The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 1981
Filed:
Nov. 01, 1979
Gary A Drago, Longmont, CO (US);
Arthur L Mix, Jr, Boulder, CO (US);
Robert T Ritchie, Boulder, CO (US);
International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
During the startup and/or shutdown cycle of an ink jet printer, a movable probe in the form of a thin hollow tube, is inserted into the flight path of the ink droplets. The tube is normally positioned relative to the droplets flight path. At the shutdown cycle, the charge electrode is removed from the vicinity of the jet streams. The undeflected droplets are caught by the hollow tube. The tube is then moved to a position next to the nozzle plate. The ink jet printer head may then be turned off and all ink is caught in the tube. At startup the sequence is reversed until the tube is back at its normal position.