Apparatus and method for drying ink deposited by ink jet printing
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for drying ink deposited on a cut sheet of paper, said apparatus comprising:
- a microwave generating member being adapted to generate microwave energy of a predetermined frequency;
a resonant traveling wave applying member, having a length selected according to an integral number of wavelengths in said member at the predetermined frequency, including a serpentine applicator, connected to said microwave generating member, being adapted to apply microwave energy in the form of resonant traveling waves to the cut sheet of paper having ink deposited thereon; and
a transport member having a low dielectric constant for transporting the cut sheet of paper through said applying member to dry the ink deposited on the cut sheet of paper.
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Abstract
An apparatus for drying ink deposited upon cut sheet of paper. The apparatus includes a microwave generating member to generate microwave energy for the ink and an applying member connected to said microwave generating member to apply resonating traveling microwaves to the paper. The applicator member includes a serpentine applicator for drying the ink and includes input slots and output slots for moving cut sheet of paper through the serpentine applicator. A transport member transports ink printed cut sheet paper stock from the input slot to the output slot by a belt running through the center of the applicator.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. An apparatus for drying ink deposited on a cut sheet of paper, said apparatus comprising:
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a microwave generating member being adapted to generate microwave energy of a predetermined frequency; a resonant traveling wave applying member, having a length selected according to an integral number of wavelengths in said member at the predetermined frequency, including a serpentine applicator, connected to said microwave generating member, being adapted to apply microwave energy in the form of resonant traveling waves to the cut sheet of paper having ink deposited thereon; and a transport member having a low dielectric constant for transporting the cut sheet of paper through said applying member to dry the ink deposited on the cut sheet of paper. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for drying ink deposited on a cut sheet of paper, comprising the steps of:
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applying microwave energy comprising resonating traveling microwaves to the deposited ink within no more than 3 seconds after depositing the ink on the cut sheet of paper with a microwave dryer including a traveling wave resonant circuit having an effective electrical length equivalent to an integral number of wavelengths, generating resonating traveling microwaves; and removing excess liquid from the deposited ink within no more than 5 seconds after said applying step. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A printing machine, comprising:
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an ink jet print head adapted to deposit ink on a cut sheet of paper; a microwave dryer, associated with said ink jet print head, for drying the ink deposited on the cut sheet of paper deposited by said print head, said dryer including a microwave generating member being adapted to generate microwave energy of a predetermined frequency, and a resonating traveling wave applying member having a length selected according to an integral number of wavelengths in said member at the predetermined frequency, including a serpentine applicator, connected to said microwave generating member to apply microwave power in the form of resonant traveling waves to the cut sheet of paper having deposited thereon ink; and a transport member having a low dielectric constant for transporting the cut sheet of paper through said applying member to dry the ink deposited on the cut sheet of paper. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of printing and drying ink on a cut sheet of paper comprising the steps of:
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depositing ink on the cut sheet of paper by an ink jet printhead; passing the cut sheet of paper to a microwave dryer, including a traveling wave resonant circuit having an effective electrical length equivalent to an integral number of wavelengths, immediately after the deposition of ink on the cut sheet of paper; and heating the ink rapidly by microwave power comprising resonating traveling microwaves applied by the microwave dryer to evaporate excess liquid from the ink before substantial absorption into the paper within no more than 5 seconds from depositing ink on the paper. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of printing paper with ink and drying the printed paper with microwave power applied with a serpentine applicator having a plurality of generally parallel guide sections, wherein the microwave power decreases from a first guide section to a last guide section, said method comprising the steps of:
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depositing a slowly penetrating liquid ink on the cut sheet of paper by a printhead; and passing the printed paper through the serpentine applicator to dry the ink thereon by applying microwave power comprising resonating traveling microwaves so that the printed paper passes through the last guide section first. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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Specification