JPH04358856A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a recorder the structure of which is simplified and by which a required recording state can obtain. CONSTITUTION:A toner 64 is carried to near an aperture electrode 30 with a toner carrier roller 50 of which a surface of a metallic roller core 12 is coated by a piezoelectric member 13. Then, the piezoelectric member 13 which expands and contracts according to an electric field is made to expand and contract by generating a vibrating electric field by applying a vibrating voltage between a reference electrode layer 4 of the aperture electrode 30 and the metallic roller core 12. The toner 64 carried to near the aperture electrode 30 by vibration energy of the piezoelectric member 13 is separated from the piezoelectric member 13 to make a cloud state of the toner 64.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that can be used in copying machines, printers, facsimile machines, and the like.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-248662, for example, this type of recording apparatus controls toner passing through an opening by applying an image signal to an aperture electrode. Some types use the toner that passes through the image to form an image on a support such as plain paper and fix it. In this case, the toner is uniformly adhered and carried on the surface of the carrying roller, and as the carrying roller rotates, the toner is conveyed to the vicinity of the opening formed in the aperture electrode.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in conventional recording apparatuses, since the means for conveying the toner to the vicinity of the opening of the aperture electrode is a carrier roller, the toner adheres to the carrier roller due to the force (for example, mirror image force). (Van der Waals force) differs depending on each toner, so it is necessary to generate an image signal with a strong electric field in order to separate even toner with a certain degree of strong adhesion from the carrying roller and pass it through the opening of the aperture electrode. However, there was a problem in that the recording device became complicated. In addition, even if an image signal is generated in a strong electric field, some toner may not be released from the carrying roller, and the desired amount of toner that should pass through the openings may not be obtained, resulting in the inability to obtain the desired recording state. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording device that can simplify the structure of the device and can obtain a desired recording state. .

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the recording device of the present invention includes an aperture electrode that modulates and controls the flow of toner passing through the aperture, and an aperture electrode that modulates and controls the flow of toner passing through the aperture. The device includes a toner carrier that transports charged toner in the vicinity, and a counter electrode that faces the aperture electrode and is provided on the opposite side of the toner carrier, and covers the toner carrier and applies an electric field. The piezoelectric member is provided with a piezoelectric member that expands and contracts in accordance with the oscillating electric field, and an electric field generating means that generates an oscillating electric field and detaches toner attached to the piezoelectric member by expanding and contracting the piezoelectric member in accordance with the oscillating electric field.

[0006]

[Operation] The piezoelectric member of the present invention having the above structure covers a toner carrier for conveying charged toner, and expands and contracts in response to an electric field. The electric field generating means generates an oscillating electric field, and uses the oscillating energy of the piezoelectric member, which expands and contracts in response to the oscillating electric field, to detach the toner attached to the piezoelectric member.

[0007]

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

First, the configuration of the recording apparatus 10 of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

On the left side of the recording device 10, there is a recording paper 1.
2, and an ejection port 16 on the right side for ejecting the recorded recording paper 12.
is provided. Insertion port 1 inside recording device 10
4 and the discharge port 16, there are a recording section 18, a heat fixing section 20 adjacent thereto, and a guide 2 for guiding the recording paper 12.
2 and 24 are provided. The recording paper 12 inserted through the insertion slot 14 is moved by a guide 22 and a pair of feed rollers 2.
6 and the image is recorded in the recording unit 18,
The image is fixed in the thermal fixing section 20 . and,
The recording paper 12 is guided along a guide 24, and the recording paper 12 is guided through the ejection port 1.
6 to the outside of the recording device 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, an aperture electrode 30 is provided approximately at the center of the recording section 18. As shown in FIG. 2, the aperture electrode 30 includes an insulating layer 34 in which a large number of openings 32 are formed in a row, and a large number of openings ( A reference electrode layer 36 having a reference electrode layer 36 (not shown) and a number of openings 38 corresponding to the openings 32 are arranged on the upper surface of the insulating layer 34, each of which has an opening 38 communicating with the opening 32, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of three layers including a control electrode layer 38 having a layer a. As shown in FIG. 1, a ground voltage is applied to the reference electrode layer 36, and a signal voltage from a signal source S is applied to each control electrode layer 38.

Further, a pair of piezoelectric elements 42 are provided on the lower surface of the aperture electrode 30, that is, on both ends of the lower surface of the reference electrode layer 36, with a spacer 40 in between.
2 is connected to an oscillator 44 via an electrode 46. This piezoelectric element 42 is expanded and contracted by an alternating current electric field generated by an oscillator 44, and vibrates the aperture electrode 30 via the spacer 40.

Further, below the aperture electrode 30, a toner carrying roller 50 is rotatably provided. The toner carrying roller 50 has a structure in which the surface of a conductive metal roller core 52 is coated with a piezoelectric member 54 made of ceramic such as PZT (zircon-lead titanate) or PLZT (lanthanum-zircon-lead titanate). It becomes. Further, the metal roller core 52 of the toner carrying roller 50 includes:
An oscillating power source 56 is connected, and applies an oscillating voltage between it and the reference electrode layer 36 to generate an oscillating electric field. Due to the oscillating electric field, the piezoelectric member 54 between the metal roller core 52 and the reference electrode layer 36 expands and contracts in accordance with the oscillating electric field.

Upstream of the toner carrying roller 50 in the rotating direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 1), a rotatable toner supply roller 58 is provided at a position in contact with the toner carrying roller 50. This toner supply roller 58 is covered with a toner case 60, and the toner 64 stored in the toner case 60 is uniformly adhered to the surface by a layer thickness regulating member 62. The toner 64 uniformly adhered to the surface of the toner supply roller 58 is uniformly supplied to the surface of the toner carrying roller 50.

A toner carrying roller 50 is located above the aperture electrode 30, that is, facing the aperture electrode 30.
On the opposite side, a roller-shaped counter electrode 66 is arranged at a predetermined interval. A predetermined gap between the aperture electrode 30 and the counter electrode 66 allows the recording paper 12 inserted through the insertion port 14 and fed by the guide 22 and feed roller 26 to pass through.

Further, a negative voltage is applied to the counter electrode 66 by a power source 68, and the opening 3 of the aperture electrode 30
2 to the control electrode layer 38 side, the toner 64 is moved and adsorbed onto the recording paper 12.

The heat fixing section 20 is provided with a heat roller 70 having an internal heat source and a press roller 72 which are rotatably in contact with each other. Heat roller 70 and press roller 7
The toner 64 passed between the recording paper 12 and the recording paper 12.
The structure is such that it is fixed using heat.

Next, the operation of the recording apparatus 10 having the above configuration will be explained.

First, when the recording paper 12 is inserted through the insertion slot 14, the recording paper 12 is sent to the recording section 18, and is conveyed to the counter electrode 66 by the guide 22 and the feed roller 26.

On the other hand, the toner 64 stored in the toner case 60 is uniformly adhered to the surface of the toner supply roller 58 by the layer thickness regulating member 62, and is evenly adhered and carried from the surface of the toner supply roller 58 to the surface of the toner carrying roller 50. be done. Then, as the toner carrying roller 50 rotates, the toner is conveyed to the vicinity of the opening 32 of the aperture electrode 30. At this time, the toner 64 rubs between the toner supply roller 58 and the toner carrying roller 50 and is supplied to the surface of the toner carrying roller 50, so that the toner 64 has a positive (+)
is charged with electricity. The toner 6 charged positively (+) and transported near the opening 32 of the aperture electrode 30
4 receives the vibration energy of the piezoelectric member 54 that expands and contracts in response to the oscillating electric field generated between the metal core 52 of the toner carrying roller 50 and the reference electrode layer 36 of the aperture electrode 30, thereby reducing mirror image force and van del force. It separates from the attached piezoelectric member 54 due to Waals force or the like, forms a cloud, and is supplied to the aperture electrode 30. Note that since the strength of the electric field is inversely proportional to the distance during which the voltage is applied, the piezoelectric member 54 of the toner carrying roller 50 expands and contracts only in the portion close to the aperture electrode 30, and transfers the toner 64 in a cloud shape only in that portion. It has the energy of vibration. Therefore, the toner 64 is supplied to the aperture electrode 30 without separating from the toner carrying roller 50 while being conveyed to the vicinity of the opening 32 by the toner carrying roller 50 .

When a voltage (slightly lower voltage with the same polarity as the counter electrode 66) is applied from the signal source S to the control electrode layer 38 of the aperture electrode 30, the control electrode is applied from the reference electrode layer 36 side into the opening 32. Toner 6 charged toward the layer 38 side
4 generates an electric field to move it. As a result, the charged toner 64 passes through the opening 32 from the reference electrode layer 36 side to the control electrode layer 38 side. Note that by changing the magnitude of the voltage applied to the control electrode layer 38 and the time for applying the voltage, the amount of toner 64 passing through the opening 32 can be changed.

On the other hand, when the control electrode layer 38 is grounded or a positive voltage is applied, no electric field is generated that causes the toner 64 to pass through the opening 32 from the reference electrode layer 36 side to the control electrode layer 38 side. Toner 64 does not pass through opening 32 . In this way, by controlling the voltage applied to the control electrode layer 38, the charged toner flow can be easily modulated.

At this time, since the toner 64 is supplied in the form of a cloud, it is hardly subjected to any restraining force other than the control electric field generated by the aperture electrode 30. Therefore, toner flow can be controlled simply by generating a weak control electric field.

Then, the positively (+) charged toner 64 that has passed through the opening 32 due to the control electric field flies toward the counter electrode 66 that is negatively charged (−) due to the application of a negative voltage. Recording paper 1 transported to the front
Attach to 2. A toner image is formed on the recording paper 12 by the attached toner 64.

[0024] Also, a spacer 40 is provided on the aperture electrode 30.
The piezoelectric element 42 installed through the oscillator 44 expands and contracts due to the electric field generated by the oscillator 44, causing the aperture electrode 30 to vibrate through the spacer 40. Therefore, the toner 64 that adheres or attempts to adhere to the aperture electrode 30 due to mirror image force, van der Waals force, etc. receives vibration energy from this vibration and does not adhere to the aperture electrode 30. Therefore, in this recording device 10, the opening 3 of the aperture electrode 30
2 does not cause hole clogging due to toner 64,
Stable recording can be performed.

The recording paper 12 with the toner 64 adhered to it is conveyed to the heat fixing section 20, and is pressed and heated by a heat roller 70 and a press roller 72 to fix the toner image on the recording paper 12. Since this fixing method is well known, detailed explanation will be omitted.

Then, the recording paper 1 with the toner image fixed thereon
2 is conveyed to the discharge port 16 and discharged from the apparatus.

As described in detail above, in the recording apparatus of this embodiment, since the toner 64 is supplied in the vicinity of the aperture electrode 30 in a cloud shape, it is possible to control the toner 64 passing through the aperture 32 with a low voltage. can. Therefore, it is possible to provide a recording device with a simple configuration and high energy efficiency.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments detailed above, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For example, in this embodiment, a roller-shaped toner carrier is described, but a belt-shaped toner carrier may also be used.

[0030]

As is clear from the above detailed description, according to the present invention, a cloud-like toner can be supplied near the aperture electrode, so that a desired recording state can be obtained. Further, since the toner flow can be controlled with a small amount of energy, there is an effect that the configuration of the apparatus can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an aperture electrode mounted on the recording device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Recording device 30 Aperture electrode 32 Opening 50 Toner carrying roller 54 Piezoelectric member 56 Vibration power supply 64 Toner 66 Counter electrode

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An aperture electrode that includes an opening and modulates and controls the flow of toner passing through the opening, a toner carrier that conveys charged toner near the opening, and a toner electrode that faces the aperture electrode. and a counter electrode provided on the opposite side of the toner carrier, a piezoelectric member that covers the toner carrier and expands and contracts in response to an electric field, and a piezoelectric member that generates an oscillating electric field and generates a vibration of the toner carrier. A recording apparatus comprising an electric field generating means for causing toner attached to the piezoelectric member to be released by expanding and contracting the piezoelectric member in response to an electric field.