Inkjet drop selection a non-uniform airstream
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsGilbert A. Hawkins, Christopher N. Delametter, David L. Jeanmaire, James M. Chwalek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for controlling errant ink drops in an inkjet printer having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink drops along a droplet trajectory and printing the ejected ink drops onto a receiver, including: at least one airflow channel arranged to provide a non-uniform airflow pattern located along a portion of the droplet trajectory, wherein the apparatus is in close proximity to the plurality of nozzles and prior to the receiver, such that the non-uniform airflow pattern provides compensation for errors in the printing of the ejected ink drops on the receiver and means for moving air in the airflow channel.
Claims17
Apparatus for controlling errant ink drops in an inkjet printer having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink drops along a droplet trajectory and printing the ejected ink drops onto a receiver, comprising:
- a. at least one airflow channel arranged to provide a non-uniform airflow pattern located along a portion of the droplet trajectory, wherein the apparatus is in close proximity to the plurality of nozzles and prior to the receiver, such that the non-uniform airflow pattern provides compensation for errors in the printing of the ejected ink drops on the receiver;
- and
- b. air source for moving air in the airflow channel.
Apparatus for controlling errant ink drops in an inkjet printer having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink drops along a droplet trajectory and printing the ejected ink drops onto a receiver, comprising:
- a. a plurality of airflow channels in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of nozzles and arranged to provide a non-uniform airflow pattern, located along a portion of the droplet trajectory, wherein the apparatus is in close proximity to the plurality of nozzles and prior to the receiver, such that the non-uniform airflow pattern provides compensation for errors in the printing of the ejected ink drops on the receiver, and
- b. air source for moving air in the airflow channel.
An integrated inkjet print head having a print head top surface that includes at least one nozzle for ejecting ink drops onto a receiver, comprising:
- a) a droplet trajectory-guiding apparatus having at least one airflow channel and disposed between the receiver and the print head top surface which is a permanent part of the integrated inkjet print head,
- b) an air source that causes air flow in and out of the droplet trajectory-guiding apparatus.
A method of printing ink drops onto a receiver to desired printing locations, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing an airflow guide to guide ejected ink drops;
- b) ejecting ink drops from a printer nozzle;
- c) directing a non-uniform airstream through the airflow guide to cause errant ink drops to automatically correct before placement on the receiver regardless of any initial misdirection of the ink drops;
- and
- d) printing corrected ink drops onto the receiver.
A method for controlling errant ink drops in an inkjet printer having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink drops along a droplet trajectory and printing the ejected ink drops onto a receiver, comprising the steps of:
- a. arranging a plurality of airflow to directly cooperate with each of the plurality of nozzles to provide a non-uniform airflow pattern;
- and
- b. providing a means for moving air in the plurality of airflow channels such that the non-uniform airflow pattern provides compensation for errors in the printing of the ejected ink drops on the receiver, wherein such means includes forming the non-uniform airflow pattern by using high airflow velocities in the plurality of airflow channels and/or applying pressure to the plurality of airflow channels such that air flows in the plurality of airflow channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.