Selective wetting using a micromist of particles
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsFrederick Hochberg, Keith S. Pennington
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Selective or controlled "wetting" of particles to the surface of a substrate or medium is effected by ultrasonically generating a micromist of small nebulized magnetic particles, typically of micron or submicron size. In the absence of a magnetic field, exposure of the surface of the substrate or medium to the micromist fails to produce any "wetting" of the particles to the surface. In the presence of a magnetic field, however, the particles are caused to locally "wet" the surface in accordance with the field pattern. Use of a micromist of magnetic ink particles for printing, typing and copying applications is described.
Claims34
A process for selectively depositing particles on a medium therefor, comprising the steps of:
- generating a magnetic micromist of particles, said micromist of particles including a carrier gas for carrying said particles, said particles being of sufficiently small particle size so as to fail to wet said medium when said medium is exposed thereto;
- exposing said medium to said micromist so that said micromist fails to wet said medium in the absence of a magnetic field gradient thereat;
- and
- providing a magnetic field gradient at said medium so as to thereby cause said micromist to locally wet said medium in accordance with said field gradient.
Apparatus for selectively depositing particles comprising:
- substrate means upon which said particles are to be selectively deposited;
- means for generating a magnetic micromist of said particles including means for providing a carrier gas for carrying said particles with said particles being of sufficiently small particle size so as to fail to wet said substrate means in the absence of a magnetic field thereat when said substrate means is exposed thereto;
- and
- means to selectively provide a magnetic field gradient at said substrate means to thereby cause said micromist to locally wet said substrate means in accordance with said magnetic field gradient.
Apparatus for selectively depositing magnetic ink particles onto a substrate, comprising:
- means to produce a micromist of said magnetic ink particles including means for providing a carrier gas for carrying said particles with said micromist having particle sizes within the submicron to 30 micron range so that said particles fail to wet said substrate in the absence of a magnetic field thereat;
- means to cause said substrate to be exposed to said micromist of magnetic ink particles;
- and
- means to produce a magnetic field gradient pattern at said substrate to cause said magnetic ink particles to locally wet said paper in accordance with said pattern.
Apparatus for selectively depositing particles comprising:
- substrate means including movable paper means upon which said particles are to be selectively deposited;
- means for generating a magnetic micromist of nebulized ink particles of particle size in the submicron to 30 micron range so as to not wet said substrate means in the absence of a magnetic field thereat when said substrate means is exposed thereto;
- and
- means to selectively provide a magnetic field gradient at said substrate means including magnetic write head means of multiple electromagnets individually addressable and positioned on the side of said substrate means which is opposite to the side thereof exposed to said micromist so as to thereby cause said micromist to locally wet said substrate means in accordance with said magnetic field gradient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.