Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090015184 | System for measuring current in multiple motor coils using a single sensing element - A circuit enables current to be measured in at least two motor leads of a three-phase motor being supplied by a power source generating a chopped sinusoidal waveform for the motor leads. The circuit includes a DC power supply having a pair of output terminals, a current sense transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being connected at one end to one output terminal of the DC power supply, an H-bridge driver connected to another end of the primary winding and being connected to leads of a three-phase motor to drive each lead to a voltage obtained from the DC power supply through the primary winding, a regulating circuit for identifying the voltage to which each lead is to be driven and for controlling switches within the H-bridge circuit to drive each lead to an identified voltage, and a single current sense resistor connected to the secondary winding of the current sense transformer, the current sense resistor generating a voltage that corresponds to the current being used to drive the three-phase motor. | 01-15-2009 |
20090128591 | System and method for measuring a supply of solid ink in a solid ink printer - A solid ink printer includes a solid ink measurement system that helps ensure an adequate supply of solid ink is in the feed channels delivering solid ink to a melting device within a printer. The solid ink measurement system includes a driving electrode mounted along a substantial length of a first structure of a first solid ink feed channel, a sensing electrode mounted along a substantial length of a second structure of the first solid ink feed channel, the sensing electrode being opposite and generally parallel to the driving electrode, an AC voltage source coupled to the driving electrode to generate an electrical field emitted from the driving electrode, and a capacitance measurement circuit coupled to the sensing electrode to receive an electrical signal induced in the sensing electrode by the electrical field generated by the driving electrode, the capacitance measurement circuit being configured to identify an amount of solid ink in the first feed channel that corresponds to the electrical signal received from the sensing electrode. | 05-21-2009 |
20090279912 | TRANSFIX ROLLER LOAD CONTROLLED BY FORCE FEEDBACK - A printing device has an image receptor adapted to have an image formed thereon. The printing device also includes a transfer roller and a motor. A transfer roller load mechanism moves the transfer roller into contact with the image receptor in response to the motor output. A controller manipulates the motor in conjunction with a feedback signal from a load detector and regulates the load of the transfer roller. | 11-12-2009 |
20090285591 | TRANSFIX FOLLER LOAD CONTROLLED BY FORCE FEEDBACK - A printing device has an image receptor adapted to have an image formed thereon. The printing device also includes a transfer roller and a motor. A transfer roller load mechanism moves the transfer roller into contact with the image receptor in response to the motor output. A controller manipulates the motor in conjunction with a feedback signal from a load detector and regulates the load of the transfer roller. | 11-19-2009 |
20090321520 | ENCODER HOME POSITION SENSING METHOD AND SYSTEM - An encoder home position sensing system and method is disclosed, which includes the use of an analog quadrature encoder reader and either a code wheel or a code strip. The code wheel possesses an optical track comprised of annular ring patterns, the thickness of which can be modulated by a sinusoidal function about the code wheel circumference, with one cycle of a sine wave corresponding to one encoder cycle. In one region of the optical track the amplitude of the sine function is changed to imbed an absolute reference home position. This region of the optical track can be sensed and used to determine an absolute system position. The linear code strip is similarly constructed with lines along the direction of motion, the thickness of which are modulated with a sine function, with one cycle of the sine wave corresponding to one encoder cycle, and the amplitude of the sine wave function changed to imbed an absolute reference home position in the optical track. | 12-31-2009 |
20090322807 | FLUID LEVEL SENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD - An ink level sensing system that exhibits good sensitivity is described herein. The system includes a first probe having a first active surface, a second probe having a second active surface facing the first active surface, a memory in which data indicative of a conductivity curve and command instructions are stored, and a processor configured to execute the command instructions to associate a level of fluid in a reservoir with a first signal indicative of the electrical coupling between the first active surface and the second active surface with reference to the data indicative of a conductivity curve. | 12-31-2009 |
20100007691 | Ink Consumption Determination - An ink jet printer includes an ink feed apparatus. The ink feed apparatus includes an ink feed channel for conducting discrete substantially solid ink sticks along a feed channel path, a plurality of ink sticks in the ink feed channel, each of the ink sticks comprising an ink stick body having an ink stick sensing feature on an external surface of the ink stick body that is located between a first end and a second end of the ink stick body, and each of the ink stick bodies has substantially the same mass as the other ink stick bodies in the plurality, a detector positioned at a fixed position proximate the ink feed channel and configured to be triggered by an ink stick sensing feature on an ink stick in the ink feed channel as the ink stick moves along the ink feed path past the detector, and a counter configured to accumulate the number of times the detector is triggered. | 01-14-2010 |
20100060677 | Drive Belt Slip and Belt Wear Detection - An imaging system for a printer utilizing a friction belt drum drive is comprised of a drum position sensor, drum pulley, drive belt, motor pulley, drive motor, drive motor position sensor, and controller. The velocities of the drum and motor drive pulleys are measured using the controller and position sensors. These velocities along with the drive ratio are used to determine and monitor slip between the belt and pulleys. The magnitude of the slip measured can be used to trigger the controller to respond to the slip event. These responses may include, for example, disabling the motor or reducing motor current or providing a warning indicative of an excessive slip event. Slip measurement combined with other measurements such as motor current can be used to determine the torque capacity of the friction drive. Further, long-term changes in the ratio of pulley velocities can be used to determine drive belt wear. | 03-11-2010 |
20100077854 | Circuit Design to Prevent False Level Sense Readings - A circuit for conveying signals between one or more ink level sensors and a circuit includes a substrate having a circuit end, a sensor end, and an elongated body extending therebetween. The sensor end includes a bottom layer in which the first signal trace is routed and a top layer in which the second and third signal traces are routed. The sensor end includes a first, a second, and a third connector each extending through the top and the bottom layers that are electrically connected to a first signal trace, a second signal trace, and a third signal trace, respectively, in the substrate. The first connector, the second connector, and the third connector are configured for electrical connection to a first probe, a second probe, and a third probe, respectively, of the level sensor. A first ground trace is positioned in the sensor end that includes a first continuous guard ring in the top layer completely surrounding and spaced from the first connector, and a first segmented guard ring in the bottom layer including a plurality of segments that are each electrically connected to the first continuous guard ring and being spaced from the other segments in the first segmented guard ring. The first signal trace is routed in the bottom layer to the first connector via a space between the segments of the first segmented guard ring. | 04-01-2010 |
20100079512 | Ink Conductivity Fault Tolerant Mode - A method of operating an imaging device comprises measuring an ink conductivity of an ink volume in an ink reservoir of an imaging device. The imaging device is operated in a conductivity fault tolerant mode in response to the measured ink conductivity being outside of a predetermined ink conductivity operational range. In the conductive fault tolerant mode, at least one parameter of a melt duty cycle for the ink reservoir is set to a corresponding conductivity fault tolerant (CFT) level. | 04-01-2010 |
20100188456 | System And Method For Protecting A Printer From An Over-Temperature Condition In A Printhead - A method responds to an over-temperature condition in a printhead. The method includes generating a first electrical signal corresponding to a temperature in a printhead, monitoring the first electrical signal with a first electronic circuit to terminate delivery of electrical power to a printhead in response to detection of a safety event, and monitoring the first electrical signal with a second electronic circuit to regulate an amount of electrical power delivered to the printhead. | 07-29-2010 |
20100192685 | Apparatus And Method For Detecting Ink In A Reservoir - A method detects the level of ink in a printhead reservoir by monitoring the power drawn by a thermistor positioned within the printhead reservoir. The method includes dissipating power in a thermistor in an ink reservoir, controlling the power dissipated in the thermistor to maintain the thermistor at a temperature that is a fixed differential above a reservoir temperature, measuring a parameter that corresponds to the power dissipated in the thermistor, and comparing the measured parameter to a predetermined value to detect ink in the reservoir contacting the thermistor. | 08-05-2010 |
20100277557 | Segmented Ink Stick - A method facilitates insertion of a segmented ink stick into an ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer. The method includes bending of a flexible strand between ink stick segments during insertion of the ink stick segments and then straightening the flexible strand to orient the ink stick segments in the ink feed system. | 11-04-2010 |
20110102487 | Capacitive Drop Mass Measurement System - An imaging device includes an image receiving surface movably supported within the imaging device and at least one printhead having a plurality of ink jets, each ink jet being configured to eject drops of ink on the image receiving surface. At least one sensing electrode is positioned adjacent the image receiving surface that outputs capacitance signals indicative of a capacitance in a gap between the at least one sensing electrode and image receiving surface that are output to a controller. The imaging device includes a drop mass detection mode of operation in which: at least one ink jet in the plurality of ink jets is actuated to eject drops of ink to form at least one test band on the image receiving surface; the image receiving surface is moved so that the at least one test band of ink is positioned in the gap; the at least one sensing electrode outputs a test band capacitance signal indicative of a capacitance with the at least one test band in the gap; and the controller modifies an operating parameter of the imaging device based on the capacitance indicated by the test band capacitance signal. | 05-05-2011 |
20110175971 | ELECTRICALLY GROUNDED INKJET EJECTOR AND METHOD FOR MAKING AN ELECTRICALLY GROUNDED INKJET EJECTOR - An inkjet ejector provides electrical conductors for grounding electrically isolated layers in the ejector while electrically coupling a transducer of the ejector to a firing signal circuit. The inkjet ejector includes a diaphragm plate have a first side and a second side, a plurality of transducers mounted to the first side of the diaphragm plate, a polymer layer located on the second side of the diaphragm plate, an electrically conductive layer that is isolated from electrical ground by the polymer layer, and a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one of the electrical conductors extends from the electrically conductive layer to electrical ground through the polymer layer and other electrical conductors of the plurality of electrical conductors extend from each transducer to a firing signal circuit, the electrical conductor extending from the electrically conductive layer being the same material as the other electrical conductors in the plurality of electrical conductors. | 07-21-2011 |
20110242157 | Tilt Mitigation Methods to Control Reservoir Ink Level and Printhead Pressure - An ink level control system includes a first dividing wall that divides a reservoir of a printhead into a first chamber and a second chamber. The first and the second chambers are each connected to the ink passages of the inkjet stack by an ink port. The first dividing wall includes an opening that connects the first chamber and the second chamber to enable ink to pass therebetween. The opening is located a predetermined distance above the bottom surface of the reservoir. An ink diverter is associated with the inlet opening that directs ink received through the inlet opening to one of the first and the second chambers in response to the reservoir being tilted in a first direction, and directs ink to the other of the first and the second chambers in response to the reservoir being tilted in a second direction. | 10-06-2011 |
20110316586 | LOW-VOLTAGE TO HIGH-VOLTAGE LEVEL TRANSLATION USING CAPACITIVE COUPLING - A voltage level translator circuit has a digital logic circuit having a digital logic signal at least one high-voltage capacitor having a first and second connection, wherein one of the first and second connections is electrically coupled to the digital logic signal, and a cross-coupled inverter pair having, the output of at least one inverter of the pair electrically coupled to the other connection of the at least one high-voltage capacitor. A high-voltage driving circuit has two low-voltage input signals, two high-voltage output signals, a first signal being a high-side drive signal and a second signal being a low-side drive signal, two level translators, a first level translator corresponding to the high-side drive signal, and a second level translator corresponding to the low-side drive signal, the level translators including a digital logic circuit having a digital logic signal, at least one high-voltage capacitor having a first and second connection, wherein one of the first and second connections is electrically coupled to the digital logic signal, and a cross-coupled inverter pair having, the output of at least one inverter of the pair electrically coupled to the other connection of the at least one high-voltage capacitor. | 12-29-2011 |
20110316914 | BODY DIODE FORWARD CONDUCTION PREVENTION - A device has an output circuit arranged to receive a voltage pulse, a body diode associated with the output circuit, and a detection circuit electrically coupled to the voltage pulse and the output circuit, such that when the voltage pulse transitions from high to low, the detection circuit is configured to activate the output circuit to reduce current in the body diode. A circuit to control parasitic power dissipation in an integrated circuit has a P-channel FET having a source electrode coupled to a high voltage signal source and a drain electrode coupled to a load, a body diode associated with the P-channel FET such that the body diode conducts current on a falling edge of a high voltage pulse from the high voltage signal source, and a detection circuit electrically coupled to the P-channel FET arranged to cause the P-channel FET to turn on when the body diode conducts current so as to reduce the current and lower parasitic power dissipation caused by the body diode conducting current. An apparatus has a print head arranged to dispense ink onto a print surface through an array of ejection ports, a print driver circuit electrically coupled to the print head and configured to provide voltage pulses to actuate the ejection ports through an output circuit, and a detection circuit electrically coupled to the output circuit and arranged to receive a signal from the print driver circuit when a body diode associated with the output circuit becomes forward biased, and to send a signal to the output circuit to turn the output circuit on. | 12-29-2011 |
20120133699 | System And Method For Protecting A Printer From An Over-Temperature Condition In A Printhead - A method responds to an over-temperature condition in a printhead. The method includes generating a first electrical signal corresponding to a temperature in a printhead, monitoring the first electrical signal with a first electronic circuit to terminate delivery of electrical power to a printhead in response to detection of a safety event, and monitoring the first electrical signal with a second electronic circuit to regulate an amount of electrical power delivered to the printhead. | 05-31-2012 |
20130050313 | Fluid Level Sensing System And Method - An ink level sensing system that exhibits good sensitivity is described herein. The system includes a first probe having a first active surface, a second probe having a second active surface facing the first active surface, a memory in which data indicative of a conductivity curve and command instructions are stored, and a processor configured to execute the command instructions to associate a level of fluid in a reservoir with a first signal indicative of the electrical coupling between the first active surface and the second active surface with reference to the data indicative of a conductivity curve. | 02-28-2013 |
20130298402 | OLEOPHOBIC INK JET ORIFICE PLATE - A method for forming a print head having a plurality of reentrant structures to reduce wetting of the print head surface by the ink during use, and a resulting structure. The method can include the use of a single photosensitive layer to form plurality of reentrant structures, each having a pillar and a cap which overhangs the pillar. A plurality of print head nozzles can also be formed during the formation of the reentrant structures. Embodiments can include the formation of pillars, caps, and nozzles using three different masks, two different masks, or a single mask. | 11-14-2013 |
20140055519 | System and Method for Analyzing Images Deposited on an Image Receiving Member of a Printer - A method and apparatus for analyzing images deposited on an image receiving member of a printer, and more particularly analyzing images deposited on a surface of an imaging drum in an inkjet printer. A photoelectric sensor supported by a sled in contact with the surface of the imaging drum can be used to detect missing jets in the printhead, to align the printhead, to reduce the amount of purged ink, and to determine run out of the imaging drum. | 02-27-2014 |
20140071205 | Phase Change Ink Reservoir for a Phase Change Inkjet Printer - A phase change inkjet printer including a heated phase change ink reservoir configured to reduce or prevent improper jetting of ink from a printhead. The reservoir includes a vent to atmosphere to provide substantially consistent and accurate jetting of the heated ink. A selective barrier, such as a filter, disposed adjacent to the vent substantially prevents ink from entering the vent while still enabling the vent to direct a pressure into the reservoir during printing and during purging. | 03-13-2014 |
20140292894 | INSULATING SUBSTRATE ELECTROSTATIC INK JET PRINT HEAD - A print head has a insulating substrate, a conductive layer on the insulating substrate, the conductive layer including interconnect patterns and actuation pads corresponding to each of an array of jets, an insulating layer on the conductive layer, a membrane attached to the insulating layer, and a jet stack attached to the membrane. | 10-02-2014 |