(19)
(11) EP 0 795 414 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
28.01.1998 Bulletin 1998/05

(43) Date of publication A2:
17.09.1997 Bulletin 1997/38

(21) Application number: 97301723.9

(22) Date of filing: 14.03.1997
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6: B41J 29/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB

(30) Priority: 14.03.1996 JP 57257/96

(71) Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Osaka-shi Osaka-fu (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Nagata, Masaya
    Nara-shi, Nara (JP)
  • Tsunezawa, Masayoshi
    Nara-shi, Nara (JP)
  • Ozaki, Masaaki
    Nara-shi, Nara (JP)
  • Higuchi, Kaoru
    Tenri-shi, Nara (JP)

(74) Representative: Brown, Kenneth Richard et al
R.G.C. Jenkins & Co. 26 Caxton Street
London SW1H 0RJ
London SW1H 0RJ (GB)

   


(54) Image recording apparatus provided with a discharger for removing charges from recording medium


(57) An image recording apparatus includes a transport unit (22) for conveying a recording medium, and a print head (1). The print head (1) includes a heater unit (2) for heating and vaporizing ink, an eject unit (4, 11) for ejecting ink vaporized by the heater unit (2) onto the recording medium, and an eject control unit (8) for controlling the vaporous ink so that it is ejected intermittently according to image data corresponding to an image to be recorded. The eject unit (4, 11) includes a charging unit (4) for charging vaporous ink, a backside electric unit (11) provided at a back surface of the recording medium for attracting the vaporous ink charged by the charging unit (4) onto the recording medium. The eject control unit (8) includes an electrostatic shutter unit (8) for controlling ejection of the vaporous ink charged by the charging unit with an electric field. The image recording apparatus further includes a discharger unit (24) provided upstream of the eject unit (4, 11) in a conveying direction of the recording medium for removing the charges from the recording medium.






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