Patent · US Expired

Image printing apparatus and image printing method

US5660486A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
9References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 23, 1995
Grant dateAug 26, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 23, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G15/321
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An image printing device includes a latent image charge keeping medium including a pyroelectric layer, a thermal head for selectively heating the charge keeping medium according to a signal, and an electrically conductive film disposed to be brought into contact with or to be in the vicinity of a surface of the pyroelectric layer of the medium for being heated by the thermal head, thereby neutralizing charge appearing on the medium due to pyroelectric effect. The device further includes a developer for visualizing with a charged coloring medium an electrostatic latent image formed on the medium, a transfer roller for transferring the developed image onto a sheet of printing paper, and a fixing device for fixing the transferred image on the printing sheet. The conductive layer is applied with a bias voltage from a power source such that a strong absorbing force acts upon charge, thereby efficiently neutralizing the charge. There are attained a high printing density and a favorable uniformity in the printing density.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.