Low catch voltage startup
AssigneeScitex Digital Printing, Inc.
InventorDavid A. Huliba
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The use of the lowest all catch voltage for deflecting the charged droplets onto the catcher surface enhances the reliability of the startup sequence for ink jet printers. Going from a state where all of the droplets are hitting in the eyelid seal and catch pan assembly to a state where all of the droplets are deflected and caught on the catcher face will help eliminate the possibility of splatter on the charge plate electrodes and/or the charge short detect level circuitry, ink on top of the eyelid seal, and wicking of ink out of the eyelid.
Claims20
A method for starting a continuous inkjet printer, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining a lowest all catch voltage at which all ink drops are deflected into catch;
- storing a value corresponding to the lowest all catch voltage, said stored value accessible to controller means of the continuous inkjet printer;
- using the stored value to define a first charge potential;
- applying the first charge potential as a charge plate voltage when initially starting up the continuous inkjet printer;
- and
- changing the charge plate voltage from the first charge potential to an operating voltage for printing.
A startup system for a continuous inkjet printer, method:
- means for determining a lowest all catch voltage at which all ink drops are deflected into catch;
- means for storing a value corresponding to the lowest all catch voltage, said stored value accessible to controller means of the continuous inkjet printer;
- a first charge potential defined by the stored value;
- means for applying the first charge potential as a charge plate voltage when initially starting up the continuous inkjet printer;
- and
- an operating voltage derived by changing the charge plate voltage from the first charge potential to the operating voltage for printing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.