Beam micro-actuator with a tunable or stable amplitude particularly suited for ink jet printing
US6572220B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jun 3, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J2202/16
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An ink jet printing apparatus and method for generating droplets of a printing liquid from a nozzle of an inkjet printhead features a temperature responsive vibrating beam constrained at both ends of the beam within or near a nozzle having an exit opening, the beam being continuously vibrated within the printing liquid in response to electrical pulsing applied to the beam so that the beam vibrates at a predetermined frequency and the beam is at a temperature that is characterized by frequency of vibration that is substantially at a local minimum point whereby minor excursions in temperature of the beam from the local minimum point temperature provides substantially minimal changes in frequency and amplitude of vibration of the beam. A heating element located at or near the exit outlet of the nozzle is selectively heated to provide a heat pulse to a meniscus of the printing liquid at the nozzle exit outlet to selectively control droplet formation and/or droplet direction leaving the printhead.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.