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(11) | EP 0 913 743 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Method and apparatus for liquid development |
| (57) An electrostatic latent image development method and apparatus, includes a process
nip (59) formed by operative engagement of first (10) and second (40) movable members
for positioning a thin layer (58) of liquid developing material (54) in pressure contact
with an electrostatic latent image which generates imagewise electric fields across
the layer (58) of liquid developing material in the process nip (59). The process
nip (59) is defined by a nip entrance and a nip exit, wherein the process nip and
the nip entrance are operative to apply compressive stress forces on the layer (58)
of liquid developing material thereat, and the nip exit is operative to apply tensile
stress forces to the layer of liquid developing material, causing imagewise separation
of the layer of liquid developing material corresponding to the electrostatic latent
image. The layer (58) of liquid developing material is defined by a yield stress threshold
in a range sufficient to allow the layer of liquid developing material to behave substantially
as a solid at the nip entrance and in the nip (59), while allowing the layer of liquid
developing material to behave substantially as a liquid at the nip exit. |