Patent · US Expired

Recording apparatus which projects droplets of liquid through generation of bubbles in a liquid flow path in response to signals received from a photosensor

US5159349A · kind A · utility

44Cited by
7References
1Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 3, 1991
Grant dateOct 27, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 3, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2/2128
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A recording apparatus for recording an image sensed by a photosensor comprises an inlet for accepting a liquid to be delivered to an outlet orifice through a liquid flow path. Liquid is supplied to the inlet for flow through the liquid flow path to a heating element, which heats liquid in the liquid flow path in response to signals received by the photosensor. Heating is sufficient to cause a change of state of the liquid (that is, to generate a bubble) and produce a force acting on the liquid which overcomes the surface tension of liquid at the orifice and thereby projects a droplet of liquid from the orifice. The temperature of the heating element is raised at each actuation to a temperature above the maximum temperature at which the liquid in the liquid flow path is subjected only to nucleate boiling so as to promote substantially instantaneous transfer of heat to the liquid proximate to the heating element and to retard the transfer of heat from the heating element to liquid at other locations in the liquid flow path.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.