Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Controller
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-19
2004-03-16
Adams, Russell (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Controller
C347S019000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06705694
ABSTRACT:
In general, the small drops of ink are ejected from the nozzles through orifices or nozzles by rapidly heating a small volume of ink located in vaporization chambers with small electric heaters, such as small thin film resistors. The small thin film resistors are usually located adjacent the vaporization chambers. Heating the ink causes the ink to vaporize and be ejected from the orifices.
Specifically, for one dot of ink, a remote printhead controller, which is usually located as part of the processing electronics of the printer, activates an electrical current from an external power supply. The electrical current is passed through a selected thin film resistor of a selected vaporization chamber. The resistor is then heated for superheating a thin layer of ink located within the selected vaporization chamber, causing explosive vaporization, and, consequently, a droplet of ink is ejected through an associated orifice of the printhead.
However, in typical inkjet printers, as each droplet of ink is ejected from the printhead, some of the heat used to vaporize the ink driving the droplet is retained within the printhead and for high flow rates, conduction can heat the ink near the substrate. These actions can overheat the printhead, which can degrade print quality, cause the nozzles to misfire, or can cause the printhead to stop firing completely. Printhead overheating compromises the inkjet printing process and limits high throughput printing. In addition, current inkjet printheads do not have the ability to make their own firing and timing decisions because they are controlled by remote devices. Consequently, it is difficult to efficiently control important thermal and energy aspects of the printhead.
Therefore, what is needed is a new printing system and protocol that utilizes a printhead with an integrated distributive processor and ink driver head for providing efficient thermal and energy control of the printhead.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention is embodied in a novel printing system and protocol for providing efficient thermal and energy control of a printhead of an inkjet printer. The printing system includes a controller, a power supply and a printhead assembly having a memory device and a distributive processor integrated with an inkjet driver head.
The memory device stores various printhead specific data. The data can include identification, warranty, characterization usage, and etc. information and can be written and stored at the time the printhead assembly is manufactured or during printer operation. The distributive processor has the ability to make its own firing and timing decisions for providing efficient thermal and energy control. For example, the distributive processor can be preprogrammed to regulate the temperature of the printhead assembly and the energy delivered to the printhead assembly based on sensed and predefined operating information. Namely, the distributive processor can maintain the printhead assembly within a preprogrammed temperature range and can limit constant energy delivery to the printhead assembly by sensing printhead assembly temperatures, amount of voltage supplied and knowing optimal temperature and energy ranges. In addition, the distributive processor can aid in calibrating the printhead assembly in real time.
The printing system can also include an ink supply device having its own memory and can be fluidically coupled to the printhead assembly for selectively providing ink to the printhead assembly when necessary.
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Barbour Michael J.
Corrigan, III George H.
Klaus Richard I.
Adams Russell
Dudding Alfred
Hewlett-Packard Development Company LP.
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