Abstract:
A method is provided for using a single-pixel imager in order to spatially reconstruct an image of a scene. The method can comprise the following: configuring a light filtering device including an array of imaging elements to a spatially varying optical filtering process of incoming light according to a series of spatial patterns corresponding to sampling functions. The light filtering device can be a transmissive filter including a first membrane, a second membrane, and a variable gap therebetween. The method further comprises tuning a controller for manipulating a variable dimension of the gap; and, measuring, using a photodetector of the single-pixel imager, a magnitude of an intensity of the filtered light across pixel locations in the series of spatial patterns. The magnitude of the intensity can be equivalent to an integral value of the scene across the pixel locations.
Abstract:
An ink jet printhead includes a nozzle plate including a nozzle, a recess in the nozzle plate, and a compliant layer that covers the recess and forms a sealed pocket that may be filled with air or another gas during use of the printhead. During actuation of a piezoelectric element during the ejection of ink from the nozzle, the sealed pocket attenuates an acoustic energy generated by the piezoelectric element, thereby reducing crosstalk to adjacent nozzles by the acoustic energy.
Abstract:
A printhead including a venting system and an actuator array, wherein each actuator may include an actuator air chamber. The venting system includes an air path that vents each actuator air chamber to the atmosphere. The printhead further includes a dryer configured to remove moisture from air within the air path. The dryer may include a passive desiccant, an active resistive heater, or both.
Abstract:
A nanoprinthead including an array of nanotip cantilevers, where each nanotip cantilever includes a nanotip at an end of a cantilever, and a method for forming the nanoprinthead. Each nanotip may be individually addressable through use of an array of piezoelectric actuators. Embodiments for forming a nanoprinthead including an array of nanotip cantilevers can include an etching process from a material such as a silicon wafer, or the formation of a metal or dielectric nanotip cantilever over a substrate. The nanoprinthead may operate to provide uses for technologies such as dip-pen nanolithography, nanomachining, and nanoscratching, among others.
Abstract:
A structure and method for a post plate of a die set that can be used to emboss a plurality of contact pads of a flexible printed circuit during the formation of a printer printhead. In one embodiment, a plurality of post plate posts can be formed, where each post plate post has a flat upper surface, generally straight sides, and a sharp corner where the flat upper surface and the generally straight sides intersect. Each post can be polished using, for example, a pad and an abrasive polishing compound or an electrochemical polishing process, to round the sharp corners to form a post having a rounded contour. In another embodiment, a plurality of post plate posts each having a rounded contour can be formed using a molding process.
Abstract:
An extruder has a valve assembly configured to move pins to open and close the nozzles in a multi-nozzle extruder head independently. The pins of the valve assembly that are driven by actuators into and out of engagement with nozzles in the extruder head are positioned within sleeves that extend between the valve assembly and the extruder head. A gap is provided between the extruder head and the end of the sleeves proximate the extruder head to enable thermoplastic material leaking from the extruder that contacts the pins to remain in a melted or plastic state so the thermoplastic material does not interfere with the movement of the pins.
Abstract:
An additive manufacturing system includes a heater for converting a filament of extrusion material into thermoplastic material. The heater has a channel configured to change the cross-sectional shape of the filament to a cross-sectional shape that has a greater surface area than the surface area of the filament before the heater receives the filament. The channel of the heater can also be configured to drive the center portion of the filament toward the heated walls of the channel and to mix thermoplastic material in the channel while exposing the center portion of the filament to the heated wall of the channel.
Abstract:
An additive manufacturing system has a controller configured to modify numerical control programming instructions to form interlocking structures that improve object structural integrity in the Z-direction. The interlocking structures are produced by forming one layer with swaths that are separated by gaps and another layer that is formed over the gaps to fill the gaps and lay over the swaths forming the gaps.
Abstract:
An additive manufacturing system has a plurality of manifolds in an extruder. Each manifold is connected to at least one nozzle of the extruder so the at least one nozzle extrudes thermoplastic material through a corresponding aperture in a faceplate mounted to the extruder. A plurality of valves is configured between each manifold and each nozzle connected to the manifold so the nozzles connected to a manifold extrude thermoplastic material from the manifold selectively. The faceplate is also configured for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the faceplate so different orientations of the nozzles and the apertures of the faceplate can be obtained. The different manifolds of the extruder enable a plurality of thermoplastic materials having different properties to be extruded simultaneously so the materials can join to one another while the materials are at an elevated temperature.
Abstract:
A method for identifying an angular deviation in the orientation of a multi-nozzle extruder includes moving the multi-nozzle extruder in a first process direction to form a first extrusion material swath and moving the multi-nozzle extruder in a second process direction opposing the first process direction to form a second extrusion material swath. The method further includes identifying widths and heights of the swaths from scanned image data and identifying a component of angular deviation for the multi-nozzle extruder with reference to at least one of a difference between the first swath width and the second swath width and another difference between the first swath height and the second swath height.