JPH04347666A - Recording electrode - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To always obtain stable recording characteristics by preventing the adhesion of toner in the electrode for a particle direct control type recording apparatus. CONSTITUTION:An aperture electrode 20 is constituted by providing line electrodes 21, gate electrodes 22 and smooth films on a substrate 25 and apertures 24 are provided so as to pierce the parts of the line electrodes 21 and the gate electrodes 22. By arranging the smooth films, stepped parts are eliminated between electrode conductors 23 and the substrate and a part where toner is mechanically restricted can be perfectly eliminated. As a result, the generation of the toner bonded to the electrodes to become an obstacle is suppressed and stable image recording generating no clogging becomes possible.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrode structure for an image recording apparatus using a powder particle direct drive method.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electrode for a powder particle direct drive type recording apparatus has been developed as shown in the specification and drawings attached to the application of Japanese Patent Application No. 2-53351. The aperture electrode had the shape described below. The aperture electrode consists of an ultra-thin ceramic substrate, a reference electrode film several microns thick formed on one surface of the ceramic insulating substrate by a thin film formation method, and a reference electrode film of several microns in thickness formed on the other surface of the ceramic substrate by a thin film formation method. It was composed of a large number of independently provided control electrode films and an aperture provided approximately at the center of each of the control electrode films and penetrating the ceramic insulating substrate.

The method for manufacturing the aperture electrode includes a reference electrode film forming step in which a metal film is formed on one surface of an extremely thin ceramic insulating substrate by a thin film forming method such as sputtering. After performing a control electrode film pattern forming step in which a large number of independent metal film patterns are formed on the other surface of the ceramic insulating substrate by a thin film forming method, the ceramic insulating substrate with metal films formed on both sides is performed. An aperture forming step was performed in which an aperture was provided approximately at the center of each of the multiple independent metal films of the control electrode film pattern so as to penetrate through the control electrode film pattern.

[0004] Also, good results have been achieved by changing the ceramic insulating substrate and using a resin material such as polyimide to reduce layer thickness and material cost.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the following problems have occurred with the recording electrodes formed in this manner. That is, toner adheres to the conductive wire surrounding the aperture formed on the substrate, causing hole clogging and the like. As a countermeasure, the inventors
In the application No. 196781, it was proposed that a vibrating body be placed on the recording electrode to give it vibration, which was effective in preventing toner adhesion.

[0006] Even with recording electrodes that are vibrated in this manner, troubles related to powder adhesion sometimes occur. After investigating the cause of this problem, it was discovered that the powder may be trapped by the difference in height of several microns between the substrate and the conductive wire.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a highly reliable and low-cost recording electrode that is free from troubles related to powder.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the recording electrode of the present invention modulates charged particles by passing through an aperture and is used for recording in a direct control type recording device that records an image. The electrode is composed of a substrate, an aperture electrode, and a conducting wire, and the conducting wire and the aperture electrode are formed flat with no difference in level from the surface of the substrate.

[0009]

[Operation] With the recording electrode of the present invention having the above structure, the electrode surface can be made into a flat shape. As a result, there is no possibility of powder adhesion.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image recording apparatus to which the recording electrode of the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, an image recording device 19 includes a recording section 1 and a heat fixing section 2. An insertion port 17 and an ejection port 18 are provided on the side of the image recording device 19. In the recording section 1, an image or the like is recorded on a medium P such as plain paper inserted through the insertion port 17. Then, in the heat fixing section 2, the image etc. on this medium is fixed. Further, the medium P is sent to the ejection port 18 via the guide 15.

The recording section 1 is composed of a rotatable brush roller 3, an aperture electrode 20, and a counter electrode 12. Around the brush roller 3, a supply roller 4 and a layer thickness regulating member 11 are arranged according to the rotating direction of the brush roller 3.
and the scraping member 10 are respectively attached to the brush roller 3,
provided in contact. The brush roller 3 is connected to ground. Furthermore, the supply roller 4 is covered by a toner case K. Toner T is stored inside this toner case K.

The aperture electrode 20 is provided above the brush roller 3. Here, the aperture electrode will be explained with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an aperture electrode as a recording electrode of the present invention.

The aperture electrode 20 has a line electrode 21 and a gate electrode 22 arranged on both sides of a substrate 25, and a large number of apertures 24 penetrating through both. The substrate 25 may be any flat insulator, and usually has a thickness of 25 mm.
resin materials such as polyimide with a diameter of about 100 microns,
Ceramic materials such as alumina and zirconia can be used.

On the substrate 25, lines and gate electrodes 21 and 22 having a thickness of several microns or more are provided by a printing method or a thin film forming method. And the electrode 21,
22 and the substrate 25, the substrate 25 is
A smooth layer 26, which constitutes the substrate of the present invention, is provided. The smooth layer 26 may be made of any insulating material, and for example, polymeric materials such as polyimide, fluorine-based compounds, and polyamide are easily used. Note that the line and gate electrodes 21 and 22 are connected to signal sources S1 and S2, respectively.

[0016] Also, with this aperture electrode 20 in between,
This aperture electrode 2 is provided on the opposite side of the brush roller 3.
The counter electrode 12 is provided with a certain space of 0. Enter this space through the insertion port 17 and guide 1
5 and a pair of auxiliary rollers 16
passes. This counter electrode 12 is connected to a power source E (minus (
−)). By applying this voltage, the toner T that has passed through the aperture 24 of the aperture electrode 20 is moved and adsorbed onto the medium P.

The heat fixing section 2 is composed of a heat roller 13 having a heat source and a press roller 14. and,
The heat roller 13 and the press roller 14 are arranged so that the medium P can pass between them.

Next, the operation of an image recording apparatus using the recording electrode of the present invention will be explained using the same figure.

The medium P inserted through the insertion port 17 is conveyed to the recording section 1. In the recording section 1 , toner T is supplied to the brush roller 3 by the supply roller 4 . At this time, the toner T is distributed between the supply roller 4 and the brush roller 3.
While in contact with, friction, and, for example, plus (+
) is charged. The positively (+) charged toner T is carried by the brush roller 3. Then, the layer thickness regulating member 11
As a result, the excess toner T supplied to the brush roller 3 is scraped off. As a result, a uniform toner layer is formed on the brush roller roller 3.

[0020] Then, near the aperture electrode 20,
The brush roller 3 is scratched by the scraping member 10. When the brush returns to its original position due to its elasticity, an appropriate amount of toner T carried by the brush jumps up. As a result, the toner T becomes cloud-like and the aperture electrode 2
0.

The cloud of positively charged toner T is controlled to pass through an aperture 24 in which a flying electric field and a shielding electric field are formed by signal sources S1 and S2. That is, if an electric field is formed in a forward bias manner with respect to the toner charge, the toner flies to the counter electrode 12. If the electric field is configured with a reverse bias, the toner will not fly.

At this time, the toner adheres to the brush roller 3 side on the aperture electrode surface. Since the surface of the aperture electrode 20, including the electrode conductor wire 23, is very smooth, toner particles of about 10 microns are hardly subject to mechanical restraint. Therefore, problems such as clogging caused by toner adhesion that conventionally occur can be largely prevented. In addition, it is possible to always output good print quality with high recording stability.

Thereafter, the medium P is conveyed to the heat fixing section 2. Then, at this location, the image on the medium P is fixed by being brought into pressure contact with the heat roller 13 and the press roller 14. Since this fixing method is a general method, detailed explanation will be omitted. Finally, the medium P on which the image has been formed is conveyed to the take-out port 18 via the guide 15, and then taken out.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified without departing from the spirit thereof. That is, the gist of the present invention is to prevent toner from adhering to the surface of the aperture electrode by smoothing the surface of the aperture electrode except for the opening. In this example,
A so-called smooth layer 26 was arranged. However, without being limited to this, it may be configured as shown in FIG. 3, for example. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a recording electrode according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this electrode, a line electrode 2 is placed on the substrate 25.
1 and a gate electrode 22 are arranged, but the electrode surface is embedded in the substrate 25. The surface of the electrode and the surface of the substrate can be made smooth without any difference in level, and as a result, troubles caused by binding of the powder are eliminated.

[0025]

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above explanation, the recording electrode of the present invention allows the electrode surface to have a smooth shape. As a result, there is no adhesion of powder, and an inexpensive and highly reliable recording electrode can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image recording device to which a recording electrode of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 (a) is a perspective view of a recording electrode of the present invention. (b) A diagram of the recording electrode seen from the back side.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a recording electrode according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

20 Aperture electrode 21 Line electrode 22 Gate electrode 24 Aperture 25　Substrate 26 Smooth membrane

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A recording electrode for a direct control type recording device that records an image by modulating charged particles by passing them through an opening, the recording electrode comprising: an insulating substrate; and an opening provided on the substrate. 1. A recording electrode comprising an electrode and a conducting wire from an aperture electrode, the conducting wire and the aperture electrode being formed flat with no difference in level from the surface of a substrate.