(19)
(11) EP 0 913 744 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
28.07.1999 Bulletin 1999/30

(43) Date of publication A2:
06.05.1999 Bulletin 1999/18

(21) Application number: 98308759.4

(22) Date of filing: 27.10.1998
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6: G03G 15/10
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 03.11.1997 US 963301

(71) Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
Rochester, New York 14644 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Liu, Chu-heng
    Webster, New York 14580 (US)
  • Zhao, Weizhong
    Webster, New York 14580 (US)

(74) Representative: Rackham, Stephen Neil 
GILL JENNINGS & EVERY, Broadgate House, 7 Eldon Street
London EC2M 7LH
London EC2M 7LH (GB)

   


(54) Liquid developing material layer charging


(57) An electrostatic latent image development method and apparatus, wherein a thin layer (58) of liquid developing material (54) is brought into a process nip (59) formed by operative engagement of first (10) and second (40) movable members for positioning the thin layer (58) of liquid developing material in pressure contact with the electrostatic latent image. An ion source (48) is provided for selectively charging the layer (58) of liquid developing material prior to entry into the process nip (59). By applying a charge to the layer (58) of liquid developing material, image separation in the nip (59) is optimized and the use of liquid developing materials (54) having toner particles with poor or neutral charge thereon, as well as toner particles having reverse charge polarity thereon is enabled.






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