EP0550148A2 - Tête d'impression acoustique à encre avec un élément perforé et un écoulement de l'encre - Google Patents

Tête d'impression acoustique à encre avec un élément perforé et un écoulement de l'encre Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0550148A2
EP0550148A2 EP92310809A EP92310809A EP0550148A2 EP 0550148 A2 EP0550148 A2 EP 0550148A2 EP 92310809 A EP92310809 A EP 92310809A EP 92310809 A EP92310809 A EP 92310809A EP 0550148 A2 EP0550148 A2 EP 0550148A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ink
acoustic
aperature
pressure
free
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP92310809A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0550148B1 (fr
EP0550148A3 (en
Inventor
Calvin F. Quate
Butrus T. Khuri-Yakub
Babur B. Hadimioglu
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.)
Xerox Corp
Original Assignee
Xerox Corp
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Xerox Corp filed Critical Xerox Corp
Publication of EP0550148A2 publication Critical patent/EP0550148A2/fr
Publication of EP0550148A3 publication Critical patent/EP0550148A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0550148B1 publication Critical patent/EP0550148B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/14—Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
    • B41J2/14008—Structure of acoustic ink jet print heads
    • 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
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/14—Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
    • B41J2002/14322—Print head without nozzle

Definitions

  • This invention relates to acoustic ink printing (AIP), and in particular to a novel construction for maintaining a fresh ink supply and for controlling switching of the AIP printheads between their ON and their OFF modes.
  • AIP acoustic ink printing
  • AIP print elements operate by providing radiation pressure from a focussed acoustic wave to eject droplets from a free liquid surface.
  • a transducer typically supplies a single burst or pulse of acoustic energy which is focussed at the free liquid surface and when of sufficient strength raises a mound on the liquid surface from which a single droplet is expelled which will deposit on print media overlying the free liquid surface.
  • Printheads can be made of an array of such AIP print elements, each with its own transducer but operating with a common supply or pool of ink.
  • a problem that has arisen in connection with such AIP devices is that the elevation of the ink liquid surface varies during use. Performance of the device may be detrimentally affected when the liquid surface moves in and out of the focal plane of the acoustic wave from the transducer.
  • US-A-5,028,937 describes an AIP with an ink pool covered with a perforated membrane, with bias pressure applied to the ink so that the ink menisci essentially remain within the focal plane of the acoustic beam.
  • US-A-4,801,953 describes one approach to provide a continuous supply of fresh ink at the ejector sites. This approach features transporting an apertured belt over the ejectors, with each aperture supplied with fresh ink to avoid the debris accumulation problem.
  • An object of the invention is to provide a fresh supply of ink at the ejector site or sites to mitigate the effect of contamination of the ink pool.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a fresh supply of ink at the ejector site or sites and to provide an additional means for controlling droplet ejection from the fresh supply of ink.
  • Another object of the invention is an acoustic ink printhead providing dynamic control of the liquid level at the ejector sites together with maintaining a fresh supply of ink at such sites.
  • the present invention provides an acoustic ink printer according to claim 1 of the appended claims.
  • a feature of the present invention is to supply a horizontal component to the ink supply over the ejector sites but without requiring a moving belt.
  • a pressure differential is provided to supply a force with a horizontal component which moves the ink horizontally across the ejector site or sites.
  • a fixed apertured member located above the ejector sites is a fixed apertured member, with the ink droplets being ejected through the apertures.
  • the printer includes means for flowing the ink in a continuous stream past the said aperature.
  • the printer further comprising means coupled to the ink for generating a secondary pressure field.
  • the ink flowing means comprises an inlet at a pressure P1 and an outlet at a pressure P2, where P1 > P2.
  • the inlet has a first portion that is laterally spaced from one side aperature
  • the outlet has a first portion that is laterally spaced from the other side of the said aperature.
  • the inlet has a second portion transverse to the ink stream flow and connected to the inlet first portion.
  • the outlet has a second portion transverse to the ink stream flow and connected to the outlet first portion.
  • the means for generating a secondary pressure field may comprise a piezo pulse driver with matching stub or heating element, and a pulse terminator.
  • fixed member comprises a member having a generally planar portion whose surface contacts the pool surface.
  • the fixed member may have at least one row of aperatures, or at least two aperatures arranged in a row in series along the ink stream flow.
  • the fixed member may have at least two adjacent rows of at least two aperatures each arranged in parallel along the ink stream flow.
  • a secondary pressure is provided which is used as a control mechanism for switching the ejector between its ON and OFF modes by dynamically controlling the free ink surface level in the aperture relative to the focal plane of the transducer.
  • a secondary pressure field is generated by acoustic or thermal means.
  • an apertured member is mounted over the free surface of the liquid such that the liquid surface lies within an aperture to form an ejector site.
  • the liquid is caused to flow.
  • the aperture side walls suppress any horizontal component of velocity of the ink so that droplets are ejected substantially orthogonally to the ink surface.
  • the ink is caused to flow continuously past the apertures so that the ink surface from which ejection occurs can be maintained fresh and non-contaminated.
  • the liquid level assumed by the ink in the aperture is determined by the ink pressures upstream and downstream of the aperture.
  • the droplet ejection control can be used separately or together with the transducer as a way of controlling individual print elements, especially in an array configuration to form a printhead.
  • the present invention provides novel AIP constructions and techniques for establishing and maintaining a fresh supply of ink at the ejectors, and also discloses for use alone or together with the above several novel approaches for dynamic control and regulation of the liquid level at the ejector site using the energy from acoustic pulses or pulsed heaters.
  • the structures here disclosed can be used alone or together with many other AIP concepts including pressure equalization and matrix addressing. Many of the latter have already been fully described in the patents previously referenced and are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.
  • the present invention is not limited to, for example, specific kinds or geometries of transducers, specific transducers compositions, specific acoustic geometries or patterns, specific addressing techniques, or specific printhead configurations, such as single ejector, or matrix-configured ejector arrays, or pagewidth ejector arrays of the single row or multiple row staggered array configurations.
  • the ratio of these two pressures i.e., control of these two pressures, enables us to control the ink level at the ejector, within or without the focal plane of the acoustic lens. This provides an additional control mechanism for switching AIP printheads between their ON and OFF modes.
  • Fig. 1 depicts an inlet conduit 1 supplying a liquid 5 at a pressure P1 to an outlet 2 at a pressure P2. If a T-fitting 3 is provided between the inlet and outlet, the liquid 5 will assume a certain level 6 within the open end of the fitting.
  • P1/P2 the ratio of P1/P2 it can readily be demonstrated that an increased ratio causes the liquid level 6 to rise, and a decreased ratio causes the liquid level 6 to fall.
  • Fig. 2 illustrates one AIP embodiment in accordance with the invention employing the principle illustrated in Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 2 shows a printhead 10 including a substrate 11 of acoustically transmissive material provided with a recess 12 forming an acoustic lens.
  • a known transducer 13 is connected to a known controller 15 for supplying a modulated RF voltage capable of establishing, as is known, focussed acoustic radiation 16, which comes to a focus at a focal plane 17 having a certain depth of focus.
  • An apertured member 20, showing one aperture 21, is mounted over the substrate 11.
  • a supply of liquid ink 22 is provided between the substrate 11 and the apertured member 20. The latter form a horizontal channel 24 filled with the ink 22, so that the ink contacts the upper side of the substrate 11 as well as the lower side of the apertured member 20.
  • the member 20 can be any kind of a plate or wall member of a minimum thickness. It can be of the same or similar material and thickness as the perforated belt or web described in US-A-4,801,953, or the same or similar to the perforated membrane described in US-A-5,028,937 and copending application, Serial No. 07/634,248. Generally, the aperture 21 will have a height exceeding its diameter so that sufficient depth is available to move the liquid surface up and down within the aperture.
  • An inlet 26 for the ink 22 is shown at the left, and an outlet 27 for the ink is shown at the right.
  • the ink 22 will flow horizontally through the channel 24 and across the ejector and the ink will rise in the open channel or aperture 21 to a level 30 determined by the P1/P2 ratio.
  • Media such as paper 28, can be caused to pass over the printhead 10.
  • the transducer 13 is pulsed, if the ink level 30 is within the depth of focus of the focal plane 17 of the acoustic lens, an ink droplet 31 will be ejected upward to deposit on the media 28.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates an AIP for the single lens case.
  • Ink 20 from inlet 26 at pressure P1 is flowed through the channel 24 to outlet 27 at pressure P2.
  • These pressures are established by known means not shown.
  • a known piezoelectric driver 35 with matching stub 36 at the left side is mounted over a second perforated plate 37.
  • a terminator 38 for a pressure pulse to avoid reflections is mounted at the right side of the lens.
  • the terminator is of a well-known type as described in US-A-4,746,929 entitled "Travelling Wave Droplet Generator For An Ink Jet Printer".
  • An advantage is that switching is not needed at the acoustic transducer 13, and the controller 15 can be connected as shown to driver 35.
  • the impedance is very high and thus proper matching may be difficult. Without the necessity of switching at the transducer 13, we can easily connect several transducers 13 in parallel and thereby reduce the impedance level.
  • Fig. 4 depicts a single lens system similar to that of Fig. 3 wherein the secondary pressure pulse is suppled in the form of a thermal pulse by a known heating element also located above the flowing ink stream 22.
  • the heating element, designated 40 is the same or similar to that used in a known thermal ink jet, and when pulsed induces a thermal pulse into the liquid path. This in turn induces a pressure pulse which, as in the Fig. 3 embodiment, will serve to raise the liquid level 31 and switch ON the ejection of drops.
  • Fig. 5 shows a further modification of the single lens device wherein the ink 22 flow in the channel 24 is horizontal under the member 20, but is supplied from below in a vertical right-angle direction from inlet 26 and similarly flows out via outlet 27.
  • This provides a single channel 24 over the lens surface, and allows the piezo driver/stub 35, 36 to be located at one end of the channel 24 and the terminator 38 to be located at the opposite end.
  • Fig. 6 shows the same system as in Fig. 5 but with the piezo driver replaced by a heating element similar to that shown in Fig. 4.
  • Fig. 7 illustrates how the system is readily implemented into a lens array.
  • One column 49 of two members of the double row is illustrated in an end view in Fig. 7(b) with two lens systems 50, 51.
  • a common column inlet 54 and column outlet 55 for the common channel 56 supplies and removes the stream of ink flowed over the two lenses 50, 51.
  • a common piezo driver 58 and terminator 59 are also in the channel 56.
  • Fig. 7(c) shows the location of adjacent columns of double row ejectors, showing the staggered arrangement. Adjacent columns use the same reference numerals to designate corresponding parts with primes and double-primes added.
  • Fig. 7(a) is a partial side view of the same arrangement taken from one end as shown in Fig. 7(c). In this arrangement, since each row can have a different timing for the RF pulses supplied to the transducers 52, 53, the rows can be addressed separately by choosing the timing of the pressure pulse to the piezo drivers 58, 58', 58''.
  • Fig. 8 illustrates an AIP that can also be used in the Fig. 7 array with heating elements 40 substituted for the piezo drivers 58.
  • the heating elements 40 can be located on the substrate 11 at the inlet channel 24.
  • Fig. 9 illustrates a modification of Fig. 8 in the array configuration where a heating element 40' is placed separate from the substrate 11 and the overlay member 20 can be shaped appropriately to fit this arrangement of components.

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  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
EP19920310809 1991-12-30 1992-11-26 Tête d'impression acoustique à encre avec un élément perforé et un écoulement de l'encre Expired - Lifetime EP0550148B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US81572991A 1991-12-30 1991-12-30
US815729 1991-12-30

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0550148A2 true EP0550148A2 (fr) 1993-07-07
EP0550148A3 EP0550148A3 (en) 1993-11-18
EP0550148B1 EP0550148B1 (fr) 1996-10-09

Family

ID=25218675

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19920310809 Expired - Lifetime EP0550148B1 (fr) 1991-12-30 1992-11-26 Tête d'impression acoustique à encre avec un élément perforé et un écoulement de l'encre

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0550148B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH05246028A (fr)
DE (1) DE69214418T2 (fr)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0621135A1 (fr) * 1993-04-23 1994-10-26 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Appareil à jet d'encre
WO1995010415A1 (fr) * 1993-10-08 1995-04-20 Gec-Marconi Limited Distributeur de fluide
EP0683048A2 (fr) * 1994-05-18 1995-11-22 Xerox Corporation Unités d'éjection définies lithographiquement
WO1996032279A1 (fr) * 1995-04-12 1996-10-17 Eastman Kodak Company Imprimante a encre liquide et systeme associe
WO1996032277A1 (fr) * 1995-04-12 1996-10-17 Eastman Kodak Company Procede et systeme d'impression a selection et separation concomitantes des gouttelettes
EP0739732A1 (fr) * 1995-04-27 1996-10-30 Xerox Corporation Tête d'impression acoustique à encre avec distance focale variable
EP0869001A2 (fr) * 1997-04-03 1998-10-07 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Ejecteur de liquide et appareil d'impression
US5880759A (en) * 1995-04-12 1999-03-09 Eastman Kodak Company Liquid ink printing apparatus and system
WO1999056958A1 (fr) * 1998-05-06 1999-11-11 Eastman Kodak Company Tete d'imprimante a jet d'encre avec concentrateur de pression
WO2011070079A1 (fr) * 2009-12-10 2011-06-16 Schmid Technology Gmbh Dispositif et procédé de transfert d'une substance d'impression d'un support de substance d'impression sur un substrat

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP4686387B2 (ja) * 2006-03-17 2011-05-25 株式会社東芝 インクジェットヘッド、インクジェット吐出装置、インクジェット記録装置及びインクジェット吐出方法

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4106032A (en) * 1974-09-26 1978-08-08 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Limited Apparatus for applying liquid droplets to a surface by using a high speed laminar air flow to accelerate the same
US4308547A (en) * 1978-04-13 1981-12-29 Recognition Equipment Incorporated Liquid drop emitter
JPS60204364A (ja) * 1984-03-30 1985-10-15 Canon Inc 液体噴射記録ユニツト
US4728969A (en) * 1986-07-11 1988-03-01 Tektronix, Inc. Air assisted ink jet head with single compartment ink chamber
US4764780A (en) * 1985-12-25 1988-08-16 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Ink ejection recording apparatus having means for equalizing the static ink pressures of a plurality of ink nozzles arranged at different heights
US5028937A (en) * 1989-05-30 1991-07-02 Xerox Corporation Perforated membranes for liquid contronlin acoustic ink printing
EP0493102A1 (fr) * 1990-12-26 1992-07-01 Xerox Corporation Imprimante acoustique à encre

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4106032A (en) * 1974-09-26 1978-08-08 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Limited Apparatus for applying liquid droplets to a surface by using a high speed laminar air flow to accelerate the same
US4308547A (en) * 1978-04-13 1981-12-29 Recognition Equipment Incorporated Liquid drop emitter
JPS60204364A (ja) * 1984-03-30 1985-10-15 Canon Inc 液体噴射記録ユニツト
US4764780A (en) * 1985-12-25 1988-08-16 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Ink ejection recording apparatus having means for equalizing the static ink pressures of a plurality of ink nozzles arranged at different heights
US4728969A (en) * 1986-07-11 1988-03-01 Tektronix, Inc. Air assisted ink jet head with single compartment ink chamber
US5028937A (en) * 1989-05-30 1991-07-02 Xerox Corporation Perforated membranes for liquid contronlin acoustic ink printing
EP0493102A1 (fr) * 1990-12-26 1992-07-01 Xerox Corporation Imprimante acoustique à encre

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 10, no. 55 (M-458)5 February 1986 & JP-A-60 204 364 ( CANON ) 15 October 1985 *

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5587727A (en) * 1993-04-23 1996-12-24 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet apparatus using pressure wave intersection to eject ink droplets
EP0621135A1 (fr) * 1993-04-23 1994-10-26 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Appareil à jet d'encre
WO1995010415A1 (fr) * 1993-10-08 1995-04-20 Gec-Marconi Limited Distributeur de fluide
EP0683048A2 (fr) * 1994-05-18 1995-11-22 Xerox Corporation Unités d'éjection définies lithographiquement
EP0683048A3 (fr) * 1994-05-18 1996-06-26 Xerox Corp Unités d'éjection définies lithographiquement.
US5880759A (en) * 1995-04-12 1999-03-09 Eastman Kodak Company Liquid ink printing apparatus and system
WO1996032279A1 (fr) * 1995-04-12 1996-10-17 Eastman Kodak Company Imprimante a encre liquide et systeme associe
WO1996032277A1 (fr) * 1995-04-12 1996-10-17 Eastman Kodak Company Procede et systeme d'impression a selection et separation concomitantes des gouttelettes
EP0739732A1 (fr) * 1995-04-27 1996-10-30 Xerox Corporation Tête d'impression acoustique à encre avec distance focale variable
EP0869001A2 (fr) * 1997-04-03 1998-10-07 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Ejecteur de liquide et appareil d'impression
EP0869001A3 (fr) * 1997-04-03 1999-04-14 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Ejecteur de liquide et appareil d'impression
US6154235A (en) * 1997-04-03 2000-11-28 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Acoustic liquid ejector and printer apparatus incorporating the ejector
WO1999056958A1 (fr) * 1998-05-06 1999-11-11 Eastman Kodak Company Tete d'imprimante a jet d'encre avec concentrateur de pression
GB2351042A (en) * 1998-05-06 2000-12-20 Eastman Kodak Co Ink jet printhead with pressure concentrater
GB2351042B (en) * 1998-05-06 2002-02-20 Eastman Kodak Co An ink jet printhead unit
WO2011070079A1 (fr) * 2009-12-10 2011-06-16 Schmid Technology Gmbh Dispositif et procédé de transfert d'une substance d'impression d'un support de substance d'impression sur un substrat

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0550148B1 (fr) 1996-10-09
EP0550148A3 (en) 1993-11-18
DE69214418D1 (de) 1996-11-14
DE69214418T2 (de) 1997-03-06
JPH05246028A (ja) 1993-09-24

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