JPS62271759A - Ion flow controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain images with high S/N particularly through enabling control of a larger quantity of ions, by dividing a casing for a corona source in the flow direction of an ion flow, and biasing the downstream of the casing with the same polarity as that of an electrode on the upstream of a control electrode. CONSTITUTION:A high voltage 14 is impressed on a corona source 10, and negative ions are generated by corona discharge (positive ions are generated when the high voltage is impressed on the corona source with positive polarity). The ions thus generates are conveyed by an electric field, reaches an aperture part 30, and is either permitted to pass or cut off under control by an electric field between control electrodes. A casing for the corona source is split into parts 11, 12. by the effect of the split part 12 of the casing, a flat part along the control electrode 2 of a potential distribution (dotted line) is broadened, and the bulginess of the electric field is increased. As a result, the quantity of ions concentrated on the aperture part 30 is increased, and a larger quantity of ion flow can be controlled. Accordingly, an ion flow controller capable of producing images with high S/N can be provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention 3. Detailed Description of the Invention Technical Field The present invention relates to an ion flow control device, more specifically, an ion flow control device that selectively charges a transfer member by controlling an ion flow, and injects toner onto a charged portion. The present invention relates to an ion flow control device suitable for use in a plotter or the like that forms an image.

It has a corona source and an ion flow control electrode that controls the flow of ions from the corona source, and the ion flow control electrode controls the flow of ions to selectively transfer the ions onto the transfer member. Plotters have already been proposed that perform recording by attaching toner images to charged areas, but in the conventional technology, the amount of ions to be controlled was small, and therefore it was difficult to increase speed and density. .

Purpose The present invention was made in order to solve the drawbacks of the prior art as described above, and in particular, it is possible to control ion flow by controlling more ions and obtaining images with high S/N. This was done for the purpose of providing equipment.

1-In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a control electrode plate disposed close to a transfer member, and a control electrode plate disposed on the opposite side of the transfer member across the control electrode plate. a corona source;
A recording device that selectively charges the transfer member by controlling a first polarity ion flow generated by the corona source that passes through an aperture formed in the control electrode plate, and forms a toner image on the charging portion. The ion flow control electrode plate has at least two electrode plates in the flow direction of the ion flow, and has a casing that accommodates the corona source, and the casing is divided into one segment in the flow direction of the ion flow. The downstream side of the casing is biased to the same polarity as the upstream electrode of the control electrode. Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on examples.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment of the ion flow control device according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams for explaining the operation of the present invention. High pressure 14
is applied, and negative ions are generated due to corona discharge (positive ions are generated if the high voltage is set to (+))
. The generated ions are carried by the electric field, reach the aperture part 30, and are controlled by being passed through or blocked by the electric field between the control electrodes.

Accordingly, 1 the present invention provides a corona source casing 11 and 12.
However, as a conventional example, let's consider the case where the casing is not divided.

The potential distribution inside the casing (especially from the corona [10 to the control electrode plate 2) is shown by the broken line in Figure 2, with a slight bulge in the electric field in the center, and this electric field causes the ions to It will be concentrated in the aperture part 30. However, the amount of ions is not sufficient and it is difficult to increase the speed.

On the other hand, according to the ion flow control device of the present invention, the third
As shown in the figure, due to the effect of the casing division part 12, the flat part along the control electrode 2 of the potential distribution (dotted line) spreads,
The bulge in the electric field increases.

As a result, the amount of ions concentrated in a portion of the aperture increases.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an application example of the ion flow control device according to the present invention.1 Normally, after forming a latent image, a toner image is obtained through development and transfer. Image formation and transfer are performed simultaneously. Examples of loads on the corona source and control electrode include charging and thinning mono-component toner 100 with a doctor blade 120 across a transfer member 140 to form a single layer of toner 101, and rotating a developing sleeve 130 containing a magnetic pole 131. Accordingly, a developing device for conveying a single layer of toner is arranged close to or in contact with the transfer member 140. By controlling the ion flow described above, when negative ions pass through the print area and are blocked at the background area, the transfer member becomes negatively charged in the printing area, and an electric field acts in the direction of attracting the positively charged toner, causing the toner to disappear. The image 102 is directly transferred to the transfer member 140.
Get above. The toner 103 that has not been transferred is used again to form a single layer of toner.

Effects As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, more ion flows can be controlled.

Therefore, it is possible to provide an ion flow control device that can obtain images with high S/N.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment of the ion flow control device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a conventional ion flow control device, and FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the conventional ion flow control device. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the ion flow control device according to the present invention, and is a diagram for explaining an application example of the ion flow control device according to the present invention. 2... Control electrode plate, 10... Corona source, 11...
Upstream casing, 12...Downstream casing, 2o
...Upstream electrode, 22...Downstream electrode, 3o...
Aperture. Patent applicant Ricoh Co., Ltd. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) a control electrode plate disposed close to the transfer member;
a corona source disposed on the opposite side of the transfer member with the control electrode plate in between, and a first corona source generated by the corona source that passes through an aperture formed in the control electrode plate; In a recording device that selectively charges the transfer member by controlling a polar ion flow to form a toner image on a charging portion, the ion flow control electrode plate includes at least two electrode plates in the flow direction of the ion flow. and a casing for accommodating the corona source, the casing being divided in the flow direction of the ion flow, and the downstream side of the divided casing being biased to the same polarity as the upstream electrode of the control electrode. Characteristic ion flow control device. (2) The ion flow control device according to claim (1), wherein the downstream electrode and the upstream electrode are at the same potential.