EP0376532A1 - Appareil à déposition de gouttelettes - Google Patents

Appareil à déposition de gouttelettes Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0376532A1
EP0376532A1 EP89312882A EP89312882A EP0376532A1 EP 0376532 A1 EP0376532 A1 EP 0376532A1 EP 89312882 A EP89312882 A EP 89312882A EP 89312882 A EP89312882 A EP 89312882A EP 0376532 A1 EP0376532 A1 EP 0376532A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
channels
groups
channel
deposition apparatus
droplet
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP89312882A
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Alan John Michaelis
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.)
AB Dick Co
Original Assignee
Multigraphics 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 Multigraphics Inc filed Critical Multigraphics Inc
Publication of EP0376532A1 publication Critical patent/EP0376532A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters 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
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand

Definitions

  • This invention relates to pulsed droplet deposition apparatus and more particularly such apparatus of the kind comprising a high density array of parallel channels, respective nozzles communicating with said channels droplet liquid supply means connected to said channels and electrically operated means for imparting pressure signals to droplet liquid in said channels to effect droplet ejection therefrom.
  • a high density array is meant one in which are present at least two channels per millimetre in the array direction i.e. in the direction normal to the channel axes.
  • the most familiar form of apparatus of the kind set forth is the so-called “drop-on-demand” ink jet printer. As channel density is increased the compliance of the channel dividing walls is increased and the size and velocity of drop ejected by a channel is changed depending on whether a neighbouring channel is operated or not, this effect being known as "pressure cross-talk".
  • the present invention has for its principal object the provision of pulsed droplet deposition apparatus in which the effect of pressure cross-talk is diminished.
  • the present invention consists in a pulsed droplet deposition apparatus comprising a high density array of parallel channels of which adjacent channels are divided by respective inactive walls, respective nozzles communicating with said channels, droplet liquid supply means connected with said channels and electrically operated means for imparting pressure signals to droplet liquid in the channels to effect droplet ejection from the nozzles, characterised in that said channels are arranged in interleaved relationship in a plurality of groups and said electrically operated means are adapted to effect in each group of channels substantially simultaneous ejection of drops from respective selected channels thereof, the ejection of drops from said selected channels of the groups being effected group by group sequentially and the disposition of the channels of the groups being arranged so that when droplet ejection takes place from said selected channels of any one of said groups, there is disposed between any two of said selected channels at least one channel of another of said groups of channels.
  • the channels of the groups are arranged with channels of the respective groups disposed in alternating sequence.
  • the channels are arranged in two groups.
  • the electrically operated means are adapted to impart pressure signals respectively to selected channels of the groups the magnitude of which depend in the case of each selected channel on the selected or non-selected status of a plurality of channels on each side of each selected channel.
  • said electrically operated means are adapted to impart pressure signals respectively to selected channels of the groups of magnitudes which depend in the case of each selected channel on the selected or non-selected status of at least two channels of the same group as the selected channel on each side of the selected channel.
  • the invention also consists in a pulsed droplet deposition apparatus comprising a high density array of parallel channels of which adjacent channels are divided by respective inactive walls, respective nozzles communicating with said channels, droplet liquid supply means connected with said channels and electrically operated means for imparting pressure signals to droplet liquid in the channels to effect droplet ejection from the nozzles, and in which said channels are formed at corresponding longitudinally extending edges of the channel inactive dividing walls thereof with respective displaceable wall parts of poled piezo-electric material and said electrically operated means comprise first electrodes at respective edges of each of said displaceable wall parts adjacent and parallel to said channel dividing walls and second electrodes engaging said displaceable wall parts and respectively disposed between said first electrodes to form therewith and with said piezo-electric material shear mode actuators for effecting drop expulsion from said channels, each such actuator providing two capacitors formed respectively at opposite sides of the second electrode thereof between that electrode and the first electrodes adjacent thereto, characterised in that said channels are arranged in interleaved relationship in a plurality
  • the invention further consists in a pulsed droplet deposition apparatus comprising a high density array of parallel channels, respective nozzles communicating with said channels, droplet liquid supply means connected with said channels and electrically operated droplet liquid heating means for imparting pressure signals to said droplet liquid in said channels by formation of vapour bubbles therein to cause droplet ejection from said nozzles, characterised in that said channels are arranged in interleaved relationship in a plurality of groups and said electrically operated means are adapted to effect in each group of channels substantially simultaneous ejection of drops from respective selected channels thereof, the ejection of drops from said selected channels of the groups being effected group by group sequentially and the disposition of the channels of the groups being arranged so that when droplet ejection takes place from said selected channels of any one of said groups, there is disposed between any two of said selected channels at least one channel of another of said groups of channels.
  • the invention additionally consists in a pulsed droplet deposition apparatus comprising a high density array of parallel channels, respective nozzles communicating with said channels, droplet liquid supply means connected to said channels and electrically operated means for imparting pressure signals to droplet liquid in said channels to effect droplet ejection from said nozzles, characterised in that the electrically operated means are adapted to impart pressure signals to selected channels of the array of magnitude respectively which depend in the case of each selected channel on the selected or non-selected status of at least one channel on each side of and adjacent to said selected channel.
  • pulsed drop deposition apparatus is provided as a series of butted modules each of the form described with reference to, and as shown in the drawings of U.S. patent 4,584,590, that is to say, (see Fig. 4 of said U.S. Patent) having a channel body 15 formed with a high density array of parallel channels 21 connected to respective drop ejection nozzles closed by an isolating layer 17 and a piezo-electric layer 3 flanked by first electrodes 5, 7 at the sides of each channel and second electrodes 9a, b, c and 11a, b, and c disposed centrally in the part of the layer 3 spanning each channel.
  • the first electrodes and second electrodes form a pair of parallel connected capacitors 100 of each channel which at a common side thereof (i.e. the electrodes 5, 7) are connected to a bus 102, which is grounded, of an integrated circuit chip 104 which comprises electrically operated means for imparting pressure signals to droplet liquid in the channels for droplet ejection therefrom by way of the associated nozzles.
  • Each pair of capacitors extends in the layer 3 from the electrodes 9,11 at the centre of the corresponding channel to the electrodes 5,7 at edges of that channel.
  • the electrodes 9,11 of the capacitors 100 are common connected to field effect transistors 106 108 of which transistor 106 is a charging transistor and has its source/drain path connected to a charging bus 110 of the chip 104 and the transistor 108 is a discharging transistor and has its source/drain path connected to a discharging bus 112 of the chip.
  • a signal generator 114 of the chip is connected between the grounded bus 102 and each of the buses 110 and 112.
  • the gate electrodes 116 and 118 respectively of transistors 106 and 108 are connected to a register 120 in a logic block 122, the register supplying to and removing from transistors 106 and 108 logic signals for effecting and terminating conduction thereof.
  • a line 124 is Also connected to the register 120 of each pair of channel capacitors 100 by way of which a data stream of N bits which defines the print pattern of the array of channels is supplied to the register 120.
  • a further line 126 which also connects with the signal generator 114, supplies high frequency, suitably about 10MHertz, clock pulses to each of the registers 120.
  • a further lower frequency clock line 128 supplies clock pulses to the signal generator to cause initiation of a charging and discharging voltage waveform having a relative slow initial rising voltage ramp portion, an intermediate portion during which the voltage attained in the ramp portion of the waveform is not allowed to fall, and, a final portion in which the voltage falls rapidly to zero.
  • the capacitors 100 of the channels selected by the data stream N are charged during the initial portion of this waveform by reason of the corresponding registers 120 sending logic signals to the gate electrodes 116 of the associated transistors 106.
  • the logic signals to the gate electrodes of the selected channels are removed and this state is maintained during the intermediate portion of the waveform at the end of which the data stored in the registers 120 sends to each of the gate electrodes 118 of the transistors 108 of the selected channels a logic signal to render those transistors conducting.
  • a voltage waveform is applied to the bus 112 to raise its voltage to near that of the charged voltage of the capacitors 100 and when the transistors 108 concerned are made conducting, the voltage on the bus 112 is lowered to discharge the capacitors at a rapid rate but one which prevents damage by surge currents to the discharge transistors 108.
  • the corresponding portions of the piezo-electric layer 3 spanning those channels move outwards causing flow into the selected channels of droplet liquid at a rate which is insufficient to cause droplet ejection from adjoining channels.
  • the liquid in the channels settles and in the final portion of the waveform, the portions of the layer 3 that were moved outwards in the first portion of the waveform are rapidly returned to their initial positions thereby imparting a pressure signal to the selected channels so causing droplet expulsion therefrom.
  • the data stream of N bits determines in one cycle of the waveform applied by the signal generator 114 the selection for actuation of the channels in one of the groups and, in the next cycle of that waveform, the selection for actuation of the channels in the other of the groups. This is accomplished by loading the registers 120 with the print pattern data in the stream of N bits prior to printing of each line of droplets.
  • the data stream addresses the channel registers 120 of the channel group concerned in series and so selects some or all of the channels of that group for actuation and loads data into the registers 120 of those channels.
  • the next print line is initiated by a clock pulse on the line 128 which causes a cycle of the charging/discharging voltage waveform from the generator 114 to commence.
  • the data in the register 120 of each selected channel applies a logic signal to the gates 116 of the transistor 106 of the relevant channels so that the corresponding capacitors 100 are charged and discharged as described earlier to effect droplet ejection from the nozzles of the selected channels.
  • the data stream of N bits selects the channels of the other group which are to be actuated before the appearance on the line 128 of the next pulse so that when that pulse appears the selected channels are actuated to effect droplet ejection.
  • any channel selected for printing has on opposite sides thereof at least one inactive channel, the incidence of cross-talk for any given density of channels is substantially reduced. If the channels were arranged in three groups there would be two inactive channels at least present on each side of any actuated channel reducing further, for the particular density of channels, the incidence of cross-talk.
  • Another way of reducing pressure cross-talk which can be used with or without the grouping of channels as described involves including in the data stream of N bits subsets each of n bits which are representative of the selected or non-selected status of at least one channel on opposite sides of each selected channel.
  • each subset n comprises a four bit word representative of the selected or non-selected status of two channels of the same group as the selected channels on each side of each selected channel. If a six bit set is employed, the print status of three channels of the same group of channels on each side of each selected channel would thereby be taken into account.
  • FIG 2 in which like parts as those of Figure 1 have been accorded the same reference numerals, and which depicts the electrically operated means for driving a pulsed droplet deposition apparatus consisting of butted modules of the form described and illustrated in U.S. Patent 4,296,421, for example in Figures 16 to 19 thereof.
  • the modules comprise a high density array of parallel channels formed at corresponding ends thereof with respective nozzles remotely from which the channels are connected to a common droplet liquid supply.
  • the respective channels Adjacent the nozzles, the respective channels are provided with resistive heating elements to which pulses of electrical energy are supplied which cause droplet ejection from the channels by reason of the heat energy transmitted by the heating elements to the droplet liquid in the channels causing formation in any individual channel of a vapour bubble which increases the pressure of liquid in the channel resulting in the expulsion from the channel nozzle of a droplet.
  • each channel is represented by a resistor 130 which is connected in series with the source/drain path of a field effect transistor 132, the gate electrode 134 of which connects with the corresponding register 120 in the logic box 122.
  • the compliance of the materials used for the channel modules of the apparatus for which the chip circuit of Figure 2 is employed is substantially greater than the piezo-electric channel body materials employed in the apparatus in which the chip circuit of Figure 1 is employed so that the need for cross-talk reduction is all the more important.
  • Such reduction is effected in the same ways as described in relation to the apparatus in which the circuit of Figure 1 is used, that is to say by grouping of the channels and/or by compensating for the effect on each selected channel of the array or group within the array of channels of the selected or non-selected status of channels on opposite sides of each selected channel.
  • compensation takes place for the effect on each of the channels selected of a group for the selected or non-selected status of a number of channels of the same group on each side of each selected channel. Where grouping is not resorted to, compensation takes place for the effect on each selected channel of the selected or non-selected status of a number of channels on each side of the selected channel. Compensation is effected by the ROM signals determined by the subsets of n bits within the data stream of N bits which give rise to signals from the ROM which are stored in the registers 120 and which determine the duration of the application of the voltage applied by the signal generator between the buses 110 and 102 to the resistors 130.
  • the nozzles of the groups are spatially offset to compensate for the time interval between the successive actuation of the channels group by group to the end of ensuring that the drops of a complete printline are deposited collinearly.

Landscapes

  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
EP89312882A 1988-12-30 1989-12-11 Appareil à déposition de gouttelettes Withdrawn EP0376532A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8830398 1988-12-30
GB888830398A GB8830398D0 (en) 1988-12-30 1988-12-30 Droplet deposition apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0376532A1 true EP0376532A1 (fr) 1990-07-04

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EP89312882A Withdrawn EP0376532A1 (fr) 1988-12-30 1989-12-11 Appareil à déposition de gouttelettes

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0376532A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH02245338A (fr)
CA (1) CA2006918A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB8830398D0 (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1995025011A1 (fr) * 1994-03-16 1995-09-21 Xaar Limited Ameliorations apportees a un appareil a impulsions de depot de gouttelettes
EP0835757A2 (fr) * 1996-10-08 1998-04-15 Pelikan Produktions Ag Procédé d'actionnement des éléments piézoélectrique dans une tête d'impression d'un générateur de gouttes
WO1998051504A1 (fr) 1997-05-15 1998-11-19 Xaar Technology Limited Fonctionnement d'un appareil a depot de gouttelettes
US6123405A (en) * 1994-03-16 2000-09-26 Xaar Technology Limited Method of operating a multi-channel printhead using negative and positive pressure wave reflection coefficient and a driving circuit therefor
EP1213145A2 (fr) 1996-03-15 2002-06-12 Xaar Technology Limited Fonctionnement d'un appareil de dépot de gouttelettes
US9566786B2 (en) 2013-11-26 2017-02-14 Xaar Technology Limited Droplet deposition apparatus and method for manufacturing the same

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4395146A (en) * 1980-11-06 1983-07-26 Sony Corporation Method and apparatus for operating a thermal printer with uniform heat distribution
EP0103943A2 (fr) * 1982-09-20 1984-03-28 Hewlett-Packard Company Procédé et dispositif d'élimination des effets de diaphonie acoustique dans une imprimante à jet d'encre thermique
US4584590A (en) * 1982-05-28 1986-04-22 Xerox Corporation Shear mode transducer for drop-on-demand liquid ejector
EP0278590A1 (fr) * 1987-01-10 1988-08-17 Xaar Limited Dispositif de dépôt de gouttelettes

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4395146A (en) * 1980-11-06 1983-07-26 Sony Corporation Method and apparatus for operating a thermal printer with uniform heat distribution
US4584590A (en) * 1982-05-28 1986-04-22 Xerox Corporation Shear mode transducer for drop-on-demand liquid ejector
EP0103943A2 (fr) * 1982-09-20 1984-03-28 Hewlett-Packard Company Procédé et dispositif d'élimination des effets de diaphonie acoustique dans une imprimante à jet d'encre thermique
EP0278590A1 (fr) * 1987-01-10 1988-08-17 Xaar Limited Dispositif de dépôt de gouttelettes

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1995025011A1 (fr) * 1994-03-16 1995-09-21 Xaar Limited Ameliorations apportees a un appareil a impulsions de depot de gouttelettes
US6123405A (en) * 1994-03-16 2000-09-26 Xaar Technology Limited Method of operating a multi-channel printhead using negative and positive pressure wave reflection coefficient and a driving circuit therefor
SG93789A1 (en) * 1994-03-16 2003-01-21 Xaar Ltd Improvements relating to pulsed droplet deposition apparatus
EP1213145A2 (fr) 1996-03-15 2002-06-12 Xaar Technology Limited Fonctionnement d'un appareil de dépot de gouttelettes
EP0835757A2 (fr) * 1996-10-08 1998-04-15 Pelikan Produktions Ag Procédé d'actionnement des éléments piézoélectrique dans une tête d'impression d'un générateur de gouttes
EP0835757A3 (fr) * 1996-10-08 1999-03-31 Pelikan Produktions Ag Procédé d'actionnement des éléments piézoélectrique dans une tête d'impression d'un générateur de gouttes
US6286925B1 (en) 1996-10-08 2001-09-11 Pelikan Produktions Ag Method of controlling piezo elements in a printhead of a droplet generator
WO1998051504A1 (fr) 1997-05-15 1998-11-19 Xaar Technology Limited Fonctionnement d'un appareil a depot de gouttelettes
US9566786B2 (en) 2013-11-26 2017-02-14 Xaar Technology Limited Droplet deposition apparatus and method for manufacturing the same
US9895886B2 (en) 2013-11-26 2018-02-20 Xaar Technology Limited Droplet deposition apparatus and method for manufacturing the same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8830398D0 (en) 1989-03-01
CA2006918A1 (fr) 1990-06-30
JPH02245338A (ja) 1990-10-01

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