JPS62181160A - High speed ion flow printing head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to realize a highly precise high speed head, by dividing the lateral direction divided electrodes belonging to the divided unit region in the lateral direction of recording into two in a recording medium feed direction and applying a recording signal to both of two divided electrodes independently and simultaneously. CONSTITUTION:Two lateral direction divided electrodes are provided in a lateral direction unit region X' and two feed direction divided electrodes respectively corresponding to a pair of the lateral direction divided electrodes are selected and a scanning signal is simultaneously sent to said selected electrodes. Therefore, though eight ion discharge openings 4, 5 are contained in the lateral direction unit region X', if the feed direction divided electrodes are simultaneously selected at two every time and the scanning signal is applied to the electrodes four times, one cycle scanning is finished to perform the recording corresponding to one line. Therefore, a head higher in a speed and more precise than a head of conventional constitution can be formed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a high-speed ion flow print head that performs recording by controlling the release of ion streams in accordance with recording signals.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, an ion generating element that non-selectively generates ions,
An ion flow print head comprising an opening provided through electrodes disposed on both surfaces of an insulating layer and configured to emit ions from the opening in accordance with a recording signal,
Various configurations are known.

For example, the Japan Society of Image Electronics Engineers National Conference 14 (1') '17)
In the proceedings, an ion flow printer as shown in Figure 3 is shown. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes an ion generating element made of a corotron, which is composed of a shield electrode 12 and a corona wire 13, and a high voltage DC power supply 19 is connected between the shield electrode 12 and the corona wire 13. 14 is an ion flow control unit, and upper and lower electrodes 15.1
6 is supported in an insulated state, and a through hole 17 is provided, and a control signal is applied from a recording signal source 18 between the electrodes 15 and 16. 22 is a recording paper coated with a dielectric recording layer, 21 is a back electrode that supports it, and a bias power source 20 is connected to the back electrode 21.

In the ion flow printer configured in this way, the corona wire 13 in the ion generating element 11
Ions generated by the corona head toward the back electrode 21, but their passage through the through hole 17 is controlled in the ion flow control section 14 according to a control signal from the recording signal source 18. The ion flow that has passed through the through hole 17 is accumulated on the recording paper 22 to form an electrostatic latent image.

In addition, instead of the configuration in which the ion flow control section is provided between the corona ion generation element and the recording medium such as recording paper as shown in the third country person above, the ion flow control opening end or the electrode wall inside the opening is used to generate ions. An ion flow print head with a special configuration is known, such as in US Pat. No. 4,365,549. The ion flow print head with such a configuration has a five-layer structure consisting of a first conductive layer, a first insulating layer, a second conductive layer, a second insulating layer, and a third conductive layer. T:J for the absolute S main layer and the third conductive layer
A through hole is provided to form an ion release opening,
The first conductive layer, the first insulating layer, and the second exclusive layer constitute an ion generating element.

In the above-mentioned conventional ion flow printer or ion flow print nozzle, the through opening emits an ion stream in accordance with the recording signal and constitutes the smallest unit of recording. In such an ion flow print head, high speed,
In order to obtain a high-definition image recording head, it is preferable to provide a large number of the above-mentioned through-holes at high density and to perform recording by increasing the simultaneous recording numerical aperture.However, it is preferable to simplify the drive circuit. In order to facilitate the processing of the through-hole, it is preferable that the ion flow control electrode be a divided electrode having a matrix structure.

Figure 3) is a diagram showing a divided electrode having a matrix structure as described in the specification of US Pat. No. 4,365,549. In the figure, electrodes 25a...0.・、2
5d is formed on one side of the insulator layer, and the electrode 2
6a, . . . 26d are formed on the other surface of the insulating layer. Further, independent signal voltages can be applied to each electrode.

In addition, each electrode 25a, 25d, 26a, .
・At each intersection position of 26d, there is a through hole 2.
7. ,,27. □・・・・・・214. , 27. b,・
・・・・・・21. b, 27□,・・・・・・27
11c+ 27aa+...27d, but...
It is provided to penetrate each of the electrodes and the insulating layer between them, and forms an opening through which ions are emitted. Then, a recording signal is applied to each of the one electrodes 26a, . . . 26d, and the other electrodes 25a, .
When one electrode, for example, electrode 25a, is selected and a signal is applied, the aperture 27. belonging to the selected electrode 25a is selected. ,,27. ,.

27° and 21.4 are recorded simultaneously.

Next, the electrodes 25 b , 25 c , 25 d
By selecting and recording one by one, recording corresponding to one line is performed.

In this way, in the split electrode with the matrix structure shown in FIG. The number of driving circuits is reduced by driving the ion emitting apertures arranged in a matrix manner.

In the divided electrode of the matrix structure shown in Figure 3), the direction of the arrow is the direction of movement of the recording medium, and the electrode 26
a, . . . 26d must be divided and arranged over an area approximately equal to the recording width, and as a result, the accumulation of dimensional errors in the processing position of the ion emission aperture becomes large.
Make sure that the electrode and aperture positions do not deviate from each other.
It is necessary to widen each array pitch X of 26d and widen the electrode width. In addition, when creating a longer ion flow print head, it is convenient to connect multiple divided electrode units with a matrix structure of unit length in the width direction; If the arrangement pitch X can be widened, there is an advantage that the divided electrode units can be easily connected. In addition, Figure 3C
In B+, Y indicates the arrangement pitch of the divided electrodes in the recording medium moving direction.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In this way, it is necessary to widen the arrangement pitch X between the divided electrodes divided and arranged in the width direction due to various requirements in head processing. By increasing the ion emission numerical aperture provided in the medium feeding direction (four in the conventional example shown in FIG. 3 FB1), an array pitch X proportional to the numerical aperture can be obtained, and the above requirements can be achieved. It was like that. However, increasing the array numerical aperture in the recording medium feeding direction means increasing the number of divided electrodes in the recording medium feeding direction, which increases the time required to perform recording equivalent to 1947 minutes. , which had the disadvantage of hindering high-speed recording.

The present invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional ion flow print head equipped with divided electrodes having a matrix structure. Construct matrix-like electrodes to allow high density,
The purpose of this invention is to provide an ion flow print head capable of high-speed recording.

[Means and effects for solving the problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a matrix-like structure in which the ion generating element and the insulating layer are formed in a matrix shape in the width direction of recording and in the feeding direction of the recording medium, respectively. The matrix-shaped segmented electrode has matrix-shaped segmented electrodes that are arranged in a divided manner, and ion-emitting openings that are formed by penetrating the composite layer of the insulator layer and the electrode layer at the intersections of the matrix-shaped segmented electrodes. A recording medium is sent to an ion flow print configured to emit ions from the ion emitting openings located on the matrix intersections selected according to the recording signals of The electrode is divided into two in the direction, and recording signals are applied independently and simultaneously to each of the two divided electrodes.

With this configuration, when comparing under the conditions of recording at the same recording dot density, the pitch of the unit divided area in the width direction is lower than that of the ion flow print head with the conventional configuration, assuming the image recording speed is the same. In other words, it is possible to double the arrangement pitch of the width-wise divided electrodes, thereby increasing the width of the electrodes, making it easier to perform processing such as drilling holes for ion emission apertures, and using the same processing technology and precision. When applied, it becomes possible to realize a high-speed ion flow print head with higher definition.

〔Example〕

Examples will be described below. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a divided electrode configuration of a matrix structure in an embodiment of an ion flow print head according to the present invention. In the same figure, la, lb, ..., 1h are electrodes divided in the recording medium feeding direction, and electrodes 25a shown in FIG.
, . . . 25d, and is arranged on one surface of the insulating layer. 2a.

3a; 2b, 3b; . . . are pairs of divided electrodes, which are arranged in the recording width direction with an arrangement pinch X', and electrodes 26a, . ...2
6d, and is arranged on the other surface of the insulator layer. And each of this pair of divided electrodes is
Records are formed in each of the 11th areas in the recording width direction. Further, the feeding direction electrode Ia,..., 1h
and the widthwise divided electrodes 2a, 2b,...

At the intersections of 3a, 3b, . It consists of...,..., 5゛,...

When forming a recording in a unit area in each recording width direction, in the conventional ion flow print head, one widthwise divided electrode corresponds to each unit area, but as described above, in the present invention, , a pair of divided electrodes correspond to each other. Therefore, by making the ion emitting numerical apertures provided in one divided electrode in the recording width direction equal, the present invention can provide twice as many apertures in a unit area in the width direction as in the conventional method.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 and the conventional example shown in FIG.
The numerical aperture of each divided electrode is the same.

In the conventional example shown in FIG. 3 FB+, the widthwise unit area has a width indicated by X, and this area is sized to be covered by four openings. On the other hand, in the present invention shown in FIG. 1, the dimension of the unit area in the width direction is
The width direction unit area includes eight openings provided in a pair of divided electrodes.

Incidentally, the time required to record one line is determined by the numerical aperture included in one widthwise divided electrode. That is, while recording equivalent to one line, a scanning signal is sequentially applied to each of the divided electrodes in the feed direction corresponding to each opening of the divided electrode in the width direction, and a recording signal is applied to the divided electrode in the width direction. Since the recording is executed in the same manner, one cycle of scanning of the divided electrodes in the feed direction completes the recording corresponding to one line. In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, two widthwise divided electrodes are provided within a widthwise unit area X', and two feed electrodes corresponding to each pair of widthwise divided electrodes are provided. It is configured to select the direction-divided electrodes and send scanning signals at the same time.Therefore, the widthwise unit area X
Although 8 ion emitting apertures are included in ', two divided electrodes in the feeding direction are selected at the same time, and 4
When a scanning signal is applied to the electrode once, one cycle of scanning is completed and recording corresponding to one line is performed.

FIG. 28 is an explanatory diagram showing the recording procedure using the divided electrodes of the matrix structure according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure. FIG. 2 CAI, [Bl
The circles in are the ion emission apertures in Figures 1 and 3 +81, and the filled circles are the apertures that are simultaneously selected according to the recording signal at the first timing and recording is performed, and the circles with intersecting lines are The marks indicate apertures that are simultaneously recorded at the second timing, the circles with diagonal lines indicate apertures that are simultaneously recorded at the third timing, and the open circles indicate apertures that are simultaneously recorded at the fourth timing. Each opening is shown. In the recording according to the embodiment of the present invention and the conventional example shown in FIG. 2 (A1. The time required is the same.

When the numerical aperture per line is the same, the arrangement pitch X' of the divided electrodes in the recording width direction in the present invention can be set to twice the value of the divided electrode arrangement pitch X in the head of the conventional configuration. .

Therefore, even if the width of the divided electrodes is increased, the insulation between the electrodes can be maintained stably, and when forming ion emitting apertures in the divided electrodes, the tolerance for aperture misalignment increases, making it easier to process the print head. is significantly easier than the conventional configuration. Furthermore, when constructed using the same processing technology, it is possible to create a head with higher speed and higher definition than heads with conventional configurations.

Note that the drive circuit required when performing a recording operation using the ion flow print head according to the present invention is basically the same as a head with a conventional configuration in terms of the number of divided electrodes in the recording width direction. A drive circuit may be used, and the number of divided electrodes in the recording medium feeding direction is twice that of a head with a conventional configuration. Because of this structure, the number of drive circuits is half the number of divided electrodes, and therefore the number of drive circuits for driving the divided electrodes in the recording medium feeding direction can be the same as the number of drive circuits for the head with the conventional configuration. can.

In the ion flow print head according to the present invention, a structure as shown in the third diagram is applied as the ion generating element, and an ion flow control section is provided in the ion flow path emitted from the corona wire, Therefore, if there is an uneven distribution of the corona ion flow rate in the recording medium feeding direction, that is, the ion flow rate is high directly below the corona wire, and the ion flow rate is low in the part away from the corona wire, that is, the part away from the center. To compensate for the effect of the difference in ion flow rate, different voltages are applied to the divided electrodes corresponding to the apertures located in the center and the divided electrodes corresponding to the apertures located at the ends away from the center. The need arises to do so. In such a case, an independent drive circuit may be provided for each divided electrode in the feeding direction of the recording medium to apply different voltages.
Split electrodes located at symmetrical positions from the center, for example, electrode ld
and le, lc and If, lb and Ig, and la and lh are connected in common, and different drive voltages are applied to each.

Note that the arrangement pitch of the S electrodes in the recording medium feeding direction can be set arbitrarily, and since they are distributed and arranged in an extremely short area compared to the recording width direction, cumulative processing errors can also be avoided. The amount is small and there are no problems in processing.

Further, according to the present invention, since the arrangement pitch of the divided electrodes in the recording width direction can be doubled compared to the conventional configuration, a plurality of unit control units having a predetermined dimension in the recording width direction can be connected together to form a long This has the advantage of making it easier to process the connection parts when creating a long ion flow print head.

In addition, in the present invention, the divided electrode in the recording medium feeding direction is structurally divided into two parts with the intermediate part as a boundary, and the pair of divided electrodes in the recording width direction at the intermediate divided part are also divided into two parts, respectively. Since the end portions are configured to face each other, the arrangement pitch Y" of the divided electrodes in the recording medium feeding direction in this intermediate portion is set to be thicker than the arrangement pitch Y' of the electrodes in the other feeding directions ( This will be convenient for processing.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above based on the embodiments, according to the present invention, when configuring a printing node with the same dot density, the arrangement pitch of divided electrodes in the recording width direction can be twice that of the conventional configuration. As a result, print head processing becomes easy and reliable, and a high-speed, high-definition ion flow print head can be easily realized.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing divided electrodes with a matrix structure in an embodiment of an ion flow print head according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 (8) is an explanatory diagram showing the recording procedure using the divided electrodes of the matrix structure according to the present invention shown in FIG.
Figure 3 (old) is an explanatory diagram showing the recording procedure using split electrodes with a matrix structure in a conventional configuration, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional ion flow printer, Figure 3 (Bl is a diagram showing a conventional ion flow printer) It is a diagram showing divided electrodes with a matrix structure in the head. In the figure, la, lb, . . . 1h are divided electrodes in the recording medium feeding direction, 2a, 2b, 3
a. 3b, . . . indicate divided electrodes in the recording width direction, and 4.5 indicates an ion emission aperture. Patent Applicant Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. Figure 1 4.5: /, Ganni (suke) a Figure 2 (A) (B) Figure 3 (A) (B)

Claims (1)

[Claims] An ion generating element, matrix-like divided electrodes arranged in a matrix on both sides of the insulating layer in the recording width direction and recording medium feeding direction, and an insulating layer at the intersections of the matrix-like divided electrodes. and an ion emitting aperture formed by penetrating a composite layer of electrode layers, and emitting ions from the ion emitting aperture located on a matrix intersection point selected according to a recording signal of the matrix-like segmented electrode. In this ion flow print head, the widthwise divided electrodes belonging to the divided unit areas in the recording width direction are divided into two in the recording medium feeding direction, and recording signals are applied independently and simultaneously to each of the two divided electrodes. A high-speed ion flow print head characterized by: