EP0983858B1 - Méthode d'impression et contrôle pour une tête d'impression avec système d'électrodes de déviation pour l'impression électrostatique directe - Google Patents

Méthode d'impression et contrôle pour une tête d'impression avec système d'électrodes de déviation pour l'impression électrostatique directe Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0983858B1
EP0983858B1 EP19990200478 EP99200478A EP0983858B1 EP 0983858 B1 EP0983858 B1 EP 0983858B1 EP 19990200478 EP19990200478 EP 19990200478 EP 99200478 A EP99200478 A EP 99200478A EP 0983858 B1 EP0983858 B1 EP 0983858B1
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EP
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Prior art keywords
printing
printhead structure
deflection electrodes
voltage
deflection
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EP19990200478
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0983858A1 (fr
Inventor
Guido Desie
Hilbrand Van Den Wijngaert
François Backeljauw
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Agfa Gevaert NV
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Agfa Gevaert NV
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/385—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective supply of electric current or selective application of magnetism to a printing or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/41—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective supply of electric current or selective application of magnetism to a printing or impression-transfer material for electrostatic printing
    • B41J2/415—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective supply of electric current or selective application of magnetism to a printing or impression-transfer material for electrostatic printing by passing charged particles through a hole or a slit
    • B41J2/4155—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective supply of electric current or selective application of magnetism to a printing or impression-transfer material for electrostatic printing by passing charged particles through a hole or a slit for direct electrostatic printing [DEP]

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a recording method and an apparatus for use in the process of Direct Electrostatic Printing (DEP), in which an image is created upon a receiving substrate by creating a flow of toner particles from a toner bearing surface to the image receiving substrate and image-wise modulating the flow of toner particles by means of an electronically addressable printhead structure.
  • DEP Direct Electrostatic Printing
  • toner particles are deposited directly in an image-wise way on a receiving substrate, the latter not bearing any image-wise latent electrostatic image.
  • a DEP device is disclosed in e.g. US-A-3 689 935.
  • This document discloses an electrostatic line printer having a multi-layered particle modulator or printhead structure comprising :
  • Each control electrode is formed around one aperture and is isolated from each other control electrode.
  • Selected electric potentials are applied to each of the control electrodes while a fixed potential is applied to the shield electrode.
  • An overall applied propulsion field between a toner delivery means and a support for a toner receiving substrate projects charged toner particles through a row of apertures of the printhead structure.
  • the intensity of the particle stream is modulated according to the pattern of potentials applied to the control electrodes.
  • the modulated stream of charged particles impinges upon a receiving substrate, interposed in the modulated particle stream.
  • the receiving substrate is transported in a direction perpendicular to the printhead structure, to provide a line-by-line scan printing.
  • the shield electrode may face the toner delivery means and the control electrodes may face the receiving substrate.
  • a DC-field is applied between the printhead structure and a single back electrode on the receiving substrate. This propulsion field is responsible for the attraction of toner to the receiving substrate that is placed between the printhead structure and the back electrode.
  • US-A-4 860 036 e.g. a printhead structure with at least 3 rows of printing apertures is disclosed in order to diminish the white zone between neighbouring printing apertures.
  • a DEP device having a printhead structure that comprises an insulating material with apertures and control electrodes, and extra apertures in between two of said neighbouring control electrodes.
  • a printhead structure lower density banding in the print direction is impossible.
  • the construction of said slit-printhead structure is not that easy.
  • DE-A-195 34 705 a DEP device is described in which the problem of lower density banding is tackled by the introduction of two different printhead structures and two toner application devices. This is of course an easy but costly solution to said banding problem.
  • a DEP device comprising a printhead structure, an ultrasonic vibration means, an image information generating means and a toner deflecting means.
  • Said toner deflecting means is a set of deflection electrodes (isolated from said control electrodes) positioned in between said image receptive member and said printhead structure. Between said two sets of deflection electrodes a varying electrical field is applied resulting to deformation of said toner flux towards said image receptive member.
  • said varying electrical field can be a pulsed voltage, a stepwise voltage as well as a saw-tooth voltage.
  • the printhead structure is rather complex since it comprises (if it is formed in a PCB-layout) three different conductor layers that have to be isolated from each other. If a simple printhead structure is used with only two planes with electrodes, a further set of deflection electrodes is placed between the printhead structure and the substrate to be printed.
  • a DEP device which comprises a layer of control electrodes in a control grid, a toner flying stabilisation grid and a set of deflection electrodes that can position a dot on the final receiver on one of different possible positions.
  • a DEP device and a method of printing comprising at least a set of deflection electrodes and a controller for said deflection electrodes so that through one printing aperture three dots can be printed, in a straight, a left and a right position.
  • the number of control electrodes is lower than the addressability of the device. I.e. there are less control electrodes than dots printed.
  • This implementation can enhance the resolution of the printhead structure or diminish the complexity by reducing the number of control IC's that are essential for providing the image variation, but by using said deflection electrodes on a time-based scale to print three different dots on the receiving material in consecutive order, the maximum attainable printing speed is diminished by a factor of at least 3.
  • DEP device and a method of printing comprising at least a set of deflection electrodes and a controller for said deflection electrodes.
  • On the control electrodes a changing voltage is applied with a period equal to the line time.
  • the toner flow trough a printing aperture is continuously moved from one side to another so that a circular dot is printed as an ellipse.
  • white banding in the print direction is avoided.
  • the white banding is avoided in the higher density, but is not totally avoided in the lower densities.
  • It is a further object of the invention is to provide a DEP device, i.e. a device for direct electrostatic printing that can print at high speed with low clogging of the printing apertures and with high and constant maximum density with almost no white banding parallel to the printing direction.
  • a DEP device i.e. a device for direct electrostatic printing that can print at high speed with low clogging of the printing apertures and with high and constant maximum density with almost no white banding parallel to the printing direction.
  • the first object of the invention is realised by providing a printhead structure (106) for use in a device for direct electrostatic printing with an addressability, AD, in dots per cm, comprising :
  • a number per cm of printing elements is present equal to said addressability, AD.
  • the second object of the invention is realised by providing a device for direct electrostatic printing with an addressability, AD, in dots per cm and a line time, LT, comprising
  • a number per cm of printing elements is present equal to said addressability, AD and said voltage source applies a varying voltage with a frequency, f, relates to the line time, LT, such that f x LT ⁇ 1.00.
  • the third object of the invention is realised by providing a method for direct electrostatic printing with an addressability AD in dots per cm, on an image receiving substrate comprising the steps of :
  • a number per cm of printing elements is present equal to said addressability, AD and said voltage source applies a varying voltage with a frequency, f, such that f x LT ⁇ 1.00.
  • Figure 1 shows schematically a printhead structure according to the prior art.
  • Figure 2 shows schematically a first implementation of the first embodiment of a printhead structure useful in a method for Direct Electrostatic Printing and in a DEP device according to of the present invention.
  • Figure 3 shows schematically a second implementation of the first embodiment of a printhead structure useful in a method for Direct Electrostatic Printing and in a DEP device according to of the present invention.
  • Figure 4 shows schematically a third implementation of the first embodiment of a printhead structure useful in a method for Direct Electrostatic Printing and in a DEP device according to of the present invention.
  • Figure 5 shows schematically a first implementation of the second embodiment of a printhead structure useful in a method for Direct Electrostatic Printing and in a DEP device according to of the present invention.
  • Figure 6 shows schematically a second implementation of the second embodiment of a printhead structure useful in a method for Direct Electrostatic Printing and in a DEP device according to of the present invention.
  • Figure 7 shows a DEP device comprising a printhead structure according to the first possible embodiment of a printhead structure useful in a method for Direct Electrostatic Printing and in a DEP device according to of the present invention.
  • Line time the time for printing one pixel dot.
  • maximum density is achieved in that one pixel dot.
  • the line time, LT is 8 ms.
  • WRT Write time
  • Addressability the number of dots printed per unit of length (25.4 dots per inch (dpi) equal 1 dot per cm) that are addressed.
  • a DEP device having a number of control electrodes equal to the addressability have one control electrode for each dot to be addressed.
  • One dot can be written via one printing aperture controlled by one control electrode or by more than one printing aperture when these printing apertures are controlled by one control electrode. The latter system has been described in detail in e.g. EP-A-754 557.
  • Printing element In this document, one or more printing apertures together with the part of a single control electrode near to that printing aperture(s) is designated by the wording "printing element". E.g., referring to figure 3a of this text, printing aperture 107 and conductor C1 of control electrode 106a together form a printing element 116.
  • Adjacent printing elements are printing elements that are adjacent in a row of printing elements. These can, but must not, be printing elements arranged in the printhead structure to print adjacent dots on the image receiving member.
  • toner particles are moved in a continuous flow in an electric field from a surface bearing toner particles to a substrate and a printhead structure with printing apertures associated with control electrode is positioned in that flow.
  • a printhead structure with printing apertures associated with control electrode is positioned in that flow.
  • two sets of deflection electrodes (106bl and 106b2) connected to voltage source V1 and V2 respectively) are present.
  • V1, V2 and DC3 By adjusting V1, V2 and DC3 it is possible to deflect the toner flow so that through one printing aperture three dots can be printed, in a straight, a left and a right position perpendicular to the printing direction (arrow A).
  • the number of control electrodes is 1/3 of the addressability of the printing device, since for printing 3 dots, only one control electrode is necessary. The printing speed of such a device is lowered (in this case three times) with respect to printing devices wherein the number of control electrodes equals the addressability.
  • deflection electrodes as e.g. in US-A-5,774,159, to a voltage source for providing a varying voltage with a frequency, f, so that f x LT is exactly 1.00.
  • a voltage source for providing a varying voltage with a frequency, f so that f x LT is exactly 1.00.
  • the printhead structures of the prior art are all implemented with two deflection electrodes between two adjacent printing elements.
  • this invention encompasses a printhead structure (106) for use in a device for direct electrostatic printing with an addressability, AD, in dots per cm , comprising :
  • a printhead structure according to this invention wherein only one deflection electrode is present near or between two adjacent printing elements, can be manufactured in two embodiments.
  • the deflection electrode passing between the printing elements can originate from two (or more) sets of deflection electrodes and the deflection electrode between a first printing element and a second originates from the first set, the deflection electrode between said second printing element and a third, adjacent to said second, originates from the second set, the deflection electrode between said third printing element and a fourth, adjacent to said third, originates again from the first set, and so on.
  • only one set of deflection electrodes is present and the deflection electrodes between the printing elements originate from said only one set.
  • FIG. 2a, 2b and 2c the first and second face and a cross section along line A-A of a first implementation of the first embodiment of a printhead structure according to this invention is shown.
  • the printhead structure comprises an insulating material and conductors in only two planes.
  • Figure 2a shows the control electrodes (106a) on the first face of the insulating material, rectangular printing apertures (107) with three conductors, C1 around the apertures, a conductor C3 and a conductor C2 coupled to a voltage source (DC3) that in accordance with image-data changes the electric field in the printing aperture, the conductor C1 and the printing aperture 107 associated with each of them, form printing element (116).
  • DC3 voltage source
  • Figure 2b shows the second face of the insulating material (106c) with a shield electrode is shown in a form so as to be useful as deflection electrode (further on such shield electrode will be termed 'deflection electrode').
  • 'deflection electrode' shows two sets of deflection electrodes, each of said sets formed as a comb.
  • the first set looks like first comb (106b1), the teeth of which extend to the row of printing elements (116) and the second set as a second comb (106b2), the teeth of which extend also to the row of printing elements.
  • the teeth of the comb are basically parallel with the printing direction.
  • the teeth of the first comb alternate with the teeth of the second comb.
  • the sequence of printing elements and deflection electrodes is thus: a deflection electrode from the second set, a printing element, a deflection electrode of the first set, a printing element, a deflection electrode from the second set, and so on.
  • the centre of each printing aperture which coincides in this embodiment with the centre of the printing element, is located in the middle between the teeth surrounding it, thus the teeth are symmetrically positioned with respect to the centre of the printing elements.
  • a second implementation of the first embodiment of a printhead structure according the present invention is shown.
  • the printhead structure is construed as the one shown in figures 2a, 2b and 2c, except that now two parallel rows of staggered printing elements are present each of them coupled to a voltage source (DC3) that in accordance with image-data changes the electric field in the printing aperture on the first side of the insulating material as shown in figure 3a.
  • DC3 voltage source
  • two sets of deflection electrodes 106b1, 106b2 are formed on the second side of the insulating material (106c) in the form of two combs the teeth of which are not rectilinear and that pass between the two rows of printing elements.
  • each printing element is located in the middle between the teeth surrounding it.
  • figure 3c a cross-section along the line A-A, through the printing apertures and the electrodes on one row is shown.
  • On one face of the insulating material control electrodes (106a) are present around each of the printing apertures (107)on the other face deflection electrodes are present between two printing apertures one deflection electrode are present, one (106b1)of the first set, then one (106b2) of the second set.
  • Fig. 4a, 4b and 4c a third implementation of the first embodiment of a printhead structure according to the present invention, is shown.
  • the printhead structure is construed as the one shown in figures 3a, 3b and 3c, except for the fact that only half the number of deflection electrodes is present.
  • figure 4c a cross-section through line A-A is shown, wherein the following sequence is shown : a deflection electrode of the second set, a printing element, a printing element, a deflection electrode of the second set, and so on.
  • the teeth of the first comb alternate with the teeth of the second comb, this is not necessary so, a printhead structure wherein these teeth do not alternate regularly is within the scope of this invention as long as between two printing apertures one deflection electrode from different sets is present.
  • the single set of deflection electrodes is arranged in such a way that the deflection electrodes are asymmetrically positioned with respect to the printing apertures and that only one deflection electrode is near or between two adjacent printing elements.
  • a printhead structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention, is shown. It comprises, as shown in figure 5a, on the first side of an insulating support two rows of printing elements (116), wherein a control electrode (106a) is associated with at least one aperture (107) coupled to a voltage source (DC3) that in accordance with image-data changes the electric field in the printing aperture and as shown in figure 5b, a single set of deflection electrodes (106b) on the second side of the insulating material (106c), shown in the form of a ladder with two beams and rungs therebetween placed in such a way that each printing element is located between two of said rungs.
  • DC3 voltage source
  • each printing element (116) is located off the middle between the teeth surrounding it.
  • this asymmetrical location of the printing apertures is a preferred embodiment, it is possible to locate the centre of the apertures in the middle between the teeth.
  • the single set of deflection electrodes is shown as a ladder with two beams and rungs therebetween placed in such a way that each printing aperture is located between two of said rungs it is possible to construct the single set of deflection electrodes as a single comb like structure wherein the teeth of the comb extend until near the printing apertures in the row of printing apertures.
  • Figure 6 shows a printhead structure according to a second implementation of the second embodiment of the present invention, wherein four parallel rows of printing elements are shown in figure 6a at one face of the insulating material, each printing element having a control electrode (106a) controlling two apertures (107) and a single set of deflection electrodes on the other side of said isolating material, shown in figure 6b, said single set of deflection electrodes being positioned in a non-symmetrical way in between two neighbouring printing apertures in a single row of printing apertures.
  • the single set of deflection electrodes is shown as a ladder with two beams and rungs therebetween placed in such a way that each printing aperture is located between two of said rungs. It is clear that also in this implementation of a printhead structure useful in this invention, the single set of deflection electrodes could be made comb shaped.
  • the insulating material, used for producing a printhead structure according to the present invention can be glass, ceramic, plastic, etc.
  • said insulating material is a plastic material, and can be a polyimide, a polyester (e.g. polyethylelene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, etc.), polyolefines, an epoxy resin, an organosilicon resin, rubber, etc.
  • Insulating material useful in the present invention, has an elasticity modulus between 0.1 and 10 GPa, both limits included, preferably between 2 and 8 GPa and most preferably between 4 and 6 Gpa.
  • the insulating material has a thickness between 25 and 1000 ⁇ m, preferably between 50 and 200 ⁇ m.
  • both in the first and in the second embodiment of a printhead structure of the invention it is possible to have the control electrodes and the deflection electrodes on the same face of the insulating material or to have the control electrodes on a first face of the insulating material and two sets of deflection electrodes on the other side.
  • Printhead structures according to this invention having at least one set of deflection electrodes as described above can be used in any DEP device known in the art, e.g. in devices as described in EP-A-795 802, EP-A-780 740, EP-A-740 224, EP-A-731 394, EP-A-712 055, US-A-5 606 402, US-A-5 523 777, GB-A-2 108 432, US-A-4 743 926. It can also be used in a method for direct electrostatic printing operating without back electrode, as disclosed in EP-A-823 676. Also in a method and device for direct electrostatic printing wherein the toner bearing surface is the sleeve of a magnetic brush with a rotating core, as described in EP-A-827 046 a printhead structure according to this invention can be useful.
  • the invention thus includes a device for direct electrostatic printing, for direct electrostatic printing with an addressability, AD, in dots per cm, comprising :
  • the voltage source coupled to said deflection electrodes can be equipped for providing a stepwise varying voltage to the deflection electrodes. I.e. the voltage applied to the deflection electrodes varies in discrete steps.
  • de DEP device of this invention can be used for printing multiple dots through one printing, since the step wise varying voltage applied to the deflection electrode deflects the toner to discrete places on the imaging substrate.
  • the voltage source can, e.g., be designed to apply a voltage varying in three steps to the deflection electrodes, in a first step the left deflection electrode is given an attracting voltage so that the toner particles are, during printing, deviated to the left side of the centre of the printing element, then no deflection voltage is used and the toner particles are attracted at the centre of the printing elements and then the right deflection electrode is given an attracting voltage so that the toner particles are, during printing, deviated to the right side of the centre of the printing element.
  • Ways and means for applying a voltage varying in discrete steps to deflection electrodes has been described in e.g. US-A-5 847 733 or it equivalent WO- ⁇ -97 35725.
  • the number of control electrodes in the printhead can be diminished to 1/3 of the addressability of the printing device, since for printing 3 dots, only one printing element (one control electrode) is necessary or the addressability increased with a factor three for a given number of printing elements per cm.
  • the printing speed is however diminished by a factor 3.
  • the voltage source coupled to said deflection electrodes can be equipped for providing a continuously varying voltage to the deflection electrodes.
  • the deflection electrodes can also beneficially be used for deflecting the toner flow continuously during the line time so that an elliptic dot would be formed through a circular-shaped aperture, said long side of said elliptic dot being positioned essentially perpendicular to said printing direction. This diminishes the occurrence of white stripes in the print direction.
  • this invention encompasses a DEP device including printhead structure with at most one deflection electrode is near or between the printing elements and including a voltage source equipped for providing a continuously varying voltage with a frequency, f, such that f x LT ⁇ 1.00 to said deflection electrodes.
  • the voltage source is arranged for providing a continuously varying voltage with a frequency, f, such that f x LT ⁇ 2.00. Even more preferably the voltage source is arranged for providing a continuously varying voltage with a frequency so that f x LT ⁇ 4.00.
  • the frequency, f, of said varying voltage is equal to or larger than 125 Hz.
  • the varying voltage is preferably synchronous with the line time, i.e. the application of the varying voltage to the sets of deflection electrodes starts when the printing starts, i.e. at the beginning of the line time, and ends when the printing ends, i.e. at the end of the line time.
  • the product f x LT is preferably chosen so that it is an integer value.
  • said product of f x LT should not be too close to an integer value because otherwise moiré effect at a low (i.e. visible) frequency can occur.
  • each set of deflection electrodes is coupled to a voltage source that applies a varying voltage to said set of deflection electrodes, i.e. set one is coupled to a voltage source providing a varying voltage, AC5 and the second set to a voltage source providing a varying voltage, AC6. It is preferred that the frequencies and the peak-to-peak voltage of AC5 and AC6 are equal.
  • the voltage signals, AC5 and AC6 are 180 ° out of phase so that the peak-to-peak voltage is in this case the sum of the peak-to-peak voltages of both signals, then the effect on the avoidance of lower density banding in the print direction is maximised.
  • the sum of the peak-to-peak voltages of AC5 and AC6 i.e. AC5 + AC6 is equal to or larger than 300 V.
  • the set of deflection electrodes is preferably coupled to a voltage source delivering a varying voltage applied to the deflection electrodes has preferably a peak-to-peak voltage equal to or larger than 300 V, more preferably equal to or larger than 500 V.
  • the continuously varying voltages provided by the voltage source coupled to the deflection electrodes vary on a time scale the toner flux passing an aperture is, during the line time moved from left to right so that an elliptic dot would be formed through a circular-shaped aperture, said long side of said elliptic dot being positioned essentially perpendicular to said printing direction.
  • the pixel is kind of "smeared" in a direction essentially perpendicular to the printing direction, so that lower density banding in the print direction is avoided.
  • the voltage source for providing the continuously varying voltage, that is coupled to the deflection electrodes may be equipped to provide a varying voltage with different shapes.
  • Various shapes of varying voltage signals can be used in the present invention: e.g. pulsed signals, stepwise signals, saw-tooth signals, sinusoidal signals, etc., as long as the signal has a frequency, f, fulfilling one of the conditions above.
  • the voltage source for providing the continuously varying voltage, that is coupled to the deflection electrodes may further be equipped to provide a DC-offset (DC-bias) on the deflection electrodes, which can be beneficial for adjusting the density in the printed image.
  • the varying voltage can the vary symmetrically around the DC-offset as well as asymmetrically.
  • the DEP device shown comprises means for delivering toner particles with a container (101) for non magnetic mono component developer, a roller (112) having a surface on which toner particles are applied by means of a feeding roller (111) made of porous foamed polymers, a developer mixing blade (114) mixing and transporting said non-magnetic mono-component developer towards said feeding roller, a doctor blade (113) regulating the thickness of the charged toner particles upon the surface of said roller (112), i.e. on the toner bearing surface.
  • Said roller (112) bearing said charged toner particles rotates in a direction depicted by arrow B.
  • a device for applying a DC voltage is connected to the sleeve of said roller (112) and applies voltage DC1 to said sleeve and a device for applying an AC-field is connected to the sleeve of said roller and applies AC-field AC1 to said sleeve (the toner bearing surface).
  • the device further comprises a back electrode (105) connected to a DC voltage source applying a voltage DC4 to the electrode.
  • An image receiving substrate (108) is passed by means for moving (115) the substrate in the direction of arrow A between a printhead structure according to this invention and the back electrode by conveying means (115).
  • the difference between DC4 and DC1 applies a DC propulsion field wherein a flow of toner particles (104) is created from the sleeve of the roller bearing charged toner particles to the image receiving substrate on the back electrode.
  • the AC-field - AC1 - on the sleeve of the toner roller (112) makes the flow (104)of toner particles denser than when no AC-field would be present.
  • a printhead structure (106) is placed in said flow (104) of toner particles, said printhead structure having an insulating material (106c) carrying control electrodes (106a) and deflection electrodes (106b1 and 106b2).
  • a DC-source (DC3) is connected to the control electrodes and the voltage applied by this DC-source is image-wise modulated in order to modulate the toner flow image wise in the vicinity of the control electrodes.
  • the voltage applied by the DC source DC3 can be varied between a value totally blocking the passage of the toner particles, and a value leaving the toner flow pass totally unimpeded.
  • the control electrodes in said printhead structure are placed at a distance, d, in ⁇ m from the toner bearing surface, a spacer (110) keeps the distance d constant during operation of the device.
  • the printhead structure (106) is placed at a distance, d B , form the image receiving member.
  • the sets of control electrodes (106b1 and 106b2) are connected to voltage sources for providing a varying voltage (AC5 and AC6) on said sets of deflection electrodes.
  • the varying voltages have the same frequency, f, such that f x LT ⁇ 1.00.
  • the device comprises further means (109) for fixing the toner particles to the image receiving substrate.
  • Said means for coupling an image receiving substrate (108) to a second electric potential (DC4) can be a back electrode placed directly behind the image receiving substrate. In this case, the substrate can be in contact with the back electrode or so close to the back electrode that both the back electrode and the image receiving substrate assume essentially the same electric potential.
  • Said means for coupling an image receiving substrate (108) to a second electric potential (DC4) can also be a conductive layer present, on the image receiving substrate, that is coupled to a voltage source.
  • Such DEP devices and methods have been described in e.g. EP-A-823 676 or European Application 98201302 filed on April 22 1998.
  • the distance d B is in devices operating with a back electrode calculated from the surface of the printhead structure to the surface of the image receiving substrate.
  • a printhead structure according to this invention is incorporated with the control electrodes on a first face of the insulating material and the set of deflection electrodes on the other side, it is advantageous to provide deflection electrodes with a thickness between 1 and 200 ⁇ m.
  • the deflection electrodes are , in that case between 5 and 200 ⁇ m thick. It proved even more advantageous to provide deflection electrodes with a thickness between 10 and 100 ⁇ m, both limits included.
  • the back electrode (105) of a DEP device can also be made to cooperate with the printhead structure according to this invention, said back electrode being constructed from different styli or wires that are galvanically isolated and connected to a voltage source as disclosed in e.g. US-A- 4, 568,955 and US-A-4, 733, 256.
  • the back electrode, co-operating with the printhead structure can also comprise one or more flexible PCB's (Printed Circuit Board).
  • the present invention incorporates also a method for Direct Electrostatic Printing using a DEP device incorporating a printhead structure according to this invention. It thus includes a method for direct electrostatic printing with an addressability AD in dots per cm, on an image receiving substrate comprising the steps of :
  • Preferably said frequency, f, is chosen so that f x LT ⁇ 2.00 and more preferably so that f x LT ⁇ 4.00.
  • the time of application of the potentials by voltage source DC3 may be image-wise modulated while applying a constant potential (i.e. time modulation of the image signal or pulse-width-modulation) or the potential itself may be image-wise modulation at a constant line-time (amplitude modulation) or the amplitude modulation can be combined with a time modulation, the latter combination allowing for the printing of a large number of grey levels.
  • a constant potential i.e. time modulation of the image signal or pulse-width-modulation
  • the potential itself may be image-wise modulation at a constant line-time (amplitude modulation) or the amplitude modulation can be combined with a time modulation, the latter combination allowing for the printing of a large number of grey levels.
  • WRT write time
  • the write time (WRT) for low density areas is smaller than the total line time (LT).
  • the line time (LT) is divided into several smaller time units (called sublines (SL).
  • V 30 voltage allowing maximum density to be printed
  • V3n blocking voltage giving minimum density
  • the printing aperture is kept closed (a closing potential is applied to the printing element) during the first 4 ms of the line time, then the printing aperture is opened (an opening potential is applied to the printing element) for 2 ms and is closed for the remaining 4 ms of the line time.
  • the combination of the method of this invention with the method of EP-A-851 316 is performed by not positioning the write time, when it is smaller than the line time, for every pixel and line at a fixed position within the total line time, but by have it randomly positioned within the line time.
  • the step of sending a print signal for image-wise applying electric potentials to said printing elements can be performed by sending a print signal within a line time, to said printing elements, said print signal comprising elements necessitating a write time shorter than said line time, and by positioning said write time, shorter than said line time, randomly over said line time.
  • said write time, shorter than said line time is divided in portions and said print signal is adapted to send said portion in a random way during said line time.
  • the printing quality especially with respect to the lower density was visually evaluated on a scale from 1 to 10, wherein 1 is bad, 5 is acceptable and 10 is very good.
  • the line time LT was set to 8 ms.
  • the printhead structure The printhead structure.
  • a printhead structure (106) was made from a polyimide film of 50 ⁇ m thickness (106c), double sided coated with a 5 ⁇ m thick copper film.
  • the printhead structure (106) had one row of printing apertures.
  • Each of said control electrodes had conductive paths in a direction parallel to the printing direction over 10 mm and was connected over 2 M ⁇ resistors to a HV 507 (trade name) high voltage switching IC, commercially available through Supertex, USA, that was powered from a high voltage power amplifier.
  • the printing apertures were rectangular shaped with dimensions of 200 by 100 ⁇ m.
  • the dimension of the central part (C1) of the rectangular shaped copper control electrodes was 320 by 300 ⁇ m, the line width of the extending segments was 100 ⁇ m.
  • the apertures were spaced at a 500 ⁇ m pitch.
  • a double set of deflection electrodes (106b1 and 106b2) was arranged in between each set of neighbouring apertures, thus two deflection electrodes were present between adjacent printing elements.
  • Said deflection electrodes had a line width of 70 ⁇ m and were isolated from each other by a free zone of 70 ⁇ m.
  • the centre of said free zone was located in the middle between two neighbouring printing apertures so that both sets of deflection electrodes were available in a symmetrical order with respect to the printing apertures.
  • Said printhead structure was fabricated in the following way. First of all the control electrode pattern and deflection electrode pattern was etched by conventional copper etching techniques. The apertures were made by a step and repeat focused excimer laser making use of the control electrode patterns as focusing aid. After excimer burning the printhead structure was cleaned by a short isotropic plasma etching cleaning. Finally a thin coating of PLASTIK70, commercially available from Griffin Chemie, was applied over the control electrode and deflection electrode side of said printhead structure.
  • the toner delivery means The toner delivery means
  • the toner delivery means was a commercially available toner cartridge comprising non magnetic mono component developer, the COLOR LASER TONER CARTRIDGE MAGENTA (M3760GIA), for the COLOR LASER WRITER (Trade names of Apple Computer, USA).
  • the toner bearing surface is the surface of an aluminium roller (112), whereon tone particles are applied by a feeding roller (111) The toner particles carried a negative charge.
  • the printhead structure mounted in a PVC-frame, was bent with frictional contact over the surface of the roller of the toner delivery means.
  • a 50 ⁇ m (this is distance d) thick polyurethane coating was used as self-regulating spacer means (110).
  • a back electrode was present behind the paper whereon the printing proceeded, the distance between the back electrode (105) and the back side of the printhead structure (d B ) was set to 1000 ⁇ m and the paper travelled at 300 cm/min.
  • the back electrode was connected to a high voltage power supply, applying a voltage DC4 of + 1000 V to the back electrode.
  • a sinusoidally changing AC voltage AC1 with 400 V peak to peak and a frequency of 3 kHz was applied and a DC-offset (DC1) of -50 V.
  • the DC-propulsion field i.e. the potential difference between DC4 and DC1, was 1050 V.
  • an (image-wise-selected) voltage was applied selected from 0 V (printing a pixel of maximum density) or -280 V (printing a pixel of minimum density).
  • a sinusoidally changing AC voltage (AC5) with 250 V peak to peak and a frequency of 500 Hz was applied
  • AC6 sinusoidally changing AC voltage
  • Said frequency was adjusted so that it was synchronised with said first AC-voltage applied to said first set of deflection electrodes but 180° out of phase: i.e. the voltage applied to said first set of deflection electrodes gained a maximum value (.e.g. +250 V) at the moment that the voltage applied tot said second set of deflection electrodes gained a minimum value (e.g. -250V) was applied.
  • the maximum peak voltage difference between on the sets of deflection electrodes was 500 V, this is V p .
  • Grey scale images of a human face and control wedges from maximum to minimum density were printed during several minutes after which the image quality was observed in terms of lower density stripes in the printing direction in regions of higher image density.
  • the deflection electrode had a width of 75 ⁇ m and was asymmetrically located in between two neighbouring printing apertures (having a pitch of 600 ⁇ m) at a distance of 75 ⁇ m from one aperture and at a distance of 250 ⁇ m from the other printing aperture. Only a single AC-source was used having a sinusoidally changing voltage of 800 V (peak tot peak) at a frequency of 125 Hz.
  • the deflection electrode had a width of 75 ⁇ m and was asymmetrically located in between two neighbouring printing apertures (having control electrodes with dual apertures of 100 ⁇ m width and 100 ⁇ m isolation in between said two apertures in a single control electrode, and each row of printing apertures having a pitch of 800 ⁇ m) at a distance of 100 ⁇ m from one aperture and at a distance of 325 ⁇ m from the other printing aperture.
  • Only a single AC-source was used having a sinusoidally changing voltage of 800 V (peak tot peak) at a frequency of 250 Hz. Very good results were obtained with this printhead structure without any noticeable lower density stripes in the print direction.
  • deflection electrodes in different layers (multilayer structure) and enhancing the deflection voltage in ratio proportional to the isolation power. It is also possible to combine the concept of deflection electrodes with other concepts for elimination of lower density stripes as multiple printhead structures, multiple apertures per control electrode, multipass printing, sliding contact between the toner particle source and the printhead structure, etc..

Landscapes

  • Printers Or Recording Devices Using Electromagnetic And Radiation Means (AREA)

Claims (21)

  1. Structure de tête d'impression (106) destinée à être utilisée dans un dispositif d'impression électrostatique directe ayant une adressabilité, AD, en points par cm, comprenant :
    un substrat isolant (106c) avec une première et une deuxième face,
    au moins une rangée d'éléments d'impression (116) sur ledit substrat,
    chacun desdits éléments d'impression comportant au moins une ouverture d'impression (107) à travers ledit substrat isolant,
    et au moins un ensemble d'électrodes de déviation (106b1, 106b2), caractérisée en ce que
    ledit au moins un ensemble d'électrodes de déviation est disposé de manière à avoir tout au plus une électrode de déviation qui s'étend entre tous les deux éléments d'impression adjacents.
  2. Structure de tête d'impression selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce qu'un seul ensemble d'électrodes de déviation est présent.
  3. Structure de tête d'impression selon la revendication 2, caractérisée en ce que ladite tout au plus une électrode de déviation entre lesdits éléments d'impression adjacents est située de façon asymétrique entre lesdits éléments d'impression.
  4. Structure de tête d'impression selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que deux ensembles d'électrodes de déviation sont présents.
  5. Structure de tête d'impression selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisée en ce que des électrodes de commande sont présentes sur ladite première face de ladite matière isolante et en ce que lesdites électrodes de déviation sont présentes sur ladite deuxième face de ladite matière isolante.
  6. Structure de tête d'impression selon la revendication 5, caractérisée en ce que lesdites électrodes de déviation possèdent une épaisseur entre 1 et 200 µm.
  7. Structure de tête d'impression selon la revendication 5, caractérisée en ce que lesdites électrodes de déviation possèdent une épaisseur entre 5 et 200 µm.
  8. Structure de tête d'impression selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 7, caractérisée en ce que ladite structure de tête d'impression possède un nombre d'éléments d'impression par cm égal à ladite adressabilité, AD.
  9. Dispositif d'impression électrostatique directe ayant une adressabilité, AD, en points par cm, comprenant
    un moyen pour distribuer des particules de toner chargées, ledit moyen ayant une surface porteuse de particules de toner chargées (112) couplée à un moyen pour appliquer un premier potentiel électrique (DC1) à ladite surface,
    une contre-électrode (105) pour coupler un substrat récepteur d'image (108) à un deuxième potentiel électrique (DC4) différent dudit premier, ladite différence (|DC4-DC1|) créant un champ électrique entre ladite surface et ledit substrat récepteur d'image, dans lequel un flux desdites particules de toner chargées (104) est créé vers ledit substrat récepteur d'image,
    un moyen (115) pour déplacer ledit substrat récepteur d'image dans un sens d'impression (flèche A) de manière à avoir un temps de ligne, LT, ledit temps de ligne étant le temps nécessaire pour imprimer un point à la pleine densité,
    une structure de tête d'impression (106) telle que définie dans l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 8, placée entre ladite surface porteuse de toner (112) et ledit substrat récepteur d'image (108), laissant un écart, d, entre ladite surface porteuse de toner et ladite structure de tête d'impression et laissant un écart, dB, entre ladite structure de tête d'impression et ledit substrat récepteur d'image,
    une source de tension, DC3, couplée auxdits éléments d'impression pour appliquer selon l'image des potentiels électriques (V3) auxdits éléments d'impression pour ouvrir et fermer sélectivement lesdites ouvertures d'impression conformément à des données d'image et
    une source de tension, couplée audit au moins un ensemble d'électrodes de déviation, pour appliquer auxdites électrodes de déviation une tension variable.
  10. Dispositif selon la revendication 9, caractérisé en ce que ladite source de tension est équipée pour fournir une tension qui varie par pas discrets.
  11. Dispositif selon la revendication 9, caractérisé en ce que ladite source de tension est équipée pour fournir une tension variant continuellement avec une fréquence, f, de telle sorte que f x LT ≥ 1,00.
  12. Dispositif selon la revendication 9, caractérisé en ce que ladite source de tension est équipée pour fournir une tension variant continuellement avec une fréquence, f, de telle sorte que f x LT ≥ 2,00.
  13. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications 9 à 12, caractérisé en ce que ladite distance, dB, se rapporte à ladite différence de potentiel électrique (|DC4-DC1|) dans un rapport R1 de telle sorte que (|DC4-DC1|)/dB ≤ 1,5 V/µm.
  14. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications 9 à 13, caractérisé en ce que lesdites électrodes de déviation sont couplées à une source de tension équipée pour fournir auxdites électrodes de déviation une tension variable avec une tension crête à crête, Vp, de telle sorte que Vp/R1 > 250 µm.
  15. Procédé d'impression électrostatique directe ayant une adressabilité AD en points par cm, sur un substrat récepteur d'image, ledit procédé comprenant les étapes consistant à :
    appliquer une différence de potentiel (|DC4-DC1|) entre une surface porteuse de particules de toner chargées et ledit substrat récepteur d'image, afin de créer un flux desdites particules de toner chargées depuis ladite surface vers ledit substrat récepteur d'image,
    placer une structure de tête d'impression telle que définie dans l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 8 dans ledit flux de particules de toner chargées,
    déplacer ledit substrat récepteur d'image par rapport à ladite structure de tête d'impression dans un sens d'impression (flèche A), de manière à avoir un temps de ligne, LT, ledit temps de ligne étant le temps nécessaire pour imprimer un point à la pleine densité,
    envoyer un signal d'impression à une source de tension DC3 pour appliquer selon une image des potentiels électriques (V3) auxdits éléments d'impression pour ouvrir et fermer sélectivement lesdites ouvertures d'impression conformément à des données d'image et
    coupler lesdites électrodes de déviation à une source de tension pour appliquer auxdites électrodes de déviation une tension variable.
  16. Procédé selon la revendication 15, caractérisé en ce que ladite source de tension est équipée pour fournir une tension qui varie par pas discrets.
  17. Procédé selon la revendication 15, caractérisé en ce que ladite source de tension est équipée pour fournir une tension variant continuellement avec une fréquence, f, de telle sorte que f x LT ≥ 1,00.
  18. Procédé selon la revendication 15, caractérisé en ce que ladite source de tension est équipée pour fournir une tension variant continuellement avec une fréquence, f, de telle sorte que f x LT ≥ 2,00.
  19. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 15 à 18, caractérisé en ce qu'avant l'envoi d'un signal d'impression, pour chaque ligne à imprimer, un élément d'impression est déterminé nécessitant un temps d'écriture le plus court, WRTcourt, de tous les éléments d'impression dans cette ligne, et en ce que ladite fréquence, f, est choisie de telle sorte que 1,00/ WRTcourt ≤ f ≤ 4000 Hz.
  20. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 15 à 19, caractérisé en ce que l'étape consistant à envoyer un signal d'impression pour appliquer selon une image des potentiels électriques auxdits éléments d'impression est effectuée en envoyant un signal d'impression auxdits éléments d'impression pendant un temps de ligne, ledit signal d'impression comportant des points d'élément d'image nécessitant un temps d'écriture, qui est plus court que ledit temps de ligne, et en positionnant de façon aléatoire ledit temps d'écriture, qui est plus court que ledit temps de ligne, dans ledit temps de ligne.
  21. Procédé selon la revendication 20, caractérisé en ce qu'avant l'envoi dudit signal d'impression ledit temps d'écriture, qui est plus court que ledit temps de ligne, est divisé en portions et en ce que ledit signal d'impression est adapté pour envoyer de façon aléatoire ladite portion pendant ledit temps de ligne.
EP19990200478 1998-06-09 1999-02-18 Méthode d'impression et contrôle pour une tête d'impression avec système d'électrodes de déviation pour l'impression électrostatique directe Expired - Lifetime EP0983858B1 (fr)

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EP98201965 1998-06-09
EP98201965 1998-06-09
EP19990200478 EP0983858B1 (fr) 1998-06-09 1999-02-18 Méthode d'impression et contrôle pour une tête d'impression avec système d'électrodes de déviation pour l'impression électrostatique directe

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AU2000244421A1 (en) * 2000-03-17 2001-09-24 Array Ab Printhead structure and image forming device

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3689935A (en) 1969-10-06 1972-09-05 Electroprint Inc Electrostatic line printer
US4860036A (en) 1988-07-29 1989-08-22 Xerox Corporation Direct electrostatic printer (DEP) and printhead structure therefor
JP3271816B2 (ja) 1993-03-09 2002-04-08 ブラザー工業株式会社 画像形成装置
JPH0740579A (ja) 1993-07-28 1995-02-10 Brother Ind Ltd 画像形成装置
JPH07304206A (ja) 1994-05-16 1995-11-21 Brother Ind Ltd 画像形成装置
SE503634C2 (sv) 1994-09-19 1996-07-22 Array Printers Ab Metod och anordning i en skrivare
DE69600779T2 (de) 1995-07-18 1999-05-27 Agfa Gevaert Nv Druckkopfstruktur zur Verwendung in einem direkten elektrostatischen Druckgerät (DEP)
DE69522948T2 (de) 1995-12-18 2002-04-25 Agfa Gevaert Nv Vorrichtung zum direkten elektrostatischen Drucken mit einer Druckkopfstruktur mit Schlitzöffnungen
US5847733A (en) * 1996-03-22 1998-12-08 Array Printers Ab Publ. Apparatus and method for increasing the coverage area of a control electrode during direct electrostatic printing
US5774159A (en) * 1996-09-13 1998-06-30 Array Printers Ab Direct printing method utilizing continuous deflection and a device for accomplishing the method

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