Ink-jet printing method and ink-jet printing apparatus using dielectric migration force
First Claim
1. An ink-jet printing method, comprising the steps of:
- applying electrical energy to a plurality of electrodes within a printhead comprising a plurality of nozzles to establish a gradient of electric fields having different densities between the electrodes varying from a low density electric field at regions away from said nozzles to a high density electric field at orifices of said nozzles; and
permitting pigment particles of an ink to migrate into said orifices of said nozzles of said high density electric field and ejecting said pigment particles of an ink onto a print medium for printing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ink-jet printing method including the steps of applying an electrical energy to electrodes within a printer head; creating different-density electric fields between the electrodes; letting pigment particles of an ink migrate into high density one of the electric fields; and letting the migrating pigment particles be transferred onto print media for printing. The inventive ink-jet printing apparatus includes a plurality of electrodes electrically isolated from each other so as to create electric fields different in density within a plurality of nozzles; first supports having orifices and supporting the electrodes; a plurality of electrode layers supplying electrical energy and connecting the electrodes to each other; a second support formed between an ink storage vessel and the electrode layers, and supporting the electrode layers; and electrically-connecting means for furnishing electrical energy to the electrode layers.
2 Citations
32 Claims
-
1. An ink-jet printing method, comprising the steps of:
-
applying electrical energy to a plurality of electrodes within a printhead comprising a plurality of nozzles to establish a gradient of electric fields having different densities between the electrodes varying from a low density electric field at regions away from said nozzles to a high density electric field at orifices of said nozzles; and permitting pigment particles of an ink to migrate into said orifices of said nozzles of said high density electric field and ejecting said pigment particles of an ink onto a print medium for printing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An ink-jet printing apparatus, comprising:
-
a plurality of electrodes within a plurality of nozzles, said electrodes spaced apart by a given distance and electrically isolated firm each other to create an electric field gradient within the plurality of nozzles; first supports having a plurality of orifices and supporting said electrodes; a plurality of electrode layers supplying electrical energy and a means for connecting said electrodes to each other; a second support formed between an ink storage vessel and the electrode layers to constitute an ink chamber, supporting the electrode layers, and used for uniformity of electric field density; electrically-connecting means for furnishing electrical energy to said electrode layers, wherein if supplying the electrical energy to the electrodes formed within the nozzles through the electrode layers, electric fields are most intense near the orifices, and vary linearly away from the orifices in the direction of the ink chamber, and pigment particles of an ink migrate into said most intense electric field, thus jetting out on print media. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A printhead cartridge, comprising:
-
an ink container for containing ink; a printhead comprising an array of nozzles arranged vertically at a distal end, and a plurality of heating elements for heating and discharging ink from the ink container through an ejection orifice of corresponding nozzles to print data information on a print medium, each nozzle comprising a plurality of spaced-apart and electrically isolated electrodes for creating different density electric fields from a low density electric field at regions in proximity of said ink container to a high density electric field at said ejection orifice in proximity of said print medium in response to application of electrical energy, and letting pigment particles of said ink to migrate into said ejection orifice of said high density electric field for ejection onto said print medium during a print operation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method of ink jet printing, comprising the steps of:
-
applying an electric field to the inner portion of the nozzle of an ink jet printer, the coulomb force of said electric field acting roughly perpendicular to the axis of the nozzle, and the field increasing in strength from the interior of the nozzle toward the ejection orifice of the nozzle; and turning off the applied electric field at a predetermined time. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
-
-
30. An ink jet printhead, comprising:
-
a lower support layer made of insulating material, said lower support layer defining a lower portion of an ink chamber; two supporting electrode layers disposed opposite each other and electrically insulated from each other on the lower support layer, said supporting electrode layers defining an ink chamber between them; two electrodes, each electrode comprising a portion with the shape of approximately a truncated half cone and each electrode disposed with the larger diameter portion of the half cone on one of the supporting electrode layers, said two electrodes defining the inside of a nozzle of the ink jet printhead; and electrically connecting means for furnishing electrical energy to the electrode layers. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
-
Specification