Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Ricoh Systems, Inc.

Ricoh Corporation

Marco Padalino

Mark A Culpepper

Thanh Nguyen

Michael Moore

Stephen J Bolema

A multi-function machine with interleaved job execution is disclosed. The multi-function machine performs multiple functions such as printing and digital copying. Multiple users of the machine are intermittently serviced as the machine switches from printing to copying jobs and vice versa. The manner of switching is partially determined by whether the requisite set-up time for a particular job is complete. The manner of switching may also be determined by user-set priorities. In either embodiment, jobs are interleaved so as to eliminate unused time associated with the period required to set-up a job. As a result, the machine operates optimally while intermittently making progress on multiple jobs.

Multi-function machine with interleaved job execution

An inkjet printer is disclosed for printing on a moving web in which at least two rows of nozzles are arrayed on a nozzle plate such that they form an oblique angle with the direction of movement of the moving web. The drops to be printed are charged so that they are deflected so that vertically adjacent nozzles from each of the two rows print overlapping interlaced drops to form a single print row on the moving web. The nozzles in one row are slightly offset from direct vertical alignment with the nozzles in the second row, so that the charging pattern to be applied to the drops generated is highly simplified. Charging is accomplished by a charge plate having slots extending into the plate to a sufficient depth so that the plate may be moved into position after the streams have been started, and may be withdrawn from position before the ink drop streams are turned off. Although the use of slotted charge plates may use two plates, in a preferred form a single plate is used, with alternate slot being of varying depth to allow the passage of streams from the first and second parallel rows. Adjacent cavities may be stimulated by a single acoustic cavity driven by a single stimulator. In this way, the system is adaptable to use for color printing, with a single cavity driving up to four fluid cavities; in this case, a pair of slotted charge plates having slots of sufficient depths to allow the passage of the inkjet streams from four adjacent rows would be utilized.

Inkjet interlace printing with inclined printhead

The method of this invention comprises first forming an assembly of a number N of cored glass fibers, separated by a number M of solid glass fibers. After a row of such alternated cored and solid glass fibers is assembled, a uniform pressure is applied to all sides of the assembly. All of the rectangular glass fibers are selected to have the same thermal properties, characterized especially by having the same softening temperature and the same coefficient of expansion. The entire assembly is inserted in an oven subject to a temperature sufficient to soften the glass and thus fuse the parts together. The assembly is cooled and the glass block is removed from the oven. The block can then be cut into thin nozzle wafers and finished to produce the desired jet nozzles. The method may use glass fibers made of two types of glass. The central portion of the fiber comprises a high-temperature glass, this portion surrounding the core. The remainder of the fiber comprises a low-temperature glass, said glass having the same thermal properties as the adjacent fibers and the plates. Multiple rows of the multi-nozzle arrays may be formed. The array may be comprised of a plurality of nozzles aligned in vertical columns at an angle of 90.degree. to the direction of the rows, to provide especially for multi-color printing. Alternatively, the nozzles may be aligned so that the descending columns are at an angle less than 90.degree. with the direction of the row. In this way, high density printing can be achieved.

Method of fabricating a glass nozzle array for an inkjet printer

An inkjet printing system has a drop generator with a nozzle fed by a pressurized ink source to cause a continuous stream of ink to break into synchronized droplets. A pair of electrodes positioned on either side of the path followed by the droplets are controlled in a time multiplex mode to charge the droplets, and then to deflect the charged droplets. The electronics of this invention provide electronic synchronization and compensation whereby synchronization is achieved between the drop generator stimulation source and the charge/deflect circuit so that during each cycle, a small period of time is allocated for charging and the remaining larger period of time for deflection; and the compensation system provides for the fact that each charged droplet is to be exposed to an equal accumulated deflection energy during its movement between the plates. A gutter collects and recirculate unwanted drops back through the ink system, and provide a drop charge feedback control signal to the synchronization and compensation circuit. In addition to the charge/deflect assembly electrodes which are used in a time multiplex mode for charging and deflecting the droplets, a pair of electrodes common to all jet streams are provided for generating a constant deflection field perpendicular to the time-multiplexed deflection field and parallel to the direction of motion of the recording medium, so that a complete pixel of the overall field to be printed may be covered by the two-dimensional deflection of the droplets issuing from a single orifice.

Inkjet printing system

A method of assembling a stimulator for an inkjet printer by attaching separate piezoelectric elements to a plastic or metallic membrane sheet which sheet, after encapsulation of the piezoelectric transducers, may be cut into a plurality of stimulators. Each individual stimulator which now comprises a membrane, a piezoelectric element, and the encapsulating material can then be bonded to an ink fluid cavity.

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Dallas County, TX, United States of America

Marco Padalino