Method and apparatus for producing ink intensity modulated ink jet printing

US5764252A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Tektronix, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Ronald F. Burr · Wilsonville, US
• Wayne Jaeger · Beaverton, US
• A. J. Rogers · West Linn, US
• James D. Padgett · Lake Oswego, US
• Hue P. Le · Beaverton, US
• Jon C. Mutton · Portland, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 6, 1995
• Grant date: Jun 9, 1998
• Expiry date: Jun 6, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B41J2/211
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Gray scale ink jet printing method and apparatus produce a high quality image having varying color intensities. This is achieved by mixing a colored phase change ink with varying amounts of a clear phase change ink base, thereby producing multiple gray scale levels of each color. The mixing either can be performed prior to placement of the phase change ink in the printer, or can be performed within the printer to produce different levels of color intensity during the printing process.