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Thermodynamic printing method and means

  • US 4,792,860 A
  • Filed: 02/27/1987
  • Issued: 12/20/1988
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of printing on a printing medium a variable thickness ink dot pattern representing an original image in response to an incoming digital data stream comprising the steps of:

  • A. forming printing means having a printing surface;

    B. defining in the printing means a multiplicity of discrete, independently electrically chargable capacitor microcells adjacent to said printing surface;

    C. activating selected ones of the microcells in accordance with the incoming data stream so that the activated microcells are geometrically related to the dots in the pattern to be printed;

    D. depositing electrical charges on the microcells selected for activation at controlled, variable coulombic charge levels to create at said printing surface localized electrical fields of various strengths that are proportional to the print densities desired for said related data in the pattern to be printed;

    E. contacting said printing surface with a voltage sensitive ink in liquid form whereby the ink, under the influence of said fields, is deposited on said printing surface only at the locations of said microcells selected for activation, with the thickness of each said ink deposit being proportional to the strength of the field at that microcell thereby to form a variable-thickness ink pattern on the said printing surface; and

    F. transferring said ink pattern to said printing medium to provide a faithful hardcopy reproduction of said original image.

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