Fluid ejector apparatus and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A fluid ejector head, comprising:
- a fluid ejector body having a cylindrical outer surface, said cylindrical outer surface having a longitudinal axis, said fluid ejector body adapted to be inserted into an opening of an enclosing medium, said enclosing medium having an interior surface, wherein said cylindrical outer surface conforms to said interior surface;
at least one nozzle disposed on said fluid ejector body; and
a drop-on-demand fluid ejector actuator in fluid communication with said at least one nozzle, wherein activation of said fluid ejector actuator ejects a fluid through said at least one nozzle onto a predetermined location on said interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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Abstract
A fluid ejector head, includes a fluid ejector body adapted to be inserted into an opening of an enclosing medium having an interior surface, and at least one nozzle disposed on the fluid ejector body. The fluid ejector head further includes, a fluid ejector actuator in fluid communication with the at least one nozzle, wherein activation of the fluid ejector actuator ejects a fluid through the at least one nozzle at controlled locations onto the interior surface of the enclosing medium.
34 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A fluid ejector head, comprising:
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a fluid ejector body having a cylindrical outer surface, said cylindrical outer surface having a longitudinal axis, said fluid ejector body adapted to be inserted into an opening of an enclosing medium, said enclosing medium having an interior surface, wherein said cylindrical outer surface conforms to said interior surface;
at least one nozzle disposed on said fluid ejector body; and
a drop-on-demand fluid ejector actuator in fluid communication with said at least one nozzle, wherein activation of said fluid ejector actuator ejects a fluid through said at least one nozzle onto a predetermined location on said interior surface of said enclosing medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
at least one second fluid nozzle disposed on said fluid ejector body;
a second fluid channel fluidically coupled to said at least one second fluid nozzle; and
a second fluid ejector actuator in fluid communication with said at least one second fluid nozzle, wherein activation of said second fluid ejector actuator ejects a second fluid onto said interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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10. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 9, wherein said drop-on-demand fluid ejector actuator, for each activation, essentially a drop of a second fluid onto said interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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11. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:
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at least one third fluid nozzle disposed on said fluid ejector body;
a third fluid channel fluidically coupled to said at least one third fluid nozzle; and
a third fluid ejector actuator in fluid communication with said at least one third fluid nozzle, wherein activation of said third fluid ejector actuator ejects a third fluid material onto said interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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12. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 11, wherein said drop-on-demand fluid ejector actuator, for each activation, essentially a drop of a third fluid material onto said interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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13. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fluid ejector body is rotatable within said enclosing medium.
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14. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a fluid body housing having a portion adapted to be insertable within the opening of said enclosing medium, and said fluid body housing enclosing a portion of said fluid ejector body.
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15. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fluid ejector actuator ejects said fluid in a substantially radial direction onto said interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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16. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, wherein said enclosing medium further comprises a longitudinal axis, and said fluid ejector actuator ejects said fluid in a direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis onto said interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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17. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one nozzle further comprises a nozzle ejection axis and said fluid ejector body further comprises a fluid body longitudinal axis, wherein said fluid body longitudinal axis and said nozzle ejection axis form a predetermined ejection angle.
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18. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 17, wherein said predetermined angle is in the range from about minus sixty degrees to plus sixty degrees about a fluid body normal of said fluid body.
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19. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 17, wherein said predetermined angle is in the range from about minus forty five degrees to plus forty five degrees about a fluid body normal of said fluid body.
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20. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 17, wherein said fluid body longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to said nozzle ejection axis.
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21. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, further comprising multiple nozzles in a staggered configuration.
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22. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, further comprising multiple nozzles in a helical configuration.
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23. The fiuid ejector head in accordance with claim 22, wherein said multiple nozzles form a single helix.
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24. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, further comprising multiple nozzles in a straight configuration.
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25. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a second fluid ejector actuator wherein said fluid ejector actuator is of a first type and said second fluid ejector actuator is of a second type.
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26. The fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fluid ejector actuator ejects a fluid through said at least one nozzle onto a predetermined location on a side interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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27. A fluid ejection cartridge comprising:
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a fluid ejector head in accordance with claim 1; and
a fluid reservoir containing said fluid, and fluidically coupled to said fluid ejector head.
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28. The fluid ejection cartridge in accordance with claim 27, further comprising an information storage element coupled to a controller having at least one parameter of said fluid that is communicable to said controller.
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29. The fluid ejection cartridge in accordance with claim 28, wherein said information storage element further comprises at least one parameter of the fluid ejector head that is communicable to said controller.
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30. A fluid dispensing system comprising:
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at least one fluid ejection cartridge of claim 27;
a fluid controller operably coupled to said fluid ejector actuator; and
at least one enclosing medium holder adapted to hold said enclosing medium, wherein said fluid controller activates said fluid ejector actuator to eject a fluid onto said interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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31. The fluid dispensing system in accordance with claim 30, further comprising an i×
- j array of fluid ejection cartridges disposed on a dispersing bracket, and wherein said at least one enclosing medium holder further comprises an enclosing medium tray having an n×
m array of enclosing medium holders disposed thereon, wherein i, j, m, and integers.
- j array of fluid ejection cartridges disposed on a dispersing bracket, and wherein said at least one enclosing medium holder further comprises an enclosing medium tray having an n×
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32. The fluid dispensing system in accordance with claim 30, wherein said enclosing medium holder and said fluid controller cooperate to dispense said fluid in a two-dimensional array onto said interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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33. The fluid dispensing system in accordance with claim 30, wherein said enclosing medium holder and said fluid controller cooperate to dispense said fluid in a two-dimensional array onto said interior surface of said enclosing medium.
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34. The fluid dispensing system in accordance with claim 30, further comprising a transport mechanism coupled to said at least one enclosing medium holder providing movement to said at least one enclosing medium holder.
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35. The fluid dispensing system in accordance with claim 34, further comprising a transport controller operably coupled to said transport mechanism providing signals to control movement of said at least one enclosing medium holder in three mutually orthogonal directions.
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36. The fluid dispensing system in accordance with claim 35, wherein said transport controller provides a rotational signal to said transport mechanism to rotate an enclosing medium tray about a central axis.
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37. The fluid dispensing system in accordance with claim 34, further comprising a dispensing bracket, wherein said fluid ejector body is mounted to said dispensing bracket and said transport mechanism is coupled to said dispensing bracket.
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38. The fluid dispensing system in accordance with claim 34, wherein said transport mechanism provides movement to said fluid ejector body to insert said fluid ejector body into said enclosing medium.
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39. The fluid dispensing system in accordance with claim 30, further comprising an inspection unit providing in-line non-destructive testing of said enclosing medium.
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40. A method of using a fluid dispensing system, comprising:
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inserting a fluid ejector body having a cylindrical outer surface into an opening of an enclosing medium, said cylindrical outer surface having a longitudinal axis, and said enclosing medium having an interior surface, wherein said cylindrical outer surface conforms to said interior surface;
activating a drop-on-demand fluid ejector actuator to eject a fluid; and
dispensing said fluid at pre-selected locations onto at least a portion of said interior surface of said enclosing medium. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification