Apparatus and method of developing a latent charge image

摘要

The invention includes an apparatus 40, 140 for developing a latent charge image formed on a photoreceptor 36 disposed on an interior surface of a faceplate panel 12. The apparatus 40, 140 comprises a developer tank 42 having a sidewall 44 closed at one end by a bottom portion 46 and at the other end by a panel support 48 having an opening 50 therethrough to provide access to the faceplate panel 12. The back electrode 52 has a potential applied thereto to establish an electrostatic drift field between the back electrode and the photoreceptor 36, which is grounded. Triboelectrically-charged, dry-powdered, light emitting phosphor material, having a charge of the same polarity as the potential applied to the back electrode 52, is injected into the developer tank 42, between the back electrode 52 and the faceplate panel 12. The triboelectrically-charged phosphor material is directed toward the photoreceptor 36 on the faceplate panel 12 by the applied electrostatic drift field. Panel skirt sidewall shields 66, 68 are disposed around a peripheral sidewall 18 of the faceplate panel 12 to repel the triboelectrically-charged phosphor material from the panel sidewall 18. The method of developing the latent charge image formed on the photoreceptor 36 that is disposed on an interior surface of a faceplate panel 12 includes the steps of placing the faceplate panel 12 on the panel support 48 of the apparatus 40, 140 and positioning the panel skirt sidewall shield means 66, 68 in proximity to the sidewall 18 of the of the faceplate panel 12. The photoreceptor 36 is grounded and a potential is applied to the back electrode 52. Triboelectrically-charged phosphor materials, having a charge of the same polarity as the potential applied to the back electrode 52 are introduced into the developer tank 42, between the back electrode 52 and the faceplate panel 12. The phosphor material is directed toward the photoreceptor 36 on the faceplate panel 12 by the applied electrostatic drift field and repelled from the sidewall 18 of the faceplate panel by the panel skirt sidewall shields 66, 68.