Demand ink jet utilizing a phase change ink and method of operating
AssigneeDataproducts Corporation
InventorsAlfred R. Merritt, Theodore M. Cooke, An-Chung R. Lin, Richard G. Whitfield
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A demand or impulse ink jet ejects droplets of hot melt ink. The hot melt ink is heated from a solid state to a liquid state in the jet prior to the ejection of droplets on demand. The ink is then cooled on striking the target. The ink may contain a wax.
Claims19
A method of operating an impulse system for jetting a meltable ink which undergoes a thermally reversible liquid to solid phase transition, said method comprising the following steps:
- elevating the temperature of said ink so as to effect a solid to liquid transition;
- and
- ejecting a drop of liquid ink on demand toward a target wherein the drop strikes the target while in the liquid phase and undergoes a liquid to solid phase transition after striking the target and the drop travels no more than 0.6 cm to the target.
A method of operating an impulse system for jetting a meltable ink which undergoes a thermally reversible liquid to solid phase transition, said method comprising the following steps:
- elevating the temperature of said ink more than 10.degree. F. above the solid to liquid transition point so as to effect a solid to liquid transition;
- and
- ejecting a drop of liquid ink on demand toward a target wherein the drop strikes the target while in the liquid phase and undergoes a liquid to solid phase transition after striking the target.
A method of operating an impulse system for jetting a meltable ink which undergoes a thermally reversible liquid to solid phase transition, said method comprising the following steps:
- elevating the temperature of said ink so as to effect a solid to liquid transition;
- and
- ejecting a drop of liquid ink on demand toward a target wherein the drop strikes the target while in the liquid phase and undergoes a liquid to solid phase transition after striking the target and the drop penetrates the target while in the liquid state such that at least 20% of the volume of the drop is absorbed into the target.
A method of operating an impulse system for jetting a meltable ink which undergoes a thermally reversible liquid to solid phase transition, said method comprising the following steps:
- elevating the temperature of said ink so as to effect a solid to liquid transition;
- and
- ejecting a drop of liquid ink on demand toward a target wherein the drop strikes the target while in the liquid phase and undergoes a liquid to solid phase transition after striking the target and the maximum cross-sectional dimensions of the drop on the target in the solid phase does not exceed three times the maximum cross-sectional dimensions of the drop traveling toward the target.
A method of operating an impulse system for jetting a meltable ink which undergoes a thermally reversible liquid to solid phase transition, said method comprising the following steps:
- elevating the temperature of said ink so as to effect a solid to liquid transition;
- and
- ejecting a drop of liquid ink on demand toward a target wherein the drop strikes the target while in the liquid phase and undergoes a liquid to solid phase transition after striking the target and at least 10% of the volume of ink in the drop is not absorbed by the target.
A method of operating an impulse system for jetting a meltable ink which undergoes a thermally reversible liquid to solid phase transition, said method comprising the following steps:
- elevating the temperature of said ink so as to effect a solid to liquid transition;
- and
- ejecting a drop of liquid ink on demand toward a target wherein the viscosity of the liquid ink being ejected is less than 35 centipoise.
A method of operating an impulse ink jet juxtaposed to a substrate comprising a reservoir and an ink jet chamber including an orifice for ejecting droplets and an inlet coupled to said reservoir, said method comprising the following steps:
- storing a volume of ink in said reservoir and said chamber;
- forming a meniscus of ink in said orifice;
- heating said volume of ink so as to maintain the temperature above a predetermined temperature at which a change in phase from a substantially solid state to a substantially liquid state occurs;
- forming droplets of ink in a liquid state on demand at said meniscus at irregular intervals;
- ejecting said droplets in said liquid state from said orifice on demand at irregular intervals;
- contacting said substrate with each of said droplets wherein said droplets have a viscosity no greater than 35 centipoise in a temperature range of 135.degree. F. to 200.degree. F.;
- and
- cooling each of said droplets on contact with said substrate so as to change from a liquid to a solid state.
A method of operating an impulse ink jet juxtaposed to a substrate comprising a reservoir and an ink jet chamber including an orifice for ejecting droplets and an inlet coupled to said reservoir, said method comprising the following steps:
- storing a volume of ink in said reservoir and said chamber;
- forming a meniscus of ink in said orifice;
- heating said volume of ink so as to maintain the temperature more than10.degree. F. above a predetermined temperature at which a change in phase from a substantially solid state to a substantially liquid state occurs;
- forming droplets of ink in a liquid state on demand at said meniscus at irregular intervals;
- ejecting said droplets in said liquid state from said orifice on demand at irregular intervals;
- contacting said substrate with each of said droplets;
- and
- cooling each of said droplets on contact with said substrate so as to change from a liquid to a solid state wherein said droplets change from a solid state to a liquid state in the temperature range of 135.degree. F. to 200.degree. F.
A method of operating an array of impulse ink jets juxtaposed to a substrate comprising a reservoir and a plurality of ink jets, each of said jets including a chamber and an orifice for ejecting droplets and an inlet coupled to said reservoir, said method comprising the following steps:
- storing a volume of ink in said reservoir in each said chamber;
- forming a meniscus of ink in each said orifice;
- heating said volume of ink above a predetermined temperature at which a change in phase from a substantially solid state below a predetermined temperature to a substantially liquid state occurs;
- forming droplets of ink in a liquid state on demand at said meniscus at irregular intervals in each said orifice;
- ejecting said liquid droplets from each said orifice at irregular intervals;
- contacting said substrate with each of said liquid droplets wherein said droplets have a viscosity no greater than 35 centipoise in a temperature range of 135.degree. F. to 200.degree. F.;
- and
- cooling each of said droplets upon contact with said substrate so as to change from a liquid to a solid state.
A method of operating an array of impulse ink jets juxtaposed to a substrate comprising a reservoir and a plurality of ink jets, each of said jets including an orifice for ejecting droplets in an inlet coupled to said reservoir, said method comprising the following steps:
- storing a volume of ink in said reservoir in each said chamber;
- forming a meniscus of ink in each said orifice;
- heating said volume of ink more than 10.degree. F. above a predetermined temperature at which a change in phase from a substantially solid state below a predetermined temperature to a substantially liquid state occurs;
- forming droplets of ink in a liquid state on demand at said meniscus at irregular intervals in each said orifice wherein said droplets change from a solid state to a liquid state in the range of 135.degree. F. to 200.degree. F.;
- ejecting said liquid droplets from each said orifice at irregular intervals;
- contacting said substrate with each of said liquid droplets;
- and
- cooling each of said droplets upon contact with said substrate so as to change from a liquid to a solid state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.