JPH0655768A - Electrostatic latent image writing head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To secure an ion outflow within the limit of the width of an ion flow control passage without impairing ion control, by making the length of the ion-flow control passage of an electrostatic latent image writing head two or less times greater than the width of the ion flow control passage. CONSTITUTION:When the length (x) to width ratio of an ion flow control passage 19 is 2 or less times, an ion flow can be obtained basically even with no air flow and no air pressure, and, even when the width of the passage 19 is limited to a certain degree, an ion outflow can be secured because the ion outflow increases by increasing air pressure. Further, it is preferable that the length (x) to width ratio of the passage 19 be 1.5 or less times, so that a certain degree of an ion flow can be secured even with no air pressure, and because an ion outflow greatly increases by increasing air pressure, it is satisfactory. On the other hand, when the length (x) to width ratio of the passage 19 is 2 or more times, air pressure and an ion flow are not detected at all, and even the air pressure is increased, an increase in the ion flow is extremely small, so that a sufficient amount of ions can not be obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a printer, a copying machine,
An image recording apparatus such as a facsimile, in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on an electrostatic latent image carrier, a visible image is obtained by developing the electrostatic latent image, and the visible image is recorded on a recording member. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrostatic latent image writing head used for a recording / transferring recording device, and more specifically, to an improvement of the electrostatic latent image writing head that ejects an ion current by a fluid jet to form an electrostatic latent image. Is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an electrostatic latent image writing head for forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier of this type, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-190854 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Some are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 62-138250.
In this electrostatic latent image writing head 100, as shown in FIG. 7, a discharge wire 104, which is an ion generating means, is stretched in a cavity 103 in which an air introduction path 101 and an ion discharge path 102 are formed in communication with each other. A slit-shaped ion flow control passage 105 is formed so as to communicate with the ion discharge passage 102, and the ion flow control electrodes 106, 106 ... Are arranged in the ion flow control passage 105 in accordance with a predetermined recording density. It is configured to do. The electrostatic latent image writing head 100 is arranged near the electrostatic latent image carrier 107 so that the opening of the ion flow control passage 105 faces the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier 107. To be done.

In the electrostatic latent image writing head 100 having such a structure, a corona discharge is generated by applying a high voltage from a wire power source (not shown) to the discharge wire 104 stretched in the cavity 103. Then, the ions generated by this corona discharge are converted into an ion flow from the ion discharge passage 102 and the ion flow control passage 105 communicating with the cavity 103 by the compressed air introduced from the air introduction passage 101 into the cavity 103. It is discharged onto the electrostatic latent image carrier 107. At that time, the ion flow control electrodes 106, 106 ... Arranged in the ion flow control passage 105.
Further, a voltage is applied according to the image information and the emission of the ion current is controlled to be turned on and off by the electric field, so that a predetermined electrostatic latent image is formed on the electrostatic latent image carrier 107.

By the way, in the electrostatic latent image writing head 100, since the relationship between the width of the ion flow control passage 105 and the ion flow control electrodes 106, 106 ... Is not specified, the potential of the electrostatic latent image is increased. There is a risk that the distribution becomes unstable and the image quality is degraded. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the control characteristics in order to stabilize the potential distribution of the electrostatic latent image.

Therefore, the applicant of the present invention has found that the ion flow control passage 1
No. 05-158358 for the purpose of improving the control characteristics by focusing on the relationship between the width of No. 05 and the pitch of the ion flow control electrodes 106, 106 ... Have already proposed.

In this electrostatic latent image writing head, the ion generating means is disposed in the cavity communicating with the air introducing passage and the ion discharging passage to form an ion flow control passage communicating with the ion discharging passage. An ion flow control electrode is provided in the ion flow control passage, and a predetermined electrostatic latent image is formed on the electrostatic latent image carrier by the ion flow controlled by the ion flow control electrode. In the electric latent image writing head, the width of the ion flow control passage is formed to be twice the electrode pitch of the ion flow control electrodes or less.

[0007]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. That is, in the case of the electrostatic latent image writing head according to the above proposal, the width of the ion flow control passage and the electrode pitch of the ion flow control electrodes are regulated, and the controllability is improved and the image quality is stable. Has been planned. According to the electrostatic latent image writing head according to this proposal, the width of the ion flow control passage cannot be freely set when the controllability of ions is to be sufficiently secured, and the ion pitch is twice the electrode pitch. Must be:

However, the ion outflow amount of the electrostatic latent image writing head largely changes depending on the width of the ion flow control passage, and a wider ion flow control passage can extract a larger amount of ions. Since the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier can be charged to a predetermined potential in a short time, the recording speed can be increased. However, when the width of the ion flow control passage is formed to be less than twice the electrode pitch of the ion flow control electrodes in consideration of the controllability of ions, the ion flow is reduced by the width of the ion flow control passage. However, there is a problem in that the take-out amount of the is reduced and the recording speed is reduced.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to limit the width of the ion flow control passage without impairing the controllability of ions. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrostatic latent image writing head capable of ensuring the outflow amount of ions.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, an ion generating means is provided in a cavity communicating with an air introducing passage and an ion discharging passage and communicates with the ion discharging passage. An ion flow control passage is formed, an ion flow control electrode is arranged in the ion flow control passage, and a predetermined electrostatic latent image is formed on the electrostatic latent image carrier by the ion flow controlled by the ion flow control electrode. In the electrostatic latent image writing head configured to form an image, the length of the ion flow control passage is set to be twice the width of the ion flow control passage or less.

[0011]

As described above, as a result of various studies on the relationship between the ratio of the length of the ion flow control passage to the width of the ion flow control passage and the amount of ion outflow, the length of the ion flow control passage was determined to be By setting the width to twice or less, the ion outflow amount can be secured without impairing the controllability of the ions.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an electrostatic recording apparatus to which the electrostatic latent image writing head according to the present invention can be applied.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 is a dielectric drum as an electrostatic latent image carrier, and as the dielectric drum 1,
For example, an aluminum roll is used as the substrate 1a, and the surface thereof is subjected to anodizing treatment, sealing, and polishing treatment to form the dielectric layer 1b.

On the surface of the dielectric drum 1, an ion flow control type recording head 2 as an electrostatic latent image writing head is formed.
Thus, an electrostatic latent image is formed according to the image information. The electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the dielectric drum 1 is developed by the developing device 3 using pressure fixing toner or the like,
The toner image T is formed. The toner image T formed on the surface of the dielectric drum 1 is supplied from the paper feeding cassette 4 in synchronization with the rotation of the dielectric drum 1, and the dielectric drum 1 and the transfer drum pressed against the drum. The transfer paper 6 which is transferred and fixed simultaneously by pressure on the transfer paper 6 passing through the nip portion with the transfer image 6 and the toner image T is transferred and fixed is
It is discharged onto a discharge tray 7 outside the apparatus. The surface of the dielectric drum 1 after the toner image transfer process is completed is
The blade 8a of the cleaning device 8 removes the residual toner and the like, and the static eliminator 9 erases the residual charge or charges it to a predetermined potential to prepare for the next image recording step.

The ion flow control type recording head used in the above electrostatic recording apparatus is constructed as follows.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the recording head 2 is provided with a head body 11 made of a conductive material such as stainless steel.
A large supply chamber 12 for supplying compressed air is formed so as to open to the outside. The compressed air supply chamber 12 is closed by a supply chamber cover 13 having an arcuate cross section attached to the head body 11. The supply chamber cover 13 forms a part of the supply chamber 12 and It also constitutes a passage for introducing compressed air into the chamber 12 from a compressed air supply source (not shown).

Further, at the lower end of the head main body 11,
As shown in FIG. 4A, a cavity 14 having an open lower surface is formed. The hollow portion 14 communicates with the compressed air supply chamber 12 via a slit-shaped air introduction passage 15, and the compressed air in the compressed air supply chamber 12 is supplied to the air introduction passage 1 by the compressed air supply chamber 12.
It is adapted to be supplied into the cavity portion 14 via 5. The cavity 14 is formed to have a substantially rectangular cross section, and both side walls 16 and 16 face each other in parallel with each other with an opening width W larger than that of the air introduction passage 15 and the both side walls 16 and 16 are opposed to each other. Upper end of the curved portion 16 having an arc shape
It is connected to the air introduction path 15 via a and 16a.

Further, the lower end of the hollow portion 14 is closed by an insulating substrate 17 attached to the head main body 11, leaving an ion discharge passage 18 and an ion flow control passage 19. As shown in FIG. 4C, control electrodes 20, 20 ... Are arranged on the substrate 17 at a predetermined pitch, and these control electrodes 20, 20 ... Are connected to a control circuit (not shown). ing. Then, the control electrode 20,
A voltage is applied to 20 ... In accordance with image information by a control circuit (not shown).

The substrate 17 on which the control electrodes 20, 20 ... Are formed as described above is, as shown in FIG.
0, 20 ... Insulating layer 21 laminated on this insulating layer 2
It is attached to the head main body 11 via a flat plate 22 made of a conductive material and laminated on top of the above. The insulating layer 2
1 is laminated only in the same region as the conductive flat plate 22.

An ion ejection path 18 is formed between the tip of the conductive flat plate 22 and the side wall 16 of the cavity 14 as shown in FIGS. Between the tip portion of the substrate 17 where the electrodes 20, 20 ... Are exposed and the lower end surface of the head body 11, the ion ejection path 1 is provided.
An ion flow control passage 19 continuous with No. 8 is formed in a thin slit shape. The ion discharge passage 18 and the ion flow control passage 19 form a passage that communicates with the cavity 14 in an L-shaped cross section, and the tip of the ion flow control passage 19 is open to the outside. And the ion flow control passage 1
The opening 9 is opposed to the surface of the dielectric drum 1. Further, the head body 11 and the tip end of the substrate 17 are cut off so that the end faces thereof face the surface of the dielectric drum 1 substantially in parallel.

A predetermined bias voltage is applied to the substrate 1a of the dielectric drum 1 facing the recording head 2 by a bias power source (not shown), and the ion current emitted from the recording head 2 is converted into an electrostatic field. The force is carried on the dielectric drum 1 by force. In addition to applying a predetermined bias voltage to the base material 1a of the dielectric drum 1, the dielectric layer 1b of the dielectric drum 1 is uniformly pre-charged by a pre-charging device (not shown) so that the recording head 2 The ion current emitted from the dielectric drum 1 may be carried on the dielectric drum 1 by the force of the electrostatic field formed by the precharged charges.

A discharge wire 23 as an ion generating means is stretched in the hollow portion 14 in the vicinity of the ion discharge path 18 in a biased manner. In this discharge wire 23,
A predetermined high voltage of direct current is applied by a high voltage power source (not shown). The general parameters of the recording head 2 are that the width W of the cavity 14 is 2 to 5
mm, discharge wire 23 to conductive plate 22 and sidewall 16
Is 0.5 to 1.5 mm, the thickness of the conductive flat plate 22 is 0.05 to 0.2 mm, the distance Z between the tip of the conductive flat plate 22 and the side wall 16 is 0.1 to 0.5 mm, insulation Layer 21
Has a thickness of 0.01 to 0.2 mm. Also, the substrate 1
The pitch of the control electrode 20 on 7 is 0.042 mm (24
Lines / mm) to 0.125 mm (8 lines / mm).

In the recording head 2 thus constructed, the electrostatic latent image is written as follows.

That is, the cavity portion 14 of the recording head 2 described above.
Corona discharge is generated by applying a high voltage from a wire power source (not shown) to the discharge wire 23 stretched inside, and the ions generated by this corona discharge are supplied from the compressed air supply chamber 12 into the cavity 14. The compressed air introduced through the air introduction passage 15 ejects the ions as an ion stream onto the dielectric drum 1 from the ion ejection passage 18 and the ion flow control passage 19 which communicate with the cavity 14. At that time, a voltage is applied to the ion flow control electrodes 20, 20 ... Arranged facing the ion flow control passage 19 according to image information, and the control electrodes 20, 20. The electrostatic latent image according to the image information is formed on the dielectric drum 1 by performing on / off control by the electric field generated.

By the way, when the inventors of the present invention try to secure sufficient ion controllability in the recording head 2 as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-158358, the ion flow control passage is formed. In view of the fact that the width of the ion flow control passage cannot be set freely and the width of the control electrode pitch needs to be twice or less, even if the width of the ion flow control passage is limited to some extent, In order to secure the quantity, various studies were conducted on the shape of the ion flow control passage and the like.

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention pay attention to the relationship between the width and the length of the ion flow control passage, and prototype the recording head in which the ratio of the width and the length of the ion flow control passage is changed. An experiment was conducted to measure the ion outflow rate of the head. Here, the length of the ion flow control passage means the length in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
Shows the length x to the tip of the.

First, as the recording head 2, the one shown in FIG. 4 was prototyped, the width W of the cavity 14 was 3 mm, and the distance from the discharge wire 23 to the conductive flat plate 22 and the side wall 16 was 1.
mm, the thickness of the conductive flat plate 22 is 0.1 mm, the distance Z between the tip of the conductive flat plate 22 and the side wall 16 is 0.4 mm, the insulating layer 2
The thickness of 1 was set to 0.1 mm, respectively. Further, the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is set to be twice the pitch of the control electrodes 20 or less. Furthermore, the discharge wire 2
A high voltage of +3 KV was applied to 3, and a bias voltage of -1 KV was applied to the base material 1a of the dielectric drum 1.

Then, in the recording head 2, the ion outflow rate with respect to the air inflow pressure from the air introduction path 15 was measured using the length x of the ion flow control path 19 as a parameter, and the result as shown in FIG. 5 was obtained. Was given.

As is clear from this result, when the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is 1.5 times or less of the length x of the ion flow control passage 19, the air pressure is zero even if there is no air flow. Although an ion flow was also obtained, when the width of the ion flow control passage was 2.0 times the length x of the ion flow control passage 19 and the air pressure was 0, the ion flow was not detected, and the air pressure was increased. However, the increase was small. However, when the width of the ion flow control passage is 2.5 times or more the length x of the ion flow control passage 19, the ion flow is not detected even if the air pressure is applied to some extent, and the increase amount is small even if the air pressure is increased. It was

On the other hand, when the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is 1.5 times the length x of the ion flow control passage 19, even if there is no air flow, that is, even if the air pressure is 0, the ions flow A certain amount of flow could be obtained and the ion outflow increased significantly with increasing air pressure. Further, when the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is 1.0 times and 0.5 times the length x of the ion flow control passage 19, the amount of ion outflow when the air pressure is 0 is considerably large and the air pressure is increased. And ion outflow increased significantly.

Further, the same measurement was carried out by changing the applied voltage of the discharge wire 23 and the width of the ion flow control passage 19, but there was a difference in the amount of ions in any case, but the results shown in FIG. A similar trend was seen.

Therefore, if the ratio of the length x to the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is 2.0 times or less, basically, an ion flow can be obtained without air flow, that is, even if the air pressure is zero. It was found that the ion outflow rate increases with increasing air pressure, so that the ion outflow rate can be secured even when the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is limited to some extent. More preferably, the ratio of the length x to the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is 1.
If it is 5 times or less, it is possible to secure a certain amount of ion flow even if the air pressure is 0, and by increasing the air pressure, the ion outflow amount increases significantly, which is good. I understood.

On the other hand, when the ratio of the length x to the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is 2.0 times or more, no ion flow is detected when the air pressure is 0, and the amount of increase is increased even if the air pressure is increased. Was extremely small and it was not possible to secure a sufficient amount of ions. Therefore, if the ratio of the length x to the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is 2.5 times or more, a sufficient amount of ion outflow cannot be secured even if the air pressure is set to be considerably high.

Furthermore, the present inventors conducted the following theoretical analysis in order to investigate how the ratio of the width and length of the ion flow control passage affects the ion outflow amount.

FIG. 6 shows an example in which the electric field distribution near the ion flow control passage is obtained by computer simulation using the finite element method.

FIG. 6 (a) shows the case where the length / width ratio of the ion flow control passage 19 is larger than 2, and FIG. 6 (b) shows the case where the length / width ratio of the ion flow control passage 19 is smaller than 2 (about 1.
0) is an example. Inside the cavity 15, some of the ions are accelerated in the direction of the ion flow control passage by the discharge electric field, and outside the head main body, the ion focusing field due to the bias voltage of the dielectric drum 1 not shown causes the dielectric drum 1 to move. Is accelerated toward. In FIG. 6A, since the ratio of the length and the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is large, the discharge electric field and the ion converging electric field are not connected in the ion flow control passage 19 and the electric field is generated in the ion flow control passage 19. Since the ions flow toward the upper and lower walls, it is considered that the ion flow that has flowed in moves toward the walls and collides with them to lose electric charge, resulting in low ion transport efficiency in the ion flow control passage 19. . Therefore, without considering the influence of air pressure,
When only the outflow state of the ion flow due to the electric field distribution near the ion flow control passage is observed, and the ratio of the length to the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is larger than 2, the ion flow flowing into the ion flow control passage 19 is The ions move in the direction of the wall of the passage 19 and collide with each other to lose electric charge, so that the efficiency of transporting ions in the ion flow control passage 19 becomes low. Therefore, even if the air pressure is increased, the amount of increase in ion flow is extremely small, and the amount of ions flowing out from the ion flow control passage 19 is basically the length of the ion flow control passage 19 that determines the electric field distribution near the ion flow control passage. It can be seen that it is almost determined by the ratio of width and width.

On the other hand, in the case of FIG. 6B, the converging electric field due to the bias of the dielectric drum 1 extends to the inside of the cavity, collecting the ions near the ion ejection path in the direction of the ion flow control path 19 and Flow control passage 19
Since the electric field also works to keep the ions away from the wall inside, it is considered that the ion transport efficiency is also high. Therefore, it can be seen that a certain amount of ion outflow can be secured without applying air pressure, and the ion flow is significantly increased by applying air pressure.

For the reasons described above, the measurement result of the ion outflow amount shown in FIG. 5 changes the ion transport efficiency due to the converging electric field formed by the bias of the dielectric drum 1 depending on the length x of the ion flow control passage 19. This is because, especially when the ratio of the length x to the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is twice or more, the bias of the dielectric drum 1 does not contribute to the ion transport of the focused electric field.

As described above, in order to efficiently extract the ion flow, the ratio of the length x to the width of the ion flow control passage 19 must be set to 2 times or less, preferably 1.5 times or less.
On the other hand, shortening the length x of the ion flow control passage 19 causes an increase in the control voltage. Therefore, the length is determined in consideration of both the required amount of ions and the allowable control voltage.

[0041]

According to the present invention, which has the above-described structure and operation, it is possible to secure an ion outflow amount within the limit of the width of the ion flow control passage without impairing the ion controllability. A latent image writing head can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an electrostatic latent image writing head according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an electrostatic recording apparatus to which the electrostatic latent image writing head according to the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the electrostatic latent image writing head according to the present invention.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C are a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the same electrostatic latent image writing head and a perspective view showing a control electrode, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between air pressure and ion amount.

6A and 6B are schematic diagrams showing the action of an electric field in the electrostatic latent image writing head.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a conventional electrostatic latent image writing head.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 recording heads, 11 head bodies, 14 cavities, 1
5 air introduction path, 18 ion discharge path, 19 ion flow control path, 20 control electrode, 23 discharge wire.

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 12, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0002

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an electrostatic latent image writing head for forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier of this type, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-190854 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Some are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 62-138250.
In this electrostatic latent image writing head 100, as shown in FIG. 9 , a discharge wire 104, which is an ion generating means, is stretched in a cavity 103 in which an air introducing path 101 and an ion discharging path 102 are formed in communication with each other. A slit-shaped ion flow control passage 105 is formed so as to communicate with the ion discharge passage 102, and the ion flow control electrodes 106, 106 ... Are arranged in the ion flow control passage 105 in accordance with a predetermined recording density. It is configured to do. The electrostatic latent image writing head 100 is disposed near the electrostatic latent image carrier 107 so that the opening of the ion flow control passage 105 faces the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier 107. To be done.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0019

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Further, the lower end of the hollow portion 14 is closed by an insulating substrate 17 attached to the head main body 11, leaving an ion discharge passage 18 and an ion flow control passage 19. As shown in FIG. 5 , control electrodes 20, 20 ... Are arranged on the substrate 17 at a predetermined pitch.
These control electrodes 20, 20 ... Are connected to a control circuit (not shown). Then, the control electrodes 20, 20 ...
A voltage is applied to the device according to image information by a control circuit (not shown).

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0032

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Further, the same measurement was carried out by changing the applied voltage of the discharge wire 23 and the width of the ion flow control passage 19, and there was a difference in the amount of ions in any case, but the results shown in FIG. A similar trend was seen.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0036

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG . 7 and FIG. 8 show examples in which the electric field distribution near the ion flow control passage is obtained by computer simulation using the finite element method.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0037

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG . 7 shows the case where the length-width ratio of the ion flow control passage 19 is larger than 2, and FIG. 8 shows the ion flow control passage 19.
In this example, the ratio of length to width is less than 2 (about 1.0). Inside the cavity 15, some of the ions are accelerated in the direction of the ion flow control passage by the discharge electric field, and outside the head main body, the ion focusing field due to the bias voltage of the dielectric drum 1 not shown causes the dielectric drum 1 to move. Is accelerated toward. In FIG. 7 , since the ratio of the length and the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is large, the discharge electric field and the ion focusing electric field do not connect in the ion flow control passage 19, and the electric field in the ion flow control passage 19 has upper and lower walls. Since the flow of ions flows toward the wall of the ion flow control passage 19,
It is considered that the ion transport efficiency in the interior is low. Therefore, when only the outflow state of the ion flow due to the electric field distribution in the vicinity of the ion flow control passage is observed without considering the influence of the air pressure, when the ratio of the length and width of the ion flow control passage 19 is larger than 2, The ion flow that has flowed into the flow control passage 19 moves in the direction of the wall of the passage 19 and collides with it to lose charge, and the efficiency of ion transport within the ion flow control passage 19 is low. Therefore, even if the air pressure is increased, the amount of increase in ion flow is extremely small, and the amount of ions flowing out from the ion flow control passage 19 is basically the length of the ion flow control passage 19 that determines the electric field distribution near the ion flow control passage. It can be seen that it is almost determined by the ratio of width and width.

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0038

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

On the other hand, in the case of FIG. 8, the converging electric field due to the bias of the dielectric drum 1 extends to the inside of the cavity, and the ions near the ion ejection path are guided to the ion flow control path 1.
It is considered that since the ions are collected in 9 directions and the electric field also works in the ion flow control passage 19 to keep the ions away from the wall, the ion transport efficiency is also high. Therefore, it can be seen that a certain amount of ion outflow can be secured without applying air pressure, and the ion flow is significantly increased by applying air pressure.

[Procedure Amendment 7]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0039

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

For the reasons described above, the measurement result of the ion outflow amount shown in FIG . 6 changes the ion transport efficiency by the focusing electric field formed by the bias of the dielectric drum 1 depending on the length x of the ion flow control passage 19. This is because, especially when the ratio of the length x to the width of the ion flow control passage 19 is twice or more, the bias of the dielectric drum 1 does not contribute to the ion transport of the focused electric field.

[Procedure Amendment 8]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Brief description of the drawing

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an electrostatic latent image writing head according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an electrostatic recording apparatus to which the electrostatic latent image writing head according to the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the electrostatic latent image writing head according to the present invention.

4A and 4B are views for writing the same electrostatic latent image.
It is sectional drawing which each shows the principal part of a pad.

FIG. 5 is a control voltage of the same electrostatic latent image writing head.
It is a perspective view which shows a pole.

FIG . 6 is a graph showing the relationship between air pressure and ion amount.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an electric charge in the electrostatic latent image writing head.
It is a schematic diagram which shows the effect | action of a field.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an electric charge in the electrostatic latent image writing head.
It is a schematic diagram which shows the effect | action of a field.

FIG . 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional electrostatic latent image writing head.

[Procedure Amendment 9]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Correction target item name] All drawings

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 1]

[Fig. 2]

[Figure 3]

[Figure 4]

[Figure 5]

[Figure 6]

[Figure 7]

[Figure 8]

[Figure 9]

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ion generating means is provided in a cavity communicating with the air introducing passage and the ion discharging passage to form an ion flow control passage communicating with the ion discharging passage, and the ion is provided in the ion flow controlling passage. In a head for writing an electrostatic latent image, wherein a flow control electrode is provided, and a predetermined electrostatic latent image is formed on the electrostatic latent image carrier by the ion flow controlled by the ion flow control electrode, An electrostatic latent image writing head, characterized in that the length of the ion flow control passage is set to not more than twice the width of the ion flow control passage.