JPH06106768A - Ion-flow type electrostatic recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form an ion-flow type electrostatic recording head in which deviation of the position of a third electrode and deflection of the same are prevented, which causes ions to be generated uniformly during operation of the head and which has durability and is easily machinable, by providing a fixing portion for fixing the third electrode on an insulator layer by using a positive type photosensitive resin. CONSTITUTION:A beltlike third electrode 11 is permitted to adhere to the surface of an insulator layer 10 via a positive type photoresist 13, and openings 11a... are formed in the electrode 11 at respective positions where first electrodes 6... and matrices of second electrodes 9... are opposed to one another. Further, the openings 11a... communicate with openings 10a... of the insulator layer 10 and the openings 9a... of the electrodes 9..., and ion flow passing ports 12... of an ion-flow type electrostatice recording head 3 are formed. When the head 3 is put into operation, the matrices among the electrodes 6... and the electrodes 9... are suitably selected in response to printing signals, and an AC voltage is applied to the portions among the electrodes 6... and the electrodes 9..., which correspond to the selected matrix parts. The amount of electric discharge ions is made uniform during the operation of the head 3, durability is enhanced, and machinability is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ion flow electrostatic recording head used in an electrostatic recording device for electrostatic printing or copying.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, for example, in electrostatic printing, ions of high current density are generated, and the ions are extracted and selectively applied to a member to be charged, and the member to be charged is imagewise charged. Electronic recording devices are known.

An ion flow electrostatic recording head used in this electrostatic recording apparatus has a dielectric layer and a plurality of first electrodes fixed to one surface of the dielectric layer and extending in a first direction.
It has a plurality of second electrodes fixed to the other surface of the dielectric layer and extending in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the first electrode, and the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes form a matrix. . Then, an opening for ion generation is formed in a portion of the second electrode corresponding to the matrix.

A third electrode is provided on the opposite side of the second electrode from the first electrode. An insulator layer is arranged between the third electrode and the second electrode. Openings corresponding to the openings of the second electrode are formed in these insulator layers and the third electrode, and the ion flow passage openings are formed by these openings.

Then, a high voltage is alternately applied between the first electrode and the second electrode corresponding to the selected portion of the matrix between the first electrode and the second electrode so as to face that portion. Positive and negative ions are generated near the opening of the second electrode.

Further, a bias voltage is applied between the second electrode and the third electrode, and only ions determined by the polarity thereof are selectively extracted from the generated ions, pass through the ion flow passage opening, and pass through the third electrode. The member to be charged, which is arranged so as to face the electrode, can be partially charged. Therefore, electrostatic recording by dots can be performed by selectively driving the electrodes having the matrix structure.

The dielectric material forming the dielectric layer used here is required not to cause dielectric breakdown even at a high voltage applied for ion generation. Further, since the dielectric layer needs to have a thickness that efficiently generates ions and can withstand dielectric breakdown, a layer having a high dielectric constant is suitable.

Therefore, as a material of the dielectric layer of the ion flow electrostatic recording head, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-153760 discloses a material in which titanium oxide powder is mixed in a silicone-modified polyester alkyd resin.

Further, a stainless steel foil is used as the material for the second electrode and the third electrode. And the second
A silicone pressure sensitive adhesive is used to fix the electrode to the dielectric layer. In addition, a solder mask overcoat film (hereinafter referred to as a solder mask film) is used to fix the third electrode to the insulator layer.
The method is to hold the electrodes down to the insulator layer.

[0010]

By the way, when the third electrode is fixed to the insulating layer by using the solder mask film, each opening of the third electrode is aligned with each opening of the second electrode. It is designed to be positioned and pressed down, then a solder mask film is attached, and this is photo-cured.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, between the opening of the third electrode and the opening of the second electrode, the solder mask film is adhered and before it is photo-cured. In order to prevent the positional deviation, provisional fixing means for the third electrode is provided at the fixing portion between the third electrode and the insulator layer, for example, an adhesive agent is used together, or a third electrode is pressed by a jig that does not interfere with light irradiation. Since it is necessary, there is a problem that the work of fixing the third electrode to the insulating layer becomes troublesome.

Further, since the third electrode, which is a metal material, and the insulator layer, which is a polymer material, have basically different thermal expansion coefficients, during the post-process of manufacturing the ion flow electrostatic recording head or during the ion flow. When the electrostatic recording head expands / contracts due to a thermal history over time, the fixing position of the third electrode on the insulating layer is resisted against the expansion / contraction operation of the third electrode and the insulating layer. It is necessary to forcibly hold it in place.

However, the solder mask film is vulnerable to creep before photo-curing and has a large brittleness after photo-curing, so that there is a problem that it cannot withstand the expansion / contraction operation of the third electrode and the insulating layer.

For this reason, it is also possible to press the third electrode on the insulating layer with a heat-resistant polymer resin adhesive tape such as polyimide, polyester, or Teflon having a stronger cohesive force. However, in the case of an adhesive tape, it is necessary to stretch the tape before using it for pasting, so the third electrode is pressed into the insulator layer in a state where the tape is slightly stretched, and as a result, the third electrode does not change with time. Displacement or bending may occur.

As a result, during operation of the ion flow electrostatic recording head, the amount of ions generated from each opening of the ion flow electrostatic recording head varies, or the generated ions are charged to adsorb the toner for image formation. Therefore, there is a possibility that the surface of the charging drum and the surface of the third electrode may come into contact with each other, and there is a problem that the image quality easily deteriorates with time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to endure a temporal expansion / contraction operation between a third electrode which is a metal material and an insulator layer which is a polymer material. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ion flow electrostatic recording head having adhesive strength, capable of preventing positional deviation and bending of the third electrode and generating uniform ions during operation, and having durability and being easy to process.

[0017]

According to the present invention, a plurality of first electrodes extending in one direction and in parallel on an insulating substrate and a plurality of first electrodes extending in a direction intersecting with the first electrodes are provided. And a plurality of second electrodes each having an opening formed in a portion corresponding to the matrix and the second electrode.
A dielectric provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, which is disposed on the side opposite to the first electrode with respect to the electrode and has a third electrode having an opening formed in a portion corresponding to the matrix. An ion flow electrostatic recording head comprising a layer and an insulator layer provided between the second electrode and the third electrode and having an opening formed in a region corresponding to the matrix, wherein the insulator layer is provided. A fixing portion for fixing the third electrode is provided on the positive electrode by using a positive photosensitive resin.

[0018]

When the insulating layer and the third electrode are bonded together, a liquid or sheet-shaped positive photosensitive resin is applied on the insulating layer or the third electrode.
It is applied or placed on the surface of the electrode, the insulating layer and the third electrode are bonded together by thermocompression bonding, and active energy rays such as ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the third electrode side. Then, by heating only the portion of the opening of the third electrode which has been irradiated with ultraviolet rays, which is dissolved and removed with an alkaline developing solution, heating between the insulating layer and the third electrode which has not been irradiated with ultraviolet rays is performed. The positive photosensitive resin is cured so as to develop a strong adhesive force.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1A and 1B show a schematic structure of an ion flow electrostatic recording head 3 of an electrostatic recording apparatus, and 5 is an insulating substrate of the ion flow electrostatic recording head 3.

On the insulating substrate 5 are provided a plurality of first electrodes 6 ... Which are induction electrodes for ion generation. The plurality of first electrodes 6 ... Are arranged substantially parallel to each other in one direction.

A dielectric layer 7 is provided on the insulating substrate 5 on the side where the first electrodes 6 are arranged side by side in a state of embedding these first electrodes 6. A plurality of second electrodes 9, which are discharge electrodes, are fixed to the surface of the dielectric layer 7 with an adhesive 8.

Further, the plurality of second electrodes 9 ...
Are arranged on the surface opposite to the insulating substrate 5 and are arranged in parallel in a direction intersecting with the first electrodes 6 ...
And the second electrode 9 ... Form a matrix. Then, the second electrodes 9 ... Are respectively formed with the openings 9a.

An insulating layer 10 is provided on the side of the dielectric layer 7 where the second electrodes 9 are arranged side by side, with the second electrodes 9 embedded. Openings 10a are formed in the insulating layer 10 at positions corresponding to the openings 9a of the second electrodes 9.

Further, a strip-shaped third electrode 11 is adhered to the surface of the insulating layer 10 via a positive photoresist 13. The third electrode 11 has an opening 11a at a portion corresponding to the matrix of the first electrode 6 ... And the second electrode 9 ...
... is formed. The opening 11a of the third electrode 11
Is the opening 10a of the insulator layer 10 and the second electrode 9 ...
Of the ion flow electrostatic recording head 3 are formed so as to communicate with the openings 9a.

During operation of the ion flow electrostatic recording head 3, the matrix between the first electrodes 6 ... And the second electrodes 9 ... Is appropriately selected based on the print signal, and the matrix corresponding to the selected matrix portion is selected. An alternating voltage is applied between the first electrode 6 ... And the second electrode 9 ...

As a result, positive / negative ions are generated in the vicinity of the openings 9a ... Of the second electrodes 9 ... Corresponding to the selected matrix portion. At this time, a bias voltage is applied between the second electrode 9 ... And the third electrode 11, and only the ions determined by the polarity thereof are in the opening 9 of the second electrode 9.
It is extracted from the ions generated in the vicinity of a ...

Then, the extracted ions are used as the insulator layer 10.
Through the opening 10a and the opening 11a of the third electrode 11 to locally charge the dielectric drum (not shown). Therefore, a dot latent image can be formed on the dielectric drum by selectively driving the first electrode 6 ... And the second electrode 9 ...

Next, a method of manufacturing the ion flow electrostatic recording head 3 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B will be described in detail.
First, the first electrodes 6 ... Are formed on the insulating substrate 5. In this case, the insulating substrate 5 is, for example, a glass-epoxy FPC board (flexible printed board) having a thickness of 100 μm.
Then, a copper foil having a thickness of 18 μm is adhered on the insulating substrate 5, and then patterned by etching to form the first electrodes 6 ...

Further, after forming the first electrodes 6 on the insulating substrate 5, as shown in FIG. 2A, a dielectric is formed between the patterns of the first electrodes 6 on the insulating substrate 5 and on the first electrodes 6. The body layer 7 is formed. During the work of forming the dielectric layer 7, a dielectric paste is prepared in advance using titanium oxide as a filler and silicone-modified alkyd resin as a binder.

This dielectric paste is the first paste on the insulating substrate 5.
It is applied between the patterns of the electrodes 6 and on the first electrodes 6 by means such as screen printing. Further, after the dielectric paste applied on the insulating substrate 5 is dried,
The hardened dielectric layer 7 having a thickness of 33 μm on the first electrodes 6 ...
Is formed.

Next, the electrode plates of the second electrodes 9 ... Are fixed on the surface of the dielectric layer 7 via the adhesive 8. The second electrodes 9 are formed on a stainless steel foil having a thickness of 30 μm in advance by etching or the like, and the plurality of second electrodes 9 and the openings 9a of the second electrodes 9 are formed.
The electrode pattern consisting of ... Is formed by patterned electrode plates.

The electrode plate of the second electrodes 9 ...
As shown in (B), the dielectric layers 7 are formed in a state where the openings 9a of the second electrodes 9 are aligned with the plurality of first electrodes 6.
It is joined via an adhesive 8 on top.

Here, as the adhesive 8, a silicone-based adhesive diluted four times with toluene is used. And
The adhesive 8 is applied on the dielectric layer 7 and the insulating substrate 5 by spraying or dipping. Furthermore, after applying the adhesive 8, it is heated at 70 ° C. for 5 minutes to volatilize and dry the solvent, and then adhere.

Next, the adhesive 8 sandwiched between the dielectric layer 7 and the insulating substrate 5 and the second electrode 9 is placed on a hot plate at 130 ° C. for 10 minutes for 8 kg / cm ² It is heated and cured under the load. Here, the insulating substrate 5, the second electrode 9 and the adhesive 8 in the openings 9a ... Are treated with a silane coupling agent.

Further, a photosensitive insulating film (solder resist) is vacuum-laminated on the dielectric substrate 7 in the insulating substrate 5, the second electrodes 9 ... And the openings 9a ... And the insulating layer 10 is formed. . Thereafter, this insulating film is subjected to photoetching treatment such as exposure and development in the same manner as a normal photosensitive film, and the openings 10a for passing an ion flow corresponding to the openings 9a of the plurality of second electrodes 9 ... ... is formed.

Next, the insulator layer 10 thus formed
The third electrode 11 having the openings 11a ... Corresponding to the openings 9a ... of the second electrodes 9 ...

At the time of adhering the third electrode 11, a positive type photoresist (positive type photosensitive resin) 13 is applied to the surface of the third electrode 11 by dipping. As the positive type photoresist 13, a system in which a curing agent and a sulfonic acid ester of diazonaphthoquinone are added as a photosensitizer to a novolac resin and diluted three times with toluene is used.

Then, when the toluene is volatilized, the third electrode 11 is superposed on the insulating layer 10 with the opening 10a of the insulating layer 10 and the opening 11a of the third electrode 11 positioned, and the positional deviation occurs. 1kg / cm ² so that there is no After being vertically pressurized with, the active energy ray such as ultraviolet ray of 365 nm is irradiated.

At this time, since the surface of the third electrode 11 has a large number of openings 11a, the surface of the positive photoresist 13 in the openings 11a is irradiated with ultraviolet rays through the openings 11a.

Here, the positive photoresist 13 irradiated with ultraviolet rays can be washed and removed because it is easily dissolved in a specific solution such as an alkaline solution, but the positive photoresist 13 not irradiated with ultraviolet rays can be specified with an alkaline solution or the like. Since it is not soluble in solution, it remains as an adhesive layer.

Then, after exposure to ultraviolet rays, sodium carbonate 1
The opening 1 of the third electrode 11 is formed by spraying a wt% aqueous solution.
The positive photoresist 13 in 1a is dissolved and removed. Since the surfaces of the insulator layer 10 and the third electrode 11 are bonded to each other, the position is not easily displaced even if the pressure is released.

After that, the positive photoresist 13 between the insulator layer 10 and the third electrode 11 is heated and cured at 80 ° C. for 2 hours, and the positive photoresist 13 is formed on the insulator layer 10.
The ion flow electrostatic recording head 3 is manufactured by forming a fixing portion for fixing the third electrode 11 by using and and completing the adhesion.

Therefore, in the above structure, the third electrode 11 is formed on the insulating layer 1 by using the positive type photoresist 13.
Since the fixing portion adhered to 0 is provided, the positive type photoresist 13 is applied on the insulating layer 10 or the surface of the third electrode 11 during the bonding work between the third electrode 11 and the insulating layer 10. After bonding the adhesive parts between the insulator layer 10 and the third electrode 11 by thermocompression bonding or the like, active energy rays such as ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the third electrode 11 side, and after exposure to ultraviolet rays,
By applying a spray of a 1 wt% aqueous solution of sodium carbonate, only the positive photoresist 13 in the opening 11a of the third electrode 11 can be selectively washed and removed.

Further, the positive photoresist 13 (the portion other than the opening 11a of the third electrode 11) which is not irradiated with the internal ultraviolet rays is cured in a later step, so that the surface of the dielectric layer 7 and the surface of the third electrode 11 are cured. Between the insulating layer 10 and the third electrode 11 can be firmly adhered to each other by adhesion of the surfaces, and the third electrode 11 made of a metal material and a high layer can be formed in the coating layer of the positive photoresist 13 between the insulating layer 10 and the third electrode 11. It is possible to develop a high adhesive strength with the insulator layer 10 which is a molecular material, to the extent that it can withstand expansion / contraction operations with time.

Therefore, the insulating layer 10 and the third electrode 11 are resistant to post-processing and thermal and mechanical expansion and contraction of each material when the ion flow electrostatic recording head 3 is used. Since it is possible to prevent positional displacement and bending between the ion flow electrostatic recording head 3 and the ion flow passage opening 1 when the ion flow electrostatic recording head 3 operates.
The amount of discharge ions from 2 ... Can be made uniform, high image quality can be achieved, durability can be improved, and workability can be improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, as in the second embodiment of the present invention, a high-sensitivity positive photoresist, for example, "OFPR manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd." is formed on the surface of the third electrode 11 obtained by etching a stainless foil having a thickness of 30 μm into a predetermined pattern. -500
"0" (trade name) is spray-coated and bonded to the insulator layer 10 to form a fixing portion for fixing the third electrode 11 on the insulator layer 10 using the positive photoresist 13. May be.

In this case, the spray-coated surface of the high-sensitivity positive photoresist 13 on the surface of the third electrode 11 was bonded to the insulating layer 10 and then 1 kg / cm ² Pre-baking is performed at 110 ° C. for 90 seconds under pressure to thin the adhesive layer of the high-sensitivity positive photoresist 13 and enhance the cohesive force of the resist resin.

Further, after this, exposure is performed at a wavelength of 405 nm, and a developing solution such as "NMD-W" manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd. is used.
(Product name) spray, opening 11a of the third electrode 11
The photoresist 13 therein is dissolved and removed.

Then, after rinsing with pure water, the third electrode 11 is pressed against a hot plate at 145 ° C. for 5 minutes to leave a positive type which remains as an adhesive layer between the insulator layer 10 and the third electrode 11. The photoresist 13 is hardened. Others
The ion flow electrostatic recording head 3 is manufactured by the same method as in the first embodiment.

Therefore, in the structure described above, the high sensitivity positive photoresist 13 is used to form the insulating layer 10 and the third layer.
Since the electrode 11 is adhered, the insulator layer 10 and the third electrode 1 that endure the expansion / contraction operation with time as in the first embodiment.
1 has an adhesive strength between the first electrode 11 and the third electrode 11, does not cause displacement or bending of the third electrode 11, and uniformizes the amount of discharge ions from each ion flow passage port 12 when the ion flow electrostatic recording head 3 operates. Higher image quality can be achieved, durability can be improved, and workability can be improved.

Further, as in the third embodiment, the thickness is 30 μm.
The surface of the third electrode 11 obtained by etching the above stainless steel foil into a predetermined pattern is spray-coated with a polyimide-based positive photoresist such as "RN-901" (trade name) manufactured by Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd. And the positive type photoresist 13 on the insulator layer 10
It may be configured to form a fixing portion that fixes the third electrode 11 using.

In this case, the spray-coated surface of the polyimide type positive photoresist 13 on the surface of the third electrode 11 was bonded to the insulator layer 10 and then 1 kg / cm ² Pre-baking is performed at 80 ° C. for 90 minutes under pressure to reduce the adhesive layer of the polyimide-based positive photoresist 13 while volatilizing the solvent, and increase the cohesive force of the resist resin.

After that, the third electrode 11 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the vertical direction and sprayed with a developing solution, for example, "NMD-3" (trade name) manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
The photoresist 13 in the opening 11a is dissolved and removed.

Subsequently, after rinsing with pure water, heating at 170 ° C. for 1 hour and further pressing on a hot plate at 350 ° C. for 30 minutes left as an adhesive layer between the insulator layer 10 and the third electrode 11. The positive type photoresist 13 that is present is cured. Otherwise, the ion flow electrostatic recording head 3 is manufactured by the same method as in the first embodiment. Therefore, even in the case of the above structure, since the insulating layer 10 and the third electrode 11 are adhered using the polyimide-based positive photoresist 13,
Similar to the first embodiment,

The ion flow electrostatic recording head has an adhesive strength between the insulating layer 10 and the third electrode 11 that can withstand expansion and contraction with time, does not cause displacement and bending of the third electrode 11. During the operation of 3, the amount of discharge ions from each ion flow passage port 12 can be made uniform, high image quality can be achieved, durability can be improved, and workability can be improved.

In addition, for example, the insulator layer 10 and the third electrode 1
A sheet-shaped positive type photosensitive resin may be used for adhesion with 1. Further, as the positive photosensitive resin, diazonaphthoquinone series, imide series, acrylic series, ketone series, olefin sulfone series, polyacetylene series, etc. may be used.
Furthermore, it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0057]

According to the present invention, since the fixing portion for fixing the third electrode is provided on the insulating layer by using the positive type photosensitive resin, the third electrode which is a metal material and the insulating material which is a polymer material are insulated. Adhesive strength withstanding expansion / contraction with the body layer can be obtained, position deviation and bending of the third electrode can be prevented, and uniform ions can be generated during operation, as well as durability. And the workability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B show one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing a schematic configuration of an ion flow electrostatic recording head, and FIG. 1B is a sectional perspective view of the ion flow electrostatic recording head. Fig.

2A and 2B show a manufacturing process of an ion flow electrostatic recording head, in which FIG. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing a state where a dielectric layer is laminated on a first electrode and an insulating substrate; FIG. Is a vertical cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a state in which a second electrode is adhered to a dielectric layer, and (C) is a vertical cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a state in which an insulator layer and a third electrode are laminated on the second electrode. Face view.

[Description of Reference Signs] 6 ... First electrode, 7 ... Dielectric layer, 9 ... Second electrode, 9a, 1
0a, 11a ... Opening portion, 10 ... Insulator layer, 11 ... Third electrode, 13 ... Positive photoresist (positive photosensitive resin).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of first electrodes extending in one direction and in parallel on an insulating substrate, and a plurality of first electrodes extending in a direction intersecting with the first electrodes to form a matrix together with the first electrodes. A plurality of second electrodes each having an opening formed in a portion corresponding to the matrix, and the second electrode being disposed on the side opposite to the first electrode, and having an opening formed in the portion corresponding to the matrix. A third electrode, a dielectric layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an opening portion provided between the second electrode and the third electrode and corresponding to the matrix. An ion flow electrostatic recording head including a formed insulator layer, wherein a fixing portion for fixing the third electrode using a positive photosensitive resin is provided on the insulator layer. Flow electrostatic recording head.