Ink droplet catcher assembly
AssigneeBurroughs Corporation
InventorsRonald G. Shell, Wallace F. Brownell, Richard C. Fedder, Kyriakos Christou
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ink droplet catcher assembly for an ink jet printer includes a housing with an opening for ink droplets. In the housing, a sensor is directly impacted by the ink droplets. The sensor generates varying electrical signals to circuitry controlling ink droplet deflection for an ink jet printer in response to the impact position of the ink droplets on the sensor. A coating is applied to the sensor to retard sensor wear and to prevent short circuiting of the generated electrical signals in response to ink droplet impacts. The housing construction conducts captured ink droplets out of the housing to a reservoir when a lid, covering the housing, deflects air and ink droplets entering the housing.
Claims9
An ink droplet catcher assembly for an ink jet printer comprising:
- a housing having an opening for receiving ink droplets;
- a sensor, aligned within the housing to be directly impacted by the ink droplets, the sensor generating varying electrical signals for supply to circuitry controlling ink droplet deflection for an ink jet printer in response to the impact position of the ink droplets on the sensor;
- a coating on the sensor to retard sensor wear and to prevent short circuiting of the generated electrical signals in response to ink droplet impacts;
- means, within the housing, for limiting the size of objects which contact the sensor;
- means for conducting the ink droplets out of the housing to a reservoir;
- and
- a lid, covering the housing, to deflect air and ink droplets into the means for conducting the ink droplets out of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.