Abstract: A printed wire electrostatic printing transducer having two or more rows of styli together defining the recording stylus configuration and an associated method for producing such a transducer by printed circuit techniques. Provision is made for the integration of counter electrodes and multiplexing circuitry with the transducer in a single package.

Abstract: The method of manufacturing an electrostatic printhead or the like. Conductive surfaces are applied to both sides of an insulating substrate. Unneeded portions of the conductive surface are etched away by a photolithographic process to form conductive layers in patterns of parallel, spaced, printwire traces and connective conductors with ends of the printwire traces terminating in a common plane defining a printface of the printhead. Additional conductive material is added to the printwire traces by an additive plating process to give them a substantially square cross-section. The edge is laser trimmed to form the print face. Insulative layers are added over both sides with vias located over the connective conductors at places where electrical connection is to take place.

Abstract: A plurality of switched voltage sources (10, 10', 10") apply charge to a sheet of paper (16) by way of respective sets of styli (12, 12', 12"). To print a dot when toner is subsequently applied to the paper, the voltage source (10) deposits charge on the paper (16) by applying a high voltage, and its voltage returns to ground when it is to avoid leaving a mark. In order to avoid the image degradation that results from the proximity of an unenergized stylus to an energized one, a zener diode (14) is interposed between the switched voltage source (10) and its respective styli (12). By virtue of stray capacitance (C.sub.s) between the styli (12) and ground, the potential of the styli does not return completely to ground when their respective voltage source is switched off. Instead, it returns only to the zener voltage, and this reduces the image degradation that the presence that the unenergized styli would otherwise cause.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming an electrostatic printhead. The basic printhead member if formed by casting an insulating material around a plurality of side-by-side spaced wires. One side of the insulating material and the wires are cut off to form a printhead face. The other side of the insulating material and the wires are cut off to form an attachment face with the wire ends exposed. A printed circuit board having electrical contacts along the edge is positioned adjacent the exposed wire ends of the attachment face and the wire ends are wire bonded to the contacts. In one embodiment, there are two printed circuit boards positioned on either side of the attachment face and then folded together following the wire bonding. In another embodiment, the attachment face is formed as ledges having the exposed ends of the wires cut as rectangular pads for more area of attachment and the insulating material is attached to the edge of a single printed circuit board.