Abstract
A model for electrostatic discharge in the toner layer during the transfer process is proposed. The present model, which is one-dimensional with air gaps between toner, OPC and transfer medium, calculates amount of charge transferred to toner due to electrostatic discharge at air gap using the Paschen's law. The model is simple and can represent the decrease in transfer efficiency due to excessively biased charge, an increase in toner charge after transfer. The dependence of transfer efficiency on the amount of charge of the first toner in multi-layer transfer process can also be calculated. The calculation results of multi-layer transfer process predict that electrostatic discharge occurs mainly in the air gap between the first-toner and OPC and an air gap between second-toner and transfer medium. These results demonstrate that an estimation of transfer efficiency by using with the present model is valid.
