METHOD OF ELECTROSTATIC RECORDING ON ELECTRICALLY INSULATING FILMS BY NON-WETTING ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE LIQUIDS

• US 3,872,480 A
• Filed: 03/14/1974
• Issued: 03/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rudolf Succo Engelbrecht
• Original Assignee: Rudolf Succo Engelbrecht
• Inventors: Engelbrecht, Rudolf Succo
• Primary Examiner(s): Konick, Bernard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lucas, Jay P.
• Application Number:
  US05/451,093
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 346/74ES,74EX,74S,74SB,74EK 178/6.6A 204/2 324/32 101/DIG.13 118/DIG.23 117/93.4,143,37LE
• US Class Current: 347/149
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/325 using a stylus or a multi-styli array
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 101/37 Printing employing electrostatic force

Abstract

Electrostatic charges are applied to an electrically insulating film with the aid of a pointed or patterned probe wetted with an electrically conductive liquid. The liquid is non-wetting on the film. A source of voltage (20-100V ac or dc) is applied between the probe and one major surface of the film; and relative motion is applied between the probe and the other major surface of the film so that the liquid comes into only non-wetting contact with selected areas of the film. The liquid adheres only to the probe and moves therewith.

Claims

1. A method of electrostatic recording on an electrically insulating film comprising the steps of:

wetting a probe with an electrically conductive liquid that is non-wetting on said film, applying a source of voltage between one major surface of said film and said probe, and applying relative motion between said probe and the other major surface of said film so that said liquid comes into only nonwetting contact with selected areas of said opposite major surface, said liquid adhering only to said probe and moving therewith, whereby to apply electrostatic charges to said selected areas.

2. A method of electrostatic recording as described in claim 1 wherein:

said electrically insulating film is a plastic film selected from the group consisting of acrylic material, polystyrene material, polytetrafluoroethylene material, and polyethylenetere phthalate material, and said liquid is one from the group consisting of water, ethanol, methanol, and mixtures thereof.

3. A method of electrostatic recording as described in claim 1 wherein:

said probe is a relatively pointed member, and the step of applying relative motion between said probe and said opposite major surface of said film comprises applying electrostatic charges in a linear array on said opposite major surface.

4. A method of electrostatic recording as described in claim 1 wherein:

said source of voltage is between about 20 and about 100 volts ac.

5. A method of electrostatic recording as described in claim 1 wherein:

said source of voltage is between about 20 and 100 volts dc.

6. A method of electrostatic recording as described in claim 1 wherein:

said probe comprises a patterned surface, and the step of applying relative motion between said probe and the opposite major surface and of said film comprises momentarily bringing said liquid on said patterned surface of said wetted probe into non-wetting contact with selected areas of said opposite major surface.

7. In a method of electrostatic recording on one surface of an electrically insulating film with a probe, the improvement comprising:

biasing said probe with a voltage of between about 20 and about 100 volts with respect to an opposite surface of said film, wetting said probe with an electrically conductive liquid that is non-wetting on said film, and applying relative motion between said probe and said one surface of said film, said liquid adhering to said probe and moving therewith whereby to apply electrostatic charge patterns on said film.

8. In a method of electrostatic recording as described in claim 7 wherein:

said probe has a patterned surface, and said patterned surface of said probe is brought into momentary contact with said one surface of said film, said liquid adhering only to said probe and moving therewith, whereby to apply an electrostatic charge pattern of said patterned surface to said film.

9. In a method of electrostic recording as described in claim 7 wherein:

said electrostatic charge patterns are read-out non-destructively by moving said probe over said charge pattern slightly spaced from said one surface of said film, and amplifying the Charges capacitively coupled to said probe.

10. In a method of electrostatic recording as described in claim 7 wherein:

said wetted probe is moved over said charge patterns to read-out said charge patterns, and applying the charge patterns read-out.

11. In a method of electrostatic recording as described in claim 7 wherein:

said electrostatic charge patterns are made visible with toner particles by applying toner particles from a grounded container to said one surface of said film.

12. In a method of electrostatic recording as described in claim 7 wherein:

said electrostatic charge patterns are erased by moving a grounded wetted probe over said one surface of said film.

13. A method of electrostatic recording on an electrically insulating film comprising the steps of:

wetting a probe with an electrically conductive liquid that is non-wetting on said film, disposing one surface of said film on electrical conductors which, in turn, are disposed on an insulating substrate, a charge pattern being on said electrical conductors, grounding said wetted probe, and moving said grounded wetted probe over the opposite surface of said film, whereby to reproduce on said opposite surface of said film a charge pattern of opposite polarity to said charge pattern on said conductors.