Method and Apparatus for Forming Multicolor Images

This application is related to co-assigned: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 459,851, filed Jan. 2, 1990, MULTICOLOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING IMPROVED REGISTRATION, Alan E. Rapkin; and

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 459,850, filed Jan. 2, 1990, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING MASTERS AND IMAGES THEREFORM, John W. May et al.

This invention relates to the formation of multicolor images with masters, for example, xeroprinting masters.

Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 304,093 in the name of Mahoney and Benwood, shows an apparatus and method for making multicolor toner images using four drums and an intermediate transfer web. In one embodiment the four drums are each separate photoconductive imaging members which create different color toner images which are transferred in registration to the intermediate transfer member to create a multicolor image which is then transferred to a receiving sheet in a single step. In a second embodiment each drum is covered with a xeroprinting master each of which create different color toner images which are transferred in registration to the intermediate transfer member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,961 also shows separate photoconductive imageing members for four color toners including transfer to an intermediate transfer member.

A number of other references show parallel processes in which the images are transferred from separate photoconductors to a receiving sheet, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,542; U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,739; U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,515; U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,843; U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,050; U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,501; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,804. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,570 shows manual application of xeroprinting masters to a series of drums which are used to make multicolor images for transfer directly to a receiving sheet.

All of these parallel processes have the advantage of making multicolor images at roughly the same speed that a single color image can be made on each individual drum. This is a substantial improvement in speed over the present commercial electrophotographic color systems in which color toner images are made consecutively on the same imaging member.

However, the above disclosures which show separate photoconductive members require separate imaging stations and sensitive materials for each color. The structures which use masters require separate apparatus for forming the master images. The masters are generally applied to the drums by hand. Registration of the colors making up the multicolor image from masters is dependent upon the accuracy of forming the separate masters and their placement on the drums. These are serious sources of registration error.

It is the object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for forming multicolor images generally of the type described, but which does not require the use of a seperate photoconductor for each toner image, does not require a separate apparatus for forming a master, and eliminates many sources of registration error.

These and other objects are accomplished by a method and apparatus in which a series of primary or master toner images is formed on a primary imaging member. Each of the primary toner images is transferred to a separate secondary imaging member. A master is created on each secondary imaging member defined by the primary toner image. The masters are utilized to create separate transferable images of different color which are then transferred back to the primary imaging member or a receiving sheet carried by it in registration to create a multicolor image.

According to a preferred embodiment the primary imaging member is photoconductive and is moved through a path taking it past charging, exposing and toning stations for forming each of the primary or master toner images.

According to another preferred embodiment each of the secondary imaging members is a drum which is covered with a conductive master and the toner image creates a xeroprinting master when transferred and fixed to the conductive master.

The primary imaging member can be a photoconductive web with perforations (sometimes called "perfs") along an edge which cooperate with a sprocket on each secondary imaging member. The primary toner images can be created using the perforations for exposure registration. With this embodiment, registration of the masters is automatic on the secondary imaging members once they are formed accurately on the primary imaging member.

With this method, the same primary imaging member is used to create the toner images for the masters which is then used to register the separate color images. A single apparatus both creates the masters and the multicolor images. With the preferred use of sprockets and perfs for registration, the same perforation controls formation and transfer of both the master images and the color images, eliminating many sources of registration error.

In the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an apparatus for making and using masters to make multicolor toner images.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side views of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, including in FIG. 2 an alternative embodiment of the FIG. 1 apparatus.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are side views of an individual imaging member constructed according to an alternative embodiment of the imaging members shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 6 is a side view of another embodiment of the multicolor image forming apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative to the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 illustrating a preferred registration approach.

FIG. 8 is a top view of a primary imaging member and three of the secondary imaging members shown in FIG. 7.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are side views of alternative applications of the registration approach shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

According to FIG. 1, multicolor imaging apparatus 1 has a primary imaging member, for example, a photoconductive endless web 2 and four secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6, positioned along the path of endless web 2. Also along the path through which web 2 is moveable is a charging station 10, an exposure station 11, a development station 12, transfer stations 17 and 19 and a cleaning station 15.

The secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6 are identical secondary imaging drums. Each secondary imaging member rotates through a path bringing it past its own fusing station 31, 41, 51 and 61, charging station 32, 42, 52 and 62 and toning station 33, 43, 53 and 63, respectively.

In operation, apparatus 1 has two modes. In its first, or master-making mode, a uniform electrostatic charge is laid down on primary imaging member 2 by charging station 10. An exposure station 11 exposes imaging member 2 to create a series of electrostatic images which are toned using insulative toner of any color by toning station 12 to create a series of primary or master toner images. Each primary toner image is transferred to a different one of the secondary imaging members. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a first primary toner image is transferred to secondary imaging member 3 where it is fixed by fusing station 31. Second, third and fourth primary toner images are formed by stations 10, 11 and 12 and transferred to secondary imaging members 4, 5 and 6 respectively, where they are also fixed. The transfer of the primary toner images to the secondary imaging members is accomplished electrostatically, for example, by a field between the secondary imaging members and transfer corona chargers 35, 45, 55 and 65. If a primary toner image is to be transferred to secondary imaging member 4, 5 or 6, the transfer charger 35 and other upstream transfer chargers should be turned off or reversed to prevent transfer at the incorrect secondary imaging member.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the toner is insulative in character and each of the secondary imaging members is conductive or can be made conductive by exposure to radiation. Therefore, once the toner is fixed to the secondary imaging member it forms a xeroprinting master.

In its second, or duplicating mode, apparatus 1 is first run to clean any residual toner off primary imaging member 2 at cleaning station 15. Charging station 10, exposure station 11, developing station 12 and fusing stations 31, 41, 51 and 61 are inactivated. Charging stations 32, 42, 52 and 62 and toning stations 33, 43, 53 and 63 are activated. The toners in each of toning stations 33, 43, 53, and 63 are of different color. As shown in FIG. 3, secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6 are then each charged at charging stations 32, 42, 52 and 62 and toned at toning stations 33, 43, 53 and 63 to create transferable toner images of different color defined by the xeroprinting masters, that is, previously fused primary toner images originally transferred from web 2. The transferable toner images created on secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6 are transferred in registration back to primary imaging member 2 to create a multicolor image.

For example, toning station 33 contains black toner to create a black toner image representing the portions of the final multicolor image that are intended to be black. Similarly, toning stations 43, 53 and 63 contain cyan, magenta and yellow toners, respectively, to create cyan, magenta and yellow toner images on secondary imaging members 4, 5 and 6, respectively.

Either polarity toner may be used in toning either the charged or discharged areas of the xeroprinting masters. However, transfer back to the primary imaging member 2 can be made with the same polarity transfer chargers 35, 45, 55 and 65 if the colored toner is opposite in polarity to the primary or master toner.

The multicolor toner image formed by transfer of the transferable toner images to primary imaging member 2 can be utilized by transferring it to a receiving sheet fed from receiving sheet supply 16 which is fed into transfer station 17 to receive the multicolor image. A second multicolor image can be transferred to the reverse side of the receiving sheet at a second transfer station 19 after the sheet has been turned over in a turnover device 18 in a manner well-known in the art. The receiving sheet is then transported by a transport mechanism 20 to a fuser 21 and ultimately to an output tray 22. For a similar structure, see previously referred to patent application to Mahoney and Benwood.

In order to do duplex with this structure, the primary toner images are formed in pairs, representing opposite sides of the proposed final sheet. Each pair of images is transferred to a secondary imaging member. Thus, each secondary imaging member must be large enough to support two images consecutively on its periphery.

The xeroprinting masters can be formed by transfer of the primary toner images directly onto a conductive surface of secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6. When the number of multicolor images that are desired in the duplicating mode are made, the fused toner can be cleaned off by cleaning stations, not shown, at each of the secondary imaging members. However, cleaning fused toner off a surface is a difficult task and seriously limits the materials that can be used. Therefore, a preferred approach, illustrated in FIG. 1, is to attach a separate blank master sheet around a drum support of each of secondary imaging drums 3, 4, 5 and 6 which sheets are conductive, receive the insulative toner and have it fused to its surface and then can be removed when the desired number of multicolor images have been made so that a new set of multicolored images can be formed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the blank master sheets from a master sheet supply 29 are fed along a master feed path 65 and automatically wrapped around secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6. A conductive master 30 has been wrapped around imaging member 3, a second conductive master 40 is being fed into position to be wrapped around secondary imaging member 4. Alternatively, these masters could be wrapped on drums 3, 4, 5 and 6 by hand.

FIG. 2 illustrates another preferred embodiment in which the blank master is not a separate sheet, but is a continuous web. According to FIG. 2, each secondary imaging member has a supply roller 36 and a take-up roller 37 which handle a continuous web of blank master material which is trained around drum 3 through an exit 38. The supply and take-up rollers 36 and 37 can be indexed when new blank master material is desired to form new multicolor images.

The cycle of operation would begin with the feeding of master sheets from master sheet supply 29 through a path 65 with appropriate guides to feed a separate master sheet to each of secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6. Each of master sheets from master sheet supply 29 is attached to a separate imaging member by suitable means, for example, holding fingers or vacuum as is well-known in general in the electrophotographic art. If the FIG. 2 approach is used, fresh master material is indexed to each secondary imaging member peripheral surface.

Then, stations 10, 11, and 12 are activated and four primary toner images are created each representing separate separations of appropriate colors to form a single multicolor image. As shown best in FIG. 2, each of the four images is transferred to a separate master on a separate one of secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6 and fused there by fusing stations 31, 41, 51 and 61. Thus far, the operation has been at a slow master-making speed.

As best shown in FIG. 3, at this point, the apparatus can be sped up substantially as the multicolor images are created on the secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5, and 6 and transferred back to primary imaging member 2 and to receiving sheets from receiving sheet supply 16. A cleaning station 34 is shown which is not necessary but may improve image quality with some materials.

Exposure station 11 can be optical or electronic. However, a high resolution laser or multilevel LED printhead is preferred. Because the ultimate duplicating mode can be operated quite fast, overall speed of the process is not hurt by use of a relatively slow but high quality electronic exposure for defining the masters. For example, with high volume runs, the apparatus is quite feasible when run at one inch per second or less in its master making mode and at more than ten inches per second in its duplicating mode. Toning station 12 can tone either the charged or discharged portions of the electrostatic image. However, if electronic exposure is used, especially using an LED printhead, discharged portion toning is preferred.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show another preferred embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the outer surface of the secondary imaging members is formed of a layer of substance which persistently changes its conductivity in an electrographic sense when treated. For example, a number of materials become less able to hold a charge on a surface after exposure to intense ultraviolet radiation and that characteristic persists for a period of time; in some instances, permanently, or until treated with heat. In some instances, the material is not affected by normal visible radiation. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,429. Also, many normal photoconductors such as zinc oxide retain a conductivity image for a short length of time after imagewise exposure to normal visible radiation.

According to FIG. 4, a secondary imaging member 7 has an outer layer of such a persistent conductivity material or a sheet or web having a layer of such a material attached to the member 7 as in FIGS. 1-3. The FIG. 2 approach is particularly advantageous. The primary toner image is formed of a toner opaque to ultraviolet radiation and is transferred to imaging member 7. The outer layer of active material is exposed to an ultraviolet source creating a persistent conductivity image defined by the primary toner image. The toner, having not been fused is cleaned off by a cleaning device 74. The outer layer of member 7 can then function as a planographic xeroprinting master as shown in FIG. 5 again using a charging station 72 and a toning station 73. It may be desirable to use cleaning device 74 in the duplicating mode for highest quality imaging. This embodiment has the advantage of permitting reuse of the master since some forms of it can be regenerated by the lapse of time or application of heat. A heating station 77 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 for that purpose.

The preferred form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1-5 where the color images are transferred directly back to the primary imaging member 2. However, as shown in FIG. 6, it also can be used to transfer the color images to a receiving sheet carried by the primary imaging member. Sheets are fed from receiving sheet supply 16 into contact with member 2. They are held by member 2 by vacuum, gripping fingers, electrostatics or a combination thereof. As shown in FIG. 6, the back of the sheets are sprayed with an electrostatic charge by a charger 29 to hold the sheets to member 2. They are carried through transfer stations 35, 45, 55 and 65 by member 2 and separated therefrom and transported by transport 20 to fuser 21 and to output tray 22. Duplex is accomplished by recirculation of the sheet by means not shown.

The process and apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-6 is particularly usable with xeroprinting masters because toner is applied to the primary and secondary imaging members in each mode. However, with proper choice of materials, other duplicative processes with other masters also could be used. Similarly, the master sheets 30, 40, 50 and 60 could be photoconductive and an illumination means placed between charging means 32, 42, 52, 62 and toning means 33, 43, 53, 63. Obviously, either the charged or the discharged areas could be toned.

Registration can be maintained by putting a set of perforations along an edge of primary imaging member 2 and a sprocket fixed to and coaxial with each of secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6. The primary imaging member 2 can be driven by one of its rollers to drive the secondary imaging members and force each sprocket to the rear edge of the controlling perforations. A sprocket 84 around a printhead roller 80 also follows the rear edge of the perforations and is connected to an encoder 81 which controls exposure of web 2 by exposure station 11 through a logic and control unit 82 utilizing image data from a source 83. Alternatively, in both instances, tendency drive mechanisms can be used to maintain both the sprocket associated with printhead roller 80 and that associated with each secondary imaging member at the front of the perforations.

Preferably, each separate image formed on primary imaging member 2 to be transferred to secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6 is formed on a separate revolution of primary imaging member 2. This forces the same points in consecutive master images to be controlled by the same perforations in imaging member 2 and controls any problems in the manufacture or maintenance of the primary imaging member 2 and its perforations. The same perforation is used again in the duplicating mode. This timing mechanism is similar in some respects to one shown in previously cited Mahoney and Benwood application and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,066 to Foote et al. However, it is carried several steps further. A single perforation on web 2 controls the placement of a given image point on consecutive primary toner images. It controls that point each time that image is transferred to secondary imaging member 3, 4, 5 or 6 and further when the transferable color images are formed it controls their transfer back to primary imaging member 2 thereby correcting for most imperfections in both the manufacture and maintenance of web 2 and the secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6. Registration of the masters is done automatically.

FIGS. 7-10 illustrate an improved version of the above registration approach which is usable not only for each of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-6 but is also usable with other apparatus in which color images are formed at different positions and transferred or formed in registration on a web.

According to FIG. 8, primary imaging member 2 has first and second rows of perfs 80 and 81 along its opposite edges. Secondary imaging members 3, 4 and 5 have first sprockets 131, 141 and 151 and second sprockets 132, 142 and 152, respectively, which engage the rows of perfs 80 and 81, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 7, the secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6 are driven by timing belts 133, 143, 153 and 163 which, in turn, are driven by a single drive 170 so that all four secondary imaging members are driven at substantially constant angular velocity and, particularly, at constant average angular velocity. Comparable structure such as timing chains or gears also could be used. The number of perforations of web 2 between the secondary imaging members is chosen to provide a small amount of slack in primary imaging member 2 between the imaging members.

As seen in FIG. 8, this slack between secondary imaging members permits the web to adjust for skew in the web caused by slight misalignments of the axes of secondary imaging members 3, 4 and 5. That is, as long as a given edge of complementary perfs on opposite sides of primary imaging member 2 stay in engagement with complementary teeth in the sprockets for a given secondary imaging member, the web will be correctly oriented with respect to the axis of the secondary imaging member even though those axes may not be quite parallel (exaggerated in FIG. 8). The slack between the secondary imaging members permits the adjustment shown in FIG. 8. The sprockets are driven to correctly orient web 2 with respect to the axis of the drum with the front of one perforation in each row 80 and 81 engaging one sprocket tooth for each secondary imaging member at any one time. A shoe or vacuum box (not shown) can be used to assure enough drag in the web at each sprocket to assure contact with the front edge of each perf.

Cross-track registration is maintained by the snugness of fit inthe cross-track direction between the sprocket teeth and one row of perforations. The other row preferably is not snug in the cross-track direction. Other known web tracking devices can be used to assure cross-track registration. Snugness in the in-track direction is not necessary (or desirable) since the sprockets are driven to engage either the fronts or the rears of both rows of perfs, to provide both skew and in-track registration. In theory, skew and in-track registration is corrected if more than one sprocket tooth in each sprocket engages consecutive perfs. However, such a condition greatly over-constrains web tracking of the system. Thus, it is much preferred that only one tooth in each sprocket engage a single perforation in the web at any one time. This also assures that the correct perf controls image formation and transfer at each key registration position.

The same approach could be used at printhead roller 80. However, since the exposures are all made at a single roller 80, skew correction there is not generally necessary.

The secondary imaging members could be used to drive the web 2, thereby forcing the teeth of the sprockets to the front of each perf. However, perforations wear in time with this approach. Accordingly, a preferred alternative is shown in the FIGS., in which primary imaging member 2 is driven by a pair of nip rollers 171 which, in turn, are driven by a variable speed motor 172. A loop 173, with compensating loop 174, is formed by a movable roller 178 which movable roller is movable between positions sensed by a pair of sensors 175 and 176. The sensors 175 and 176 sense the position of movable roller 178, creating a signal which is fed to logic and control 177 which, in turn, controls variable speed motor 172. Thus, if movable roller 178 moves vertically until it actuates sensor 176, logic and control 177 receives the signal which causes logic and control 177 to speed up variable speed motor 172 to speed up nip rollers 177 thereby speeding up web 2 to increase the size of loop 173. Similarly, if sensor 175 is actuated, the nip rollers 171 are slowed down to reduce the size of loop 173.

This approach can be applied to other similar parallel processes. For example, in FIG. 9 the same registration approach is used when the secondary imaging members 3, 4, 5 and 6 are, in fact, photoconductive members with separate charging, exposing, development and cleaning stations. In this instance, the exposure stations are lasers 39, 49, 59 and 69. In-track registration of the exposures can be controlled by separate encoders (not shown) on each secondary imaging member. Alternatively, the timing belts shown track well enough in many applications to allow exposure off a single encoder 89.

Further, as seen in FIG. 10 the FIGS. 7-9 registration system can be applied to systems where the multicolor image is formed entirely on primary imaging member 2. In this process, primary imaging member 2 is photoconductive and is charged at a first charging station 137 and is exposed through the rear by a laser 138 to create a first electrostatic image. LED printhead 138 is accurately aligned with a drum 103 which supports web 2 and has first and second sprockets as shown in FIG. 8. That first electrostatic image is toned with a toner of a first color at a first toning station 139. Without fusing or cleaning, the same area is again charged at a second charging station 147 and exposed by a second LED printhead exposing station 148 aligned with a second drum 104 to create a second electrostatic image. If enough of the original charge remains and the images do not overlap, the second charging step may not be necessary. The second electrostatic image is toned at a second toning station 149 to create a second toner image of different color than the first toner image. The process is repeated using third and fourth charging stations 157 and 167, third and fourth LED imaging stations 158 and 168 (aligned with drums 105 and 106) and third and fourth toning stations 159 and 169 to create a four-color image. This process is generally known per se; see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,308,821; 4,599,285; 4,731,634 and 4,629,669. However, registration between exposure stations 138, 148, 158 and 168 is quite difficult, especially with a web imaging member, and even though they each can be accurately aligned with drums such as drums 103, 104, 105 and 106. As shown in FIG. 10, the registration scheme of FIGS. 7 and 8 can be used for this process as well with each of the drums having first and second sprockets as in FIG. 8. As with the embodiment of FIG. 9, exposure is timed off a single encoder 79 relying on the timing belts and the sprocket teeth and perfs for in-track registration, although again, separate encoders could be used.

Although FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate that the registration approach shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 can be extended, it has particular application to the imaging approach shown in FIGS. 1-7. When this registration scheme is used in the FIGS. 1-7 process, the same set of perforations controls primary toner image formation, transfer of the primary toner image to the secondary imaging members and transfer of the color toner images back to the primary imaging member. Registration of the masters is done automatically. It is important for this method that the sprockets be accurately and identically formed and mounted. However, that is generally an easier undertaking than the manufacture of perfs and alignment of drum axes and less likely to be a source of error. Perf error and drum alignment error are largely eliminated as sources of skew or in-track misregistration.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims. For example, where electrostatic images are described as formed by charging and exposing a photoconductive member, they can also be formed by non-optical means, for example, by ion projection. For many purposes, the secondary imaging members need not be drums, but can be endless webs with registration provided by rollers with sprockets fitting perforations in both webs.