US4609925A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for removing air bubbles or solid impurities from the printing head of a drop-on-demand type ink jet printer
Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc
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Filing: 1985-01-30
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Granted: 1986-09-02
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Expires: 2005-01-30
Abstract
Abstract An ink jet printer wherein a mechanical vibration is applied by an electromechanical transducer secured to a printing head to the ink in a nozzle and a pressure chamber of the printing head when the ink jet printer is not in a printing operation state, so that an ink flow is formed in the ink passage within the period of time including the mechanical vibrating operation or after the completion of the mechanical vibrating operation. The electromechanical transducer is used when droplets are jetted out. An electromechanical transducer which is brought into contact with the printing head only when the mechanical vibration is generated can be employed. The nozzle can be covered with a liquid within the period of time including the whole of the mechanical vibrating operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Taketo Nozu
- 👤 Yoshiaki Kimura
- 👤 Yasuhiko Tanaka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:35
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/19; B41J2/135; B41J2/165; B41J2/16517; B41J2/1652; B41J2/16535; B41J2/16541; B41J2202/00; B41J2202/01; B41J2202/07
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for removing air bubbles or solid impurities from a printing head of a drop-on-demand type ink jet printer, the method comprising: (a) applying mechanical vibrations to the ink in said printing head when it is not in a printing state by generating a driving wave having a sweeping frequency with a driving circuit, (b) applying pressure to form a forced ink flow during the period of step (a) or subsequent thereto.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for removing air bubbles or solid impurities from a printing head of a drop-on-demand type ink jet printer, the method comprising: (a) applying mechanical vibrations to the ink in said printing head when it is not in a printing state by generating a driving wave having a sweeping frequency with a driving circuit, (b) applying pressure to form a forced ink flow during the period of step (a) or subsequent thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the magnitude of the applied mechanical vibrations is less than a mechanical vibration applied to the inside of said pressure chamber during the printing operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the magnitude of said mechanical vibration applied when said ink jet printer is not in a printing operation state is less than one third of the magnitude of the mechanical vibration applied during the printing operation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the nozzle surface of the printing head including the tip of said nozzle is covered with a liquid ink layer within the period of time including the whole of said mechanical vibrating step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the nozzle surface of the printing head including the tip of said nozzle is covered with a liquid ink layer having a thickness larger than the length of said nozzle within the period of time including the whole of said mechanical vibrating step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of (c) applying heat to said printing head so that the temperature of the ink in said printing head is raised.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibration includes using a driving circuit for generating a driving wave having pulse width, which is variable.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibration includes using a driving circuit for generating a driving wave having a substantially rectangular wave shape.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibration includes using a driving circuit for generating a driving wave having a sine-wave shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the nozzle surface of the printing head including the tip of said nozzle is covered with a liquid ink layer within the period of time including the whole of said mechanical vibrating step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the magnitude of the applied mechanical vibrations is less than a mechanical vibration applied to the inside of said pressure chamber during the printing operation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the magnitude of said mechanical vibration applied when said ink jet printer is not in a printing operation state is less than one third of the mechanical vibration applied during the printing operation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the nozzle surface of the printing head including the tip of said nozzle is covered with a liquid ink layer having a thickness larger than the length of said nozzle within the period of time including the whole of said mechanical vibrating step.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of (c) applying heat to said printing head so that the temperature of the ink in said printing head is raised.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 14, wherein the magnitude of the applied mechanical vibration is less than a mechanical vibration applied to the inside of said pressure chamber during the printing operation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the magnitude of said mechanical vibration applied when said ink jet printer is not in a printing operation state is less than one third of the magnitude of the mechanical vibration applied during the printing operation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 14, wherein the nozzle surface of the printing head including the tip of said nozzle is covered with a liquid ink layer within the period of time including the whole of said mechanical vibrating step.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the nozzle surface of the printing head including the tip of said nozzle is covered with a liquid ink layer having a thickness larger than the length of said nozzle within the period of time including the whole of said mechanical vibrating step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 14, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibrations includes using a driving circuit for generating a driving wave having pulse width, which is variable.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said step of applying mechanical vibrations includes using a driving circuit for generating a driving wave having a substantially rectangular wave shape.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 14, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibrations includes using a driving circuit for generating a driving wave having a sine-wave shape.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 14, including the step of discharging ink from the nozzle during and/or after the execution of the one of said two steps (a), (c) which finishes its operation later than the other.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14, wherein the period of executing step (a) at least partially overlaps the period of executing step (c).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibrations includes energizing an electromechanical transducer means secured to said printing head.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibrations includes energizing an electromechanical transducer means used for jetting out droplets during the printing operation.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibrations includes energizing an electromechanical transducer means which is brought into contact with said printing head only when said mechanical vibrations are generated.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibrations includes using a driving circuit for generating a driving wave having pulse width, which is variable.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibrations includes using a driving circuit for generating a driving wave having a substantially rectangular wave shape.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 28, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibration includes using a driving circuit for generating a driving wave having rising constant and decaying constant, at least one of which is variable.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of applying mechanical vibration includes using a driving circuit for generating a driving wave having a sine-wave shape.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for removing air bubbles or solid impurities from a printing head of a drop-on-demand type ink jet printer, the method comprising: (a) applying mechanical vibrations to the ink in said printing head when it is not in a printing state wherein the magnitude of the applied mechanical vibrations is less than a mechanical vibration applied to the inside of pressure chamber during the printing operation, (b) applying pressure to form a forced ink flow during the period of step (a) or subsequent thereto.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for removing air bubbles or solid impurities from a printing head of a drop-on-demand type ink jet printer, the method comprising: (a) applying mechanical vibrations to the ink in said printing head when it is not in a printing state wherein the magnitude of the applied mechanical vibrations is less than a mechanical vibration applied to the inside of pressure chamber during the printing operation, (b) applying pressure to form a forced ink flow during the period of step (a) or subsequent thereto.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-09-01 | 1990-03-03 | 1990-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-09-01 | 1994-03-03 | 1994-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-09-01 | 1998-03-03 | 1998-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |