Inkjet array
AssigneeOce-Nederland B.V.
InventorsBontko Witteveen, Frederik Maria Van Beek, Peter Wilhelmus Hubertus Engels
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Abstract
An inkjet array for a printer includes a number of elements. Each element has an ink chamber and an ink provider, and a piezo-actuator rigidly secured to one side of the ink chamber. The ink chamber is brought into motion in response to an image signal whereby an ink droplet is ejected from a nozzle of the ink chamber. Each of the ink chambers of the array can be brought into motion separately.
Claims20
An inkjet array for a printer comprising:
- a holder;
- a plurality of elongated ink chambers, each ink chamber being separated from other ink chambers and each ink chamber having a nozzle;
- means for supplying ink to the ink chambers;
- and
- a plurality of piezo-actuators each having a rod shape being rigidly secured to the holder and to one side of a respective elongated ink chamber, an image signal being receivable by at least one of the piezo-actuators whereafter the ink chamber connected to a piezo-actuator receiving the image signal is moved in a direction generally parallel to an axis of the chamber to thereby eject an ink droplet from the nozzle thereof.
A method for ejecting an ink droplet from a nozzle of an elongated ink chamber in an inkjet array for a printer, the inkjet array having a plurality of rod shaped ink chambers, the ink chambers being individually attached to piezo-actuators of the inkjet array and being connected to an ink supply, each ink chamber having a longitudinal axis, the method comprising the steps of:
- supplying ink to the ink chambers from the ink supply;
- supplying an image signal to at least one of the piezo-actuators;
- moving the ink chamber attached to the piezo-actuator receiving the image signal, the ink chamber being separated from adjacent ink chambers to therefore move independently of the adjacent ink chambers and the ink chambers moving in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof;
- and
- ejecting the droplet of ink from the nozzle of the ink chamber upon movement of the ink chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.