Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
An electrostatic printing apparatus comprising; a base electrode; means for applying a developing substance including charged particles onto the base electrode; a printing head including a plurality of printing electrode sets formed into an array, each printing electrode set including a plurality of shaping electrodes and a bias electrode and being disposed closely adjacent to the base electrode with the recording sheet disposed between the base electrode and the printing head; a plurality of electrode set select wires connected to the bias electrodes of the printing electrode sets respectively; a plurality of shaping electrode select wires each of which is connected to corresponding shaping electrodes of all of the printing electrode sets; first voltage source means for selectively applying a first voltage to the shaping electrode select wires for printing; and second voltage source means for applying a selected one of a second and a third voltage to the electrode set select wires, the second and third voltages both urging the charged particles against the base electrode, the first voltage being insufficient to overcome the second voltage and being sufficient to overcome the third voltage to attract only those charged particles in areas of the base electrode adjacent to shaping electrodes to which the first voltage is applied to the recording sheet for printing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
An electrostatic printing apparatus comprising; a base electrode; means for applying a developing substance including charged particles onto the base electrode; a printing head including a plurality of printing electrode sets formed into an array, each printing electrode set including a plurality of shaping electrodes and a bias electrode and being disposed closely adjacent to the base electrode with the recording sheet disposed between the base electrode and the printing head; a plurality of electrode set select wires connected to the bias electrodes of the printing electrode sets respectively; a plurality of shaping electrode select wires each of which is connected to corresponding shaping electrodes of all of the printing electrode sets; first voltage source means for selectively applying a first voltage to the shaping electrode select wires for printing; and second voltage source means for applying a selected one of a second and a third voltage to the electrode set select wires, the second and third voltages both urging the charged particles against the base electrode, the first voltage being insufficient to overcome the second voltage and being sufficient to overcome the third voltage to attract only those charged particles in areas of the base electrode adjacent to shaping electrodes to which the first voltage is applied to the recording sheet for printing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, in which the shaping electrodes are arranged to constitute a rectangular dot matrix.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, in which each shaping electrode is in the form of a rod oriented perpendicular to the base electrode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as in claim 3, in which a bias electrode is provided for each shaping electrode, each bias electrode being in the form of a cylinder coaxially disposed around the respective shaping electrode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as in claim 4, further comprising a pair of bias electrode plates disposed on opposite sides of the bias electrodes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as in claim 5, further comprising an insulator disposed between the bias electrodes and bias electrode plates of each printing electrode set.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as in claim 4, further comprising a cylindrical insulator coaxially disposed between each shaping electrode and each respective bias electrode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus as in claim 3, in which one bias electrode is provided for each printing electrode set which is in the form of a block formed with a plurality of holes, the apparatus further comprising a cylindrical insulator disposed in each hole and being formed with a bore, the shaping electrodes being disposed in the bores respectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as in claim 3, in which two bias electrodes are provided for each printing electrode set, the bias electrodes being in the form of plates disposed on opposite sides of the shaping electrodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising an insulator disposed between each shaping electrode and each respective bias electrode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, in which the base electrode is in the form of a rotary cylinder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, in which the shaping electrodes extend closer to the recording sheet than the bias electrode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 in which the ends of the biasing electrodes and shaping electrodes opposite to the ends closest to the recording sheet are of unequal lengths to facilitate fabrication of the printing head.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the electrode sets effect sequential printing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 in which second and third voltages are applied sequentially to thereby effect sequential printing by the array of printing electrode sets.