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:
Aug. 29, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 01, 1997
Hiroshi Nishimura, West Hills, CA (US);
Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions, Inc., Simi Valley, CA (US);
Abstract
An ink jet comprises a restrictor with an asymmetrical opening that creates a vortex in the ink flowing into an ink jet chamber. The vortex is created as the ink in an ink manifold is transferred from the ink manifold to the ink jet chamber. The asymmetrical geometry of the opening, in which a throat of the opening is laterally offset with respect to a vertical center line dividing the opening, creates a vortex in the ink flow within the ink jet chamber. The vortex creates a swirling motion which helps to sweep air bubbles trapped in the ink jet chamber toward an ink droplet ejection orifice so that an air bubble purge system can then easily expel the air bubbles through the ink droplet ejection orifice. By removing the trapped air bubbles, jet outages can be prevented.