Patent EP0115180A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
EP0115180A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Operating an ink jet

Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems America Inc
•
Filing: 1983-12-22
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2003-12-22
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract For controlling the volume of ink droplets ejected from a drop on demand ink jet apparatus including a transducer (204) operable for producing a pressure disturbance within an associated ink chamber (200) for ejecting an ink droplet from an associated orifice (202), the transducer (204) is operated in an iterative manner for producing a plurality of successively equal or higher or lower amplitude pressure disturbances, or some combination thereof, within the ink chamber (200), for causing a plurality of successively equal or higher or lowervelocity ink droplets, or some combination thereof, to be ejected from the orifice (202) of the ink jet apparatus, within a time period permitting the ink droplets to either merge in flight or upon striking a recording medium.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stephen Jay Liker

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 18:10
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/015; B41J2/04; B41J2/045; B41J2/04501; B41J2/04595; B41J2/04581; B41J2/04588; B41J2/0459; B41J2/21; B41J2/2121; B41J2/2128; B41J2202/00; B41J2202/01; B41J2202/06

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 106 words
A method for controlling the volume of ink droplets ejected from a drop on demand ink jet apparatus including transducer means (204) operable for producing a pressure disturbance within an associated ink chamber (200), for ejecting an ink droplet from an associated orifice (202), the method being characterised in that it comprises operating said transducer means (204) in an iterative manner, for producing a plurality of successive pressure disturbances within said ink chamber (200), for causing a plurality of ink droplets to be ejected from said orifice (202) within a time period permitting said droplets to merge either while air-borne or upon striking a recording medium.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 106 words
A method for controlling the volume of ink droplets ejected from a drop on demand ink jet apparatus including transducer means (204) operable for producing a pressure disturbance within an associated ink chamber (200), for ejecting an ink droplet from an associated orifice (202), the method being characterised in that it comprises operating said transducer means (204) in an iterative manner, for producing a plurality of successive pressure disturbances within said ink chamber (200), for causing a plurality of ink droplets to be ejected from said orifice (202) within a time period permitting said droplets to merge either while air-borne or upon striking a recording medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 105 words
Apparatus for controlling the volume of ink droplets ejected from a drop on demand ink jet apparatus characterised in that it comprises transducer means (204) operable for producing a pressure disturbance within an associated ink chamber (200), for ejecting an ink droplet from an associated orifice (202), and means operable for operating said transducer means (204) in an iterative manner, for producing a plurality of successive pressure disturbances within said ink chamber (200), for causing a plurality of ink droplets to be ejected from said orifice (202) within a time period permitting said droplets to merge either while air-borne or upon striking a recording medium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 105 words
Apparatus for controlling the volume of ink droplets ejected from a drop on demand ink jet apparatus characterised in that it comprises transducer means (204) operable for producing a pressure disturbance within an associated ink chamber (200), for ejecting an ink droplet from an associated orifice (202), and means operable for operating said transducer means (204) in an iterative manner, for producing a plurality of successive pressure disturbances within said ink chamber (200), for causing a plurality of ink droplets to be ejected from said orifice (202) within a time period permitting said droplets to merge either while air-borne or upon striking a recording medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 90 words
A method according to claim 1 or apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that said transducer means (204) is responsive to an electrical pulse for producing the pressure disturbance within an associated ink chamber (200), the magnitude of the pressure disturbance being directly proportional to the slope of the trailing edge of said electrical pulse, and the transducer means (204) is operated by applying successive electrical pulses having either one of successively greater or reduced or equal trailing edge slopes, or some combination thereof, to said transducer means (204).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method or apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that said electrical pulses are shaped to have exponential leading edges.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method or apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the trailing edges of said electrical pulses are shaped to be exponential.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 56 words
A method or apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that the amplitude of each one of said electrical pulses is adjusted for obtaining a desired velocity for an associated ink droplet, whereby the magnitudes of the pressure disturbances produced by said transducer means (204) are directly proportional to the amplitudes of said electrical pulses, respectively.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 26 words
A method or apparatus according to claims 3 or 4, characterised in that the trailing edges of said electrical pulses are shaped to be substantially linear.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method or apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that the amplitudes of said electrical pulses are adjusted, whereby the magnitudes of said pressure disturbances are directly proportional to the amplitudes of said pulses, respectively.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 66 words
A method or apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterised in that a secondary pulse is applied immediately after given ones of said electrical pulses for causing earlier breakoff from said orifice (202) of the ink droplets associated with said given ones of said electrical pulses, relative to the time of breakoff of said droplets in the absence of said secondary pulses.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 32 words
A method or apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterised in that the delay time is controlled between said successive electrical pulses for controlling the boldness of printing.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag