Abstract: A droplet generator is provided for atomizing a fluid jet into a stream of droplets. The droplet generator comprises a housing having a first end, a second end, and an inner cavity. The second end of the housing has at least one orifice therein. An acoustic transducer is connected to the housing and has a first portion located within the cavity and spaced a given distance from the second end of the housing. The first portion of the acoustic transducer and the second end of the housing define a manifold therebetween for receiving a fluid. A fluid supply is connected to the acoustic transducer for supplying fluid under pressure to the inner cavity and into the manifold. The fluid passes from the manifold via the orifice as a stream of fluid. A drive mechanism is provided for driving the transducer and causing the first portion of the transducer to impart acoustic energy to the fluid in the manifold, thereby creating velocity perturbations on the stream of fluid which are sufficient to atomize the fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning foreign particles from an ink jet orifice plate assembly having a plurality of orifices and an ink stream input passage includes a liquid reservoir containing a quantity of cleaning liquid in which the ink jet orifice plate/dye cavity assembly is disposed, ultrasonic agitation means for imparting ultrasonic vibrations in the liquid to dislodge foreign particles from the orifice plate assembly, and means for simultaneously propelling a stream of the cleaning fluid inwardly (in a reverse-flow manner) through the plurality of outlet orifices to carry off dislodged foreign particles. The solid particulates are thereby removed from the assembled structure before it is placed in operation in the fluid jet printer. The method for ultrasonic cleaning is also disclosed.

Abstract: The fluid jet applicator orifice plate inspection apparatus provides an optoelectronic inspection system including a laser light source and an optical detector mounted on a carriage for traversing an orifice plate to cause laser light to pass through the orifices one at a time for detection on the other side of the orifice plate by an optical detector. The intensity of the detected light is proportional to the area of an individual orifice through which the laser light has been transmitted. The detector generates light intensity signals which are proportional to the area of the orifices and which signals are processed, digitized, and further processed by a data processor to determine, for example, the relative sizes of the orifices along the plate, the orifice size distribution along the plate and flaws of the individual orifices.

Abstract: A drop-catching structure for use in a liquid jet printing apparatus of the type which generates a linear array of closely spaced (i.e., high density) droplet streams from an orifice plate. The droplets are deflected from a normal droplet path towards a catching structure, the preferred embodiment of which includes an upper first planar surface substantially parallel to the droplet path, an intermediate planar surface disposed below the first planar surface and inclined downwardly and outwardly relative to the first planar surface, and a lower planar surface disposed below the intermediate surface which terminates in an upwardly directed channel defined with the ingesting blade.

Abstract: Uniform application of a controlled relatively small liquid volume per unit area to a moving fabric substrate is obtained even though application is made using a liquid jet electrostatic applicator which employs random drop formation processes. Repetitive print times during which randomly formed droplets are passed onto the substrate along a linear orifice array are controlled so as to have a minimum duration sufficiently large as to average out expected random variation in droplet formation processes occurring along the orifice array. At the same time, the center-to-center spacing of each printed pixel (during which randomly formed droplets are intercepted so as not to fall onto the substrate) is controlled so as to maintain a desired relatively small controlled liquid volume per unit area within the fabric substrate section to be printed.

Abstract: A turbulence damping apparatus for a fluid supply chamber of an ink-jet printing head assembly substantially damps multiaxis or turbulent fluid flow immediately upstream of an orifice plate from which at least one column of sequential fluid droplets is issued. The apparatus includes a center support member which defines openings and is adapted for rigid disposition in the fluid supply chamber to thus define upper and lower subchambers. Upper and lower damping structures are rigidly fixed to the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the center support member. The upper and lower damping structures respectively include upper and lower apertures such that initial damping of turbulent fluid flow is effected as the fluid flow through the upper apertures and into the openings of the center support member with final damping of the turbulent flow being accomplished as the fluid flows through the lower apertures.

Abstract: Glass fibers having an etchable or leachable core are used to fabricate glass nozzle arrays. A plurality of fibers are aligned in spaced parallel relationship with one another, and their major longitudinal portions are encapsulated with either a resin material or solder glass to form a block of material. This block is sliced orthogonally to the longitudinal axes of the fibers to form thin sections of nozzle arrays. After lapping and polishing, the inner cores of the glass fibers are etched out to form orifices. The use of solid core glass fibers prevents the nozzles from filling or becoming clogged with debris and dust from preceding forming operations.

Abstract: A method for producing small hollow spheres of glass having an outer diameter ranging from about 100.mu. to about 500.mu. with a substantially uniform wall thickness in the range of about 0.5-20.mu.. The method involves introducing aqueous droplets of a glass-forming solution into a long vertical drop oven or furnace having varying temperature regions. In one embodiment, one of the temperature regions is lower than both the preceeding region and the subsequent region. One region utilizes a temperature of at least 200.degree. C. higher than the melting point of the glass-forming material in the solution and, for example, may be at least 3 times higher than the temperature of the preceeding region. In addition, there is a sharp temperature gradient between these regions.

Abstract: A fluid jet device for depositing drops of fluid on a fluid receiving medium includes a print head means which defines a fluid receiving reservoir and which has a row of orifices communicating with the reservoir. Fluid is supplied to the reservoir under pressure and flows through the orifices to produce a row of fluid filaments. The fluid filaments are stimulated to break up into jet drop streams directed at the fluid receiving medium. The fluid in the reservoir is maintained at a predetermined electrical potential. An electrically conductive catcher means extends substantially parallel to the row of jet drop streams and electrically charges the drops formed from each of the filaments when a charge potential, differing from the predetermined electrical potential is applied to the catcher means. The charged drops are attracted toward the catcher means such that they are caught and prevented from striking the fluid receiving medium.