Patent ID: 6270196
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A tandem type direct printing apparatus comprising a plurality of printing stations for depositing printing particles on a print medium, the plurality of printing stations being positioned in a moving direction of the print medium, the printing station comprising:a bearing member for bearing charged printing particles thereon;a backing electrode opposed to the bearing member;a power supply connected to the backing electrode for generating an electric field that attract the charged printing particles on the bearing member to propel the same toward said backing electrode;a printing head disposed between the bearing member and the backing electrode, the printing head having a plurality of apertures through which the printing particles can propel and a plurality of electrodes disposed around the plurality of apertures;a driver for applying the plurality of electrode with a voltage for allowing the printing particles to be propelled and a voltage for forbidding the printing particles to be propelled in response to an image signal; anda controller for outputting the image signal to the driver;wherein each of the plurality of apertures of the printing head in any one of the printing stations corresponds to an aperture of the printing head in another printing station so that the aperture is closest to a line along the moving direction of the printing medium which pass through a center of each of the corresponding plurality of apertures.