JPH0740586A - Ion flow recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out easily the high speed and highly detailed recording and processing by inducing ions from a first composite layer side in compliance with a recording signal for applying first and second slit-shaped electrode groups and discharging ions out of an ion discharge opening. CONSTITUTION:Corona ions generated from an ion generating source 1 are induced to an ion control section 17. The induced ions are discharged out of an ink discharge opening 5 on a slit electrode crossing point selected in complianace with a recording signal of the matrix-shaped slit electrode. As a composite layer composed of a first electrode 11 and an insulated layer 12 of a recording head out the ion generating side is formed into the slit shape by a through-hole, the amount of ions induced to an ion flow control section is increased and the concentration thereof is also increased to comply with the high speed. The second electrode is also formed into the slit shape, and an ion passing opening is formed on a crossing point of slits of first and second electrcodes, and as respective slits can be formed by simply crossing respective slits, the positioning accuracy of the matrix-shaped slit electrode as required heretofore is not necessary in the case of highly detailed recording and processing thereof is easy.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ion flow recording head for recording by controlling emission of an ion stream according to a recording signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of electrostatic recording heads have been known in the past, which are configured to form an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic recording paper or an electrostatic recording drum in which a dielectric layer is formed on a conductor. There is.
For example, a recording head used in an electrostatic recording method called an ion flow recording method is provided with two aperture electrodes for controlling passage of a corona ion flow, and a recording signal is applied to the two aperture electrodes to form an electrostatic latent image. It is configured to be formed, and has many advantages such as stable recording characteristics and variable dot diameter and density.

4A and 4B are conceptual views of a corona discharge type ion flow printer. In the figure, 1 is a corona ion source, 2 is an upper opening electrode, 4 is a lower opening electrode, and both electrodes form an opening 5 penetrating with the insulating layer 3 in between to form a unit recording element. 6 is a recording member, 8 and 9 are control signal voltage sources, 7 is a corona ion generating power source, and 10 is a bias voltage source.

In the ion flow recording head having such a structure, when the corona ion source 1 generates positive corona ions, the upper opening electrode 2 is positive between both electrodes as shown in FIG. 4 (a). When such a control signal voltage is applied, a corona ion flow flies on the recording member 6 along the downward electric field formed in the opening 5 to form a latent image. On the other hand, when a control signal voltage is applied between the two electrodes so that the polarities are reversed as shown in FIG. 4B, an electric field is formed in the opening 5 in the upward direction to block the ion flow, and the ions are released from the opening 5. Cannot pass through. As a result, charges corresponding to the control signal voltage are accumulated on the recording member 6, and the dot diameter and the density can be controlled by the magnitude of the control signal voltage and the voltage application time.

[0005]

By the way, in order to manufacture a high-definition recording head, a large number of unit recording elements shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B are arranged in a row and the openings are formed to some extent. Need to be small. However, the smaller the aperture, the more accurate the alignment of the ion emission aperture located at the intersection of the upper electrode and the lower electrode. This is because when the opening position is deviated between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, it affects the recording characteristics, and the smaller the opening, the more difficult the manufacturing becomes.

On the other hand, as the opening becomes smaller, it becomes more difficult for ions to pass through the opening from the corona ion generation source, which becomes a factor that hinders the speedup.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an ion flow recording head capable of high-speed and high-definition recording and easy to manufacture and process.

[0008]

The ion flow recording head of the present invention has a first insulating layer having a plurality of rows of slits penetrating therethrough in the main or sub-scanning direction.
A first composite layer on which a slit-shaped electrode group is formed, and around each of the slits of a second insulating layer formed on the lower surface of the first composite layer and having a plurality of rows of slits penetrating therethrough in the sub or main scanning direction. A second composite layer formed with a second slit-shaped electrode group;
A common electrode formed on the lower surface of the second composite layer and having an ion emission opening formed at least at the intersection of the first and second slit-shaped electrode groups, and applied to the first and second slit-shaped electrode groups. It is characterized in that ions are induced from the first composite layer side in accordance with the recording signal to be emitted and the ions are emitted from the ion emission opening. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the ion current is narrowed by applying a predetermined voltage between the second slit-shaped electrode group and the common electrode.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the matrix-shaped divided electrodes having the insulating layer interposed therebetween are formed so as to penetrate from the conventional through holes in a slit shape, whereby the first electrode group and the second electrode group are provided, and the second electrode group is provided. The alignment between the common electrode and the common electrode does not pose a problem so much, and the processing in the case of a high-definition element array becomes easier than the conventional type. In addition, since the first electrode group on the ion generation source side has a slit shape from the conventional hole, a large amount of ions from the ion generation source can be guided to the control unit, and even if the emission port becomes smaller, the ion emission is smaller than that of the conventional type. The amount can be secured, and it is possible to support high speed. Further, by applying a predetermined voltage between the second electrode group and the common electrode, it is possible to improve the effect of narrowing down the ion flow and achieve high definition.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing matrix-shaped divided electrodes of a recording head of the present invention. The slit-shaped first electrode 11 has, for example, a slit 11a extending in the main scanning direction, while
Slit-shaped second electrodes 13 facing each other through the insulating layer 12
Has slits 12a extending in the sub-scanning direction, for example, and the intersections of both slits are scattered in a matrix.
Further, a common electrode 15 facing the second electrode via the insulating layer 14 and having an opening 5 formed at the intersection of both slits is formed.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a printer using the ion flow recording head according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing ion flow control. In the figure, a corona ion generation source 1 is composed of a casing electrode 20 and a corotron wire 22, 17 is an ion control unit, and 21 is an ion control unit.
Is an electrostatic recording drum. The ion control unit 17 has a structure in which matrix-shaped divided electrodes are arranged on both surfaces of the insulating layer in a matrix form in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, respectively, and an insulating layer and a common electrode are provided below the divided electrodes. ,
Composite layer 1 of the first electrode 11 on the ion source side and the insulating layer 12
8. Composite layer 18 of second electrode 13 and insulating layer 14 thereunder
Ion emission slits are formed so as to penetrate through the respective electrodes, and the ion emission openings 5 are formed through the common electrode 19 at the intersections of these slits.

In FIG. 3, corona ions generated from the ion generation source 1 are guided to the ion controller 17. The induced ions are emitted from the ion emission openings 5 located at the intersections of the matrix slit electrodes selected according to the recording signals of the matrix divided electrodes.

In this recording head, since the composite layer of the first electrode 11 on the ion generation source side and the insulating layer 12 is formed into a slit shape from the conventional through hole, the amount of ions induced to the ion flow control section is increased. Since it is possible to increase the concentration, it is possible to cope with speeding up, and the second electrode is also a slit electrode, and the ion passage port is formed at the intersection of the slits of the first electrode and the second electrode. Since it is only necessary to cross each slit, even if the resolution is high, the alignment accuracy of the matrix-shaped divided electrodes as in the conventional recording head is not required and the processing becomes easy.

Further, a constant voltage is applied between the second electrode 13 and the common electrode 15 by the power supply 16 to form an upward electric field in the ion passage opening, and the effect of narrowing the ion flow is enhanced to increase the opening 5. Higher resolution can be achieved without reducing the diameter.

In the above embodiment, the case where the common electrode is formed with an opening at each slit intersection is described.
The present invention is not limited to this, as long as there is an opening at least at each slit intersection, for example, this opening may also be a slit-shaped opening extending in the main or sub-scanning direction.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the ion emission port is formed into a slit shape from the conventional through hole, the alignment between the respective electrodes does not become a problem.
Processing with a high-definition element array is easier than the conventional type, and more ions from the ion source can be guided to the control unit, so even if the emission port becomes smaller than the conventional type Can be secured, and it is possible to support higher speeds. Further, by applying a predetermined voltage between the second electrode group and the common electrode, it is possible to enhance the effect of narrowing down the ion flow and achieve high definition.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing matrix-shaped divided electrodes in a recording head of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a printer using an ion flow recording head.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing ion flow control.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a corona discharge type ion flow printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Corona generating source, 5 ... Aperture, 6 ... Recording member, 7 ... High voltage power source for ion generation, 8, 9 ... Control signal voltage source, 10 ... Bias voltage source, 11 ... First electrode, 11a ... Slit, 1
2 ... Insulating layer, 13 ... 2nd electrode, 13a ... Slit, 14
... Insulating layer, 15 ... Common electrode, 16 ... Bias voltage source, 1
Reference numeral 7 ... Ion controller, 18 ... Composite layer of first electrode and insulating layer, 19 ... Composite layer of second electrode and insulating layer, 20 ... Casing electrode, 21 ... Electrostatic recording drum.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A first composite layer in which a first slit-shaped electrode group is formed around each slit of a first insulating layer having a plurality of rows of slits penetrating in the main or sub-scanning direction, and a first composite layer. A second composite layer formed on the lower surface of the layer, wherein a second slit-shaped electrode group is formed around each of the slits of the second insulating layer that passes through a plurality of rows of slits in the sub or main scanning direction; A common electrode formed on the lower surface of the second composite layer and having an ion emission opening formed at least at the intersection of the first and second slit-shaped electrode groups, and applied to the first and second slit-shaped electrode groups. An ion flow recording head, wherein ions are induced from the first composite layer side in accordance with a recording signal and the ions are emitted from an ion emission opening. 2. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein the ion flow is narrowed by applying a predetermined voltage between the second slit-shaped electrode group and the common electrode. head.