Abstract: An ink jet apparatus including a recording head having a jetting surface, an actuator positioned adjacent to the jetting surface, and a cleaning blade member coupled to the actuator by a self-aligning system. The actuator is adapted to move the wiping blade between a cleaning position in which the blade comes in contact with the jetting surface for wiping and a retracted position in which the wiping blade is separated from the jetting surface. The self-aligning system automatically aligns the edge of the blade substantially in parallel with the jetting surface in the cleaning position.

Abstract: A demand ink jet employs removable cartridges of hot melt ink. When the temperature of the ink within the cartridge is raised, the ink melts and drains from the cartridge into the supply system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing printing on a substrate on the basis of data representing a pattern composed of a plurality of parallel rows of discrete image elements. In a known manner, successive strips of image elements are formed on the substrate, each strip being constituted by a given number of the parallel rows which extend in a first direction on the substrate and the successive strips being spaced apart at intervals in a second direction on the substrate perpendicular to the first direction such that a boundary exists between each two adjacent strips, adjacent rows in each strip being spaced from one another with an inter-row spacing in the second direction and the interval between strips of parallel rows of image elements having a nominal value substantially equal to the product of the inter-row spacing multiplied by an integer which is one greater than the given number of rows in a strip.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing an image on a printing medium with phase change ink, the printing medium providing a printing area composed of a plurality of parallel pixel rows extending in a first direction, with a uniform spacing, p, between pixel rows in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, with each row being made up of a plurality of elemental pixel areas. Printing is effected with a print head having at least one set of N nozzles for projecting drops of phase change ink onto the printing area, N being an integer and the nozzles having a uniform spacing, in a direction corresponding to the second direction when the print head faces a printing area, equal to s.multidot.

Abstract: A work station user selects a desired printer default configuration. Thereupon an address exclusively associated with the selected default configuration is appended to the print data sent from the work station to the printer. Default configuration setting circuitry provided, e.g., in a circuit card installed in the printer receives the address and, via a look-up table, provides instructions for implementing the default configuration associated with the address. The printer is then configured in accordance with the selected default configuration.

Abstract: A novel hot melt ink jet ink is disclosed for use in an impulse ink jet apparatus. The disclosed ink comprises a dispersed solid pigment which is formulated in a wax, or high molecular weight fatty acid or alcohol vehicle to form a hot melt ink which is solid at room temperature. The provision of such a pigment containing ink provides a high quality ink which is stable for long periods of time at relatively high temperatures. In the preferred embodiments, a dispersed graphite in a non-evaporative oil carrier, such as mineral oil, is formulated with candelilla wax, stearic acid and/or behenic acid.

Abstract: A printer accesses from a bit mapped raster matrix of an image to be printed, a group of bits corresponding in number to the number of printing elements of the printhead. This group of bits is used to drive the printing elements of the printhead so as to print the image. In the printers having raster scanning printheads, the selected groups of bits are accessed from the bit mapped raster matrix synchronously with the raster scanning of the printhead.

Abstract: An ink supply apparatus comprises a container for storing ink jet ink having an opening for releasing ink from the container and a valve member mounted in the opening in the container and spring means coupled to the valve member for biasing the valve member so as to prevent the flow of ink from the container when the ink supply is not mounted on a supply base.

Abstract: A method of operating a system for jetting phase change ink by effecting a solid-to-liquid phase transition of the ink by elevating its temperature, ejecting a first volume of liquid ink towards a target, lowering the temperature of the ejected ink to cause it to solidify after contact with the target and then contacting the first volume of ink with a second volume of similarly jetted ink in a liquid state so that the second volume lies on the first volume. Thereafter, the second volume of ink is caused to undergo a liquid-to-solid transition by lowering its temperature. By this method, the height of printed material is built up.

Abstract: A row-interleaved printing method for use in phase change ink jet printers which minimizes appearance abnormalities when printing solid geometric shapes; minimizes the horizontal "banding-effect" caused by cross-talk between ink jets when all jets are activated; and minimize the "seaming effect" caused by paper step mechanisms when different velocity profiles are used during printing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the formation and build up of encrusted matter upon the outer surface of an electro-expulsive blanket utilizing the principles of stress and strain.

Abstract: Impulse ink jet apparatus has a plurality of side-by-side chambers extending along a line that is slanted with respect to a direction of scanning relative to a recording medium. Each of the chambers includes a plurality of orifices that are arranged along a line extending substantially transverse to the scanning direction and a transducer for ejecting a plurality of droplets from the orifices of each chamber. The orifices are formed upon an orifice plate such that the distance between the centers of adjacent orifices associated with a single chamber are separated by a predetermined distance greater than the center distance required for drop placement on the recording medium.

Abstract: Fluorescent ink compositions and methods for using the ink co positions in drop-on-demand ink jet printers is provided. The fluorescent ink compositions are formulated with an aromatic alcohol, a glycol, a fatty acid, and at least one fluorescent pigment.

Abstract: A head tending media for cleaning the print head of an ink jet printer. The head tend media having a portion of absorbent material attached to a backing material and being dimensioned to be fed through the normal print media feed mechanism of the printer. The absorbent material being positioned such that it is brought into contact with, and wipes the print head as the head tending media is advanced through the printer.

Abstract: A pixel row interlacing method and system, and print head for practicing same, for use with dot-matrix ink jet printers which apply ink to a substrate as elevated temperatures (e.g., phase change ink jet printers), which assures environmentally symmetric ordered placement of molten ink droplets and, thereby, achieves seamless dot-matrix printing and minimizes the horizontal striping or "banding" effects which are prevalent in prior art printers. Odd rows of print region are printed in one pass and the even rows of the same region are printed in the following pass. The guidelines for laying down dots are essentially: (1) adjacent dot rows should not be laid down in the same pass; (2) each dot row should be sandwiched by either (a) virgin paper on both sides of the dot row, or (b) ink on both sides of the dot row; (3) the first and the last dot row in each solid pattern are exempted from guidelines #2 and #3.

Abstract: Ink jet apparatus including a print head having at least one chamber, an inlet opening to the chamber, and a droplet ejection orifice from the chamber, a transducer coupled to the chamber for ejecting droplets of ink in liquid form therefrom through the orifice, a manifold for supplying ink in its liquid form to the at least one chamber, and a cartridge, coupled to the manifold, for containing a supply of ink in solid form. The ink includes a wax-based vehicle to provide it with a hot melt capability, and a conductive pigment substantially dispersed throughout the wax-based vehicle to adapt it for self-melting. Accordingly, the cartridge includes a source of electrical current for energizing the conductive pigment on demand, wherein such supply of ink in solid form can be melted to a jettable liquid form upon energization of the conductive pigment by the source.