Xerox Corporation

Charles F Hurst

Michael A Sprauve

Joseph A Chizuk, Jr

George W Davis

James R Hufman

Derrick Arnold Kendrick

Kenneth R Chew

A writing head suitable for use in an electrostatic marking device includes a plurality of first surface conductive pads permanently fixed to a first surface of the first head member and disposed in a lengthwise row, and a plurality of second surface conductive pads permanently fixed to the second surface of the first head member. Each second surface conductive pad is paired with one of the first surface conductive pads, and the pair of pads is electrically connected by way of a conductive via extending through the first head member. A plurality of conductors is disposed on the first head member in a substantially equally spaced and parallel relationship, with one end of each conductor being permanently connected to a respective one of the first surface conductive pads. The other end of each conductor, referred to as a nib, being exposed in at least one line at the first edge of the first surface and lying in a plane perpendicular to the first surface. The plurality of nibs form the nib line of the writing head. The writing head also includes a second insulative head member disposed on top of the plurality of conductors, the plurality of conductive pads and the first head member. The second head member restrains the plurality of conductors in fixed positions. The conductive pads may be arranged in novel arrangements that provide great flexibility in design in order to accommodate a wide variety of writing head pitches and lengths.

Electrostatic writing head having integral conductive pads

A method of manufacturing an electrostatic writing head automatically bonds conductors that form the writing electrodes of the head to a head member in a spaced parallel relationship according to the desired pitch of the writing head. The writing head includes a set of first surface conductive pads permanently fixed to a first surface of the first head member and disposed in a lengthwise row, and a set of second surface conductive pads permanently fixed to the second surface of the first head member. Each second surface conductive pad is paired with one of the first surface conductive pads, and the pair of pads is electrically connected by way of a conductive via extending through the first head member. The conductors are automatically bonded at one end to a respective one of the first surface conductive pads. The other end of each conductor is bonded to a bonding area that is later removed by cutting, thereby exposing the tips of the conductors in at least one line to produce the nib line of the head. The conductive pads may be arranged in a variety of novel arrangements that provide great flexibility in design in order to accommodate a wide variety of writing head pitches and lengths. The automatic bonding process is under processor control and is able to bond conductors according to a repetitive pattern consistent with a specific arrangement of the conductive pads.

Method of manufacture of an electrostatic writing head having integral

A method of joining substrates at their lateral edges uses an elongated stiffening member to provide the requisite rigidity and strength for the application in which the joined substrate is to be used. The joining method is useful in any type of application that shares three functional requirements: The joined substrate sections must produce a unitary substrate construction with sufficient rigidity and strength to maintain the substrate sections in a joined position during a subsequent processing operation on the unitary substrate and thereafter when a completed assembly composed of joined substrates is installed as a component of another apparatus. Secondly, if components are formed on a substrate prior to joining, the integrity of those components must remain intact and uncontaminated during the joining process in a manner that would permit a subsequent operation to successfully use the components. Thirdly, the joint between the abutting lateral edges of two substrate sections must be both of sufficient strength for the intended purpose of the unitary substrate construction and have a width controllable within a range of widths comprising an acceptable tolerance allowed for a distance between two adjacent components that occur at the joint. The method is illustrated in the context of a writing head for use in an electrographic marking device, where the writing head may be manufactured to any desirable width by using the method of the present invention to join head member sections to form a working substrate, prior to attaching the conductors thereto that form the nib line.

Method for joining rigid substrates at abutting lateral edges

A writing head suitable for use in an electrostatic marking device includes a head member composed of multiple joined head member sections. The ability to join sections enables the writing head to be built in a wide variety of lengths. The writing head also includes a set of first surface conductive pads permanently fixed to a first surface of the first head member and disposed in a lengthwise row, and a set of second surface conductive pads permanently fixed to the second surface of the first head member. Each second surface conductive pad is paired with one of the first surface conductive pads, and the pair of pads is electrically connected by way of a conductive via extending through the first head member. A plurality of conductors is disposed on the first head member in a substantially equally spaced and parallel relationship, with one end of each conductor being permanently connected to a respective one of the first surface conductive pads. The other end of each conductor, referred to as a nib, being exposed in at least one line at the first edge of the first surface and lying in a plane perpendicular to the first surface, to form the nib line. The conductive pads may be arranged in novel arrangements that provide great flexibility in design in order to accommodate a wide variety of writing head pitches and lengths. The lateral edges of sections to be joined are cut to have a contour to accommodate a specific novel pad arrangement.

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Campbell, CA, United States of America

Charles F Hurst