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EP0152247A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of operating an ink jet

Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems America Inc
•
Filing: 1985-02-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-02-01
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Abstract

Abstract A method of operating a demand or impulse ink jet comprising an ink jet ink chamber and an ink drop ejection orifice includes the steps of initiating filling by decreasing the pressure within the chamber; retracting the ink meniscus at the orifice to a predetermined position as the pressure is decreased; initiating firing of a first ink droplet by increasing the pressure within the chamber when the meniscus is retracted to said predetermined position; moving the meniscus forward through the orifice while the pressure is increased so as first to form and then to project an ink droplet outwardly from the orifice; and repeating the foregoing steps for each of a series of ink droplets.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stuart David Howkins

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 14:44
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/015; B41J2/04; B41J2/045; B41J2/04501; B41J2/04573; B41J2/04581; B41J2/04588; B41J2/135; B41J2/14; B41J2002/14387

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 117 words
A method of operating a demand or impulse ink jet comprising an ink jet ink chamber and an ink drop ejection orifice, which method comprises the following steps: initiating filling by decreasing the pressure within the chamber; retracting the ink meniscus at the orifice to a predetermined position as the pressure is decreased; initiating firing of a first ink droplet by increasing the pressure within the chamber when the meniscus is retracted to said predetermined position; moving the meniscus forward through the orifice while the pressure is increased so as first to form and then to project an ink droplet outwardly from the orifice; and repeating the foregoing steps for each of a series of ink droplets.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 117 words
A method of operating a demand or impulse ink jet comprising an ink jet ink chamber and an ink drop ejection orifice, which method comprises the following steps: initiating filling by decreasing the pressure within the chamber; retracting the ink meniscus at the orifice to a predetermined position as the pressure is decreased; initiating firing of a first ink droplet by increasing the pressure within the chamber when the meniscus is retracted to said predetermined position; moving the meniscus forward through the orifice while the pressure is increased so as first to form and then to project an ink droplet outwardly from the orifice; and repeating the foregoing steps for each of a series of ink droplets.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of forming an unretracted meniscus after projecting each said droplet of ink from the orifice prior to said retracting step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the meniscus is retracted to said predetermined position over a range of frequencies extending upwardly from zero kHz.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 27 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the time lapse between initiating filling and initiating firing is substantially constant for each said droplet of ink.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the time lapse between initiating filling and initiating firing is 5 to 500 µ sec.

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