Moore Business Forms, Inc.

Moore North America, Inc.

Moore Wallace North America, Inc.

Michael A Graziano

Anthony V Moscato

Roger J Rowland

Henk Haan

Paul J Paroff

Kenneth C Chapin

Anthony B DeJoseph

Timothy D Collins

Steven R Bridon

Susan Garrity

A method and system for verifying the intended imaging produced by a printer allow this task to be accomplished in essentially real-time, and utilizing relatively inexpensive, and high speed (e.g. about 200 feet per minute or greater) components. A computer control commands a raster image processor (RIP) to generate electronic print data (e.g. a bitmap) that is sent to an electronic digital printer (such as an inkjet cartridge array) and also to a print monitor. The printer images the bitmap onto a web or sheet, then a linear digital photosensor (e.g. photodiode) array scans essentially every pixel across the width of the web or sheet image area and transmits the scanned data to the print monitor system, which compares it to the bitmap produced by the RIP. If there is some discrepancy (of any sort), a message is generated which is ultimately transmitted back to the computer control where it may be used to log defective documents (MAG) being produced, generate human recognizable indicia (such as a warning light or sound), or shut down the system components. A second linear photodiode array may be provided before the printer and the data from it sent to the print monitor system to be combined with the electronic bitmap and compared to the data from the first sensor to determine whether there is any deficiency.

Variable printing system and method with optical feedback

A fluid (liquid or water) wash is used to clean the front surface of an ink jet printer cartridge. In addition, a nozzle plate that overlies the nozzle shields the nozzle array from the splatter of ink. In ink jet printers, ink droplets are propelled from an array of orifices in a nozzle plate in the printer head. During the ink droplet ejection, ink is sprayed or deposited around the orifices. The ink droplets are deposited on a paper web adjacent the nozzle and mist from the droplets drifts back to coat the face of the nozzle plate. Some ink seeps behind the nozzle plate onto the array of nozzle orifices. The ink coating attracts particles that tend to clog the nozzle orifices. The ink coating is washed away by fluid streams that flow over the nozzle surface and in some embodiments flow over the nozzle orifices themselves. The fluid may be water, ink or other liquid that is channelled across the nozzle surface, or the fluid may be an air stream that blows across the nozzle surface.

Cleaning fluid apparatus and method for continuous printing ink-jet

Substantially optimum print quality is maintained for an ink jet printer which includes a nozzle plate having a number of orifice openings from which ink droplets for printing are sprayed. It is electronically determined when a particular orifice opening has been inactive for a predetermined period of time, and then an exercise print command is supplied to the orifice causing an ink droplet to dribble out of the orifice, rather than being sprayed out of the orifice, to keep the orifice clear for printing when a print command is supplied to it. The dribbling drops have a smaller size than the sprayed drops, and may be formed by supplying heater elements associated with the openings with pulses of shorter duration than normal. Dribbling ink droplets are automatically removed from the printer cartridge by one or more strands (e.g. continuous filament rayon thread) moving past the nozzle at a speed of between about 1-3 feet per hour while being positively guided.

Apparatus and methods for maintaining optimum print quality in an ink

In a printer assembly having a rack of ink-jet print cartridges, a backup cartridge is moved into alignment with a cartridge to be cleaned and the backup cartridge substitutes for printing of the cartridge being cleaned until the cleaned cartridge is moved back to its printing position. The backup cartridge is then moved into alignment with another cartridge and prints for that cartridge which is then cleaned. Ink-jet print cartridges must be periodically cleaned to wipe excess ink and particles from the nozzle array on the front face of the cartridge. Cartridges are cleaned by moving them to a cleaning station that wipes clean the front face of the cartridge. To avoid interruption of printing while cartridges are being cleaned, a backup cartridge is moved into alignment and substitute prints for a cartridge to be cleaned.

Backup print cartridge for bank of ink-jet printing cartridges

Growing community of inventors

Grand Island, NY, United States of America

Michael A Graziano