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US 7,611,220 B2Granted
Printhead and method for controlling print quality using printhead temperature
AssigneeSilverbrook Research Pty Ltd
InventorKia Silverbrook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printhead and method of operation for controlling the print quality using temperature. A sensor senses the printhead temperature before printing begins. The controller compares it to a threshold temperature that represents desired ink drop characteristics. If the printhead temperature is below the threshold, it initiates heating elements and adjusts the heating elements until the threshold temperature has been reached.
Claims10
A method of printing ink drops with a printhead over a print area, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a temperature of the printhead before printing begins;
- receiving resistivity feedback from the printhead, said resistivity feedback comprising information regarding a resistivity of individual heating elements in the printhead;
- comparing the temperature with a predefined threshold temperature;
- initiating heating elements if the temperature is below the threshold temperature;
- turning off the heating elements when the threshold temperature of the printhead has been reached to produce desired characteristics in the ink drops;
- and,
- pulsing the heating elements with electrical energy to impart sufficient kinetic energy to ink in the printhead to eject the ink drops with desired characteristics, wherein the temperature of the printhead and the resistivity feedback are together used to determine an amount and timing of electrical energy pulsed to each heating element.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.