US3771568A - Ink analyzer and compensator - Google Patents

Ink analyzer and compensator Download PDF

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Publication number
US3771568A
US3771568A US00312667A US3771568DA US3771568A US 3771568 A US3771568 A US 3771568A US 00312667 A US00312667 A US 00312667A US 3771568D A US3771568D A US 3771568DA US 3771568 A US3771568 A US 3771568A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
pulse
ink
transducer
gate
solvent
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US00312667A
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English (en)
Inventor
V Bischoff
R Keur
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
Videojet Technologies Inc
Original Assignee
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
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
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/195—Ink jet characterised by ink handling for monitoring ink quality
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F15—FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL
    • F15C—FLUID-CIRCUIT ELEMENTS PREDOMINANTLY USED FOR COMPUTING OR CONTROL PURPOSES
    • F15C1/00—Circuit elements having no moving parts
    • F15C1/02—Details, e.g. special constructional devices for circuits with fluid elements, such as resistances, capacitive circuit elements; devices preventing reaction coupling in composite elements ; Switch boards; Programme devices
    • F15C1/04—Means for controlling fluid streams to fluid devices, e.g. by electric signals or other signals, no mixing taking place between the signal and the flow to be controlled
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/206—Flow affected by fluid contact, energy field or coanda effect [e.g., pure fluid device or system]
    • Y10T137/2065—Responsive to condition external of system
    • Y10T137/2071—And causing change or correction of sensed condition
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/206—Flow affected by fluid contact, energy field or coanda effect [e.g., pure fluid device or system]
    • Y10T137/218—Means to regulate or vary operation of device
    • Y10T137/2191—By non-fluid energy field affecting input [e.g., transducer]

Definitions

  • the filament will form into a satellite whose speed will be less than that of the drop,which is known as a slow satellite condition. If the filament separates from the stream before it separates from the drop, the filament will form into a satellite whose speed is greater than that of the drop, resulting in a fast satellite condition. There is an intermediate satellite condition which occurs when the drop and filament separate simultaneously, resulting in the satellite speed being the same asthat of the drop. In the fast satellite condition, the charge applied to the drop also charges the satellite,
  • the synchronisrn of the drop charge inducing voltages is much less difficult with a fast satellite condition than with a slowsatellite condition because the charging voltage need only be synchronous with one separation per drop period, instead of two separations per drop period, which is resorted to, if the satellite is to receive a charge which will direct it to the proper location.
  • Operation in a fast satellite condition is facilitated by designingthe nozzle for fluid resonance.
  • the frequency of resonance is determined amongst other things, by the frequency in which the nozzle is vibrated.
  • the only variable which is left at a fixed F is v for the speed of sound through the fluid in the nozzle.
  • the ink which is to be used is contained in a reservoir out of which it is pumped to thereafter passthrough the vibrating nozzle.
  • the ink contains a solvent. Evaporation of this solvent from the ink, alters the velocity of sound through the ink, thereby shifting the fluid'resonance of the nozzle and thereby changing the drive requirement.
  • Another object of this invention is the-provision of a novel and useful ink parameter monitoring and maintenance system.
  • This invention measures the velocity of sound periodically through the ink and, if it departs from the predetermined value, this invention adds solvent tothe ink to compensate for the solvent which has been evaporated to restore the solution to a condition whereby the speed of sound again attains a desired value. Thie is accomplished by measuring the interval required for a sonic pulse to travel through the ink a predetermined distance. If the interval varies from a predetermined value, a value is operated to permit solvent from a source to flow into the ink reservoir.
  • FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of an ink parameter monitoring arrangement for sensing the velocity of sound in the ink, together with a container l0for ink solvent, and a valve 12 which is operated when itis desired to permit ink solvent to be metered from the container 10 into an ink reservoir 14.
  • Theink reservoir 14 is connected through a pipe 16, shown in fragmentary fashion to theink nozzle, (not shown).which comprises the ink jet writing system.
  • Ink jet writing systems of the type with which this invention is concerned are briefly shown and described in the aforementioned US Pat. No.3,683,396, and US. Pat. No. 3,512,172, amongst others.
  • a clock pulse generator 20 which may bethe clock pulse generator for the ink jet writing system, applies a clock pulse to a transducer driver 22, and to an inverter amplifier 26.
  • the transducer driver 22, applies a pulse to a sonic transmitting transducer 25, in response to the'clock pulse.
  • FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram shown to assist in an understanding of the invention.
  • Waveform A represents the clock output of inverter amplifier 26.
  • Waveform B is a sound pulse or acoustic pulse output from transducer driver 22 which is applied to the transducer 25, upon the occurrence of each leading edge of a clock pulse.
  • the sonic transducer 25, transmit a pulse through the ink to a second sonic receiving transducer 28.
  • the received pulse shownin FIG. 2 as waveform C
  • the received pulse shownin FIG. 2 as waveform C
  • a second input to the AND gate 30 is an output of the inverter amplifier 26. Accordingly, if the pulse received by the receiving transducer 28, as represented by waveform C, is received before the negative going trailing edge of the clock pulse A, has occurred then, gate 30, under these circumstances is enabled, that is, with the input from the receive amplifier 38 being positive, before the clock pulse positive going trailing edge occurs, and the gate then applies an output to the one-shot circuit 32.
  • One-shot circuit 32 applies a pulse of a predetermined duration, exemplified by microseconds, to a delay circuit 34.
  • output of the delay circuit is applied through an amplifler driver 36 to the valve 12, and maintains it open for the interval determined by the interval of the one-shot. Thereby, a predetermined amount of solvent is added to the ink in the ink reservoir 14.
  • the width of the clock pulse or the interval over which it occurs is adjusted to be equal to the time required for sound to travel through the ink between transducers 25 and 28, when the ink has a consistency which provides a desired velocity of sound.
  • the reason for the use of the delay circuit 34 is to insure that the system does not operate to add solvent again, once solvent has been added until such time as the solvent which has just been added has had a chance to be mixed throughout the ink in the reservoir. A suitable delay interval is readily determined from this mixing interval.”
  • receiving transducer means positioned a predetermined distance away from said transmitting transducer means for producing an output pulse responsive to receiving the pulse applied to said ink, means for measuring the interval elapsed between the application of said sonic pulse by said transmitting transducer-to said ink, and the time said receiving transducer provides an output pulse, a source of solvent, and means responsive to said interval differing from a predetermined time interval for adding a predetermined amount of solvent from said source to said ink.
  • said means for generating a sonic pulse includes means for generating a clock pulse having a duration equal to said predetermined interval
  • said means for measuring the interval elapsed between the application of said sonic pulse by said transmitting transducer to said ink and the time said receiving transducer provides an output pulse comprises,
  • gate means to which said clock pulse and output pulse of said receiving transducer are applied for producing a gate output pulse when said output pulse of said receiving transducer occurs prior to the termination of said clock pulse
  • a sonic receiving transducer positioned a predetermined distance from said transmitting transducer within said ink solvent
  • normally closed valve means for permitting, when opened, a predetermined amount of solvent from said source, to be added to said ink and solvent mixture
  • valve means responsive to said output signal for opening said valve means for a predetermined interval, whereby a predetermined amount of solvent is added to said ink and solvent mixture.
  • said means for measuring the interval required for said pulse to travel between said transmitting transducer and said receiving transducer comprises:
  • Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said means for opening said valve means over a predetermined interval when the interval for a pulse to travel between said transmitting and receiving transducer is less than a predetermined interval includes:
  • a one-shot circuit providing an output for a predetermined interval in response to an input pulse
  • Apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said means to apply the output of said one-shot circuit to said valve means includes:
  • a delay circuit for delaying the application of the output of said one-shot circuit to said valve means for a predetermined interval.
  • a sonic receiving transducer positioned within said ink-solvent mixture at a predetermined distance from said transmitting transducer
  • normally closed valve means for enabling solvent to be added from said source to said ink solvent mixture when open
  • valve means responsive to said AND gate means output for enabling said valve means to be opened for a predetermined interval.
  • a delay circuit for delaying application of subsequent pulses to said valve means until the solvent which has been added by the last operation of said valve means has been dispersed through said solvent ink mixture.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Quality & Reliability (AREA)
  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
  • Fax Reproducing Arrangements (AREA)
US00312667A 1972-12-06 1972-12-06 Ink analyzer and compensator Expired - Lifetime US3771568A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US31266772A 1972-12-06 1972-12-06

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3771568A true US3771568A (en) 1973-11-13

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ID=23212468

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00312667A Expired - Lifetime US3771568A (en) 1972-12-06 1972-12-06 Ink analyzer and compensator

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3771568A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS501606A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE807216A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA998422A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1434577A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4190846A (en) * 1976-12-06 1980-02-26 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Ink liquid concentration control in an ink liquid supply system for an ink jet system printer
US4555709A (en) * 1984-04-12 1985-11-26 The Mead Corporation Ink reconstitution system and method for ink drop printer
US4580143A (en) * 1984-06-25 1986-04-01 Ricoh Systems, Inc. Viscosity control of ink-jet inks
EP0229978A3 (en) * 1986-01-17 1988-04-06 Metromedia Company Apparatus and method for dynamically varying the pressure of writing fluid supplied to an ink jet printer head
US4772900A (en) * 1985-10-22 1988-09-20 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink-jet recording apparatus
US5182580A (en) * 1990-02-26 1993-01-26 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet recording apparatus with abnormal state detection
US20080110262A1 (en) * 2004-02-12 2008-05-15 Nexense Ltd. Method and Apparatus For Detecting Panel Conditions

Families Citing this family (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5424662B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1973-11-02 1979-08-22
JPS5754369Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1975-03-11 1982-11-25
JPS555874A (en) * 1978-06-29 1980-01-17 Sharp Corp Ink collecting device in jet printer
JPS5671382A (en) * 1979-11-15 1981-06-13 Canon Inc Camera
JPS6223175Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1979-11-22 1987-06-12
JPS56123868A (en) * 1980-03-05 1981-09-29 Hitachi Ltd Ink jet recording method and its recording device
JPS56147566A (en) * 1980-04-18 1981-11-16 Canon Inc Video camera
JPS572763U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1980-06-04 1982-01-08
JPS576775A (en) * 1980-06-16 1982-01-13 Canon Inc Ink jet recording device
JPS5712656A (en) * 1980-06-27 1982-01-22 Canon Inc Color ink jet recording
JPS5712685A (en) * 1980-06-27 1982-01-22 Sharp Corp Controller for viscosity of jet ink
JPS5723074U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1980-07-14 1982-02-05
JPS5917944U (ja) * 1983-06-07 1984-02-03 シャープ株式会社 インクジエツトプリンタのインク供給装置
JPS61158442U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1985-03-25 1986-10-01

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3451409A (en) * 1966-06-03 1969-06-24 Gen Electric Fluidic systems
US3473367A (en) * 1965-05-04 1969-10-21 Bird Machine Co Viscosity sensing means and related systems
US3491784A (en) * 1966-08-26 1970-01-27 Harold Brown Co Control apparatus for use in distribution systems
US3498307A (en) * 1967-06-28 1970-03-03 Moore Products Co Flow control apparatus
US3529615A (en) * 1968-06-12 1970-09-22 Weston Instruments Inc Fluid apparatus for detecting acoustic signals
US3538931A (en) * 1967-10-02 1970-11-10 Sperry Rand Corp Fluidic control systems
US3541959A (en) * 1967-10-19 1970-11-24 Miehle Goss Dexter Inc Fluid amplifier in ink control arrangement for printing presses
US3590843A (en) * 1969-10-23 1971-07-06 Gen Electric Multiple-jet liquid level detector
US3612084A (en) * 1969-10-31 1971-10-12 Technicon Corp High reliability flow regulator

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3473367A (en) * 1965-05-04 1969-10-21 Bird Machine Co Viscosity sensing means and related systems
US3451409A (en) * 1966-06-03 1969-06-24 Gen Electric Fluidic systems
US3491784A (en) * 1966-08-26 1970-01-27 Harold Brown Co Control apparatus for use in distribution systems
US3498307A (en) * 1967-06-28 1970-03-03 Moore Products Co Flow control apparatus
US3538931A (en) * 1967-10-02 1970-11-10 Sperry Rand Corp Fluidic control systems
US3541959A (en) * 1967-10-19 1970-11-24 Miehle Goss Dexter Inc Fluid amplifier in ink control arrangement for printing presses
US3529615A (en) * 1968-06-12 1970-09-22 Weston Instruments Inc Fluid apparatus for detecting acoustic signals
US3590843A (en) * 1969-10-23 1971-07-06 Gen Electric Multiple-jet liquid level detector
US3612084A (en) * 1969-10-31 1971-10-12 Technicon Corp High reliability flow regulator

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4190846A (en) * 1976-12-06 1980-02-26 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Ink liquid concentration control in an ink liquid supply system for an ink jet system printer
US4555709A (en) * 1984-04-12 1985-11-26 The Mead Corporation Ink reconstitution system and method for ink drop printer
US4580143A (en) * 1984-06-25 1986-04-01 Ricoh Systems, Inc. Viscosity control of ink-jet inks
US4772900A (en) * 1985-10-22 1988-09-20 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink-jet recording apparatus
EP0229978A3 (en) * 1986-01-17 1988-04-06 Metromedia Company Apparatus and method for dynamically varying the pressure of writing fluid supplied to an ink jet printer head
US5182580A (en) * 1990-02-26 1993-01-26 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet recording apparatus with abnormal state detection
US5319389A (en) * 1990-02-26 1994-06-07 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method of abnormal state detection for ink jet recording apparatus
US20080110262A1 (en) * 2004-02-12 2008-05-15 Nexense Ltd. Method and Apparatus For Detecting Panel Conditions
US7710124B2 (en) * 2004-02-12 2010-05-04 Nexense Ltd. Method and apparatus for detecting panel conditions

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA998422A (en) 1976-10-12
DE2356434B2 (de) 1975-06-26
DE2356434A1 (de) 1974-06-20
BE807216A (fr) 1974-03-01
JPS501606A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-01-09
GB1434577A (en) 1976-05-05

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
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