Conductivity sensor with cleaning apparatus
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsZiv Gilan, Barry Oldfield, Giries Kadis, Gil Bar-Haim, Michel Assenheimer
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Abstract
A system and method for determining LEP ink conductivity are provided. A pair of electrodes is arranged to define a narrow gap there between. A non-conductive propeller rotates within the gap and causes liquid ink to flow over respective planar surfaces of the electrodes. The rotating propeller further prevents the accumulation of ink sludge on the planar surfaces of the electrodes within the gap. Electrical current is conducted between the electrodes. The electrical current is measured and the conductivity value of the ink determined there from.
Claims12
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first electrode and a second electrode respectively disposed to define a gap there between, at least one of the electrodes defining an aperture there through;
- and
- a propeller supported within the gap, the propeller configured to cause a liquid ink to flow through the gap during rotation of the propeller, the propeller further configured to prevent accumulation of an ink sludge within the gap during rotation of the propeller, the propeller supported on a pump shaft, the pump shaft extending through the aperture of the at least one electrode.
A method, comprising:
- rotating a propeller so as to cause a liquid ink to flow through an electrode gap, the rotating propeller also preventing accumulation of an ink sludge within the electrode gap;
- conducting an electric current between a pair of electrodes;
- rotating a pump shaft within a through aperture of at least one electrode of the pair of electrodes, the propeller rotated by way of the rotating pump shaft;
- and
- determining a conductivity characteristic of the liquid ink by way of the electric current.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a tank configured to contain a liquid ink;
- a pump supported within the tank and configured to cause a flow of the liquid ink, the pump configured to be driven by rotation of a pump shaft;
- a pair of electrodes supported within the tank, at least one electrode of the pair of electrodes defining an aperture there through the pump shaft extending through the aperture of the at least one electrode;
- and
- a propeller supported within the tank along the pump shaft, the propeller configured to prevent ink sludge from accumulating on facing surfaces of the electrodes during rotation of the propeller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.