Developer cartridges

Abstract: An electro-photographic apparatus utilizes solid developers (1) of a plurality of colours from a cartridge (2) for developing an electrostatic latent image. The solid developers (1) are solid at normal temperature and are liquified by a heater (5) for use. The solid developers (10) are accommodated within the single container (2) in a predetermined colour order.

Description: This invention relates to developer cartridges which may for example be used for electro-photographic (or electronic photographic) apparatus, and to electro-photographic apparatus. In an electrostatic process for electro-photographic development, an electrostatic latent image is formed by uniformly charging a photoconductive surface such as a photoconductor drum or a dielectric film, and then selectively illuminating the surface in accordance with an image signal, so that the charges on the portions illuminated by the light are neutralized and the electrostatic latent image informed. Alternatively, a dielectric material such as a paper or a plastics film is charged by an electrostatic electrode called a multistylus head in accordance with an image signal, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image. To develop the latent image, a developer (toner) charged with the opposite polarity to that of the latent image carrier is electrostatically deposited on the charged portions of the latent image, and then developed. Dry and wet developing methods are known. A dry developer is generally formed of very fine powder, which is troublesome if it becomes scattered. A sealed developer cartridge in which the dry developer is accommodated is preferred. A liquid developer is formed by dispersing powders of colourant such as dye stuff into an insulating liquid. Using a centrifugal pump, the liquid developer is projected from the developer container through a slit of a developing electrode used to charge the electrostatic latent image to the polarity opposite to that of the electrostatic latent image carrier, whereby colourant particles are electrostatically deposited on the latent image carrier. In known developing apparatus, surplus liquid developer, which is not deposited on the latent image carrier, is returned to and accommodated again within the developer container, so lowering the concentration of the developer. This makes control of the concentration of the liquid developer difficult. Moreover, there are problems such as leakage of liquid developer, and coagulation and precipitation of the liquid developer when stored. On the other hand, an electrostatic process utilizing a liquid developer offers the possibility of resolution and gradation of a picture similar to those of silver halide photograph. This electrostatic process is therefore suitable for application to a printing apparatus of high image quality such as a video printer used in an electronic still camera. We have previously proposed a method of developing an electrostatic latent image (see Japanese patent application 63/156847) in which a developer (toner) in which a colourant is dispersed in an electrostatic insulating organic material which is solid at normal temperatures is heated and changed into liquid for use in a wet developing process. Similar methods are disclosed in US-A-3 133 484, US-A-3 079 272 and US-A-3 431 890. In the method as described above, however, for an electro-photographic apparatus capable of printing a video image in a plurality of colours, for example, three colours such as yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C), three containers for solid developers of three colours are required, which makes the electro-photographic apparatus complicated in arrangement and expensive. According to the present invention there is provided a developer cartridge comprising solid developers of a plurality of colours for developing an electrostatic latent image arranged in a predetermined order in a single container which supports said solid developers, said solid developers being solid at least at room temperatures and being liquified by heating. According to the present invention there is also provided an electro-photographic apparatus using solid developers of a plurality of colours arranged in a predetermined order, said solid developers being solid at least at room temperature and being liquified by heating, the apparatus comprising: a cartridge made of a single container for supporting said solid developers; a photoconductor drum for forming an electrostatic latent image on its surface; a first charger for charging said photoconductor drum to a first polarity; exposure means for neutralizing charges on said photoconductor drum corresponding to image information and forming an electrostatic latent image on said photoconductor drum; a heater for heating and liquifying said solid developers; a second charger for charging liquified developers to a polarity opposite to that of the charges on said photoconductor drum; and a waste developer tank for receiving excess developer. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like parts are referred to by like references, and in which: Figure 1 is a partly cut-away perspective view of a first embodiment of electro-photographic apparatus according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a partly cut-away perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 1, solid developers 1 are accommodated within a developer container 2. Each of the solid developers (developers A, B and C) 1 is cut by a cutter 3 and the solid developers 1 thus cut are received by a rotary shutter 4. The solid developers 1 are heated and liquified (melted) by a heater 5, and a developing electrode 6 charges the solid developer 1 to have a polarity opposite to that of photoconductive material forming an electrostatic latent image carrier. A photoconductive drum 7 is provided, on a cylindrical circumferential surface of which the photoconductive material is wrapped. A waste developer tank 8 receives excess liquid developer which is not deposited on the photoconductive material. A corona discharge member 9 is provided uniformly to charge the entire surface of the photoconductive material, for example, negatively. A semiconductor infra-red laser light source (exposure system) 10 forms an electrostatic latent image by selectively illuminating the surface of the photoconductive material in response to a video image signal, so that the charges on the portions illuminated with the laser beam are neutralized to form an electrostatic latent image. In an electrical charging step, the photoconductor drum 7 is negatively charged by suitable charging means, such as the corona discharge member 9. Thus the selective light exposure is performed using the laser light source 10, for selectively neutralizing the negative charges. Irrespective of the method for forming an electrostatic latent image or the form of the photoconductor drum 7, any well-known organic or inorganic photoconductive materials can be used for the photoconductor drum 7. Examples of organic photoconductive materials now in use include electro-photographic sensitized base materials consisting of poly-N-vinyl-carazole and 2,4,7-trinitrofluorene-9-one, poly-N-vinylcarbazole sensitized with pyrylium type colourant, poly-N-vinylcarbazole sensitized with cyanine type colourant, and an electro-photographic sensitized base material consisting mainly of organic pigments of eutectic complexes consisting of colourants and resins. Examples of inorganic photoconductive materials include zinc oxide, zinc sulphide, cadmium sulphide, selenium, selenium-tellurium alloy, selenium-arsenic alloy, selenium-tellurium-arsenic alloy and amorphous silicon type materials. At a subsequent developing step, the conductor drum 7, on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed as described above, is passed under the developing electrode 6. The solid developers 1 accommodated within the developer container 2 are arranged on a belt 11 in the order, for example, yellow, magenta and cyan, in pieces each comprising the quantity for one picture. When the belt 11 is moved downwardly and the solid developers 1 reach the cutter 3, the solid developers 1 are cut one by one and dropped into a slot or groove 4a of the rotary shutter 4 immediately before each colour is developed. The solid developers 1 in the slot 4a are brought to the heater 5 by the rotation of the rotary shutter 4, heated, liquified and fed to a space between the photoconductor drum 7 and the developing electrode 6, where the latent image is developed. The developer 1 supplied to the developing electrode 6 consists of colourant particles dispersed in an electrically insulating organic material which is solid at least at room temperature, and which is changed between the solid and liquid states upon heating and cooling. The electrically insulating organic material has a melting point of not lower than 30° C and preferably not lower than 40°C, in view of the ordinary operating environment and for ease of handling. Although there is no specific upper limit to the melting point, in practice it is about 100°C and preferably not higher than 80°C because additional energy is consumed for heating an insulating material with too high a melting point. Also, the upper limit of the melting point should not exceed the heat resisting temperature of the material customarily employed as the base material when the organic material is held on a base material for use. Among the materials meeting these requires are paraffins, waxes and mixtures thereof. The paraffins include various normal paraffins with 19 to 60 carbon atoms, such as nonadecane to hexacontane. The waxes include plant waxes such as Carnauba wax or cotton wax, animal waxes such as bees wax, ozokerite, and petroleum waxes such as paraffin waxes, crystalline waxes or petrolatum. These materials are dielectrics having dielectric constants of about 1.9 to 2.3. In addition, crystalline high molecular material having long alkyl groups at the side chains, such as homopolymers or copolymers of polyethylene, polyacrylamide, poly-n-stearyl acrylate or poly-n-stearyl methacrylate, such as copoly-n-stearyl acrylate ethyl methacrylate, may be employed. However, the aforementioned paraffins and waxes are preferred in view of their viscosity at the time of heating. The colourant particles dispersed into the electrically insulating organic material may be known organic or inorganic pigments or dyestuffs, or mixtures thereof. The inorganic pigments include for example chromium type, iron type or cobalt type pigments, ultramarine or Prussian blue. The organic pigments or dyestuffs include Hansa Yellow (C.I. 11680), Benzidine Yellow (C.I. 21090), Benzidine Orange (C.I. 21110), Fast Red (C.I. 37085), Brilliant Carmin 3B (C.I. 16015 - Lake), Phthalocyanin Blue (C.I. 74160), Victoria Blue (C.I. 42595 - Lake), Spirit Black (C.I. 50415), Oil Blue (C.I. 74350), Alkali Blue (C.I. 42770A), Fast Scarlet (C.I. 12315), Lodamin 6B (C.I. 45160), Lodamin Lake (C.I. 45160 - Lake), Fast Sky Blue (C.I. 74200 - Lake), Nigrocyn (C.I. 50415) or carbon black. These may be used alone or in combination. Those exhibiting desired colouration may be used selectively. The developer may also contain resins, in addition to the electrically insulating organic materials and colourant particles, for improving dispersibility or fixation of the colourants. These resins may be suitably selected from known materials and may include for example rubbers such as butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, cyclized rubber or natural rubber, synthetic resins such as styrene, vinyl toluene, polyester, polycarbonate or polyvinyl acetate, rosin type resin, hydrogenated rosin type resin, alkyd resins containing modified alkyds, such as linseed oil, modified alkyd resins and natural resins such as polyterpenes. In additional phenol resins, modified phenol resins such as phenol formalin resins, phthalic acid pentaerythritol, Kumaronindene resins, ester gum resins or vegetable oil polyamide resins may also be useful. Halogenated hydrocarbon polymers, such as polyvinyl chloride or chlorinated polypropylene, synthetic rubbers such as vinyl toluenebutadiene or butadiene-isoprene, polymers of acrylic monomers having longchain alkyl groups, such as 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, lauryl methacrylate, stearyl methacrylate, lauryl acrylate or octyl acrylate or copolymers thereof with other polymerizable monomers, such as styrene-lauryl methacrylate copolymer or acrylic acid-lauryl methacrylate copolymer, polyolefins such as polyethylene or polyterpenes, may also be employed. The above developer is usually admixed with electrical charge donors. This applies for the developer employed herein. The electrical charge donors employed for this purpose include, for example, metal salts of fatty acids, such as naphthenic acid, octenic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid or lauric acid, metal salts of sulphosuccinates, oil-soluble metal salts of sulphonic acid, metal salts of phosphates, metal salts of abietic acid, metal salts of aromatic carboxylic acid or metal salts of aromatic sulphonic acid. For improving the charges of the colourant particles, fine particles of metal oxides, such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, ZnO, Ga₂O₃, In₂O₃, GeO₂, SnO₂, PbO₂ or MgO or mixtures thereof, may be employed as charge increasing additives. Referring to the relative contents of the above ingredients, the colourant particles are employed preferably at a rate of 0.01 to 100 g, and more preferably at a rate of 0.1 to 10 g, to 1 litre of the electrically insulating organic material in the melted state, while the charge donors are employed usually at a rate of 0.001 to 10 g, and preferably at a rate of 0.01 to 1 g, to 1 litre of the organic material. The charge increasing additive is added in an amount of not more than the same amount, as that of the colourant particles. The above developer may be heated by the heating means 5 to be melted. The heating temperature may be suitably set in dependence upon, for example, the melting point, and may usually be 30 to 130°C and preferably 40 to 110°C. When the liquified developer 1 contacts the photoconductor drum 7, the colourant particles migrate towards and are deposited at the negative electrical charges. If the developer 1 solidifies immediately after contact, the image tends to be degraded in quality. It is therefore preferred to provide heating means for heating the photoconductor drum 7. The heating temperature for the photoconductor drum 7 may be suitably set in dependence upon the kinds and characteristics of the sensitized material used. It is preferably not lower than the liquidus temperature of the developer 1 and is usually set in the range from room temperature to 130°C, and preferably in the range of 30 to 110°C. The developing method may be used for developing an electrostatic latent image formed by means other than sensitization, such as by charging of a dielectric material by an electrifying needle. As described above, the solid developers 1 of three colours are accommodated within the developer container 2, which is a single container, in the predetermined order, so that separate containers for solid developers of three colours need not be provided, thus making the apparatus simpler and cheaper. Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the electro-photographic apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, solid developers (B, C and A) 1 of three colours, that is yellow, magenta and cyan are stacked within the developer container 2 in separate spaces for the respective colours and are taken out one by one therefrom by a shutter 12 which is opened left to right as shown by an arrow a , just before development. The solid developers A, B and C are brought to the heater 5 via an introducing member 13, are heated and liquified, and are supplied to the space between the photoconductor drum 7 and the developing electrode 6. Since the solid developers A, B and C of three colours are accommodated within the single container, the apparatus can be simplified in arrangement and made inexpensive, similarly to the first embodiment. In these embodiments, the portions such as the heater 5 and the developing electrode 6 forming the so-called developing device may be independently provided for each of the colours. While solid developers of yellow, magenta and cyan are employed in these embodiments, the invention can be similarly applied to solid developers of a plurality of colours other than yellow, magenta and cyan. The compositions of the solid developers made of yellow, magenta and cyan will be described below. Developer A The developer A is the cyan-colour electrostatic latent image developer. 0.625 g of Lionol Blue KX-F1 produced by Toyo Ink Co Ltd as colourant, and 0.5 g of IP 2825, insoparaffin solvent produced by Idemitsu Sekiyu Co Ltd were comminuted by the Fouver-Maler method to produce a paste. This paste was dispersed in 50 ml of a separate isoparaffin solvent 'Isoper H' produced by Esso Inc. and admixed with 0.05 g of 'Aluminium Oxide C' produced by Nippon Aerosil Co Ltd as the charge reinforcing agent, and the resulting mixture was dispersed for twelve hours in a paint shaker together with alumina beads. The resulting dispersion was admixed with 9.5 g of a 50% solution of 'FR101', acrylic resin produced by the Mitsubishi Rayon Co Ltd in toluene, 0.025 g of zirconium naphthenate as the charge donor and 0.025 g of calcium naphthenate to produce a concentrated developing liquid. Then, 120 ml of paraffin melting at 42 to 44°C was previously heated to 70°C and 5 ml of the concentrated developing liquid was dispersed therein to produce a blue colour latent image developer. Developer B The developer B is a yellow-coloured electrostatic latent image developer. 0.5 g of Simular Fast Yellow 8GF produced by Dai Nippon Ink Co Ltd as colourant, and 0.5 g of IP2825, isoparaffin solvent produced by Idemitsu Sekiyu Co Ltd were comminuted by the Fouver-Maler method to produce a paste. This paste was dispersed in 50 ml of a separate isoparaffin solvent 'Isoper H' produced by Esso Inc and admixed with 0.01 g of 'Aerosil 200' ultra fine particles of dry silica produced by Nippon Aerosil Co Ltd, as the charge reinforcing agent and the resulting mixture was dispersed for eighteen hours in a paint shaker together with glass beads. The method for preparing the concentrated developing liquid and the electrostatic latent image developer is similar to the method described in connection with the developer A. Developer C The developer C is the magenta colour electrostatic latent image developer. 0.8g of Simular Rodamin Y toner F, produced by the Dai Nippon Ink Co Ltd as the colourant and 0.5 g of linseed oil were comminuted by the Fouver-Maler method to produce paste. This paste was dispersed in 50 ml of 'isoper H', an isoparaffin solvent produced by Esso Inc, and the dispersing operation was performed for eighteen hours in a paint shaker together with glass beads. The method for preparing the concentrated developing liquid and the latent image developer is the same as that described in connection with the developer A. A sheet of transparent electrically conductive film (of 0.2µm thickness) and a modified vinyl acetate resin (film thickness, 2µm) were laminated on a polyethylene terephthalate film (125µm thick) and a photosensitive layer (film thickness, 8µm) containing 2 mg of cyanine dye ('NK 2892' produced by Nippon Kanko Shikiso Co Ltd) as sensitizer was formed on the laminate to produce the sensitized base material. Since the image quality may be degraded when the developers solidify immediately after contact with the sensitized base material, the base material was heated to 55°C by the heating means. As a result, a satisfactory full-colour image comparable in resolution and definition to a silver halide photograph was consistently obtained.

Claims: A developer cartridge comprising solid developers (1) of a plurality of colours for developing an electrostatic latent image arranged in a predetermined order in a single container which supports said solid developers (1), said solid developers being solid at least at room temperatures and being liquified by heating. A cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said solid developers (1) of each colour are divided into a plurality of pieces each comprising a quantity for making one picture. A cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of colours include yellow, magenta and cyan. A cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said container (2) includes a belt (11) carrying said solid developers (10) in a predetermined order. A cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said container (2) comprises separate spaces for each colour of said solid developers (1). An electro-photographic apparatus using solid developers (1) of a plurality of colours arranged in a predetermined order, said solid developers (1) being solid at least at room temperature and being liquified by heating, the apparatus comprising: a cartridge (2) made of a single container for supporting said solid developers (1); a photoconductor drum (7) for forming an electrostatic latent image on its surface; a first charger (9) for charging said photoconductor drum (7) to a first polarity; exposure means (10) for neutralizing charges on said photoconductor drum (7) corresponding to image information and forming an electrostatic latent image on said photoconductor drum (7); a heater (5) for heating and liquifying said solid developers (1); a second charger (6) for charging liquified developers to a polarity opposite to that of the charges on said photoconductor drum (7); and a waste developer tank (8) for receiving excess developer. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said heater (5) is common to said solid developers (1) of a plurality of colours. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said second charger (6) is common to said solid developers (1) of a plurality of colours. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said exposure means (10) includes a semiconductor laser (10).

Inventors: KAWASUMI KOICHI PATENTS DIVISI, SHIRAKURA AKIRA PATENTS DIVISI, TSUCHIYA TAKAO PATENTS DIVISIO, WATANABE HARUO PATENTS DIVISIO, KAWASUMI, KOICHI, PATENTS DIVISION, SHIRAKURA, AKIRA, PATENTS DIVISION, TSUCHIYA, TAKAO, PATENTS DIVISION, WATANABE, HARUO, PATENTS DIVISION
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G03G15
IPC codes: G03G15, G03G9