Electrostatographic apparatus and method for improved transfer of small particles

摘要

Unexpectedly good transfer of electrophotographically-produced images using small toner particles occurs when the image is developed on an electrostatographic recording member, preferably an organic photoconductive element, which has been overcoated with a thin (about 10 nm to about 10 mu m thick) layer of a material having a Young's modulus greater than 10 GPa and preferably greater than about 100 GPa. The image is then transferred to an intermediate member which is comprised of an elastomeric blanket between about 0.1 and about 3 cm thick, having a Young's modulus between about 0.5 MPa and about 50 MPa, and preferably between about 1 and about 10 MPa, and having an electrical resistivity between about 106 ohm-cm and about 1012 ohm-cm, by applying an appropriate electrostatic potential between the transfer intermediate member and the photoconductive element. The toned image is transferred from the intermediate transfer member to the receiver by applying an electrostatic field between the receiver and the intermediate transfer member. The blanket material comprising the intermediate transfer member should be overcoated with a thin (between about 0.1 mu m and about 25 mu m thick) layer of a material having a Young's modulus greater than about 100 MPa and preferably greater than about 1 GPa.