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. 20, 1986
Filed:
Dec. 14, 1983
Applicant:
Inventors:
Robert R Hay, Boise, ID (US);
Paul R Spencer, Meridian, ID (US);
Assignee:
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01D / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
346-11 ; 3461 / ;
Abstract
Apparatus and method for testing and determining the operating status of a plurality of ink-ejecting nozzles in a thermal ink jet array. An electrically conductive plate is placed adjacent the ink-ejecting orifices in a test position. An ink droplet appearing from an orifice will, for some brief moment, be in contact with both the orifice plate and the electrically conductive plate. The droplet completes a circuit with a conduction detector and allows current to flow thereby indicating an operative nozzle.