Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
An acoustic printer, including means for moving a record medium (18) along a path which is close to the intended free surface of ink of which droplets are intended to mark the medium, and of which a supply is to be positioned between the record medium and a printhead (21) having an array of acoustic ejectors (14) for ejecting individual droplets of ink on demand from the free surface to print an image on the record medium, the image being composed of a plurality of individual pixels on a predetermined center-to-center spacing, the droplet ejectors having a center-to-center spacing which is approximately at least an order of magnitude greater than the center-to-center spacing of the pixels, and wherein the record medium is able to be moved lengthwise and crosswise of the array during the printing process.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
An acoustic printer, including means for moving a record medium (18) along a path which is close to the intended free surface of ink of which droplets are intended to mark the medium, and of which a supply is to be positioned between the record medium and a printhead (21) having an array of acoustic ejectors (14) for ejecting individual droplets of ink on demand from the free surface to print an image on the record medium, the image being composed of a plurality of individual pixels on a predetermined center-to-center spacing, the droplet ejectors having a center-to-center spacing which is approximately at least an order of magnitude greater than the center-to-center spacing of the pixels, and wherein the record medium is able to be moved lengthwise and crosswise of the array during the printing process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The printer as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the droplet ejectors comprise respective spherical acoustic lenses (53) which are substantially acoustically isolated from each other, and piezoelectric transducers for supplying separate acoustic waves to the lenses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The printer as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the center-to-center spacing of the droplet ejectors is sufficient to isolate the acoustic lenses acoustically from each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The printer as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the droplet ejectors are part-spherical piezoelectric transducer shells.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The printer as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the droplet ejectors are acoustically coupled to the free surface of the ink to direct focused acoustic beams at the surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The printer as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the droplet ejectors are aligned longitudinally of the printhead.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
The printer as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the record medium is able to be advanced crosswise of the array at a relatively high speed and synchronously translated lengthwise of the array at a much slower speed, with the speeds being selected so that the translation of the record medium per cycle is approximately equal to the center-to-center spacing of the pixels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The printer as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the printhead is adapted to be immersed in ink