Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Humio Yamazaki

Susumu Maruno

Masaharu Ushihara

Masami Nakagawa

Michinori Nagahiro

Noboru Miyaji

A plurality of magnetic styli are arranged in a row for effecting a line recording. A magnetic styli are magnetized by a magnet held in contact with these styli so that a magnetic fluid attaching to the styli is protruded from each stylus to form continuous wave-like protrusions along the row of the styli. The magnetic fluid protruded from the styli is to fly or migrate as a high voltage is applied selectively between the styli and a control electrode which opposes to the styli across the recording paper, due to a Coulomb force acting on the ends of the protrusions. In consequence, a recording is made by the magnetic fluid serving as an ink on the recording paper in accordance with a recording signal. A predetermined head or height differential is preserved between the magnet and an ink tank. The magnet and the ink tank are connected to each other by means of a pipe filled with the magnetic fluid. A slight gap is formed in the connection between the pipe and the magnet. This gap, however, is completely covered and closed by the magnetic fluid attaching to the magnet so that the ambient air is prevented from coming into the pipe. A vacuum is generated in the pipe due to the aforementioned height differential to control the amount of the magnetic fluid supplied to the magnet. As the magnetic fluid is consumed progressively at the ends of the protrusions, the magnetic fluid is supplied to the protrusions from the ink tank through the pipe and the gap. In consequence, various troubles such as printing failure due to magnetic thickening of the magnetic fluid which inevitably takes place in the conventional apparatus incorporating an elongated magnet type ink supplying device, is completely eliminated to ensure a stable printing of a high quality.

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Hirakata, Japan

Humio Yamazaki