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. 07, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 09, 1998
Shirou Wakahara, Chiba, JP;
Hironori Ogasawara, Nara, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An image forming unit includes: a toner support for supporting the toner; an opposing electrode opposed to the toner support; a high-voltage power source for supplying a high voltage to produce a potential difference between the toner support and the opposing electrode; a control electrode having an insulative substrate disposed between the developer support and the opposing electrode, a plurality of gates formed in the insulative substrate for forming the passage of the developer, and electrode groups provided around a multiple number of the gates; and a control device for selectively applying multiple potential states to each electrode in the control electrode, wherein the control device controls the passage of the developer through the gates by applying the predetermined voltage to electrode groups so as to form an image on the surface of the paper which is being conveyed over the opposing electrode. In this configuration, a slanted portion for reducing the component of a force, acting on the toner residing on the paper, in the direction opposite to the conveyed direction of the paper, is provided on the downstream side of the opposing electrode.