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. 21, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 16, 1999
Christopher J. Laharaty, Oregon City, OR (US);
Michele L. Fingerson, Albany, OR (US);
Vernon W. Popham, Tualatin, OR (US);
Ronald F. Burr, Wilsonville, OR (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A method is provided for reducing thermal aging in an ink jet print head while avoiding significant warm-up times. The method selectively utilizes multiple print head standby temperatures to reduce the effects of thermal aging over time. The ink for the printer is a phase change ink. The ink jet printer has a print head, the print head printing at a first print temperature and the print head standing by a different second standby temperature lower than the first print temperature. The ink is ejected from the print head by applying a voltage to a transducer. This method further comprises monitoring the time the printhead is at the second standby temperature, calculating a thermal aging period for the print head at the standby temperature, and at a predetermined value for the thermal aging period, increasing the voltage applied to the transducer when ink is ejected, the voltage being increased at a predetermined rate.