PREHEATING APPARATUS FOR AN ELECTROLYTIC PRINTER

摘要

A preheating pad and assembly for electrolytic printing apparatus is provided. The pad is adjustably mounted to the write head of the printer for movement normal to the recording medium used therein. The pad is fabricated from a ceramic chip and includes a resistive heating element that is protected by a thin bottom layer provided for that purpose. It is joined to an insulated carrier arm by a spring which serves to electrically and mechanically couple the pad and the print head. The biasing effect made possible by the spring allows the pad contact pressure with the recording medium surface to be tuned or adjusted as required. In operation, the pad's position is adjusted to force moisture deposited by an applicator on the surface of the recording medium to penetrate the recording medium's surface layer while simultaneously heating both the surface layer's constituent materials and the fluid being driven therein.