Xerox Corporation

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

D Russell Humphreys

Jeffry Joseph Sniegowski

Paul Charles Galambos

George J Roller

Arthur M Gooray

Kevin R Zavadil

Frank J Peter

Richard C Givler

Joseph M Crowley, Jr

The systems and methods of the present invention operate by magnetically driving a fluid ejector. In various exemplary embodiments, a primary coil and a secondary coil are situated in the ejector. The ejector has a movable piston usable to eject fluid through a nozzle hole. The piston may be resiliently mounted and biased to an at-rest position. A drive signal is applied to cause current to flow in the primary coil. The current flow generates a magnetic field that induces a current in the secondary coil. Either the primary coil or the secondary coil or associated with the piston and the other is associated with a fixed structure of the ejector. As a result, a magnetic force is generated that pushes the piston either toward a faceplate so that a drop of fluid is ejected through the nozzle hole in the faceplate or away from the faceplate so that fluid fills in a fluid chamber between the piston and the faceplate. When the drive signal is turned off, the piston resiliently returns to its at-rest position, thereby either refilling the ejected fluid or ejecting a drop of fluid through the nozzle hole in the faceplate. In various other embodiments, the faceplate is made of a magnetic material, such as a ferrous material, or is coated with or connected to a magnetic material. A second primary coil or a permanent magnet may be included in various other embodiments. In various embodiments, switching the direction of the current changes the magnetic force between attraction and repulsion.

Magnetic drive systems and methods for a micromachined fluid ejector

A high voltage supply is provided for a neutron tube used in well logging. The 'biased pulse' supply of the invention combines DC and 'full pulse' techniques and produces a target voltage comprising a substantial negative DC bias component on which is superimposed a pulse whose negative peak provides the desired negative voltage level for the neutron tube. The target voltage is preferably generated using voltage doubling techniques and employing a voltage source which generates bipolar pulse pairs having an amplitude corresponding to the DC bias level.

High voltage supply for neutron tubes in well logging applications

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Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

D Russell Humphreys