Recording apparatus having a semiconductor charge electrode

Claim 2

A charge electrode structure comprising: a semiconductor substrate having at least one passage extending therethrough; and a diffused region formed in said substrate in at least a selected portion of said one passage, with said diffused region being of the opposite type of conductivity to the type of conductivity of said substrate, and wherein said diffused region comprises a charge electrode.

Claim 3

The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said selected portion of said one passage extends a selected amount from one end thereof.

Claim 4

The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said selected portion of said one passage comprises all of said one passage.

Claim 5

The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said selected portion of said one passage is intermediate the ends thereof.

Claim 6

The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said one passage comprises a slot.

Claim 7

The combination claimed in claim 5, wherein said slot is U-shaped.

Claim 8

The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said one passage is circular in cross-section.

Claim 9

The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises silicon.

Claim 10

The combination claimed in claim 1, including: control circuits formed on said substrate and connected to said charge electrode for controlling the energization of said charge electrode.

Claim 11

A charge electrode structure comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of passages extending therethrough; and a diffused region formed in said substrate in at least a selected portion of each of said passages, with said diffused region being of the opposite type conductivity to the type of conductivity of said substrate, and wherein the diffused region in each passage comprises a charge electrode.

Claim 12

A charge electrode structure comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of passages extending therethrough; and a diffused region formed in said substrate in at least a selected portion of each of said passages, with said diffused region being of the opposite type conductivity to the type of conductivity of said substrate, and wherein the diffused region in each passage comprises a charge electrode.

Claim 13

The combination claimed in claim 10, including: control circuits formed on said substrate and connected to each of said charge electrodes for selectively controlling the energization of each charge electrode.

Claim 14

In a recording apparatus wherein droplets formed from at least one liquid stream are selectively applied to a recording medium, the combination comprising: a semiconductor substrate having at least one passage extending therethrough, with said one stream passing through said one passage; a charging electrode formed in at least a selected portion of said one passage, with said charging electrode comprising a diffused region in said substrate corresponding to the selected portion of said one passage, with said diffused region being of the opposite type of conductivity to the type of conductivity of said substrate, and; means to selectively control said charging electrode in accordance with whether or not a droplet is to be applied to said recording medium.

Claim 15

In a recording apparatus wherein droplets formed from at least one liquid stream are selectively applied to a recording medium, the combination comprising: a semiconductor substrate having at least one passage extending therethrough, with said one stream passing through said one passage; a charging electrode formed in at least a selected portion of said one passage, with said charging electrode comprising a diffused region in said substrate corresponding to the selected portion of said one passage, with said diffused region being of the opposite type of conductivity to the type of conductivity of said substrate, and; means to selectively control said charging electrode in accordance with whether or not a droplet is to be applied to said recording medium.

Claim 16

The combination claimed in claim 12, wherein the last named means comprises control circuit means formed in said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 17

In a recording apparatus wherein droplets formed from a plurality of liquid streams are selectively applied to a recording medium, the combination comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of passages extending therethrough, with each of said passages having one of said streams passing therethrough; a charging electrode formed in at least a selected portion of each of said passages, with each charging electrode comprising a diffused region in said substrate corresponding to the selected portion of the passage, with said diffused region being of the opposite type of conductivity to the type of conductivity of said substrate; and means to selectively control each charging electrode in accordance with whether or not a droplet is to be applied to said recording medium.

Claim 18

In a recording apparatus wherein droplets formed from a plurality of liquid streams are selectively applied to a recording medium, the combination comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of passages extending therethrough, with each of said passages having one of said streams passing therethrough; a charging electrode formed in at least a selected portion of each of said passages, with each charging electrode comprising a diffused region in said substrate corresponding to the selected portion of the passage, with said diffused region being of the opposite type of conductivity to the type of conductivity of said substrate; and means to selectively control each charging electrode in accordance with whether or not a droplet is to be applied to said recording medium.

Claim 19

The combination claimed in claim 14, wherein the last named means comprises control circuit means formed in said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 20

In a recording apparatus having droplets formed from a plurality of streams selectively applied to a recording medium, the improvement including: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of charging electrodes extending therethrough, each of said charging electrodes having one of the liquid streams pass therethrough with droplets being produced from the stream while in said charging electrode; each of said charging electrodes comprising a diffused region in said substrate of the opposite type of conductivity to the type of conductivity of said substrate; and means to selectively control each of said charging electrodes in accordance with whether the droplet within said charging electrode is to be applied or not be applied to the recording medium.

Claim 21

In a recording apparatus having droplets formed from a plurality of streams selectively applied to a recording medium, the improvement including: a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of charging electrodes extending therethrough, each of said charging electrodes having one of the liquid streams pass therethrough with droplets being produced from the stream while in said charging electrode; each of said charging electrodes comprising a diffused region in said substrate of the opposite type of conductivity to the type of conductivity of said substrate; and means to selectively control each of said charging electrodes in accordance with whether the droplet within said charging electrode is to be applied or not be applied to the recording medium.

Claim 22

The improvement according to claim 16 in which each of said charging electrodes forms a passage completely surrounding the stream.

Claim 23

The improvement according to claim 16 in which each of said charging electrodes forms a passage partially surrounding the stream.

Claim 24

The improvement according to claim 16 in which said substrate is formed of silicon.

Claim 25

The improvement according to claim 16 in which said selectively control means includes: storage means in said substrate to store a signal for each of said charging electrodes; and means in said substrate responsive to the stored signals in said storage means to control which of said charging electrodes in said substrate is charged simultaneously.

Claim 26

The improvement according to claim 20 in which said storage means is a shift register; and a single wire supplies all stored signals to said shift register.

Claim 27

The improvement according to claim 21 in which said responsive means comprises separate latch means for each of said charging electrodes; and a single wire supplies signals to activate all of said latch means simultaneously.

Claim 28

The improvement according to claim 22 in which each of said charging electrodes forms a passage completely surrounding the stream.

Claim 29

The improvement according to claim 23 in which said substrate is formed of silicon.

Claim 30

The improvement according to claim 22 in which each of said charging electrodes forms a passage partially surrounding the stream.

Claim 31

The improvement according to claim 25 in which said substrate is formed of silicon.