device 3C, a magenta developing device 3M, a yellow developing device 3Y and, if desired, a black developing device (not shown in the Figures). Each of the developing devices develops by a corresponding colour toner a corresponding electrostatic latent image produced on the photosensitive material 2 as a colour separated image so as to obtain a colour copy of the original by repeated colour development. Each developing device 3C, 3M, 3Y is mounted for movement upwards and downwards (indicated by the arrow D) on a carriage 31 which is movable right and left (indicated by the arrow C). That is, the carriage 31 is adapted to be moved and located in position on a pair of guide rails 33 by a driving means 36 including a drive motor 34 and a chain 35. The guide rails are arranged in parallel at opposite sides of a base portion 32 of the machine. As shown in Figure 1, a lifting means 40 for the developing devices is provided in the base portion 32, which means 40 is composed of a push-up motor 37, a push-up crank mechanism 38 and a pair of push-up rods 39 which support the bottom of the developing device. Each of the colour developing devices is positionable by the lifting device 40 in each of a developing position, a blade contacting position and a lowered position. Each colour developing device, for example the cyan developing device 3C as shown in Figures 1 and 2, supports a developing head 42 within a body casing 41 thereof. The developing head 42 is adapted to be moved up and down together with the casing 41 and to, supply colour developer 44 to an image-carrying surface 2a of the electrophotosensitive material 2 from a feed pump 43. In figure 2, a bird's fountain type of developer supplementary tank 45 and an air vent 46 are also visible. Referring to Figure 1, the developing head 42 which is also used as a developing electrode plate, two rollers 48, 50 and a support shaft 51 for the rollers are supported by both forward and rearward side plates 47a, 47a of a head casing 47. When the colour developing device 3C is located in the developing position, the head casing 47 is biased by a push-up spring 49 so that the rollers 48, 50 are in contact with the drum 1. A clearance is accordingly formed between the developing head 42 and the image-carrying surface 2a of the photosensitive material 2 so that the clearance may be filled with the developer. Behind the developing head 42, there are provided, in succession in the direction of rotation A of the drum, the roller 50, a developer recovery blade 52 and the air knife device 8. The roller 50 also constitutes a developer squeezing roller unit and comprises contact rollers 50a, 50a disposed to contact the image-carrying surface at both transverse ends thereof and a small diameter roller 50b arranged between the two contact rollers 50a, 50a so as to form a small squeezing clearance of, for example, 0.3 - 0.4 mm between the roller 50b and the image-carrying surface 21. The small clearance prevents the toner image from being disrupted. The developer recovery blade 52 is secured to a swing plate 53 by screws so as to be supported swingably by support shaft 51 on which the swing plate 53 is mounted and is biased upwards by a compression spring 54 acting on the underside of the swing plate 53. A swing arm 56 proided with a runner 55 is secured to the end of support shaft 51. The runner 55 is biased to an upper end of a rearward side plate 41a of the case body 41 by the spring 54. Therefore, in the developing position in which the developing head 42 is held near the drum 1, the developer recovery blade 52 keeps a clearance between its upper edge and the image-carrying surface 2a. In the blade contacting position where the body casing 41 of the colour developing device 3C is lowered a predetermined distance, the upward movement of the head casing 47 is limited to a predetermined level by stop members 57 secured respectively to the left and right side plates 41b, 41b of the body casing 41 against the push-up spring 49. The developing head 42 and the developer squeezing roller unit 50 are also kept apart from the image-carrying surface 2a of the photosensitive material 2. The runner 55 is pushed down by the spring 54 in accordance with the lowering distance of the body casing 41 relative to the head casing 47 so that the blade 52 moves up into contact with the peripheral surface of the drum 1. Consequently, surplus developer remaining between the developer squeezing roller unit 50 and the image-carrying surface 2a flows down for removal through the developer recovery blade 52 with the aid of the air pressure from the air knife device 8. As shown in Figure 3, the peripheral surface of the drum 1 comprises the image area on which the sheetlike photosensitive material 2 is wound forwardly of the rotational direction (indicated by arrow A) of the drum and the non-image area where there is no photosensitive material. Along the axial direction of the drum 1 in a forward position of the image area there are provided many suction ports 59 for use in holding the sheetlike photosensitive material 2 wound around the drum 1 by suction. In the non-image area there is provided a suction groove 60 extending in the axial direction of the drum 1, which functions to remove surplus developer by suction and in which is packed an absorbant material 61 such as felt. The suction ports 59 and the suction groove 60 are connected respectively to a suction duct 63 provided within the rotary shaft 62 of the drum 1, the suction duct 63 being connected to a suction blower 65 through a drainer 64. Where the suction means 60 as above-mentioned is provided in the non-image area of the drum 1, the removal of the surplus developer by the blade 52 can be carried out more effectively. The operation of the above embodiment of the present invention will now be described. When the colour developing device 3C is located in the developing position, the surplus developer remaining on the image-carrying surface 2a is mostly removed by the developer squeezing roller unit 50 and returned into the body casing 41. After passing by the roller unit 50, any surplus developer remaining on the image-carrying surface 2a is pushed back to the area near the roller unit 50 by the stream of air from the air knife device 8 and is returned to the case body 41 through the roller unit 50. When the image area of the image carrying surfae 2a passes by the developing head 42, the supply of developer is stopped and at the same time the colour developing device 3C is lowered to the blade contacting position by the lifting means 40. Further, at the same time as the lowering movement of the device 3C, the developing head 42 and the developer squeezing roller unit 50 are operated to leave the drum 1 and the developer recovery blade 52 is operated to come into contact the non-image area of the image-carrying surface 2a. Therefore, the surplus developer remaining between the image-carrying surface 2a and the roller unit 50 flows down to be removed by the developer recovery blade 52. When the drum 1 rotates further so that the suction means 60 reach the blade 52, the surplus developer sticking to the blade 52 is sucked and removed completely. The lifting means is then operated to move the colour developing device 3C dawn to the lowered position. Thereafter, the other colour developing devices 3M, 3Y are operated sequentially to carry out the magenta and yellow developments in the same manner as the cyan developing device 3C. The present invention can also be applied to a copying machine wherein a photosensitive lamina is formed integratedly onto the peripheral surface. Figures 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of a wet-type electrophotographic colour copying machine for colour correction which embodies the present invention. The construction of a wet-type electrophotographic colour copying machine for colour correction (hereinafter, referred to simply as a corrective copying machine) will first be applied. A corrective copying machine may be utilised in order to check the results of each colour separated film negative obtained by a separation of the colour original image prior to regular printing by a press. As shown in Figure 5, a photosensitive material holding device 71 is supported rotatably by a frame (not shown in the Figures) so that its holding surface faces upwards or downwards by turning it over in the direction of the arrow E. A photoconductive photosensitive material 72 is placed evenly on a holding surface 71a of holding device 71 so as to be located by pins or the like (not shown in the Figures) and then to be held by suction. A charger 74 is movable in the direction of arrow F to impart an electrostatic charge entirely to the photosensitive material 72. A colour separated film negative 73 (for example a cyan film negative) is located upon the charged photosensitive material 72 and held by suction. Then the light source 75 is lit and the image on the negative 73 is exposed onto the photosensitive material 72 so that an electrostatic latent image is produced on the photosensitive material 72. As shown in Figure 4, the colour separated film negative 73 is removed and, with the photosensitive material 72 still held by suction, the holding device 71 is turned over in the direction of the arrow E so that the holding surface 71a faces downwards. The colour developing device (for example the cyan developing device 76C) corresponding to the negative 73 in the wet-type of developing apparatus 76 is moved upwards in the direction of the arrow G, whilst the developing apparatus 76 is moved in the direction of the arrow H to supply the corresponding colour developer to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive material 72, so that a visible image is developed by the colour toner. In the same way, each colour separated film negative is successively placed upon the same photosensitive material 72 by aligning reference marks. The exposure and the development are carried out repeatedly so that a corrected print is obtained as the copy of the colour original image. This second embodiment of the invention is very different from the first embodiment as regards such constructions as the photosensitive material holding means comprises the flat plate-like holding device 71 supported rotatably by the machine frame and accordingly the developing process is carried out by the relative movement of the holding device 71 and the developing apparatus 76 in the horizontal direction H. Each colour developing device 76C, 76M, 76Y is adapted to be operated upwardly and downwardly with the body casing 80 by respective lifting means 78 provided within the carriage 77 and to be located operatively in a developing position, an intermediate position and a lowered position in the same way as the first embodiment. Essentially, each colour developing device 76C, 76M, 76Y has almost the same construction as that of the first embodiment. That is, the head casing 81 is biased upward by the compression spring 82. On the head casing 81 there are provided the developing head 83, two rollers 84, 85, the air knife device 86 and the developer recovery blade 87. When the developing head 83, rollers 84, 85 and air knife device 86 are removed from the image-carrying surface, the developer recovery blade 87 is brought into contact with the non-image area of the image-carrying surface 71a so that the surplus developer remaining between the developer squeezing roller 85 and the image-carrying surface 71a is recovered by the blade 87. A suction groove 90 is formed in the non-image area in order to remove surplus developer by suction 91 is the absorptive member, 92 is the pivot shaft, 93 is the suction duct formed in the pivot shaft, 94 is the drainer and 95 is the suction blower, each of which functions in the same way as in the first embodiment. As described above, since a wet-type colour electrophotographic copying machine embodying the present invention is constructed so that each colour developing device is provided with both a developer squeezing roller and a developer recovery blade and the surplus developer remaining on the image-carrying surface is removed by the recovery blade which is operated to contact the image-carrying surface as the squeezing roller is operated to leave the image-carrying surface, the partial remainder of developer which gave rise to the problems of colour turbidity in the prior art is eliminated and the surplus developer is removed completely from the image-carrying surface.

Claims: A wet type electro-photographic colour copying machine comprising: a charger means (5, 74) disposed adjacent to a photoconductive receptor (1, 72) on which a desired latent image is produced for applying a static electricity as the receptor (1, 72) moves relatively to the charger means (5, 74); an exposure means (22, 75) for exposing an original image (21, 73) to be copied; and a developing station for supplying a plurality of developing solutions to the receptor (1, 72) as the receptor (1, 72) moves relatively to the developing station, to make the latent image visible, said developing station comprising: a plurality of developer supplying means (3C, 3M, 3Y; 76C, 76M, 76Y) each for supplying a respective one of said developing solutions to the receptor (1, 72); a lifting means (40, 78) for lifting a selected one of said supplying means (3C, 3M, 3Y; 76C, 76M, 76Y) so as to approach the receptor (1, 72) synchronously with the movement of the receptor (1, 72); a squeezing roller (50; 85) mounted on said supplying means (3A, 3M, 3Y; 76C, 76M, 76Y) for squeezing a surplus developing solution supplied from said supplying means (3C, 3M, 3Y; 76C, 76M, 76Y); an air knife (8, 86) disposed adjacent to said squeezing roller (50, 85) for damming up the surplus developing solution; and a recovery blade (52, 87) disposed adjacent to said supplying means (3C, 3M, 3Y; 76C, 76M, 76Y), for removing the surplus developing solution on a non-image area of the receptor (1, 72); characterized by a link mechanism (51, 53, 54) connected with said recovery blade (52, 87), by which the recovery blade (52, 87) is actuated to contact with the receptor (1, 72) in a receded position of said supplying means; said lifting means (40, 78) locating the respective supplying means (3C, 3M, 3Y; 76C, 76M, 76Y) at three levels of height, at a first level the supplying means (3C, 3M, 3Y; 76C, 76M, 76Y) being located most closely to the receptor (1, 72) so as to allow said squeezing roller (50; 85) to remove part of the surplus developing solution in cooperation with said air knife (8, 86), at a second level said supplying means (3C, 3M, 3Y; 76C, 76M, 76Y) being engaged with said link mechanism (51, 53, 54) so as to allow said blade (52, 87) to contact with the receptor (1, 72), whereby a remaining developing solution is completely removed from the receptor (1, 72), and at a third level said supplying means (3C, 3M, 3Y; 76C, 76M, 76Y) and said blade (52, 87) being inoperative. A copying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the colour developing device (76C, 76M, 76Y) comprises a body casing (80), a head casing (81) supported by resilient means within the body casing so as to be biased upward by the resilient means and a developing head (83) mounted on the head casing (81), the head casing (81) being provided with the developer squeezing roller unit and the developer recovery blade (87), and the developer recovery blade (87) being swingably supported by a swing plate on the head casing (81) and being adapted to be moved up to the blade contacting position when an arm fixedly secured to an end of a support shaft for the swing plate is operated by the relative lowering movement between the body casing (80) and the head casing (81). A copying machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the photosensitive material carrying device comprises a drum (1) rotatably supported by a frame of the copying machine. A copying machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the photosensitive material carrying device holds a photoconductive photosensitive material (2) wound around the drum (1). A copying machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the photosensitive material carrying device (71) holds the photoconductive photosensitive material (72) evenly on a flat plate.

Inventors: DANBAYASHI, TOSHIAKI DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG. CO. LTD, KOMATSUBARA, SHOJI, OKA, YASUYUKI DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG. CO. LTD.
Applicants: DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG. CO., LTD., ISHIHARA SANGYO KAISHA, LTD.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G03G15
IPC codes: G03G15, G03G21