Abstract: An aperture electrode body of an image forming apparatus according to the invention comprises an insulating sheet made of polyimide as a base material and having a number of apertures and control electrodes for controlling a flow of toner. Reinforcing resin sheets made of polyimide are integrally affixed on both upper and lower surfaces of the insulating sheet. Since the aperture electrode body is prevented from warping due to the difference in characteristics of their materials, a uniform contact state with a toner carrying roller is obtained to thereby control a flow of toner in a stable manner.

Abstract: A ceramic member includes a thin plate having a plurality of minute throughholes and a rigid plate supporting the thin plate. The area of the thin plate both ends of which are supported by the rigid plate has a part bent toward the rigid plate so that the line connecting the apexes of the bent part is a straight line, and minute throughholes are formed in the vicinity of the apexes of the bent part. Good adhesion between minute throughholes formed on the line connecting the apexes of the bent part and the drum and the like is obtained, and defective transfer can be prevented.

Abstract: An apparatus for direct electrostatic printing includes a back electrode and a printhead structure having a plastic insulating layer and printing apertures arranged therein. Individual control electrodes are combined with the printing apertures on a first side of the insulating layer, and a shield electrode is combined with the printing apertures on a second side of the insulating layer. A toner delivery apparatus is also included for delivering a cloud of dry toner particles in the vicinity of the printing apertures. The printing apertures are constructed and arranged such that, when applying a potential difference of 200V between the shield electrode and each individual control electrode, a current of no more that 50 .mu.A flows from each individual control electrode to the corresponding shield electrode through the corresponding printing aperture. Methods for forming the printing apertures in such a printhead are also disclosed.

Abstract: An image-forming device with a repeatedly usable image-recording element bearing a dielectric surface layer, beneath which is a system of separately energizable image-forming electrodes interconnected by a material whose resistance is between that of the dielectric surface layer and that of the image-forming electrode and is preferably a factor of 10.sup.2 -10.sup.4 lower than that of the dielectric surface layer, the dielectric surface layer and the material having the lower resistance preferably being formed as one continuous layer which bottom part has a lower resistance than in the top part.

Abstract: A device for direct electrostatic printing (DEP) including a back electrode, a printhead structure made from an insulating material and having a control electrode in combination with printing apertures, and a toner delivery apparatus that presents a cloud of toner particles in the vicinity of the printing apertures, in which the printhead structure is tightly stretched over a frame by means of lateral forces and the printhead structure has an overall flatness equal to or better than 50 .mu.m.

Abstract: According to a feature of the present invention, an imaging apparatus has a support with a cylindrical inner surface for receiving a recording media about an axis of the support. A rotor forms a gap with the inner surface such that the gap varies as the rotor rotates and as an inverse function of the concentricity of the support and the rotor. An electrode is carried at the portion of the rotor forming the gap with the inner surface such that a capacitance between the electrode and the inner surface varies as the rotor rotates and as an inverse function of the concentricity of the support and the rotor. A detector, including a power source adapted to produce an electrical charge across the gap and an impedance, measures the change in the dimension of the gap as the rotor rotates so that the concentricity of the support and the rotor can be measured while the rotor is rotating.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to reduce fogging on electrostatic printing media is disclosed. A negative bias is applied to toning station(s) or vacuum station(s) of the printing apparatus with isolation of that negative bias from the printing media.

Abstract: A printing apparatus in which one of two types of printing heads with opposite scan directions is selectively mounted and the mounted printing head is supplied with printing data representing an image to be printed, thereby printing the image, includes a printing data transfer unit for transferring the printing data to the mounted printing head in one of an order from a beginning to an end of a scan line and an order from the end to the beginning of the scan line; a head recognition unit for recognizing the type of the mounted printing head; and a transfer control unit for enabling the printing data transfer unit to transfer the printing data in the order associated with the type of the mounted printing head recognized by the head recognition unit.

Abstract: A writing head suitable for use in an electrostatic marking device includes a head member composed of multiple joined head member sections. The ability to join sections enables the writing head to be built in a wide variety of lengths. The writing head also includes a set of first surface conductive pads permanently fixed to a first surface of the first head member and disposed in a lengthwise row, and a set of second surface conductive pads permanently fixed to the second surface of the first head member. Each second surface conductive pad is paired with one of the first surface conductive pads, and the pair of pads is electrically connected by way of a conductive via extending through the first head member. A plurality of conductors is disposed on the first head member in a substantially equally spaced and parallel relationship, with one end of each conductor being permanently connected to a respective one of the first surface conductive pads.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an electrostatic latent image on a latent image forming body having a dielectric material layer on its surface when a write electrode comes into contact with the dielectric material layer. The image forming apparatus develops the electrostatic latent image with a charged developer, and transfers a visual image thus obtained onto recording paper. The dielectric material layer is composed of a PZT (lead titanate zirconate) which is formed through crystal growth by the hydrothermal method. The dielectric material layer has a high relative dielectric constant and exhibits the pyroelectric effect. Furthermore, since the dielectric material layer is composed of the PZT which is formed through crystal growth by the hydrothermal method, the dielectric material layer can be formed without a heat treatment at a high temperature.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording apparatus 1 for forming an electrostatic image on an electric charge carrying member 2 includes a photoelectric transfer member 14, a pair of bias electrodes 12, 13, an electric power supply 17, a floating electrode 16 and an exposure means 8. The photoelectric transfer member 14 which generates carrier when being exposed to light is interposed between the bias electrodes 12, 13. One of the bias electrodes 12 is transparent. The electric power supply 17 applies a voltage between the bias electrodes 12, 13. The floating electrode 16 has a first area which comes into contact with the photoelectric transfer member 14 and a second area which is opposed to the electric charge carrying member 2. The floating electrode 16 is in no electrical connection with the bias electrodes 12, 13.

Abstract: This invention relates to the charging member portion of an image forming apparatus. A plurality of charging members are disclosed that maintain a uniform spacing between a charge-receiving member and the discharging portion of the charging members' electrodes despite surface irregularities and surface waviness on the charge-receiving member. One charging member is in the form of a flexible sheet provided with ventilation holes in a non-contacting portion thereof, permitting the air produced by the rotation of the charge-receiving member to escape through the holes to suppress the lifting of the charging member. Pressure fins can be added to the charging member on the downstream of the ventilation holes for further suppressing any lifting. Another charging member includes a semiconductive member or a electret member on at least the surface of the charging member on the side opposite the charge-receiving member. This permits the charging member to be electrostatically attracted to the charge-receiving member.

Abstract: A device for direct electrostatic printing is provided wherein a flow of toner particles in a electrical field from a toner source to the surface of an intermediate image receiving member is image-wise modulated by a printhead structure with printing apertures and control electrodes, and wherein the toner image of the intermediate image receiving member is transferred to a final substrate and fixed to that final substrate. The intermediate member has a surface energy lower than 40 mN/m and surface roughness Ra smaller than 3.0 .mu.m. The transfer of the toner image from the intermediate image receiving member to the final substrate can be aided by electrostatic attraction and/or by tackifying the toner image on the intermediate member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an opposing electrode disposed facing a supporting device; a control electrode disposed between the supporting device and the opposing electrode and having a plurality of gates which form passages for the developer particles; a controlling device which generates a predetermined potential difference between the supporting device and the opposing electrode, supplies a voltage to the control electrode, and, by varying the potential applied to the control electrode, controls passage of the gates for the developer particles; and a plurality of voltage supplying device to supply voltages to the control electrode.

Abstract: An apparatus and method provide direct electrostatic printing onto an information carrier. Computer-generated electronic signals define an image and are converted to a pattern of electrostatic fields to selectively control the deposition of charged toner particles in an image configuration directly onto the information carrier. The electrostatic fields are applied via a set of print electrodes which selectively permit or restrict the transport of the charged toner particles from a particle source toward the information carrier. Periodically variable deflection potentials are applied to a set of deflection electrodes to modify the trajectories of the toner particles as they are transported toward the information carrier to direct the toner particles in a direction transverse to the direction of the movement of the information carrier.

Abstract: A device for use in the technique of direct electrostatic printing (DEP) on an intermediate or final substrate is described, comprising:a receiving member support 5a printhead structure 6 having control electrodes 6a on its back side, in combination with apertures 7 and at least one common shield electrode 6b on the front side ;a toner delivery means 1 presenting a cloud 4 of toner particles in the vicinity of the apertures 7.The printhead structure 6 is made of a plastic isolating substrate, and has at least two rows of apertures. Preferentially each row has one common shield electrode (6b, 6c) at the front side of the printhead structure. The individual control electrodes on the back side are galvanically isolated per aperture from each other and from each shield electrode. The control electrodes are arranged around the apertures. The size or diameter of the apertures of one row is substantially different from the size of the apertures of a second row.

Abstract: A power module including an RC circuit is uniquely associated with each of a plurality of electrodes of an electrostatic print head to individually control the rate of charge decay of a voltage disposed thereon. The resistor of the RC circuit is a potentiometer that may be manually adjusted to obtain an optimal decay rate. A paper supply roller and take-up roller accurately position dielectric material, such as a paper web, adjacent to the electrodes of the print head, which is located between the rollers. The electrodes are typically a plurality of wires. The print head moves across the width of paper web to dispose thereon a plurality of charge areas corresponding to a strip of a latent image. Control circuitry synchronizes the movement of the print head and the web to produce a plurality of abutting strips of charge areas, producing a complete latent image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for "field effect imaging" of moving substrates, such as webs of paper. Non-conductive, non-magnetic toner having approximately a 5-20 micron mean particle size is electrically charged to a level of at least about 8 micro Coulombs/gram and then a first roller with a conductive surface is brought into operative association with the electrically charged toner so that toner particles adhere to the surface. The toner particles are preferably maintained in an electrostatic fluidized bed, and charged by a corona element in the bed. An array of pin or stylus primary electrodes are selectively energized or de-energized to provide no-write or write condition, respectively using a computer to switch the electrodes into or out of operative connection to a source of electrical potential.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus having aperture electrode body formed with a plurality of apertures through which toners pass to deposit onto an image receiving member. The aperture electrode body includes an insulative substrate having the apertures and control electrodes formed over the insulative substrate and each surrounding each aperture. The aperture electrode body has a nature of bending due to difference in thermal expansion coefficient of the insulative substrate and the control electrodes. To provide uniform bending, dummy electrodes are formed over the insulative substrate. The dummy electrodes includes a first set of dummy electrodes positioned at upstream side of the control electrodes with respect to a running direction of the image receiving member. The dummy electrode also includes a second set of dummy electrodes positioned beside the extreme end of the control electrode in the array direction of the apertures.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus having a flexible aperture electrode body, a toner carrier roller, a toner case, and an electrically conductive opposing electrode. The aperture electrode selectively allows toners supplied by the toner carrier roller to pass through the aperture. An image receiving sheet is backed by the opposing electrode, and the toner passing through the aperture electrode is attracted onto the sheet. The aperture electrode body has both ends fixed to an attachment member. The toner case provides a pair of ribs in contact with the aperture electrode body so as to increase tension thereto.

Abstract: Capacitors 32 connected to their corresponding matrix-shaped picture elements 33 are connected to an image forming unit 20 on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. Switching elements 31 are also connected to the image forming unit 20. When the switching elements 31 are made conductive, their corresponding capacitors 32 are charged from a power source arranged outside, and a potential appears in each of their corresponding picture elements 33. Therefore, the electrostatic latent image can be more stably formed on these matrix-shaped picture elements over a time period which is determined by time constant. AS the result, electrostatic latent image formation can be achieved without using any ozone-generating pre-charger. In addition, the electrostatic latent image forming unit can keep its toner holding force even after the developing process to enable an image to be more reliably and clearly reproduced.

Abstract: In a page or a line printer, a printer head comprises a resilient substrate, as of borosilicate glass, a strain responsive film of a first ferroelectric material, such as lead zirconate titanate, on the substrate, and a voltage responsive film of a second ferroelectric material, such as lead lanthanum zirconate titanate, on the strain responsive film to form a stack. Responsive to a driving signal representative of a pattern, a piezoelectric driving member inverts, into an inverted residual polarization representative of the pattern as a latent image, an initial residual polarization which is preliminarily produced in the voltage responsive film in its thickness direction by application of a driving voltage to the piezoelectric driving electrode member. The signal or the voltage produces in the substrate a travelling elastic wave which gives a strain and an electric voltage in compliance with the strain. The electric voltage gives rise to the residual polarization.

Abstract: An image forming method includes the steps of supplying a toner onto a surface of a toner carrier to form a toner pattern injected with static charge by controlling the toner mass and amount of the static charge using a toner supply control member disposed in abutment with the toner carrier and supplied with a voltage corresponding to an image information signal, transferring the toner pattern onto a conveying member by a first electric field formed between the toner carrier and the conveying member, transcribing by a second electric field the toner pattern on the conveying onto a sheet of plain paper transported by a transcribing belt, fixing the toner pattern to the sheet of plain paper to produce a fixed image thereon. The method is capable of forming an image on any paper at a low running cost and low costs of apparatus.

Abstract: An image recording head, for one of a image recording apparatus in which a voltage is applied to fine pattern electrodes to directly record an image on a recording medium and a image recording apparatus in which a voltage is applied to fine pattern electrodes to form an electrostatic latent image on an intermediate recording medium, the electrostatic latent image is developed to form a developed image, and the developed image is transferred and fixed to a recording medium, wherein at least a part of the fine pattern electrodes comprises a member selected from the group consisting of the elements of one of transition metals which is acid-resistant and electrolytically noncorrosive, and an alloy of titanium including at least one of group VIII metals of the periodic table. Accordingly, the image recording head which has a long life particularly under an environment of high temperature and humidity is provided.

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: In a field emission microcathode array, a plurality of cones are arranged in a plurality of blocks, each of plural cones, on the main surface of a substrate, each cone having a sharp tip. A plurality of gate electrode portions respectively correspond to the blocks, each portion having a plurality of openings therein corresponding to the plurality of cones of the respective block, each opening being aligned with and disposed in surrounding relationship relative to the corresponding tip of the respectively associated cone. A plurality of lead electrodes, each configured as a fuse, are respectively connected to the plurality of gate electrode portions and each lead electrode provides an independent connection of the respective gate electrode portion to the common power source. In another embodiment, each gate electrode portion and wiring films connected thereto have respectively high and low resistances.

Abstract: A print head is made from an electronic circuit having a pattern of electric conductors embedded in a dielectric substrate. The conductors are formed by depositing a cermet material in grooves in the substrate, and heating the substrate in a kiln so as to make the cermet electrically conductive, and to form a very tight bond between the conductors and the substrate. The resulting circuit is stable, rugged, and capable of withstanding a wide range of adverse environmental conditions. The print head can be used in a thermal or electrostatic printer, or other type of printer using a print head powered by electric circuitry. The rugged, high-density circuit of the present invention can generate a set of very closely-spaced conductors which are then used to produce a high-density image. The invention also includes a multi-layered version of the print head, and permits the production of black and white or color halftone images having very large numbers of grey scale levels, and exceptional resolution.