US3828357A - Pulsed droplet ejecting system - Google Patents

Pulsed droplet ejecting system Download PDF

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Publication number
US3828357A
US3828357A US00341208A US34120873A US3828357A US 3828357 A US3828357 A US 3828357A US 00341208 A US00341208 A US 00341208A US 34120873 A US34120873 A US 34120873A US 3828357 A US3828357 A US 3828357A
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United States
Prior art keywords
pulse
amplitudes
level
pulses
ink
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00341208A
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English (en)
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W Koeblitz
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Gould Inc
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Gould Inc
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Publication date
Application filed by Gould Inc filed Critical Gould Inc
Priority to US00341208A priority Critical patent/US3828357A/en
Priority to CA194,105A priority patent/CA1013805A/en
Priority to JP2863374A priority patent/JPS5339220B2/ja
Priority to GB1149374A priority patent/GB1432321A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3828357A publication Critical patent/US3828357A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/40—Picture signal circuits
    • H04N1/40025—Circuits exciting or modulating particular heads for reproducing continuous tone value scales

Definitions

  • Droplet on command ink ejecting systems generally have small nozzles containing ink under zero pressure or small positive or negative pressure. Surface tension in the nozzles prevents flow of ink in the absence of command pulses; When a droplet is desired from a nozzle, a pressure pulse of sufficient amplitude is applied to the ink in the nozzle to overcome the surface tension, thereby causing ejection of a droplet.
  • the pressure is exerted by electrostatic attraction when a suitable voltage pulse is applied between the ink in the nozzle and an external electrode.
  • the pressure is applied by an electroacoustic transducer when a suitable electric pulse is applied to the transducer.
  • the quantity of ink ejected per pulse increases with pulse amplitude and thus such systems are useful in facsimile type recorders in which records are made having controlled variations in shading.
  • the principal object of this invention is to provide a droplet on command ink ejecting system which may be used in a record marking system without producing the undesirable background above described.
  • an electric pulse actuated ink ejecting system of the type which ejects no ink when the pulse amplitude is below a threshold level, ejects ink droplets with an unacceptable degree of irregularity when the pulse amplitudes fall within a threshold zone extending from the threshold level to a higher second level, and ejects ink with an acceptable degree of regularity in response to each pulse having amplitude above the second level, is driven by a circuit which includes means for preventing the application of pulses having amplitudes which fall in the threshold zone.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates one form of droplet on command ink ejecting system with which the invention may be used;
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a facsimile system employing the ink ejecting system of FIG. 1 as the record marking means;
  • FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating the response of a system of the type shown in FIG. 1 to pulses of different amplitudes
  • FIGS. 4a, 4b, and 4c illustrate signal wave forms in various parts of the circuit of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4d illustrates the signal wave form of FIG. 4c modified according to this invention.
  • FIG. 5 shows a way in which the circuit of FIG. 2 may be modified to embody this invention.
  • a nozzle 1 is formed at one end of a glass or metal or plastic tube 2 which serves as a section of conduit 4.
  • Plastic tube 5 and metal or glass tube 6 continue "conduit 4 to reservoir 7 where it communicated with a supply of ink or other liquid 8.
  • Conduit 4 and nozzle 1 are filled with the liquid.
  • the level of liquid in reservoir 7 is maintained at an elevation which results in zero static pressure or at a slight positive or negative pressure at the nozzle. Surface tension in the nozzle prevents liquid flow in the absence of drive pulses.
  • a tubular piezoelectric ceramic transducer 10 surrounds conduit section 2 and is secured thereto in stress transmitting engagement by epoxy cement, not shown.
  • Terminal wires 11, 13 connect to electrodes on the outer and inner cylindrical surfaces of the transducer.
  • transducer 10 When a voltage pulse of suitable polarity is applied between terminals 11 and 13, transducer 10 decreases in diameter for the duration of the pulse. This contraction forces similar contraction of conduit section 2 thereby applying a pressure pulse to the liquid. If the voltage pulse has sufficient amplitude, a droplet 14 is ejected from nozzle 1. As pulses of increasing voltage are applied, the quantity of liquid ejected per pulse also increases. I
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a facsimile system employing the droplet ejecting system of FIG. 1 and which may be modified to incorporate the improvement of the present invention.
  • the picture or other graphic material 16 to be transmitted is wrapped around and secured to drum 17.
  • a sheet of paper 19 on which a copy of picture 16 is to be made is wrapped around and secured to drum 20.
  • Drums 17 and 20 are caused, by means not shown, to rotate about their respective axes 22, 23 with identical angular velocities, and with the tops of picture 16 and sheet 19 always in the same relative positions.
  • Means for maintaining the synchronization and phasing of the drum rotations are well known and a description is not required for the purpose of explaining the present invention.
  • a carriage 25 is transported by lead screw 26 parallel to the axis 22 of drum 17.
  • Carriage 28 is transported by lead screw 29 parallel to the axis 23 of drum 20. The motions of the two carriages also are synchronized, for
  • a photoelectric system 31 is mounted on carriage 25. It contains a light source, a photosensor, and lenses arranged so that the sensor is illuminated by the light reflected from a very small area of picture 16.
  • the output connects to signal conditioner 32 which may amplify the signal, and apply corrections for nonlinearity.
  • the output of signal conditioner 32, at line 33, is zero when the photoelectric system 31 is viewing a white area, and positive when viewing a I shaded area with maximum value when it is viewing a black area.
  • Means for performing the functions of photoelectric system 31 and signal conditioner 32 are well known, and further details are not required in the description of the present invention.
  • the droplet ejecting system of FIG. 1 is mounted on carriage 28 with nozzle 1 close to and aimed directly at sheet 19.
  • Transducer is driven by pulses from pulse generator 34 which are amplified by drive amplifier 35.
  • the pulse rate, and the transport rate of carriage 28 are so related to the surface velocity of drum that sheet 19 may be substantially fully covered by slightly overlapping ink spots by continuously pulsing transducer 10 at high pulse amplitude.
  • Potentiometer 38 permits adjustment of the overall system sensitivity and in particular the black level.
  • Bias adjustment 40 is provided for a purpose to be described in connection with FIGS. Sand 4.
  • FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating how the quantity of ink ejected in response to each pulse varies with pulse amplitude in a droplet ejecting system of the type described in reference to FIG. 1.
  • the curve At some low pulse amplitude, which may be called to threshold level, the curve is discontinuous. At lower pulse amplitudes no ink is ejected.
  • the threshold level depends on a number of design parameters but the exact value is somewhat indeterminate as it appears to vary slightly from time to time for reasons which have not been fully identified.
  • the numerical values shown in FIG. 3 represent performance of a system having one particular set of parameters, and the threshold level is at about forty volts. In the present example it is assumed that the drum speed and pulse rate have been so selected that the ink ejected in response to repeated pulses of 150 volts results in slightly overlapping spots on record sheet 19, FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 4a illustrates the picture signal from signal conditioner 32 in FIG. 2 as a horizontal black stripe 36, on a white background in picture 16, sweeps past the scanning area of photoelectric system 31.
  • potentiometer 38 was adjusted so that pulses 45, 46, 47, and 48 representing the black area of the stripe (maximum picture signal) have amplitudes of 150 volts, which results in ink ejection sufficient to provide overlapping dots on sheet 19. Pulses 44 and 49 have amplitudes in-,
  • the bias may be adjusted to a somewhat different value to obtain shading which is most pleasing to the operator of the apparatus.
  • the present invention eliminates the objectionable background by preventing pulses that would have amplitudes in the threshold zone from driving transducer 10. This is illustrated in FIG. 4d in which pulse 49 of FIG. 4c has been eliminated. It has been found by experiment that graphic material recorded by a system incorporating this invention is generally more pleasing to most observers.
  • pulses such as 43, 50, 51, and 52 representing white background have amplitudes falling below the threshold level and do not cause ejection of droplets.
  • the white pulses need not be eliminated.
  • FIG. 5 shows one way in which the circuit of FIG. 2 can be modified to incorporate the present invention simply by adding components.
  • Gate 59 is interposed between modulator 37 and transducer drive amplifier 35. When gate control line 61 is plus, the gate passes pulses from the modulator and when line 61 is minus the gate blocks the pulses.
  • Differential comparator 55 which may for example be an operational amplifier without feedback, has its output connected to line 61 to control gate 59. Potentiometer 56 provides an adjustable plus reference voltage to the inverting input of comparator 55. When switch 62 is in position 64, a plus voltage greater than the reference voltage is applied to the non-inverting input of comparator 55. This turns gate 59 on and the system functions as though the circuit of FIG. 2 had not been modified.
  • initial adjustment of the system may be made as follows. With switch 62 in position 64, potentiometer 40 may be adjusted so that when the picture signal is zero, pulses of about 35 volts are applied to transducer as earlier described. With a black signal at line 33, potentiometer 38 is set to develop pulses of 150 volts amplitude. Next switch 62 is turned to position 65, and potentiometer 56 is adjusted so that pulses having amplitudes below 50 volts are blocked at gate 59 and pulses above 50 volts are passed. With such adjustment comparator 55 switches state at points 58 on the picture signal envelope in FIG. 40.
  • gate 59 could be inserted between amplifier 41 and modulator 37, or the non-inverting input of comparator 55 could receive picture signal plus bias from the output of amplifier 41 rather than receive just picture signal from potentiometer 38, or the bias supply for potentiometer 40 could be obtained from the output of comparator 55 through an inverter thus eliminating the need for gate 59.
  • Another of the many possible variations is to obtain all or part of the bias which is to be added to the picture signal, FIG. 4b, from photoelectric system 31 or signal conditioner 32, rather than from potentiometer 40.
  • a record marking system adapted for use in a facsimile type recorder wherein a record receiving member is successively marked with varying degrees of shading representative of electric signal information supplied to said recorder comprising:
  • an electric pulse actuated ink ejecting system of the type which ejects no ink when the pulse amplitude is below a first level, ejects ink droplets with an unacceptable degree of irregularity when the pulse amplitudes fall'within a threshold zone extending from said first level to a higher second level, and ejects ink with an acceptable degree of regularity in response to each pulse having amplitude above said second level, the quantity of ink ejected per pulse having amplitude above said second level increasing as the pulse amplitude increases;
  • circuit means connected to said ink ejecting system and adapted to apply electric pulses thereto, said circuit means including means for preventing the application of pulses having amplitudes which fall in said threshold zone, but permitting the application to said ink ejecting system of pulses having varying amplitudes above said threshold zone.
  • a record marking system in which said circuit means includes means for preventing the application of all pulses having amplitudes below said second level.
  • a transducer coupled to said liquid in said conduit and adapted to apply a pressure pulse to said liquid when an electric pulse is applied to said transducer, said pressure pulse causing ejection of liquid from said nozzle when the amplitude of said electric pulse exceeds a limiting level but causing no ejection when the amplitude of said pulse is less than said level;
  • circuit means connected to said transducer and adapted to apply thereto electric pulses having a range of amplitudes embracing said level
  • said circuit means including means adapted to prevent the application to said transducer of pulses having amplitudes falling within a selected range of amplitudes which includes said level, while permitting application to said transducer of pulses of varying amplitudes above said selected range of amplitudes.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
  • Fax Reproducing Arrangements (AREA)
US00341208A 1973-03-14 1973-03-14 Pulsed droplet ejecting system Expired - Lifetime US3828357A (en)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00341208A US3828357A (en) 1973-03-14 1973-03-14 Pulsed droplet ejecting system
CA194,105A CA1013805A (en) 1973-03-14 1974-03-05 Pulsed droplet ejecting system
JP2863374A JPS5339220B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-03-14 1974-03-14
GB1149374A GB1432321A (en) 1973-03-14 1974-03-14 Pulsed droplet ejecting system

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00341208A US3828357A (en) 1973-03-14 1973-03-14 Pulsed droplet ejecting system

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US3828357A true US3828357A (en) 1974-08-06

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US00341208A Expired - Lifetime US3828357A (en) 1973-03-14 1973-03-14 Pulsed droplet ejecting system

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US (1) US3828357A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5339220B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA1013805A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1432321A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3968498A (en) * 1973-07-27 1976-07-06 Research And Development Laboratories Of Ohno Co., Ltd. X-Y plotter incorporating non-impact, liquid jet recording instrument
US3968386A (en) * 1973-08-31 1976-07-06 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Arrangement for actuating dot-producing printing elements of a mosaic printing head
DE2615713A1 (de) * 1975-04-11 1976-10-21 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Tintenstrahlschreiber
US4184168A (en) * 1977-10-25 1980-01-15 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Ink-on-demand type ink jet head driving circuit
EP0020984A1 (en) * 1979-06-29 1981-01-07 International Business Machines Corporation Ink jet printing system and method of generating liquid droplets
US4312007A (en) * 1978-11-09 1982-01-19 Hewlett-Packard Company Synchronized graphics ink jet printer
US4319155A (en) * 1979-01-09 1982-03-09 Omron Tateisi Electronics Co. Nebulization control system for a piezoelectric ultrasonic nebulizer
US4376255A (en) * 1980-03-14 1983-03-08 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method for pulse triggering of a piezo-electric sound-transmitting transducer
US4389657A (en) * 1980-11-03 1983-06-21 Exxon Research And Engineering Co. Ink jet system
US4394662A (en) * 1980-07-31 1983-07-19 Matsushita Research Institute Tokyo, Inc. Dot printer for reproduction of halftone images
US4509059A (en) * 1981-01-30 1985-04-02 Exxon Research & Engineering Co. Method of operating an ink jet
US4561025A (en) * 1983-08-31 1985-12-24 Nec Corporation Ink-jet recording system capable of recording a half-tone
US4646106A (en) * 1982-01-04 1987-02-24 Exxon Printing Systems, Inc. Method of operating an ink jet
US4860034A (en) * 1985-04-15 1989-08-22 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet recording apparatus with ambient temperature detecting means for providing a signal to drive control means responsive to a recording-density data signal
US5172142A (en) * 1985-04-15 1992-12-15 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet recording apparatus with driving means providing a driving signal having upper and lower limits in response to an input signal
US5905511A (en) * 1985-04-15 1999-05-18 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet recording apparatus for accurately recording regardless of ambient temperature
US6050679A (en) * 1992-08-27 2000-04-18 Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions, Inc. Ink jet printer transducer array with stacked or single flat plate element
US6193342B1 (en) * 1997-06-27 2001-02-27 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet printer, and ink discharge velocity adjusting method and apparatus in the same
US20030142155A1 (en) * 2002-01-25 2003-07-31 Seiko Epson Corporation Head driver for liquid jetting apparatus
WO2003076191A1 (en) * 2002-03-07 2003-09-18 Omega Piezo Technologies, Inc. Micro fluid dispensers using flexible hollow glass fibers
US20090308945A1 (en) * 2008-06-17 2009-12-17 Jacob Loverich Liquid dispensing apparatus using a passive liquid metering method
US10994534B2 (en) 2018-04-27 2021-05-04 Board Of Trustees Of The University Of Arkansas High-frequency multi-pulse inkjet

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS51120132A (en) * 1976-03-19 1976-10-21 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Ink jet recorder
JPS52139715U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1976-04-15 1977-10-22
JPS53105321A (en) * 1977-02-25 1978-09-13 Oki Electric Ind Co Ltd Recorder of liquid drop jet type
JPS565773A (en) * 1979-06-28 1981-01-21 Fujitsu Ltd Driving method for ink jet recorder
JPS56120245U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1980-02-15 1981-09-12
JPS5743877A (en) * 1980-08-29 1982-03-12 Sharp Corp Manufacture of intermittent injection ink jet head

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2545463A (en) * 1948-01-02 1951-03-20 Faximile Inc Black and white limiter
US3683212A (en) * 1970-09-09 1972-08-08 Clevite Corp Pulsed droplet ejecting system

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2545463A (en) * 1948-01-02 1951-03-20 Faximile Inc Black and white limiter
US3683212A (en) * 1970-09-09 1972-08-08 Clevite Corp Pulsed droplet ejecting system

Cited By (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3968498A (en) * 1973-07-27 1976-07-06 Research And Development Laboratories Of Ohno Co., Ltd. X-Y plotter incorporating non-impact, liquid jet recording instrument
US3968386A (en) * 1973-08-31 1976-07-06 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Arrangement for actuating dot-producing printing elements of a mosaic printing head
DE2615713A1 (de) * 1975-04-11 1976-10-21 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Tintenstrahlschreiber
US4072958A (en) * 1975-04-11 1978-02-07 Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, Limited Ink injection type writing system using amplitude-modulated electrical signals
US4184168A (en) * 1977-10-25 1980-01-15 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Ink-on-demand type ink jet head driving circuit
US4312007A (en) * 1978-11-09 1982-01-19 Hewlett-Packard Company Synchronized graphics ink jet printer
US4319155A (en) * 1979-01-09 1982-03-09 Omron Tateisi Electronics Co. Nebulization control system for a piezoelectric ultrasonic nebulizer
EP0020984A1 (en) * 1979-06-29 1981-01-07 International Business Machines Corporation Ink jet printing system and method of generating liquid droplets
US4266232A (en) * 1979-06-29 1981-05-05 International Business Machines Corporation Voltage modulated drop-on-demand ink jet method and apparatus
US4376255A (en) * 1980-03-14 1983-03-08 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method for pulse triggering of a piezo-electric sound-transmitting transducer
US4394662A (en) * 1980-07-31 1983-07-19 Matsushita Research Institute Tokyo, Inc. Dot printer for reproduction of halftone images
US4389657A (en) * 1980-11-03 1983-06-21 Exxon Research And Engineering Co. Ink jet system
US4509059A (en) * 1981-01-30 1985-04-02 Exxon Research & Engineering Co. Method of operating an ink jet
US4646106A (en) * 1982-01-04 1987-02-24 Exxon Printing Systems, Inc. Method of operating an ink jet
US4561025A (en) * 1983-08-31 1985-12-24 Nec Corporation Ink-jet recording system capable of recording a half-tone
US4860034A (en) * 1985-04-15 1989-08-22 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet recording apparatus with ambient temperature detecting means for providing a signal to drive control means responsive to a recording-density data signal
US5172142A (en) * 1985-04-15 1992-12-15 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet recording apparatus with driving means providing a driving signal having upper and lower limits in response to an input signal
US5905511A (en) * 1985-04-15 1999-05-18 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet recording apparatus for accurately recording regardless of ambient temperature
US6050679A (en) * 1992-08-27 2000-04-18 Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions, Inc. Ink jet printer transducer array with stacked or single flat plate element
US6193342B1 (en) * 1997-06-27 2001-02-27 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet printer, and ink discharge velocity adjusting method and apparatus in the same
US20030142155A1 (en) * 2002-01-25 2003-07-31 Seiko Epson Corporation Head driver for liquid jetting apparatus
US6817691B2 (en) * 2002-01-25 2004-11-16 Seiko Epson Corporation Head driver for liquid jetting apparatus
WO2003076191A1 (en) * 2002-03-07 2003-09-18 Omega Piezo Technologies, Inc. Micro fluid dispensers using flexible hollow glass fibers
US6752490B2 (en) * 2002-03-07 2004-06-22 David J. Pickrell Micro fluid dispensers using flexible hollow glass fibers
US20090308945A1 (en) * 2008-06-17 2009-12-17 Jacob Loverich Liquid dispensing apparatus using a passive liquid metering method
US8348177B2 (en) 2008-06-17 2013-01-08 Davicon Corporation Liquid dispensing apparatus using a passive liquid metering method
US10994534B2 (en) 2018-04-27 2021-05-04 Board Of Trustees Of The University Of Arkansas High-frequency multi-pulse inkjet

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA1013805A (en) 1977-07-12
JPS5027443A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-03-20
GB1432321A (en) 1976-04-14
JPS5339220B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1978-10-20

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