Jet nozzle structure for electrohydrodynamic droplet formation and ink jet printing system therewith
First Claim
1. A monolithic structure for electrohydrodynamically controlling the formation of droplets in a liquid jet stream exiting from a jet nozzle orifice of at least one jet nozzle structure comprising:
- a jet nozzle design for said jet nozzle structure in a single crystalline semiconductor block;
an electrode structure integrally incorporated with said jet nozzle design for establishing an electric field proximate to said orifice of said jet nozzle structure; and
electrical circuit means connected to said electrode structure and having integral and operational relationship to said semiconductor block, for applying a time varying electrical signal to said electrode structure for establishing a time varying electric field proximate to said orifice of said jet nozzle structure, which electrohydrodynamically perturbs a liqud jet stream exiting from said jet nozzle orifice for controllably achieving temporal and spatial formation of droplets in said jet stream.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The practice of this disclosure obtains a monolithic structure useful for electrohydrodynamically synchronizing the formation of droplets in a jet stream exiting from a jet nozzle. The monolithic structure is primarily adaptable for ink jet printing. The jet nozzle structure provided by the practice of this disclosure includes a jet nozzle design in a crystalline semiconductor block, e.g., of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge) or gallium arsenide (GaAs), with an electrode structure which is integrally incorporated therewith whereby a variable electric field is established proximate to the orifice of the jet nozzle structure. The electric field electrohydrodynamically perturbs the jet stream emitting from the jet nozzle structure so that formation of drops in the jet stream is controllably achieved, e.g., synchronously when the variable electric field is oscillating with a given periodicity.
110 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A monolithic structure for electrohydrodynamically controlling the formation of droplets in a liquid jet stream exiting from a jet nozzle orifice of at least one jet nozzle structure comprising:
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a jet nozzle design for said jet nozzle structure in a single crystalline semiconductor block; an electrode structure integrally incorporated with said jet nozzle design for establishing an electric field proximate to said orifice of said jet nozzle structure; and electrical circuit means connected to said electrode structure and having integral and operational relationship to said semiconductor block, for applying a time varying electrical signal to said electrode structure for establishing a time varying electric field proximate to said orifice of said jet nozzle structure, which electrohydrodynamically perturbs a liqud jet stream exiting from said jet nozzle orifice for controllably achieving temporal and spatial formation of droplets in said jet stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device including at least one jet nozzle structure for electrohydrodynamic control of drop formation in a liquid jet stream exiting from an orifice of said jet nozzle structure which comprises:
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a jet nozzle design in a substrate of single crystalline semiconductor; and electrode structure means with integral relationship to said jet nozzle design and electrically insulated from said jet stream, for establishing an electric field proximate to said orifice downstream thereof for electrohydrodynamically controlling drop formation in said jet stream both temporally and spatially. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An ink jet printing system incorporating at least one jet nozzle orifice for a liquid ink jet stream exiting therefrom which comprises:
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a jet nozzle structure including a jet nozzle design in a single crystalline semiconductor substrate; an electrical insulation layer on said semiconductor of said jet nozzle design where it is traversed in contacting relationship by said liquid; electrode structure means integral with said jet nozzle structure and insulated from said jet stream exiting from said orifice, for electrohydrodynamically perturbing said jet stream for controlling formation of droplets in said stream temporally and spatially; and ink jet printing means for ink jet printing with said droplets. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A monolithic structure for electrohydrodynamically controlling the formation of droplets in a liquid jet stream exiting from a jet nozzle orifice of at least one jet nozzle structure comprising:
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a jet nozzle design for said jet nozzle structure in a block having at least a region of semiconductor at a surface thereof; an electrode structure integrally incorporated with said jet nozzle design for establishing an electric field proximate to said orifice of said jet nozzle structure; and electrical circuit means connected to said electrode structure and having integral and operational relationship to said semiconductor region, for applying a time varying electrical signal to said electrode structure for establishing a time varying electric field proximate to said orifice of said jet nozzle structure, which electrohydrodynamically perturbs a liquid jet stream exiting from said jet nozzle orifice for controllably achieving temporal and spatial formation of droplets in said jet stream. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A device including at least one jet nozzle structure for electrohydrodynamic control of drop formation in a liquid jet stream exiting from an orifice of said jet nozzle structure which comprises:
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a jet nozzle design in a substrate having at least a region of semiconductor at a surface thereof; and electrode structure means with integral relationship to said jet nozzle design and electrically insulated from said jet stream, for establishing an electric field proximate to said orifice downstream thereof for electrohydrodynamically controlling drop formation in said jet stream both temporally and spatially. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An ink jet printing system incorporating at least one jet nozzle orifice for a liquid ink jet stream exiting therefrom which comprises:
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a jet nozzle structure including a jet nozzle design in a substrate having at least a region of semiconductor at a surface thereof; an electrical insulation layer on said substrate of said jet nozzle design where it is traversed in contacting relationship by said liquid; electrode structure means integral with said jet nozzle structure and insulated from said jet stream exiting from said orifice, for electrohydrodynamically perturbing said jet stream for controlling formation of droplets in said stream temporally and spatially; and ink jet printing means for ink jet printing with said droplets. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification