INTERDIGITATED NIBS TO REDUCE CROSSTALK

Publishing Venue

Xerox Disclosure Journal

Abstract

In ionographic printing devices, such as that shown, for example, in US 4,644,373 to Sheridon, wherein a latent image is formed by imagewise modulation of a stream of ions directed towards a charge retentive surface, crosstalk between adjacent modulation nibs on the printhead nib array is a serious problem. Generally, the height of the ion flow "tunnel" (the cross sectional area through which ion flow is controlled by any particular nib) is approximately the same as the center to center spacing between adjacent nibs. Accordingly, it can be seen that the electric field set up by any particular nib has a significant effect on the ion flow past neighboring nibs. The problem of crosstalk becomes particularly noticeable when attempting to print a single bit width line parallel to the process direction. As shown in Figure 1, fields from adjacent nibs extend into the one "of"' bit space and partially shut off the current to narrow the line undesirably. While the electrodes may be spaced at a greater center-to-center distance, the result is a spacing between the electrodes that exposes a significant area of insulative material subject to unpredictable charging that will also affect the ion stream.

XEROX DISCLOSURE JOURNAL

INTERDIGITATED NIBS TO REDUCE CROSSTALK Jeffrey J. Folkins

Proposed Classification
U.S. C1.346/158 Int. C1. Gold 15/06

FIG. I

FIG. 2A

XEROX DISCLOSURE JOURNAL - Vol. 17, No. 3 May/June 1992 131

INTERDIGITATED NIBS TO REDUCE CROSSTALK(Cont'd)

^?- N2

I THIN NIBS

FIG. 2B

132 XEROX DISCLOSURE JOURNAL - Vol. 17, No. 3 May/June 1992

INTERDIGITATED NIBS TO REDUCE CROSSTALK(Cont'd)

In ionographic printing devices, such as that shown, for example, in US 4,644,373 to Sheridon, wherein a latent image is formed by imagewise modulation of a stream of ions directed towards a charge retentive surface, crosstalk between adjacent modulation nibs on the printhead nib array is a serious problem. Generally, the height of the ion flow "tunnel" (the cross sectional area through which ion flow is controlled by any particular nib) is approximately the same as the center to center spacing between adjacent nibs. Accordingly, it can be seen that the electric field set up by any particular nib has a significant effect on the ion flow past neighboring nibs. The problem of crosstalk becomes particularly noticeable when attempting to print a single bit width line parallel to the process direction. As shown in Figure 1, fields from adjacent nibs extend into the one "of"' bit space and partially shut off the current to narrow the line undesirably. While the electrodes may be spaced at a greater center-to-center distance, the result is a spacing between the electrodes th...