Patent · US Expired

Droplet volume calculation method for a thermal ink jet printer

US6517182B1 · kind B1 · utility

6Cited by
5References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 18, 2002
Grant dateFeb 11, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 18, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2/0458
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method for detecting the volume (Vol) of the droplets of ink (22) ejected by a thermal ink jet printhead (11), comprising a continuous driving cycle during which one or more thermal ejection actuators (17) of the printhead (11) are driven in pulsing fashion with a driving energy (Ep) progressively increasing from a condition where no droplets are ejected, while the printhead (11) is maintained at a substantially constant stabilization temperature (Ts), notwithstanding the progressive increase in driving energy (Ep), by means of a heat control member (28) which absorbs and dissipates an appropriate feedback energy. (Er) in the printhead (11); wherein the quantities, correlated to each other in the course of the continuous driving cycle, of respectively the driving energy (Ep) fed to the ejection actuator (17) and the feedback energy (Er) absorbed and dissipated by the heat control member (28), to maintain the printhead (11) at the stabilization temperature (Ts), are acquired for the purpose of defining an experimental characteristic (50) representative of the continuous driving cycle, and in which the two linear end portions (51, 53) of this characteristic (50) are compared with e…

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