Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-10
2001-06-05
Barlow, John (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
C347S020000, C347S044000, C347S047000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241342
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to ink jet printing and in particular discloses a Lorentz diaphragm electromagnetic ink jet printer.
The present invention further relates to the field of drop on demand ink jet printing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many different types of printing have been invented, a large number of which are presently in use. The known forms of print have a variety of methods for marking the print media with a relevant marking media. Commonly used forms of printing include offset printing, laser printing and copying devices, dot matrix type impact printers, thermal paper printers, film recorders, thermal wax printers, dye sublimation printers and ink jet printers both of the drop on demand and continuous flow type. Each type of printer has its own advantages and problems when considering cost, speed, quality, reliability, simplicity of construction and operation etc.
In recent years, the field of ink jet printing, wherein each individual pixel of ink is derived from one or more ink nozzles has become increasingly popular primarily due to its inexpensive and versatile nature.
Many different techniques on ink jet printing have been invented. For a survey of the field, reference is made to an article by J Moore, “Non-Impact Printing: Introduction and Historical Perspective”, Output Hard Copy Devices, Editors R Dubeck and S Sherr, pages 207-220 (1988).
Ink Jet printers themselves come in many different types. The use of a continuous stream ink in ink jet printing appears to date back to at least 1929 wherein U.S. Pat. No. 1,941,001 by Hansell discloses a simple form of continuous stream electro-static ink jet printing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,275 by Sweet also discloses a process of a continuous ink jet printing including the step wherein the ink jet stream is modulated by a high frequency electrostatic field so as to cause drop separation. This technique is still used by several manufacturers including Elmjet and Scitex (see also U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,437 by Sweet et al.)
Piezoelectric ink jet printers are also one form of commonly used ink jet printing device. Piezoelectric systems are disclosed by Kyser et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 (1970) which uses a diaphragm mode of operation, by Zolten in U.S. Pat. 3,683,212 (1970) which discloses a squeeze mode of operation of a piezoelectric crystal, Stemme in U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 (1972) discloses a bend mode of piezoelectric operation, Howkins in U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,601 discloses a piezoelectric push mode actuation of the ink jet stream and Fischbeck in U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,590 which discloses a shear mode type of piezoelectric transducer element.
Recently, thermal ink jet printing has become an extremely popular form of ink jet printing. The ink jet printing techniques include those disclosed by Endo et al in GB 2007162 (1979) and Vaught et at in U.S. Pat. 4,490,728. Both the aforementioned references disclosed ink jet printing techniques rely upon the activation of an electrothermal actuator which result in the creation of a bubble in a constricted space, such as a nozzle, which thereby causes the ejection of ink from an aperture connected to the confined space onto a print media. Printing devices using the electro-thermal actuator are manufactured by manufacturers such as Canon and Hewlett Packard.
As can be seen from the foregoing, many different types of printing technologies are available. Ideally, a printing technology should have a number of desirable attributes. These include inexpensive construction and operation, high speed operation, safe and continuous long term operation etc. Each technology may have its own advantages and disadvantages in the areas of cost, speed, quality, reliability, power usage, simplicity of construction operation, durability and consumables.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention to create an alternative form of ink jet printing mechanism able to eject ink drops on demand.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, an ink jet print nozzle is presented comprising an ink ejection chamber having an ejection port for the ejection of ink, which is in fluid communication with an ink reservoir for the supply of ink to be ejected, where at least one wall of the chamber comprises a moveable diaphragm actuated by means of a Lorenz force so as to cause the consequential ejection of ink from the ejection chamber. The moveable diaphragm is of a corrugated or concertina form and includes an embedded conductive coil. Upon actuation of the diaphragm by the Lorentz interaction between a current in the conducted coils and a static magnetic field, the diaphragm is expandable by a concertina. Preferably, the diaphragm is formed is formed through use of an approximately half-toned mask. The ink chamber in the ink jet print nozzle is formed by means of an isotropic etch of a silicon wafer.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5854644 (1998-12-01), Eun
patent: 406255103 (1994-09-01), None
Barlow John
Do An H.
Silverbrook Research PTY Ltd.
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