EP0741341A1 - Bildaufzeichnungsgerät und Druckverfahren - Google Patents

Bildaufzeichnungsgerät und Druckverfahren Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0741341A1
EP0741341A1 EP96303137A EP96303137A EP0741341A1 EP 0741341 A1 EP0741341 A1 EP 0741341A1 EP 96303137 A EP96303137 A EP 96303137A EP 96303137 A EP96303137 A EP 96303137A EP 0741341 A1 EP0741341 A1 EP 0741341A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
back electrode
toner particles
electrode
charged toner
pressure member
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP96303137A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Michael H. Lee
Christopher A. Schentz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
HP Inc
Original Assignee
Hewlett Packard Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hewlett Packard Co filed Critical Hewlett Packard Co
Publication of EP0741341A1 publication Critical patent/EP0741341A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/22—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20
    • G03G15/34—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20 in which the powder image is formed directly on the recording material, e.g. by using a liquid toner
    • G03G15/344—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20 in which the powder image is formed directly on the recording material, e.g. by using a liquid toner by selectively transferring the powder to the recording medium, e.g. by using a LED array
    • G03G15/346—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups G03G13/02 - G03G13/20 in which the powder image is formed directly on the recording material, e.g. by using a liquid toner by selectively transferring the powder to the recording medium, e.g. by using a LED array by modulating the powder through holes or a slit

Definitions

  • the invention is generally directed to image recording apparatus and in particular to the field of printers and more specifically directed to the field of electrostatic printers.
  • an electro-photographic print cycle includes the following six steps.
  • a photo conductor such as a Selenium drum or an organic photo conductor drum is electrically charged.
  • the photo conductor is selectively discharged using a scanning laser beam to produce a latent image.
  • Laser beam scanning optics and space needed for an optical scanning path greatly contribute to both size and complexity of electrophotographic printers.
  • the latent image is developed using electrically charged toner particles that are electrostatically attracted to the latent image of the photo conductor so as to produce a toner image.
  • imaging in the electro-photographic printer is indirect, since toner image is not formed until after the latent image is formed. Accordingly, there is no direct toner imaging practiced in electro-photographic printing.
  • fusing rollers are positioned remotely from the photo conductor to provide thermal isolation therefrom. Thermal isolation is employed in the prior art because the photo conductor could be damaged by heat, and because design of the photo conductor is optimized for its photo conducting function without accepting heat from any fusing rollers.
  • the remote positioning of fusing components disadvantageously adds to printer size and also has some potentially detrimental effects on print quality.
  • charged toner particles of the toner image have opportunity to repel each other, possibly increasing toner dot size and decreasing print resolution.
  • positioning distance of the remote positioning of fusing components is increased, chances of degrading print quality are also increased.
  • the present invention provides simplified, efficient and compact electrostatic printing using proximately located fusing components and using direct toner imaging. Accordingly, the present invention is not burdened by a photo conductor, laser beam scanning optics and space requirements of an optical scanning path, which greatly contribute to both size and complexity of electrophotographic printers of the prior art. Furthermore, the present invention is not burdened by remote positioning of fusing components as in the prior art, which disadvantageously adds to printer size and affects print quality.
  • a pressure member such as a roller, is disposed in proximate opposed relation with a surface of the back electrode, so that a recording medium, such as a sheet of paper, interposed between the back electrode and the pressure member is pressed between the pressure member and the surface of the back electrode at directly opposing surface locations of the recording medium.
  • a heating circuit is coupled with the back electrode for heating the back electrode to a temperature sufficiently high for fusing the charged toner particles.
  • the heating circuit is coupled with the pressure member for heating the pressure member.
  • proximate arrangements of components for fusing the toner greatly contributes to desired the compactness of the present invention. Furthermore, in accordance with principles of the invention, print quality is improved by the proximate positioning of fusing components because charged toner particles have little opportunity to repel each other before being fused.
  • FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional side view of a partial schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional side view of a partial schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • a notional set of mutually perpendicular x, y, and z axes are drawn in FIG. 1, with it being understood that the x-axis extends outwardly from the page of the two dimensional side view of FIG. 1.
  • a toner supply provides charged toner particles.
  • a mass of toner particles T is stored proximate to a rotatable toner roller 103 so that a surface of the toner roller engages toner particles as the toner roller rotates. Due to frictional contact with the toner roller, the toner particles collect a static electric charge. Some of the charged toner particles disengage from the toner roller to flow in a y-axis direction towards an aperture portion 113 of a particle-flow modulating electrode member 120.
  • the aperture portion 113 of the particle-flow modulating electrode member 120 has a plurality of apertures.
  • FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional side view of one of the apertures.
  • the electrode member is generally a plate like member having a preferred rectangular shape, and including an insulating layer 121, a reference electrode layer 122, and an array of control electrodes 123.
  • the reference electrode 122 is formed on a first one of two opposing major surfaces of the insulating layer 121, which is located on the side of the toner roller 103, while the array of control electrodes 123 is formed on another one of the two opposing major surfaces of the insulating layer, such that the control electrodes takes the preferred form of elongated parallel strips which extend in a z-axis direction and are spaced apart from each other in an x-axis direction.
  • the x-axis and z-axis directions define an x-z plane parallel to the plane of the insulating layer 106.
  • the particle flow modulating electrode member 120 has a multiplicity of the apertures arranged in a row in a middle portion thereof as viewed from the z-axis direction. Each of the apertures is formed through the insulating layer 121, the reference electrode layer 122, and a respective one of the control electrodes 123.
  • the invention further includes a back electrode 130 disposed in opposed relation with the major surface of the modulating electrode member and the toner roller 103.
  • the back electrode comprises a rotatable conducting drum, such as an Aluminum drum, having an outer surface and further having a thin layer, for example approximately twenty five microns thick, of a toner release promoting plastic such as silicone rubber or such as polyvinylflouridine, alternatively known as Teflon, substantially covering the outer surface of the drum.
  • a toner release promoting plastic such as silicone rubber or such as polyvinylflouridine, alternatively known as Teflon, substantially covering the outer surface of the drum.
  • the toner release promoting plastic layer is not shown in FIG. 1.
  • a control circuit applies controlled electric signals to the modulating electrode member and the back electrode, so as to cause streams of the charged particles to flow through selected ones of the apertures, in a y-axis direction toward the back electrode.
  • the reference electrode layer 122 is connected to ground, while each one of the control electrodes 123 is electrically connected to a modulating signal source indicated at S in FIG. 1.
  • the back electrode is electrically connected to a high voltage source, Hi V, so that streams of the charged toner particles that are first selected by the modulating signal source to flow through the apertures are then electrostatically attracted to the back electrode 130 to deposit the charged toner particles onto the drum surface of the back electrode as the drum rotates. Accordingly, in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG.
  • a pressure member 140 such as a roller, is disposed in proximate opposed relation with a surface of the back electrode 130, so that a recording medium P, such as a sheet of paper, moving in a z-axis direction is interposed between the back electrode 130 and the pressure member 140 and is pressed between the pressure member 140 and the surface of the back electrode 130 at directly opposing surface locations of the recording medium.
  • a recording medium P such as a sheet of paper
  • the toner image is transferred from the drum surface of the back electrode onto a surface of the recording medium and is fused onto the recording medium by heat flowing through the back electrode.
  • a heating circuit is thermally coupled with the back electrode for heating the back electrode to an appropriate temperature sufficiently high for fusing the charged toner particles.
  • the heating circuit includes a thin film resistor 150 thermally coupled with the back electrode.
  • a thermally controlled current source, I is electrically coupled with the thin film resistor 150 for maintaining the resistor and the back electrode at the appropriate temperature.
  • I thermally controlled current source
  • the present invention is not strictly limited to a heating circuit using the thin film resistor, since alternative heating circuits thermally coupled with the back electrode may be used with beneficial results.
  • a quartz heating lamp is used in place of the thin film resistor.
  • the heating circuit is coupled with the pressure member for heating the pressure member. Such proximate arrangements of components for fusing the toner greatly contributes to the desired compactness of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of a partial schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of the invention.
  • a notional set of mutually perpendicular x, y, and z axes are drawn in FIG. 2.
  • a plurality of different toner supplies provide charged toner particles of different colors.
  • a mass of yellow toner particles T Y , a mass of magenta toner particles T M , and a mass of cyan toner particles, T C are each stored proximate to a respective rotatable toner roller 203 so that the toner rollers engage toner particles as the toner rollers rotate.
  • the toner particles collect a static electric charge. Some of the charged toner particles disengage from the toner rollers to flow in a y-axis direction towards an aperture portion 213 of a respective one of a plurality of particle-flow modulating electrode members 220.
  • each particle-flow modulating electrode member 220 has a plurality of apertures.
  • FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of a respective one of the apertures of each electrode member 220.
  • Each electrode member is generally a plate like member including a respective insulating layer 221, a respective reference electrode layer 222, and respective array of control electrodes 223, similar to that which is discussed in detail previously herein with respect to the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.
  • a control circuit applies controlled electric signals to the modulating electrode members and the back electrode, so as to cause streams of the charged toner particles to flow through selected ones of the apertures, in a y-axis direction toward the back electrode.
  • the reference electrode layer of each member is connected to ground, while each one of the control electrodes is electrically connected to a respective modulating signal source for controlling yellow toner indicated at S Y , for controlling magenta toner indicated at S M, and for controlling Cyan toner indicated at S C .
  • the invention is not to be strictly limited by this embodiment, since in other alternative embodiments the belt of the back electrode is substantially coated with a toner release promoting plastic and toner particles are first deposited onto the belt of the back electrode before being transferred to the recording medium.
  • a pressure member 240 such as a roller is disposed in proximate opposed relation with a surface of the back electrode, so that the recording medium moving in a z-axis direction is interposed between the back electrode and the pressure member and is pressed between the pressure member 240 and the surface of the back electrode 230 at directly opposing surface locations of the recording medium.
  • the toner image is fused onto the recording medium by heat flowing through the pressure member 240.
  • a heating circuit is thermally coupled with the back electrode for heating the pressure member to an appropriate temperature sufficiently high for fusing the charged toner particles.
  • the heating circuit includes a thin film resistor 250 thermally coupled with the pressure member 240.
  • a thermally controlled current source, I is electrically coupled with the thin film resistor for maintaining the resistor and the pressure member at the appropriate temperature.
  • the heating circuit is coupled with the belt of the back electrode for heating the a region of the belt of the back electrode.
  • the present invention provides simplified, efficient and compact electrostatic printing using proximately located fusing components and using direct toner imaging.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Printers Or Recording Devices Using Electromagnetic And Radiation Means (AREA)
  • Electrophotography Using Other Than Carlson'S Method (AREA)
EP96303137A 1995-05-04 1996-05-03 Bildaufzeichnungsgerät und Druckverfahren Withdrawn EP0741341A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US43447195A 1995-05-04 1995-05-04
US434471 1999-11-05

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0741341A1 true EP0741341A1 (de) 1996-11-06

Family

ID=23724380

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96303137A Withdrawn EP0741341A1 (de) 1995-05-04 1996-05-03 Bildaufzeichnungsgerät und Druckverfahren

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0741341A1 (de)
JP (1) JPH08300719A (de)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3747823B2 (ja) * 2001-08-27 2006-02-22 セイコーエプソン株式会社 画像形成装置

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3413654A (en) * 1964-11-25 1968-11-26 Honeywell Inc Electrostatic trace recorder
JPS5955763A (ja) * 1982-09-24 1984-03-30 Canon Inc 画像形成装置
US5296879A (en) * 1990-07-09 1994-03-22 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image recording apparatus having detachable cartridge
US5305026A (en) * 1990-10-17 1994-04-19 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image recording apparatus having toner particle control member

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3413654A (en) * 1964-11-25 1968-11-26 Honeywell Inc Electrostatic trace recorder
JPS5955763A (ja) * 1982-09-24 1984-03-30 Canon Inc 画像形成装置
US5296879A (en) * 1990-07-09 1994-03-22 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image recording apparatus having detachable cartridge
US5305026A (en) * 1990-10-17 1994-04-19 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image recording apparatus having toner particle control member

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 008, no. 160 (M - 312) 25 July 1984 (1984-07-25) *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH08300719A (ja) 1996-11-19

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