Patent · US Expired

Switched digital drive system for an ink jet printhead

US5436648A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
22References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 10, 1993
Grant dateJul 25, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 10, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2202/10
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A switched digital drive system is used to actuate an ink jet printhead having a spaced, parallel series of internal ink receiving channels opening outwardly at front ends thereof through ink discharge orifices formed in the printhead body. The channels are laterally bounded by a spaced series of piezoelectrically deflectable internal sidewall sections of the printhead body interdigitated with the channels. The drive system includes a series of electrical actuation leads each connected to a different one of the sidewall sections, and dual transistor switch structures connected in the leads with each switch, in turn, connected to positive and negative DC voltage sources. To actuate a selected channel, the switches associated with its opposite bounding sidewall sections are operated in a manner sequentially (1) deflecting the sidewall sections outwardly away from initially undeflected positions thereof by imposing constant, opposite polarity voltages thereon, (2) reversing the polarities of the constant voltages to deflect the sidewall sections into the channel, and then (3) imposing a series of voltage pulses of sequentially opposite polarities on each of the inwardly deflected side…

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