US3769631A — Increasing throughput in ink jet printing by drop…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 277 words

In an ink jet printing apparatus, an arrangement for increasing throughput during printing of information on a record medium, comprising: nozzle means for forming and propelling a plurality of ink jet drops toward said record medium, means for charging said ink drops with code representations, means for deflecting said ink drops in accordance with the charge on said drops, said drops being deflected in successive vertical columns, each column comprising a predetermined number of drop locations; a data source for providing code representations for information to be printed, each code representation being indicative of a drop to be printed or not to be printed; register means connected to said data source for storing said code representations; means interconnecting said register means to said charging means for controlling said charging means to charge said drops in accordance with said code representations for the purpose of printing said information; control means operable in one mode to supply control signals to said nozzle means, said data source, said register means and said interconnecting means at a predetermined rate during printing of information and operable in another mode to supply control signals at a higher rate; means connected to said register means for monitoring the code representations therein and for developing a skip signal when code representations indicative of no information to be printed are detected; and skip means for connecting said predetermined rate control signals to said register means and said interconnecting means at said predetermined rate during the printing of information and responsive to said skip signal for connecting said higher rate control signals to said register means and said interconnecting means in order to skip non-information code representations.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 277 words

In an ink jet printing apparatus, an arrangement for increasing throughput during printing of information on a record medium, comprising: nozzle means for forming and propelling a plurality of ink jet drops toward said record medium, means for charging said ink drops with code representations, means for deflecting said ink drops in accordance with the charge on said drops, said drops being deflected in successive vertical columns, each column comprising a predetermined number of drop locations; a data source for providing code representations for information to be printed, each code representation being indicative of a drop to be printed or not to be printed; register means connected to said data source for storing said code representations; means interconnecting said register means to said charging means for controlling said charging means to charge said drops in accordance with said code representations for the purpose of printing said information; control means operable in one mode to supply control signals to said nozzle means, said data source, said register means and said interconnecting means at a predetermined rate during printing of information and operable in another mode to supply control signals at a higher rate; means connected to said register means for monitoring the code representations therein and for developing a skip signal when code representations indicative of no information to be printed are detected; and skip means for connecting said predetermined rate control signals to said register means and said interconnecting means at said predetermined rate during the printing of information and responsive to said skip signal for connecting said higher rate control signals to said register means and said interconnecting means in order to skip non-information code representations.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 58 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control means includes: a clock circuit, said clock circuit providing a pulse output at a first predetermined relatively slower rate for activating said circuits during printing of information and said clock circuit further providing pulse signals at a relatively higher rate for activating said circuits in order to skip non-information representations.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the predetermined rate provides a 100 KHz pulse output for printing and said higher rate provides 800 KHz pulse output for non-information sequences.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said interconnecting means comprises a counter for keeping track of drop locations within each vertical column; and a digital to analog convertor for converting said code representations to potentials required for charging said drops.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 81 words

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said skip means includes: gate means driving said counter and said register means; means connecting said predetermined and said higher rate pulse signals from said clock circuit to said gate means; and skip logic connected to said skip means for controlling said gate means and thereby controlling said register means and counter means to operate at a relatively low rate during printing of information and a relatively high rate when non-information code representations are detected.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 52 words

The apparatus of claim 2, where said interconnecting means includes: a stairstep generator providing stepped output potential levels respectively representative of drop locations within each of said vertical columns, said stairstep generator being stepped at a low rate during printing and at a relatively high rate when non-information code representations are detected.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 219 words

In an ink jet printing apparatus, an arrangement for reducing drop merging and splatter, comprising: nozzle means for forming and propelling a plurality of ink jet drops toward said record medium, means for charging said ink drops with code representations, means for deflecting said ink drops in accordance with the charge on said drops, said drops being deflected in successive vertical columns, each column on said record medium comprising a set of a predetermined number of drop locations; cycling means operable in at least two cycles for each column of printing for controlling said nozzle means and said charging means; said cycling means being operable in at least a first cycle of operation for controlling said nozzle means and said charging means to selectively propel said ink jet drops toward selected ones only of said drop locations on said record medium comprising less than a set of drop locations, and said cycling means being further operable in another of said at least two cycles for controlling said nozzle means and charging means to selectively propel said ink jet drops toward other drop locations on said record medium not previously selected in said first cycle of said at least two cycles of operation, said other drop locations comprising the remainder of a set of drop locations for each said column.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 219 words

In an ink jet printing apparatus, an arrangement for reducing drop merging and splatter, comprising: nozzle means for forming and propelling a plurality of ink jet drops toward said record medium, means for charging said ink drops with code representations, means for deflecting said ink drops in accordance with the charge on said drops, said drops being deflected in successive vertical columns, each column on said record medium comprising a set of a predetermined number of drop locations; cycling means operable in at least two cycles for each column of printing for controlling said nozzle means and said charging means; said cycling means being operable in at least a first cycle of operation for controlling said nozzle means and said charging means to selectively propel said ink jet drops toward selected ones only of said drop locations on said record medium comprising less than a set of drop locations, and said cycling means being further operable in another of said at least two cycles for controlling said nozzle means and charging means to selectively propel said ink jet drops toward other drop locations on said record medium not previously selected in said first cycle of said at least two cycles of operation, said other drop locations comprising the remainder of a set of drop locations for each said column.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 77 words

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said cycling means include: nozzle control means for activating said nozzle means and said charging means during a first drop printing cycle for each column to direct drops toward odd numbered drop locations on said record medium and during a second drop printing cycle for each column to direct drops toward even numbered drop location on said record medium, the skipping of alternate drop locations thereby minimizing merging and splatter effects.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein: said cycling means comprises a stairstep generator.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein: said cycling means comprises a digital to analog convertor and associated counter means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-10-29	1977-04-30	1977-10-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-10-29	1981-04-30	1981-10-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-10-29	1985-04-30	1985-10-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Increasing throughput in ink jet printing by drop skipping and reducing ink jet merging and splatter using a stairstep generator

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