Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotator, a pressure member, a conductor, and a heater. The pressing member presses the rotator to form a nip between the rotator and the pressing member. The conductor is grounded and includes a contact portion having a limiting shape to limit a contact area in which the contact portion is in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the rotator. The heater is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the rotator to heat the rotator.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is configured to process multivalued image data corresponding to a unit area of a recording medium so as to form an image on the unit area with a plurality of relative movements between a recording head and the recording medium. The apparatus has a selecting unit for selecting either a first processing mode to segment the multivalued image data into a plurality of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements, and then quantize each of the plurality of multivalued image data, or a second processing mode to quantize the multivalued image data into quantized image data, and then segment the quantized image data into a plurality of quantized image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements. The selecting unit may select either the first processing mode or the second processing mode based on the number of relative movements to the unit area.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide materials and methods for a printer member used in ink-jet marking systems that can include a layer electrospun over an aluminum roller to facilitate transport of a printable substrate having ink images thereon and to reduce ink offset from the printable substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments pertain to a novel imaging member, namely, an electrostatic latent image generating member, and methods for using the same, that can generate an electrostatic latent image digitally with fewer steps and without using a raster output scanner (ROS) or free charge carriers. Embodiments provide a novel way of generating an electrostatic latent image without the shortfalls suffered by current photoreceptors, such as for example, charge mobility issues, unstable cycling, surface wear, lateral charge migration and sensitivity to light shock.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus processes, for each pixel, multivalued image data for a unit area of a recording medium, so as to form an image on the unit area with a plurality of relative movements between a recording head and the recording medium. The apparatus has a selector that selects a first processing mode for dividing the multivalued image data into a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements, and then quantizing each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data, or a second processing mode for quantizing the multivalued image data into quantized image data, and then dividing the quantized image data into a plurality of pieces of quantized image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements. The selector selects the processing mode based on a content (attribute, grayscale, color, etc.) of the multivalued image data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a toner-bearing member that bears toner and makes the toner clouded thereon. A toner passage control device including plural widthwise lines of toner passage holes in a printing medium conveyance direction is provided. Each of the toner passage holes includes a control electrode that controls passage of the toner through each of the toner passage holes toward a printing medium. a control pulse proving device provides a control pulse to the control electrode to operate. The control pulse applied to the control electrode of the one of the plural lines is different from that applied to the control electrode of the other one of the plural lines.

Abstract: Embodiments pertain to a novel imaging member, namely, an electrostatic latent image generating member, and methods for using the same, that can generate an electrostatic latent image digitally with fewer steps and without using a raster output scanner (ROS) or free charge carriers. Embodiments provide a novel way of generating an electrostatic latent image without the shortfalls suffered by current photoreceptors, such as for example, charge mobility issues, unstable cycling, surface wear, lateral charge migration and sensitivity to light shock.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a printing method that can utilize a lightly pigmented toner along with a darkly pigmented toner to improve the image quality. The method can include receiving a dataset corresponding to a printing of a printing system using a darkly pigmented toner. The printing system may have an undesirable optical density printing range for the darkly pigmented toner. Further, the method can include converting the dataset to a first dataset corresponding to a first printing of the printing system using the darkly pigmented toner, and a second dataset corresponding to a second printing of the printing system using a lightly pigmented toner. The first dataset can avoid the undesirable optical density printing range for the darkly pigmented toner, and a combination of the first printing and the second printing providing a substantially same printed optical density corresponding to the received dataset.

Abstract: An image forming device, including a toner bearer including plural linear electrodes located at a first regular pitch in a crosswise direction thereof, flying a toner on the surface thereof between the plural linear electrodes with a pulse voltage thereto to form a floating toner layer; and a substrate including plural hole-electrode combinations arranged in a longitudinal direction of the linear electrodes, each formed of a through-hole and a hole-adjacent electrode located close to the through-hole, wherein the floating toner layer is formed in an area facing the through-hole, and a toner passes through only the through-holes facing a desired image from the floating toner layer with a record on or off voltage, and the plural hole-electrode combinations are lined at a second regular pitch in a crosswise direction of the toner bearer, and the second regular pitch is an integral multiple of the first regular pitch.

Abstract: An image drum for selectively adsorbing toner in a printing apparatus is provided. A method and a configuration of ring electrodes formed on an outside of a drum body is also provided. That is, a control board is mounted inside the drum body, of which a plurality of terminals is externally exposed in the cylindrical drum body, and a photocurable resin is coated on the circumferential surface. Ring electrodes are then formed on circumferential surface of the drum body, by rotating the drum body and allowing an ultraviolet ray through the mask pattern onto the drum body to harden the liquid photocurable resin after contacting a mask-patterned mold mask to the circumferential surface of the drum body.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide a direct imaging system and methods for direct marking an image using the system. The disclosed direct imaging system can eliminate the use of at least one of a charge, and/or exposure subsystems in an electrostatographic machine and related processes. Specifically, the direct imaging system can include a direct marking substrate (e.g., a printing substrate) and a development roll member closely spaced from the direct marking substrate. In one embodiment, the development roll member can include a plurality of actuator cells with each actuator cell controllably addressable to eject one or more toner particles adhered thereto. The ejected toner particles can transit the space between the donor roll member and the direct marking substrate, and thereby marking onto the direct marking substrate forming an image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that may be easily and inexpensively manufactured is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a toner supply unit; an image forming element to which toner is adsorbed from the toner supply unit; an image developing unit disposed on an outer side of the image forming element, wherein said image developing unit selectively separates from the image forming element at least a part of the toner adsorbed to the image forming element in order to develop an image on the image forming element; and a toner return unit which returns the toner separated from the image forming element by the image developing unit to the toner supply unit.

Abstract: Electrographic printing apparatus for forming a toner image on a recording medium includes: a magnetic brush having a rotatable magnetic core and a stationary outer cylindrical shell; a developer supply for supplying a magnetic developer powder to the magnetic brush; an array of microchannels on the outer shell for forming a plurality of parallel lines of developer in the channels; means for selectively transferring developer from the lines to a receiver; and a receiver electrode arranged in spaced relation to the array of microchannels to define a recording region through which the receiver can be moved.

Abstract: A electronic printing apparatus includes memory for storing a digitized image. A receiver is transported to an image forming position, the receiver including field-driven particles in a matrix that can change reflective density in response to an applied electric field. The apparatus further includes an array of electrodes for selectively applying electric fields at the image forming position across the receiver; a heater for heating the receiver to increase the temperature of the matrix so as to increase the mobility of the field-driven particles in the matrix; and electronic control circuitry coupled to the array for selectively applying voltages to the array so that fields are applied at the image forming position to the heated field-driven particles at particular locations on the receiver corresponding to pixels in response to the stored image whereby the electrode produces an image in the receiver corresponding to the stored image in the receiver.

Abstract: An electrostatographic recording apparatus and method includes a primary charger establishing a uniform primary electrostatic voltage level on an image recording member. A recorder imagewise modulates the electrostatic charge on the image recording member to form a latent electrostatic image. A development station develops the electrostatic image with toner. A controller controls the primary charger by periodically adjusting a signal to the primary charger in response to a signal related to charger efficiency. The charger efficiency is determined as the ratio of the charger's grid voltage to a voltage level established on the recording member. To calculate changes to the grid, voltage control patches are printed on the member and the densities used to determine changes to setpoint values for the charger.

Abstract: A recording head includes an ink chamber and a needle-like control electrode provided in the ink chamber. The ink chamber is formed of a substrate and an overhead plate joined to the substrate. The needle-like control electrode is formed horizontal to the substrate and perpendicular to an ink outlet. Thus, a recording head is provided having an extremely thin needle-like member damage, which is not susceptible to damage, and exhibits improved head yield and reduced fabrication cost.

Abstract: A motor drives four final gears provided to four image recording units via a driving belt. Each of the image recording units corresponds to one of yellow, magenta, cyan and black. Each final gear is connected to a rotation axis of a toner feed roller via an electromagnetic clutch. If a black-and-white image is to be formed, only the electromagnetic clutch associated with the black image recording unit is connected, while the rest of the electromagnetic clutches are kept disconnected so that unnecessary image recording units are not driven. This arrangement improves the image quality and durability of the apparatus, and achieves a reliable color printing operation.

Abstract: A doctor blade is provided in contact with frictionally charged toner in a toner tank, which regulates the amount of toner held on a toner holder. A charge control unit supplies to the doctor blade a voltage for selectively charging the toner. As a result, the amount of toner held on the toner holder is regulated, and simultaneously, the toner is charged to a specific polarity with a potential of the frictional charge or more. An electrostatic latent image is formed by the selectively charged toner. The toner is moved and transferred onto a papersheet which is sequentially transported, under the influence of an electric field generated by application of a voltage to an opposite electrode disposed opposing the toner holder. An image by the toner is thus formed on the papersheet.

Abstract: A method of and device for recording images on an image-recording medium with a dielectric surface. A voltage is applied in accordance with an image pattern between a set of image-recording electrodes and a companion electrode. Toner powder is deposited on the dielectric surface in accordance with the applied voltage. Image recording is effected by alternately bringing the image-forming electrodes to a positive and negative potential with respect to the companion electrode. According to one specific embodiment, a high-frequency AC voltage is applied during image recording to the companion electrode or at least the image-forming electrodes at times when the latter do not contribute to image forming.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electronic printing onto a transparent, translucent or opaque substrate. The substrate is of a type which will support an electrostatic image on a surface thereof and which does not have a conductive ground plane affixed to or deposited on its rear surface. The method includes the steps of applying a selected charge pattern to the surface of the substrate to form an electrostatic latent image thereon, applying an electrostatic toner to the surface via a donor member to provide a toner image thereon and fixing the toner. The apparatus includes a charging arrangement to deposit a selected charge pattern onto a surface of the substrate, a donor member arrangement to transfer toner from a toner source to the surface of the substrate and a fixer arrangement to fix the toner to the surface of the substrate.

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: A method and apparatus are provided for "field effect imaging" of moving substrates, such as webs of paper. Non-conductive, nonmagnetic 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 aperture electrode unit mounted in an image forming apparatus includes a polyimide insulating sheet, plural apertures, substantially T-shaped control electrode portions each of which is provided at a part of the peripheral edge of each aperture, and conductive wiring portions extending from the control electrode portions to the downstream side of a toner supply direction. With this construction, a minimum distance can be kept between a control electrode portion and a conductive wiring portion, which are adjacent to each other. So, no breakdown occurs, and image quality can be improved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for improving the print quality of an image recording apparatus in which charged particles are transported from a particle source and deposited in an image configuration on an information carrier. Variable control voltages are supplied to control electrodes to permit or restrict the transport of charged particles from the particle source during a predetermined print time. The control voltage levels, the print time length or the voltage levels and the print time length are dimensioned in relation to the specific distance between each control electrode and the particle source. The present invention relates also to a device for accomplishing the method.

Abstract: An electronic printing device is disclosed which uses flexible whiskers to transfer a charge corresponding to an image to a dielectric recording surface. The recording surface preferably has areas of differing conductivity so that microfields form on the dielectric surface. Ink, preferably non-charged, may then be attracted to the recording surface through dipole forces and later transferred to paper.

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 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: A method of developing an electrostatic latent image produced on a surface of a movable intermediate carrier by electrically-charged dielectric color particles which are transported through a gap between the surface of the intermediate carrier and a surface of a developing device includes loosely filling most of the gap with color particles, and successively producing, along the transport path of the color particles through the gap, the following voltage differences between the surface of the developing device and non-image regions on the surface of the intermediate carrier: a first voltage difference substantially equal to zero, so that the color particles are not electrostatically attracted or repelled, in substance, by the surface of the developing device and by the non-image regions, respectively; a second voltage difference providing an electric field between the surface of the developing device and the non-image regions, the color particles in the non-image regions being completely separated from the su

Abstract: A toner projection printer is provided with a developer surface which manifests a developer bias, and includes a cloud of entrained toner particles. A conductive platen is positioned opposed to the developer surface and manifests a platen voltage that is attractive to the toner particles. An address plate is positioned between the developer surface and the conductive platen. The address plate includes a determined thickness insulator with through pixel apertures. Each pixel aperture has at least a first and second conductors that are electrically insulated from each other by the insulator. A first drive circuit is coupled to the first conductor for controllably applying a row drive voltage which is either a reference potential that exerts a repulsive force on the toner particles or a high voltage which is attractive to the toner particles.

Abstract: An information recording medium has a semiconductor layer and a ferroelectric layer formed thereon. Information is recorded on the recording medium by locally applying an electric voltage modulated according to the information to the recording medium and then removing it therefrom so that the ferroelectric layer is polarized by an electric charge produced by application of the electric voltage. The electric charge is caused to stay on the surface of the ferroelectric layer for at least 0.1 msec after removal of the electric voltage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a control electrode having a plurality of gates where negatively charged toner passes through, and the control electrode is arranged such that an electrode layer is formed on an insulating layer made of synthetic resin having electron attractiveness stronger than that of synthetic resin contained in the toner. For this reason, on the control electrode, when the toner flies to contact with the insulating layer, electrostatic force (repulsive force) acts between negative charges of the contact portion and the negative charges of the toner, and thus the charges repulse each other. Therefore, the toner does not adhere to the insulating layer. In such a manner, the adhesion of the toner to the control electrode is prevented and thus each gate is not blocked. As a result, even after long or frequent use of the control electrode, the flying of the toner by the control electrode can be stably controlled, thereby making it possible to obtain an image with excellent quality.

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: An insulating layer of an aperture electrode provided in a recording apparatus is formed of polyimide which is liable to be negatively electrified through frictional contact with toner when the toner is negatively chargeable. Further, a charge member which can be charged in the same polarity as the toner is placed on the aperture electrode so as to surround the opening portions of the aperture electrode. With this structure, a recording operation of high image quality can be performed using a low voltage while preventing the deposition of the toner at the control electrodes of the aperture electrode so that the recording operation can be stably performed at all times.

Abstract: The pulse width modulation circuit in the image forming apparatus of the invention comprises a discriminate circuit, an on-time control circuit, and an amplification circuit. The discriminate circuit determines whether an imaging potential or a non-imaging potential is applied to adjoining control electrodes. The on-time control circuit controls an applying time of the imaging potential to the control electrodes according to a result determined by the discriminate circuit, that is, according to the kind of potential applied to adjoining control electrodes. The amplification circuit amplifies the output from the on-time control circuit to a suitable control voltage which is sent to the control electrode. Therefore, it is possible to pass a predetermined amount of the toner particles through the desired aperture, even if the voltage applied by each control electrode is different.

Abstract: A latent electrical charge pattern of electrical signals is produced by an electrode matrix. Apertures between the electrodes are opened and closed, respectively, to expose electric fields for the attraction of pigment particles of toner against an information carrier. The electrical charge pattern electrostatically controls the transmission of electrical fields through the apertures of the matrix to attract particles of toner against the information carrier. The apertures are opened and closed by generating electrostatic fields between the electrode layer, particle supply and backing electrode. Each electrode is arranged on a carrier to completely surround one aperture and is individually connected to a voltage source to supply the electrical signals.