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. 17, 2016
Filed:
Aug. 21, 2013
Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Steven E. Ready, Los Altos, CA (US);
Alan Bell, Mountain View, CA (US);
PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for self-sensing the detection of print head conditions on high resolution/multiple nozzle piezoelectric ink jet print heads resulting in increased ink jet efficiency and reduced ejection failure with no use of ink. This is done by creating a pressure wave in an ink-fillable ink jet head ejection chamber where the intensity of the induced pressure wave is below a threshold value necessary to produce ejection of a normal sized ink drop through the nozzle. An electrical signal based on the pressure wave is generated and analyzed to determine ink jet head ink drop ejection performance.