The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 01, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 25, 1998
Hideo Yamasa, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Kouichi Irihara, Nara, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an ink tank accommodating chargeable developer ink, an ink control layer having a plurality of ink supply holes arranged in a matrix, arranged near the surface of the developer ink and having a lower portion opened in the developer ink, a potential control layer arranged above the ink control layer and having a plurality of ink passage holes arranged in the column direction of the ink supply holes, an opposing electrode arranged opposing to the potential control layer, a power supply unit for applying a potential to the developer ink and an opposing electrode to generate a prescribed potential difference between the developer ink and an opposing electrode, a surface level controller for changing surface level of the developer ink in the ink supply holes for each column of the ink supply holes, and an emission controller for controlling potential of each row of the ink supply holes in the ink passage holes of the potential control layer for controlling ink emission dot by dot.