Liquid Development Apparatus Cleaning via Pool Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In liquid development apparatuses using liquid developers with carrier liquid and toner, toner accumulation and drying in grooves of supply rollers lead to variations in regulation amount and image quality issues, as existing cleaning methods are insufficient for preventing toner accumulation and removal.
Innovation Solution
A liquid development apparatus with a pool forming member that supplies liquid developer to a supply roller, where a cleaning liquid is used to form a pool on the pool forming member, allowing efficient removal of residual liquid developer by rotating the supply roller with the cleaning liquid, thereby preventing toner accumulation and maintaining image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a regulation blade and anilox roller are used to control liquid developer supply, then the liquid developer conveying amount can be regulated, but toner accumulates in the grooves and causes variation in regulation amount
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful function of groove structures by replacing the anilox roller with a smooth roller. The grooves that caused toner accumulation are completely removed, eliminating the source of regulation amount variation while maintaining liquid developer supply control through alternative means.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements preliminary cleaning action by introducing a cleaning blade that removes residual liquid developer and toner from the roller surface before the next development cycle. This preventive measure stops toner accumulation before it can affect regulation accuracy.
2Reliability
If cleaning operation is implemented to remove residual liquid developer, then toner accumulation can be prevented, but additional cleaning members and complex systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the cleaning function with the existing development system components. The cleaning blade is integrated alongside the regulation blade, and both work together with the smooth roller to achieve cleaning without requiring separate cleaning mechanisms or additional complex subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The smooth roller serves multiple functions: it acts as both the liquid developer carrying roller and the surface for forming the liquid developer pool. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cleaning rollers or surfaces, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective cleaning capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively removes residual liquid developer and toner, reducing variations in the regulation amount and improving image quality by ensuring efficient cleaning during non-image forming operations, without the need for additional cleaning members or large-scale cleaning systems.
Implementation Method 1
a cleaning liquid supply member configured to supply the cleaning liquid onto the pool forming member to form a pool of the cleaning liquid thereon, thereby performing a cleaning operation in which the cleaning liquid is supplied to the pool forming member to form the pool of the cleaning liquid thereon so as to clean and remove the liquid developer remaining on the surface of the supply roller
Implementation Method 2
rotating the supply roller with the cleaning liquid, thereby preventing toner accumulation
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a liquid development apparatus having a constitution in which liquid developer containing carrier liquid with toner dispersed therein is supplied from a liquid developer/cleaning liquid supply member on a pool forming member arranged facing to a supply roller so as to form a pool of the liquid developer, from which pool the liquid developer is supplied to the supply roller, wherein a liquid developer/cleaning liquid supply member supplies cleaning liquid on a pool forming member to form a suitable pooling portion of the cleaning liquid and the liquid developer remaining on the surface of the supply roller is removed and cleaned.