The Mead Corporation

Leonard G Stoneburner

Ronald T Wilson

A fluid jet print head includes a manifold defining a fluid receiving reservoir and at least one orifice communicating with the reservoir. An inflation means cooperates with the manifold and expands within the reservoir to displace fluid from the reservoir. The inflation means contacts the manifold, thus sealing the orifice and terminating fluid flow through the orifice. In a first embodiment, the inflatable means includes an elastic diaphragm which may be inflated to extend into the reservoir. In a second embodiment, the inflatable means includes an elastic tube, sealed at a first end thereof and extending into the reservoir. When pressurized air is applied to the interior of the tube, the tube expands, filling the reservoir and sealing the orifices.

Fluid jet print head and method of terminating operation thereof

An orifice plate for use in an ink jet recorder is integrally cast with an orifice plate holder. The orifice plate is formed having a flat, tapered bottom portion containing at least one row of orifices and has sidewalls extending outwardly from the bottom portion at acute angles from horizontal. The orifice plate holder is formed from a castable plastic material which serves as a damping material. The holder is cast over and around the sidewalls of the orifice plate to define, with the bottom portion of the orifice plate, a portion of an ink supply manifold. The damping action of the holder isolates the orifice plate from spurious vibrations which could adversely affect the quality of printing from the ink jet recorder. Only the desired vibration from the stimulation transducer reaches the orifice plate. The mass and rigidity of the holder confines the traveling wave induced by the transducer to the orifice plate.

Molded orifice plate assembly for an ink jet recorder and method of

In an ink jet printing device a vibration damping means is provided in the printing head, which comprises an adjustably positionable rigid contact member that engages the surface of the orifice plate at a position remote from the vibration stimulation means that produces high frequency traveling wave vibration longitudinally in the orifice plate. The rigid contact member is preferably resiliently urged into contact with the surface of the orifice plate and is in point contact therewith at a position equidistant from the side edges of the orifice plate.

Vibration damping means for ink jet printing device

An orifice plate holder for use in the printing head of a jet drop printing apparatus which uses an orifice plate stimulated with a traveling wave to produce uniformly spaced drops of fluid for printing. The holder has at least one built in dampening device in the form of a sharply tapered end portion in a central elongated opening coextensive with and abutting the vibrating portion of the orifice plate. The tapered end portion acts as a damper to substantially attenuate the incoming traveling wave without causing a significant reflection.

Orifice plate holder for a fluid jet printing apparatus

A jet drop printing head comprises a transportable upper assembly and a lower assembly adapted for receiving the upper assembly in such a manner as to control the alignment between the two assemblies. The upper assembly, which is primarily a fluidics package, carries an orifice plate and fluidic elements for producing a jet-forming flow of printing liquid through a series of orifices in the orifice plate. There is also a fluidics system which minimizes accumulation of coagulated ink and includes a double diaphragm having a valving diaphragm which works against the raised lip of a conduit insert and a control diaphragm which works against a valve closing spring.

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Fairborn, OH, United States of America

Leonard G Stoneburner