US3769627A - Ink jet printing system using ion charging of droplets - Google Patents

Ink jet printing system using ion charging of droplets Download PDF

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Publication number
US3769627A
US3769627A US00314512A US3769627DA US3769627A US 3769627 A US3769627 A US 3769627A US 00314512 A US00314512 A US 00314512A US 3769627D A US3769627D A US 3769627DA US 3769627 A US3769627 A US 3769627A
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Prior art keywords
drops
ions
drop
conductive
source
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00314512A
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English (en)
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J Stone
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AB Dick Co
Videojet Technologies Inc
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AB Dick Co
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Assigned to VIDEOJET SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC., A CORP OF DE reassignment VIDEOJET SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC., A CORP OF DE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: A. B. DICK COMPANY A CORP OF DE
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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
    • B41J2/07—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

  • Selective drop charging involves the induction of charges in the drop being formed by a surrounding charged electrode.
  • the induced charge varies in accordance with the inducing voltage until the instant in time at which the droplet physically separates from the stream. From that time on, the induced charge is trapped and remains with the drop. It is obvious, therefore, that the charging process must be carefully synchronized with the timing of the drop break off. This involves the use of complex phasing control sensors and loops. This in turn, increases the cost of the equipment.
  • Another object of the present invention is the provision of'a simpler and less complex ink drop charging system than has been used heretofore.
  • FIG. 1 is aschematic diagram of a portion of an ink jet printer.
  • the reason why an entire ink drop printing system is not shown is because, aside from the of a control apcharging portion which is in accordance with this invention, these printing systems are well known, are commercially available, and are described in a number of patents, besides the Sweet patent referred to previously herein.
  • a pressurized ink supply causes ink to flow through a nozzle 10.
  • the nozzle has a small opening 12 through which an ink jet is emitted.
  • An oscillator 14 applies electrical energy at a suitable ultrasonic frequency to a transducer 16.
  • the transducer converts this electrical energy to mechanical energy and usually squeezes the nozzle at a rate determined by the oscillator frequency.
  • the stream 18 of ink which is emitted, forms into drops such as 29 through 34.
  • Light from a source 40 is focused by a lens 42 at the region through which the drops pass.
  • the drop 22 is in position to intercept or block the light.
  • Another lens 44 focuses light from the region through which the drops pass onto a photocell 46.
  • the photocell output is applied to a pulse generator 48, which generates a pulse each time the light is blocked by a drop.
  • the output of the pulse generator 48 is used for timing and control purposes in such a manner that one pulse occurs for each drop passing the detection zone, or the region at which light is focused by the line 42.
  • the ink jet stream breaks up into a series of uniformly spaced, equally sized drops, moving at a constant velocity toward the recording medium.
  • the initial ink stream pressure directly determines the drop velocity and this can be regulated within close limits. 1
  • each drop passes over a series of charging apertures 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58.
  • Each of these apertures permits charges to be placed on a drop by means of gaseous ions emitted from a positive corona source 60.
  • Control voltages which determine whether or not ions can pass through one of the apertures 50 through 58, are received from amplifiers, respectively 62 through 70,.which are applied to conductive layers adjacent each aperture. Details of the control of each aperture will be described in connection with FIG. 2, subsequently herein.
  • Each of the amplifiers 62 through is driven by the output stage-of the respective shift registers 72 through 80.
  • Each one of the'shift registers is one or more bits in length and shifts, in response to shift pulses received from an adjustable time delay circuit 82.
  • the adjustable time delay circuit is driven by the output of the pulse generator 48 and not only provides shift pulses, but provides timing pulses to the remainder of the system.
  • the adjustable time delay is used to delay the output of the pulse generator 48, which is applied thereto for whatever interval is required to insure that a drop is positioned over each one of the respective apertures 50 through 58. Once this interval is set,'since the drops occur at regular intervals and are regularly spaced, it need not be adjusted again, unless either the ink jet pressure or the oscillator frequency is altered.
  • a negative voltage is applied to the conductive layer 82, which surrounds an aperture. Otherwise, a positive voltage is applied to this conductive layer.
  • the loading of the shift registers with the signals which are to control the charging of drop 26, (and other drops also), must be as follows. Assuming that the shift registers are five stage registers, and the respective stages from output to input are numbered from zero through four, a one representative signal is in stage zero of shift register 72, a one representative signal is in stage one of shift register 74, a one representative signal is in stage two of shift register 76, a zero representative signal is in stage three of shift register 78, and a zero representative signal is in stage four of shift register 80.
  • the loading of signals into the shift registers for controlling the charging of drops must be done in the staggered manner described, so that a'drop is properly charged as it passes by each one of the five openings.
  • One way of achieving this type of loading is by having suitable different delay lines in front of the shift registers.
  • Another preferred way is to make the shift registers have different lengths so that although they are loaded in'parallel, the control voltage forcharging a drop will arrive at the shift register output stages properly timed as the drop successively passes each charging aperture.
  • a number of shift pulses must be provided equal to'the number of apertures to be controlled.
  • the time between pulses should equal the flight time of the individual droplets between apertures,
  • the output of the adjustable time delay circuit 82 is not only applied to the shift registers to provide shift pulses, but is also applied to a drop charge control source 84, which is drivenby signals from a data source 86.
  • the data source and the drop charge control source function in the manner of the circuit used in presently manufactured drop charging systems in that they function to produce a sequence of charging voltages for each character to be printed having amplitudes which, when applied to the drops will cause the drops to be deposited in a pattern representative of a character. All that is needed to produce a pattern of controlvoltages for controlling the apertures 50 through 58 for ion charging is an analog-to-digital converter 85, which converts the analog charging voltages into five digital control voltages. These are applied to the five shift registers 72 through 80.
  • the system shown may also be .used for printing curves or lines, since in that case, the data source will provide succession of signals which the drop charge control source will convert into voltages that are then converted into digital aperture control signals by the analog-to-digital converter, whereby a drop will be charged and thereafter deflected by a distance representative of that voltage.
  • the output of the adjustable time delay circuit is applied to a counter 88. Since a character in order to be printed requires a number of drops, the counter counts the number of drops passing between the lenses 42 and 44, representative of the maximum number of drops for printing a character, and then applies an output to the data source 86 to apply the next set of signals representing a character to be printed to the drop charge control source.
  • the drop charge control source in response to the timing pulses generates a sequence of voltages required to charge drops in the induction type of charging for depositing the drops in the form of a character. in the present invention, this voltage sequence is applied to the analog-to-digital converter as described above.
  • the drops After the drops have receivedcharges in passing over the apertures 50 through 58, they pass between two spaced parallel electrodes respectively 90, 92. These two electrodes are connected to a source of potential, with the lower electrode 92 being connected to ground andthe-upper electrode 90, being connected to a negative high voltage source to establish an electric field between the electrodes.
  • Drops which are not charged are vnot deflected and move along in the path into which they were initially-projected. These drops are finally deflected -.by a catcher 94, into areservoir 96, from which theymay be pumped back tothe initial reservoir used for this system.
  • the other drops, which bear charges, are deflected by the field by an amount determined by the amplitude of the charge.
  • the drops finally fall on the recording medium 98. Suitable mechanisms are provided for moving the recording medium, in a well known manner, to insure that the pattern in which the drops fall thereon forms either characters or curves, as desired.
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the region around one of the apertures, such as the aperture 50.
  • the lower conductor 82 which serves as a control electrode, surrounds the aperture and a control voltage is applied thereto from an amplifier 62.
  • the lower con ductor 82 is separated from the deflection plate 92, by a suitable insulator 100.
  • the deflecting electrode 92 is connected to ground.
  • the amplifier'62 applies a negative voltage relative thereto when it is desired to block the passage of ions through the opening, and a positive voltage relativetherethrough, when it is desired to permit the passage of ions'through the opening.
  • the positive coronasource '60 generates positive ions.
  • a field B may be established between the positive corona source and the control electrode 82 such that these ions are accelerated towardcontrol electrode 82.
  • the control electrode is positive, ions are urged through the opening and when the control electrode is negative, ions are not urged through the opening.
  • a field E is established by the relative potentials between the electrode 92 and the conductor 82. When the con-.
  • ductor 82 is negative with respect to the conductor 92, this field blocks the ions through the opening.
  • a third field E is established between the electrode 92 and the electrode 90 which projects ions out of the opening and toward the electrode 90. Any ink drops that is in the space between electrodes 90 and 92, and that is over an opening through which the ions pass, will be bornbarded with ions and thus, will assume a positive charge.
  • the change between the drawing of FIG. 1 andthat of FIG. 3 is in the omission of the analog-to-digital converter 85 and the five registers 72 through 80.
  • the output of the Drop Charge Control Source is a signal whose amplitude is determined by a signal from the video data source.
  • This apparatus is the same as is used presently for the inductor charging of drops.
  • the output of the drop charge control apparatus is applied to the amplifier 62, which after amplification, appliesit to the control electrode 82 .'Only a single opening 50 is used.
  • the amount of ion charge on a drop passing adjacent opening 50 is determined by the'amplitude of the voltage applied to the control electrode 82. As was previously the case, the distance of the deflection of the 'drop from the trajectory of an uncharged drop.
  • FIG. 1 the five charging holes which are shown are by way of example. More or less may be used as desired. Also, the system illustrated herein uses a positive corona source. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a negative corona source may also be used, by reversing all the voltage polarities shown in FIG. I.
  • said means for establishing a field comprises: blocking means interposed between said source of ions and the path of said drops at said charging position to block the access of ions from said source from said path of said drops,
  • said blocking means having an aperture therethrough sized to afford ions access to a drop at a time
  • said means for applying signals from said video source to said means for establishing a field includes: v 1
  • said means for establishing a field for bombarding each drop with ions further includes:
  • a third conductive means positioned opposite said second conductive means and spaced therefrom to permit said stream of drops to pass therebetween, and i f means for biasing said second and third conductive means relative to said first conductive means to establish fields which direct ions entering said aperture at the path of said drops.
  • said means for bombarding each drop with ions as it passes through said charging position includes:
  • a blocking means interposed between said source of sition to block the access from said source from said path of said drops
  • said blocking means having a plurality of apertures therethrough'and spaced along the path of said drops and sized to afford ions access successively to a drop as it moves along said path through said charging position, and
  • said means-forapplying said signals from said video source to said means-for establishing a field includes,
  • analog-to-digital means for converting each of said signals from said video source into a binary code having as many bit signals as there are apertures in said blocking means
  • said means for applying the bit signal representative of a video signal between said source of ions and each of said separate first conductive means successively includes:
  • conductive grid means interposed between the source of ions and said charging position, and means for applying signals from said video source to said conductive grid means for controlling responsive thereto the amount of ions which can pass through said conductive grid means to charge a drop passing through said charging position.
  • an insulating blocking means having an aperture therethrough, v a separate conductive'means surrounding each aperture on the surface of said insulating blocking means adjacent said ion source, and a conductieve means surrounding each aperture on the other side.
  • said means for applying signals from said video source to said conductive grid means comprises:
  • said means for applying the bit signals representative of a video signal between said source of ions and each of said separate conductive means successively includes:
  • each delay means having its input connected to receive one of the bit signals in a binary code representative of a video signal and its output connected to apply a bit signal to a separate one of said separate conductive means, and

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  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
  • Fax Reproducing Arrangements (AREA)
  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Printers Or Recording Devices Using Electromagnetic And Radiation Means (AREA)
US00314512A 1972-12-13 1972-12-13 Ink jet printing system using ion charging of droplets Expired - Lifetime US3769627A (en)

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US31451272A 1972-12-13 1972-12-13

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US (1) US3769627A (en:Method)
JP (1) JPS5429892B2 (en:Method)
BE (1) BE808265A (en:Method)
CA (1) CA1001210A (en:Method)
GB (1) GB1435618A (en:Method)

Cited By (23)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3907429A (en) * 1974-08-08 1975-09-23 Ibm Method and device for detecting the velocity of droplets formed from a liquid stream
US3916421A (en) * 1973-07-02 1975-10-28 Hertz Carl H Liquid jet recorder
US3962969A (en) * 1973-12-03 1976-06-15 Oki Electric Industry Company, Ltd. Ink mist type high speed printer
US3972052A (en) * 1972-10-24 1976-07-27 Oki Electric Industry Company, Ltd. Compensation apparatus for high speed dot printer
US4047183A (en) * 1976-11-04 1977-09-06 International Business Machines Corporation Method and apparatus for controlling the formation and shape of droplets in an ink jet stream
US4068241A (en) * 1975-12-08 1978-01-10 Hitachi, Ltd. Ink-jet recording device with alternate small and large drops
US4122458A (en) * 1977-08-19 1978-10-24 The Mead Corporation Ink jet printer having plural parallel deflection fields
US4175266A (en) * 1975-05-13 1979-11-20 Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Public Corporation Grooved deflection electrodes in an ink jet system printer
US4288796A (en) * 1977-06-27 1981-09-08 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Phase detection in an ink jet system printer of the charge amplitude controlling type
FR2479709A1 (fr) * 1980-04-02 1981-10-09 Western Electric Co Procede et installation destines a engendrer un courant de vapeur
EP0039772A1 (en) * 1980-05-09 1981-11-18 International Business Machines Corporation Multinozzle ink jet printer and method of operating such a printer
US4317520A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-03-02 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Servo system to control the spatial position of droplet formation of a fluid jet in a cell sorting apparatus
US4318481A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-03-09 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Method for automatically setting the correct phase of the charge pulses in an electrostatic flow sorter
US4318482A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-03-09 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Method for measuring the velocity of a perturbed jetting fluid in an electrostatic particle sorting system
US4318480A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-03-09 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Method and apparatus for positioning the point of droplet formation in the jetting fluid of an electrostatic sorting device
US4318483A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-03-09 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Automatic relative droplet charging time delay system for an electrostatic particle sorting system using a relatively moveable stream surface sensing system
US4325483A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-04-20 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Method for detecting and controlling flow rates of the droplet forming stream of an electrostatic particle sorting apparatus
US4350447A (en) * 1979-10-17 1982-09-21 Savin Corporation Synchronizing system for rapid-fire gun in a microballistic printer or the like
US4410895A (en) * 1981-10-26 1983-10-18 Xerox Corporation Ink jet sensor method and apparatus
US4427986A (en) 1981-04-17 1984-01-24 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Method of charging jetted ink drops
US4544570A (en) * 1984-01-26 1985-10-01 Nordson Corporation Electrostatic high voltage isolation system with internal charge generation
EP1013424A3 (en) * 1998-12-14 2001-01-03 SCITEX DIGITAL PRINTING, Inc. Apparatus and method for controlling a charging voltage in ink jet printers
WO2002083425A1 (fr) 2001-04-06 2002-10-24 Hitachi Printing Solutions, Ltd. Dispositif de jet auxiliaire et dispositif d'impression a jet d'encre avec dispositif de jet auxiliaire

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3769624A (en) * 1972-04-06 1973-10-30 Ibm Fluid droplet printer

Cited By (26)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3972052A (en) * 1972-10-24 1976-07-27 Oki Electric Industry Company, Ltd. Compensation apparatus for high speed dot printer
US3916421A (en) * 1973-07-02 1975-10-28 Hertz Carl H Liquid jet recorder
US3962969A (en) * 1973-12-03 1976-06-15 Oki Electric Industry Company, Ltd. Ink mist type high speed printer
US3907429A (en) * 1974-08-08 1975-09-23 Ibm Method and device for detecting the velocity of droplets formed from a liquid stream
US4175266A (en) * 1975-05-13 1979-11-20 Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Public Corporation Grooved deflection electrodes in an ink jet system printer
US4068241A (en) * 1975-12-08 1978-01-10 Hitachi, Ltd. Ink-jet recording device with alternate small and large drops
US4047183A (en) * 1976-11-04 1977-09-06 International Business Machines Corporation Method and apparatus for controlling the formation and shape of droplets in an ink jet stream
FR2369935A1 (fr) * 1976-11-04 1978-06-02 Ibm Dispositif pour commander la formation et la forme des gouttelettes dans une imprimante a jet d'encre
US4288796A (en) * 1977-06-27 1981-09-08 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Phase detection in an ink jet system printer of the charge amplitude controlling type
US4122458A (en) * 1977-08-19 1978-10-24 The Mead Corporation Ink jet printer having plural parallel deflection fields
US4325483A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-04-20 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Method for detecting and controlling flow rates of the droplet forming stream of an electrostatic particle sorting apparatus
US4318483A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-03-09 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Automatic relative droplet charging time delay system for an electrostatic particle sorting system using a relatively moveable stream surface sensing system
US4318480A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-03-09 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Method and apparatus for positioning the point of droplet formation in the jetting fluid of an electrostatic sorting device
US4317520A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-03-02 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Servo system to control the spatial position of droplet formation of a fluid jet in a cell sorting apparatus
US4318481A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-03-09 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Method for automatically setting the correct phase of the charge pulses in an electrostatic flow sorter
US4318482A (en) * 1979-08-20 1982-03-09 Ortho Diagnostics, Inc. Method for measuring the velocity of a perturbed jetting fluid in an electrostatic particle sorting system
US4350447A (en) * 1979-10-17 1982-09-21 Savin Corporation Synchronizing system for rapid-fire gun in a microballistic printer or the like
US4310474A (en) * 1980-04-02 1982-01-12 Western Electric Company, Inc. Method and apparatus for generating a vapor stream
FR2479709A1 (fr) * 1980-04-02 1981-10-09 Western Electric Co Procede et installation destines a engendrer un courant de vapeur
EP0039772A1 (en) * 1980-05-09 1981-11-18 International Business Machines Corporation Multinozzle ink jet printer and method of operating such a printer
US4427986A (en) 1981-04-17 1984-01-24 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Method of charging jetted ink drops
US4410895A (en) * 1981-10-26 1983-10-18 Xerox Corporation Ink jet sensor method and apparatus
US4544570A (en) * 1984-01-26 1985-10-01 Nordson Corporation Electrostatic high voltage isolation system with internal charge generation
EP1013424A3 (en) * 1998-12-14 2001-01-03 SCITEX DIGITAL PRINTING, Inc. Apparatus and method for controlling a charging voltage in ink jet printers
WO2002083425A1 (fr) 2001-04-06 2002-10-24 Hitachi Printing Solutions, Ltd. Dispositif de jet auxiliaire et dispositif d'impression a jet d'encre avec dispositif de jet auxiliaire
EP1375158A4 (en) * 2001-04-06 2006-05-24 Ricoh Printing Sys Ltd ASSISTANCE DEVICE AND INJECTOR RECORDING DEVICE WITH SUCH A DEVICE

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1435618A (en) 1976-05-12
DE2356171A1 (de) 1974-06-27
BE808265A (fr) 1974-03-29
CA1001210A (en) 1976-12-07
JPS5429892B2 (en:Method) 1979-09-27
DE2356171B2 (de) 1975-09-04
JPS5047518A (en:Method) 1975-04-28

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AS Assignment

Owner name: VIDEOJET SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC., 2200 ARTHUR

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:A. B. DICK COMPANY A CORP OF DE;REEL/FRAME:004381/0140

Effective date: 19850320