Electron-beam generating device having plurality of cold cathode elements, method of driving said device and image forming apparatus applying same

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an electron-beam generating device having:
• a plurality of cold cathode elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns on a substrate;
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring said plurality of cold cathode elements into a matrix;
• and
• drive signal generating means for generating signals which drive said plurality of cold cathode elements one row at a time,
• wherein said drive signal generating means includes:
• current value determining means for determining a current value, which will be passed through each of the n-number of column wires, on the basis of an externally entered electron-beam demand value;
• current applying means for passing the current, which has been determined by said current-value determining means through each column wire;
• and
• voltage applying means for applying a first voltage from a voltage source to a selected row wire of said m-number of row wires and applying a second voltage from a voltage source to unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires, while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire, where the first voltage is different from the second voltage;
• and
• an image forming member for forming an image by irradiation with an electron beam outputted by said electron beam generating device,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

A method of driving an electron-beam generating device having a plurality of cold cathode elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns on a substrate, m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring the plurality of cold cathode elements into a matrix, and drive signal generating means for generating signals which drive the plurality of cold cathode elements one row at a time, said method comprising:

• a current-value determining step of determining a current value, which will be passed through each of the n-number of column wires, on the basis of an externally entered electron-beam demand value;
• a current applying step of passing the current, which has been determined at said current-value determining step, through each column wire;
• and
• a voltage applying step of applying a first voltage from a voltage source to a selected row wire of said m-number of row wires and applying a second voltage from a voltage source to unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires, while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire, where the first voltage is different from the second voltage,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An electron-beam generating device comprising:

• a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns;
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring said plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix;
• a current source for supplying a predetermined current to the column wires;
• a first voltage source for applying a first voltage to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires;
• and
• a second voltage source for applying a second voltage different from the first voltage to unselected row wires of the m-number of row wires, while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An electron-beam generating device comprising:

• a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns;
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring said plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix;
• a first current source for supplying a predetermined current to the column wires;
• and
• a voltage source for applying voltage to the row wires,
• wherein the m-number of row wires include a selected row wire to which a first voltage is applied and unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied by said voltage source while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An electron-beam generating device comprising:

• a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns;
• and
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring said plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix,
• wherein a predetermined current is applied to the column wires, and the m-number of row wires include a selected row wire to which a first voltage is applied and unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire, and the second voltage is applied to the unselected row wires so that a current being caused to flow through the unselected row wires of the predetermined current is controlled,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An electron-beam generating device comprising:

• a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns;
• and
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring said plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix,
• wherein a predetermined current is applied to the column wires, and the m-number of row wires include a selected row wire to which a first voltage is applied and unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire, and the second voltage is applied to the unselected row wires so that unnecessary emission of electrons from the electron emission elements connected to the unselected row wires is prevented,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an electron-beam generating device having:
• a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns;
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires that wire said plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix;
• a current source for supplying a predetermined current to the column wires;
• a first voltage source for applying a first voltage to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires;
• and
• a second voltage source for applying a second voltage different from the first voltage to unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires of the m-number of row wires while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire;
• and
• an image forming member for forming an image by irradiation with an electron beam outputted by said electron-beam generating device,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an electron-beam generating device having:
• a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns;
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring said plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix;
• a first current source for supplying a predetermined current to the column wires;
• and
• a voltage source for applying voltage to the row wires,
• wherein the m-number of row wires include a selected row wire to which a first voltage is applied and unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires to which a second voltage being different from the first voltage is applied by said voltage source while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire;
• and
• an image forming member for forming an image by irradiation with an electron beam outputted by said electron-beam generating device,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an electron-beam generating device having:
• a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns;
• and
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring said plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix,
• wherein a predetermined current is applied to the column wires, and the number of row wires include a selected row wire to which a first voltage is applied and unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires row wires to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied, and the second voltage is applied to the unselected row wires while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire so that a current being flowed to the unselected row wires of the predetermined current is controlled;
• and
• an image forming member for forming an image by irradiation with an electron beam outputted by said electron-beam generating device,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an electron-beam generating device having:
• a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns:
• and
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring said plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix,
• wherein a predetermined current is applied to the column wires, and the m-number of row wires include a selected row wire to which a first voltage is applied and unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires to which a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire, and the second voltage is applied to the unselected row wires so that unnecessary emission of electrons from the electron emission elements connected to the unselected row wires is prevented;
• and
• an image forming member for forming an image by irradiation with an electron beam outputted by said electron-beam generating device,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

A driving method of driving an electron-beam generating device which comprises a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns and m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires that wire the plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a first voltage to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires, and applying a second voltage different from the first voltage to unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires of the m-number of row wires by a voltage source while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire;
• and
• supplying a predetermined current to the column wires,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

A driving method of driving an electron-beam generating device which comprises a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns and m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires that wire the plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a first voltage to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires and a second voltage different from the first voltage to unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires of the m-number of row wires while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire;
• and
• supplying a predetermined current to the column wires,
• wherein the second voltage is applied to the unselected row wires so that a current being caused to flow through the unselected row wires of the predetermined current is controlled, and
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

A driving method of driving an electron-beam generating device which comprises a plurality of electron emission elements arrayed in the form of rows and columns and m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires that wire the plurality of electron emission elements into a matrix, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a first voltage to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires and a second voltage different from the first voltage to unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires of the m-number of row wires while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire;
• and
• supplying a predetermined current to the column wires,
• wherein the second voltage is applied to the unselected row wires so that unnecessary emission of electrons from the electron emission elements connected to the unselected row wires is prevented, and
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An electron-beam generating device, comprising:

• a plurality of electron emission devices arrayed in a form of rows and columns;
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring the plurality of the electron emission devices into a matrix;
• a current source for supplying a predetermined current to the column wires;
• and
• a driving circuit for applying a voltage to the row wires,
• wherein said driving circuit applies a first voltage to a selected row wire of the plurality of row wires and a second voltage different form the first voltage to the unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires of the plurality of row wires while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire, and
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an electron-beam generating device including:
• a plurality of electron emission devices arrayed in a form of rows and columns,
• m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring the plurality of the electron emission devices into a matrix;
• a current source for supplying a predetermined current to the column wires;
• and
• a driving circuit for applying a voltage to the row wires, wherein said driving circuit applies a first voltage to a selected row wire of the plurality of row wires and a second voltage different form the first voltage to the unselected row wires of said m-number of row wires row wires of the plurality of row wires while the first voltage is being applied to the selected row wire;
• and
• an image forming member for forming an image based upon irradiation of electron beams from the electron-beam generating device,
• wherein the second voltage applied to the unselected row wires causes a leakage current of the current supplied to each column wire to become constant.

An electron-beam generating apparatus having a plurality of cold cathode devices arranged in a matrix on a substrate, m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring the plurality of cold cathode devices into the matrix and drive signal generating means for generating a signal for driving the plurality of cold cathode devices in a row unit, said drive signal generating means comprising:

• current value determination means for determining a current value to be flowed in each of the n-number of column wires based on a demand value of electron beam input from an exterior;
• current supplying means for supplying the current value determined by said current value determination means to the each of the n-number of column wires;
• and
• voltage application means for applying a voltage V1 to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires and a voltage V2 to all remaining row wires;
• wherein the voltage V1 is different from the voltage V2, and a leak current of the current flowing by said current supplying means in each of the n-number of column wires becomes constant by application of the voltage V2, such that a current value flowing in a desired cold cathode device becomes constant.

An electron-beam generating apparatus having a plurality of cold cathode devices arranged in a matrix on a substrate, m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring the plurality of cold cathode devices into the matrix and drive signal generating means for generating a signal for driving the plurality of cold cathode devices in a row unit, said drive signal generating means comprising:

• current value determination means for determining a current value flowing in each of the n-number of column wires based on a demand value of electron beam input from an exterior;
• current supplying means for supplying the current value determined by said current value determination means to each of the n-number of column wires;
• and
• voltage application means for applying a voltage V1 to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires and a voltage V2 to all remaining row wires;
• wherein the voltage V1 is different from the voltage V2, and said current value determination means comprises:
• device current determination means for determining a device current value to be flowed in each of cold cathode devices connected to a row wire to which the voltage V1 is applied, based on the demand value of electron beam input from the exterior and an output characteristic of each of the cold cathode devices, and
• correction means for correcting the device current value determined by said device current determination means;
• wherein said correction means comprises:
• reactive current determination means for determining a reactive current value flowing in a row wire to which the voltage V2 is applied, and
• addition means for adding a value determined by said device current determination means to a value determined by said reactive current determination means, and wherein said correction means corrects the device current value based on a result added by said addition means.

An electron-beam generating apparatus having a plurality of cold cathode devices arranged in a matrix on a substrate, m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring the plurality of cold cathode devices into the matrix and drive signal generating means for generating a signal for driving the plurality of cold cathode devices in a row unit, said drive signal generating means comprising:

• current value determination means for determining a current value flowing in each of the n-number of column wires based on a demand value of electron beam input from an exterior;
• current supplying means for supplying the current value determined by said current value determination means to each of the n-number of column wires;
• and
• voltage application means for applying a voltage V1 to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires and a voltage V2 to all remaining row wires;
• wherein the voltage V1 is different from the voltage V2, and said current value determination means comprises:
• device current determination means for determining a device current value to be flowed in each of cold cathode devices connected to a row wire to which the voltage V1 is applied, based on the demand value of electron beam input from the exterior and an output characteristic of each of the cold cathode devices;
• correction means for correcting the device current value determined by said device current determination means;
• and
• wherein said correction means includes:
• wire potential measurement means for measuring a potential of a wire of the row and column wires;
• and
• means for determining a correction value for correcting the device current based on a result measured by said wire potential measurement means.

A method of driving an electron-beam generating apparatus having a plurality of cold cathode devices arranged in a matrix on a substrate, m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring the plurality of cold cathode devices into the matrix and drive signal generating means for generating a signal for driving the plurality of cold cathode devices in a row unit, the method comprising:

• a current value determination step of determining a current value to be flowed in each of the n-number of column wires based on a demand value of electron beam input from an exterior;
• a current supplying step of supplying the current value determined in said current value determination step to each of the n-number of column wires;
• and
• a voltage application step of applying a voltage V1 to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires and a voltage V2 different form the voltage V1 to all remaining row wires, in synchronism with said current supplying step,
• wherein a leak current of the current flowing in said current supplying step in each of the n-number of column wires becomes constant by application of the voltage V2, such that a current value flowing in a desired cold cathode device becomes constant.

A method of driving an electron-beam generating apparatus having a plurality of cold cathode devices arranged in a matrix on a substrate, m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring the plurality of cold cathode devices into the matrix and drive signal generating means for generating a signal for driving the plurality of cold cathode devices in a row unit, the method comprising:

• a current value determination step of determining a current value to be flowed in each of the n-number of column wires based on a demand value of electron beam input from an exterior;
• a current supplying step of supplying the current value determined in said current value determination step to the each of the n-number of column wires;
• and
• a voltage application step of applying a voltage V1 to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires and a voltage V2 different form the voltage V1 to all remaining row wires, in synchronism with said current supplying step;
• wherein said current value determination step includes:
• a device current determination step of determining a device current value to be flowed in each of cold cathode devices connected to a row wire to which the voltage V1 is applied, based on the demand value of electron beam input from the exterior and an output characteristic of each of the cold cathode devices;
• and
• a correction step of correcting the device current value determined by said device current determination means;
• wherein said correction step comprises a reactive current determination step for determining a reactive current value flowing in a row wire to which the voltage V2 is applied, and
• wherein a value determined in said device current determination step is added to a value determined in said reactive current determination step, and the device current value is corrected based on a result of addition.

A driving method for driving an electron-beam generating apparatus having a plurality of cold cathode devices arranged in a matrix on a substrate, m-number of row wires and n-number of column wires for wiring the plurality of cold cathode devices into the matrix and drive signal generating means for generating a signal for driving the plurality of cold cathode devices in a row unit, the method comprising:

• a current value determination step of determining a current value flowing in each of the n-number of column wires based on a demand value of electron beam input from an exterior;
• a current supplying step of supplying the current value determined in said current value determination step to each of the n-number of column wires;
• and
• a voltage application step of applying a voltage V1 to a selected row wire of the m-number of row wires and a voltage V2 to all remaining row wires;
• wherein said current value determination step comprises:
• a device current determination step of determining a device current value to be flowed in each of cold cathode devices connected to a row wire to which the voltage V1 is applied, based on the demand value of electron beam input from the exterior and an output characteristic of each of the cold cathode devices,
• a wire potential measurement step of measuring a potential of each of the column wires, and
• a step of determining a correction value for correcting the device current based on a result measured at said wire potential measurement step.