EP0665106A2 - Appareil d'impression par jet d'encre - Google Patents

Appareil d'impression par jet d'encre Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0665106A2
EP0665106A2 EP95300563A EP95300563A EP0665106A2 EP 0665106 A2 EP0665106 A2 EP 0665106A2 EP 95300563 A EP95300563 A EP 95300563A EP 95300563 A EP95300563 A EP 95300563A EP 0665106 A2 EP0665106 A2 EP 0665106A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ink
diaphragm
jet printing
printing device
ink jet
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Withdrawn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
EP95300563A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0665106A3 (fr
Inventor
Raymond John Herbert
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.)
Neopost Ltd
Original Assignee
Neopost Ltd
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 Neopost Ltd filed Critical Neopost Ltd
Publication of EP0665106A2 publication Critical patent/EP0665106A2/fr
Publication of EP0665106A3 publication Critical patent/EP0665106A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • 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
    • B41J2002/14346—Ejection by pressure produced by thermal deformation of ink chamber, e.g. buckling
    • 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
    • B41J2002/14387—Front shooter
    • 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
    • B41J2202/00—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet or thermal heads
    • B41J2202/01—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet heads
    • B41J2202/05—Heads having a valve

Definitions

  • This invention relates to ink jet printing devices and in particular to the construction of ink jet print heads and the means for controlling ejection of ink therefrom.
  • Ink jet print heads are known in which drops of ink are selectively ejected from a nozzle toward an ink receiving medium.
  • An ink jet print head may have a plurality of nozzles located in a line and during relative movement between the ink jet print.head and an ink receiving medium drops of ink are ejected from selected ones of the nozzles in a series of print cycles to build up line by line a desired print impression on the ink receiving medium.
  • Ejection of ink from a nozzle may be effected by energisation of a piezo electric element to impart pressure to ink contained in the print head immediately adjacent the nozzle.
  • the ink is ejected by localised heating of the ink such as to vaporise the ink and form a gaseous bubble effective to eject a drop of ink from the nozzle of the print head.
  • ink jet print heads in which heating of the ink is utilised to eject drops of ink, the ink needs to be formulated to have thermal properties required to ensure effective ejection of ink drops.
  • the properties of ink formulated for this reason may be incompatible with formulation of ink to provide required quality of print formation on a print receiving medium.
  • an ink jet printing device includes an ink ejection nozzle; an ink supply duct; a passageway to provide ink flow from said ink supply duct to said ink ejection nozzle; a diaphragm movable between a first state and a second state, said diaphragm when in said first state being spaced from said passageway to permit flow of ink through the passageway from said ink supply duct to said ink ejection nozzle; and heating means to apply heat to cause movement of the diaphragm from one of said first and second states to the other of said states so as to eject a droplet of ink from said nozzle.
  • the ink jet printing device includes a first element; a groove in a first face of said first element; a second element secured in sealing engagement with said first face to close said groove and thereby form the ink supply duct; an end of the passageway opening in a wall of the groove opposed to said second element; the diaphragm being formed on said second element at a location corresponding to said end of said passageway.
  • a first element 10 comprises a substantially planar strip having a groove 11 extending therealong.
  • a passageway 12 is formed in the element 10 such as to extend from the base 13 of the groove 11 to an exterior lower (as shown in the drawing) surface 14 and the opening of the passageway in the surface 14 provides a nozzle 15 for ejection of ink.
  • a seat 18 extends around the passageway on the bottom 13 of the groove.
  • a second element 16 comprising a substantially planar strip extends on the upper surface 17 of the first element to close the groove 11 of the first element and thereby form a duct extending between the elements 10 and 16.
  • the second element is formed with a diaphragm 23 which overlies the nozzle.
  • the diaphragm 23 has a first state, shown in Figure 2, in which the diaphragm 23 sealingly engages the seat 18 to thereby close the passageway and a second state, shown in Figure 3, in which the diaphragm is spaced from the seat 18.
  • Ink is supplied, under pressure, from a source of liquid ink 24 to the groove 11.
  • a source of liquid ink 24 to the groove 11.
  • ink is prevented from passing into the passageway 12.
  • ink is permitted to flow from the groove 11 into the passageway 12 and thence to be ejected as a droplet of ink from the nozzle 15.
  • the diaphragm is normally at rest in its first state and deflection of the diaphragm from its first state to its second state may be accomplished by heating the diaphragm by means of an electric current passed through a thin or thick film resistance element 19 deposited on a surface 20 of the diaphragm remote from the groove 11.
  • a recess 21 in the plate 16 at the rear of the diaphragm 23 may be utilized as a reservoir 21, the diaphragm 23 forming a wall of the reservoir, and filled with liquid.
  • the liquid is retained in the reservoir by means of a third element 22 sealed to the second element 16.
  • the liquid may be heated selectively by means of a resistance element 25 to apply heat to the diaphragm.
  • the resistance element 25 may be deposited on the third element at a location such that the resistance element is in heat transfer relationship with the liquid in the reservoir. It will be appreciated that heating of the diaphragm is effected only for a very short time period sufficient to eject a droplet of ink from the nozzle. Upon termination of the application of heat to the diaphragm, the diaphragm cools rapidly by conduction of heat to the remainder of the elements 10, 16 which act as heat sinks and, on cooling of the diaphragm, the diaphragm returns to its original rest state in sealing engagement with the seat 18 thereby terminating the flow of ink to the nozzle.
  • a print head having a plurality of nozzles may be fabricated as a single modular unit as shown in Figure 5.
  • the elements 11, 16 and 22 are fabricated of a length sufficient to extend along the length of a required print line and nozzles 151 ....15 n connected by passageways 121 ....12 n to the groove 11 are formed at spaced locations along the length of the element 10.
  • diaphragms 231...23 n corresponding to the nozzles are formed at locations in the second element 16 to control flow of ink into the respective passageways.
  • the duct formed by the groove 11 may be incapable of ensuring a sufficient supply of ink to every one of the nozzles even if ink is supplied to both ends of the groove.
  • a manifold arrangement 26 may be provided such as to supply ink to the duct at a plurality of locations 27 spaced along the length of the groove 11.
  • ink jet print head when fabricated of silicon material permits the manufacture of a print head with a plurality of selectively operated ink jet nozzles as a single unit at relatively low cost, the elements 11, 12 being fabricated by etching the silicon material. It is to be understood that electrical conductors are deposited on the element 10, or the element 22, to provide electrical connections to the resistive elements to enable the resistive elements to be energised selectively by electric current by means of a print head control circuit (not shown) connected thereto.
  • thermoelectric element 19 The heating of the diaphragm has been described hereinbefore as being accomplished by an electric current passed through the resistive element 19.
  • heat may be applied to the diaphragm by other means.
  • a laser beam from a source 28 may be directed at the diaphragm by means 29 as indicated in Figure 6.
  • liquid When liquid is contained in the reservoir 21, it may be heated by the laser beam, the plate 22 being formed of material to permit passage of the laser beam, or the liquid may be heated by an electric current passed between electrodes 30 through the liquid contained in the reservoir 21 as shown in Figure 7.
  • the interface between the first and second elements prevents egress of ink from the groove between the cooperating opposed faces of the first and second elements and that the interface between the second and third elements prevents egress of liquid from the reservoir 21.
  • Opposed surfaces of the elements may be fabricated with sufficient precision to prevent egress of ink or liquid therebetween without any other sealing means or a layer of sealing material may be provided between opposed faces.
  • operation of the printing device is effected by means of heating of an element of the print head and does not utilise heating of the ink.
  • the ink may be formulated to provide the required quality of printing independently of any thermal properties the ink may have.
  • the diaphragm 23 when at rest in its first state is in sealing engagement with the seat 18 and is deflected away from the seat to its second state to permit flow of ink by application of heat to the diaphragm.
  • the diaphragm may have a rest position in which it is spaced from the seat 18 thereby permitting flow of ink to the passageway and the diaphragm is formed so as to be deflectable toward the seat.
  • the print device may be operated as described hereinbefore with the ink supplied under pressure to the duct formed by the groove 11 and the diaphragm having a state in which it is in sealing engagement with the seat 18 preventing flow of ink via the passageway to the nozzle and the pressure of the ink supply being such as to cause ejection of an ink droplet from the nozzle when the diaphragm is in a state permitting ink flow to the nozzle.
  • the ink may be supplied under only sufficient pressure as to ensure a flow of ink to the device and the diaphragm having a rest state spaced from the seat 18 permitting flow of ink to the passageway 12, the pressure being insufficient to flow of ink out of the nozzle.
  • the diaphragm is heated rapidly to cause the diaphragm to move rapidly toward the seat 18 such as to produce a pressure pulse applied to the ink in the passageway. This pressure pulse is effective to eject an ink droplet from the nozzle.
  • the diaphragm Upon cooling of the diaphragm, the diaphragm moves away from the seat 18 and permits flow of ink into the passageway to replenish ink lost from the passageway in the ejected ink droplet. It will be appreciated that movement of the diaphragm towards the seat 18 produces the pressure pulse in the passageway and that it is not necessary, with this manner of operating the print device, for the diaphragm to move into sealing engagement with the seat 18. Accordingly the end of the passageway need not be provided with a seat and the passageway may be formed such as to cooperate with the diaphragm to produce the pressure pulse required to eject the ink droplet.
  • Deflection of the diaphragm from its rest state may be accomplished as described hereinbefore by the application of heat to the diaphragm so that thermal distortion of the diaphragm results in deflection of the diaphragm from its rest state.
  • expansion and contraction of the liquid in the reservoir may be utilised to deflect the diaphragm between its first and second states.
  • heating of the liquid results in expansion of the liquid and expansion of the liquid causes the diaphragm to be deflected into engagement with the seat 18.
  • the diaphragm returns to its rest state.
  • heat may be applied either directly to the diaphragm or to an intermediate material, i.e. the liquid in the reservoir, to cause deflection of the diaphragm from one of its states to the other of its states.

Landscapes

  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
EP95300563A 1994-01-31 1995-01-30 Appareil d'impression par jet d'encre. Withdrawn EP0665106A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9401758 1994-01-31
GB9401758A GB2286157B (en) 1994-01-31 1994-01-31 Ink jet printing device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0665106A2 true EP0665106A2 (fr) 1995-08-02
EP0665106A3 EP0665106A3 (fr) 1996-05-29

Family

ID=10749573

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95300563A Withdrawn EP0665106A3 (fr) 1994-01-31 1995-01-30 Appareil d'impression par jet d'encre.

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0665106A3 (fr)
GB (1) GB2286157B (fr)

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0713774A3 (fr) * 1994-11-24 1997-04-02 Sharp Kk Tête d'impression à jet d'encre pour impression à grande vitesse et procédé pour sa fabrication
FR2769539A1 (fr) * 1997-10-09 1999-04-16 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Imprimante a transfert d'encre
WO2015015452A1 (fr) * 2013-07-31 2015-02-05 Ingegneria Ceramica Srl Actionneur amélioré et procédé pour sa commande
WO2018108571A1 (fr) * 2016-12-14 2018-06-21 Dürr Systems Ag Tête d'impression pourvue d'un dispositif de thermorégulation
US11154892B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2021-10-26 Dürr Systems Ag Coating device for applying coating agent in a controlled manner
US11167302B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2021-11-09 Dürr Systems Ag Coating device and associated operating method
US11167297B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2021-11-09 Dürr Systems Ag Print head for the application of a coating agent
US11167308B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2021-11-09 Dürr Systems Ag Print head for the application of a coating agent on a component
US11203030B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2021-12-21 Dürr Systems Ag Coating method and corresponding coating device
US11338312B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2022-05-24 Dürr Systems Ag Print head and associated operating method
US11440035B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2022-09-13 Dürr Systems Ag Application device and method for applying a multicomponent coating medium
US11504735B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2022-11-22 Dürr Systems Ag Coating device having first and second printheads and corresponding coating process
US11944990B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2024-04-02 Dürr Systems Ag Coating device for coating components
US11975345B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2024-05-07 Dürr Systems Ag Coating installation and corresponding coating method

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9004652B2 (en) 2013-09-06 2015-04-14 Xerox Corporation Thermo-pneumatic actuator fabricated using silicon-on-insulator (SOI)
US9004651B2 (en) 2013-09-06 2015-04-14 Xerox Corporation Thermo-pneumatic actuator working fluid layer
US9096057B2 (en) 2013-11-05 2015-08-04 Xerox Corporation Working fluids for high frequency elevated temperature thermo-pneumatic actuation

Citations (6)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5625464A (en) * 1979-08-09 1981-03-11 Canon Inc Liquid-drip jet recording device
US4312009A (en) * 1979-02-16 1982-01-19 Smh-Adrex Device for projecting ink droplets onto a medium
EP0100624A1 (fr) * 1982-07-30 1984-02-15 Hewlett-Packard Company Imprimante à jet d'encre avec une membrane flexible entraînée par bulle de vapeur
US4723131A (en) * 1986-09-12 1988-02-02 Diagraph Corporation Printhead for ink jet printing apparatus
JPS63197652A (ja) * 1987-02-13 1988-08-16 Canon Inc インクジエツト記録ヘツドおよびその製造方法
US5021808A (en) * 1986-02-10 1991-06-04 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Laser actuated recording apparatus

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US4383264A (en) * 1980-06-18 1983-05-10 Exxon Research And Engineering Co. Demand drop forming device with interacting transducer and orifice combination
JPS6025464A (ja) * 1983-07-22 1985-02-08 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 放電端子盤
DE3618107A1 (de) * 1986-05-30 1987-12-03 Siemens Ag Tintenschreibkopf mit piezoelektrisch anregbarer membran

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4312009A (en) * 1979-02-16 1982-01-19 Smh-Adrex Device for projecting ink droplets onto a medium
JPS5625464A (en) * 1979-08-09 1981-03-11 Canon Inc Liquid-drip jet recording device
EP0100624A1 (fr) * 1982-07-30 1984-02-15 Hewlett-Packard Company Imprimante à jet d'encre avec une membrane flexible entraînée par bulle de vapeur
US5021808A (en) * 1986-02-10 1991-06-04 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Laser actuated recording apparatus
US4723131A (en) * 1986-09-12 1988-02-02 Diagraph Corporation Printhead for ink jet printing apparatus
JPS63197652A (ja) * 1987-02-13 1988-08-16 Canon Inc インクジエツト記録ヘツドおよびその製造方法

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 005 no. 076 (M-069) ,20 May 1981 & JP-A-56 025464 (CANON INC) 11 March 1981, *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 012 no. 475 (M-774) ,13 December 1988 & JP-A-63 197652 (CANON INC) 16 August 1988, *

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0713774A3 (fr) * 1994-11-24 1997-04-02 Sharp Kk Tête d'impression à jet d'encre pour impression à grande vitesse et procédé pour sa fabrication
FR2769539A1 (fr) * 1997-10-09 1999-04-16 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Imprimante a transfert d'encre
US6226018B1 (en) 1997-10-09 2001-05-01 Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Ink transfer printer
WO2015015452A1 (fr) * 2013-07-31 2015-02-05 Ingegneria Ceramica Srl Actionneur amélioré et procédé pour sa commande
CN105579234A (zh) * 2013-07-31 2016-05-11 I.C.有限责任公司 改进的致动器和驱动所述致动器的方法
US9586395B2 (en) 2013-07-31 2017-03-07 I.C. S.R.L. Con Socio Unico Actuator and method of driving thereof
WO2018108571A1 (fr) * 2016-12-14 2018-06-21 Dürr Systems Ag Tête d'impression pourvue d'un dispositif de thermorégulation
CN110099750A (zh) * 2016-12-14 2019-08-06 杜尔系统股份公司 具有温度控制装置的喷印头
US11154892B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2021-10-26 Dürr Systems Ag Coating device for applying coating agent in a controlled manner
US11167302B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2021-11-09 Dürr Systems Ag Coating device and associated operating method
US11167297B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2021-11-09 Dürr Systems Ag Print head for the application of a coating agent
US11167308B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2021-11-09 Dürr Systems Ag Print head for the application of a coating agent on a component
US11203030B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2021-12-21 Dürr Systems Ag Coating method and corresponding coating device
US11298717B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2022-04-12 Dürr Systems Ag Print head having a temperature-control device
US11338312B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2022-05-24 Dürr Systems Ag Print head and associated operating method
CN110099750B (zh) * 2016-12-14 2022-06-28 杜尔系统股份公司 具有温度控制装置的喷印头
US11440035B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2022-09-13 Dürr Systems Ag Application device and method for applying a multicomponent coating medium
US11504735B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2022-11-22 Dürr Systems Ag Coating device having first and second printheads and corresponding coating process
US11813630B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2023-11-14 Dürr Systems Ag Coating method and corresponding coating device
US11878317B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2024-01-23 Dürr Systems Ag Coating device with printhead storage
US11944990B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2024-04-02 Dürr Systems Ag Coating device for coating components
US11975345B2 (en) 2016-12-14 2024-05-07 Dürr Systems Ag Coating installation and corresponding coating method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2286157B (en) 1998-01-14
GB9401758D0 (en) 1994-03-23
EP0665106A3 (fr) 1996-05-29
GB2286157A (en) 1995-08-09

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