EP0057594A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Ink jet apparatus
Assignee: Cessione dataproducts Corp
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Filing: 1982-01-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-01-29
Abstract
Abstract An elongated acoustic waveguide (20) couples a transducer (18) to an ink jet chamber (14) including an outlet orifice (16) through which droplets of ink are ejected. In one embodiment, the waveguide (20) is directly coupled to ink within the chamber (14). Arrays are formed utilizing such ink jet chambers (14) and waveguides (20). Because the transducers (18) are located separately from the ink jet chambers (14), the latter can be arranged in a very compact array.
Inventors
- 👤 John Garcia Martner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 03:04
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/145; B41J2/015; B41J2/04; B41J2/045; B41J2/055; B41J2/14; B41J2/14201; B41J2/14274
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
An ink jet apparatus characterised by an ink jet chamber (14) including an inlet port (28) for receiving ink in said chamber and an outlet orifice (16) for ejecting ink droplets from said chamber; a transducer (18) located separately from said chamber; and an elongated, preferably solid, acoustic waveguide (20) coupled between said ink jet chamber (14) and said transducer (18) for transmitting acoustic pulses generated at said transducer (18) to said chamber (14) for changing the volume of said chamber (14) in response to the state of energization of said transducer (18).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
An ink jet apparatus characterised by an ink jet chamber (14) including an inlet port (28) for receiving ink in said chamber and an outlet orifice (16) for ejecting ink droplets from said chamber; a transducer (18) located separately from said chamber; and an elongated, preferably solid, acoustic waveguide (20) coupled between said ink jet chamber (14) and said transducer (18) for transmitting acoustic pulses generated at said transducer (18) to said chamber (14) for changing the volume of said chamber (14) in response to the state of energization of said transducer (18).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
An ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that said chamber (14) includes a diaphragm (60) coupled to said waveguide (20), said diaphragm (60) being deformed into and out of said chamber in response to said state of energization.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
An ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that said waveguide (20) penetrates into said chamber (14).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink jet apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, characterised in that at least a portion of said waveguide (20) includes a passageway (24) for coupling ink from a reservoir (42) to the chamber (14).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
An ink jet apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that said waveguide (20) extends through said reservoir (42), said inlet port (28) being located in an intermediate portion along the waveguide (20) at said reservoir (42).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
An ink jet apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that said passageway (24) has a lesser cross-section over said orifice (16) than at said inlet port (28).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink jet apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that sad waveguide is curved along the axis of elongation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
An ink jet apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said waveguide (20) abuts the transducer (18).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ink jet apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said pulses are transmitted to said chamber (14) in a direction having at least a component parallel with the axis of the orifice.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
An ink jet apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised by a plurality of ink jet chambers (14), a plurality of transducers (18) and a plurality of elongated acoustic waveguides (20), each coupled between a respective said ink jet chamber (14) and a respective said transducer (18).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
An ink jet apparatus according to claim 10, characterised in that said plurality of waveguides (20) are removably coupled to said ink jet chambers (14).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
An ink jet apparatus according to claim 10 or 11 characterised in that said waveguides (20) are of differing lengths along the axes of elongation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
An ink jet apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that said waveguides (20) converge towards an array of said chambers (14).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink jet apparatus according to claim 13, characterised in that the distance between the two furthest-apart chambers of said array of chambers (14) is substantially less than that between the two furthest-apart transducers (18) of said plurality.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink jet apparatus according to claim 13 or 14,characterised by an arrangement of said transducers (18) which is offset laterally with respect to the axis of an orifice (16) at one extremity of said apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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