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EPSON EPL-N1600 Chapter 2 Operating Principles

Rev. A 39

Table 2-1. Electrophotographic Printing Process

Step Process Explanation

1Char

In this process, electric dischar

e from the BCR (Bias Char

e Roll)

enerates a uniform ne

ative char

e on the surface of the OPC (Or

anic

Photconductor) drum located within the Ima

Cartrid

e.The BCR is a conductive roller positioned in contact with the OPC drum, The HVPS ASSY

applies a bias volta

e (a ne

ative DC bias volta

e superposed on an AC volta

e) to the BCR. The AC volta

e is controlled b

constant-current re

ulation

and the current level is apporx. 800µA (850Hz). This AC component evens out the residual char

e left on the OPC drum durin

the previous print c

cle,

so that a uniform ne

ative char

e correspondin

to the DC bias volta

e level (approx. -400VDC) is

enerated over the entire drum surface.

2 Exposure In this process, the ROS (Raster Output Scanner) ASSY

enerates the latent ima

e onto the OPC drum surface b

scannin

the drum with the laser. The

scanner motor rotates the pol

on mirror within the ROS ASSY. The mirror reflects the laser beam produced b

the laser diode so that the beam scans

across the drum surface. The OPC drum surface consists of a photoconductive la

er coverin

an aluminum (conductor) base. As the beam strikes the

surface it

enerates electrons and holes within the photoconductive la

er. The electrons are pulled b

the electric field into the conductor base, while the

holes move to the outside surface of the photocondutor la

er (the outside of the drum), combinin

with the surface electrons and reducin

the surface

char

e (increasin

the potential). This action occurs onl

at the areas illuminated b

the beam. The result is that the ne

ative char

e at the illuminated

areas is lower than the ne

ative char

e at the non-illuminated areas. This char

e differential constitutes the latent ima

e. The SOS (Start of Scan)

sensor attached at the side of MIRROR M1 detects the scan start position (b

detectin

the laser illumination at the scan start area).

3 Development This process applies toner to the drum surface to

enerate the visible ima

e. This printer utilizes non-conductive dr

sin

le-component ma

netic toner.

Toner adheres to a surface of the MAG ROLL b

netic force, while the narrow

ap between the CM (Char

and Meterin

) blade keeps this toner

coatin

extremel

thin and uniform. The friction between the CM blade and the MAG ROLL

enerates a ne

ative char

e on the toner. A ne

ative DC

volta

e (approx. -315VDC) superposed on an AC volta

e (approx. 1.8KVp-p at 3.0KHz) is applied to a thin semiconductive sleeve that covers the MAG

ROLL, as a developin

bias (DB). The DC component of the bias keeps the MAG ROLL at ne

ative potential with respect to the OPC drum’s conductive

er and the AC component of the development bias serves to facilitate the transfer of the toner on the MAG ROLL. As a consequence, the parts of the

drum surface that were not hit b

the laser beam (the areas where the ne

ative char

e was not reduced) will have lower potential than the MAG ROLL,

while the parts that were hit b

the laser beam will have hi

her potential. Because the toner on the MAG ROLL is ne

ativel

char

ed, it will transfer to the

OPC drum onl

at those areas where the potential on the drum is hi

her than the potential on the MAG ROLL, thereb

formin

the visible ima

4 Transfer This process transfers the visible ima

e formed b

a toner on the OPC drum surface, to the paper. This printer utilizes a BTR (Bias Transfer Roller) to

effect the transfer. The BTR is a conductive roller that is in positioned in contact with the OPC drum. When the paper moves between the OPC drum and

the BTR, the BTR applies an HVPS-

enerated positive char

e (+700VDC) to the back side of the paper. This pulls the toner ima

e off the drum surface

and onto the paper.

5 Separation In the separation process, the action of the ne

ativel

char

ed DETACH SAW neutralizes a positive char

e remained on the paper which causes the

paper to stick to the drum surface, so that the paper comes free of the drum. Specificall

, an HVPS-

enerated ne

ative volta

e (-2.0KVDC) is applied to

the DETACH SAW.

6 Fusin

This process fuses the toner ima

e (the ima

e transferred onto the paper in the transfer process) to the paper. This printer uses a HEAT ROLL to fuse

the ima

e to the paper. The HEAT ROLL is heated b

an internal heater lamp. A PRESSURE ROLL is positioned in contact with the HEAT ROLL. When

paper passes between the HEAT ROLL and PRESSURE ROLL, the application of heat and pressure fuses the toner to the paper.

7 Cleanin

In this process, a cleanin

plate attached to the OPC drum scrapes residual toner (the toner that not transfered to the paper) off the drum surface. The

toner scraped off from the drum surface is collected in the waste-toner compartment within the Ima

Cartrid

In addition to the above explained cleanin

operation, the BTR surface is also cleaned electricall

. At the initialization c

cle of the printer operation or

before startin

a print job, a ne

ative char

e (approx. -600VDC) is applied to the BTR and the toner stickin

on the BTR surface is transferred from the

BTR to the drum b

this volta