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. 14, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 03, 1997
Xin Wen, Rochester, NY (US);
Werner Fassler, Rochester, NY (US);
Charles D. Deboer, Palmyra, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A microfluidic printing apparatus includes 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 detects the ink fluid level in the chambers and for producing a signal, and controls the microfluidic pumps for delivering the correct amount of ink delivered into each chamber and responsive to the ink level signal for causing the pumps to terminate the delivery of ink.