IE47600B1 - Electrophotographic attachment for use with an optical projection system - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to electrophotography. It is now well known in the art to make a copy of a document by forming a latent electrostatic image of the document on an electrophotographic member, toning the latent image to make it visible and then transferring the toned image to a sheet of carrier material such as paper.

The invention herein revolves around a type of electrophotographic film that is capable of being imaged with quality and gray scale as good as, if not better than, that achieved by photographic film and with resolution that is better than that achieved by photographic film. The film includes an inorganic coating of microcrystalline material that is bonded onto a conductive substrate. In a preferred embodiment the inorganic coating comprises a layer of radio frequency spluttered cadmium sulfide that is from about 2,000 Angstroms to about 2 microns thick and the conductive substrate comprises a layer of about 300 to 500 Angstroms thick of indium tin oxide which in turn is disposed on a sheet of stable polyester plastic about 5 mils thick. The film is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,025,339 issued May 24, 1977.

The present invention provides an attachment for an optical projecting system for use in making a copy of a document on a sheet of carrier material comprising: rotatable endless web means mounted on rollers and having a first planar reach and including at least a portion - 3 which is electrophotographic in character, said web and film portion including a front or exposure side and a back side? drive means for rotating said web sequentially through a set of stations,· said set of stations including: a charging station located adjacent said front side including corona means for charging said electrophotographic portion while it is in said charging station? an exposure station following said charging for exposing said electrophotographic portion when said electrophotographic portion is at the first planar reach and forming thereby a latent image of the document; a toning station following said exposure station for toning the latent image as it is moved through said toner stations, the toning station including roller means for guiding the web during passage thereof through the toning station and a smooth arcuate surface disposed proximate the roller means forming one of a pair of arcuate surfaces defining a toning gap through which the web passes, and a transfer station following said toning station including means for transferring the toned image from said electrophotographic portion onto a sheet of carrier material, including means for moving said sheet of carrier material and said front side of said electrophotographic portion into close proximity during said transfer.

The present invention also provides a method for reproducing an image onto a transfer medium from an electrophotographic film portion of an endless web comprising rotau>«:· - 4 ting said web sequentially through a series of stations, charging said film portion in a charging station, locating and stopping said film portion against a planar surface in an exposure station, applying a substantially constant amount of toner across the width of only the bottom side of said film portion in a toning station, said toning including, forming a smooth reach from said film portion as it passes through said toning station using rollers for supporting and locating the web during passage through the toning station, and placing a smooth toning surface parallel to and spaced from said reach, and transferring an image from said film portion to a transfer medium in a transfer station.

In order that the present invention be more readily understood an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :Figure 1 is a perspective partially sectional view of a basic form of an attachment which is useful for describing the apparatus to which the invention is applied; Figure 2 is a diagram of the attachment of Figure 1 showing the basic parts and construction thereof; Figure 3 is a timing diagram illustrative of the operation of the attachment; Figure 4 is a perspective diagram of a second form 25 of attachment which is useful for describing the apparatus to which the invention is applied; Figure 5 is a diagram of the embodiment of Figure 4 showing a second type of transfer mechanism; Figure 6 is a side sectional view of a toning manifold - 5 which may be used with the attachment; and Figure 7 is a diagram of an embodiment of a toner station according to the present invention to be used with the attachment as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 4.

As used throughout the specification and claims the term electrophotographic belt is intended to mean an endless, flexible belt of which at least a portion of its length is an electrophotographic film, that is, is either made of or contains a photoconductive coating on a conductive substrate that can be used for electrophotographic purposes.

Copies of documents are made electrophotographically by a technique which requires that an image be formed of the document to be reproduced. The image is formed using an optical projecting system.

Bri tish Figures 1 to 6 are those shown in / Patent Specification No. 1,573,397 and are described here in order that there be a full description of the apparatus. The preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in relation to Figure 7.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an attachment 10 positioned to receive an image of a document from an optical projecting system shown diagrammatieally by a lens 12. The attachment 10 is shown totally exposed; however, of course, the attachment 10 and the lens 12 are married together such that no light would enter the system except as desired through the lens 12. In this respect a cover is fastened over the attachment 10 which is not illustrated.

The attachment 10 includes a sequence of stations including a charging station 14, an exposure station 16, a toning station 18, a transfer station 20 and a cleaning - 6 station 22. An endless web 24 mounted on rollers is rotated through the stations and the web includes a portion of electrophotographic film upon which the image may be projected and transferred from. The web 24 need only contain a portion of electrophotographic film large enough to cover the area to be imaged in the exposure station 16; however, the web 24 may be made entirely from the electrophotographic film. One electrophotographic film which may be utilized in the invention as previously mentioned is described in United States Patent No. 4,025,339 issued May 24, 1977.

In operation a starting point on the web 24 is chosen, prior to the film portion to be acted upon, such as a point on the periphery of the web 24 which may be a piece of metallic material or strip 26. The strip 26 may then be optically or magnetically sensed as the web 24 passes to the various stations to control the operations and timing of the attachment 10. There may be a second metallic strip 27 on the opposite periphery of the web 24 which may be sensed by sensors on the opposite side of the attachment.

The timing of the device may also be accomplished by conventional timing mechanisms such as a timing belt of counter without the use of the sensors and strips.

The overall operation of the attachment 10 will be given prior to the details of the various stations to set forth the environment of the stations. The attachment 10 is operated by starting the web 24 rotating through the various stations. When the film portion to be exposed reaches the charging station 14 it will be charged by a corona source either as it moves by the corona source or by stopping the web and moving the corona source relative to the film portion. Once the film portion is charged the web is rotated until the film portion is located in the - 7 exposure station 16 where it is stopped and exposed by the optical projection system through lens 12. The film portion is then rotated through the toning station 18 where toner is applied to the image which has been projected onto the film portion. The web 24 continues to rotate until it reaches the transfer station 20 where the toned image is transferred from the film portion onto a sheet of carrier material such as plain paper. Once the image has been transferred, the web 24 will continue its rotation through the cleaning station 22 where any remaining toner or other material will be cleaned from both sides of the web 24 and the web is then rotated completely around to the start position ready for the next imaging and transfer operation. The cleaning station 22 is optional, because the operation of the other stations of attachment 10 under the proper conditions would remove all the toner from the film portion at the transfer station 20 leaving the film portion ready to be recycled for the next imaging operation without the intervening cleaning step.

The components of the various stations and the detailed operations thereof will now be set forth. The charging station 14 includes a corona voltage source 28 which contains a corona wire or wires 30. The corona voltage source 28 may be fixed to charge the film portion as it passes over the corona source and wire 30 or it may oscillate to provide an even distribution of charge on the film portion. The film portion as utilized hereinafter is that portion of the web 24 which is chosen to be exposed in the exposure station 16. The film portion may also be stopped and the corona source 28 may be moved across the film portion to provide the even - 8 distribution of charge on the film portion. The corona source 28 will preferably be operated at a voltage of approximately 6,000 volts. _7 Once the film portion is charged to 8 x 10 coulombs/ cm or 30 volts equivalent the charged film portion is moved into the exposure station 16. The exposure station 16 includes an exposure platen 32 which is disposed above the web 24 with a lower smooth planar surface 34 disposed below the untensioned plane of the web 24 between the rollers 36 and 38. The surface may be beveled at each end to facilitate the passage of the web thereover and the surface will be located in the image plane of the camera system and lens 12.

Thus, the web 24 will be drawn tightly and smoothly across the bottom surface 34 so that a smooth unwrinkled surface will be presented to the camera system and lens 12. To further facilitate the passage of the web 24 past the platen 32, the platen 32 is preferably provided with a series of passageways (not shown) disposed across and opening to the bottom surface 34 which are connected to a source of posi20 tive fluid pressure (not shown). The pressure source is energized when the belt 24 is moving, but is deenergized when the belt is stopped in the exposure station 16 so that the film 24 will be drawn against the smooth platen surface 34.

Once the film portion has been exposed it is rotated over the ohmic roller 38 and across the direction rolls 40 and 42 in the toning station 18. The web 24 is tensioned between the direction rolls 40 and 42 to form a smooth planar reach with a gap between the film portion and a toning platen 44. The toner in liquid or dry form is applied in the gap. - 9 47600 Preferably the toner is in liquid form and is supplied through at least one of a pair of manifolds 46 and 48 ' . Preferably the manifold 46 is used in conjunction with the manifold 48 to form a smooth nonturbulent flow of toner in the gap formed between the toning platen 44 and the film portion. A toning bias, preferably, is electrically applied between the toning platen 44 and the web 24 to assist in the toner particles adhering to an image on the film portion.

The toning platen 44 has an upper generally planar surface 50 between the rolls 4o and 42 to maintain the gap between the film portion and the toning platen. An upper shoe 51 may be utilized which has a bottom planar surface 52 disposed parallel to the surface 50. The surface 52 keeps the film portion planar between the rolls 40 and 42 to precisely maintain the gap. The toning bias may be in a range of negative 5-25 volts, preferably about 11 volts.

The gap may be in the range of 5 to 40 mils, preferably about 12 mils. The upper surface 50 of the toning platen 44 is smoothly polished so that the toning particles and fluid will flow smoothly over the surface thereof and not become adhered to any particular portion thereof.

Any excess toner is removed from the film portion by an extraction roller 53 as the film portion passes by the extraction roller. The extraction roller 53 is spaced from the web 24 which space may be less than 6 mils, preferably about 4 mils, and it is electrically biased to withdraw the toner particles which are not firmly adhered to the imaged portion of the film. The bias may be in a range of negative 20-250 volts,preferably about 135 volts. The toner - 10 particles and liquid are removed from the extraction roller 53 by a squeegee 54. The toner which is not utilized and the fresh toner are captured in a tray or reservoir 56 which is located beneath the other components of the toning station 18.

To assist in the extraction of the excess toner particles from the film portion a spray bar 58 is located above the extraction roller 53 and will spray a film of toner liquid into the gap between the web 24 and the extrac10 tion roller 53 to provide a medium for the toner particles and the electric field between the extraction roller and the film to allow the excess toner particles to be removed.

The web and film portion continue rotating from the toner station 18 over a guide or direction roller 60 to the transfer station 20 where the image is transferred to a sheet of carrier material 62. Carrier material 62 is passed into a first chute 64 which directs the carrier material 62 past a tangent point of the web 25 but spaced therefrom.

The web 24 passes over another roller 66 in the transfer station 20 which locates the web and the film portion as it passes through the transfer station. A freely rotatable transfer roller 68 is disposed for pivotal movement away from and in close proximity to the web 24 such as on a pivot 70. The sheet 62 such as a piece of paper extends between the two rollers 66 and 68, but is not in contact with the web 24. Preferably, the medium 62 will extend into a discharge chute 72 to precisely locate the sheet of carrier material 62. When the front edge of the imaged portion arrives in the transfer station 20, the transfer roller 68 is pivoted against the sheet 62 to bring it into - 11 close proximity with the web 24 to transfer the image to the sheet 62 which will rotate with the rotating belt 24 between the rollers 66 and 68. A transfer bias may be applied between the roller 68 and the web 24 and may be in the range of negative 250-1200 volts. The transfer bias should be just sufficient to fully transfer any toned image and will preferably be about negative 500 volts. The roller 68 may bring the medium 62 directly against the film portion or may leave a slight gap to avoid mechanical smearing of the image if the medium 62 will not absorb the fluid surrounding the toner particles on the film portion. The gap may be in the range of 0-4 microns.

The web 24 then moves on into the cleaning station 22 where it passes around another roller 74 and past a foam cleaning brush 76 which dislodges any firmly attached toner particles or other material which have not been removed by the transfer operation. The web 24 then passes past a cleaning spray bar 78 which sprays a cleaning fluid against the film which is squeegeed by an air brush or knife 80 which provides a smooth flow of air across the width of the film and may contain a fluid baffle such as 46 or 48. The nozzle of the air brush 80 is coated with a nonabrasive material? however, the web and film portion thereof preferably will not touch the air brush due to the flow of the air from the nozzle. The cleaning solution and excess toner particles are caught in a reservoir 82 located at the bottom of the cleaning station 22. The back or inside of the web 24 is cleaned by a squeegee 84 as it passes the adjustable ohmic guide roller 36. The ohmic roller 36 has an adjustment at each end 86, one of which is shown, to steer the web around - 12 the sets of rollers in the attachment 10 without excessive lateral movement thereof. The web 24 then continues through the other stations without their being energized and returns to the initial or stop position ready for another cycle. As previously mentioned with the proper biasing, toning and transfer conditions, cleaning station 22 may be eliminated.

Referring now to Figure 3, a timing diagram for the attachment 10 is illustrated; however, it should be noted that the time factor between each of the times T through T,_ o 10 is not drawn to scale and these will vary as determined by a particular operation, size of components, etc. The operation will be explained with the timing diagram utilizing the sensors A, through A_ which sense the metallic strips 26 and 27 along the peripheries of the web 24.

At time Τθ the starting mechanism is energized which will activate a drive motor 88 starting the web rotating, energizing the pressure valve in the exposure platen 32, rotating the extractor roll 53 and applying the bias to the extractor roll. At time Tg, upon sensing the strip 26 by the sensor A^, the corona voltage source 28 will be energized and the charge will be applied to the film portion until time T3 when the strip 26 is sensed by the sensor Ag. At time T3 the drive motor will stop, the corona voltage source will deenergize, the pressure valve and the exposure platen 32 will deenergize, drawing the film against the platen surface 34. The extractor roll 53 will also stop rotating as it is geared to the drive motor 88; however, it could be kept rotating by a separate drive if desired. The film portion is then exposed by the camera through the lens 12 by opening a shutter within the camera to project a light image - 13 47600 onto the film.

At time T4, prior to the end of the exposure and the restart of the rotation of the web 24, the toner pump (not shown) will be operated to flow toner through the manifolds and 48 and the extractor spray will be operated to fill the gap between the extraction roll 53 and the web 24 with toner so that the extraction roll will be operating properly.

At time T when the film portion has been properly exposed, an elapsed time of 1-10 seconds, the drive motor 88, the pressure valve in the platen 32, the toner bias on the plate and the extractor drive are actuated. The film portion then moves through the toner station 18 and is sensed by the sensor A, at time T indicating that the film portion has 3 6 passed through the toning station. This will deactuate the toner pump and toner bias and the film portion will be transported onto the transfer station 20 during the time period from T, to time T_. o / At time T? when the strip 26 is sensed by the sensor A4 the drive motor 88 will increase its speed for the transfer operation as it has been found that the toning operation is more successful at a lower speed than the transfer operation. The web 24 may move through the toning station at approximately 5 inches/second and may be transferred at a speed of approximately 8 inches/second. As the front edge of the film portion moves into the transfer station 20 the strip 27 is sensed by the sensor A_ at time T„ which actuates the bias ϋ o on the transfer roller 68 at the same time it is actuated to move against the medium 62 and press it into close proximity with the belt 24 to pass the medium 62 intimately against the film portion of the web 24 as it passes between the two rollers 66 and 68. The first time that the strip 26 is sensed Γ 47600 - 14 by the sensor A, at time Tn it energizes the components of ο y the cleaning station 22 and the web 24 then rotates through each of the stations to clean off any residual material from the belt. When the sensor A. senses the strip 26 a b second time at time Τ^θ all the systems and stations are deactivated and the web 24 is stopped ready for the next imaging and transfer operation.

Referring now to Figures 4 and. 5, a second embodiment of the attachment 10' is illustrated. In this embodiment, the charging station 14 and the exposure station 16 remain the same as described previously; however, the cleaning station 22 has been eliminated and a different toning station 18' and transfer station 20' are utilized. The basic operation, with the exception of the cleaning operation, remains the same as described previously. The various rollers of Figures 1 and 2 have been replaced by two main support rollers 90 and 92, one or both of which are engaged with the motor to frictionally rotate the belt 24 as before. A-third adjustable steering roller 94 is inserted in one end of the belt 24 to assure proper alignment of the belt in a like manner as the adjustable roller 36. The roller 94 is connected to a swivel bar 96 which is secured to adjustably pivot around a center point 98 to properly adjust the tracking of the web 24. The center point 98 could of course be replaced by two or more adjustable points on the outer ends of the swivel bar 96 as described before.

The film portion on the web 24 is again charged and exposed as before? however, the toner is applied by a rotating toner feed roll 100 which adhesively picks up the toner from the toner tray or reservoir 56 and applies the toner in 47900 a smooth, uniform manner across the width of the film portion of the web 24. As previously mentioned, the toning platen 44 and the upper shoe 51 may be provided to maintain the optimum gap between the web 24 and the toning platen 44. The toner stations 18 and 18' are, of course, interchangeable as desired.

Once the film portion has been toned it continues around the roller 94 to the transfer station 20'. In this embodiment the film portion would be rotated until the front edge of the portion is located toward the end of the transfer station 20'. The web 24 is then stopped and the sheet 62 is then brought into close proximity with the web 24 for the transfer operation. The film portion of the web 24 is brought into close proximity with sheet 62 by a reciprocating transfer roller 102 which is disposed parallel to and below the web 24.

Referring to the timing diagram of Figure 3, the sensors A. and A would be replaced by a single sensor and the times T and T would coincide and the drive motor 88 7 B would stop, stopping the rotation of the web and the transfer bias would be applied to sheet 62, not to the roller 102.

The roller 102 would be activated and move the roller into the position 104 illustrated in phantom to reciprocate the roller 102 across the film portion, sequentially bringing the film portion of the web 24 into close proximity or contact with the sheet 62 across the entire length thereof.

The roller 102 would then be returned to its initial position away from the web 24.

One convenient method of locating sheet 62 parallel to the upper reach of the web 24 is a vacuum platen 106. - 16 The vacuum platen 106 has a first open or load position 108 which exposes a bottom planar surface 110 having the vacuum or other negative fluid passageways (not shown) opening thereto. Sheet 62 is placed onto the platen 106 in’the load position 108 and then the vacuum source (not shown) is operated to clamp sheet 62 to the platen 106 which is then pivoted or otherwise moved to the transfer or receiving position 112. The platen 106 may contain other means to affix sheet 62 to the surface 110 and may be conveniently moved between the open position 108 and the receiving position 112 by pivoting it around a pivot 114. The transfer bias would be applied to the platen 106 and when the transfer roller 102 has returned to its start position at time TQ the platen 106 y would move from its receiving position 112 to its load and unload position 108 and the cycle would be stopped ready for the new sheet 62 to be loaded in the next image and transfer operation to take place.

The design of the toning manifolds 46 and 48 and the air knife or air brush 80 is most clearly illustrated in Figure 6, where the manifold 46 is shown in section. The fluid air or toner is applied by a pump to one or a number of ports 130 connected to a plurality of passageways 132 which direct the fluid into a first chamber 134. The chamber 134 as well as each of the succeeding chambers and baffles extends the width of the manifold which is of a width substantially equal to the imaged film portion of the web 24. When the fluid has filled the first chamber 134 it will flow through a narrow passageway 136 into the second chamber 138 in a serpentine fashion and from the chamber 138 through a passageway 140 into a third chamber 142 and in a like - 17 manner from the third chamber 142 through a confining passage 144 to an exit or nozzle slit 146 in a smooth nonturbulent even flow across the width of the nozzle 146 assuring a substantially constant even flow of toner across the width of the web 24. The manifold 46 may be formed from a single block or may be formed from an upper block portion 148 mated with a lower block portion 150 to form the passageways and chambers therebetween.

The toner preferably will now be applied across the entire width of the web 24 so that the back of the web will remain dry for the motor 88 to frictionally drive the web through one or more of the rolls. Preferably the roll 74 will be driven as the web 24 makes a 180° wraparound this roll. Each of the rolls is preferably made of metal to secure the proper dimension and to make ohmic contact through the rolls 36 and 38.

Referring now to Figure 7, there is illustrated an embodiment of toning station 18' which when used in conjunction with the basic structure shown in Figure 1 or Figure 4 constitutes an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, rollers 40, 42 and 60 of the Figure 1 embodiment has been replaced by a single roller 200 which is coupled to the drive motor to functionally drive belt 24 and no shoe 51 is provided. A reservoir 56' containing a supply liquid toner LT is located below roller 200.

Reservoir 56' includes an arcuate planar top surface 50' which is metallized, has a transverse slot at the center and functions as a toning platen 44'. The gap between top surface 50' and belt 24 is on the order of 5 to 40 mils.

A toner feed roller 100' is positioned so as to extend out - 18 slightly from the central slot in surface 50' and is mechanically coupled, by means not shown, to drive roller 200. The space between feed roller 100' and the bottom surface of web 24 is on the order of about 5 mils. In operation toner LH is carried up from inside reservoir 561 by feed roller 100' to the space between toning platen top surface 50' and belt 24 and is attracted to the latent image on belt 24. A suitable bias may be applied between surface 50' and belt 24 to assist in the attraction of toner LT to the belt 24. Excess toner LT is recaptured through suitably located openings in reservoir 56'.

Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims (20)

1. CLAIMS :1. An attachment for an optical projecting system for use in making a copy of a document on a sheet of carrier material comprising: rotatable endless web means mounted on rollers and having a first planar reach and including at least a portion which is electrophotographic in character, said web and film portion including a front or exposure side and a back side; drive means for rotating said web sequentially through a set of stations; said set of stations including: a charging station located adjacent said front side including corona means for charging said electrophotographic portion while it is in said charging station; an exposure station following said charging for exposing said electrophotographic portion when said electrophotographic portion is at the first planar reach and forming thereby a latent image of the document; a toning station following said exposure station for toning the latent image as it is moved through said toner stations, the toning station including roller means for guiding the web during passage thereof through the toning station and a smooth arcuate surface disposed proximate the roller means forming one of a pair of arcuate surfaces defining a toning gap through which the web passes; and a transfer station following said toning station including means for transferring the toned image from sail electrophotographic portion onto a sheet of carrier material, including means for moving said sheet of carrier material - 20 and said front side of said electrophotographic portion into close proximity during said transfer.

2. An attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein said toning station includes: a supply of liquid toner and means for applying said toner in a smooth and nonturbulent flow to said front side of said electrophotographic portion.

3. An attachment as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said smooth surface of the toning station is formed by a smooth substantially arcuate surface of a toning platen means spaced from said front side, and manifold means having at least a first longitudinal baffle connected to a longitudinal exit for flowing said toner onto said electrophotographic portion.

4. An attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein said smooth surface is provided with a central slot.

5. An attachment as claimed in claim 1therein said smooth arcuate surface is conductive and wherein said toning station includes: bias means for electrically biasing said electrophotographic portion relative to said surface means across said gap to assist in the toning operation.

6. An attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein said toning station includes a reservoir containing a liguid toner and a rotatably mounted feed ’ roller for transporting liquid toner from the reservoir to the electrophotographic portion.

7. An attachment as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said toning station includes a container, a quantity of liquid - 21 toner in said container, and a feed roller for transporting liquid toner from the container to the electrophotographic portion, the container having a top wall which is made of conductive material and which functions as a toning platen.

8. An attachment as claimed in claim 7 and wherein the feed roller is mechanically coupled to the roller means at the toning station.

9. An attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said transfer station includes: support roll means disposed against said back side for supporting and positioning said web and film portion as it passes through said transfer station; chute means for feeding said carrier material adjacent to but spaced from said web on said front side; and transfer roll means opposite said support roll means being operative by said moving means to press against said carrier material to move it into close proximity with said electrophotographic portion for transferring an image to said carrier material as it passes through said transfer station between said rolls.

10. An attachment as claimed in claim 9 wherein said transfer station includes: transfer bias means for electrically biasing said electrophotographic portion relative to said carrier material and said transfer roll means to assist in the transfer operation.

11. An attachment for use with an optical projection system for use in making a copy of a document electro47600 - 22 photographically comprising: roller mounted endless web means including at least a portion that is electrophotographic in character, said web and film portion including a front or exposure side and a back side; drive means for rotating said web sequentially through a set of stations; said set of stations including: a charging station for charging said film portion; an exposure station following said charging station for producing a latent image on said film portion; a toning station following said exposure station including means for applying a substantially constant amount of toner across the width of only said front side of said imaged electrophotographic portion as it is moved through said toner station to produce a toned image on said film portion, said toning station including a toning platen having an arcuate surface uniformly spaced from said front side of said electrophotographic portion; and a transfer station following said toning station including means for transferring said toned image from said electrophotographic portion onto a transfer medium, including means for moving said transfer medium and said front side of said toned electrophotographic portion to close proximity during said transfer.

12. An attachment as claimed in claim 11 wherein said toning station includes: a supply of liquid toner and toning means for applying said toner in a smooth and nonturbulent flow to said front - 23 side of said imaged electrophotographic portion.

13. An attachment as claimed in claim 11 or 12 wherein said toning station includes: bias means for electrically biasing said electrophotographic portion relative to said toning platen means across the space between them to assist in the toning operation.

14. An attachment as claimed in claim 11, 12 or 13 wherein said toner station includes: toner feed roll means disposed substantially parallel to and adjacent to said front side for feeding toner to said imaged electrophotographic portion.

15. An attachment as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14 wherein said transfer station includes: support means disposed against said back side for supporting and positioning said web as it passes through said transfer station; chute means for feeding carrier material adjacent to but spaced from said web on said front side; and transfer roll means opposite said support means being operative by said moving means to press against said medium to move it into close proximity with said toned portion for transferring said toned image to said carrier material as it passes through said transfer station between said rolls.

16. An attachment as claimed in claim 15 wherein said transfer station includes: transfer bias means for electrically biasing said - 24 toned portion relative to said carrier material and said transfer roll means to assist in the transfer operation.

17. An attachment as claimed in claim 1 or 11 wherein said roller means comprises a single roller whose cylindrical 5 surface forms a second arcuate surface adjacent said smooth arcuate surface for providing the toning gap therebetween.

18. A method for reproducing an image onto a transfer medium from an electrophotographic film portion of an endless web comprising rotating said web sequentially through 10 a series of stations, charging said film portion in a charging station, locating and stopping said film portion against a planar surface in an exposure station, applying a substantially constant amount of toner across the width of only the bottom side of said film portion in a toning station, said 15 toning including, forming a smooth reach from said film portion as it passes through said toning station using rollers for supporting and locating the web during passage through the toning station, and placing a smooth arcuate toning surface parallel to and spaced from said reach, and 20 transferring an image from said film portion to a transfer medium in a transfer station.

19. A method for reproducing as claimed in claim 18 in which said toning includes, rolling said toner into close proximity with said film portion. 25 20. A method for reproducing as claimed in claim 18 or 19 in which said toning includes, electrically biasing said surface relative to said film portion. 21. A method for reproducing as claimed in claim 18, 19 or 20 in which said transferring includes, feeding said - 25 transfer medium close to but spaced from said web, and moving said transfer medium into close proximity with said film portion as it passes through said transfer station. 22. A method for reproducing as claimed in any one of 5 claims 18 to 21 in which said transferring includes, holding said transfer medium against a planar surface, forming a planar reach from said film portion as it passes through said transfer station, moving said transfer medium parallel to said planar reach, stopping said film portion in said 10 planar reach, and sequentially moving said film portion into close proximity with said transfer medium. 23. A method for reproducing as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 22 in which said transferring includes, electrically biasing said transfer medium relative to said 15 film portion. 24. A method for reproducing as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 23 in which said toning includes, applying a liguid toner in a smooth and nonturbulent flow to said film portion.

20. 25. A method for reproducing as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 24 including applying a positive pressure against said web in said exposure station to push said web away from said planar surface as it rotates through said exposure station.