Spectra, Inc.

Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc.

The Boeing Company

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Dimatix, Inc.

Robert G Palifka

Edward Russell Moynihan

Paul A Hoisington

David W Gailus

Steven H Barss

Nathan P Hine

Melvin L Biggs

Bruce A Paulson

Diane Mackay

David Adams-Brady

Yong Zhou

Marlene M McDonald

Stephen C Mackay

Amy L Brady

Richard John Baker

Shane Edward Arthur

Bennett M Moriarty

Myles S Duncanson

Norma Taber

Richar J Baker

An inkjet printing system includes an ink reservoir defining an ink-receiving chamber and a control chamber, a control fluid source fluidly communicating with the control chamber, and an orientation sensor configured to determine an orientation of the ink reservoir and generate an orientation signal. A processor is operably coupled to the control fluid source and the orientation sensor, the processor programmed to determine a desired pressure for the control chamber based, at least in part, on the orientation signal, and control the control fluid source to adjust an actual pressure level in the control chamber to the desired pressure for the control chamber.

Inkjet printing system having dynamically controlled ink reservoir

An inkjet printing system includes an ink reservoir defining a longitudinal axis, an ink-receiving chamber and a control chamber. A control fluid source delivers a control fluid across a range of pressure levels to the control chamber, and an orientation sensor determines an orientation of the longitudinal axis of the ink reservoir and generates an orientation signal. A processor is operably coupled to the control fluid source and the orientation sensor, the processor being programmed to infer an angle of the longitudinal axis relative to the vertical reference axis based on the orientation signal from the orientation sensor, determine a desired pressure for the control chamber based, at least in part, on the inferred angle of the longitudinal axis, and control the control fluid source to adjust the actual pressure level in the control chamber to the desired pressure for the control chamber.

A piezoelectric ink jet head that includes a polymer film, for example a flex print, located between the piezoelectric element and the reservoirs in the jet body. The film provides an efficient seal for the reservoirs and also positions the electrodes on the side of the piezoelectric element in which motion is effected, which can reduce the magnitude of the drive voltage. This location of the compliant flex print material also can enhance electrical and mechanical isolation between reservoirs, which improves jetting accuracy. The compliance of the polymer also reduces strain on the ink jet head.

Piezoelectric ink jet module with seal

In general, in one aspect, the invention features an apparatus, including a jetting assembly that has a plurality of nozzles capable of ejecting droplets, a frame configured to position the jetting assembly within the apparatus, and an element that forms a seal between the frame and the jetting assembly.

Printheads and systems using printheads

In general, in a first aspect, the invention features a droplet deposition system, including a jetting assembly comprising one or more modules capable of ejecting droplets, a plurality of conduits in fluid communication with the jetting assembly, and a valve coupled to the conduits and adjustable between a first state in which fluid flow through the conduits is substantially prevented and a second state in which fluid flow through the conduits is allowed.

Fluid handling in droplet deposition systems

In the embodiments of the simplified ink jet head described in the specification, a carbon body is formed with ink passages, such as internal passages extending through a carbon plate, pressure chambers on one side of a carbon plate, flow-through passages on the other side of the same plate and ink supply passages, and a piezoelectric plate is affixed to the pressure chamber side of the carbon plate by a thin layer of epoxy adhesive. The piezoelectric plate may have a conductive coating on one side which is photo-etched to produce an electrode pattern corresponding to the pattern of the pressure chambers in the carbon plate. An orifice plate may have specially profiled orifice openings to assure axial projection of drops and may be affixed by a thin layer of epoxy adhesive to a carbon plate having orifice passages supplying ink from the pressure chambers to the orifices. Since the carbon plate is conductive, it can be used, if desired, as an electrode on the opposite side of the piezoelectric plate and, to assure grounding of the piezoelectric plate, a conductive epoxy adhesive may be used to bond the piezoelectric plate to the carbon plate. Moreover, since the carbon plate is porous, it can provide a communication path between a vacuum source and an air-permeable, ink-impermeable layer on the ink passages to remove dissolved air from the ink in the passages. In one alternative embodiment, an ink jet head assembly contains two separate carbon pressure chamber plates, a carbon manifold plate and a carbon collar to retain the carbon plates in an assembly.

Ink jet head containing a carbon member

In the embodiments of the simplified ink jet head described in the specification, a carbon body is formed with ink passages, such as internal passages extending through a carbon plate, pressure chambers on one side of a carbon plate, flowthrough passages on the other side of the same plate and ink supply passages, and a piezoelectric plate is affixed to the pressure chamber side of the carbon plate by a thin layer of epoxy adhesive. In one alternative embodiment, an ink jet head assembly contains two separate carbon pressure chamber plates, a carbon manifold plate and a carbon collar to retain the carbon plates in an assembly.

Simplified ink jet head

In the simplified ink jet head described in the specification, a tubular member made of air-permeable, ink-permeable material which is closed at one end and connected at the other end to a source of subatmospheric pressure is inserted into an ink passage in the ink jet head to extract dissolved air through the material of the tubular member from a surrounding body of ink in the ink passage.

Deaerator for simplified ink jet head

In the embodiments of the simplified ink jet head described in the specification, a carbon plate is formed with orifice passages extending through the plate, pressure chambers on one side of the plate, flow-through passages on the other side of the plate and ink supply passages, and a piezoelectric plate having a conductive coating on the exposed side is affixed to the pressure chamber side of the carbon plate by a thin layer of epoxy adhesive. The conductive coating on the piezoelectric plate is photo-etched to produce an electrode pattern corresponding to the pattern of the pressure chambers in the carbon plate, and an orifice plate is affixed by a thin layer of epoxy adhesive to the opposite surface of the carbon plate with orifices aligned with the orifice passages in the carbon plate. Since the carbon plate is conductive, it can be used, if desired, as an electrode on the opposite side of the piezoelectric plate and, since it is porous, it can provide a communication path between a vacuum source and an air-permeable, ink-impermeable layer on the ink passages to remove dissolved air from the ink in the passages. In one alternative embodiment, the orifice passages are formed in an edge of the plate and, in another alternative embodiment, a large plate is provided on one surface with a number of adjacent piezoelectric plates.

In the embodiments of the simplified ink jet head described in the specification an orifice plate has specially profiled orifice openings to assure axial projection of drops when ink is supplied from an asymmetric ink path leading to the orifice. For this purpose the orifice includes cylindrical ink inlet and outlet portions with the ink outlet portion having a smaller diameter and a shorter length than the inlet portion and a tapered conical portion joining the ink inlet portion and the ink outlet portion. Preferably, the diameter of the inlet portion is no more than about twice the diameter of the outlet portion.

Orifice plate for simplified ink jet head

In the embodiments described in the specification, a ceramic piezoelectric plate is polarized by compressing the plate between electrode plates with intervening slightly conductive rubber sheets or by applying electric charge from a corona discharge device to one surface of the plate while the opposite surface is grounded until the applied charge is sufficient to create a breakdown.

Method for poling a ceramic piezoelectric plate

A logic module system utilizing a spring energy storage means having a spfic threshold level response and a constant force over a specific displacement in cooperation with a plurality of cams adapted to be moved by external forces, such as ram-air pistons, rate controlled springs, or the like. Each individual cam is profiled to present a control surface to a cooperating plunger at specified time intervals or 'windows.' If the combined control surfaces present at any instant in time correspond to a predetermined sequence, the system will move to an ARM condition. Absent the proper arrangement of the 'windows,' the system will be returned and locked in a SAFE condition.

Growing community of inventors

Orford, NH, United States of America

Robert G Palifka