Ink jet printing with color-balanced ink drops mixed using bleached ink
First Claim
1. A drop-on-demand ink jet printing system for delivering droplets of selectable-color ink to a receiver;
- the system comprising;
a print head having at least one mixing chamber;
a nozzle opening associated with each of the at least one mixing chamber through which nozzle opening ink droplets are delivered from the associated mixing chamber to the receiver;
a plurality of sources of color liquid ink, each source (1) containing liquid ink of a different color and (2) communicating with the at least one mixing chamber;
a source of bleach communicating with the at least one mixing chamber, and a flow controller adapted to selectably meter ink from said sources to the at least one mixing chamber, whereby ink droplets of selectable color are prepared in the least one mixing chamber for delivery from the nozzle opening to the receiver, the flow controller being further adapted to meter bleach into the mixing chamber after a droplet is delivered from the nozzle opening to thereby neutralize color ink remaining in the mixing chamber sufficiently such that a next desired color can be attained by adding ink of appropriate color to the mixing chamber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A drop-on-demand ink jet printing system includes a print head having at least one mixing chamber with a nozzle opening. A plurality of sources of color liquid ink and a source of bleach communicate with the mixing chamber. A flow controller adapted to selectably meter ink from the sources to the mixing chamber, whereby ink droplets of selectable color are prepared in the least one mixing chamber for delivery from the nozzle. The flow controller is further adapted to meter bleach into the mixing chamber after a droplet is delivered from the nozzle opening to thereby neutralize color ink remaining in the mixing chamber sufficiently such that a next desired color can be attained by adding ink of appropriate color to the mixing chamber. The bleach is universal as to the liquid ink colors, wherein all colors are neutralized thereby. There may be a bleach source associated with each liquid ink color. The bleach in each bleach source is color specific to its associated liquid ink color, wherein only selected colors are neutralized thereby.
90 Citations
8 Claims
-
1. A drop-on-demand ink jet printing system for delivering droplets of selectable-color ink to a receiver;
- the system comprising;
a print head having at least one mixing chamber;
a nozzle opening associated with each of the at least one mixing chamber through which nozzle opening ink droplets are delivered from the associated mixing chamber to the receiver;
a plurality of sources of color liquid ink, each source (1) containing liquid ink of a different color and (2) communicating with the at least one mixing chamber;
a source of bleach communicating with the at least one mixing chamber, and a flow controller adapted to selectably meter ink from said sources to the at least one mixing chamber, whereby ink droplets of selectable color are prepared in the least one mixing chamber for delivery from the nozzle opening to the receiver, the flow controller being further adapted to meter bleach into the mixing chamber after a droplet is delivered from the nozzle opening to thereby neutralize color ink remaining in the mixing chamber sufficiently such that a next desired color can be attained by adding ink of appropriate color to the mixing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
there is a bleach source associated with each liquid ink color; and
the bleach in each bleach source is color specific to its associated liquid ink color, wherein only selected colors are neutralized thereby.
- the system comprising;
-
6. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein:
-
there is a bleach source associated with each liquid ink color; and
the bleach in each bleach source is color specific to its associated liquid ink color, wherein only selected colors are neutralized thereby.
-
-
7. A process for delivering droplets of selectable-color ink to a receiver from a print head having at least one mixing chamber and nozzle group;
- the process comprising;
communicating a plurality of liquid inks of a different color with the at least one mixing chamber;
communicating a colorless liquid ink with the at least one mixing chamber; and
preparing ink droplets of selectable color by selectably metering different color inks to the at least one mixing chamber;
delivering the ink droplets of selectable color from the nozzle opening to the receiver; and
metering bleach into the mixing chamber after a droplet is delivered from the nozzle opening to thereby neutralize color ink remaining in the mixing chamber sufficiently such that a next desired color can be attained by adding ink of appropriate color to the mixing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (8)
- the process comprising;
Specification