Generation of drops for inkjet printing
AssigneeMarkem-Imaje Corporation
InventorBruno Barbet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The generator according to the invention operates by strong stimulation in the form of pulses (τ) so as to generate drops, particularly for ink jet printing purposes. This choice enables breaking the jet (30) close to the ejection (16) and reduces the interference ratio. A generator with piezoelectric stimulation is particularly suitable.
Claims13
Method for projecting a liquid in the form of drops from a generator comprising:
- pressurizing the liquid in a chamber provided with at least one exit nozzle such that at least one jet, with an average radius exits from the chamber at a certain velocity through a nozzle;
- disturbing the jet by a stimulation pulse such that the jet is broken up at a jet break up location, the pulse duration being less than four and a half times the ratio of the jet radius to velocity, wherein the stimulation efficiency being such that the jet is deformed with an amplitude of the diameter deformation of the jet which is greater than 20% of the average jet diameter of the continuous liquid jet, at a distance from the nozzle, wherein the distance is less than or equal to five times an optimum jet instability wavelength, the optimum jet instability wavelength which is the oscillation wavelength of the jet for which the jet is the most unstable.
Device generating an array of liquid drops comprising a plurality of adjacent chambers containing pressurised liquid and separated from each other by a wall, each chamber supplying an ejection nozzle with liquid to form a continuous jet of liquid, each chamber comprising a wall opposite the nozzle that supports a piezoelectric actuator to disturb the jet and thus generating jet segments with adjustable length, and means for generating a low voltage pulse connected to each actuator wherein the surface of each piezoelectric actuator being such that each actuator overlaps at least part of each separating wall of the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.