Patent ID: 6241343
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A direct printing apparatus for depositing printing particles on a print medium, comprising:a sleeve for bearing charged printing particles thereon;a drive roller provided in the sleeve, the drive roller having a smaller outside diameter than an inside diameter of the sleeve;a backing electrode opposed to the sleeve;a power supply connected to the backing electrode for generating an electric field that attract the charged printing particles on the sleeve to propel the same toward said backing electrode;a printing head disposed between the sleeve 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; anda 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;wherein a spacer is provided between the sleeve and the printing head and the sleeve has a slack through which the sleeve comes into contact with the spacer.