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:
Apr. 25, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 31, 1997
Werner Fassler, Rochester, NY (US);
James E Pickering, Holcomb, NY (US);
Charles D DeBoer, Palmyra, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A microfluidic printing apparatus comprising at least one ink reservoir; a structure defining a plurality of chambers arranged so that the chambers form an array with each chamber being arranged to form an ink pixel; a plurality of microchannels connecting the reservoir to a chamber; and a plurality of microfluidic pumps each being associated with a single microchannel for supplying ink from an ink reservoir through a microchannel for delivery to a particular chamber. The apparatus provides relative movement between the microchannels and the structure so that the arrays can be effective in two positions; a blocking position for preventing the flow of ink from the microchannel to the chamber, and a printing position for aligning the chambers with the microchannels for permitting the flow of ink from microchannels into associated chambers to regulate the ink flow into the chambers. The apparatus further controls the microfluidic pumps and causes arrays to be in printing position when the microfluidic pumps supply ink through the microchannels to the chambers so that the correct amount of ink is delivered into each chamber.