| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090033723 | CONTINUOUS INK-JET PRINTING WITH JET STRAIGHTNESS CORRECTION - A printhead includes a droplet-forming heater operable in a first state to form droplets from a fluid stream having a first volume traveling along a path direction and in a second state to form droplets from the fluid stream having a second volume traveling along the path direction. A droplet deflector system is positioned relative to the droplet-forming heater, which applies a force to the droplets traveling along the path direction, whereby the droplets having the first volume diverge from the path direction by a greater extent than do the droplets having the second volume. A droplet-steering heater is adapted to selectively asymmetrically apply heat to the stream such that the path direction is changed. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090046129 | STEERING FLUID JETS - A printer includes a printhead and a source of fluid. The printhead includes a nozzle. The fluid is under pressure sufficient to eject a column of the fluid through the nozzle. The fluid has a temperature. An asymmetric thermal modulator is associated with the nozzle and includes a structure that transiently lowers the temperature of a first portion of the fluid as the fluid is ejected through the nozzle and a structure that transiently raises the temperature of a second portion of the fluid as the fluid is ejected through the nozzle. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20100258195 | DEVICE INCLUDING MOVEABLE PORTION FOR CONTROLLING FLUID - A device and a method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface, a portion of the fluid control surface being moveable; causing the fluid to contact the fluid control surface of the fluid control device; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device by moving the moveable portion of the fluid control surface while the fluid is in contact with the fluid control surface such that the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device depending on the position of the moveable portion of the fluid control surface. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100258205 | INTERACTION OF DEVICE AND FLUID USING FORCE - A device and a method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface; providing a mechanism applies a force to the fluid to cause the fluid to temporarily contact the fluid control surface of the fluid control device; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device using the mechanism such that the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100259584 | DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING DIRECTION OF FLUID - A device and a method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface, the fluid control surface including a pattern that guides the fluid; causing the fluid to contact the fluid control surface of the fluid control device; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device by guiding the fluid using the pattern of the fluid control surface while the fluid is in contact with the pattern of the fluid control device such that the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100259585 | DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING FLUID VELOCITY - A device and a method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow velocity characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface, the fluid control surface including a pattern that changes the velocity of the fluid; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device using the pattern of the fluid control surface while the fluid is in contact with the pattern of the fluid control device such that the fluid flow velocity characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow velocity characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100259586 | DEVICE FOR MERGING FLUID DROPS OR JETS - A device and method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface, the fluid control surface including a pattern; causing the fluid to contact the fluid control surface of the fluid control device; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device using the pattern of the fluid control surface that, when activated, causes adjacent fluid drops to merge or coalesce while the fluid is in contact with the pattern of the fluid control device such that the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20110025741 | CONTINUOUS PRINTING USING TEMPERATURE LOWERING PULSES - A printer includes a printhead and a source of liquid. The printhead includes a nozzle bore. The liquid is under pressure sufficient to eject a column of the liquid through the nozzle bore. The liquid has a temperature. A thermal modulator is associated with the nozzle bore. The thermal modulator is operable to transiently lower the temperature of the liquid as the liquid is ejected through the nozzle bore. An electrical pulse source is in electrical communication with the thermal modulator. The electrical pulse source is operable to provide a series of pulses to the thermal modulator that control the transient temperature lowering of the liquid. The series of pulses includes a first pulse applied at a first power level for transferring heat to the liquid, a second pulse applied at a second power level for transferring heat to the liquid, and a third pulse applied at a third power level for transferring heat to the liquid. The third power level is in between the first power level and the second power level. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110025779 | PRINTHEAD INCLUDING DUAL NOZZLE STRUCTURE - A printhead includes a first nozzle bore, a liquid chamber, and a second nozzle bore. The liquid chamber is positioned between the first nozzle bore and the second nozzle bore and extends beyond the opening of the first nozzle bore. The first nozzle bore is in liquid communication with the second nozzle bore through the liquid chamber. | 02-03-2011 |