Patent · US Expired

Ink jet printer and drive method therefor

US6174038A · kind A · utility

35Cited by
6References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 23, 1998
Grant dateJan 16, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 23, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2/04596
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

In an ink jet printer having pressure generate means for pressurizing ink inside the printer nozzles, either a first electric pulse of an amplitude enabling ink drop ejecting, or a second electric pulse of an amplitude lower than the amplitude of the first electric pulse for mobilizing ink inside a nozzle, is applied to each pressure generator synchronized to a reference signal of a single frequency. An ink drop is not ejected when a low amplitude second pulse is applied to a pressure generating means. Applying said second electric pulse instead stimulates ink around the nozzle so that high viscosity ink at the nozzle tip mixes with low viscosity ink deeper inside the nozzle, thereby lowering the overall viscosity of ink in the nozzle so that ink drop ejecting is easier.

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