Jet recording method

• US 5,680,165 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shirota, Katsuhiro, Takizawa, Yoshihisa, Yaegashi, Hisao
• Primary Examiner(s): LUND, VALERIE A
• Application Number:
  US08/467,897
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 347/29, 347/30, 347/88, 347/35
• US Class Current: 347/88
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1652 by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16552 using cleaning fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14169 Bubble vented to the ambience

Abstract

In a jet recording method, a normally solid recording material is placed in a heat-melted state in a path defined by a nozzle leading to an ejection outlet and, in a recording step, is imparted with a thermal energy corresponding to a recording signal to generate a bubble, thus ejecting a droplet of the recording material out of the ejection outlet. As an improvement, prior to the recording step, the recording material is sucked or pressurized to be ejected out of the ejection outlet and, in the recording step, the bubble is communicated with ambience. As a result, the recording is started or resumed without discharge failure even after a long time of non-use or standing state.

Claims

1. A jet recording method, comprising:

a preliminary step of placing a normally solid recording material in a heat-melted state in a path defined by a nozzle leading to an ejection outlet and in a tank communicatively connected with the nozzle, and

a recording step of imparting a thermal energy corresponding to a recording signal to the melted recording material to generate a bubble, thereby ejecting a droplet of the recording material out of the ejection outlet by an action of the bubble;

wherein, prior to the recording step, the recording material is ejected out of the election outlet by sucking the recording material in the nozzle or pressurizing the recording material in the tank while the election outlet does not face the recording medium and, in the recording step, the bubble is communicated with ambience.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the bubble communicates with the ambience having an ambient pressure when the bubble has an internal pressure not higher than said ambient pressure.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the recording material ejected out of the ejection outlet by the suction or pressurization is blown off by an air stream.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said ejection outlet formed within a recording head is covered with a cap when it is in a standby state prior to the recording step.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said recording material is held in a heat-melted state at a temperature which is lower than that in the recording step.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said recording material is placed in a heat-melted state by causing and propagating the heat-melting of the recording material from the ejection outlet in a direction of leaving away from the ejection outlet.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein, after the recording step, said recording material is solidified in a path which starts at a point remote from the ejection outlet and continues in a direction toward the ejection outlet.