Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
399057000 | Liquid | 30 |
20080205921 | Apparatus and method for measuring or controlling concentration of liquid developer - Provided are an apparatus and method for measuring the concentration of liquid developer, and an apparatus and method for controlling the concentration of liquid developer in which the concentration of a highly concentrated developer is easily and accurately measured or controlled without controlling the liquid amount. An opening is provided in the developer container for concentration measurement in which a liquid developer for concentration measurement is stored and stirred for concentration measurement. The developer container for concentration measurement is configured such that the stored liquid developer for concentration measurement overflows through the opening at the time of stirring. | 08-28-2008 |
20080267647 | CONCENTRATION DETECTION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A concentration detection device includes a tubular member, a light-emitting member, and a light-receiving member. The tubular member includes a liquid developer inlet that inlets liquid developer, and a liquid developer outlet that discharges the liquid developer. A liquid channel through which liquid developer passes is formed in the interior of the tubular member. The light-emitting member is a member that is disposed on one end of the tubular member. The light-receiving member receives light emitted from the light-emitting member that detects concentration of the liquid developer that is inlet into the interior of the tubular member. | 10-30-2008 |
20080317489 | Apparatus and method for adjusting concentration of liquid developer - In order to conform a specific correction table to the characteristics of a liquid developer to be used, the specific correction table is created by calibrating a standard correction table stored in advance by using a viscosity property value of a liquid developer for calibration at a current temperature. A concentration adjustment is performed by comparing a measured viscosity property value with a target viscosity property value which is temperature-corrected based on the specific correction table. Further, the viscosity property value of a liquid developer is detected by measuring the current of a motor for stirring the liquid developer, where a no-load stirring current value is measured in the absence of a liquid developer, and one or both of a measured current value and target current value is corrected based thereon. | 12-25-2008 |
20090035003 | Hard imaging methods and hard imaging devices - Hard imaging methods and hard imaging devices are described. According to one embodiment, a hard imaging method includes forming a plurality of latent images, using a development assembly, developing the latent images using a liquid marking agent, transporting the liquid marking agent relative to the development assembly during the developing, and performing a bubble reduction operation to reduce a presence of bubbles in the liquid marking agent during the developing and transporting compared with not performing the bubble reduction operation. Additional embodiments are described in the disclosure. | 02-05-2009 |
20090060546 | Liquid Measuring Device, Liquid Developer Storing Apparatus, and Image Forming Apparatus - A liquid measuring device includes a floating member that is moved in accordance with a liquid surface, a first magnetic field generator that is disposed in the floating member and positions its north (N) pole to face a first direction, a second magnetic field generator that is disposed in the floating member to be spaced apart from the first magnetic field generator and positions its south (S) pole to face the first direction, and a plurality of proportional output-type hole elements that detect magnetic fields generated by the first magnetic field generator and the second magnetic field generator in positions facing the first direction. | 03-05-2009 |
20090110423 | Liquid Developer Collecting System and Image Forming Apparatus Including the Same - A liquid developer collecting system includes a developing roller cleaning unit that collects liquid developer on a developing roller; a developer storage unit that stores the liquid developer collected by the developing roller cleaning unit; and a concentration control unit that stores the liquid developer fed from the developer storage unit and controls the concentration of the liquid developer. | 04-30-2009 |
20090110424 | Liquid Developer Collecting System and Image Forming Apparatus Including the Same - A liquid developer collecting system. A developing unit has a developing roller. A developing roller cleaning unit collects liquid developer on the developing roller. A concentration control unit stores liquid developer collected by the developing roller cleaning unit and controls the concentration of the liquid developer. A first feed unit feeds the liquid developer in the concentration control unit to the developing unit. A second feed unit feeds the liquid developer in the concentration control unit. A developer storage unit stores the liquid developer fed by the second feed unit. | 04-30-2009 |
20090123167 | Liquid Developer Collecting System and Image Forming Apparatus Including the Same - A liquid developer collecting system. A collection section collects liquid developer from a photosensitive body. A storage section stores liquid developer collected by the collection section. A first feed unit feeds liquid developer from the storage section to a concentration control unit. | 05-14-2009 |
20090142085 | VARIABLE VOLUME TONER REPLENISHER DISPENSER FOR TIPP SYSTEMS - A printing fluid dispenser system for multi-printer engine assembly is disclosed. The system includes a first dispenser that is adjacent to the print engine that is configured to pass printing fluid to an associated printing engine, a second dispenser adjacent to the first dispenser that is configured to store the printing fluid and pass the printing fluid to the first dispenser as the first dispenser passes the printing fluid to the printing engine and a sensor configured to detect when the printing fluid remaining in one of the first or second dispensers drops below a predetermined threshold. | 06-04-2009 |
20090175642 | TONER SUPPLIER APPARATUS - A toner supplier apparatus | 07-09-2009 |
20090297193 | DENSITY DETECTION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In a density detection device, a casing includes an internal space. An inflow path is communicated with the internal space through an inlet facing the internal space. An outflow path is communicated with the internal space through an outlet facing the internal space. A base is provided in the internal space to block the liquid flowing from the inlet. The base has a top side positioned above the inlet. A movable member has a bottom side opposed to the top side of the base. The movable member is configured to move to cause the bottom side to be close to and away from the top side of the base. A density detection section is configured to detect density of a liquid layer formed between the bottom side and the top side while the bottom side is positioned close to the top side at predetermined distance. | 12-03-2009 |
20090324269 | LIQUID DEVELOPERS WITH UV CURABLE ADDITIVES AND METHODS FOR THEIR PREPARATION - A method for printing a substrate by liquid developer electrography, the method comprising: (a) developing a latent image with liquid developer comprising toner particles dispersed in a carrier liquid, said toner particles comprising UV-curable additive; (b) transferring the developed image to the substrate; (c) at least partially fixing the image to the substrate; and (d) irradiating the at least partially fixed image with UV radiation to cure the UV-curable additive. | 12-31-2009 |
20100080595 | Image Forming Apparatus, Developing Method, and Image Forming Method - An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier on which a latent image is formed; a charging unit that charges the latent image carrier; an exposing unit that exposes the latent image carrier charged by the charging unit and forms the latent image; a developing unit including a developer carrier that carries liquid developer including toner and carrier liquid, a developer feeding member that feeds the liquid developer to the developer carrier, a bias applying member that applies a bias to the liquid developer on the developer carrier, a developer carrier cleaning member that collects the liquid developer on the developer carrier, a collected developer storing portion that stores the liquid developer collected by the developer carrier cleaning member, a feeding unit that feeds the liquid developer to the collected developer storing portion and the developer feeding member, a conveying member that stirs the liquid developer collected by the collected developer storing portion, and a stirring amount adjusting member that adjusts the stirring amount of the conveying member; and a transfer member that transfers an image on the latent image carrier. | 04-01-2010 |
20100111553 | Developing Device and Image Forming Apparatus - A developing device includes a developer storage portion that stores a liquid developer including toner and carrier liquid. A first coating member rotates and coats the liquid developer stored in the developer storage portion. A second coating member contacts the first coating member and rotates in a direction opposite to that of the first coating member. A developer supporting body contacts the second coating member and rotates in the same direction as that of the second coating member. A contact member contacts the liquid developer coated on the second coating member by the first coating member. | 05-06-2010 |
20100124428 | Image forming apparatus and method for image forming - A developing device using a liquid developer removes developer using the contact-rotation between rollers such as a developing roller and thin layer forming roller when an image is not formed, and includes a contact pressure modification section that modifies the contact pressure in the contact region between rollers rotating in contact with one another. When operation is performed to remove the developer using the contact-rotation between rollers with the supply of liquid developer being suspended, modifications are made to ensure that the contact pressure in the contact region is smaller than that during image formation. | 05-20-2010 |
20110020023 | TONER CONCENTRATION ADJUSTING SYSTEM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - The present invention provides a toner concentration adjusting system and an image forming apparatus which can accurately adjust toner concentration by controlling the supply of a concentrated developer even if a production lot of the concentrated developer is different. In the method, for controlling the toner concentration, in which the supply of the concentrated developer and the like to a wet type developer for which a first control target value is set is controlled while detecting a substitute characteristic of toner concentration, the first control target value is corrected depending on a second control target value based on a substitute characteristic of the toner concentration of the lot of the concentrated developer to be supplied, and depending on a cumulative supply amount of the lot of the concentrated developer. | 01-27-2011 |
20110058837 | DETECTING COLORANTS WITHIN CARRIER LIQUID - A detecting apparatus is to at least assist in determining the concentration of colorants within a carrier liquid. The colorants at least absorb light and/or diverge light. The detecting apparatus includes one or more light sources to emit light, and one or more light detectors to detect light. The light sources and the light detectors are positionally configured in relation to one another such that both light directly emitted by the light sources and that has not been absorbed or diverged by the colorants, as well as light diverged by the colorants within the carrier liquid, are detected and/or determined. The concentration of colorants is determined based on the light directly emitted by the light sources that has not been absorbed or diverged by the colorants and/or on the light diverged by the colorants within the carrier liquid. | 03-10-2011 |
20110116820 | DEVELOPER CONCENTRATION ADJUSTMENT APPARATUS, METHOD FOR ADJUSTING DEVELOPER CONCENTRATION, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - This invention provides a developer concentration adjustment apparatus, a method for concentration adjustment, and an image forming apparatus, in which concentration adjustment is performed by use of a stirring load as a substitute characteristic of viscosity which represents a developer concentration, wherein a trouble of abnormality generation in toner concentration detection due to drying-adhesion of a residual developer on the stirrer is reduced. At the time of finishing the concentration adjustment, a concentration adjustment tank is made to be empty and the stirrer is cleaned by carrier liquid or a liquid developer having a concentration lower than a predetermined concentration. Alternatively, the stirrer is cleaned by empty-stirring operation not being put in a cleaning developer. | 05-19-2011 |
20110286757 | ARRANGEMENT TO REGULATE THE PROPORTIONS OF TWO COMPONENTS TO BE MIXED IN A MIXING UNIT BASED ON PREDETERMINED DESIRED VALUES - In a method or system for regulation of real values of toner concentration and fill level in a mixing unit to predetermined desired values in a developer station of an electrographic printing apparatus, the real value of the toner concentration in the mixing unit is adjusted with a first control unit by supplying toner concentrate from a first reservoir. A desired toner concentrate value is determined from the predetermined desired values of the toner concentration and the fill level. A real concentrate value is also determined from the real values of the toner concentration and the fill level measured in the mixing unit. With the first control unit, a feed of toner concentrate into the mixing container is regulated depending on a difference between the real toner concentrate value and the desired toner concentrate value. The real value of the fill level in the mixing unit is also adjusted with a second control unit by supplying carrier fluid from a second reservoir. A desired carrier fluid value is determined from the predetermined desired values of the toner concentration and the fill level. A real carrier fluid value is also determined from the real values of the toner concentration and the fill level measured in the mixing unit. With the second control unit, a feed of carrier fluid into the mixing unit is regulated depending on a difference between the real carrier fluid value and the desired carrier fluid value. | 11-24-2011 |
20120014704 | CHARGE DIRECTOR INJECTION SYSTEM - A charge director injection system includes a charge director tank, a liquid toner tank, a charge director pump to pump charge director from the charge director tank into the liquid toner tank, and a control system configured to measure a change in charge density per amount of charge director injected into the liquid toner tank, and create a charge profile indicating a relationship between amount of charge director injected into the liquid toner and change in charge density of the liquid toner within the liquid toner tank. | 01-19-2012 |
20120121282 | IMAGE FORMATION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMATION METHOD - An image formation device comprises a control portion for controlling the amount of liquid developer supplied from a toner supply portion and the amount of carrier solution supplied from a carrier solution supply portion to adjust the toner concentration of liquid developer of a liquid developer concentration adjustment portion and to control the amount of liquid developer of the liquid developer concentration adjustment portion on the basis of the measured toner concentration of the liquid developer and the amount of the liquid developer, wherein the control portion adjusts the toner concentration of the liquid developer in the liquid developer concentration adjustment portion and controls the amount of the liquid developer in the liquid developer concentration adjustment portion when a recovered liquid stagnation detection portion does not detect that a recovered liquid is stagnant. | 05-17-2012 |
20120237237 | WET-TYPE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A wet-type image forming apparatus forms a toner image on an image carrier using liquid developer containing carrier liquid and toner dispersed therein. The apparatus includes: a developing member carrying the liquid developer to develop a latent image thereby forming the toner image on the image carrier; a charger for charging the liquid developer on the developing member according to a current applied on the charger; a measuring member for measuring a potential of the liquid developer charged by the charger; and a controller for controlling an amount of the liquid developer on the developing member, before the toner image is formed on the image carrier, by setting plural values of the current to be applied on the charger and controlling the amount of the liquid developer based on results of measurement of potentials of the liquid developer charged by the charger with the plural values of the applied current. | 09-20-2012 |
20120263485 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - In order to improve the precision of liquid level computation in an accommodating part for accommodating a developer, the image forming device of the invention includes an accommodating part for accommodating a developer including a toner and a carrier, a developer container into which is supplied developer from the accommodating part, an electrostatic capacity detector for detecting electrostatic capacity, the electrostatic capacity detector having a first electrode provided to the accommodating part, a second electrode provided to the accommodating part, and a counter electrode opposite the first electrode and the second electrode, interposed by the developer; and a controller for stopping supply of developer from the accommodating part to the developer container based on a first electrostatic capacity detected by the first electrode and the counter electrode of the electrostatic capacity detector, and a second electrostatic capacity detected by the second electrode and the counter electrode. | 10-18-2012 |
20130108297 | IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM AND METHODS THEREOF | 05-02-2013 |
20130272733 | METHOD TO OPERATE A DIGITAL PRINTER TO PRINT A RECORDING MATERIAL, AND ASSOCIATED DIGITAL PRINTER WITH MIXING CONTAINER - In a method to operate a digital printer having multiple developer stations operated with liquid developer, and wherein a number of the developer stations participating in printing is dependent on a respective print operating mode, liquid developer is supplied from a mixing container to at least one of the developer stations. With a regulatory device a fill level of liquid developer in the mixing container is kept substantially constant depending on the print operating mode. A desired different operating value is provided for the fill level for the regulatory device depending on the operating mode. | 10-17-2013 |
20130272734 | METHOD TO OPERATE A DIGITAL PRINTER AND DETERMINE THE TONER CONCENTRATION, AS WELL AS AN ASSOCIATED DIGITAL PRINTER - In a method or digital printer to print a recording material with toner particles applied with a liquid developer, toner concentration of the liquid developer is determined via measurement with aid of ultrasonic pulses. At least one ultrasonic pulse is generated by discharging an ultrasound emitter charged with a charge voltage. The ultrasonic pulse permeates the liquid developer and is received by an ultrasound receiver which generates a reception signal corresponding to the received ultrasonic pulse. With a control device, the charge voltage is regulated to a value such that a representative value of the reception signal corresponds to a predetermined desired value. The toner concentration is determined from the regulated charge voltage. | 10-17-2013 |
20130294790 | APPARATUS FOR DETECTING A TONER DENSITY OF A LIQUID DEVELOPER - A deaerator and a density detector are provided in a liquid developer circulating path through which the liquid developer in a main tank is circulated, wherein the deaerator includes a bundle of hollow fibers each forming a hollow fiber membrane whose inside is depressurized and over whose outer peripheral surface the liquid developer is forced to flow under pressure, thereby sufficiently removing dissolved air in the liquid developer, and a toner density of the liquid developer is detected when the liquid developer of which dissolved air is sufficiently removed is passed through the density detector utilizing ultrasonic waves, making it possible to detect the toner density with a high degree of precision. | 11-07-2013 |
20130322903 | METHOD TO DETERMINE THE MASS CONCENTRATION OF PARTICLES IN A DISPERSION INCLUDING PARTICLES AND FLUID - In a method to determine particle mass concentration in a dispersion having particles and fluid, the dispersion in a measurement cell is exposed to an alternating field of variable frequency to set the particles into oscillation to generate sound pressure waves. Amplitudes of the sound pressure waves are measured depending on the frequency so that a maximum amplitude of the sound pressure waves is established and a frequency associated with the amplitude is determined as a resonance frequency of the sound pressure wave. The mass concentration of the particles in the dispersion is established from the resonance frequency. | 12-05-2013 |
20140079420 | WET-TYPE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A wet-type image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner developer layer, and a toner amount detection unit. The toner amount detection unit includes a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit. The wavelength characteristics of a light emission intensity of the light-emitting unit and light reception sensitivity of the toner amount detection unit are set such that an intensity of detection sensitivity of the toner amount detection unit in accordance with a product of a light emission intensity of the light-emitting unit and light reception sensitivity of the light-receiving unit is greater in a wavelength region in which a characteristic value based on a product of a transmittance of the toner developer layer and a reflectivity of the image carrier as a reference for an emission light wavelength is included in a predetermined range, than in other wavelength regions. | 03-20-2014 |
20140348526 | DETERMINING THE CONDUCTIVITY OF A LIQUID - In one example, a processor readable medium has instructions thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a system to detect a change in electrical conduction of a liquid moving at an interface between two surfaces and determine a conductivity of the liquid based on the detected change in conduction. | 11-27-2014 |