Ink analyzer and compensator

Claim 3

A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for generating a sonic pulse includes means for generating a clock pulse having a duration equal to said predetermined interval, and said means for measuring the interval elapsed between the application of said sonic pulse by said transmitting transducer to said ink and the time said receiving transducer provides an output pulse comprises, gate means to which said clock pulse and output pulse of said receiving transducer are applied for producing a gate output pulse when said output pulse of said receiving transducer occurs prior to the termination of said clock pulse, and means for applying said gate output pulse to said means for adding a predetermined amount of solvent to enable it to add solvent from said source to said ink for a predetermined interval.

Claim 4

In an ink drop writing system wherein it is desired to maintain the speed of sound through the mixture of ink-solvent which is used, substantially constant, a system comprising: a sonic transmitting transducer positioned within said ink-solvent mixture, a sonic receiving transducer positioned a predetermined distance from said transmitting transducer within said ink solvent, a source of solvent, normally closed valve means for permitting, when opened, a predetermined amount of solvent from said source, to be added to said ink and solvent mixture, means for applying a pulse signal to said transmitting transducer to be transmitted through said ink-solvent mixture and received by said receiving transducer, which produces a transducer signal responsive thereto, means for measuring the interval required for said pulse signal to travel between said transmitting transducer and said receiving transducer, and producing an output signal when said interval is less than a predetermined value, and means responsive to said output signal for opening said valve means for a predetermined interval, whereby a predetermined amount of solvent is added to said ink and solvent mixture.

Claim 5

In an ink drop writing system wherein it is desired to maintain the speed of sound through the mixture of ink-solvent which is used, substantially constant, a system comprising: a sonic transmitting transducer positioned within said ink-solvent mixture, a sonic receiving transducer positioned a predetermined distance from said transmitting transducer within said ink solvent, a source of solvent, normally closed valve means for permitting, when opened, a predetermined amount of solvent from said source, to be added to said ink and solvent mixture, means for applying a pulse signal to said transmitting transducer to be transmitted through said ink-solvent mixture and received by said receiving transducer, which produces a transducer signal responsive thereto, means for measuring the interval required for said pulse signal to travel between said transmitting transducer and said receiving transducer, and producing an output signal when said interval is less than a predetermined value, and means responsive to said output signal for opening said valve means for a predetermined interval, whereby a predetermined amount of solvent is added to said ink and solvent mixture.

Claim 6

A system as recited in claim 3 wherein said means for measuring the interval required for said pulse to travel between said transmitting transducer and said receiving transducer comprises: an AND gate comparator, means to apply said pulse signal which drives said transmitting transducer also to said AND gate comparator, and means for applying said transducer signal receiving transducer to said AND gate comparator whereby the output of the AND gate comparator is indicative that the interval required for said pulse signal to travel from said transmitting to said receiving transducer through said ink-solvent mixture is less than a predetermined interval.

Claim 7

Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said means for opening said valve means over a predetermined interval when the interval for a pulse to travel between said transmitting and receiving transducer is less than a predetermined interval includes: a two input AND gate, means for applying a clock signal to one input of said AND gate simultaneously with the application of a pulse signal to said transmitting transducer, and means to apply the transducer signal of said receiving transducer to the other input of said AND gate to enable said AND gate when it occurs in the presence of said clock signal, a one-shot circuit providing an output for a predetermined interval in response to an input pulse, means to apply the output of said AND gate to said one-shot circuit, and means to apply the output of said one-shot circuit to said valve means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said means to apply the output of said one-shot circuit to said valve means includes: a delay circuit, for delaying the application of the output of said one-shot circuit to said valve means for a predetermined interval.

Claim 9

In an ink drop writing system wherein it is desired to maintain the velocity of sound through an ink-solvent mixture contained in a reservoir substantially constant, apparatus comprising: a sonic transmitting transducer positioned within said ink-solvent mixture, a sonic receiving transducer positioned within said ink-solvent mixture at a predetermined distance from said transmitting transducer, normally closed valve means for enabling solvent to be added from said source to said ink solvent mixture when open, a source of clock pulses having a predetermined width, means responsive to the leading edge of a pulse from said source to apply a pulse to said transmitting transducer, whereby said receiving transducer will provide a transducer pulse at an interval thereafter determined by the time required for the pulse from said transmitter transducer to travel through said ink-solvent mixture to said receiving transducer, AND gate means, means for applying a clock pulse from said source to said AND gate means, means for applying said transducer pulse to said AND gate means whereby said AND gate means Provides an output when said pulse from said receiving transducer for providing a transducer pulse occurs during the interval of said clock pulse, and means responsive to said AND gate means output for enabling said valve means to be opened for a predetermined interval.

Claim 10

In an ink drop writing system wherein it is desired to maintain the velocity of sound through an ink-solvent mixture contained in a reservoir substantially constant, apparatus comprising: a sonic transmitting transducer positioned within said ink-solvent mixture, a sonic receiving transducer positioned within said ink-solvent mixture at a predetermined distance from said transmitting transducer, normally closed valve means for enabling solvent to be added from said source to said ink solvent mixture when open, a source of clock pulses having a predetermined width, means responsive to the leading edge of a pulse from said source to apply a pulse to said transmitting transducer, whereby said receiving transducer will provide a transducer pulse at an interval thereafter determined by the time required for the pulse from said transmitter transducer to travel through said ink-solvent mixture to said receiving transducer, AND gate means, means for applying a clock pulse from said source to said AND gate means, means for applying said transducer pulse to said AND gate means whereby said AND gate means Provides an output when said pulse from said receiving transducer for providing a transducer pulse occurs during the interval of said clock pulse, and means responsive to said AND gate means output for enabling said valve means to be opened for a predetermined interval.

Claim 11

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said means for applying said AND gate means output to said valve means includes: a delay circuit for delaying application of subsequent pulses to said valve means until the solvent which has been added by the last operation of said valve means has been dispersed through said solvent ink mixture.