US3689935A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrostatic line printer
Assignee: Markem Imaje Corp
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Filing: 1969-10-06
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Granted: 1972-09-05
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Expires: 1989-10-06
Abstract
Abstract An electrostatic line printer incorporating a multilayered particle modulator comprising a layer of insulating material, a continuous layer of conducting material on one side of the insulating layer and a segmented layer of conducting material on the other side of the insulating layer. At least one row of apertures is formed through the multilayered particle modulator. Each segment of the segmented layer of conductive material is formed around a portion of an aperture and is insulatively isolated from every other segment of the segmented conductive layer. Selected potentials are applied to each of the segments of the segmented conductive layer while a fixed potential is applied to the continuous conductive layer. An overall applied field projects charged particles through the row of apertures of the particle modulator and the density of the particle stream is modulated according to the pattern of potentials applied to the segments of the segmented conductive layer. The modulated stream of charged particles impinge upon a print-receiving medium interposed in the modulated particle stream and translated relative to the particle modulator to provide line-by-line scan printing.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald L Pressman
- 👤 John V Casanova
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 02:22
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/385; B41J2/41; B41J2/415; B41J2/4155; G; G01; G01D; G01D15/00; G01D15/06; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/22; G03G15/32; G03G15/321; G03G15/323; G03G15/34; G03G15/344; G03G15/346; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/14; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/23; H04N1/29; G03G2217/00; G03G2217/0008; G03G2217/0025; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S101/00; Y10S101/37
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
An electrostatic printer comprising: a multilayered particle flow modulator comprising a layer of insulating material, a first layer of conductive material on one side of said insulative layer and a segmented second layer of conductive material coated on the other side of said insulative layer, each segment of the segmented conductive layer being isolated from each other segment, said multilayered modulator having at least one row of apertures therethrough, a segment of the segmented conductive layer being disposed around each aperture; means for selectively applying electric potentials between said segments of the segmented layer of conductive material on the one side of the insulative layer and the first layer of conductive material on the other side; means for projecting charged particles through the particle modulator apertures whereby flow of particles therethrough is modulated according to the potentials applied between the segments of the segmented conductive layer and the first layer of conductive material; and means for positioning a print-receiving medium in the path of flow of particles and for providing relative translation between said print-receiving medium and the particle modulator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
An electrostatic printer comprising: a multilayered particle flow modulator comprising a layer of insulating material, a first layer of conductive material on one side of said insulative layer and a segmented second layer of conductive material coated on the other side of said insulative layer, each segment of the segmented conductive layer being isolated from each other segment, said multilayered modulator having at least one row of apertures therethrough, a segment of the segmented conductive layer being disposed around each aperture; means for selectively applying electric potentials between said segments of the segmented layer of conductive material on the one side of the insulative layer and the first layer of conductive material on the other side; means for projecting charged particles through the particle modulator apertures whereby flow of particles therethrough is modulated according to the potentials applied between the segments of the segmented conductive layer and the first layer of conductive material; and means for positioning a print-receiving medium in the path of flow of particles and for providing relative translation between said print-receiving medium and the particle modulator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
An electrostatic printer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for selectively applying comprises a plurality of leads respectively connected to the segments and further comprising a plurality of photoconductor cell means whereby the potential at each segment of the segmented layer is a function of the light falling on the photoconductor cell corresponding to the respective segment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
188 words
An electrostatic line printer comprising: a multilayered particle flow modulator comprising a layer of insulating material, a continuous layer of conductive material coated on one side of said insulative layer and a segmented layer of conductive material coated on the other side of said insulative layer, each segment of the segmented conductive layer being insulatively isolated from each other segment, said multilayered modulator having at least one row of apertures formed therethrough, a segment of the segmented conductive layer being formed around a portion of each aperture; means for applying electric potentials between each of said segments of the segmented layer of conductive material and the continuous layer of conductive material whereby a plurality of potential differences of selected magnitude and orientation are established in the apertures of the particle modulator between the segments of the segmented layer and the continuous layer; means for projecting charged particles through the particle modulator apertures whereby the density of the particle stream is modulated according to the pattern of potentials applied to the segments of the segmented conductive layer; and means for positioning a print-receiving medium in the modulated particle stream.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
188 words
An electrostatic line printer comprising: a multilayered particle flow modulator comprising a layer of insulating material, a continuous layer of conductive material coated on one side of said insulative layer and a segmented layer of conductive material coated on the other side of said insulative layer, each segment of the segmented conductive layer being insulatively isolated from each other segment, said multilayered modulator having at least one row of apertures formed therethrough, a segment of the segmented conductive layer being formed around a portion of each aperture; means for applying electric potentials between each of said segments of the segmented layer of conductive material and the continuous layer of conductive material whereby a plurality of potential differences of selected magnitude and orientation are established in the apertures of the particle modulator between the segments of the segmented layer and the continuous layer; means for projecting charged particles through the particle modulator apertures whereby the density of the particle stream is modulated according to the pattern of potentials applied to the segments of the segmented conductive layer; and means for positioning a print-receiving medium in the modulated particle stream.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
215 words
An electrostatic line printer comprising: a multilayered particle flow modulator comprising a layer of insulating maTerial, a first layer of conductive material coated on one side of said insulating layer, said layers having at least one row or apertures formed therethrough, and a segmented second layer of conductive material coated on the other side of said insulating layer, each segment of said second conductive layer formed around an aperture through the modulator, each segment being non-continguous with any other segment; means for applying selected potentials individually to each of said segments of the segmented second conductive layer on the one side of the particle modulator and means for establishing a substantially fixed potential at the first layer of conductive material on the other side of the particle modulator whereby electric fields of selected magnitude and orientation are established within the apertures between the segments of the segmented layer and the first conductive layer; means for projecting charged particles through selected apertures of the particle modulator according to the pattern of potential differences applied between said segments of the segmented conductive layer and the first conductive layer; and means for positioning a print-receiving medium in the particle stream passing through the particle modulator, and further means for translating said print-receiving medium relative to the particle modulator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
215 words
An electrostatic line printer comprising: a multilayered particle flow modulator comprising a layer of insulating maTerial, a first layer of conductive material coated on one side of said insulating layer, said layers having at least one row or apertures formed therethrough, and a segmented second layer of conductive material coated on the other side of said insulating layer, each segment of said second conductive layer formed around an aperture through the modulator, each segment being non-continguous with any other segment; means for applying selected potentials individually to each of said segments of the segmented second conductive layer on the one side of the particle modulator and means for establishing a substantially fixed potential at the first layer of conductive material on the other side of the particle modulator whereby electric fields of selected magnitude and orientation are established within the apertures between the segments of the segmented layer and the first conductive layer; means for projecting charged particles through selected apertures of the particle modulator according to the pattern of potential differences applied between said segments of the segmented conductive layer and the first conductive layer; and means for positioning a print-receiving medium in the particle stream passing through the particle modulator, and further means for translating said print-receiving medium relative to the particle modulator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
an electrostatic line printer as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for applying selected potentials individually to each of the segments of the segmented second conductive layer comprises a plurality of photoconductor elements, one corresponding to each segment, a plurality of electrical lead means connecting each segment through a photoconductor element to ground potential, electrical power supply means and resistance means connected through the power supply means and each said segment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
An electrostatic line printer as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for applying selected potentials individually to each of the segments of the segmented second conductive layer comprises a plurality of electrical lead wires connected respectively to the segments for applying potentials respectively thereto and a single electrical lead wire connected to the first layer of conducting material for applying a fixed potential thereto.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
An electrostatic line printer as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a plurality of photoconductor cell means each of said segments of said second conductive layer being connected through a separate one of said photoconductor cell means to ground potential, a plurality of resistance means, and each of said plurality of lead wires being connected through a separate one of said resistance means to electrical power supply means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
An electrostatic line printer as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for projecting charged particles through the particle modulator comprises a particle source forming a first electrode on one side of the particle modulator, and a second electrode in circuit therewith via a power source and at a polarity opposite the first electrode on the other side of and spaced from said particle modulator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
119 words
A multilayered particle modulator comprising a layer of insulating material, a first layer of conducting material on one side of said insulating layer, said layers having at least one row of apertures therethrough and a segmented second layer of conducting material on the other side of said insulating layer, each segment of said second conductive layer disposed around at least a portion of an aperture through the modulator and being non-contiguous with any other segment, and means for applying selected potentials individually between to each of said segments of the segmented second conductive layer of the particle modulator and the first layer of conducting material whereby electric fields of selected magnitude and orientation are established within the modulator apertures.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
119 words
A multilayered particle modulator comprising a layer of insulating material, a first layer of conducting material on one side of said insulating layer, said layers having at least one row of apertures therethrough and a segmented second layer of conducting material on the other side of said insulating layer, each segment of said second conductive layer disposed around at least a portion of an aperture through the modulator and being non-contiguous with any other segment, and means for applying selected potentials individually between to each of said segments of the segmented second conductive layer of the particle modulator and the first layer of conducting material whereby electric fields of selected magnitude and orientation are established within the modulator apertures.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
A multilayered particle modulator as set forth in claim 9 further comprising photoconductor Cell means, and separate circuits, each of the segments of the segmented layer of conductive material being connected in a separate circuit with photoconductor cell means whereby the potential at each segment of the segmented layer is a function of the light falling on the photoconductor cell corresponding to the respective segment.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
127 words
A multilayered particle modulator comprising a layer of insulating material, a continuous layer of conductive material coated on one side of said insulative layer and a segmented layer of conductive material coated on the other side of said insulative layer, each segment of the segmented conductive layer being insulatively isolated from each other segment, said multilayered modulator having at least one row of apertures formed therethrough, a segment of the segmented conductive layer being formed around each aperture and means for applying electric potentials between each of said segments of the segmented layer of conductive material and the continuous layer whereby electric fields of selected magnitude and orientation are established within the aperture of the modulator between the segment of the segmented layer and the continuous layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
127 words
A multilayered particle modulator comprising a layer of insulating material, a continuous layer of conductive material coated on one side of said insulative layer and a segmented layer of conductive material coated on the other side of said insulative layer, each segment of the segmented conductive layer being insulatively isolated from each other segment, said multilayered modulator having at least one row of apertures formed therethrough, a segment of the segmented conductive layer being formed around each aperture and means for applying electric potentials between each of said segments of the segmented layer of conductive material and the continuous layer whereby electric fields of selected magnitude and orientation are established within the aperture of the modulator between the segment of the segmented layer and the continuous layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A multilayered particle modulator as set forth in claim 11 wherein is provided means for optically varying the potentials applied to the segments of the segmented conductive layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
188 words
An electrostatic line printer comprising: a multilayered particle modulator comprising an insulative layer having at least one opening forming an elongate line for passage of particles therethrough and layers of conductive material coated on each side of the insulative layer along said line at least one conductive layer segmented into insulatively isolated segments for establishing a plurality of separately controllable electrical fields within said at least one opening for modulating a stream of charged particles passing through said opening; means for applying electric potentials between each of said segments of the segmented layer of conductive material on the one side of the modulator and the layer of conductive material on the other side; means for projecting charged particles through the particle modulator apertures whereby the density of the particle stream is modulated according to the pattern of potentials applied between the segments of the segmented conductive layer on the one side of the insulative layer and the conductive layer on the other side; and means for positioning a print-receiving medium in the modulated particle stream, and for providing relative translation between said print-receiving medium and the particle modulator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
188 words
An electrostatic line printer comprising: a multilayered particle modulator comprising an insulative layer having at least one opening forming an elongate line for passage of particles therethrough and layers of conductive material coated on each side of the insulative layer along said line at least one conductive layer segmented into insulatively isolated segments for establishing a plurality of separately controllable electrical fields within said at least one opening for modulating a stream of charged particles passing through said opening; means for applying electric potentials between each of said segments of the segmented layer of conductive material on the one side of the modulator and the layer of conductive material on the other side; means for projecting charged particles through the particle modulator apertures whereby the density of the particle stream is modulated according to the pattern of potentials applied between the segments of the segmented conductive layer on the one side of the insulative layer and the conductive layer on the other side; and means for positioning a print-receiving medium in the modulated particle stream, and for providing relative translation between said print-receiving medium and the particle modulator.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
189 words
An electrostatic line printer comprising: a multilayered particle modulator comprising an insulative layer and conductive layers coated on each side of the insulative layer, said modulator having an elongate opening forming a line for passage of particles therethrough, at least one of the conductive layers on one side of the modulator segmented with parts of each segment abutting against opposite edges of the elongate opening in rows along the opening for establishing a plurality of separately controllable electrical fields within the opening; means for applying electric potentials between each of said segments of the segmented layer of conductive material on one side of the modulator and the conductive layer on the other side; means for projecting charged particles through the particle modulator apertures whereby the density of the particle stream is modulated according to the pattern of potentials applied between the segments of the segmented conductive layer on the one side of the modulator and the conductive layer on the other side; and means for positioning a print receiving medium in the modulated particle stream, and for providing relative translation between said print receiving medium and the particle modulator.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
189 words
An electrostatic line printer comprising: a multilayered particle modulator comprising an insulative layer and conductive layers coated on each side of the insulative layer, said modulator having an elongate opening forming a line for passage of particles therethrough, at least one of the conductive layers on one side of the modulator segmented with parts of each segment abutting against opposite edges of the elongate opening in rows along the opening for establishing a plurality of separately controllable electrical fields within the opening; means for applying electric potentials between each of said segments of the segmented layer of conductive material on one side of the modulator and the conductive layer on the other side; means for projecting charged particles through the particle modulator apertures whereby the density of the particle stream is modulated according to the pattern of potentials applied between the segments of the segmented conductive layer on the one side of the modulator and the conductive layer on the other side; and means for positioning a print receiving medium in the modulated particle stream, and for providing relative translation between said print receiving medium and the particle modulator.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
94 words
A multilayered particle modulator comprising: an insulative layer having at least one opening forming an elongate line for passage of particles therethrough and layers of conductive material coated on each side of the insulative layer along said line at least one conductive layer segmented into insulatively isolated segments for establishing a plurality of separately controllable electrical fields within said at least one opening between the segmented conductive layer on the one side of the modulator and the conductive layer on the other side for modulating a stream of charged particles passing through said opening.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
94 words
A multilayered particle modulator comprising: an insulative layer having at least one opening forming an elongate line for passage of particles therethrough and layers of conductive material coated on each side of the insulative layer along said line at least one conductive layer segmented into insulatively isolated segments for establishing a plurality of separately controllable electrical fields within said at least one opening between the segmented conductive layer on the one side of the modulator and the conductive layer on the other side for modulating a stream of charged particles passing through said opening.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
56 words
A multilayered particle modulator as set forth in claim 15 wherein is provided means for applying electric potentials between each of the segments of the segmented layer of conductive material on the one side of the modulator and the conductive layer on the other side and means for optically varying the potentials applied to said segments.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
98 words
A multilayered particle modulator comprising an insulative layer and conductive layers coated on each side of the insulative layer, said modulator having an elongate opening forming a line for passage of particles therethrough, at least one of the conductive layers on one side of the modulator segmented with parts of each segment abutting against opposite edges of the elongate opening in rows along the opening for establishing a plurality of separately controllable electrical fields within the opening between the segments of the segmented layer on one side of the modulator and the conductive layer on the other side.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
98 words
A multilayered particle modulator comprising an insulative layer and conductive layers coated on each side of the insulative layer, said modulator having an elongate opening forming a line for passage of particles therethrough, at least one of the conductive layers on one side of the modulator segmented with parts of each segment abutting against opposite edges of the elongate opening in rows along the opening for establishing a plurality of separately controllable electrical fields within the opening between the segments of the segmented layer on one side of the modulator and the conductive layer on the other side.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
56 words
A multilayered particle modulator as set forth in claim 17 wherein is provided means for applying electric potentials between each of the segments of the segmented layer of conductive material on the one side of the modulator and the conductive layer on the other side and means for optically varying the potentials applied to said segments.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
106 words
An electrostatic printer comprising in combination, a particle flow modulator comprising spaced apart conductive means and insulative means spacing the conductive means defining an array of apertures each aperture bounded by said spaced apart conductive means, addressing means for individually and selectively establishing fringing fields between said spaced apart conductive means in said apertures, means for projecting charged particles through apertures of the particle flow modulator whereby flow of particles therethrough is modulated in accordance with the magnitude and orientation of said fringing fields, and means establishing relative movement between the particle modulator and a print-receiving medium for receiving the flow of particles through the modulator.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
106 words
An electrostatic printer comprising in combination, a particle flow modulator comprising spaced apart conductive means and insulative means spacing the conductive means defining an array of apertures each aperture bounded by said spaced apart conductive means, addressing means for individually and selectively establishing fringing fields between said spaced apart conductive means in said apertures, means for projecting charged particles through apertures of the particle flow modulator whereby flow of particles therethrough is modulated in accordance with the magnitude and orientation of said fringing fields, and means establishing relative movement between the particle modulator and a print-receiving medium for receiving the flow of particles through the modulator.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
36 words
The printer of claim 19 wherein one of the conductive means comprises a plurality of separate conductive segments each conductive segment disposed substantially around an aperture of the array defined by said spaced apart conductive means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The printer of claim 20 wherein the addressing means comprises individual leads connected to the segments.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The printer of claim 21 wherein the addressing means comprises a plurality of optically responsive resistance devices connected respectively in said leads.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-05 | 1976-03-06 | 1976-09-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-05 | 1980-03-06 | 1980-09-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-05 | 1984-03-06 | 1984-09-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |