Ink jet head with ink usage sensor
AssigneeSpectra, Inc.
InventorsPaul A. Hoisington, Nathan P. Hine
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In the representative embodiments disclosed in the specification, an ink jet system includes a carriage for driving an ink jet head having a reservoir containing ink in a reciprocating motion and a counter for counting ink drops ejected through orifices in the ink jet head, and a nonvolatile memory for storing a number corresponding to the number of drops ejected and for generating a signal to terminate operation of the head or to produce a warning signal or to permit completion of printing of a sheet being printed when the number in the memory reaches a selected value. The ink jet head, which is removable from the system, has a refillable reservoir and, to prevent unauthorized refilling, a security arrangement utilizing a special code or a fuse is provided.
Claims13
An ink jet system comprising ink jet head means for jetting ink including an ink supply, an array of orifices, transducer means for causing selective ejection of ink drops through the orifices, counter means for counting the drops ejected through the orifices, nonvolatile memory means including means for storing a number corresponding to the number of drops ejected through the orifices in the ink jet head means and to indicate appropriate action when the number of drops exceeds a selected number and reset means for resetting the nonvolatile memory means upon replenishment of the ink supply.
An ink jet head for use in an ink jet system comprising an ink supply, an array of orifices, transducer means for causing selective ejection of ink drops through the orifices in response to control signals, counter means for counting the drops ejected through the orifices in the array, nonvolatile memory means including means for storing a number corresponding to the number of drops ejected through the orifices in the array and reset means for resetting the non-volatile memory means upon replenishment of the ink supply.
An ink jet system comprising support means for supporting an ink jet head and a substrate for relative motion between the ink jet head and the substrate so as to produce an image on the substrate during operation of the system, ink jet head means for jetting ink including an ink reservoir, an array of orifices and transducer means for causing selective ejection of ink drops through the orifices in response to control signals, control means including means for causing relative motion between the ink jet head means and the substrate and means for supplying control signals to the transducer means to cause ejection of ink through the array of orifices, counter means for counting the drops ejected through the orifices, nonvolatile memory means including means for storing a number corresponding to the number of drops ejected through the orifices in the ink jet head means and means for producing a signal to indicate appropriate action when the number of drops ejected through the orifices reaches or exceeds a predetermined number, and counter control means arranged to initiate counting by the counter means only when a security arrangement has been activated, wherein the security means includes a resettable polarizable element in the ink jet head means and means for setting a selected polarization condition of the polarizable element in response to replenishment of ink in the ink reservoir and wherein the counter means and nonvolatile memory means are included in the control means and wherein the control means includes means for resetting the nonvolatile memory means in response to detection of the polarizable element in the ink jet head means and for altering the polarization condition of the polarizable element when the nonvolatile memory means is reset.
An ink jet head for use in a hot melt ink jet system adapted to be removably mounted on a support, comprising a refillable ink jet head including an ink reservoir, a supply of hot melt ink in the reservoir, an array of orifices and transducer means for causing selective ejection of hot melt ink through the orifices in response to control signals, including a resettable polarizable element in the ink jet head and means for setting a selected polarization condition in the polarizable element for indicating a full status of the hot melt ink supply in the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.