US5235350A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pigmented semiconductive hot melt ink and ink jet apparatus employing same
Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems America Inc
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Filing: 1991-09-12
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Granted: 1993-08-10
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Expires: 2011-09-12
Abstract
Abstract Ink jet apparatus including a print head having at least one chamber, an inlet opening to the chamber, and a droplet ejection orifice from the chamber, a transducer coupled to the chamber for ejecting droplets of ink in liquid form therefrom through the orifice, a manifold for supplying ink in its liquid form to the at least one chamber, and a cartridge, coupled to the manifold, for containing a supply of ink in solid form. The ink includes a wax-based vehicle to provide it with a hot melt capability, and a conductive pigment substantially dispersed throughout the wax-based vehicle to adapt it for self-melting. Accordingly, the cartridge includes a source of electrical current for energizing the conductive pigment on demand, wherein such supply of ink in solid form can be melted to a jettable liquid form upon energization of the conductive pigment by the source.
Inventors
- 👤 An C. R. Lin
- 👤 Juan E. Lopez
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:52
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09D; C09D11/00; C09D11/30; C09D11/34; B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17593
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
Ink jet apparatus, comprising: a print head including at least one chamber, an inlet opening to said chamber, and a droplet ejection orifice from said chamber; transducer means coupled to said chamber for ejecting droplets of ink in liquid form therefrom through said orifice; means for supplying ink in said liquid form to said at least one chamber; a supply of ink in solid form coupled to said means for supplying ink in said liquid form, said supply of ink in said solid form including a hot melt vehicle and a conductive pigment which is substantially dispersed throughout said hot melt vehicle; and means coupled with said supply of ink in solid form for energizing said conductive pigment on demand; wherein said supply of ink in said solid form is melted to said liquid form upon energization of said conductive pigment by said energizing means an is supplied in said liquid form to said at least one chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
Ink jet apparatus, comprising: a print head including at least one chamber, an inlet opening to said chamber, and a droplet ejection orifice from said chamber; transducer means coupled to said chamber for ejecting droplets of ink in liquid form therefrom through said orifice; means for supplying ink in said liquid form to said at least one chamber; a supply of ink in solid form coupled to said means for supplying ink in said liquid form, said supply of ink in said solid form including a hot melt vehicle and a conductive pigment which is substantially dispersed throughout said hot melt vehicle; and means coupled with said supply of ink in solid form for energizing said conductive pigment on demand; wherein said supply of ink in said solid form is melted to said liquid form upon energization of said conductive pigment by said energizing means an is supplied in said liquid form to said at least one chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a cartridge for containing said supply of ink in said solid form, said cartridge comprising an electrically conductive material; and a pair of electrodes coupled to said cartridge and said energizing means for providing a current source to melt said supply of ink in said solid form.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conductive pigment comprises a pigment having a volume resistivity within a range of from about 100 to about 10,000 ohms-centimeters.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hot melt vehicle comprises a wax-based vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said wax-based vehicle is selected from the group consisting of candelilla wax, carnauba wax, stearic acid, behenic acid, ceresin wax, and microcrystalline wax.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supply of ink in said solid form has a melting point and a specific heat capacity adapted to melt said supply of ink in said solid form to said liquid form by heat generated within said supply of ink in said solid form through said energizing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conductive pigment comprises a pigment having a selected resistivity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said selected resistivity comprises a volume resistivity within a range of from 100 to 10,000 ohms-centimeters.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
70 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supplying means comprises: reservoir means for holding a supply of ink in said liquid form, said reservoir means receiving said supply of ink in said liquid form from said cartridge means; and manifold means, coupling said reservoir means to said at least one chamber, for providing said supply of ink in said liquid form to said at least one chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising means for controlling a level of said supply of ink in said liquid form contained within said reservoir means, wherein said energizing means is activated by said controlling means in response to said level.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a hot melt ink jet apparatus having: a source of electrical current coupled with a supply of ink in solid form; a print head which includes at least one chamber, an inlet opening to the chamber, and a droplet ejection orifice from the chamber; and means for supplying ink in liquid form to the chamber; an ink comprising: a hot melt vehicle; and a conductive pigment substantially dispersed throughout said hot melt vehicle, said conductive pigment having a predetermined resistivity that is adapted to conduct electrical current from the source, coupled with said supply of ink in solid form, thereby melting the ink.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a hot melt ink jet apparatus having: a source of electrical current coupled with a supply of ink in solid form; a print head which includes at least one chamber, an inlet opening to the chamber, and a droplet ejection orifice from the chamber; and means for supplying ink in liquid form to the chamber; an ink comprising: a hot melt vehicle; and a conductive pigment substantially dispersed throughout said hot melt vehicle, said conductive pigment having a predetermined resistivity that is adapted to conduct electrical current from the source, coupled with said supply of ink in solid form, thereby melting the ink.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ink composition according to claim 11, wherein said hot melt vehicle comprises a wax-based vehicle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The ink composition according to claim 12, wherein said wax-based vehicle is selected from the group consisting of candelilla wax, carnauba wax, stearic acid, behenic acid, ceresin wax, and microcrystalline wax.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The ink composition according to claim 11, wherein said predetermined resistivity comprises a volume resistivity greater than 100 ohms-centimeters.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The ink composition according to claim 14, wherein said predetermined resistivity comprises a volume resistivity of approximately 3,000 ohms-centimeters.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ink composition according to claim 11, wherein said predetermined resistivity comprises a volume resistivity within the range of from about 100 ohms-centimeters to about 10,000 ohms-centimeters.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
149 words
Ink jet apparatus, comprising: a print head having at least one chamber, an inlet opening to said chamber, and a droplet ejection orifice from said chamber; transducer means coupled to said chamber for ejecting droplets of ink in liquid form therefrom through said orifice; means for supplying ink in said liquid form to said at least one chamber; a supply of ink in solid form, coupled to said means for supplying ink in said liquid form, said supply of ink in said solid form including a hot melt vehicle and a conductive pigment which is substantially dispersed throughout said hot melt vehicle; and means for providing electrical energy to said supply of ink in sold form; wherein said supply of ink in said solid form is melted to a liquid form upon provision of said electrical energy and is supplied in said liquid form to at least one chamber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
149 words
Ink jet apparatus, comprising: a print head having at least one chamber, an inlet opening to said chamber, and a droplet ejection orifice from said chamber; transducer means coupled to said chamber for ejecting droplets of ink in liquid form therefrom through said orifice; means for supplying ink in said liquid form to said at least one chamber; a supply of ink in solid form, coupled to said means for supplying ink in said liquid form, said supply of ink in said solid form including a hot melt vehicle and a conductive pigment which is substantially dispersed throughout said hot melt vehicle; and means for providing electrical energy to said supply of ink in sold form; wherein said supply of ink in said solid form is melted to a liquid form upon provision of said electrical energy and is supplied in said liquid form to at least one chamber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said hot melt vehicle comprises a wax-based vehicle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said wax-based vehicle is selected from the group consisting of candelilla wax, carnauba wax, stearic acid, behenic acid, ceresin wax, and microcrystalline wax.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
57 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said supply of ink in said solid form has a melting point and a specific heat capacity adapted to melt said supply of ink in said solid form to said liquid form by heat generated within said supply of ink in said solid form through said energizing means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said conductive pigment comprises a pigment having a selected resistivity.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said selected resistivity comprises a volume resistivity within a range of from 100 to 10,000 ohms-centimeters.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising cartridge means for containing said supply of ink in said solid form.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
70 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said supplying means comprises: reservoir means for holding a supply of ink in said liquid form, said reservoir means receiving said supply of ink in said liquid form from said cartridge means; and manifold means, coupling said reservoir means to said at least one chamber, for providing said supply of ink in said liquid form to said at least one chamber.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
44 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising means for controlling a level of said supply of ink in said liquid form contained within said reservoir means, wherein said energizing means is activated by said controlling means in response to said level.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising means for controlling solidification and melting of said supply of ink in said liquid form.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
The ink jet apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said solidification and melting control means comprises a plurality of electrodes attached to said supplying means between said reservoir means and said chamber, each said electrode adapted to be energized sequentially by said energizing means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-08-09 | 1997-02-08 | 1997-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-08-09 | 2001-02-08 | 2001-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-08-09 | 2005-02-08 | 2005-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |