Characteristics of Intermediate Transfer Process for a Color Electro-Photographic System

Abstract

In the color laser printer with an intermediate transfer medium, four color toner images on an OPC are transferred successively to overlap one another on the intermediate transfer medium. And a complete color image which was formed by four toner images on the intermediate transfer medium is transferred to a sheet of paper at one time. Using two transfer processes, it is important that each transfer process should be highly efficient. Then, 1 st and 2 nd transfer processes on the intermediate transfer system have been investigated. Potential distribution in the transfer region changes on the time period of the transfer process, because the intermediate transfer medium has electric semi-conductive resistance. A simulation model and a method for calculating the time variation of potential distribution are proposed. Transfer efficiencies which were estimated by this proposed model were in conformity with the experimental results. The simulation results show that the time constants of the intermediate transfer medium layer and the paper layer are important parameter on the transfer processes. In addition, it has been clarified that the transferable maximum toner mass is affected by the multiple value of toner charge and toner mass.