Impact position transducer for ink jet
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJohn Martin Fleischer, Richard Dwight Holmes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensing arrangement for accurately detecting the position of ink jet or similar drop impact thereon. The drop impact occurs on the surface of a poled piezoelectric between two parallel conductors. The charge generated by drop impact is localized, the degree inversely dependent upon the piezoelectric thickness, so that the signal generated in a conductor is dependent upon the distance of the impact location from the conductor. Thus, using transimpedance amplifiers, the difference of the output signals indicates the impact position.
Claims12
Apparatus for detecting the location of small projectile impact comprising:
- a poled piezoelectric member for generating a signal due to mechanical stress produced by impact on a surface thereof by said projectile;
- two parallel separated conductors on said surface of said piezoelectric member for receiving said signal;
- and
- means for detecting the relative signal strength due to said mechanical stress on said conductors.
Apparatus for detecting the impact location of an ink jet drop stream comprising:
- a poled piezoelectric member for generating a localized signal upon impact on a surface thereof by each drop of said stream;
- two separate parallel conductors on said surface of said piezoelectric member and on opposite sides of said impact location for receiving said localized signal;
- and
- means for detecting the relative signal strength on said conductors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.