Patent EP0587366A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0587366A1
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Image recording apparatus with toner carrier member and particle-flow modulating electrode member
Assignee: Brother Industries Ltd
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Filing: 1993-09-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-09-01
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium (31) by deposition of a toner (26), including a particle-flow modulating electrode member (1, 11) having apertures (6, 16) formed therethrough and control electrodes (4) corresponding to the apertures, a toner supply device (20, 40) including a toner carrier (22, 42) disposed on one of opposite sides of the electrode member, for carrying a layer of the toner to the apertures, and a voltage applying device for applying a controlled voltage to each control electrode, to thereby modulate flows of the toner particles through the apertures toward the recording medium located on the other side of the electrode member. The apparatus includes a device (2, 12, 24) by which corresponding portions of the toner carrier (22, 42) and the particle-flow modulating electrode member (1, 11) which are adjacent to the apertures are biased against each other for contact therebetween.
Inventors
- 👤 Masataka c/o Brother Kogyo K.K. Maeda
- 👤 Tomoaki c/o Brother Kogyo K.K. Hattori
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 05:58
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/385; B41J2/41; B41J2/415; B41J2/4155; G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/22; G03G15/34; G03G15/344; G03G15/346; G03G2217/00; G03G2217/0008; G03G2217/0025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
An image recording apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium (31) by deposition of a toner (26), said apparatus including (a) a particle-flow modulating electrode member (1, 11) having a plurality of apertures (6, 16) formed therethrough and a plurality of control electrodes (4) corresponding to said apertures, (b) a toner supply device (20, 40) including a toner carrier (22, 42) which is disposed on one of opposite sides of said electrode member and which carries a layer of said toner on an outer surface thereof, and (c) voltage applying means (8) for applying a controlled voltage to each of said plurality of control electrodes, according to image information representative of said image, and thereby modulating flows of particles of said toner through said plurality of apertures toward said recording medium located on the other side of said electrode member, the apparatus further comprising: biasing means (7a, 7b, 10, 24) for biasing corresponding portions of said toner carrier (22, 42) and said particle-flow modulating electrode member (1, 11) against each other for contact therebetween, said corresponding portions being adjacent to said plurality of apertures (6, 16).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said particle-flow modulating electrode member (1, 11) comprises a substrate (2, 12) having elasticity and made of an electrically insulating material, and said biasing means includes tensioning means (7a, 7b, 10, 24) for applying a tension to said electrode member so that said electrode member is held elastically curved along a part of said outer surface of said toner carrier (22, 42) such that said electrode member is in pressing contact with said toner carrier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said tensioning means comprises means (7a, 7b, 10) for applying a tension to said electrode member (1, 11) in a direction of feed of said recording medium (31).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said toner carrier (22) comprises a core (24) made of an elastic material and a metallic film (25) which covers a surface of said core, said toner carrier being positioned relative to said electrode member (1) so that said core (24) presses said metallic film onto said electrode member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
101 words
An image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein said toner carrier (22, 42) includes a carrier electrode (25, 42), and said voltage applying means (8) comprises a potential control circuit for regulating an electric potential between said carrier electrode and each of said control electrodes (4, 14), selectively to a first potential that is sufficient to cause a stream of particles of said toner (26) to pass through the aperture (6, 16) corresponding to said each control electrode, and a second potential that is insufficient to cause said stream of particles to pass through the corresponding aperture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said particle-flow modulating electrode member (1) includes a substrate (2) made of an electrically insulating material, and said plurality of control electrodes (4) are formed on one of opposite surfaces of said substrate on the side of said toner carrier (22), such that said each control electrode surrounds an edge of said corresponding aperture (6).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein at least one of an array of said control electrodes (4) and said toner carrier (22, 42) is covered by an anti-shorting layer (44, 46, 48, 50) for preventing short-circuiting between said control electrodes and said toner carrier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said anti-shorting layer consists of an electrically insulating layer (44, 46).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said anti-shorting layer consists of an electrically resistive layer (48, 50) having an electrical resistance value between 1KΩ and 1TΩ.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
An image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 5-9, wherein said toner carrier (22, 42) includes a carrier electrode (25, 42), said apparatus further comprising a back electrode (32) disposed so as to support said recording medium (31) at one of opposite sides of said recording medium remote from said particle-flow modulating electrode member (1, 11), and a biasing circuit (33) for applying a biasing voltage between said carrier electrode and said back electrode such that said back electrode has a positive potential.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said particle-flow modulating electrode member (1) further includes a shielding electrode (3) formed on one of opposite surfaces of said substrate (2) remote from said plurality of control electrodes (4), said apparatus further comprising a connecting circuit for connecting said carrier electrode (25) and said shielding electrode (3).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said potential control circuit (8, 9) regulates said electric potential between said carrier electrode (25) and said each control electrode (4), such that a potential of said each control electrode is changeable between a value equal to that of said carrier electrode and a value lower than that of said carrier electrode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said particle-flow modulating electrode member (11) includes a substrate (12) made of an electrically insulating material, and said plurality of control electrodes (14) are formed on one of opposite surfaces of said substrate on the side of said recording medium (31), such that said each control electrode surrounds an edge of said corresponding aperture (16).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 13, wherein at least one of said toner carrier (42) and said substrate (12) is covered by an electrically resistive layer (52, 54).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said electrically resistive layer has an electrical resistance value between 1KΩ and 1TΩ.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
79 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said toner carrier (42) includes a carrier electrode (42), said apparatus further comprising a back electrode (32) disposed so as to support said recording medium (31) at one of opposite sides of said recording medium remote from said particle-flow modulating electrode member (11), and a biasing circuit (33) for applying a biasing voltage between said carrier electrode and said back electrode such that said back electrode has a positive potential.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said potential control circuit (8, 9) regulates said electric potential between said carrier electrode (42) and said each control electrode (14), such that a potential of said each control electrode is changeable between a value not higher than that of said carrier electrode and a value higher than that of said carrier electrode.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
149 words
An image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein said particle-flow modulating electrode member (1) comprises a substrate (2) made of an electrically insulating material and having said plurality of apertures (6), a common electrode (3) provided on one of opposite surfaces of said substrate and in the form of a continuous layer common to all of said plurality of apertures, and said plurality of control electrodes (4) which correspond to said apertures, respectively, and wherein said voltage applying means (8) regulates an electric potential between said common electrode (3) and each of said control electrodes (4), selectively to a first potential that is sufficient to cause a stream of particles of said toner (26) to pass through the aperture (6) corresponding to said each control electrode, and a second potential that is insufficient to cause said stream of particles to pass through the corresponding aperture.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
An image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1-18, wherein said toner carrier consists of a toner carrier roll (22, 42) which is supported rotatably about an axis thereof, at least an outer portion of said roll which provides an outer surface of said roll being formed of an electrically conductive material and serving as an electrode.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
125 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said toner supply device (20, 40) comprises said toner carrier roll (22, 42), and a toner feed roll (23) supported rotatably about an axis parallel to said axis of said toner carrier roll, in the same direction as said toner carrier roll, in close proximity to or contact with said toner carrier roll, said toner supply device further comprising a toner casing (21) which accommodates a mass of said toner (26) such that said mass of toner accommodated in said toner casing surrounds at least mating circumferential portions of outer surfaces of said toner carrier and feed rolls, said toner casing having a bottom lower than said mating portions of said toner carrier and feed rolls.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
108 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said toner supply device further comprises a restrictor blade (27) disposed along and adjacent to a part of an outer circumference of said toner carrier roll (22, 42), between two points at which said toner carrier roll is nearest to said toner feed roll and said particle-flow modulating electrode member (1, 11), so that said restrictor blade contacts a layer of particles of said toner transferred from said toner feed roll to said toner carrier roll, and thereby assures a uniform condition of deposition of the particles of said toner on said outer surface of said toner carrier roll.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising second biasing means for biasing said restrictor blade (27) and said outer surface of said toner carrier roll (22, 42) toward each other.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
72 words
An image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1-22, further comprising a back electrode roll (32) disposed for rolling contact with one of opposite surfaces of said recording medium (31) remote from said particle-flow modulating electrode member (1, 11), said back electrode roll serving as an electrode at least at an outer portion thereof which has an outer surface for rolling contact with said one surface of said recording medium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
55 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said particle-flow modulating electrode member (1, 11) includes a substrate (2, 12) made of an electrically insulating material, and wherein at least one of opposite surfaces of said substrate is covered by an anti-static layer (3, 50, 54, 56) for preventing electrostatic charging of said substrate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said anti-static layer consists of an electrically resistive layer (50, 54, 56) which has an electrical resistance between 1KΩ and 1TΩ.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
56 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said control electrodes (4) are disposed on one of said opposite surfaces of said substrate (2) of said electrode member (1) on the side of said toner carrier (22), and wherein said electrically resistive layer (50, 56) covers said one of said opposite surfaces of said substrate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
64 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said control electrodes (14) are disposed on one of said opposite surfaces of said substrate (12) of said electrode member (11) on the side of said recording medium (31), and wherein said electrically resistive layer (54) covers the other of said opposite surfaces of said substrate which is on the side of said toner carrier.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
An image recording apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said anti-static layer consists of an electrically conductive layer (3) which covers one of said opposite surfaces of said substrate (2).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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