EP0867284A3 - Imaging apparatus and method adapted to control ink droplet volume and void formation - Google Patents

Imaging apparatus and method adapted to control ink droplet volume and void formation Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0867284A3
EP0867284A3 EP98200819A EP98200819A EP0867284A3 EP 0867284 A3 EP0867284 A3 EP 0867284A3 EP 98200819 A EP98200819 A EP 98200819A EP 98200819 A EP98200819 A EP 98200819A EP 0867284 A3 EP0867284 A3 EP 0867284A3
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ink droplet
void formation
variably
heat energy
volume
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP98200819A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0867284A2 (en
Inventor
Xin C/O Eastman Kodak Company Wen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Eastman Kodak Co
Original Assignee
Eastman Kodak Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Eastman Kodak Co filed Critical Eastman Kodak Co
Publication of EP0867284A2 publication Critical patent/EP0867284A2/en
Publication of EP0867284A3 publication Critical patent/EP0867284A3/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/0458—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/04588—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits using a specific waveform
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/0459—Height of the driving signal being adjusted
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/04591—Width of the driving signal being adjusted
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/04593—Dot-size modulation by changing the size of the drop
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/04598—Pre-pulse
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/14—Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
    • B41J2/14016—Structure of bubble jet print heads
    • B41J2/14088—Structure of heating means
    • B41J2/14112—Resistive element
    • B41J2/14137—Resistor surrounding the nozzle opening
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/14—Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
    • B41J2/14451—Structure of ink jet print heads discharging by lowering surface tension of meniscus
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/21—Ink jet for multi-colour printing
    • B41J2/2121—Ink jet for multi-colour printing characterised by dot size, e.g. combinations of printed dots of different diameter
    • B41J2/2128—Ink jet for multi-colour printing characterised by dot size, e.g. combinations of printed dots of different diameter by means of energy modulation

Landscapes

  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
  • Ink Jet (AREA)

Abstract

Imaging apparatus and method adapted to control ink droplet volume and void formation. The apparatus (10) includes an ink jet print head (45) having a nozzle (110) for ejecting an ink droplet (150) therefrom. A heater element (130) is in heat transfer communication with the ink droplet for variably supplying heat energy to the ink droplet, so that the volume of the ink droplet is controlled as the heat energy is variably supplied to the ink droplet. A controller (40) is connected to the heater element for variably controlling the heat energy supplied to the ink droplet. The controller variably controls the heat energy by variably controlling a plurality of voltage pulses sequentially supplied to the heater element. Moreover, in order to reduce the potential for void formation in the ink droplet, the pulses are spaced-apart by a predetermined delay interval. Suitable control of ink droplet volume and delay interval between pulses results in uniform print density and "gray-scaling" of each dot or pixel in the output image and also precludes void formation.
EP98200819A 1997-03-26 1998-03-16 Imaging apparatus and method adapted to control ink droplet volume and void formation Withdrawn EP0867284A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US82635797A 1997-03-26 1997-03-26
US826357 1997-03-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0867284A2 EP0867284A2 (en) 1998-09-30
EP0867284A3 true EP0867284A3 (en) 1999-08-25

Family

ID=25246337

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98200819A Withdrawn EP0867284A3 (en) 1997-03-26 1998-03-16 Imaging apparatus and method adapted to control ink droplet volume and void formation

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0867284A3 (en)
JP (1) JPH10264370A (en)

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7028474B2 (en) 1998-10-16 2006-04-18 Silverbook Research Pty Ltd Micro-electromechanical actuator with control logic circuitry
JP4748895B2 (en) * 1999-09-21 2011-08-17 パナソニック株式会社 Ink jet head and ink jet recording apparatus
US6488349B1 (en) 1999-09-21 2002-12-03 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Ink-jet head and ink-jet type recording apparatus
WO2002014076A1 (en) * 2000-08-11 2002-02-21 Spectra, Inc. Ink jet printing
GB2448119B (en) * 2007-01-25 2012-04-25 Inca Digital Printers Ltd Droplet size in inkjet printing
JP6743456B2 (en) * 2016-03-31 2020-08-19 ブラザー工業株式会社 Printer
US10654290B2 (en) 2017-08-23 2020-05-19 Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd. Liquid dispensing amount control apparatus and control method thereof and inkjet printing apparatus
CN109421373B (en) * 2017-08-23 2020-01-07 京东方科技集团股份有限公司 Liquid spraying amount control system and control method thereof and ink-jet printing device

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5811169A (en) * 1981-07-10 1983-01-21 Canon Inc Liquid-injection recording method
EP0288044A2 (en) * 1987-04-24 1988-10-26 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Ink jet recording apparatus with density control function
JPH05238010A (en) * 1992-03-02 1993-09-17 Seiko Instr Inc Driving device for bubble jet recording
EP0609997A2 (en) * 1993-02-05 1994-08-10 Hewlett-Packard Company Method of reducing drive energy in a high speed thermal ink jet printer
EP0649746A1 (en) * 1993-10-26 1995-04-26 Hewlett-Packard Company Variable halftone operation inkjet printheads
EP0709213A2 (en) * 1994-10-28 1996-05-01 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method and apparatus for correcting printhead and printer using this printhead
WO1996032289A1 (en) * 1995-04-12 1996-10-17 Eastman Kodak Company Apparatus for printing multiple drop sizes and fabrication thereof

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4563689A (en) 1983-02-05 1986-01-07 Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd. Method for ink-jet recording and apparatus therefor

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5811169A (en) * 1981-07-10 1983-01-21 Canon Inc Liquid-injection recording method
EP0288044A2 (en) * 1987-04-24 1988-10-26 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Ink jet recording apparatus with density control function
JPH05238010A (en) * 1992-03-02 1993-09-17 Seiko Instr Inc Driving device for bubble jet recording
EP0609997A2 (en) * 1993-02-05 1994-08-10 Hewlett-Packard Company Method of reducing drive energy in a high speed thermal ink jet printer
EP0649746A1 (en) * 1993-10-26 1995-04-26 Hewlett-Packard Company Variable halftone operation inkjet printheads
EP0709213A2 (en) * 1994-10-28 1996-05-01 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method and apparatus for correcting printhead and printer using this printhead
WO1996032289A1 (en) * 1995-04-12 1996-10-17 Eastman Kodak Company Apparatus for printing multiple drop sizes and fabrication thereof

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 007, no. 085 (M - 206) 8 April 1983 (1983-04-08) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 017, no. 694 (M - 1531) 17 December 1993 (1993-12-17) *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH10264370A (en) 1998-10-06
EP0867284A2 (en) 1998-09-30

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