Ion print head and image forming apparatus using the same

An ion print head usable with an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a discharge cell array comprising a plurality of discharge elements to emit charged particles to create a latent image on an electrostatic drum,
• wherein each of the plurality of discharge elements comprises a base and a microelectrode disposed on the base to face the electrostatic drum and each includes a control electrode disposed between the microelectrode and the electrostatic drum,
• a spacer disposed between the base and the control electrode,
• wherein a length of the one or more microelectrodes is shorter than a width of the spacer.

An ion print head usable with an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a discharge cell having a base, a control electrode spaced apart from the base and having a hole, and one or more microelectrodes extending from the base toward the hole of the control electrode;
• and
• a spacer disposed between the base and the control electrode,
• wherein a length of the one or more microelectrodes is shorter than a width of the spacer.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an electrostatic drum on which a latent image is formed;
• an ion print head to form the latent image on an insulation layer of the electrostatic drum by selectively applying charged particles to the insulation layer, the ion print head comprising:
• at least one discharge cell provided with a plurality of discharge elements to emit the charged particles, and each discharge element including a base, a microelectrode disposed on the base to emit the charged particles toward the insulation layer, and a control electrode spaced apart from the base and having a hole therein through which the emitted charged particles pass and to control the emission of the charged particles from the microelectrode,
• a spacer disposed between the base and the control electrode,
• wherein a length of the one or more microelectrodes is shorter than a width of the spacer, and
• a controller to control the plurality of discharge elements of the at least one discharge cell;
• a development unit to apply a developer to the charged insulation layer of the electrostatic drum to form a developer image that corresponds to the latent image;
• a transfer unit to transfer the developer image of the electrostatic drum to a printing medium;
• and
• a fuser to fuse the transferred image on the printing medium.

An image forming unit of an image forming

• apparatus, comprising:
• an electrostatic drum including a conductor and an insulating layer disposed around the conductor;
• and
• a plurality of discharge elements arranged along a length of the electrostatic drum to form a latent image thereon and each discharge element including a base disposed opposite the insulating layer of the electrostatic drum and a microelectrode extending from the base and perpendicular to the length of the electrostatic drum to ionize surrounding air.

An image forming unit, comprising:

• an ion print head including a discharge cell having a base, a control electrode spaced apart from the base and having a hole, and one or more microelectrodes extending from the base toward the hole of the control electrode;
• and
• a spacer disposed between the base and the control electrode,
• wherein a length of the one or more microelectrodes is shorter than a width of the spacer.

A method of an ion print head, the method comprising:

• creating a constant electrostatic potential across a gap between an electrostatic drum and at least one discharge element having a base;
• emitting charge particles from at least one microelectrode projecting from the at least one discharge element toward the electrostatic drum;
• and
• controlling a flow of charged particles through a hole in a corresponding at least one control electrode disposed between the at least one microelectrode and the electrostatic drum by applying a varying electrostatic potential thereto,
• wherein a spacer is disposed between the base and the microelectrode, and
• wherein a length of the at least one microelectrode is shorter than a width of the spacer.