Loading patent…
AssigneeArchipelago Technology Group Ltd.
InventorsBenjamin Alexander David BREBNER, Daniel Richard MACE, Khaled Hamood Abdullah AL-GHAITHI, Guy Charles Fernley NEWCOMBE
Estimating the term…
A fluid ejector for ejecting discrete volumes of ejectant. The fluid ejector comprises a body and at least one nozzle defined between first and second surfaces of the body. The fluid ejector further comprises a barrier fluid supplier for supplying barrier fluid to each of one or more nozzles of the at least one nozzle, an ejectant supplier for supplying ejectant to each of the one or more nozzles, and an ejector for imparting an ejection force to ejectant contained within each of the one or more nozzles. In use, the fluid ejector performs a barrier fluid supply step in which the barrier fluid supplier supplies the barrier fluid to each of the one or more nozzles, then an ejectant supply step in which the ejectant supplier supplies ejectant to each of the one or more nozzles; and then an ejection step in which the ejector imparts an ejection force to the ejectant contained within each of the one or more nozzles to cause ejection of at least some of the ejectant from each of the one or more nozzles. The barrier fluid at least partially coats an interior surface of each of the one or more nozzles to reduce contact of the ejectant with the interior surface of each of the one or more nozzles.
A method for ejecting discrete volumes of ejectant, the method comprising:
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the barrier fluid at least partially coats the interior surface of each of the one or more nozzles, thereby lubricating the interface between the ejectant and the interior surface of the one or more nozzles to facilitate ejection of the ejectant from the one or more nozzles.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein supplying the barrier fluid to each of the one or more nozzles comprises moving the body relative to a barrier fluid supplier to expose the supply orifice of each of the one or more nozzles formed in the body to a barrier fluid supplier to supply the barrier fluid to each of the one or more nozzles via the supply orifice of each of the one or more nozzles.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein supplying the ejectant to each of the one or more nozzles via the second orifice of each of the one or more nozzles comprises moving the body relative to an ejectant supplier to expose the second orifice of each of the one or more nozzles to the ejectant supplier to supply the ejectant to each of the one or more nozzles via the second orifice of each of the one or more nozzles.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein ejecting at least some of the ejectant from each of the one or more nozzles via the second orifice of each of the one or more nozzles comprises supplying pressurised gas to each of the one or more nozzles via the first orifice of each of the one or more nozzles to cause ejection of the at least some of the ejectant from each of the one or more nozzles via the second orifice of each of the one or more nozzles.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the at least some of the ejectant is ejected from each of the one or more nozzles via the second orifice of each of the one or more nozzles onto a substrate.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the body is a rotatable drum and the relative movements of the body are caused by rotation of the rotatable drum, optionally wherein the first surface of the body is the inside surface of the drum and the second surface of the drum is the outside surface of the drum.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the barrier fluid and the ejectant are miscible.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the barrier fluid and the ejectant comprise one or more common components.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the barrier fluid and the ejectant are both aqueous fluids.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the barrier fluid comprises water in an amount of at least about 90% by weight.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the supply orifice is the second orifice, and wherein the step of supplying the barrier fluid to each of the one or more nozzles further comprises depositing barrier fluid onto the second surface of the body, thereby reducing adhesion of the ejectant to the second surface of the body.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the barrier fluid is supplied to the one or more nozzles in an amount by weight of 5 to 40% relative to the total amount by weight of the ejectant and the barrier fluid supplied to the one or more nozzles.
A fluid ejector for ejecting discrete volumes of ejectant, the fluid ejector comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.