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:
Mar. 19, 1991
Filed:
Oct. 02, 1989
Jacques Vermot-Gaud, Perly, CH;
Didier Joyeux, Petit-Lancy, CH;
Battelle Memorial Institute, Carouge, CH;
Abstract
A pulse of current of several hundreds of volts is established between two electrodes immersed in a resistive liquid. By concentration of the current at the end of one electrode, which is bonded onto an insulating support, a volume of liquid in contact with the end of this electrode is vaporised, causing an abrupt drop in current. Because of the voltage of the pulse, which is several hundred volts, a greater current re-establishes itself immediately across the volume of vaporised liquid, as a result of a sort of ionization of the vapor, causing superheating and energy sufficient to expel a droplet of liquid through an opening provided in a membrane. In order to limit the energy of the superheating phase and control the size of the droplets, the current of the energizing pulse is limited.