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. 23, 2016
Filed:
Dec. 02, 2015
Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US);
David Alan Vankouwenberg, Avon, NY (US);
Jason M. Lefevre, Penfield, NY (US);
Frank Berkelys Tamarez Gomez, Houston, TX (US);
Steven M. Russel, Bloomfield, NY (US);
Timothy P. Foley, Marion, NY (US);
Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US);
Abstract
What is disclosed is an apparatus and method for inhibiting the formation of sediment in an ink sub-tank of a MICR inkjet printer. In one embodiment, the present apparatus comprises an ink sub-tank containing MICR ink substantially comprising a ferrofluid of particles, and an electromagnet. When the MICR inkjet printer is turned OFF, the electromagnet is lowered into a chamber inside the ink sub-tank and an electric current is applied to activate the electromagnet. Activation of the electromagnet causes the particles of the ferrofluid to be attracted to the electromagnet's magnetic field such that the particles are lifted off a bottom of the sub-tank to inhibit sediment formation thereon. The electromagnet is de-activated when the MICR inkjet printer is turned OFF. A sensor is employed to activate the electromagnet when sediment in the ink sub-tank has reached a pre-determined level.