US 2002/0001022 A1 · CONTINUOUS COLOR INK JET PRINT HEAD APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

A continuous color ink jet print head (40) for an electronic printing device is composed of a nozzle (42), pressurized ink sources (46, 48), and a print head surface (50) having channels (61, 62, 64, 66) disposed therein such that each channel (61, 62, 64, 66) is in communication with the nozzle (42). The continuous color ink jet print head (40) also includes a microvalve (52, 56) disposed within each of the channels (61, 62, 64, 66) such that each channel (61, 62, 64, 66) is connected through the microvalve (52, 56) to a pressurized ink source (46, 48), thereby permitting ink from the pressurized ink source (46, 48) to flow through the channel (61, 62, 64,66) and thereafter be ejected from the nozzle (42) when the pressurized ink source (46, 48) has attained a particular threshold pressure. The microvalve (52, 56) itself is a thermally activated microvalve (52, 56) that permits colored patterns of dots of varying intensities to be ejected from the nozzle (42) onto a receiver at a constant rate, thereby maintaining a static ink printed pixel size. By selectively controlling the length of time the microvalve (52, 56) is actuated, a range of colored inks is permitted to be ejected from the nozzle (42) onto the receiver.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A continuous color ink jet print head for an electronic printing device, said continuous color ink jet print head comprising:

(a) a nozzle;
(b) a plurality of pressurized ink sources;
(c) a print head surface having a plurality of channels disposed therein, wherein each of said channels is in communication with said nozzle;
and
(d) a microvalve disposed within each of said channels, such that each channel is connected through said microvalve to at least one pressurized ink source among said plurality of pressurized ink sources, thereby permitting ink from a pressurized ink source to flow through said channel and thereafter be ejected from said nozzle when said at least one pressurized ink source has attained a particular threshold pressure.

2 more elements

A method in an electronic printing device for maintaining a continuous flow of ink from a continuous color ink jet print head onto a receiver, said method comprising:

(c) connecting a nozzle to said continuous color ink jet print head wherein ink can be ejected from said nozzle;
(b) defining a plurality of channels within a print head surface of said continuous color ink jet print head, wherein each of said channels is in communication with said nozzle;
and
(c) disposing a microvalve within each of said channels, such that each channel is connected through said microvalve to at least one pressurized ink source among a plurality of pressurized ink sources, thereby permitting ink from at least one pressurized ink source to flow through said channel and thereafter be ejected from said nozzle when said at least one pressurized ink source has attained a particular threshold pressure.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Continuous color ink jet print head apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Continuous color ink jet print head apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31