EP0110841A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ink-jet printer
Assignee: Olivetti SpA
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Filing: 1983-11-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-11-21
Abstract
Abstract An ink-jet printer includes a reservoir (1) filled with ink (2) and an ink duct (3) communicating with the reservoir. The duct has a terminal portion (4) with a capillary nozzle (5) for projecting the ink, and an intermediate portion (8) between the reservoir (1) and the terminal portion (4). Transducer means (7) are associated with the terminal portion (4) of the duct (3) for generating a first pressure wave in the ink, which is directed towards the nozzle (5) and causes a droplet of ink to be discharged through the nozzle. Energy absorption means (9, 10, 11, 12, 13) cooperate with the ink in the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3) and comprise an elongate container (9, 10, 11, 12) adjacent at least part of the intermediate portion (8) of the duct and having at least one wall (9) which is in contact with the ink and can deform resiliently under the action of a second pressure wave associated with the first pressure wave and directed towards the intermediate portion of the duct. This container has a filling of viscous fluid (13) whereby the energy of the second pressure wave is substantially dissipated within the viscous fluid.
Inventors
- 👤 Riccardo Brescia
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:46
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/015; B41J2/04; B41J2/045; B41J2/055; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
Ink-jet printer, comprising: - a reservoir (1) filled with; ink (2) - a duct (3) communicating with the preservoir (1) and filled with ink (2) the duct (3) having a terminal portion (4) provided with a nozzle (5) for projecting the ink (2) and an intermediate portion (8) between the reservoir (1) and the terminal portion (4); - transducer means (7) associated with the terminal portion (4) of the duct (3) for generating a first pressure wave in the ink, which is directed towards the nozzle (5) and causes a droplet of ink to be discharged through the nozzle (5), a second pressure wave associated with the first pressure wave being directed towards the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3), and - energy absorption means cooperating with the ink (2) in the intermediate portion (8) for substantially absorbing the energy of the second pressure wave, characterised in that the energy absorption means comprises: - an elongate container (9, 10, 11, 12) adjacent at least part of the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3) and having at least one wall (9) which is in contact with the ink (2) and can deform resiliently under the action of the second pressure wave, and - a filling of viscous fluid (13) in the container (9, 10, 11, 12).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
Ink-jet printer, comprising: - a reservoir (1) filled with; ink (2) - a duct (3) communicating with the preservoir (1) and filled with ink (2) the duct (3) having a terminal portion (4) provided with a nozzle (5) for projecting the ink (2) and an intermediate portion (8) between the reservoir (1) and the terminal portion (4); - transducer means (7) associated with the terminal portion (4) of the duct (3) for generating a first pressure wave in the ink, which is directed towards the nozzle (5) and causes a droplet of ink to be discharged through the nozzle (5), a second pressure wave associated with the first pressure wave being directed towards the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3), and - energy absorption means cooperating with the ink (2) in the intermediate portion (8) for substantially absorbing the energy of the second pressure wave, characterised in that the energy absorption means comprises: - an elongate container (9, 10, 11, 12) adjacent at least part of the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3) and having at least one wall (9) which is in contact with the ink (2) and can deform resiliently under the action of the second pressure wave, and - a filling of viscous fluid (13) in the container (9, 10, 11, 12).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
Printer according to Claim 1, in which the terminal portion (4) of the duct (3) has a predetermined acoustic impedance, characterised in that the wall (9) of the container which is resiliently deformable under the action of the second pressure wave has a resilience such that the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3) has an acoustic impedance adapted to the acoustic impendance of the terminal portion (4) of the duct (3).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
Printer according to Claim 1, characterised in that the container (9 to 12) is divided internally by partitions (14) into a plurality of chambers and in that each of the partitions (14) has holes (15) constituting apertures for the passage of the viscous fluid (13).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
98 words
Printer according to Claim 1, characterised in that the wall of the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3) is constituted, for at least part (9) of its length, by a material which can deform resiliently under the action of the second pressure wave, and in that said container comprises an annular casing (10, 11, 12) surrounding the part (9) of the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3), whereby said at least one wall of the container is defined by the resiliently deformable part (9) of the wall of the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
Printer according to Claim 4, characterised in that the annular casing (10, 11, 12) is constituted, at least in part, by resiliently deformable material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
Printer according to Claim 4, characterised in that it includes a tubular element (14) of rigid or semi-rigid material which extends into the annular space between the part (9) of the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3) and the annular casing (10, 11, 12) of the container, the wall of this tubular element (14) having holes (15) constituting apertures for the passage of the viscous fluid (13).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
Printer according to Claim 1, characterised in that the elongate container (10, 11, 12) extends substantially over the whole length of the duct (3) between the reservoir (1) for the ink (2) and the terminal portion (4) of the duct (3).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
207 words
Method of damping pressure waves in an ink-jet printer comprising: - a reservoir (1) filled with ink (2) - a duct (3) communicating with the reservoir (1) and filled with ink, the duct (3) having a terminal portion (4) provided with a nozzle (5) for projecting the ink (2), and an intermediate portion (8) between the reservoir (1) and the terminal portion (4); - transducer means (7) associated with the terminal portion (4) of the duct (3) for generating a first pressure wave in the ink (2), which is directed towards the nozzle (5) and causes a droplet of ink to be discharged from the nozzle (5); a second pressure wave associated with the first pressure wave being directed towards the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3), characterised in that it comprises the steps of: - providing adjacent at least part of the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3) an elongate con- tainer (9, 10, 11, 12) having at least one wall (9) which can deform resiliently under the action of the said pressure wave, and - filling the container (9, 10, 11, 12) with a viscous fluid (13) whereby the energy of the second pressure wave is substantially dissipated within the viscous fluid (13).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
207 words
Method of damping pressure waves in an ink-jet printer comprising: - a reservoir (1) filled with ink (2) - a duct (3) communicating with the reservoir (1) and filled with ink, the duct (3) having a terminal portion (4) provided with a nozzle (5) for projecting the ink (2), and an intermediate portion (8) between the reservoir (1) and the terminal portion (4); - transducer means (7) associated with the terminal portion (4) of the duct (3) for generating a first pressure wave in the ink (2), which is directed towards the nozzle (5) and causes a droplet of ink to be discharged from the nozzle (5); a second pressure wave associated with the first pressure wave being directed towards the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3), characterised in that it comprises the steps of: - providing adjacent at least part of the intermediate portion (8) of the duct (3) an elongate con- tainer (9, 10, 11, 12) having at least one wall (9) which can deform resiliently under the action of the said pressure wave, and - filling the container (9, 10, 11, 12) with a viscous fluid (13) whereby the energy of the second pressure wave is substantially dissipated within the viscous fluid (13).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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