Ink jet printer with peristaltic pump
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorWilliam Salmre
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Ink jet apparatus of the impulse type employs one or more peristaltic pumps. The pumps comprise a flexible tube extending between the ink reservoir and the jet. One tube is constricted so as to advance ink from the reservoir to the jet. Another tube is constricted so as to create a vacuum and return ink from the jet to the reservoir.
Claims15
Ink jet apparatus comprising:
- an ink jet including an orifice adapted to project droplets of ink therefrom, a chamber coupled to said orifice and a transducer communicating with said chamber to change the volume of said chamber and project droplets in response to said change;
- an ink reservoir;
- an elongated and flexible capillary coupling means having a passageway connecting said ink jet and said reservoir;
- and
- peristaltic means cooperating with said coupling means to create a constriction therein and advance said constriction along a length of said coupling means.
A facsimile system comprising:
- copy medium support means for supporting a copy medium during scanning;
- scanning head means movable with respect to said support means so as to create a relative scanning motion between said head and said support means;
- ink jet means including an orifice adapted to project droplets of ink therefrom, a chamber coupled to said orifice and a transducer coupled to said chamber to change the volume of said chamber and project droplets in response to said change;
- an ink reservoir;
- an elongated and flexible capillary coupling means having a passageway connecting said ink jet and said reservoir;
- and
- peristaltic means cooperating with said coupling means to create a constriction therein and advance said constriction along a length of said coupling means.
A method of operating an ink jet apparatus comprising an ink jet having an orifice, a chamber coupled to said orifice and a transducer coupled to said chamber so as to change the volume of said chamber and project droplets from said orifice, an ink reservoir and coupling means having a flexible passageway connecting said reservoir to said ink jet, said method comprising the following steps:
- constricting said flexible passageway;
- advancing a constriction along said coupling means until said chamber is filled;
- removing the constriction after the chamber is filled;
- ejecting droplets of ink from said orifice after the chamber is filled;
- and
- flowing ink through the passageway while ejecting droplets by capillary action.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.