Eastman-Kodak Company

Paul K Hengesbach

John C Loyd

David F Tunmore

A printing system includes a catcher having a length with portions of the catcher defining a fluid drop contact region and an opening for passage of the fluid away from the fluid contact region with the opening having two ends. A fluid drop generator is operable to form fluid drops at least some of which contact the fluid drop contact region of the catcher. An eyelid is operatively associated with the catcher. A pair of walls are positionable at locations outside of the ends of the opening such that the pair of walls and the eyelid are operable to form a fluid seal at least partially around the opening of the catcher. A first portion of the each of the pair of walls extends in a first direction toward the fluid drop generator, and a second portion of each of the pair of walls extends in a second direction at least partially toward each other.

Anti-wicking catcher assembly and printing system

The method for controlling ink migration onto a catcher of an ink jet print station from catch condition using a low surface tension ink entails bringing an ink jet print station using low surface tension ink into catch condition with the eyelid sealably engaging the catcher and the catcher flow pan, and using an eyelid actuator to unseal the eyelid forming a gap between the catcher flow pan, the catcher, and the eyelid. The method ends by operating the ink jet print station with the eyelid unsealed to suppress migration of the low surface tension ink onto the catcher during standby mode.

Supression of Marangoni Effect on the catcher face

An automatic startup sequence for an ink jet print station using solvent based ink entails introducing a flushing fluid to the drop generator using the flushing fluid pump at a drive level and a flushing pressure that enables flushing fluid to flow through the jet array at a flow rate adequate to permit the catcher assembly to extract the flushing fluid; engaging the ink pump; and increasing the pressure of the flushing fluid from the initial pressure. The increased pressure is high enough for stable drop formation and drop deflection from the jet array and low enough to extract drops from the catcher, and to permit flushing fluid to flow freely through the catcher. The method ends by simultaneously opening the ink supply valve and closing the flushing fluid valve permitting ink to flow into the drop generator; and then stopping the flow of the flushing fluid.

Growing community of inventors

Kettering, OH, United States of America

Paul K Hengesbach