Operation of droplet deposition apparatus

US6402282B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• XAAR TECHNOLOGY LIMITED · GB

Inventor

• Laura Anne Webb · Swavesey, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 12, 1999
• Grant date: Jun 11, 2002
• Expiry date: Oct 12, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B41J2202/10
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Method of operating an inkjet printhead for printing on a substrate; the printhead having a chamber communicating with a nozzle for ejection of ink droplets and with a supply of ink; the printhead further comprising electrically actuable means associated with the chamber and actuable a plurality of times in accordance with print tone data, thereby to eject a corresponding number of droplets to form a printed dot of appropriate tone on the substrate; the method comprising the steps of applying a plurality of electrical signals to the electrically actuable means in accordance with the print tone data, the time delay between application of successive signals being such that any variation in the average velocity at which corresponding droplets travel to the substrate to form said printed dot remains below that which would lead to defects in the printed image detectable by the naked eye, regardless of the number of said droplets ejected to form said printed dot.