EP0709198A2 - Formation d'image à jet d'encre par polarité inverse - Google Patents

Formation d'image à jet d'encre par polarité inverse Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0709198A2
EP0709198A2 EP95307489A EP95307489A EP0709198A2 EP 0709198 A2 EP0709198 A2 EP 0709198A2 EP 95307489 A EP95307489 A EP 95307489A EP 95307489 A EP95307489 A EP 95307489A EP 0709198 A2 EP0709198 A2 EP 0709198A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
drops
jets
charge
ink jet
catcher
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
EP95307489A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0709198B1 (fr
EP0709198A3 (fr
Inventor
Jing-Den Chen
Hilarion Braun
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.)
Kodak Versamark Inc
Original Assignee
Kodak Versamark 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 Kodak Versamark Inc filed Critical Kodak Versamark Inc
Publication of EP0709198A2 publication Critical patent/EP0709198A2/fr
Publication of EP0709198A3 publication Critical patent/EP0709198A3/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0709198B1 publication Critical patent/EP0709198B1/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
    • B41J2/07—Ink jet characterised by jet control
    • B41J2/075—Ink jet characterised by jet control for many-valued deflection
    • B41J2/08—Ink jet characterised by jet control for many-valued deflection charge-control type
    • B41J2/085—Charge means, e.g. electrodes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to continuous ink jet imaging and, more particularly, to systems which utilize a linear array of jets at resolutions greater than about 100 jets per inch.
  • ink is supplied under pressure to a manifold region that distributes the ink to a plurality of orifices, typically arranged in a linear array(s).
  • the ink discharges from the orifices in filaments which break into droplet streams.
  • the approach for printing with these droplet streams is to selectively charge and deflect certain drops from their normal trajectories.
  • Graphic reproduction is accomplished by selectively charging and deflecting drops from the drop streams and depositing at least some of the drops on a print receiving medium while other of the drops strike a drop catcher device.
  • the continuous stream ink jet printing process is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,255, 754; 4,698,123 and 4,751,517, the disclosures of each of which are totally incorporated herein by reference.
  • a continuous ink jet system includes a linear array of orifices fluidically connected to a fluid supply and pressurization means to produce a linear array of jets, means for stimulating the jets for regular break-up of the jet into a plurality of uniform streams of drops, charging means having a linear array of planar conducting elements or strips disposed along the path of motion of the jets, one for each jet, such that placing a preselected voltage on one of the plurality of conducting elements causes an electrostatic charge to be induced on the corresponding jet, the electrostatic charge and the placement of the conducting elements being such that a charge drop receives a force impulse from the presence of the conducting elements, catcher means disposed to catch selected drops with predetermined charge from the charging system, return fluidic means disposed so that drops intercepted by the catcher can be returned through the fluidic system for eventual re-use in forming the jets, means for moving a substrate beneath the catcher means so that drops not intercepted by the catcher means are allowed to impact the
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a means for charging of systems which utilize a high field planar charging system. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means for charging of systems which utilize a linear array of jets at resolutions greater than about 100 jets per inch. It is an advantage of the present invention that reverse polarity drastically improves the runnability of a variety of inks.
  • the ink was used in a continuous ink jet printer, such as the type manufactured by Scitex Digital Printing, Inc., in Dayton, Ohio.
  • the tests were conducted at room temperature.
  • the ink in the in tank was pumped through a prefilter and a final filter into a printhead. From a linear array of orifices in the printhead, with a linear array of jets at a resolution of 120 jets per inch, an array of ink drop streams were generated.
  • the printhead had an array of charge leads aligned with the drop streams.
  • the charge lead can be either positively charged (conventional) or negatively charged (reverse), to create drops with negative or positive charge, respectively.
  • the ink was recirculated back to the ink tank through a catcher.
  • the ink formulated in accordance with Example I above was tested with both polarities and the charge lead deposit and spitting drops were monitored for each polarity. Approximately 0.8 to 1.0 liters of ink was used in each test.
  • the ink was used in a continuous ink jet printer, such as the type manufactured by Scitex Digital Printing, Inc., in Dayton, Ohio.
  • the tests were conducted at room temperature.
  • the ink in the ink tank was pumped through a prefilter and a final filter into a printhead. From a linear array of orifices in the printhead, with a linear array of jets at a resolution of 120 jets per inch, an array of ink drop streams were generated.
  • the printhead had an array of charge leads aligned with the drop streams.
  • the charge lead can be either positively charged (conventional) or negatively charged (reverse), to create drops of negative or positive charge, respectively.
  • the ink was recirculated back to the ink tank through a catcher.
  • the ink formulated in accordance with Example II above was tested with both polarities and the charge lead deposit and spitting drops were monitored for each polarity. Approximately 0.8 to 1.0 liters of ink was used in each test.
  • the advantage of using reverse charge polarity is that the ink had much better runnability and less charge lead deposit with reverse polarity than with conventional polarity.
  • the present invention relates to the type of continuous ink jet system illustrated in Fig. 1.
  • a plurality of jets is created at high spatial resolution by a drop generator, which stimulates the natural break-up of jets into uniform streams of droplets.
  • spatial density of the jets is typically between 150 and 800 jets per inch.
  • Conventional, prior art systems are incapable of charging jets at high spatial resolution.
  • Conventional methods charge the jets by electrostatic induction in a "charge tunnel".
  • the charge tunnel consists of an essentially closed cavity surrounding the jets.
  • the cavity has an internal conducting coating which is electrically connected to an external source of electricity.
  • charging is done by means of slots, rather than in tunnels.
  • the slots are generally of the type which are narrow and deep so that the jets are essentially surrounded by the conducting coating in the slot.
  • the enabling feature is the idea that individual drops can be inductively charged by proximity to the conducting elements.
  • the elements may also be charge electrodes or charge leads.
  • the plurality of charge leads are attached to a planar surface to form a charge plate.
  • the charge plate can be for flat face charging or may be a slotted charge plate.
  • the charge leads can be produced by various photoforming techniques known in the photo-fabrication art. No mechanical features are needed to form the charging surfaces so the spatial frequency at which the conductors can be fabricated is not limited by mechanical considerations.
  • a key difference between the array charging technology shown in Fig. 1, and prior art technology is that the electric field which causes charging in the new technology is asymmetrical. If particulate matter results from the drop formation process, it can be caused to move under the action of the electric field, and will ultimately deposit on the charge lead. This is not the case with tunnel or slot charging, because a particle extracted from a jet during drop formation undergoes a symmetrical electric force. Such particles will therefore either merge with the leading or following drop, or will flow downstream with the drops to be deposited on the substrate, or on the catcher.
  • ink formulation for ink jet printers has become more sophisticated, various materials are being incorporated into inks which cause the inks to be non-homogeneous.
  • polymer dispersions are incorporated to improve permanence of dye based inks.
  • pigments are used because of their superior image permanence.
  • Particles dispersed in inks can be set free in the process of forming a drop from a jet. While this is a process based on probability, over time such particles can cause a "build-up" of matter on the charge leads, and even on the catcher. In the (likely) event that the buildup is insulating, it can cause the charge lead to lose it's ability to control the charge of the drops.
  • a plurality of conducting elements, or charge leads 12 are located on a planar charge plate 14.
  • a plurality of streams of drops 16 are supplied by drop generator 18.
  • a plurality of independently switchable sources 20 of electrostatic potential are supplied to the plurality of charge leads 12.
  • a catcher 22 intercepts the slightly deflected streams of drops.
  • the plurality of streams of drops impacting on the catcher forms a film of ink 26, which in turn forms a flow of ink 24, sucked away from the face of the catcher by a vacuum.
  • Reference number 28 represents the area on the catcher at which the deflected drops impact the catcher and merge together to form a film of ink on the catcher face.
  • the undeflected ink drops then print the image on substrate 30.
  • a plurality of charge leads 12 are situated on the face of the planar charge plate 14.
  • the plurality of drop streams 12 is supplied by drop generator 18 of Fig. 1.
  • Reference number 32 refers to one form of "charge plate build-up", which is a residue of ink deposited on the charge leads 12 below the point at which the jets disintegrate into drops.
  • Fig. 1 represents the side view of one embodiment of the present invention and Fig. 2 represents an isometric view of the face of the charge plate 14 with the ink jets disposed in front of the charge plate.
  • Drop generator 18 supplies streams of essentially coplanar and colinear drops 16, parallel to the face of the charge plate 14. Each of the drop streams 16 are in linear alignment with a conducting charge lead 12. Prior to disintegration, the streams of ink 16 are electrically conducting. When an electric potential is applied to one of the plurality of charge leads 12 by one of the plurality of voltage sources 20, the last drop which is still connected to the jet in front of that charge lead acquires an electric charge by induction.
  • successive drops can be either charged or uncharged.
  • at least every other drop is charged so that each charged drop experiences the electrostatic image charge of the plurality of other charged drops.
  • these electrostatic charges cause an impulsive force of electrostatic attraction to be exerted on the charged drops.
  • the charged drops are attracted towards the face of the catcher 22.
  • Drops which are formed in front of a charge lead which is momentarily at the same potential as the drop stream 16 are not charged. The trajectory of the uncharged drops is not deflected towards the catcher 22, so the uncharged drops move unimpeded towards the print media 30.
  • a desired pattern of drops moving towards the substrate 30 can be produced.
  • the drop pattern produced is varied in timed relationship with motion of the substrate 30 to the right in Fig. 1, any desired image can be formed on the moving substrate.
  • a positive voltage is applied to the charge electrodes by the plurality of voltage sources. This results in negatively charged catch drops.
  • any particles dispersed in the ink may be set free in the jet disintegration process. If it happens that the particle is charged, it can be attracted to the charge electrode by the strong electric field which exists between the jet and the charge electrode.
  • a particle would not be released every time a drop breaks off from a jet, but on a basis of probabilities, some particles would be released. If the released particles had the appropriate charge, they could then migrate to the charge lead and form a deposit 32.
  • the improvement described in this invention is the result of careful investigation of the deposit 32 and the spitting defect, as a function of various ink formulations and the polarity of the charge lead during operation.
  • all inks tested in accordance with the present invention either work better with negative charging voltage, (positively charged drops) or work equally well with either polarity.
  • the present invention is useful in the field of ink jet printing, and has the advantage of reversing the polarity of the charging means so as to create drops with positive charge.
  • the present invention has the further advantage that reversing the charge polarity results in drastically reduced deposits on the charge lead and catcher. This results in dramatically improved runnability for a variety of ink formulations. While it appears that inks which run with the conventional polarity charging will also run with reversed polarity, many inks which run well with reversed polarity charging will not run with conventional polarity. Further, the present invention has the advantage that reversing the conventional polarity has not had a measurable effect on the life of the orifice plate.

Landscapes

  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
  • Ink Jet (AREA)
EP19950307489 1994-10-28 1995-10-20 Formation d'image à jet d'encre par polarité inverse Expired - Lifetime EP0709198B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US33096294A 1994-10-28 1994-10-28
US330962 1994-10-28

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0709198A2 true EP0709198A2 (fr) 1996-05-01
EP0709198A3 EP0709198A3 (fr) 1996-06-05
EP0709198B1 EP0709198B1 (fr) 1999-08-11

Family

ID=23292047

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19950307489 Expired - Lifetime EP0709198B1 (fr) 1994-10-28 1995-10-20 Formation d'image à jet d'encre par polarité inverse

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0709198B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH08207288A (fr)
CA (1) CA2161471A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69511355T2 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0780230A3 (fr) * 1995-12-22 1998-09-16 SCITEX DIGITAL PRINTING, Inc. Système de charge de gouttelettes pour imprimante à jet d'encre à haute résolution
EP1074387A2 (fr) 1999-07-30 2001-02-07 ATLANTIC ZEISER GmbH & Co. Imprimante pour appareil d'impression par jet d'encre

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9016836B2 (en) 2013-05-14 2015-04-28 Stmicroelectronics, Inc. Ink jet printhead with polarity-changing driver for thermal resistors
US9016837B2 (en) 2013-05-14 2015-04-28 Stmicroelectronics, Inc. Ink jet printhead device with compressive stressed dielectric layer

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3604980A (en) 1970-05-25 1971-09-14 Mead Corp Drop-charging apparatus
US3656980A (en) 1969-08-12 1972-04-18 Japan Synthetic Rubber Co Ltd 4-tertiary-catechol-aqueous solution composition
US4255754A (en) 1979-03-19 1981-03-10 Xerox Corporation Differential fiber optic sensing method and apparatus for ink jet recorders
US4636808A (en) 1985-09-09 1987-01-13 Eastman Kodak Company Continuous ink jet printer
US4698123A (en) 1986-11-12 1987-10-06 Xerox Corporation Method of assembly for optical fiber devices
US4751517A (en) 1987-02-02 1988-06-14 Xerox Corporation Two-dimensional ink droplet sensors for ink jet printers
US4757328A (en) 1987-02-06 1988-07-12 Eastman Kodak Company Ink jet charging plant and drop-catcher assembly

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5698172A (en) * 1979-12-29 1981-08-07 Ricoh Co Ltd Ink jet printing
US4490729A (en) * 1982-09-15 1984-12-25 The Mead Corporation Ink jet printer
JPH03178444A (ja) * 1989-06-23 1991-08-02 Nec Home Electron Ltd インクジェット・プリンタ

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3656980A (en) 1969-08-12 1972-04-18 Japan Synthetic Rubber Co Ltd 4-tertiary-catechol-aqueous solution composition
US3604980A (en) 1970-05-25 1971-09-14 Mead Corp Drop-charging apparatus
US4255754A (en) 1979-03-19 1981-03-10 Xerox Corporation Differential fiber optic sensing method and apparatus for ink jet recorders
US4636808A (en) 1985-09-09 1987-01-13 Eastman Kodak Company Continuous ink jet printer
US4698123A (en) 1986-11-12 1987-10-06 Xerox Corporation Method of assembly for optical fiber devices
US4751517A (en) 1987-02-02 1988-06-14 Xerox Corporation Two-dimensional ink droplet sensors for ink jet printers
US4757328A (en) 1987-02-06 1988-07-12 Eastman Kodak Company Ink jet charging plant and drop-catcher assembly

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0780230A3 (fr) * 1995-12-22 1998-09-16 SCITEX DIGITAL PRINTING, Inc. Système de charge de gouttelettes pour imprimante à jet d'encre à haute résolution
EP1074387A2 (fr) 1999-07-30 2001-02-07 ATLANTIC ZEISER GmbH & Co. Imprimante pour appareil d'impression par jet d'encre

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69511355T2 (de) 1999-11-25
CA2161471A1 (fr) 1996-04-29
JPH08207288A (ja) 1996-08-13
EP0709198B1 (fr) 1999-08-11
EP0709198A3 (fr) 1996-06-05
DE69511355D1 (de) 1999-09-16

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