Ing C. Olivetti C., S.p.a.

Aquilino Barbero

Michele Bovio

Pierangelo Berruti

Walter Gillone

Mario Buat

Roberto Realis Luc

The printing head (12) comprises an insulating container (14) for conductive ink (16) which is expelled through a fine nozzle (18) when a voltage pulse is applied between an electrode (56, 57, 40) and a counter-electrode (22). Capillary passages (51, 50) lead to the nozzle (18) to allow formation of an ink meniscus (23) right up until exhaustion of the ink. A vent (69) keeps the pressure inside the container constant. The head (12) is snap fitted onto a carriage with a conductive plate abutted by the counter-electrode (20) and a spring contacting the external part (40) of the electrode. This plate and spring are fed by way of conductive elements sliding along conductive carriage guides.

Ink jet printing head and serial printer

The device comprises an electrically insulating ink container containing one electrode and a counter-electrode disposed adjacent to the jet nozzle which is laser-bored through the container cover plate. The two electrodes are excited by a voltage pulse such as to generate a spark between the ink meniscus and the counter-electrode, and to expel a plurality of ink particles, rather than a single blob. The ink can be kept in circulation between the container and a reservoir 51 by means of a pump. The meniscus can be kept outside the nozzle by means of a second nozzle coaxial to the first, or by a suitable arrangement of the ink hydraulic circuit. In the case of magnetic ink, the meniscus is pulled back by a magnetic field. The ink can also be brought in front of the nozzle by capillarity.

Ink-jet printing device

A non-impact printing method with selective emission of solid ink particles is disclosed. A rod of solid ink is spring-pressed in an insulating housing against an end wall with a nozzle therein. A pulsed high voltage applied between the ink rod and a counter-electrode (which can be behind a paper target) causes ink particles to be eroded from the rod and ejected through the nozzle onto the paper. The method includes incremental line-feed paper movement, movement of printing devices as just described along the printing line, and selective control of the high-voltage pulsing such as to form characters by a dot matrix technique.

Non-impact printing method

A solid ink cartridge for a non-impact printer with emission of solid ink particles is disclosed. A rod of solid ink is spring-pressed in an insulating housing against an end wall with a nozzle therein. A pulsed high voltage applied between the ink rod and a counter-electrode (which can be behind a paper target) causes ink particles to be eroded from the rod and ejected through the nozzle onto the paper. The printer includes incremental line-feed paper movement, movement of printing devices as just described along the printing line, and selective control of the high-voltage pulsing such as to form characters by a dot matrix technique.

Solid ink cartridge for a non-impact printer

A non-impact printing device with selective emission of solid ink particles is disclosed. A rod 19 of solid ink is pressed by a spring 20 in an insulating housing II against an end wall with a nozzle 13 therein. A pulsed high voltage applied between the ink rod and a counter-electrode 16 (which can be behind the paper 25) causes ink particles to be eroded from the rod and ejected through the nozzle on the paper. Printers are described which employ incremental line-feed paper movement, movement of printing devices as just described along the printing line, and selective control of the high-voltage pulsing such as to form characters by a dot matrix technique.

Growing community of inventors

Pavone, Italy

Aquilino Barbero