Patent · US Expired

Device and method for driving ink jet printing head capable of attaining both high quality printing and reduction of ink consumption

US6685300B1 · kind B1 · utility

8Cited by
9References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 11, 2000
Grant dateFeb 3, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 13, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2/1652
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A driving method for an ink jet printing head includes a vibration application step and an ink refresh operation step. In the vibration application step, small vibrations, which do not cause ink drop discharge from nozzles of the ink jet printing head, are applied to pressure-generation chambers of the ink jet printing head corresponding to nozzles which are not executing ink drop discharge. In the ink refresh operation step, ink refresh operation, for removing the ink in the nozzles and replacing the ink with fresh ink, is periodically executed according to a refresh operation cycle which is appropriately set based on the temperature and/or humidity measured around the ink jet printing head. The ink refresh operation is executed by means of forcible ink drop discharge from the nozzles, ink suction by a pump, etc. For example, the refresh operation cycle is set shorter as the temperature around the ink jet printing head gets lower and as the humidity around the ink jet printing head gets lower. By the vibration application step and the ink refresh operation step with such setting of the refresh operation cycle, stable discharge of minute ink drops and high quality ink jet printing …

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