EP0106802B1 - Vorrichtung zum Ausstoss von Tröpfchen einer elektrisch leitenden Flüssigkeit - Google Patents

Vorrichtung zum Ausstoss von Tröpfchen einer elektrisch leitenden Flüssigkeit Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0106802B1
EP0106802B1 EP83810452A EP83810452A EP0106802B1 EP 0106802 B1 EP0106802 B1 EP 0106802B1 EP 83810452 A EP83810452 A EP 83810452A EP 83810452 A EP83810452 A EP 83810452A EP 0106802 B1 EP0106802 B1 EP 0106802B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
electrode
liquid
support
electrodes
layer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP83810452A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0106802A1 (de
Inventor
Jacques Vermot-Gaud
Pierre Genequand
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Battelle Memorial Institute Inc
Original Assignee
Battelle Memorial Institute Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Battelle Memorial Institute Inc filed Critical Battelle Memorial Institute Inc
Priority to AT83810452T priority Critical patent/ATE25506T1/de
Publication of EP0106802A1 publication Critical patent/EP0106802A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0106802B1 publication Critical patent/EP0106802B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/015Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/06Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by electric or magnetic field
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/015Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/06Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by electric or magnetic field
    • B41J2002/061Ejection by electric field of ink or of toner particles contained in ink
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2202/00Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet or thermal heads
    • B41J2202/01Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet heads
    • B41J2202/04Heads using conductive ink

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for projecting droplets of an electrically conductive liquid.
  • This type of device has a frequency of droplet formation limited by the speed with which the meniscus can reform after the expulsion of a drop and which is of the order of 100 X 10-6 s.
  • the object of the present invention is to at least partially remedy the aforementioned drawbacks.
  • the subject of this invention is a device for projecting drops of an electrically conductive liquid, characterized in that it comprises at least one electrode whose diameter is of the same order of magnitude as that of the drops to be sprayed, flush with the surface of an electrically insulating support, an intermittent current source, one of the poles of which is connected to this electrode, means for forming a layer of said liquid of determined thickness, covering at least the surface of said support where said exposed electrode and a second electrode in contact with said layer and connected to the other pole of the intermittent current source to form an electric field through said liquid, concentrating on the part of the electrode flush with the surface of said support.
  • the advantages of the device, object of the invention are numerous.
  • the droplets are no longer projected through a hole but are detached from the surface of a layer of liquid. Therefore the rate of reformation of the layer becomes a less critical factor.
  • the formation of a matrix for the simultaneous projection of droplets can be carried out for example by a printed circuit technique, the distance between the electrodes generating droplets can be reduced compared to a matrix of tubes. It is possible to carry out the invention in the form of a very flat structure. No transducer is needed anymore to create the force capable of projecting the droplets.
  • the manufacturing cost of such a device is significantly reduced. Therefore, the possible applications are extremely numerous insofar as this cost is even lower than that of existing less efficient devices. We can thus consider the use of such a device for table calculator printers, for date and time marking on transport tickets, for date marking on packaging of perishable products, to name but a few possible applications among others.
  • the device illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a support 1 in the form of a cylindrical block made of an insulating material axially traversed by a metal wire 2 made of a metal which is a good conductor of the electric current connected to one of the poles of a source of electric pulses illustrated in FIGS. 2a or 2b.
  • This cylindrical block 1 is placed in a reservoir 3, containing ink, made of an electrically insulating material, having an opening 4 in which the ink contained in this reservoir 3 is retained by the cohesive force of its meniscus.
  • a counter electrode 5 is placed somewhere in the reservoir 3 at a distance from the electrode 2 and connected to the other pole of the source of electrical pulses.
  • This pulse source can have a high voltage source F as illustrated in FIG. 2a between 500 and 1500 volts, for example connected to the electrode 2.
  • the counter electrode 5 is connected to the collector of a high voltage transistor T, the base of which is connected to a low voltage pulse source (not shown) with pulses of 5 ⁇ s and 5 volts for example through a resistor R "a resistor R 2 being connected between the transistor base T and its emitter.
  • the other circuit illustrated in fig. 2b differs from the circuit of fig. 1 by the fact that the voltage source E is a low voltage source between 5 and 15 volts for example, a step-up transformer TE is then placed between this source and the electrodes 2 and 5. The rest of the circuit is identical to that of FIG. 2a, but uses a low voltage transistor.
  • the metal wire 2 serving as an electrode consists of a platinum wire of 20 ⁇ m in diameter placed in an insulating cylindrical block of 0.5 mm, the diameter of the opening 4 of the reservoir 3 being 0.8 mm and the depth of the end face of the insulating block 1 below the level of the opening 4 being approximately 0.2 mm.
  • the thickness of the layer of liquid covering the electrode plays a relatively important role insofar as, with a very thin layer of the order of a few tens of ⁇ . Lm, a spraying of the liquid is obtained whereas with a layer of the order of a few tenths of mm, very few parasitic drops are obtained.
  • the voltage applied between electrodes 2 and 5 as well as the pulse duration play a role on the size of the drops. It has been found that the necessary voltages can vary between around 500 and 4000 volts, the tests having essentially been carried out with a power supply varying between 500 and 1500 volts. The duration of the applied pulses was chosen at 5 ⁇ s.
  • FIG. 7 shows a device in all points similar to that of FIG. 1 before the opening of which is placed a mask 17 having a central opening disposed opposite the electrode 2 but whose diameter is very substantially greater than that of this electrode and therefore also greater than the size of the drops.
  • This mask is intended to avoid interaction between the meniscus and the ambient air, especially at high operating frequencies. Indeed, this interaction has the effect of producing parasitic drops and the incorporation of bubbles on the surface of the liquid.
  • the dimensions of the diameters of the cylindrical block 1 and of the opening 4 have no direct influence on the drop formation process.
  • the size of the opening 4 is of importance only in the case of the use of an ink tank 3 with an opening 4 arranged in a vertical plane, since in this case the diameter of the opening 4 should allow the ink to form a stable meniscus capable of withstanding static pressure exerted by the liquid contained in the reservoir 3.
  • an insulating tape 6 in which the electrodes are located 2.
  • the edge of the tape 6 has a conductive track 7.
  • This tape can be inked with a ink roller (not shown) to form an ink film 8 on its surface, this film covering one face of the insulating tape 6 being in contact with the electrodes 2 and the conductive track 7 so that an electric field can be established at through the ink film 8, under the same conditions as in the case of FIG. 1.
  • the insulating support can be formed by a fixed block 9 on one face of which the electrodes 2 are flush.
  • the ink is retained in a ribbon 10 which may consist, for example, of a plastic material provided with perforations 11 filled with ink by an ink roller (not shown) applied against the underside of the ribbon 10 and the upper face of which has a metallized layer 12 and is intended to form the counter electrode.
  • the metallized layer 12 can be formed from different parallel conductive tracks extending longitudinally on the surface of the strip 10.
  • a circuit for addressing the electrodes 2 can for example be produced as illustrated by the diagram in FIG. 6.
  • Each electrode of the same series is located at the junction of two conductors 13a, 13 b , 13 c , 13 d on the one hand and A 1 , B i , C 1 D 1 for the first series, A 2 , B 2 , C 2 , D 2 for second series and A n , B n , C n , D n for the nth series.
  • the electrodes 2 ia , 2 2a , 2 na are connected to the same switch 14a
  • the electrodes 2 1b , 2 2b , 2 nb are connected to the same switch 14 b
  • the electrodes 2 1c , 2 2c , 2 nc are connected to the switch 14 c
  • the electrodes 2 1d , 2 2d , 2 nd are connected to the switch 14 d .
  • the electrodes 2 1 , 2 2 , 2 n of the same series are connected to the same switch 15 1 respectively 15 2 and 5 n by means of the conductive ink contained in n reservoirs 16, respectively 16 2 , 16 n .
  • the reservoirs 16, at 16 n could correspond to the conductive tracks 12 formed on the surface of the strip 10.
  • each electrode is obtained by first closing the switch 15, and those of the switches 14 a to 14 d corresponding to the electrodes which it is desired to energize. Then the switch 15 i and the switches 14 a to 14 d are opened and the switch 15 2 and those of the switches 14 a to 14 d corresponding to the electrodes which it is desired to energize are closed.
  • the distance between the electrodes must be at least 100 ⁇ m to avoid parasitic interactions between electrodes. At this distance between active and non-active electrodes, the potential of the latter is much lower than the activity threshold.
  • the time multiplexing of reservoirs or electrodes is easy since the duration of the pulses is of the order of 2 to 5 ⁇ s with a maximum frequency of 10 4 Hz.
  • Such an addressing circuit can be used both for an electrode array and for a line of electrodes similar to that illustrated in FIG. 5 for example.
  • the device which is the subject of the invention offers very great advantages over most of the existing devices. These advantages essentially arise from the fact that the drop is sprayed from a layer of liquid which no longer requires nozzles and which makes it possible to produce planar structures. For a given liquid, apart from the thickness of the liquid layer, all the parameters influencing the formation of the drops are electrical parameters. In addition, the electric current acts directly on the liquid, without the intermediary of a transducer. No parasitic resistance is put in series in the supply circuit, all the electrical resistance is concentrated in the useful zone with strong field gradient.
  • the reformation of the meniscus is independent of the diameter of a nozzle and no longer depends only on the rheological properties of the liquid. It can therefore be estimated that the maximum frequency of formation of the drops can be increased compared to an on-demand inkjet device using a nozzle.
  • the energy consumed by the device which is the subject of the invention is very low. If we consider by example a resistance of the electrode 2 and the ink associated with it of 100,000 ohms and a supply voltage of 1000 volts, the instantaneous current is: and the instantaneous power is:

Landscapes

  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
  • Water Treatment By Electricity Or Magnetism (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
  • Electrotherapy Devices (AREA)
  • Nozzles (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)

Claims (4)

1. Vorrichtung zum Abstoßen von Tropfen einer elektrisch leitenden Flüssigkeit, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß diese zumindest eine Elektrode (2), deren Durchmesser der Größenordnung der abzustoßenden Tropfen entspricht und welche in einer Ebene mit der Oberfläche eines elektrisch isolierenden Trägers (1, 6, 9) liegt, eine intermittierende Spannungsquelle (E, E1), deren einer Pol mit dieser Elektrode (2) verbunden ist, Mittel (3, 4, 10, 17) zum Bilden eines Überzuges bestimmter Dicke der genannten Flüssigkeit, der zumindest die Oberfläche des Trägers (1, 6, 9) bedeckt, wo die Elektrode (2) in gleicher Ebene liegt, und eine zweite Elektrode (5, 7, 12) umfaßt, die in Kontakt mit dem Überzug ist und mit dem anderen Pol der intermittierenden Spannungsquelle verbunden ist, um ein elektrisches Feld in der Flüssigkeit zu bilden, das sich auf den Teil der Elektrode (2), der mit der Oberfläche des Trägers (1, 6, 9) in einer Ebene liegt, konzentriert.
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der elektrisch isolierende Träger durch ein Band (6) gebildet wird.
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Mittel zum Bilden des Überzuges der genannten Flüssigkeit aus einem elektrisch isolierenden Band (10) bestehen, dessen eine Fläche dazu bestimmt ist, mit dem elektrisch isolierenden Träger (9) in Kontakt zu kommen, und dessen gegenüberliegende Seite mit Metall bedeckt ist, um die zweite Elektrode zu bilden.
4. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie einen Behälter (3) für die Flüssigkeit aufweist, wobei eine Öffnung (4) eine seitliche Wand durchsetzt, deren Abmessung so gewählt wird, daß der durch die Flüssigkeit gebildete Meniskus den durch die Masse der im Behälter (3) befindlichen Flüssigkeit ausgeübten statischen Druck ausgleicht, und wobei der elektrisch isolierende Träger aus einem zylindrischen Element (1) besteht, das von der Elektrode (2) axial durchsetzt wird, und dessen Fläche, aus dem diese Elektrode heraustritt, gegenüber dem Rand der Öffnung um einen Wert rückversetzt ist, der der gewünschten Dicke für den Flüssigkeitsüberzug entspricht.
EP83810452A 1982-10-08 1983-10-05 Vorrichtung zum Ausstoss von Tröpfchen einer elektrisch leitenden Flüssigkeit Expired EP0106802B1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT83810452T ATE25506T1 (de) 1982-10-08 1983-10-05 Vorrichtung zum ausstoss von troepfchen einer elektrisch leitenden fluessigkeit.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH5914/82 1982-10-08
CH5914/82A CH649040A5 (fr) 1982-10-08 1982-10-08 Dispositif pour projeter des gouttelettes d'un liquide electriquement conducteur.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0106802A1 EP0106802A1 (de) 1984-04-25
EP0106802B1 true EP0106802B1 (de) 1987-02-25

Family

ID=4301446

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP83810452A Expired EP0106802B1 (de) 1982-10-08 1983-10-05 Vorrichtung zum Ausstoss von Tröpfchen einer elektrisch leitenden Flüssigkeit

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US4575737A (de)
EP (1) EP0106802B1 (de)
JP (1) JPS60500010A (de)
AT (1) ATE25506T1 (de)
CH (1) CH649040A5 (de)
DE (1) DE3369837D1 (de)
WO (1) WO1984001544A1 (de)

Families Citing this family (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH659012A5 (de) * 1982-07-20 1986-12-31 Fischer Ag Georg Verfahren und vorrichtung zum verdichten von koernigen formstoffen.
JPS59229345A (ja) * 1983-05-24 1984-12-22 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 画像記録装置
US4717926A (en) * 1985-11-09 1988-01-05 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Electric field curtain force printer
CH677755A5 (de) * 1988-10-05 1991-06-28 Battelle Memorial Institute
CA2025538C (en) * 1989-09-18 1995-03-14 Akira Goto Ink jet recording head, cartridge and apparatus
DE69029632T2 (de) * 1989-09-18 1997-05-22 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Tintenstrahlaufzeichnungsgerät
US4999650A (en) * 1989-12-18 1991-03-12 Eastman Kodak Company Bubble jet print head having improved multiplex actuation construction
JPH04307252A (ja) * 1991-04-05 1992-10-29 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd インクジェットヘッド
DE69425958T2 (de) * 1993-02-12 2001-01-25 Tonejet Corp. Pty. Ltd., Eastwood Verfahren und vorrichtung zur herstellung von tropfen
US6315395B1 (en) 1994-07-29 2001-11-13 Riso Kagaku Corporation Ink jet apparatus and conductive ink mixture
JP2783226B2 (ja) * 1995-12-06 1998-08-06 日本電気株式会社 インクジェット式ヘッド装置
JP2907085B2 (ja) * 1995-12-14 1999-06-21 日本電気株式会社 インクジェット式ヘッド装置
US6416678B1 (en) * 1998-12-22 2002-07-09 Xerox Corporation Solid bi-layer structures for use with high viscosity inks in acoustic ink printing and methods of fabrication

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0046295A1 (de) * 1980-08-18 1982-02-24 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Bildaufzeichnungsvorrichtung

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH548866A (fr) * 1971-11-17 1974-05-15 Battelle Memorial Institute Dispositif d'impression avec une encre liquide, conductrice d'electricite.
JPS4945736A (en) * 1972-09-04 1974-05-01 Jukichi Sugimura Mosaikan to denkyokukan ni kotaiatsuzetsuenban o ireta purintosochi
GB1484368A (en) * 1974-10-29 1977-09-01 Xerox Corp Marking method and apparatus
US4275290A (en) * 1978-05-08 1981-06-23 Northern Telecom Limited Thermally activated liquid ink printing
US4271416A (en) * 1978-10-18 1981-06-02 Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Public Corporation Slit type ink recording apparatus
JPS5640564A (en) * 1979-09-11 1981-04-16 Ricoh Co Ltd Ink jet recording device
JPS5724261A (en) * 1980-07-21 1982-02-08 Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> Head for ink recording

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0046295A1 (de) * 1980-08-18 1982-02-24 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Bildaufzeichnungsvorrichtung

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0106802A1 (de) 1984-04-25
JPH0521744B2 (de) 1993-03-25
ATE25506T1 (de) 1987-03-15
CH649040A5 (fr) 1985-04-30
JPS60500010A (ja) 1985-01-10
DE3369837D1 (en) 1987-04-02
US4575737A (en) 1986-03-11
WO1984001544A1 (en) 1984-04-26

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP0106802B1 (de) Vorrichtung zum Ausstoss von Tröpfchen einer elektrisch leitenden Flüssigkeit
US5455998A (en) Method for manufacturing an ink jet head in which droplets of conductive ink are expelled
US4275290A (en) Thermally activated liquid ink printing
US4675694A (en) Method and apparatus for a high density array printer using hot melt inks
US4021818A (en) Liquid printing device
TW514596B (en) Glass-fiber thermal inkjet print head
JPS5833471A (ja) 液体噴射記録ヘツド
EP0694390B1 (de) Tintenstrahlgerät und leitendes Tintengemisch
JPS63191644A (ja) インクジエツト記録装置
EP0564742A2 (de) Thermo-Tintenstrahldruckkopf mit auf Anforderung schmelzender fester Tinte
JP3063970B2 (ja) インクジェットプリンタの噴射装置
EP0218551A1 (de) Elektrothermischer Drucker
JPS61162372A (ja) インクジエツトプリンタ
JPS6244457A (ja) 記録装置
JPS6317053A (ja) インクジエツト記録装置
CA1096925A (en) Thermally activated liquid ink printing
JPS62225353A (ja) 画像記録方法
JP3537223B2 (ja) インクジェット装置及び導電性インク
JP2786162B2 (ja) 静電式インクジェット記録装置
JPH01141056A (ja) インクジェット記録装置
FR2798882A1 (fr) Tete thermique et son utilisation dans une imprimante a transfert d&#39;encre
JPS62225362A (ja) 画像記録ヘツド
JP2004160672A (ja) 静電方式液体吐出装置
EP0753410A2 (de) Tintenstrahleinrichtung und leitfähige Flüssigkeit
JPH06262763A (ja) インクジェットヘッド及びその製造方法

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR GB IT LI NL SE

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19840818

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR GB IT LI NL SE

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: AT

Effective date: 19870225

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 25506

Country of ref document: AT

Date of ref document: 19870315

Kind code of ref document: T

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 3369837

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19870402

ITF It: translation for a ep patent filed
PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed
R20 Corrections of a patent specification

Effective date: 19880531

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 19901003

Year of fee payment: 8

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SE

Payment date: 19901011

Year of fee payment: 8

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: BE

Payment date: 19901019

Year of fee payment: 8

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: CH

Payment date: 19901030

Year of fee payment: 8

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Payment date: 19901031

Year of fee payment: 8

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Effective date: 19911005

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SE

Effective date: 19911006

ITTA It: last paid annual fee
PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LI

Effective date: 19911031

Ref country code: CH

Effective date: 19911031

Ref country code: BE

Effective date: 19911031

BERE Be: lapsed

Owner name: BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE

Effective date: 19911031

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Effective date: 19920501

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee
NLV4 Nl: lapsed or anulled due to non-payment of the annual fee
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 19940429

Year of fee payment: 11

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 19941031

Year of fee payment: 12

EUG Se: european patent has lapsed

Ref document number: 83810452.9

Effective date: 19920510

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Effective date: 19950630

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Effective date: 19960702