JPS61156081A - Electrostatic recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep an insulating recording body always clean and to maintain the high recording quality of an electrostatic recorder over a long period by forming a filming removing means to be actuated every prescribed number of times of recording. CONSTITUTION:A metal fitting 22 is usually rotated in the counterclockwise direction by the force of spring 23 and a cleaning part 21 is separated from a recording body 3. When the number of times of recording reaches a prescribed value, a solenoid 24 is excited, an L-shaed fitting 23 is rotated and the cleaning part 21 is pressed against the recording body 3 to remove a filming part. To execuate cleaning, a mark is put on the recording body 3, a sensor output is counted by a counter in a control device 33, and when the counted value reaches a prescribed value, the control device 33 outputs a signal for exciting the solenoid 24. When the counted value reaches a value indicating the whole peripheral cleaning, the control device 33 erases the signal concerned to de- energize the solenoid 24.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an electrostatic recording device used in facsimiles, printers, etc., and in particular, a recording electrode and a magnetic toner developing device are arranged through an insulating recording material, The present invention relates to cleaning means for the surface of a recording medium of a recording apparatus that forms a toner image on an insulating recording medium by applying an image signal.

[Conventional technology]

A recording electrode and a magnetic toner developing device are arranged through an insulating recording medium, and an image signal voltage is applied to the recording electrode and a voltage is selectively applied to the opposing electrode to form an electrostatic latent image and a toner image on the recording medium. An electrostatic recording device that simultaneously performs (development) has already been proposed by the present inventors.
As shown in Figs. FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the recording section, and the recording electrode 1 is constituted by a multi-stylus in which electrode needles 2 consisting of a plurality of groups are arranged in a line. An insulating recording body 3 made of a dielectric film such as polyester is brought into contact with the recording electrode 1.

On the other hand, inside the fixed cylindrical sleeve 4, there is a rotating magnetic (magnet) roller 5 magnetized to N and S poles as shown in the figure.
A magnetic toner developing device 6 having a magnetic toner developing device 6 is installed at a position facing the recording electrode 1 with the insulating recording medium 3 interposed therebetween. Further, on the (non-magnetic) cylindrical sleeve 4, a counter electrode 7 divided into a plurality of segments is installed. When recording, magnetic toner is transferred to the outer circumference of the cylindrical sleeve 4 by the rotation of the magnetic roller 5, a voltage corresponding to the image signal is applied to the electrode needle 2, and a voltage of opposite polarity is applied to the counter electrode 7. By selectively applying the magnetic toner, magnetic toner is made to adhere to the insulating recording medium 3 to form a toner image.

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of how magnetic toner is attached to the insulating recording medium 3 and a toner image 19 is formed in a state where a voltage is applied to the electrode needles 2. As throughout the figures, like parts in each figure are given the same reference numerals. 18 is a magnetic brush in which toner particles are connected in a chain. That is, as the magnetic roller 5 rotates, toner is transported from the toner storage layer below the roller along the surface of the non-magnetic cylindrical sleeve 4, and is aligned as shown in the figure along the magnetic field lines emitted by the magnetic roller (1 on the sleeve). If you look at it as a point, it is standing or lying down), and constitutes the magnetic brush 18. When voltage pulses of opposite polarity are applied to the electrode needle 2 and the counter electrode 7 while the insulating recording body 3 is moving, for example, in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure, the minute voltage between the electrode needle 2 and the insulating recording body 3 is applied. An air discharge occurs in the gap, and a latent image charge 20 is formed on the surface of the two electrode needles of the insulating recording body 3. At the same time, charges of opposite polarity are injected into the toner at the tip of the magnetic brush I8, which has been carried onto the selected segment, from the counter electrode 7 through the toner column, and the toner at the tip is injected with the Coulomb force of the latent image charge 20. The toner particles attract each other and adhere to the insulating recording medium 3 to form a toner image 19.

Incidentally, an uneven layer having a predetermined height is formed on the surface of the insulating recording body 3 on the side of the electrode needle 2 in order to maintain the micro-gaps necessary for generating an air discharge. This uneven layer is formed by applying spacers and a binder to the surface of the recording medium 3.

FIG. 5 shows the overall configuration of the recording apparatus. The insulating recording material 3 is made of a dielectric film in the form of a heddle, and is provided with rollers 8, 9, .
10 and rotates at a constant speed. The tip of the recording electrode 1 is placed in contact with the inside of the insulating recording body 3. Further, a magnetic toner developing device 6 having a counter electrode 7 on the surface of the cylindrical sleeve 4 is installed facing the recording electrode 1. After forming a 1-ner image on the insulating recording body 3 as explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the insulating recording body 3 is further rotated and touched to the ground. The paper j2 is generally fed once parallel to the insulating recording medium 3, and then transferred to the transfer roller 1 from the back side.
3 to transfer the toner image onto the recording paper 12. Although the insulating recording medium 3 and the recording paper 12 are depicted as being separated from each other in this figure, in reality they are pressed against each other by the rollers 9 and 13.

The toner image transferred from the insulating recording medium 3 to the recording paper 2 is fixed to the recording paper 12 by a fixing device 14.

The insulating recording body 3 further rotates and enters the static eliminating section. This charge eliminating section has corona charge removers 16 and 17 on both sides of the insulating recording body 3.
are placed facing each other, and an alternating voltage with a phase shift of 180° is applied to each corona static eliminator, thereby erasing the charge of the magnetic toner remaining on the insulating recording medium 3, and removing the magnetic toner. The force of adhesion to the insulating recording medium 3 is weakened. When the insulating recording medium 3 is further rotated and conveyed to the recording section, the remaining magnetic toner is collected by the magnetic force of the magnetic roller 5 in the magnetic toner developing device 6.

Image recording is performed in this electrostatic type recording device by repeating the recording process as described above, and this type of recording device simultaneously performs the latent image forming process using the recording electrode and the developing process using the developing machine. Furthermore, it has the advantage of being simpler in structure, smaller in size, and lower in price as an output device such as a facsimile. Also, using magnetic toner,
Since untransferred toner can be collected and reused in the developing machine without cleaning, it has the advantage of easy maintenance and low consumables prices.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) Now, in this electrostatic recording method, a toner image 19 is formed on the recording medium 3.
This is an indirect recording method in which a toner image is formed and the toner image is transferred to recording paper 12, and therefore, the lifespan of the recording medium is also a major consideration. The recording body 3 has a 20 to 30 layer formed with a concavo-convex layer.
An insulating film with a thickness of pm is used, and the longevity of the recording medium may be affected by deterioration of printing due to mechanical abrasion of the uneven layer or electrostatic influence by the static-eliminating corotron 16°17. It has been proven that stable printing can be obtained after repeated printing over 30,000 times.

On the other hand, in this recording method, a roller transfer method is used to perform stable transfer, and in this roller transfer method, the transfer roller of 3.2 K g 7 cm 2 is pressed by pressure to perform the transfer through the recording paper. For this reason, pressure is applied to the toner particles themselves, causing the toner particles to be destroyed, and the carbon and resin on the surface of the toner particles to fall off and adhere to the recording medium, and as printing is repeated, the detached object becomes stuck. Then, filming begins. Since this fixed substance contains carbon, etc., the resistance on the surface of the recording medium decreases, and as shown in FIG. As a result, it becomes difficult for the toner at the tip of the magnetic brush 18 to adhere to the electrostatic latent image on the recording medium 3, making it difficult to form a toner image.

The present invention cleans carbon, resin, and wax residues, that is, filming, that have adhered to the surface of the recording medium by continuous printing without losing the advantage of this electrostatic recording device that toner can be automatically reused. , it is intended to be possible to record one stable image continuously.

[Means for solving problems]

In the present invention, a recording electrode and a magnetic toner developing device are disposed facing each other via an insulating recording medium, and a recording electrode is divided into a plurality of segments facing the recording electrode on a sleeve containing a magnetic roller of the magnetic toner developing device. A toner image is formed on the insulating recording medium by selectively applying a voltage between the recording electrode and the opposite electrode, and then the toner image is transferred to the recording paper, and the insulating In an electrostatic recording device that repeatedly performs recording while removing the electric charge of the magnetic toner remaining on the recording medium and collecting the remaining magnetic toner by the magnetic force of the magnetic toner developing machine, the surface of the recording medium is placed opposite to the recording medium. providing means for removing filming due to toner particles, debris, etc. stuck on the recording medium, and not operating the filming removing means at all times, but operating the filming removing means when recording reaches a predetermined number of repetitions; The apparatus is characterized in that a control means for cleaning the surface of the recording medium is provided.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. In this figure, (11) shows a state in which cleaning is off, that is, no cleaning is performed, and (2) shows a state in which cleaning is on, that is, a state in which cleaning is performed.

In these figures, 21 is a cleaning part made of a material with excellent adhesion such as felt, rubber, or sponge, 22 is an L-shaped metal fitting, and 623 is an L-shaped metal fitting whose central bent part is rotatably attached to a shaft 31. The spring 24 is a solenoid, which is attached to the end of the L-shaped fitting 22 opposite to the end where the cleaning part 2I is attached, and energizes the solenoid 24.
By deenergizing, the L-shaped fitting 23 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise about its shaft 31.

In this filming removing means 30, the L-shaped fitting 22 is normally rotated counterclockwise by the force of the spring 23, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning section 21 is separated from the recording medium 3. Therefore, cleaning is not performed, and the toner that is recorded in the transfer section but not transferred to 1EI2 is neutralized in the neutralization section as described above and collected by the magnetic force of the developing machine.

When the number of recordings reaches a predetermined number, for example 500, the solenoid 24 is energized, the L-shaped fitting 23 is rotated, and the cleaning part 21 is pressed against the recording medium 3 as shown in FIG. 1(2).

As a result, the filming portion on the recording body 3 is removed, and after this removal, the solenoid 24 is deenergized to return to the state shown in FIG. 1(1). To perform cleaning after recording a predetermined number of times, a mark is attached to the recording medium 3, this is detected by the sensor 32, the senna output is counted by a counter of the control device 33, and the counted value is set to a predetermined number, for example, 500. If the value becomes 50, the control device 33 outputs a signal to energize the solenoid 24, and the old value does not indicate that the entire circumference of the recording medium 3 has been cleaned.
When the signal reaches 1 (one time cleaning) or 502 (two times cleaning), the signal disappears and solenoid 2
It is possible to take methods such as de-energizing 4, stopping cleaning, clearing the counter, and restarting counting from 0.

When felt was used for the cleaning portion 21 and cleaning was performed once every 500 times, it was confirmed that stable image recording was possible even after 10,000 times of repeated printing.

FIG. 2 shows another example of the filming removal means 30. In FIG. 2(1), a doctor blade 25 is used to scrape off the filming 11 adhered to the recording medium 3 with the cutting edge of the blade. Reference numeral 26 denotes a tray that accommodates the sown filming. The doctor blade 25 is movable in the direction of the arrow, and moves forward and comes into contact with the recording medium 3 during cleaning, and normally retreats and does not come into contact with the recording medium 3. This advancement and cleaning are also performed every predetermined number of recordings. FIG. 2 (2) shows a method using a paper web 27, in which the paper web 27 is unwound from one of the winding and rewinding reels 29a, 29b and wound onto the other, and is pressed against the recording medium 3 by a roller 28 to form a film. 11 is removed. In this method, the filming 11 is wiped off, so the tray 26 is not particularly necessary. This filming removing means 30 also does not operate all the time, but the roller 29a and the like are activated every predetermined number of times of recording to perform cleaning.

Although the filming removing means 30 is installed at the guide roller 10 in the illustrated example, the mounting position may be changed as appropriate.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, since the present invention is provided with a filming removal means that operates every predetermined number of recordings, the insulating recording medium can always be kept clean, and the recording quality of the electrostatic recording device can be maintained for a long period of time. can be retained. In addition, since this filming removal means is always in the retracted position and does not contact the insulating recording material, the toner remaining without being transferred to the recording paper in the transfer section is automatically collected by the developing machine, which is an electrostatic recording method. Since the features of the device are not obstructed, and filming is only removed occasionally when necessary, it is easy to dispose of the removed material, resulting in excellent maintainability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are explanatory diagrams showing embodiments of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a perspective view showing an overview of the electrostatic recording device, and FIGS. 4 to 6 are diagrams illustrating its operation. In the drawings, 3 is an insulating recording body, 1 is a recording electrode, 6 is a magnetic toner developer, 5 is a magnetic roller, 4 is a cylindrical sleeve, 7 is a counter electrode, 19 is a toner image, 12 is a recording paper, 16.17
30 is a corona static eliminator; 30 is a filming removal means; 32.
33 is a control means. Representative: Fujitsu Ltd. Representative Patent Attorney Minoru Aoyagi 11!1 n Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] A recording electrode and a magnetic toner developing device are arranged facing each other via an insulating recording body, and a plurality of segments are arranged opposite to the recording electrode on a sleeve containing a magnetic roller of the magnetic toner developing device. A divided counter electrode is arranged, and a voltage is selectively applied between the recording electrode and the counter electrode to form a toner image on the insulating recording medium.Then, the toner image is transferred to recording paper, and the toner image is transferred to the recording paper. In an electrostatic recording device that repeatedly performs recording while removing the charge of magnetic toner remaining on an insulating recording medium and collecting the remaining magnetic toner by the magnetic force of the magnetic toner developing device, Provide means for removing filming due to toner particles, debris, etc. that adhere to the body surface,
Further, the electrostatic recording is characterized in that it is provided with a control means that does not operate the filming removing means at all times, but activates the filming removing means when recording reaches a predetermined number of repetitions to clean the surface of the recording medium. Device.