Image Formation System - Brother HL-1660e Series User Manual

3. IMAGE FORMATION SYSTEM

3.1 Outline
The image formation system is the main part of the printer. The print information, after input from
the video controller circuit into the engine controller circuit as a TVDO signal, forms a toner image
on the photosensitive drum.
Then the toner image is transferred onto the paper by the transfer charging roller. The image
formation system is composed of the photosensitive drum the charging unit, the developing unit
and the cleaning unit.
3.2 Printing Process
The major part of the image formation system is contained in the cartridge, as shown in Figure
2.5.
Primary charging roller
Cleaning blade
Photosensitive drum
The cartridge used by the printer has a seamless photosensitive drum with the structure shown
in Figure 2.6. The outer layer of the drum consists of an organic photoconductor (OPC); the base
is aluminum.
The printing process can be divided into five major stages:
1. Electrostatic latent image formation stage
Step 1 Primary charge (-)
Step 2 Scanning exposure
2. Developing stage
Step 3 Development
Laser beam
Blade
Static charge eliminator
Figure 2.5
Figure 2.6
II - 5
Cartridge
Developing cylinder
Paper
Transfer charging roller
Photoconductive layer
Base