公开(公告)号：US06183058B2

公开(公告)日：2001-02-06

申请号：US09407451

申请日：1999-09-28

申请人： Ravi Sharma ,  John A. Quenin ,  Christopher N. Delametter ,  Michael E. Meichle ,  Omid A. Moghadam ,  Walter S. Stevens

发明人： Ravi Sharma ,  John A. Quenin ,  Christopher N. Delametter ,  Michael E. Meichle ,  Omid A. Moghadam ,  Walter S. Stevens

IPC分类号： B41J2165

CPC分类号： B41J2/16552 ,  B41J2/16585 ,  B41J2/185

摘要： Self-cleaning printer system with reverse fluid flow and method of assembling the printer system. The printer system comprises a print head defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in an ink ejection orifice. The print head also has a surface thereon surrounding all the orifices. Contaminant may reside on the surface and also may completely or partially obstruct the orifice. Therefore, a cleaning assembly is disposed relative to the surface and/or orifice for directing a flow of fluid along the surface and/or across the orifice to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. The cleaning assembly includes a septum disposed opposite the surface or orifice for defining a gap therebetween. Presence of the septum accelerates the flow of fluid through the gap to induce a hydrodynamic shearing force in the fluid. This shearing force acts against the contaminant to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. A pump in fluid communication with the gap is also provided for pumping the fluid through the gap. As the surface and/or orifice is cleaned, the contaminant is entrained in the fluid. A filter is provided to separate the contaminant from the fluid. In addition, a valve system in fluid communication with the gap is operable to direct flow of the fluid through the gap in a first direction and then in a second direction opposite the first direction to enhance cleaning effectiveness. Moreover, the print head itself has integral passageways formed therein for conducting the flow of fluid to the surface of the print head.

摘要翻译： 具有反向流体流动的自清洁打印机系统和组装打印机系统的方法。 打印机系统包括在其中限定多个墨水通道的打印头，每个墨水通道终止于墨水喷射口。 打印头还具有围绕所有孔的表面。 污染物可能驻留在表面上，也可能完全或部分地堵塞孔口。 因此，相对于表面和/或孔设置清洁组件，用于沿着表面和/或穿过孔引导流体流，以从表面和/或孔口清洁污染物。 清洁组件包括与表面或孔相对设置的隔膜，用于在其间限定间隙。 隔垫的存在加速流体通过间隙的流动，以在流体中引起流体动力剪切力。 该剪切力作用在污染物上以从表面和/或孔口清洁污染物。 还提供与间隙流体连通的泵，用于泵送流体通过间隙。 当表面和/或孔被清洁时，污染物被夹带在流体中。 提供过滤器以将污染物与流体分离。 此外，与间隙流体连通的阀系统可操作以引导流体在第一方向上流过间隙，然后在与第一方向相反的第二方向上引导流体，以提高清洁效果。 此外，打印头本身具有形成在其中的整体通道，用于将流体流动导向打印头的表面。

公开(公告)号：US06168256A

公开(公告)日：2001-01-02

申请号：US09222752

申请日：1998-12-29

申请人： Ravi Sharma ,  John A. Quenin ,  Christopher N. Delametter ,  Michael E. Meichle ,  Klaus-Dieter Bier ,  Walter S. Stevens

发明人： Ravi Sharma ,  John A. Quenin ,  Christopher N. Delametter ,  Michael E. Meichle ,  Klaus-Dieter Bier ,  Walter S. Stevens

IPC分类号： B41J2165

CPC分类号： B41J2/16552 ,  B41J2/185

摘要： Self-cleaning printer with reverse fluid flow and method of assembling the printer. The printer comprises a print head defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in an ink ejection orifice. The print head also has a surface thereon surrounding all the orifices. Contaminant may reside on the surface and also may completely or partially obstruct the orifice. Therefore, a cleaning assembly is disposed relative to the surface and/or orifice for directing a flow of fluid along the surface and/or across the orifice to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. The cleaning assembly includes an oscillatable septum disposed opposite the surface or orifice for defining a gap therebetween. Presence of the oscillatable septum accelerates the flow of fluid through the gap to induce a hydrodynamic shearing force in the fluid. This shearing force acts against the contaminant to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. A pump in fluid communication with the gap is also provided for pumping the fluid through the gap. As the surface and/or orifice is cleaned, the contaminant is entrained in the fluid. A filter is provided to separate the contaminant from the fluid.

摘要翻译： 具有反向流体流动的自清洁打印机和组装打印机的方法。 打印机包括在其中限定多个墨水通道的打印头，每个墨水通道终止于墨水喷射口。 打印头还具有围绕所有孔的表面。 污染物可能驻留在表面上，也可能完全或部分地堵塞孔口。 因此，相对于表面和/或孔设置清洁组件，用于沿着表面和/或穿过孔引导流体流，以从表面和/或孔口清洁污染物。 清洁组件包括与表面或孔相对设置的可摆动隔膜，用于在其间限定间隙。 可摆动隔膜的存在加速流体通过间隙的流动以在流体中引起流体动力剪切力。 该剪切力作用在污染物上以从表面和/或孔口清洁污染物。 还提供与间隙流体连通的泵，用于泵送流体通过间隙。 当表面和/或孔被清洁时，污染物被夹带在流体中。 提供过滤器以将污染物与流体分离。

公开(公告)号：US06286929B1

公开(公告)日：2001-09-11

申请号：US09222409

申请日：1998-12-29

申请人： Ravi Sharma ,  John A. Quenin ,  Christopher N. Delametter ,  Michael E. Meichle ,  Klaus-Dieter Bier ,  Walter S. Stevens

发明人： Ravi Sharma ,  John A. Quenin ,  Christopher N. Delametter ,  Michael E. Meichle ,  Klaus-Dieter Bier ,  Walter S. Stevens

IPC分类号： B41J2165

CPC分类号： B41J2/16552 ,  B41J2/16585 ,  B41J2/185

摘要： A self-cleaning ink jet printer with oscillating septum and ultrasonics and method of assembling the printer. The printer has a print head defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in an ink ejection orifice. The print head also has a surface thereon surrounding all the orifices. Contaminant may reside on the surface and also may completely or partially obstruct the orifice. Therefore, a cleaning assembly is disposed relative to the surface and/or orifice for directing a flow of fluid along the surface and/or across the orifice to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. The cleaning assembly includes an oscillatable septum disposed opposite the surface or orifice for defining a gap therebetween. Presence of the septum accelerates the flow of fluid through the gap to induce a hydrodynamic shearing force in the fluid. This shearing force acts against the contaminant to “sweep” the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. Also included is an ultrasonic transducer in communication with the fluid for generating a plurality of pressure waves in the fluid for dislodging the contaminant. A pump in fluid communication with the gap is also provided for pumping the fluid through the gap. As the surface and/or orifice is cleaned, the contaminant is entrained in the fluid. A filter is provided to separate the contaminant from the fluid.

摘要翻译： 具有振动隔膜和超声波的自清洁喷墨打印机以及组装打印机的方法。 打印机具有在其中限定多个墨水通道的打印头，每个墨水通道终止于墨水喷射口。 打印头还具有围绕所有孔的表面。 污染物可能驻留在表面上，也可能完全或部分地堵塞孔口。 因此，相对于表面和/或孔设置清洁组件，用于沿着表面和/或穿过孔引导流体流，以从表面和/或孔口清洁污染物。 清洁组件包括与表面或孔相对设置的可摆动隔膜，用于在其间限定间隙。 隔垫的存在加速流体通过间隙的流动，以在流体中引起流体动力剪切力。 该剪切力作用在污染物上以从表面和/或孔口“扫”污染物。 还包括与流体连通的超声波换能器，用于在流体中产生多个压力波，用于移除污染物。 还提供与间隙流体连通的泵，用于泵送流体通过间隙。 当表面和/或孔被清洁时，污染物被夹带在流体中。 提供过滤器以将污染物与流体分离。

公开(公告)号：US06290323B1

公开(公告)日：2001-09-18

申请号：US09407448

申请日：1999-09-28

申请人： Ravi Sharma ,  John A. Quenin ,  Walter S. Stevens

发明人： Ravi Sharma ,  John A. Quenin ,  Walter S. Stevens

IPC分类号： B41J2165

CPC分类号： B41J2/16552 ,  B41J2/185

摘要： Self-cleaning printer system with reverse fluid flow and rotating roller and method of assembling the printer system. The printer system comprises a print head defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in an ink ejection orifice. The print head also has a surface thereon surrounding all the orifices. Contaminant may reside on the surface and also may completely or partially obstruct the orifice. Therefore, a cleaning assembly is disposed relative to the surface and/or orifice for directing a flow of fluid along the surface and/or across the orifice to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. The cleaning assembly includes a rotatable roller disposed opposite the surface or orifice and defining a gap therebetween. Presence of the rotating roller accelerates the flow of fluid through the gap to induce a hydrodynamic shearing force in the fluid. This shearing force acts against the contaminant to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. A pump in fluid communication with the gap is also provided for pumping the fluid through the gap. As the surface and/or orifice is cleaned, the contaminant is entrained in the fluid. A filter is provided to separate the contaminant from the fluid. In addition, a valve system in fluid communication with the gap is operable to direct flow of the fluid through the gap in a first direction and then in a second direction opposite the first direction to enhance cleaning effectiveness. Moreover, the print head itself has integral passageways formed therein for conducting the flow of fluid to the surface of the print head.

摘要翻译： 具有反流体流动和旋转辊的自清洁打印机系统以及组装打印机系统的方法。 打印机系统包括在其中限定多个墨水通道的打印头，每个墨水通道终止于墨水喷射口。 打印头还具有围绕所有孔的表面。 污染物可能驻留在表面上，也可能完全或部分地堵塞孔口。 因此，相对于表面和/或孔设置清洁组件，用于沿着表面和/或穿过孔引导流体流，以从表面和/或孔口清洁污染物。 清洁组件包括与表面或孔口相对设置的可旋转辊，并且在其间限定间隙。 旋转辊的存在加速流体通过间隙的流动，以在流体中引起流体动力剪切力。 该剪切力作用在污染物上以从表面和/或孔口清洁污染物。 还提供与间隙流体连通的泵，用于泵送流体通过间隙。 当表面和/或孔被清洁时，污染物被夹带在流体中。 提供过滤器以将污染物与流体分离。 此外，与间隙流体连通的阀系统可操作以引导流体在第一方向上流过间隙，然后在与第一方向相反的第二方向上引导流体，以提高清洁效果。 此外，打印头本身具有形成在其中的整体通道，用于将流体流动导向打印头的表面。

公开(公告)号：US6065825A

公开(公告)日：2000-05-23

申请号：US969299

申请日：1997-11-13

申请人： Constantine N. Anagnostopoulos ,  James M. Chwalek ,  John A. Lebens ,  Christopher N. Delametter ,  Walter S. Stevens

发明人： Constantine N. Anagnostopoulos ,  James M. Chwalek ,  John A. Lebens ,  Christopher N. Delametter ,  Walter S. Stevens

IPC分类号： B41J2/005 ,  B41J2/14 ,  G01D15/18

CPC分类号： B41J2/14451 ,  B41J2002/0055 ,  B41J2202/02

摘要： A printer having mechanically-assisted ink droplet separation and method of using same, for separating an ink meniscus from an ink nozzle orifice while clearing-away particulate matter from about the orifice. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a heater surrounds an orifice formed by the nozzle, the orifice having an ink meniscus residing therein. As the heater heats the ink meniscus, surface tension of the ink meniscus decreases, thereby causing the ink meniscus to extend outwardly from the orifice to define an extended ink meniscus. A cutter, which is disposed near the orifice, includes a plate member disposed opposite an outside surface of the nozzle so as to define a passage between the outside surface and the plate member. The plate member has an opening aligned with the orifice and in communication with the passage. A gas pressure regulator in communication with the passage supplies pressurized gas into the passage, which gas flows along the passage an through the opening. As the gas flows through the opening, it impinges the extended ink meniscus to separate the extended ink meniscus from the orifice. As the extended ink meniscus separates from the orifice, it forms an ink droplet that travels to a receiver medium, so that an ink spot is placed onto the receiver medium. Moreover, as the gas flows through the opening, the gas clears-away particulate matter from about the orifice.

摘要翻译： 一种具有机械辅助墨滴分离的打印机及其使用方法，用于从墨喷嘴孔口分离墨水弯月面，同时从孔口周围清除颗粒物质。 在本发明的优选实施例中，加热器围绕由喷嘴形成的孔口，孔口具有驻留在其中的墨水弯月面。 当加热器加热油墨弯月面时，油墨弯月面的表面张力减小，从而使油墨弯月面从孔口向外延伸以限定延伸的油墨弯液面。 设置在孔口附近的切割器包括与喷嘴的外表面相对设置的板构件，以在外表面和板构件之间限定通道。 板构件具有与孔口对准并与通道连通的开口。 与通道连通的气体压力调节器将加压气体供应到通道中，该气体沿着通道A流过开口。 当气体流过开口时，其撞击延伸的墨水弯液面以将延伸的墨水弯液面与孔口分离。 随着延伸墨水弯月面与孔口分离，它形成一个墨滴，传送到接收介质，使得墨点被放置在接收介质上。 此外，当气体流过开口时，气体从孔口周围清除颗粒物质。

公开(公告)号：US06536873B1

公开(公告)日：2003-03-25

申请号：US09607840

申请日：2000-06-30

申请人： Yung-Rai R. Lee ,  John A. Lebens ,  Gilbert A. Hawkins ,  Ravi Sharma ,  Walter S. Stevens

发明人： Yung-Rai R. Lee ,  John A. Lebens ,  Gilbert A. Hawkins ,  Ravi Sharma ,  Walter S. Stevens

IPC分类号： B41J204

CPC分类号： B41J2/14451 ,  B41J2002/14338

摘要： Drop-on-demand ink jet printer capable of directional control of ink drop ejection and method of assembling the method. The method comprises a print head body having an ink ejection orifice adapted to poise an ink meniscus thereat about a center axis passing through the orifice. A deflector is coupled to the print head body and is adapted to be in communication with the poised meniscus for lowering surface tension of a region of the poised meniscus. The poised meniscus deflects away from the region of lower surface tension and away from the center axis to define a deflected meniscus, whereby an ink drop separated from the deflected meniscus travels at an angle with respect to the center axis, so that the ink drop can strike a receiver at any one of a plurality of predetermined locations on a print line.

摘要翻译： 能够定向控制墨滴喷射的按需喷墨打印机和组装方法的方法。 该方法包括具有墨喷射孔的打印头本体，该喷墨孔适于在通过该孔的中心轴上摆动油墨弯液面。 偏转器联接到打印头本体，并且适于与准备好的弯液面连通，以降低准位半月板的区域的表面张力。 准备好的弯液面偏离较低表面张力的区域并远离中心轴线以限定偏转的弯液面，由此与偏转的弯月面分离的墨滴以相对于中心轴线成一定角度行进，使得墨滴可以 在打印线上的多个预定位置中的任何一个处敲击接收器。

公开(公告)号：US06422772B1

公开(公告)日：2002-07-23

申请号：US09607166

申请日：2000-06-29

申请人： Terrence L. Fisher, Sr. ,  Walter S. Stevens

发明人： Terrence L. Fisher, Sr. ,  Walter S. Stevens

IPC分类号： B65H104

CPC分类号： B65H1/266 ,  B41J11/006 ,  B41J13/0045 ,  B41J13/103 ,  B65H1/04 ,  B65H83/025 ,  B65H2403/53 ,  B65H2404/693 ,  B65H2405/113 ,  B65H2405/13 ,  B65H2601/2525 ,  Y10S271/902

摘要： A printer having an interference-free receiver sheet feed path and method of assembling the printer. The printer, which is a thermal dye printer, comprises a print head for forming an image on a movable receiver sheet belonging to a stack of receiver sheets having a front edge portion. The stack of receiver sheets reside in a receiver sheet supply tray. A roller feeds the top-most receiver sheet along a receiver sheet feed path, leading edge first, from the supply tray and to the print head for printing by means of thermal activation of a first one of a plurality of dye donor patches belonging to a dye donor ribbon. After the first dye donor patch prints, the receiver sheet returns, trailing edge first, to the supply tray before printing by the next dye donor patch. A canopy that is connected to the supply tray is biased by a biasing member to cover the front edge portion of the stack of sheets while the receiver sheet returns to the supply tray, so that the trailing edge of the receiver sheet being printed does not abut the front edge portion of the stack of receiver sheets and crumple to possibly “jam” the printer by obstructing the feed path. An actuator is coupled to the canopy for actuating the canopy to uncover the front edge portion of the stack of receiver sheets while the receiver sheet is fed from the supply tray.

摘要翻译： 具有无干扰的接收片供给路径的打印机和组装打印机的方法。 作为热染料打印机的打印机包括用于在属于具有前边缘部分的接收片的堆叠的可移动接收片上形成图像的打印头。 接收纸张堆放在接收纸供应盘中。 辊子沿着接收片材馈送路径，首先从供应托盘和打印头馈送最上面的接收片材，通过热激活多个属于 染料供体丝带。 在第一染料供体贴片打印之后，接收片在下一个染料供体贴片打印之前首先返回到供纸托盘。 连接到供应托盘的盖子被偏置构件偏置以在接收器片材返回到供应托盘的同时覆盖片材堆叠的前边缘部分，使得被打印的接收片材的后缘不邻接 接收纸张堆叠的前边缘部分并且可能通过阻碍进给路径“打乱”打印机。 致动器联接到顶盖，用于致动罩盖，以在接收器片材从供应托盘供给时揭开接收片材堆叠的前边缘部分。