System and method for detecting fluid ejection volume
OwnerJohn C. Greeven, M. Isabel Borrell +3inventors
InventorsJohn C. Greeven, M. Isabel Borrell, Francisco Lopez, Sergio Puigardeu, David Ramirez
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Abstract
A fluid ejection device includes an actuator, moveable to actuate a fluid pump, an optical sensor, a flag, affixed to the actuator and positioned to block the optical sensor with motion of the actuator, and a controller, coupled to the actuator and the optical sensor. The controller is configured to determine a volume of fluid pumped by the pump by detecting a change in a degree of blockage of the sensor by the flag.
Claims20
A fluid ejection device, comprising:
- an actuator, moveable to actuate a fluid pump;
- an optical sensor;
- a variable coverage flag, affixed to the actuator and positioned to block the optical sensor with motion of the actuator;
- and
- a controller, coupled to the actuator and the optical sensor, configured to determine a volume of fluid pumped by the pump by detecting a change in a degree of blockage of the sensor by the flag.
A method for detecting a volume of fluid ejected from a fluid ejection device, comprising:
- biasing an actuator against a pump in the fluid ejection device, a magnitude of motion of the actuator being proportional to the volume of fluid ejected;
- positioning an optical sensor adjacent to a leading edge of a variable coverage flag attached to the actuator;
- and
- determining the volume of fluid ejected by detecting a degree of blockage of the optical sensor by the flag.
A method of making a fluid ejection device, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a moveable actuator to actuate a fluid pump;
- attaching to the actuator a variable coverage flag;
- positioning an optical sensor adjacent to the flag, whereby the inclined leading edge selectively blocks the sensor depending upon a position of the actuator, whereby a volume of fluid pumped by the pump can be determined by detecting a change in a degree of blockage of the sensor by the flag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.