Printing apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for applying a charge pattern to a recording medium comprising, in combination: symbol electrode means comprising at least one symbol-shaped electrode adjacent to one surface of said recording medium; reference electrode means adjacent to a surface of said recording medium; means for applying a voltage between said symbol electrode means and said reference electrode means for creating a charge pattern on said recording medium the same shape as said symbolshaped electrode; and means for creating relative motion in a plane parallel to said one surface of said recording medium between said recording medium and said electrode means during the application of said voltage for increasing the size of said charge pattern.

Claim 3

The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said symbol electrode means comprises a plurality of symbol-shaped electrodes, spaced from one another sufficient distances to prevent voltage breakdown between symbol-shaped electrodes which may be at different operating potentials and further including means for applying said voltage between selected ones, which may be less than all, of said symbol-shaped electrodes and said reference electrode means.

Claim 4

The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said motion creating means creates motion to move said selected ones of said electrodes to create a charge pattern at least a portion of which is opposite a portion of said electrode means occupied by a said nonselected electrode during some portion of movement.

Claim 5

The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said symbol electrode means comprises a plurality of concentric electrodes and wherein said motion producing means comprises orbital motion creating means.

Claim 6

Apparatus for applying a pattern to a recording surface of a record medium, comprising, in combination: symbol means comprising at least one symbol-shaped surface adjacent to said surface of said record medium; means for creating on the part of said record medium adjacent said symbol means by said symbol means a pattern of the same shape as said symbol-shaped means surface; and means for creating in a plane parallel to said recording surface of said record medium relative motion between said record medium and said symbol means surface to increase the size of said pattern relative to the size of said symbol means surface.

Claim 7

Apparatus for applying a pattern to a recording surface of a record medium, comprising, in combination: symbol means comprising at least one symbol-shaped surface adjacent to said surface of said record medium; means for creating on the part of said record medium adjacent said symbol means by said symbol means a pattern of the same shape as said symbol-shaped means surface; and means for creating in a plane parallel to said recording surface of said record medium relative motion between said record medium and said symbol means surface to increase the size of said pattern relative to the size of said symbol means surface.

Claim 8

The apparatus set forth in claim 5, wherein said symbol means surface includes at least two symbol-shaped electrodes; and additionally including reference electrode means adjacent a surface of said recording medium which is disposed oppositely to said recording surface; and wherein said means for creating by said symbol means on the part of said record medium adjacent said symbol means a pattern includes an energy applying means which is operative for increasing the voltage differential between a selected one of said symbol-shaped electrodes and said reference electrode means with respect to voltage differential between a non-selected one of said symbol-shaped electrodes and said reference electrode means; the pattern thereby created on said recording surface being in the form of an electric charge; the said shaped electrodes being spaced from one another by distances sufficient to prevent voltage breakdown between selected and non-selected symbol-shaped electrodes; and wherein; said means for creating relative motion decreases to a disTance not greater than the spacing between adjacent selected electrodes the spacing between patterns created on said recording surface by adjacent selected ones of said electrodes.

Claim 9

The apparatus set forth in claim 6, wherein said means for creating motion creates motion sufficient to create a charge pattern corresponding to any selected electrode overlapping at least a portion of the charge pattern created by the one of said electrodes next adjacent said any selected electrode.

Claim 10

The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein said shaped electrodes comprise a plurality of circular, concentric electrodes; and wherein; said means for creating motion causes such concentric electrodes to move in an orbital path about a point displaced from the center of said circular concentric electrodes.