Xerox Corporation

Eastman-kodak Company

E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Grundfos A/s

Stephen F Pond

Antonio Cabal

Michael Joseph Piatt

Gilbert Allan Hawkins

John Andrew Lebens

David P Trauernicht

Christopher Newell Delametter

Edward P Furlani

Ram S Narang

Gary Alan Kneezel

Robert P Altavela

David S Ross

Robert A Harold, Sr

James Alan Katerberg

James Michael Chwalek

Donald J Drake

William G Hawkins

Ivan Rezanka

Randy Dae Vandagriff

John C Brazas

Timothy J Fuller

Eric Peeters

Joel A Kubby

Dan A Hays

Martin Sidney Maltz

David Louis Jeanmaire

Frank C Genovese

Douglas W Couwenhoven

Christian Jackson

Fernando Luis De Souza Lopes

Michael Robert Campanelli

David G Anderson

Qing Yang

Almon P Fisher

Randolph Brost

Herman A Hermanson

Roger G Teumer

Jinquan Xu

Michael P O'Horo

Bradley A Phillips

Robert V Lorenze, Jr

Raymond E Bailey

Eugene C Faucz

Thomas M Frey

Karsten Dyrbye

Henry R Kang

Fredrick A Warner

Daniel F Blossey

W Keith Gilliland

Joel W Grover

Reinhold E Drews

David J Collins

Pamela J Hartman

Gert Friis Eriksen

John H Slowik

Richard Kellerman

Heins K Pedersen

Robert M Mehalso

Jinkuang Chen

This invention pertains to a drop-on-demand ink jet printing method, more particularly to a method of printing wherein a purge image is logically combined with a selected image so as to insure a desired amount of drop firing from every jet of an ink jet printhead for every page printed. The inventive method avoids image defects that could otherwise occur as a result of faulty drop firing from infrequently used nozzles. Purge image data that specifies the deposition of at least one ink dot on at least one predetermined pixel location on each of the plurality of image scanlines is constructed and stored in a purge image memory accessible by the printing apparatus. Imperceptible purge image patterns are constructed having blue noise spatial frequency characteristics and optical density levels equal to or less than 0.01 OD above print medium base OD. A plurality of purge image data sets are constructed and stored for retrieval to adapt to a variety of conditions. Acceptable purge image data sets are determined using a purge performance image as a test pattern which is optically scanned or analyzed by user observation. The present invention further include numerous printing apparatus configured to implement the disclosed methods of maintaining ink jet printheads.

Ink jet printing method

A jet break-off length measurement apparatus for a continuous liquid drop emission system is provided. The jet break-off length measurement apparatus comprises a liquid drop emitter containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with at least one nozzle for emitting a continuous stream of liquid. Heater resistor apparatus is adapted to transfer pulses of thermal energy to the liquid in flow communication with the at least one nozzle sufficient to cause the break-off of the at least one continuous stream of liquid into a stream of drops of predetermined volumes. A sensing apparatus adapted to detect the stream of drops of predetermined volumes is provided. A control apparatus is adapted to determine a characteristic of the stream of drops of predetermined volumes that is related to the break-off length. Further apparatus is adapted to inductively charge at least one drop and to cause electric field deflection of charged drops. Jet stimulation apparatus comprising a plurality of transducers corresponding to the plurality of nozzles and adapted to transfer pulses of energy to the liquid sufficient to cause the break-off of the plurality of continuous streams of liquid into a plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes is also disclosed. Methods of measuring the jet break-off length using phase sensitive amplification circuitry are disclosed.

Ink jet break-off length measurement apparatus and method

A method of operating a continuous liquid drop emission apparatus includes providing a liquid drop emitter that emits a plurality of continuous streams of liquid through a plurality of nozzles. A jet stimulation apparatus transfers energy to the liquid sufficient to cause the break-off of the plurality of continuous streams of liquid at a plurality of predetermined break-off times into a plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes. Sensing apparatus measures a characteristic value for each of the plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes. Control apparatus provides a plurality of break-off time setting signals to the jet stimulation apparatus to cause the plurality of predetermined break-off times to be determined by the characteristic value of each of the plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes.

Continuous ink jet apparatus and method using a plurality of break-off times

A continuous drop emitter includes a liquid supply chamber containing a liquid held at a positive pressure. First and second nozzles are in fluid communication with the liquid supply chamber and emit first and second continuous streams of a liquid. First and second stream break-up transducers independently synchronize the break up of the first and second continuous streams of the liquid into first and second streams of drops. An acoustic damping material is located adjacent to or within the liquid supply chamber for damping sound waves generated within the liquid chamber by the first and second stream break-up transducer. The continuous drop emitter can be configured with a Helmholtz resonant chamber tuned to a critical stimulation frequency having an acoustic damping material located therein.

Continuous drop emitter with reduced stimulation crosstalk

A differential pressure sensor includes a micro-electromechanical sensor die fabricated as a plurality of sensor die sites on a semiconductor wafer, and then singularized, the sensor die having a top face surface including die electrical output pads exposed to a first test fluid source and a bottom side surface exposed to a second test fluid source. The differential pressure further has a sensor die support member having a die support member fluid access port with a support member port perimeter; wherein one of the top face surface or the bottom side surface is sealed fully around the support member port perimeter by a wafer scale seal formed on the plurality of sensor die sites before die singulation. Wafer scale seals may be formed by a photofabrication process, screen printing, stamp printing, or pressure transfer printing. Some embodiments may include a photofabricated seal formed by a photosensitive polydimethylsiloxane material, by a filled photofabricated mold, and by photopatterned glass frit.

Pressure sensor

A continuous liquid drop emission apparatus is disclosed comprising a liquid drop emitter containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with a plurality of nozzles formed in a common nozzle member for emitting a plurality of continuous streams of liquid. A jet stimulation apparatus is provided comprising a plurality of transducers corresponding to the plurality of nozzles and adapted to transfer energy to the liquid in corresponding flow communication with the plurality of nozzles sufficient to cause the break-off of the plurality of continuous streams of liquid at a plurality of predetermined break-off times into a plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes. Sensing apparatus is provided adapted to measure a characteristic value for each of the plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes; and control apparatus is adapted to provide a plurality of break-off time setting signals to the jet stimulation apparatus to cause the plurality of predetermined break-off times determined, at least, by the characteristic value of each of the plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes. Alternately, a sensing apparatus is used in an off-line calibration set-up and characteristic values are measured for the plurality of streams and stored in a stream memory that is included in the continuous liquid drop apparatus. The present inventions are also configured to provide a plurality of the break-off times for a plurality of liquid streams in a continuous liquid drop emission apparatus that is further adapted to inductively charge at least one drop in a each of a plurality of streams and having electric field deflection apparatus adapted to generate a Coulomb force on an inductively charged drop. Methods of operating a continuous liquid drop emission apparatus utilizing a plurality of predetermined break-off times are disclosed.

A method of forming a liquid pattern according to liquid pattern data on a receiving medium using a liquid drop emitter that emits a continuous stream of liquid from a nozzle that is broken into drops of predetermined volumes by the application of drop forming energy pulse is disclosed comprising associating a pixel area of the receiving medium with a nozzle and a time interval during which a plurality of fluid drops ejected from the nozzle can impinge the pixel area of the receiving medium. The time interval is divided into a plurality of subintervals that are, in turn, grouped into a plurality of blocks. Each block is defined as a printing block or a non-printing block. A drop forming energy pulse is provided between each pair of consecutive blocks and between the subintervals of each printing block. No drop forming energy pulses are provided between the subintervals of the non-printing blocks. The so-formed energy pulse sequence is applied to the stream of liquid causing the formation of small print drops and large non-print drops. The liquid pattern is formed on the receiver of print drops comprised of liquid emitted during subintervals associated with printing blocks. The block configuration is designed to ensure that non-print drops have the proper volume. In an alternate set of embodiments, individual subintervals rather than blocks of subintervals are individually defined as print or non-print subintervals subject to a non-print drop rule that forces non-print drops to be formed of adequate volume for differentiation from print drops and a maximum drop rule that ensures that non-print drops are not too large to be reliably captured and guttered.

Output image processing for small drop printing

A doubly-anchored thermal actuator for a micro-electromechanical device such as a liquid drop emitter or a fluid control microvalve is disclosed. The thermal actuator is comprised of a base element formed with a depression having opposing anchor. A deformable element, attached to the base element at the opposing anchor edges, is constructed as a planar lamination including a first layer of a first material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion and a second layer of a second material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion. The deformable element has anchor portions adjacent the anchor edges and a central portion between the anchor portions wherein the flexural rigidity of the anchor portions is substantially less than the flexural rigidity of the central portion. The doubly-anchored thermal actuator further comprises apparatus adapted to apply a heat pulse to the deformable element that causes a sudden rise in the temperature of the deformable element. The deformable element bows outward in a direction toward the second layer, and then relaxes to a residual shape as the temperature decreases. The doubly-anchored thermal actuator is configured with a liquid chamber having a nozzle or a fluid flow port to form a liquid drop emitter or a fluid control microvalve, or to activate an electrical microswitch. Heat pulses are applied to the deformable element by resistive heating or by light energy pulses.

Doubly-anchored thermal actuator having varying flexural rigidity

A jet break-off length control apparatus for a continuous liquid drop emission system is provided. The jet break-off length control apparatus comprises a liquid drop emitter containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with at least one nozzle for emitting a continuous stream of liquid. Resistive heater apparatus is adapted to transfer pulses of thermal energy to the liquid in flow communication with the at least one nozzle sufficient to cause the break-off of the at least one continuous stream of liquid into a stream of drops of predetermined volumes. A sensing apparatus adapted to detect the stream of drops of predetermined volumes is provided. The jet break-off length control apparatus further comprises a control apparatus adapted to calculate a characteristic of the stream of drops of predetermined volumes and adapted to provide a break-off length calibration signal to the resistive heater apparatus wherein the break-off length calibration signal is determined at least by the characteristic of the stream of drops of predetermined volumes. Further apparatus is adapted to inductively charge at least one drop and to cause electric field deflection of charged drops. The present inventions are additionally configured to control break-off lengths for a plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes by determining a break-off length calibration signal that contains information specific to the plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes. Jet stimulation apparatus comprised of a plurality of thermomechanical or electromechanical transducer devices that transfer mechanical energy to the fluid are claimed. Methods of controlling the jet break-off length are also disclosed.

Ink jet break-off length controlled dynamically by individual jet stimulation

A continuous liquid drop emission apparatus is provided. The liquid drop emission apparatus is comprised of a liquid chamber containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with at least one nozzle for emitting a continuous stream of liquid and a jet stimulation apparatus adapted to transfer pulses of energy to the liquid in flow communication with the at least one nozzle sufficient to cause the break-off of the at least one continuous stream of liquid into a stream of drops of predetermined volumes. The continuous liquid drop emission apparatus further comprises a semiconductor substrate including integrated circuitry formed therein for performing and controlling a plurality of actions on the drops of predetermined volumes. The plurality of actions may include drop charging, drop sensing, drop deflection and drop capturing. Drop action apparatus adapted to perform these functions and integrated circuitry to control the drop action apparatus are formed in the semiconductor substrate. Jet stimulation apparatus comprised of a plurality of transducers including resistive heaters, electromechanical vibrators or thermomechanical vibrators, together with integrated control circuitry, may also be integrated on the semiconductor substrate. Silicon is a preferred material for the semiconductor substrate and CMOS and NMOS designs and fabrication processes are preferred for the integrated circuitry.

Continuous ink jet apparatus with integrated drop action devices and control circuitry

A drop deflector apparatus for a continuous drop emission system that deposits a liquid pattern on a receiver according to liquid pattern data comprising a plurality of drop nozzles formed along a nozzle array axis and emitting a plurality of continuous streams of a liquid that breaks up into a plurality of streams of drops having nominal flight paths that are substantially parallel and substantially within a nominal flight plane is disclosed. An airflow plenum having an evacuation end connected to a negative pressure source and an impingement end having an opening located adjacent the nominal flight plane into which ambient air is drawn for the purpose of deflecting drops in an air deflection direction perpendicular to the nominal flight plane is provided. The opening is bounded by upstream, downstream, first and second walls wherein the upstream and downstream wall ends are spaced away from the nominal flight plane in the air deflection direction by a larger amount than are the first and second side wall edges. An airflow plenum having through slots for the passage of drops is also disclosed. Such a plenum design increases the amount of drop deflection achieved for a given maximum deflection air velocity and provides a reduction in the affect of perturbing air currents that may be present around the nominal flight paths. Drop synchronization apparatus is disclosed to break up continuous streams into drops of large and small volumes according to liquid pattern data, the large and small drops being differently deflected by the air flow in the airflow plenum. A plurality of path selection elements is disclosed for directing drops along different paths according to liquid pattern data, wherein drops following different paths are differently deflected by the air flow in the airflow plenum. A method of printing using the disclosed apparatus is also disclosed.

Air deflected drop liquid pattern deposition apparatus and methods

A method of printing is provided. The method includes providing a travel path comprising a direction of motion of a printhead relative to a recording medium, the printhead having a linear array of nozzles positioned at a nonzero angle relative to the travel path; associating a pixel area of the recording medium with each nozzle of the linear array and a time interval during which a drop ejected from each nozzle can impinge the pixel area of the recording medium; dividing the time interval into a plurality of subintervals; grouping some of the plurality of subintervals into blocks; associating one of two labels with each block, the first label defining a printing drop, the second label defining non-printing drops; associating a drop forming pulse between consecutive selected subintervals of each block having the first label; associating a drop forming pulse between each subinterval of each block having the second label; associating a drop forming pulse between other subintervals, the drop forming pulse being between each pair of consecutive blocks; and causing drops to be ejected from each nozzle based on the associated drop forming pulses.

Suppression of artifacts in inkjet printing

A drop deposition apparatus for laying down a patterned liquid layer on a receiver substrate, for example, a continuous ink jet printer, is disclosed. The liquid deposition apparatus comprises a drop emitter containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with a linear array of nozzles for emitting a plurality of continuous streams of liquid having nominal stream velocity v, wherein the plurality of nozzles have effective nozzle diameters Dand extend in an array direction with an effective nozzle spacing L. Resistive heater apparatus is adapted to transfer thermal energy pulses of period &#x3c4;to the liquid in flow communication with the plurality of nozzles sufficient to cause the break-off of the plurality of continuous streams of liquid into a plurality of streams of drops of predetermined nominal drop volume V. Relative motion apparatus is adapted to move the drop emitter and receiver substrate relative to each other in a process direction at a process velocity S so that individual drops are addressable to the receiver substrate with a process direction addressability, A=&#x3c4;S. The effective nozzle spacing is less than 85 microns, the process speed S is at least 1 meter/sec and the addressability, A, of individual drops at the receiver substrate in the process direction is less than 6 microns. Drop deposition apparatus is disclosed wherein the predetermined volumes of drops include drops of a unit volume, V, and drops having volumes that are integer multiples of the unit volume, mV. Further apparatus is adapted to inductively charge at least one drop and to cause electric field deflection of charged drops.

High speed, high quality liquid pattern deposition apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Williamsburg, VA, United States of America

Stephen F Pond