JPS60264264A - Apparatus for controlling charged particle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the removal of clogging caused by charged particles accumulated to an opening part by simple operation, by constituting the opening part form slit having a uniform gap in the longitudinal direction and opening both ends of the slit. CONSTITUTION:Toner T is negatively charged in a toner supply apparatus 40 and flies toward a control apparatus 49 when the electrifields between a sleeve 43 and base electrodes 52a, 52b are directed to the part above the surface of paper and, when positive signal voltage is applied in good timing, said toner T passes a slit 53. The toner T passing through the slit 53 is stably adhered to recording paper 58 in such a state that voltage is applied between a rear electrode 59 and the base electrodes 52a, 52b. In this case, toner T vigorously moves because of the vibration electric field between the control apparatus 49 and the sleeve 43 to develop function for cleaning the opening part of the control apparatus 49 to reduce a clogging phenomenon. Because the opening part has a slit form, clogging is hardly generated from a structural aspect and, because the slit is opened at both ends, cleaning becomes simple.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an improvement of a charged single particle control device in an image recording device that forms an image by controlling charged particles passing through an opening of an electrode using an electrical signal. For example, it is used in image recording devices such as facsimile machines and computer output platforms.

[Prior art]

Conventionally, an electrostatic charge image is formed on an image support/holder at t2 with the image recording apparatus, and this is developed by a cascade development method, a magnetic brush development method, etc. to form a toner image, and this is further transferred onto a recording medium. Electrophotographic copying machines that transfer and fix images are known. However, such an image recording device requires a lot of equipment such as a photoconductive photoreceptor, a charging device, an exposure device, a transfer device, a static eliminator, and a cleaning device, which causes many problems such as making the device complicated and expensive. .

Therefore, for example, in US Pat. No. 3,689,935, an image recording apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 was proposed. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the device to explain the principle of image recording, Figure 2 is a plan view of the signal electrode, and Figure 3 is B-B in Figure 2.
A cross-sectional view is shown in each case.

In the figure, the charged particles in the charged particle supply device 1 are controlled by the action of, for example, a voltage applied between the supply device 1 and the back electrode 12 and a signal voltage applied to the charged particle control device 3. through a device 3 to be deposited on the image receptor 11, where the control device 3 includes an insulating layer 6 and a base electrode 5 on one side of the insulating layer 6, through which the charged particles pass. an opening 7. When the particles from the supply device 1 toward the image receptor 11 pass through the opening 7, an electric current is applied between the signal electrode 4 and the base electrode 5 via the lead wire 9 and lO. The aperture 7
, a particle image corresponding to the original image is formed on the recording medium 11.

When the charged particles are toner T, the final image is formed by pressure fixing or heat fixing.

However, in the image recording apparatus, there remains an unsolved problem that charged particles, for example, in the case of powder such as toner T, adhere and accumulate in the opening 7, causing clogging. This problem poses a serious obstacle in putting the recording device into practical use. Therefore, Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-4445
In Publication No. 7, an image recording device shown in FIG. 4 was proposed.

Here, FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the image recording apparatus.

In the above publication, the toner 3--T (insulating magnetic toner) in the container 2o in FIG. The ears are formed and transported in the direction of the arrow. The spikes of toner T are stopped by the blade 4 to produce a thin toner noise, and are conveyed to a position facing the control device. The control device includes a segmented signal electrode 24 and a continuous base voltage wL as in FIGS. 1 to 3 above.
, 5, and an insulating layer portion, and each segment of the signal electrode has a circular opening n. Also, a power source 33. is connected between the signal electrode body and the base electrode 5. A power source 34 is connected between the back electrode 32 and the base electrode 5. A power supply section is provided between the base electrode 5 and the sleeve 21, respectively.

In the above configuration, when the thin toner III adhered to the surface of the sleeve 21 and is transported reaches a position facing the control device, an oscillating electric field is created between the control device and the sleeve 21 by the AC voltage of the power source. is formed, and the toner T becomes dynamic. When the moving toner T is directed upward on the paper surface of FIG. Become. This toner T is accelerated by an accelerating voltage applied to the back electrode 32 from the power source 34, and is deposited on the image receptor 31, which is conveyed in the direction of the arrow by the feed rolls 4 and the force, to form a toner image. Here, the movement of the toner T between the base electrode 5 and the sleeve 21 is controlled by the control device z3.
It is noteworthy that it has the effect of cleaning the opening n, and the clogging phenomenon is reduced.

However, even in such an image recording apparatus, the reality is that the powdered toner physically coagulates and accumulates in the opening 27 and cannot be removed by electric force alone.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention was discovered in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an image recording apparatus having a charged particle control device that allows charged particles to pass through the opening in a controlled manner. It is an object of the present invention to provide a charged particle control device having a structure in which clogging caused by accumulated charged particles can be easily removed by a simple operation.

[Structure of the invention]

The above purpose is to provide an insulating layer, a signal w1 pole provided on one side of the insulating layer, a base electrode provided on the other side of the insulating layer, and a voltage applied between the signal electrode and the base electrode. a charged particle control device having an opening through which charged particles are controlled and allowed to pass through using a signal voltage; This is achieved using a charged particle control device.

[Implementation row]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an image recording apparatus for explaining this embodiment, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the recording apparatus shown in FIG. 5 when a cleaning tool is attached to the control attachment slint, and FIG. 5 shows a modification of the cross section [fl] in the control device shown in FIG. 5, and FIGS. 8 and 9 show modifications of the signal electrode in the control device shown in FIG. 5, respectively.

This embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.
In the image recording shown in the figure, a toner supply device 40, which will be described later, is used for ease of understanding. The control device 49, the support stand 54 of the control device 49, the recording paper sheet, the back electrode 59, etc. are illustrated with a wide distance from each other. The toner supply device 40 may contain a one-component developer or a two-component developer, but
Insulating magnetic toner T is contained here. If there is a shortage of toner T, it will be replenished from the hopper 41 and the stirring device 4
2, the toner T and moisture inside the device are stirred. 43 is a sleeve located on the outer periphery of the magnetic drum 44 that rotates in the direction of the arrow, for example, at 1200 r, p, m, and rotates in the opposite direction to the magnetic drum 44, for example, at 150 r, p, m; The toner T is attached and conveyed to the outer periphery. Next, the magnetic toner T is regulated by a doctor blade 46 to form a uniform thin layer, and is allowed to reach the recording area 47 .

The control device 49 receives the image signal from the signal city 1 pole 50a.
and 50b, insulating layers 51a and 51b, pace electrode 1
It consists of poles 52a and 52b and a centrally located slit & which is open at both ends. The insulating layer 51
a and 51b may be made of an insulating material such as glass, ceramic, or plastic, or may be an air layer. Usually, to reduce clogging, a releasable insulating material such as fluororesin or silicone resin is used, or fatty acid metal salts or wax are applied to the slit surface of other insulating materials.

Apply silicone oil, etc.

The signal electrodes 50a and 50b of the control device 49 each consist of segment electrodes separated from each other by insulation at a density of usually 4 to 32 pieces/w. For example, in the case of a density of 10 pieces/w, the signal electrodes 50a and 50b are A4 size width (2971EI). That, that 297
The number of segment electrodes is 0. In the control device 49, the thickness is normally set in the range of 10 to 200 am, for example, around 5 OpTn. The slit gap has a diameter of 1 to 5
07jm toner can pass through, and 100 to 3
00 trm, and is set, for example, around 120 μm. The width of the segment electrodes constituting the signal electrodes 50a and 50b in FIG. 6, the gap between adjacent segment electrodes, the thickness of the control device 49, and the inside of the slit are respectively
, l t, +41i and t4, their dimensional relationship is given by the formula i, -(,1~5)t2. t, -+〒
(3/i~to)ts, i, = (%~to)t
, is indicated by . In addition, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the signal electrodes 5Qa and 50b are divided into segment electrode groups (a, a2...・a,
) and (b+b2 . . . ao) are arranged opposite to each other in the main scanning direction with the pickpocket y) sandwiched therebetween. Also.

Two segment electrodes placed opposite each other with the slit in between form a group in which the signal source is the same. For example, segment electrode a on the signal electrode 50a side and segment electrode tR on the signal electrode 50b side are coupled to one signal source in a group of signal sources, and these two segment electrodes generate a signal for one pixel. The passage of toner is controlled.

The recording paper 58 is placed in contact with the lower surface of the back electrode 59,
100-250 brains/sec in the direction of the arrow (sub-scanning direction)
For example, the toner T that has passed through the control device 49 is deposited. The back electrode 5
The gap between signal electrode 9 and signal electrode 50 a f or 5 r) b is
Although the range is 100 to 10,000 pm, it may be set to 300 m, for example.

When the toner layer on the sleeve 43 in the toner supply device 40 reaches the recording area 47, the toner T forming the toner layer is removed when the voltage of the AC power source 64 is applied between the sleeve 43 and the base electrodes 52a and 52b. As a result, there will be a dynamic between the two. That is, when an alternating current voltage is applied between the electrodes via the lead wire 60, an oscillating electric field whose direction changes every moment is generated, causing the toner T to vibrate up and down.

When the oscillating electric field is directed upward from the plane of the paper, the toner T flies from the surface of the sleeve 43 toward the control device 49, and at the same time, the signal voltage from the power source 65 is applied to the lead wire 61.
a to the signal electrode 50a and via the lead wire 61b to the signal electrode 50b, the control device 49
It is made to pass through the slit 53 of.

That is, a signal voltage from each image for each column is applied from the power supply 65 in parallel or serially to each set of segment electrodes sandwiching the slit 53 via lead wires 61 a and 61 b, and the toner T is controlled respectively. and passed through the slit.

The toner T passing through the slit is accelerated by the voltage applied between the base electrodes 52 a and 52 b and the back electrode 59 via the lead wire 62 , and the toner T passes through the recording paper 58 in the horizontal direction corresponding to the main scanning direction. attached to the top. At the same time, the recording paper 58 is run in the sub-scanning direction to continue recording and form a toner image.

The sleeve 43 of the toner supply device 40 and the control device 4
The alternating current voltage applied to the base electrodes 52a and 52b of 9 is in the range of 0.5 to 5%, P-P (peak-to-peak potential difference) 400 to 10,000 volts, for example IK). It is set to P-P 2000 volts. Alternatively, a DC voltage of 10 to 200 volts can be applied to attract the toner to the sleeve 43 in addition to the AC voltage. Further, the signal voltage applied to the control device 49 is set in the range of +200 volts to 200 volts so as to pass through the toner when the signal voltage is applied, and may be set, for example, around 300 volts. Further, the accelerating voltage applied between the base electrodes 52a and 52b of the back electrode device to attract the toner toward the back electrode is a DC voltage of about 500 volts, and is set to around 300 volts, for example.

The toner T is now electrically charged in the toner supply device 40, and the sleeve 43 and base electrodes 52a and 52b1
When the electric field between 1 and 1 is directed upward in the plane of the paper, it flies toward the control device 49, and when a positive signal voltage is applied to the control device at the same time, it passes through the slit 53. The toner T passing through the slit 53 is placed between the back electrode 59 and the base electrodes 52 a and 52 b.
Pressure is applied in the direction of accelerating the paper (the back electrode 59 is positive), and the paper is stably attached to the paper sheet.

In the image recording apparatus of this embodiment illuminated above, an oscillating electric field is formed between the control device f#49 and the sleeve 43, so that the toner T moves to clean the opening of the control device 49. This reduces the clogging phenomenon. Furthermore, since the opening is in the form of a slit, it is structurally less prone to clogging than an aperture type.

However, since toner T is a powder that tends to adhere to the original, it has the troublesome property of being particularly prone to agglomeration.
Eventually, it will become clogged and recording will become impossible. The present invention is characterized in that the openings are formed of slits with uniform gaps in the longitudinal direction, and both ends are open, allowing for extremely easy cleaning.

FIG. 6 shows an example of means for cleaning the pick-up spot 47. That is, the pad 63 made of sponge is inserted into the slit 47.
Sandwich the ends of the paper in advance and during image formation.

Preferably, the clogging toner T is removed by moving it left and right before or after image formation. Since both longitudinal ends of the slit 47 are open, clogging can be easily removed by an extremely simple operation. In addition to the sponge bat, brushes, wires, air currents, etc. may also be used.

FIG. 7 shows a BB sectional view of the control device 49 and a modification thereof. Figure 7 (a) shows B-B of the control device in Figure 5.
The toner cluster Ta having a diameter larger than the slit width T4 or the toner cluster Tl having a diameter almost the same as the slit width T is moored in the population or midway of the slit 53, and the clogging phenomenon occurs. Occur. Figure 7 (
B), (/→, ni) and ((1) are proposed to structurally reduce such clogging, i.e., Fig. 7-)
In this case, the thickness of the control device 49 is made smaller on the side of the slit 53, so that the toner cluster can easily escape from the slit. In FIG. 701, the control device 49 protrudes downward from the plane of the paper near the slit 53, making it difficult for toner clusters to enter the slit 53, and rather making it easier for the toner cluster to fall downward. In FIG. 7), even if a toner cluster enters the slit 53, it can easily escape because the slit is wide above the page. In addition, in the case of FIG. 7(E)), the thickness of the control device 49 is
-, ) 530 Since it is made small on one side, the mooring of the toner cluster is reduced and escape is facilitated.

The above-mentioned modifications are improvements for structurally reducing the clogging phenomenon, but none of them are definitive, and it will eventually become necessary to perform thorough cleaning using the cleaning means.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show the control bag shown in FIG. 5 and FIG.
A variation of the signal electrodes 50a and 50b in 49 is shown. FIG. 8 shows segment electrode groups (al HaR+ aR+ al r
aI +a6......an) Signal electrode 50
Segment electrode groups Cb, , b2. b8
．． b,, b,, b6. ,,,,,・”bn)
The control devices 49 are shown staggered with respect to each other. Moreover, one segment electrode on one side of the slit 53 and two segment electrodes on the other side facing this form a group having the same signal source. For example, segment electrode a3 on the signal electrode 50a side and segment electrodes b3 and b4 on the signal electrode 50b side are coupled to one signal source in the group of signal sources 61, and these three segment electrodes form one pixel. It is designed to control the passage of minute toner.

To control the passage of toner for two pixels, the segment electrodes a8+b3. b, K plus segment electrode a
Add 4. That is, in the second pixel, the signal source is switched and controlled by the electrode switching control circuit 69 to select the segment electrode aa.
+a4+b4 allows □ toner to pass through. Similarly, for the third pixel, add segment electrode a4, and add segment electrode a4.
+ b4 + 'j allows the toner to pass through.

Next, in Fig. 9, control bags %F4 in a staggered arrangement as in Fig. 8 are shown.
9 is shown, except that each segment electrode on the signal electrode 50a side and each segment 15- electrode on the signal electrode 50b side are each independently coupled to a signal source. Therefore, the toner T is controlled by the segment electrodes on only one side of the slit 53. Therefore, a separate correction electrode 6[-(c,
c, ----cn) and 68d (d,.

d2...dn) is provided to correct the disturbance of the toner T caused by the one-sided control.

The correction electrodes 68C and 68d are connected to a DC power supply 67, and have the same polarity as the voltage applied to the signal electrodes 50a and 50b, and are set at a voltage that does not allow the toner T to pass through. For example, if the signal voltage is positive, 10~
A positive voltage of 00 volts is applied.

In the embodiments described above, insulating magnetic toner was used as the charged particles, but in the present invention, conductive magnetic toner particles, developer particles consisting of a magnetic carrier and insulating non-magnetic toner, and charged ink particles etc. apply in the same way.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in a recording device that records an image by controlling the passage of charged particles through the opening of the charged particle control bag 16, the opening is formed into a slit with a constant gap and open at both ends. By doing so, it is possible to achieve the practical effect that troubles caused by clogging of the opening are simply and easily eliminated.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view explaining the principle of a conventionally known image recording device, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the signal electrode in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. The figures each show a sectional view of another conventionally known image recording device. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the image recording device of the present invention, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the recording device shown in Fig. 5 when a cleaning tool is attached to the slit of the control device, and Fig. 7 is the control device of Fig. 5. FIGS. 8 and 9 each show a modification of the signal electrode in the control device of FIG. 5. FIGS. 40... Toner supply device, 43... Sleeve 47... Recording area 49... Control device 50a, 50d... Signal electrode 51a,
51b...Insulating layer 52a, 52b...
Base electrode 53 ......Sliud electrode...
・・・・・・・・・Control device support group・・・・・・・
・・Recording paper 59 ・・・・・・・・・・ Back electrode 6
4 ・・・・・・・・・AC power supply 65・・・・・・・・・
...Signal power supply 66 ...... Acceleration power supply ["I+ a2...an), (b,, b2...
...bn)...Segment electrode T...
... Toner agent Patent attorney No 1) Parent-in-law 19- Figure 6 Figure 7 ＼ Taste

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) An insulating layer, a signal electrode provided on one side of the insulating layer, a pace electrode provided on the other side of the insulating layer, and a signal voltage applied between the signal electrode and the base electrode. A charged particle control device having an opening through which charged particles are controlled and allowed to pass through the charged particle control device, characterized in that the opening consists of a slit having a uniform gap in the longitudinal direction, and both ends of the slit are open. charged particle control device. (2) The charged particle control device according to claim 1, wherein the signal electrode comprises a group of segment electrodes arranged oppositely on both sides along the slit and insulated from each other. (3) An arbitrarily selected segment electrode on one side of the slit and at least one segment electrode on the other side of the slit facing the segment electrode have a common signal source. Paragraph 1 or 2
Charged particle control device as described in . (4) a group of segment electrodes on one side of the slide;
The charged particle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the segment electrode group on the other side of the slit is arranged to face each other in a staggered arrangement. (5) The charged particle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the longitudinally uniform gap is 500 μm to 500 μm.