Patent US4190845A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4190845A
Expired / Lapsed
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Electric field orientation for ink jet printers for vertical and horizontal printing
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1978-12-22
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Granted: 1980-02-26
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Expires: 1998-12-22
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is an ink jet printer having the capability of printing both vertically and horizontally. This is accomplished by mechanical orientation of the electric field associated with the deflection plates. In a first embodiment, the plates are mounted in such a manner as to permit rotation manually, for example, by a handle which interconnects the two plates and permit rotation thereof about the axis of the ink drop stream. In an alternate embodiment, the deflection plates are comprised of two pairs, a horizontal pair and a vertical pair which are shiftable into and out of operating position to effect the desired ink drop deflection.
Inventors
- 👤 Leon M. Cooper
- 👤 Walter J. Wipke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 14:40
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/485; B41J2/505; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/07; B41J2/075; B41J2/08; B41J2/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
An ink jet printing system comprising: a nozzle for issuing a stream of ink drops; a first electrode for charging the ink drops issuing from said nozzle in accordance with signals to be recorded; a record receiving medium for forming images indicative of the signals imposed upon said ink drops, means for forming an electric field, means for orientating said field substantially perpendicular to said stream of ink drops, said electric field for effecting deflection of said ink drops in accordance with the amplitudes on the individual charges on said ink drops; means for effecting relative movement between said nozzle and said record receiving medium in at least a selected one of vertical and horizontal directions, and means coupled to said means for orienting said electric field to position said electric field orthogonally to said selected one of horizontal and vertical directions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
An ink jet printing system comprising: a nozzle for issuing a stream of ink drops; a first electrode for charging the ink drops issuing from said nozzle in accordance with signals to be recorded; a record receiving medium for forming images indicative of the signals imposed upon said ink drops, means for forming an electric field, means for orientating said field substantially perpendicular to said stream of ink drops, said electric field for effecting deflection of said ink drops in accordance with the amplitudes on the individual charges on said ink drops; means for effecting relative movement between said nozzle and said record receiving medium in at least a selected one of vertical and horizontal directions, and means coupled to said means for orienting said electric field to position said electric field orthogonally to said selected one of horizontal and vertical directions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for forming said electric field comprises a pair of spaced apart deflection electrodes positioned on opposite sides of the intended path of said issuing streams of ink drops.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 2 including a carrier mounting said nozzle, first electrode and deflection electrodes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means for orienting said field comprises a ring defining a central bore; said deflection electrodes being mounted on said ring in said bore.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 4 including a pedestal on said carrier, means coupling said ring to said pedestal for permitting rotational movement of said ring relative to said pedestal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means coupled to said means for orienting said field comprises a handle connected to said ring, and means to limit the rotational movement of said ring.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
An ink jet prnting system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said pedestal includes a sleeve circumscribing said ring, a radially extending slot in said sleeve to receive said handle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said means to limit rotational movement of said ring comprises adjustable stop means on said sleeve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 1 including a carrier mounting said nozzle, first electrode, and means for forming an electric field; said means for effecting relative movement comprising: carrier drive means for effecting movement of said carrier in a path parallel to said record receiving medium, and record receiving medium drive means for effecting displacement of said record receiving medium in a path perpendicular to the path of movement of said carrier.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 9 including means coextensively actuable to orientation of said electric field for selecting one or the other of said drive means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 10 including at least two type font means, and including means coextensively actuable to orientation of said electric field for selecting one or the other of said type font means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
124 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 3 including a second pair of deflection electrodes, mounting means on said carrier holding said first and second deflection electrode pairs in spaced apart relation, said deflection electrode pairs being positioned at substantially right angles to one another to form electric fields at substantially right angles to one another; said means for orienting said field comprising means for shifting said mounting means from a first position, wherein said first deflection electrode pair is positioned on opposite sides of the intended path of said issuing stream of ink drops, to a second position, wherein said second pair of deflection electrodes is positioned on opposite sides of the intended path of said issuing stream of ink drops.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 12 including stop means on said carrier for limiting the movement of said mounting means between said first and second position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
163 words
An ink jet printer comprising: a nozzle for issuing a stream of ink drops; a first electrode for charging the ink drops issuing from said nozzle in accordance with signals to be recorded; a record receiving medium for forming images indicative of the signals imposed upon said ink drops; means for forming an electric field, and mechanical means for orienting said field between substantially a horizontal and vertical direction substantially perpendicular to said issuing stream of ink drops; said electric field capable of effecting deflection of ink drops in accordance with the amplitudes of the individual charges on said ink drops; and first drive means for moving said nozzle, first electrode and electric field forming means in a first direction substantially perpendicular to said issuing stream of ink drops, and second drive means for moving said record receiving medium in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction whereby images may be formed on said media in either said first or second direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
163 words
An ink jet printer comprising: a nozzle for issuing a stream of ink drops; a first electrode for charging the ink drops issuing from said nozzle in accordance with signals to be recorded; a record receiving medium for forming images indicative of the signals imposed upon said ink drops; means for forming an electric field, and mechanical means for orienting said field between substantially a horizontal and vertical direction substantially perpendicular to said issuing stream of ink drops; said electric field capable of effecting deflection of ink drops in accordance with the amplitudes of the individual charges on said ink drops; and first drive means for moving said nozzle, first electrode and electric field forming means in a first direction substantially perpendicular to said issuing stream of ink drops, and second drive means for moving said record receiving medium in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction whereby images may be formed on said media in either said first or second direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink jet printer in accordance with claim 14 including means for assuring that said mechanical means for orienting said electric field positions said field at substantially a right angle to one of said first and second directions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
An ink jet printer in accordance with claim 15 wherein said means for forming said electric field comprises a pair of spaced apart deflection electrodes positioned on opposite sides of the intended path of said issuing streams of ink drops.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
An ink jet printer in accordance with claim 16, including a carrier mounting said nozzle, first electrode and deflection electrodes, said first drive means being coupled to said carrier.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said means for orienting said field comprises a ring defining a central bore; said deflection electrodes being mounted on said ring in said bore.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ink jet printing system in accordance with claim 18 including a pedestal on said carrier, means coupling said ring to said pedestal for permitting rotational movement of said ring relative to said pedestal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
An ink jet printer in accordance with claim 19, including a sleeve circumscribing said ring and mounted on said pedestal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
123 words
An ink jet printer in accordance with claim 17 including a second pair of deflection electrodes, mounting means on said carrier holding said first and second deflection electrode pairs in spaced apart relation, said deflection electrode pairs being positioned at substantially right angles to one another to form electric fields at substantially right angles to one another; said means for orienting said field comprising means for shifting said mounting means from a first position, wherein said first deflection electrode pair is positioned on opposite sides of the intended path of said issuing stream of ink drops, to a second position, wherein said second pair of deflection electrodes is positioned on opposite sides of the intended path of said issuing stream of ink drops.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
An ink jet printer in accordance with claim 14 including means coextensively actuable to orientation of said electric field for selecting one or the other of said drive means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink jet printer in accordance with claim 22 including at least two type font means, and including means coextensively actuable to orientation of said electric field for selecting one or the other of said type font means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
An ink printer in accordance with claim 22 wherein said coextensively actuable means comprises switch means responsive to movement of said mechanical means.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of printing both horizontally and vertically with an ink jet printer, said printer having a nozzle for issuing a stream of ink drops; a first electrode for charging the ink drops issuing from said nozzle in accordance with signals to be recorded; deflection electrodes for forming an electric field for effecting deflection of ink drops in accordance with the amplitudes of the individual charges on said ink drops; said nozzle, first electrode and deflection electrodes being mounted on a carrier; a record receiving medium adjacent said carrier, and first drive means for moving said carrier in a first direction parallel to said record receiving medium and a second drive means for moving said record receiving medium in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction, including the steps of: orienting said electric field in one of two mutually and substantially perpendicular directions substantially perpendicular to the intended path of said stream of ink drops; actuating one of said first and second drive means so that the electric field orientation is substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of said carrier or record receiving medium whose drive means is actuated.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of printing both horizontally and vertically with an ink jet printer, said printer having a nozzle for issuing a stream of ink drops; a first electrode for charging the ink drops issuing from said nozzle in accordance with signals to be recorded; deflection electrodes for forming an electric field for effecting deflection of ink drops in accordance with the amplitudes of the individual charges on said ink drops; said nozzle, first electrode and deflection electrodes being mounted on a carrier; a record receiving medium adjacent said carrier, and first drive means for moving said carrier in a first direction parallel to said record receiving medium and a second drive means for moving said record receiving medium in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction, including the steps of: orienting said electric field in one of two mutually and substantially perpendicular directions substantially perpendicular to the intended path of said stream of ink drops; actuating one of said first and second drive means so that the electric field orientation is substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of said carrier or record receiving medium whose drive means is actuated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-02-25 | 1983-08-27 | 1984-02-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-02-25 | 1987-08-27 | 1988-02-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-02-25 | 1991-08-27 | 1992-02-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |