Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-09
2001-10-23
Barlow, John (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305779
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an inkjet nozzle closing and cleaning system. More specifically, to a Micro-electromechanical Systems inkjet nozzle cleaning mechanism which uses miniature gearing system to open and close the nozzle and preventing ink build-up associated with printers and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Micro-electromechanical Systems (MEMS) is a mechanical class of systems that are physically small. These systems have both a mechanical and electrical components. MEMS originally used to modify integrated circuit or computer chip fabrication techniques and materials to create very small mechanical devices. There are two main categories of MEMS, sensors and actuators. Polysilicon resonator transducers are an example of a MEMS sensor using a stress controlled thin film Polysilicon process which is a modification of the integrated circuit techniques. The high aspect ratio electrostatic resonator is an example of a linear actuator. The center mass, springs and electrostatic fingers are free while the rest of the structure is fixed to the substrate. Movement occurs by applying a voltage between the center structure and one of the side fixed structures. The overlapping fingers of this device allow voltage to occur over a large area resulting in a larger attractive force.
The use of this technology to make silicon inkjet nozzle array by chemical etching is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,935 issued to Solyst and by Tamai in U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,192.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,013 issued to Giachino et al. and U. S. Pat. No. 4,826,131 teach two complex silicon valve arrangements that have two planar silicon members. One having an orifice for passing fluid and the other that is movable for closing opening and closing the orifice.
U.S. Pat .No. 5,029,805 issued to Albarda et al. teaches a micro valve arrangement which opens and closes. An actuating drive connected to an electrical power source, whereby when an electrical current is applied the actuating drive flexes to open or close off the valve.
An even more complex valve design is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,177 issued to Guckell et al. In that design an actuator is attached to a plunger to effectuate the opening and closing of the valve. A magnetic core having a gap is fixed on the substrate and the plunger is mounted by a spring for movement parallel to the substrate in response to the flux provided to the gap of the fixed core.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,877 issued to Mei et al. teach a micro-valve array for a toner jet printer formed by MEMS technology having conducting plates which act as a closing means for each micro-valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,325 issued to Carr teaches a micro-valve arrangement which uses compressor pressure to close off a valve opening.
While the prior art teach micro-valves and various methods of for opening and closing off fluid flow. The prior art is silent on either a method or apparatus which clean and prevent the ink build-up associated with inkjet printers which have infrequent usage. The inventors have developed a cleaning mechanism and system which both clean and prevent ink blockage associated with inkjet printers of infrequent usage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses the problems associated with inkjet printers subject to infrequent usage and ink build-up at its orifices, by developing a nozzle plate made of a silicon substrate which has a simple mechanism using MEMS technology to create a sliding nozzle cover. The advantage to the present invention is that a nozzle array has a plurality of openings from which ink is propelled, inherently become clogged when ink dries around the nozzle opening. This clogging causes failed or misfired nozzles resulting in poor image quality as well as printer down time to run through a standard cleaning process.
The present invention uses an arrangement that incorporates miniature mechanisms that wipe the excess and dried ink from the nozzle opening. This will not only maintain the nozzles and keep them from drying out, but eliminates the need for expensive and awkward cleaning and capping systems. A simple cap does not address the problem in that they often have a poor seal, thus causing air gaps which allows the ink to dry out. The present invention eliminates the need for caps and overcomes the need to clean the reservoir side of the opening, because ink is closed at the surface where the ink needs to be stopped.
It is then an object of the invention to provide a nozzle cleaning plate for an inkjet printer.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a nozzle closure device using MEMS technology.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus with an arrangement where a mechanism on the face of the nozzle plate wipes the nozzle openings as needed while in the print mode.
Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive and simple method to clean ink build-up around the nozzle of inkjet printers.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description in which the preferred embodiments have been set forth in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4647013 (1987-03-01), Giachino et al.
patent: 4826131 (1989-05-01), Mikkor
patent: 5029805 (1991-07-01), Albarda et al.
patent: 5238223 (1993-08-01), Mettner et al.
patent: 5644177 (1997-07-01), Guckel et al.
patent: 5767877 (1998-06-01), Mei et al.
patent: 5810325 (1998-09-01), Carr
Capurso Robert G.
Robinson Scott C.
Barlow John
Brooke Michael S.
Eastman Kodak Company
Stevens Walter S.
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