US4646106A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of operating an ink jet
Assignee: Exxon Mobil Corp
•
Filing: 1984-02-03
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Granted: 1987-02-24
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Expires: 2004-02-03
Abstract
Abstract An ink jet includes a variable volume chamber with an ink droplet ejecting orifice. The volume of the chamber is varied by a transducer which expands and contracts in a direction having at least a component extending parallel with the axis ink droplet ejection from the orifice. The transducer communicates with a moveable wall of the chamber which has a sufficiently small are a such that the difference in the pressure pulse transit times from each point on the wall to the ink droplet ejection orifice is less than 1 microsecond.
Inventors
- 👤 Stuart D. Howkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 10:48
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/015; B41J2/04; B41J2/045; B41J2/04501; B41J2/04573; B41J2/04581; B41J2/04588; B41J2/135; B41J2/14; B41J2002/14387
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
An ink jet apparatus comprising: a variable volume chamber including an ink droplet ejecting orifice having a Helmholtz resonant frequency in excess of 10KHz and; means for increasing the pressure in the chamber so as to eject a droplet of ink on demand over a range of operating frequencies; and said apparatus being characterized by at least one resonant frequency creating an upper limit for a frequency range of stable operation for said apparatus, said at least one resonant frequency exceeding 10 KHz.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
An ink jet apparatus comprising: a variable volume chamber including an ink droplet ejecting orifice having a Helmholtz resonant frequency in excess of 10KHz and; means for increasing the pressure in the chamber so as to eject a droplet of ink on demand over a range of operating frequencies; and said apparatus being characterized by at least one resonant frequency creating an upper limit for a frequency range of stable operation for said apparatus, said at least one resonant frequency exceeding 10 KHz.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The ink jet apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resonant frequency exceeds 25 KHz.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ink jet apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resonant frequency lies within the range of 25 KHz to 50 KHz.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ink jet apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resonant frequency is less than 100 KHz.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The jet apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resonant frequency permits the ejection of droplets of substantially equal velocity over a frequency range from zero to 5 KHz.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The ink jet apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resonant frequency permits the ejection of droplets at substantially equal velocity over a frequency range from zero to a frequency in excess of 5 KHz.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ink jet apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resonant frequency permits the ejection of droplets at substantially equal velocity over a frequency range from zero to 7 KHz.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ink jet apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resonant frequency permits the ejection of droplets of substantially equal size over a frequency range from zero to 5 KHz.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The ink jet apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resonant frequency permits the ejection of droplets of substantially equal size over a frequency range from zero to a frequency in excess of 5 KHz.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ink jet apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resonant frequency permits the ejection of droplets of substantially equal size over a frequency range from zero to 7 KHz.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of operating a demand ink jet comprising an ink jet chamber and an orifice adapted to be filled with ink so as to form a meniscus in the orifice and eject droplets of ink from the said menicus, said chamber having a Helmholtz resonant frequency in excess of 10 KHz, said method comprising the following steps: increasing the pressure within the chamber; moving the meniscus forward through the orifice in response to the increase in pressure so as to form a droplet; moving the droplet away from the meniscus in response to the increase in pressure so as to eject a droplet at a predetermined velocity; and repeating the aforesaid steps so as to eject additional droplets having substantially said predetermined velocity for frequencies of droplet ejection over a range from zero to 5 KHz.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of operating a demand ink jet comprising an ink jet chamber and an orifice adapted to be filled with ink so as to form a meniscus in the orifice and eject droplets of ink from the said menicus, said chamber having a Helmholtz resonant frequency in excess of 10 KHz, said method comprising the following steps: increasing the pressure within the chamber; moving the meniscus forward through the orifice in response to the increase in pressure so as to form a droplet; moving the droplet away from the meniscus in response to the increase in pressure so as to eject a droplet at a predetermined velocity; and repeating the aforesaid steps so as to eject additional droplets having substantially said predetermined velocity for frequencies of droplet ejection over a range from zero to 5 KHz.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said substantially predetermined velocity is achieved for droplet ejection at frequencies in a range from zero to a frequency in excess of 5 KHz.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said substantially predetermined velocity is achieved for droplet ejection at frequencies over a frequency range zero to 7 KHz.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of operating a demand ink jet comprising an ink jet chamber and an orifice adapted to be filled with ink so as to form a meniscus in the orifice and eject droplets of ink formed from said meniscus, said chamber having a Helmholtz resonant frequency in excess of 10 KHz, said method comprising the following steps: increasing the pressure within the chamber; moving the meniscus forward through the orifice in response to the increase in pressure so as to form a droplet; moving the droplet away from the meniscus in response to the increase in pressure so as eject a droplet of predetermined size; repeating the aforesaid steps so as to eject additional droplets in a series, each of said droplets having substantially the same predetermined size for frequencies of droplet ejection extending over a frequency range from zero to 5 KHz.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of operating a demand ink jet comprising an ink jet chamber and an orifice adapted to be filled with ink so as to form a meniscus in the orifice and eject droplets of ink formed from said meniscus, said chamber having a Helmholtz resonant frequency in excess of 10 KHz, said method comprising the following steps: increasing the pressure within the chamber; moving the meniscus forward through the orifice in response to the increase in pressure so as to form a droplet; moving the droplet away from the meniscus in response to the increase in pressure so as eject a droplet of predetermined size; repeating the aforesaid steps so as to eject additional droplets in a series, each of said droplets having substantially the same predetermined size for frequencies of droplet ejection extending over a frequency range from zero to 5 KHz.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the droplets projected are of substantially equal size over a frequency range from zero to frequency in excess of 5 KHz.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the droplets Projected are of substantially equal size over a frequency range from zero to 7 KHz.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-02-23 | 1990-08-25 | 1991-02-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-02-23 | 1994-08-25 | 1995-02-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-02-23 | 1998-08-25 | 1999-02-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |