Fluid ejector including a drop size symbol, a method of disposing a drop size symbol in a fluid ejector, and an image forming device including a marking fluid ejector with a drop size symbol

• US 20030184607A1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Shin, Helen HaeKyung, Torpey, Peter A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,427,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/9
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04506 aiming at correcting manufacturing tolerances
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04508 aiming at correcting other parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04586 controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/17 Readable information on the head

Abstract

A fluid ejector includes a drop size symbol that is based on the fluid ejector'"'"'s drop size relative to one or more fixed drop sizes. The drop size symbol is formed by comparing the fluid ejector'"'"'s drop size to the one or more fixed drop sizes. An image forming device includes a marking fluid ejector that includes a drop size symbol based on the marking fluid ejector'"'"'s drop size relative to one or more fixed drop sizes. The image forming device forms an image based on the drop size symbol by determining the drop size symbol and then either selecting a marking fluid look-up table based on the drop size symbol, or forming an image correction factor based on the drop size symbol.

Claims

1. A fluid ejector including a drop size symbol, the fluid ejector arranged to eject at least one fluid drop of a drop size, the drop size symbol based on the drop size relative to one or more fixed drop sizes.

2. The fluid ejector of claim 1, wherein the drop size symbol is based on exactly one fixed drop size.

3. The fluid ejector of claim 2, the drop size symbol having a first value when the drop size exceeds the fixed drop size, otherwise a second value.

4. The fluid ejector of claim 2, the drop size symbol having a first value when the drop size does not exceed the fixed drop size, otherwise a second value.

5. The fluid ejector of claim 2, the drop size symbol having a first value when the drop size is less than the fixed drop size, a second value when the drop size substantially equals the fixed drop size, otherwise a third value.

6. The fluid ejector of claim 1, the fluid ejector including a storage means, the drop size symbol being disposed in the storage means.

7. The fluid ejector of claim 1, the fluid ejector comprising a radio frequency tag with the drop size symbol being disposed therein.

8. The fluid ejector of claim 1, the fluid ejector comprising a housing exterior with the drop size symbol being disposed thereon.

9. The fluid ejector of claim 8, the drop size symbol being machine-detectable.

10. The fluid ejector of claim 8, the drop size symbol forming part of a fluid ejector identification code or serial number.

11. The fluid ejector of claim 1, the fluid comprising at least one medicine.

12. The fluid ejector of claim 1, the fluid comprising a marking fluid.

13. The fluid ejector of claim 1, the fluid comprising a biological fluid.

14. A method of disposing a drop size symbol in a fluid ejector, the fluid ejector arranged to eject at least one fluid drop of a drop size, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) determine the drop size;

(b) compare the drop size to one or more fixed drop sizes;

(c) form a drop size symbol based on the drop size comparing step (b); and

(d) dispose the drop size symbol in the fluid ejector.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the drop size comparing step (b) compares the drop size to exactly one fixed drop size.

16. The method of claim 15, the drop size symbol having a first value when the drop size exceeds the fixed drop size, otherwise a second value.

17. The method of claim 15, the drop size symbol having a first value when the drop size does not exceed the fixed drop size, otherwise a second value.

18. The method of claim 15, the drop size symbol having a first value when the drop size is less than the fixed drop size, a second value when the drop size substantially equals the fixed drop size, otherwise a third value.

19. The method of claim 14, the fluid ejector comprising a housing exterior, the method including disposing the drop size symbol on the housing exterior.

20. The method of claim 19, the drop size symbol forming part of a fluid ejector identification code or serial number.

21. An image forming device comprising a marking fluid ejector with a drop size symbol, the marking fluid ejector arranged to eject at least one marking fluid drop of a drop size on a media, the drop size symbol based on the drop size relative to one or more fixed drop sizes.

22. The image forming device of claim 21, wherein the drop size symbol is based on the drop size relative to exactly one fixed drop size.

23. The image forming device of claim 22, the drop size symbol having a first value when the drop size exceeds the fixed drop size, otherwise a second value.

24. The image forming device of claim 22, the drop size symbol having a first value when the drop size does not exceed the fixed drop size, otherwise a second value.

25. The image forming device of claim 22, the drop size symbol having a first value when the drop size is less than the fixed drop size, a second value when the drop size substantially equals the fixed drop size, otherwise a third value.

26. The image forming device of claim 21, the marking fluid ejector including a storage means, the drop size symbol being disposed in the storage means.

27. The image forming device of claim 21, the fluid ejector comprising a radio frequency tag with the drop size symbol disposed therein.

28. The image forming device of claim 21, the fluid ejector comprising a housing exterior with the drop size symbol being disposed thereon.

29. The image forming device of claim 28, the drop size symbol forming part of a making fluid ejector serial number or identification code.

30. The image forming device of claim 21, the marking fluid comprising one of a cyan, magenta, yellow and black colorant.