Method an apparatus for discharging liquid by a gas bubble controlled by a moveable member to communicate with the atmosphere
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsHiroyuki Ishinaga, Sadayuki Sugama, Toshio Kashino, Takeshi Okazaki, Aya Yoshihira, Kiyomitsu Kudo, Yoshie Asakawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is disclosed a liquid discharging method and apparatus in which a bubble is formed and grown in the liquid is communicated with atmosphere at an area of a discharge opening, and in which a movable member having a free end which guides the bubble toward the discharge opening while regulating growth of the bubble.
Claims74
A method for discharging ink from a liquid jet head having a discharge port for discharging liquid and having a bubble forming mechanism and a moveable member having a free end which is displaceable in accordance with the growth of a bubble formed by said bubble forming mechanism, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming a bubble in the liquid;
- growing the bubble formed in the liquid;
- directing, by means of said moveable member, the growth of the bubble toward the discharge port so that the bubble becomes communicated with external air at an area of said discharge port;
- and
- after the bubble has been communicated to the atmosphere, repelling the atmosphere out of said discharge port by means of said moveable member.
A method for discharging ink from a liquid jet head having a discharge port for discharging liquid and having a bubble forming mechanism and a moveable member having a free end which is displaceable in accordance with the growth of a bubble formed by said bubble forming mechanism, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming a bubble in the liquid;
- growing the bubble formed in the liquid;
- directing, by means of said moveable member, the growth of the bubble toward the discharge port so that the bubble becomes communicated with external air at an area of said discharge port;
- and
- after the bubble has been communicated to the atmosphere, repelling the atmosphere out of said discharge port by means of said moveable member,
- wherein, in order to prevent the bubble from remaining in the liquid, the atmosphere is released by a tapered portion provided in the vicinity of said free end of said moveable member when said moveable member is returned to its initial position.
In a liquid discharging head for discharging ink:
- a discharge port from which ink is discharged;
- a bubble forming mechanism;
- a moveable member having a free end which is displaceable in accordance with the growth of a bubble formed by said bubble forming mechanism and which is arranged to direct the growth of said bubble toward said discharge port so that the bubble becomes communicated with external air at an area of said discharge port, said moveable member being positioned to repel atmosphere out of said discharge port.
In a liquid discharging head for discharging ink:
- a discharge port from which ink is discharged;
- a bubble forming mechanism;
- a moveable member having a free end which is displaceable in accordance with the growth of a bubble formed by said bubble forming mechanism and which is arranged to direct the growth of said bubble toward said discharge port so that the bubble becomes communicated with external air at an area of said discharge port, said moveable member being positioned to repel atmosphere out of said discharge port,
- wherein, in order to prevent the bubble from remaining in the liquid, the atmosphere is released by a tapered portion provided in the vicinity of said free end of said moveable member when said moveable member is returned to its initial position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.