JPH0224672A - Electrophotographic recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a toner image on a recording medium by providing plural apertures or providing magnetic conductors having electrical conductivity in a thickness direction separately from one another on an insulating sheet, moving them on a photosensitive layer and making toner on the photosensitive layer to which photoirradiation is performed fly. CONSTITUTION:Mesh or stripe aperture is provided on the insulating sheet 4 and the aperture is filled with the toner 6a with a blade 11, then the toner is conveyed on a holding plate 12 to an image forming part between the photosensitive layer 1c on a supporting body unit 1 and an electrode 3. The toner is allowed to fly with light 7 and the toner image is formed on the recording medium 2. Or it is made to move on the photosensitive layer 1c on the supporting body unit 1 by burying the magnetic conductor in the insulating sheet 5 and holding the toner with magnetic force. The toner which is made to move on the photosensitive layer 1c traces potential distribution on the surface of the photosensitive layer 1c at the time of photoirradiation or non- photoirradiation by the magnetic conductor 5b. If the size, etc., of the aperture of the sheet 4 is made to be equal to or below one-severalth of the toner flying distance of a 2nd sheet, the variance of the image is reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an electrophotographic recording device used in copying machines, printers, facsimile machines, and the like.

[Prior Art] As electrophotographic recording apparatuses, those using the so-called Carlson process have been widely put into practical use, but in recent years, electrophotographic recording apparatuses having recording principles different from the above-mentioned Carlson process have also been studied.

As a recording method using the non-Carlson process, there is one described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-256358.

This recording method will be explained below using FIG. 7.

In the figure, 1 is a support unit, which includes a transparent support 1as, a transparent electrode 1b, and a photosensitive layer 1c.

It is formed by a charging electrode 1d, and the transparent electrode 1b and the charging electrode 1d are maintained at a predetermined DC potential. 2 is a recording medium using recording paper or the like. 3 is a back electrode;
It is maintained at a predetermined DC potential. Reference numeral 6 denotes toner deposited on the photosensitive layer IC and the charging electrode 1d, and is maintained at approximately the same potential as the charging electrode 1d.

The above explanation shows the state when the light 7a from the light source 7 is not irradiated, but when the light 7a is irradiated to the photosensitive layer 1c, the portion of the photosensitive layer 1c that is irradiated with the light The resistance of 1c decreases, and as a result, the electric field acting on the toner 4 becomes stronger, and the toner 4 flies toward the recording medium 2 due to Coulomb force, forming a toner image on the recording medium 2, and recording is performed. be exposed.

[Problems to be Solved] In the electrophotographic recording device described above, the toner 6 is transferred to the photosensitive layer 1c.
When conveying the toner 6 onto the charging electrode ld, the distance between the support unit 1 and the recording medium 2 is very narrow (usually several hundred micrometers). This will stain the recording medium 2,
Furthermore, if a magnetic roller is to be used, it will be difficult to arrange it.

As described above, a toner conveying method suitable for the above electrophotographic recording apparatus has not been established so far.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic recording device having a toner conveying method suitable for the electrophotographic recording device having the above recording principle.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a support unit formed by a transparent support, a transparent electrode formed on the transparent support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the transparent electrode. , a recording medium placed opposite to the support unit; (a) a first conveyance belt having a plurality of toner holding holes in an insulating sheet and moving over the photosensitive layer; b) A plurality of magnetic conductors having electrical conductivity are provided on the insulating sheet and separated from each other in the thickness direction of the insulating sheet. a light source that irradiates the light, and lowers the resistance of the photosensitive layer in a portion irradiated with light by the light source,
The electrophotographic recording apparatus is characterized in that the toner above the photosensitive layer in the portion irradiated with the light is caused to fly by Coulomb force, and the toner is attached to the recording medium to form a toner image. It aims to solve problems.

[Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a support unit, which includes a transparent support 1as, a transparent electrode 1b, a photosensitive layer 1c, and a charged electrode 1d.
It is made up of. Reference numeral 2 denotes a recording medium such as a recording paper having a band-like shape, which gradually moves in accordance with the flight of the toner. 3 is a back electrode. 4 is a first conveyance belt having a plurality of openings for holding toner in an insulating sheet;
It moves gradually as the toner flies. 6 is toner 7
is a light source, and 7a is light from this light source 7. .

In this example, the principle of forming a toner image is the same as that of the above-mentioned conventional example, and is characterized by toner transport.

The toner is transported using an insulating sheet 4a as shown in FIG.
It has a mesh pattern ((a) in the same figure) or a stripe pattern ((b) in the same figure).
)) The above-mentioned opening of the first conveyance belt 4 provided with an opening is filled with toner, and the portion filled with the toner of the first conveyance belt 4 is moved onto the photosensitive layer IC of the support unit 1. The toner filled in the opening can be transported without scattering. It is important that the toner filled in the openings moved onto the photosensitive layer 1c is in contact with the surface of the photosensitive layer IC.

In addition, in order to minimize variations in the toner image each time the toner flies, the size, width, etc. of the opening should be from a fraction to several tenths of the toner flying area of the first conveyance belt. It is preferable to set the size to 1 or less.

Moreover, a plastic film such as polyethylene, nylon, polyimide, etc. can be used for the insulating sheet 4a shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the total process of an electrophotographic recording apparatus using the first embodiment.

The toner 6a is filled into the opening of the first conveyance belt 4 by the blade 11, and is moved by the conveyance belt 4 to a toner image forming section sandwiched between the support unit 1 and the back electrode 3. At this time, in order to prevent the toner filled in the opening from leaving the opening, a holding plate 12 is provided at the bottom of the conveyance belt 4.

In the toner image forming section, toner is caused to fly by light 7 from the light source 7a, and a toner image is formed on the recording medium 2. The portion of the first conveyance belt 4 where the toner image formation has been completed is cleaned by the cleaning means 13, and the toner is collected.

On the other hand, the toner image attached to the recording medium 2 is fixed by the fixing means 14.

According to this example, the toner can be conveyed with a uniform thickness without staining the recording medium or the like.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 5 denotes a second conveyance belt in which a plurality of magnetic conductors having electrical conductivity in the thickness direction are provided on an insulating sheet, separated from each other, and gradually move as the toner flies. It is something to do. Other numbers are the same as in the first embodiment.

Similar to the first embodiment, this example also has the same principle of toner image formation as the conventional example, and is characterized by the transportation of toner.

As shown in FIG. 5, the toner is conveyed by holding the magnetic toner in a second conveying belt in which a magnetic conductor 5b is embedded in an insulating sheet 5a by magnetic force. The second transport band 5 is connected to the photosensitive layer I of the support unit 1.
C, and the toner held on the second conveyance belt by magnetic force can be conveyed without scattering.

The toner of the second conveyance band that has moved onto the photosensitive layer m lc traces the potential distribution on the surface of the photosensitive layer 10 when irradiated with light and when it is not irradiated by the magnetic conductor 5b.

In addition, in order to minimize variations in the toner image depending on the toner flight, the size and width of the opening should be from a fraction to several tens of minutes relative to the toner flight area of the second conveyance belt. It is preferable to set the size to 1 or less.

In addition, the insulating sheet 5a shown in FIG. 5 may be made of a (magnetic) plastic film such as (magnetic) polyethylene, (magnetic) nylon, (magnetic) polyimide, etc., regardless of whether it is magnetic or not, as long as it has insulating properties. can be used.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the total process of an electrophotographic recording apparatus using the first embodiment.

The inside of the second conveyance belt 5 holding the magnetic toner 6b is cleaned by the first cleaning means 23a. This is to clean the surface of the support unit 1 that comes into contact with the surface of the photosensitive layer.

The toner held on the second conveyance belt 5 is made uniform in toner layer thickness by the magnet roller 25, and the static eliminator 2
6 removes unnecessary charges. In the toner image forming section, the toner is caused to fly by the light 7a from the light [7], and a toner image is formed on the recording medium 2. The second conveyance belt 5 in the portion where the toner image formation has been completed is transferred to the second cleaning means 23.
The toner 6b is cleaned by the toner 6b and collected. On the other hand, the toner image attached to the recording medium 2 is fixed by the fixing means 24.

In this embodiment as well, as in the first embodiment, toner can be conveyed to a uniform thickness without staining the recording medium or the like.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, since there is no toner scattering during toner transportation, toner can be transported with a uniform thickness without staining the recording medium or the like.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first conveyance belt used in the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an electrophotographic recording apparatus using the first embodiment, and FIG. A sectional view showing a second embodiment of the invention, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second conveyance belt used in the second embodiment, and FIG. 6 is an electrophotographic recording apparatus using the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a conventional example. 1...Support unit FIG. 1, FIG. 2, 1a...Transparent support band 1b...Transparent electrode IC...Photosensitive layer 2...Recording medium 4...・First conveyance band 5...Second conveyance band 6...Toner 7...Light source 7a...Light 4a...Insulating sheet 5a... 4b...Opening 5b...Magnetic conductor or more Applicant Seikosha Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A support unit formed by a transparent support, a transparent electrode formed on the transparent support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the transparent electrode, and installed opposite to the support unit. a first conveyance belt having a plurality of toner holding holes in an insulating sheet and moving over the photosensitive layer; and a light source that irradiates the photosensitive layer with light; Lowering the resistance of the photosensitive layer in a portion irradiated with light by a light source, causing the toner on the photosensitive layer in the portion irradiated with light to fly by Coulomb force, and adhering the toner to the recording medium; An electrophotographic recording device characterized by forming a toner image. (2) A support unit formed by a transparent support, a transparent electrode formed on the transparent support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the transparent electrode, and installed opposite to the support unit. a second conveyance belt that moves over the photosensitive layer, in which an insulating sheet is provided with a plurality of magnetic conductors having electrical conductivity separated from each other in the thickness direction of the insulating sheet; a light source that irradiates light to the photosensitive layer, lowering the resistance of the photosensitive layer in a portion irradiated with light by the light source, and on the second photosensitive layer on the portion irradiated with the light; An electrophotographic recording apparatus characterized in that the toner is caused to fly by Coulomb force, and the toner is attached to the recording medium to form a toner image.