Abstract: A drop-on-demand ink jet printing system includes a print head having at least one mixing chamber having a nozzle opening. A plurality of sources of color liquid ink and a source of colorless liquid ink communicate with the mixing chamber. A flow controller is adapted to selectably meter ink from the sources to the mixing chamber, whereby ink droplets of selectable color are prepared in the mixing chamber for delivery from the nozzle. The flow controller is further adapted to meter colorless ink into the mixing chamber after a droplet is delivered from the nozzle opening to thereby dilute color ink remaining in the mixing chamber sufficiently such that a next desired color can be attained by adding ink of appropriate color to the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber may be flushed with colorless ink after a droplet is delivered from the nozzle opening and before adding ink of appropriate color to the mixing chamber to attain a next desired color.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes a printing assembly adapted to create inkjet images on a medium. A durability station provided in series with the printing assembly is adapted to apply direct a durability material in solution with a supercritical carbondioxide solvent onto the medium to provide an overcoat for protecting inkjet prints.

Abstract: Disclosed is media for receiving jetted ink comprising a support bearing a predetermined array of three dimensional cells composed of hydrophobic walls and having a hydrophilic base, the cross-section of the cells parallel to the support being of a size sufficiently small so as to increase the range of color density gradations attainable.

Abstract: An electrostrictive micro-valve is provided for modulating a fluid flow through a cannula or other narrow liquid conduit. The micro-valve includes a valve body having a passageway for conducting a flow of fluid, a valve element formed from a piece of viscoelastic material and disposed in the passageway, and a control assembly coupled to the viscoelastic material for electrostatically controlling the shape of the material to open or close the passageway. The valve element has a flat lower side connected to an inner wall of the passage of the valve body, and an upper side which faces an opposing wall within the passageway. The control assembly includes a pair of electrodes disposed over the upper and lower sides of the valve element. The electrode facing the lower side of the element is patterned so that localized electrostatic forces are generated across the viscoelastic material when a voltage is applied across both electrodes.

Abstract: A printing apparatus in the form of an inkjet printer and a printing method utilizes a light-activated ink release system. The apparatus includes at least one nozzle having an ink body that is comprised of light-sensitive ink. The ink can form an unextended droplet meniscus. By directing a light beam onto the unextended droplet meniscus, the surface tension of the light-sensitive ink decreases, and provides for an extended droplet meniscus. The formation of the extended meniscus droplet meniscus permits the transfer of ink to a receiver or media.

Abstract: This invention relates to an inkjet printing method comprising providing a liquid inkjet ink which contains a thermally responsive material and applying the liquid ink jet ink onto an inkjet recording element in an imagewise fashion, wherein the inkjet recording element has been heated to a temperature higher than the temperature of the liquid inkjet ink.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a self-cleaning print head having an orifice plate defining an ink jet orifice, cleaning orifice and drain orifice. The orifice plate further defines an outer surface between the orifices. The print head has a source of pressurized cleaning fluid connected to the cleaning orifice and a fluid return connected to the drain orifice for storing used cleaning fluid. During cleaning operations, the source of pressurized cleaning fluid causes cleaning fluid to flow from the cleaning orifice, and the cleaning orifice directs the flow of cleaning fluid across the outer surface and the ink jet orifice and into the drain orifice.

Abstract: An ink jet printer is provided having a printhead defining a plurality of orifices for ejecting ink droplets. The printer comprises a source of cleaning fluid, a cleaning member having a surface partially dipped in the cleaning fluid, a first drive mechanism to move the cleaning member surface creating a flow of cleaning fluid on the surface and a second drive mechanism to advance the printhead and the cleaning member surface into a proximate and separate relation with the cleaning member surface wherein at least one of the orifices of the printhead enters the flow of cleaning fluid wherein the print head and the cleaning member surface are separated by gap of between 0.1 mm and 2.54 mm.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling ink in a continuous inkjet printer in which a continuous stream of ink is emitted from a nozzle bore, including a reservoir containing pressurized ink; a rigid nozzle element defining an ink staging chamber and defining a nozzle bore in communication with the ink staging chamber arranged so as to establish a continuous flow of ink in a ink stream; ink delivery structure intermediate the reservoir and the ink staging chamber for communicating ink between the reservoir and defining first and second spaced ink delivery channels; and heat responsive bimorph flexible elements disposed in the first and second spaced ink delivery channels to control the flow of ink to the nozzle and thereby change the direction of ink from the nozzle.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes a printing assembly adapted to create inkjet images on a medium. A durability station provided in series with the printing assembly is adapted to apply direct a durability material in solution with a supercritical carbondioxide solvent onto the medium to provide an overcoat for protecting inkjet prints.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling ink in a continuous inkjet printer in which a continuous stream of ink is emitted from a nozzle bore, including a reservoir containing pressurized ink; a rigid nozzle element defining an ink staging chamber and defining a nozzle bore in communication with the ink staging chamber arranged so as to establish a continuous flow of ink in a ink stream; ink delivery structure intermediate the reservoir and the ink staging chamber for communicating ink between the reservoir and defining first and second spaced ink delivery channels; and heat responsive bimorph flexible elements disposed in the first and second spaced ink delivery channels to control the flow of ink to the nozzle and thereby change the direction of ink from the nozzle.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead, that includes a plurality of nozzle bores from which streams of ink droplets having selectable first and second volumes are emitted; a droplet deflector for deflecting the ink droplets having first and second volumes into first and second paths respectively, the droplet deflector producing a corresponding plurality of physically separate streams of gas, each stream of gas directed on a corresponding one of the streams of ink droplets; and an ink gutter positioned to catch the ink droplets moving along one of the first or second paths. In addition to a method for selectively controlling the ink droplets with the aforementioned inkjet printhead.

Abstract: A self-cleaning print head is provided. The self-cleaning print head comprises a print head body having an outer surface defining an ink jet orifice. A source of pressurized cleaning fluid is provided to generate a flow of cleaning fluid at the outer surface during cleaning. A fluid drain is provided to receive the flow of cleaning fluid. A movable flow guide defines a flow path from the source of pressurized cleaning fluid along the outer surface and ink jet orifice and to the fluid drain. During cleaning, a translation drive moves the flow guides along a path that diverges from the flow path.

Abstract: A drop-on-demand ink jet printing system includes an ink channel having a nozzle orifice through which ink droplets are ejected when ink in the ink channel is subjected to a momentary positive pressure wave. An ink feed passage opens into the ink channel to transport ink into the channel from an ink reservoir. A selectively-actuated valve, associated with the ink feed passage, restricts the flow of ink through the ink feed passage when actuated. The valve is actuated in timed association with the momentary pressure wave, whereby flow of ink past the valve from the ink channel towards the reservoir is inhibited.

Abstract: A drop on demand microfluidic ink jet printing system includes an ink flow chamber having a nozzle opening in a wall of the flow chamber through which ink droplets are ejected when ink in the flow chamber is at or above a predetermined positive pressure. An inlet channel opens into the flow chamber to supply thermally-responsive ink to the flow chamber at or above the predetermined pressure. A microfluidic outlet channel communicates the flow chamber with a low pressure ink reservoir such that thermally-responsive ink is normally transported from the flow chamber at a flow velocity sufficient to maintain ink in the flow chamber at a pressure less than the predetermined positive pressure.

Abstract: A catcher is provided. The catcher includes a body made from a porous material with a first portion of the body defining a delimiting edge and a second portion of the body defining an area recessed from the delimiting edge. A third portion of the body defines an oblique surface beginning at a location removed from the delimiting edge and ending at the delimiting edge. The area recessed from the delimiting edge includes a surface beginning at the delimiting edge and ending at a location removed from the edge. The surface of the recessed area can be substantially flat and/or include a curved portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is media for receiving jetted ink comprising a support bearing a predetermined array of three dimensional cells composed of hydrophobic walls and having a hydrophilic base, the cross-section of the cells parallel to the support being of a size sufficiently small so as to increase the range of color density gradations attainable.

Abstract: Disclosed is a media for receiving jetted ink, comprising a support bearing a predetermined array of three dimensional cells composed of hydrophobic cell walls and having a hydrophilic base, the cell walls being composed of a material capable of being fused subsequent to printing to provide an overcoat layer.

Abstract: A drop-on-demand ink jet printing system includes a print head having at least one mixing chamber having a nozzle opening. A plurality of sources of color liquid ink and a source of colorless liquid ink communicate with the mixing chamber. A flow controller is adapted to selectably meter ink from the sources to the mixing chamber, whereby ink droplets of selectable color are prepared in the mixing chamber for delivery from the nozzle. The flow controller is further adapted to meter colorless ink into the mixing chamber after a droplet is delivered from the nozzle opening to thereby dilute color ink remaining in the mixing chamber sufficiently such that a next desired color can be attained by adding ink of appropriate color to the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber may be flushed with colorless ink after a droplet is delivered from the nozzle opening and before adding ink of appropriate color to the mixing chamber to attain a next desired color.

Abstract: A self-cleaning printer system (400) with cleaning liquid (300) and cleaning mechanism (140) with a rotating disk cleaning assembly (32) can be used to remove contaminants from a print head (16) in the self-cleaning ink jet printer system (400). A rotating disk cleaning assembly (32) is disposed relative to the surface (15) of a print head (16) for directing a flow of cleaning liquid (300) along the surface (15) and to direct sliding contact of a disk (190) to clean the contaminants from the surface (15). The rotating disk cleaning assembly (32) is configured to introduce cleaning liquid (300) to the print head surface (15) to facilitate and augment cleaning by the disk (190). Flow of the cleaning liquid (300) is facilitated by vacuum pump (36) which directs cleaning liquid (300) from a cleaning liquid reservoir (270) to the rotating disk cleaning assembly (32).