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US4912489A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Direct electrostatic printing apparatus with toner supply-side control electrodes

Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1988-12-27
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Granted: 1990-03-27
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Expires: 2008-12-27
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Abstract

Abstract A direct electrostatic printer having a printhead structure disposed intermediate a toner supply and a record substrate such that the control electrodes thereof are on the toner supply side of the printhead structure. The shield electrode is disposed on the side of the printhead nearest the record substrate. With this arrangement the control electrode is roughly four times more effective than prior art devices in repelling toner in the off state. Thus, a control voltage of 100 volts is sufficient to modulate the flow of toner through the apertures which previously required approximately 400 volts when operated in the normal forward direction. Also, wrong sign toner accumulates on the side of the printhead structure nearest the supply of toner thus, allowing for toner removal from the printhead structure and its return to the toner supply which avoids having to deposit the wrong sign toner on the recording substrate.

Inventors

  • 👤 Fred W. Schmidlin

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 08:40
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/22; G03G15/34; G03G15/344; G03G15/346; B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/385; B41J2/41; B41J2/415; B41J2/4155; G03G2217/00; G03G2217/0008; G03G2217/0025

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 115 words
Direct electrostatic printing apparatus for forming toner images on an image receiving member, said apparatus comprising: a printhead structure comprising a plurality of electrode structures; a supply of toner disposed to one side of said printhead structure; means for moving an image receiving member past said printhead structure, said printhead structure being positioned intermediate said supply of toner and said substrate moving means; said plurality of electrode structures comprising control electrodes carried by said printhead structure on the toner supply side thereof; and means for applying suitable voltages to said plurality of electrodes for modulating the flow of toner through apertures in said printhead structure whereby toner is deposited on said substrate in image configuration.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 115 words
Direct electrostatic printing apparatus for forming toner images on an image receiving member, said apparatus comprising: a printhead structure comprising a plurality of electrode structures; a supply of toner disposed to one side of said printhead structure; means for moving an image receiving member past said printhead structure, said printhead structure being positioned intermediate said supply of toner and said substrate moving means; said plurality of electrode structures comprising control electrodes carried by said printhead structure on the toner supply side thereof; and means for applying suitable voltages to said plurality of electrodes for modulating the flow of toner through apertures in said printhead structure whereby toner is deposited on said substrate in image configuration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for applying suitable voltages applies approximately 100 volts to said control electrodes for terminating the movement of toner through said apertures.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of electrodes comprises shield electrode structure carried by printhead structure on the substrate side thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 including means for minimizing crosstalk between said control electrodes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said means for minimizing crosstalk comprises a screening electrode secured over said control electrodes.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 120 words
The method of forming toner images on an image receiving member, said method including the steps of: providing a printhead structure comprising a plurality of electrode structures; providing a supply of toner disposed to one side of said printhead structure; providing means for moving an image receiving member past said printhead structure, said printhead structure being positioned intermediate said supply of toner and said substrate moving means; said plurality of electrode structures comprising control electrodes carried by said printhead structure on the toner supply side thereof; and providing means for applying suitable voltages to said plurality of electrodes for modulating the flow of toner through apertures in said printhead structure whereby toner is deposited on said substrate in image configuration.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 120 words
The method of forming toner images on an image receiving member, said method including the steps of: providing a printhead structure comprising a plurality of electrode structures; providing a supply of toner disposed to one side of said printhead structure; providing means for moving an image receiving member past said printhead structure, said printhead structure being positioned intermediate said supply of toner and said substrate moving means; said plurality of electrode structures comprising control electrodes carried by said printhead structure on the toner supply side thereof; and providing means for applying suitable voltages to said plurality of electrodes for modulating the flow of toner through apertures in said printhead structure whereby toner is deposited on said substrate in image configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method according to claim 6 wherein said means for applying suitable voltages applies approximately 100 volts to said control electrodes for terminating the movement of toner through said apertures.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein said plurality of electrodes comprises shield electrode structure carried by printhead structure on the substrate side thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method according to claim 8 including means for minimizing crosstalk between said control electrodes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein said means for minimizing crosstalk comprises a screening electrode secured over said control electrodes.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3689935A Cited
US3801869A Cited
US3778678A Cited
US3872361A Cited
US4491855A Cited
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US4647179A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-03-26 1993-09-25 1994-03-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-03-26 1997-09-25 1998-03-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-03-26 2001-09-25 2002-03-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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