| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080309690 | Mixing device and mixing method - A mixing method is disclosed. The mixing method includes providing a drop generating device including a first drop ejector, a second drop ejector and a collector. The mixing method also includes ejecting a plurality of drops of a first reactant from the first drop ejector and ejecting a plurality of drops of a second reactant from the second drop ejector and collecting the drops with the collector. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20090066747 | PRINT ELEMENT DE-PRIME METHOD - An image forming device comprises an ink reservoir that contains a reservoir ink. The ink reservoir is arranged to provide the reservoir ink to an included print element by means of an included ink supply channel. A print element ink thus is supplied to the print element. When a fault condition is detected that indicates a likelihood of a freezing of the print element ink, the print element is de-primed by forcing the print element ink to evacuate, discharge, withdraw or flow from the print element by means of the ink supply channel. The fault condition comprises any of a loss of power, a power-down process or a print element temperature being less than or equal to a threshold value. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20100079533 | ON-CHIP HEATER AND THERMISTORS FOR INKJET - A chip used for dispensing a fluid such as ink provides ink-dispensing ejectors having an ink cavity over a supporting substrate, and further provides a heater for heating the ink in the cavity. The heater can be interposed between the substrate and the ink cavity to provide direct heating of ink as it is being dispensed Various embodiments further comprise the use of the heater structure as a temperature probe to measure the temperature of the ink in the ink cavity. Other embodiments provides a chip having both a temperature probe and a heater as separate structures interposed between the ink cavity and the substrate. Further described is a temperature probe and/or heater which traverses a majority of a width of a substrate, and surrounds each drop ejector on at least two sides. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100238227 | PRINTHEAD DE-PRIME SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SOLID INK SYSTEMS - A system and method to provide pressure to de-prime a printhead. An image forming device comprises an ink reservoir that contains ink and provides the ink to a printhead. When a fault condition is detected that indicates a likelihood of a solidifying of the ink, the printhead is de-primed by applying pressure to the printhead to purge the ink from the printhead. The fault condition comprises any of a loss of power, a power-down process, or a printhead temperature being less than or equal to a threshold temperature. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100321432 | INK JET PRINTING SYSTEMS AND METHODS WITH PRE-FILL AND DIMPLE DESIGN - Systems and methods of ejecting ink drops from an inkjet printer are disclosed. The systems and methods can include a printhead with one or more actuators with associated nozzles and membranes A voltage waveform can be applied to the actuators to fill the actuators with a volume of ink and eject the ink through the nozzles as ink drops. The voltage waveform can have associated pre-fill voltage to fill the actuator with ink and a firing voltage to eject the ink. The actuator membranes can have multi-height dimples to protect the membranes from contacting electrodes and reduce the electric field. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110228005 | INK JET PRINT HEAD PLATE - A nozzle plate for an inkjet printhead, the nozzle plate including a nozzle through which ink is ejected, the nozzle optimally positioned in the nozzle plate. The nozzle plate further including at least one priming hole, the priming hole distinct from and of a smaller diameter than the nozzle, the priming holes positioned at selected locations of the nozzle plate to purge air from the ink jet print head. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110298866 | LOW-ADHESION COATING TO ELIMINATE DAMAGE DURING FREEZE/THAW OF MEMSJET PRINTHEADS - Exemplary embodiments provide materials, systems and methods for ink jet printhead, wherein a low-adhesion coating can be applied to at least one surface portion of an ink chamber within the printhead to reduce or eliminate actuator membrane damage during ink freeze/thaw cycles. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110298870 | MULTIPLE PRIMING HOLES FOR IMPROVED FREEZE/THAW CYCLILNG OF MEMSJet PRINTING DEVICES - An ink jet print head includes an ink chamber defined by an electrostatically actuated membrane and a nozzle plate opposing the membrane. The nozzle plate includes a nozzle hole and a group of priming holes, the priming holes configured to maintain a substantially ink free surface on the nozzle plate during a freeze thaw cycle of ink in the ink chamber. A method for accommodating expansion and contraction of ink during a freeze thaw cycle of ink in an ink chamber is also provided. The method includes providing a group of priming holes in a nozzle plate of the ink chamber, the group of priming holes maintaining a substantially ink free surface on the nozzle plate during the freeze thaw cycle. | 12-08-2011 |