Self-cleaning electrostatic color printer
US4706605A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 1986 |
| Grant date | Nov 17, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K15/14
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An electrostatic color picture having a single toning shoe for successively and sequentially applying color liquid developers to a color latent image overlay to a sheet disposed against a rotating drum. An electrostatic head scans the sheet in a helical pattern of abutting stripes and forms the latent image on the sheet. A toning shoe assembly follows the head and applies one of the color developers to the sheet. A drain selector foot, pivotable beneath the toning shoe, brings an appropriate developer recycling tube into communication with a drain in the toning shoe assembly for returning used developer to the correct supply tank. After scanning the sheet, the toning shoe is rinsed with a solvent at a cleaning station past the end of the drum. The toning shoe has a plurality of pressure responsive reed valves, each communicating with one of a plurality of channels in the shoe for selecting sequential color developers until the entire image is toned in repeated passes of the single toning shoe.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.