Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1995-07-21
2001-11-13
Barlow, John (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315395
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet apparatus capable of forming a high density recording image, and to a conductive ink mixture effective to be used for the ink jet apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there have been known ink jet apparatuses with a bubble jet system and a current-carrying jet system. The bubble jet system is operated by vaporizing ink in a vessel using heat generated by a heat-generating resistor for generating bubbles of ink, and discharging the ink increased in pressure from a nozzle of the vessel. On the other hand, the current-carrying jet system is operated by heating conductive ink by applying a current thereto, vaporizing ink by the heat thus generated for generating bubbles of ink, and discharging the ink increased in pressure from a nozzle of a vessel.
In the bubble jet system, ink contacted with the heat-generating surface of the heat-generating resistor is vaporized by heating. Specifically, in this system, since the heat is imparted to ink from the heat-generating surface of the heat-generating resistor, an energy imparted to ink is limited by the area of the heat-generating surface of the heat-generating resistor, with a result that a discharge energy to be applied to ink is limited. Even when a large amount of current is allowed to flow to the heat-generating resistor for heating ink to the extent over the above limitation, the discharge energy to be applied to ink is not increased and the heat-generating resistor tends to be broken.
On the other hand, in the current-carrying jet system, since conductive ink applied with a current has a homogeneous composition and thereby it has a constant resistance, there is no means for increasing an energy imparted to ink and enlarging the discharge force to be applied to ink.
Recently, in the ink jet apparatus, it has been required to enhance the density of a dot to be printed for improving the fineness of the printing. To meet this requirement, the opening diameter and the arrangement pitch of each nozzle for discharging ink must be smaller than conventional values. In the prior art ink jet apparatus, however, the discharge force to be applied to ink cannot be easily increased, and when the opening diameter and the arrangement pitch of each nozzle are made smaller while the discharge force to be applied to ink is kept as being conventional, ink sediment and refuse tend to be collected in the nozzle, to thus clog it. In this way, the prior art ink jet apparatus has a limitation in the discharge force to be applied to ink, and consequently, it presents a problem having a difficulty in improving the fineness of printing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet apparatus capable of coping with the tendency toward the fineness of printing, and a conductive ink mixture effective to be used for the ink jet apparatus.
To achieve the above object, according to a preferred mode in a first aspect, there is provided an ink jet apparatus comprising:
a containing or storing section containing a conductive ink mixture or conductive ink having conductive particles and conductive liquid;
an electrode means or component for carrying an alternating current to the conductive ink mixture in the containing section thereby bubbling the conductive ink mixture; and
a nozzle component for discharging the conductive ink mixture bubbled by carrying the alternating current.
According to a preferred mode in a second aspect, there is provided an ink jet apparatus according to the preferred mode described in the first aspect, wherein a conductivity of each of the conductive particles is higher than that of the liquid.
According to a preferred mode in a third aspect, there is provided an ink jet apparatus according to the preferred mode described in the second aspect, wherein the conductive particle has a conducting property at least on the surface thereof, and a conductivity of the conductive particle has a magnitude enough to generate the heat capable of bubbling the conductive ink mixture due to the skin effect generated by an alternating current.
According to a preferred mode in a fourth aspect, there is provided an ink jet apparatus according to the preferred mode described in the third aspect, wherein the conductive particle is smaller in size than the opening diameter of the nozzle component.
According to a preferred mode in a fifth aspect, there is provided an ink jet apparatus according to the preferred mode described in the fourth aspect, wherein
the containing section comprises a row of containing portions partitioned by a pair of substrates facing to each other at a specified interval and a plurality of partitioning members spaced at specified intervals between a pair of the substrates;
the nozzle component comprises a row of nozzles each being opened at one end portion of each containing portion;
the electrode component comprises a plurality of pairs of electrodes including a plurality of first electrodes provided on the inner surface of one of the substrates for each containing portion and a second electrode commonly provided on the inner surface of the other of the substrates; and
the ink jet apparatus further includes an AC power supply for supplying an alternating current across each pair of the first electrode and the second electrode, a plurality of switching means respectively provided on the first electrodes, and a means for supplying the conductive ink mixture to each containing portion.
According to a preferred mode in a sixth aspect, there is provided an ink jet apparatus according to the preferred mode described in the fourth aspect, wherein
the containing section comprises a row of containing portions partitioned by a pair of substrates facing to each other at a specified interval and a plurality of partitioning members spaced at specified intervals between a pair of the substrates;
the nozzle component comprises a row of nozzles each being opened at one end portion of each containing portion;
the electrode component comprises a plurality of pairs of electrodes independently provided for each containing portion; and
the ink jet apparatus further includes an AC power supply for supplying an alternating current across each pair of the electrodes provided for each containing portion, a switching means provided for each pair of the electrodes in each of the containing portions, and a means for supplying the conductive ink mixture to each containing portion.
According to a preferred mode in a seventh aspect, there is provided an ink jet apparatus according to the preferred mode described in fourth aspect, wherein
the electrode component comprises longitudinal electrodes spaced at specified intervals in parallel to each other;
the containing section comprises a row of containing portions partitioned by the electrodes and a pair of facing insulating members disposed in such a manner as to put the electrodes therebetween;
the nozzle component comprises a plurality of a row of nozzles each being opened at one end portion of each containing portion; and
the ink jet apparatus further includes an AC power supply for supplying an alternating current across the adjacent two electrodes, a plurality of switching means provided for selecting the adjacent two electrodes to be applied with an alternating current from a plurality of the electrodes, and a means for supplying the conductive ink mixture to each containing portion.
According to a preferred mode in an eighth aspect, there is provided a conductive ink mixture comprising conductive liquid, and conductive particles dispersed in the liquid, each of the conductive particles having a conductivity higher than that of the liquid.
According to a preferred mode in a ninth aspect, there is provided a conductive ink mixture according to the preferred mode described in the eighth aspect, wherein the conductive particle has a conducting property at least on the surface thereof, and a conductivity of the conductive particle has a magnitude enough to gene
Barlow John
Huffman Julian D.
Kanesaka & Takeuchi
Riso Kagaku Corporation
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