Abstract: A method for preventing the misdirection of the initial ink droplets discharged from the nozzle of an asymmetric heat-type ink jet printer is provided. The method includes the step of providing power to the heating element that is adjacent to the inkjet nozzle at a higher level than the level normally used during the printing operation. When the power is supplied to the heater in the form of a train of electrical pulses, at least the first electrical pulse has at least one of a greater amplitude, width, or frequency at the beginning of the printing operation than the amplitude, width, and frequency normally used during the printing operation. The method enhances resolution by avoiding the off-target deflection of ink droplets that may happen at the beginning of a printing operation as a result of thermal inertia in the region of the heater and nozzle.

Abstract: An ink jet printing process comprising the steps of; a) providing an ink jet printer in which a continuous stream of ink jet ink is emitted from a nozzle that is responsive to digital data signals; b) loading the printer with an ink jet recording element; c) loading the printer with an aqueous inkjet ink comprising water, a dye, a humectant, an organic solvent and a deflection-enhancing additive comprising a diethanolamine or 1-amino-2-propanol; and d) ejecting ink from a thermally-steered continuous ink jet print head onto one of the ink jet recording elements in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for drying a receiver media (30) in an ink jet printer. The apparatus generally comprises a means for creating a pressure differential between the upper surface (20) and the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30), wherein the pressure at the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30) is lower than the pressure at the upper surface (20) of the receiver media (30). The pressure differential-creating means may include a vacuum pump (70) adapted to generate a vacuum at the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30) or an air pump (130) adapted to pass air currents (140) across the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30) to cause a “Bernoulli effect”.

Abstract: Ink printing printer with gutter cleaning structure and method of assembling the printer. The printer includes a print head (10) having a surface (14) thereon, the surface (14) including an orifice region (18) having at least one ink-ejection orifice (16), a first gutter (22) disposed proximate one side of the orifice region (18) adapted for connection to a source of a cleaning fluid, and a second gutter (24) disposed proximate an opposite side of the orifice region (18) adapted for connection to a receiver for the cleaning fluid. A cover member (40) is positionable opposite the orifice region (18) and the gutters (22,24) for forming a sealed enclosure (42) thereof defining a cavity (44) sized to allow fluid flow therethrough from the first gutter (22) over the orifice region (18) to the second gutter (24).

Abstract: A method for controlling a terminal flow of ink droplets from the nozzle of an ink jet printer at the end of a printing operation is provided. The printer has a first heating element disposed on one side of the nozzle that is selectively actuated to direct ink droplets away from a recording medium and into an ink gutter during a printing operation. The printer also has a second heating element disposed on the side of the nozzle opposite from the first heating element. After the first heating element applies its last operational heat pulse to the printing nozzle at the end of a printing operation, the second heating element applies at least one deflection correcting heat pulse of the same duration, magnitude and period as the last operational heat pumps. The method prevents ink droplets generated after the end of a printing operation from erroneously striking the printing medium.

Abstract: An ink jet printing process comprising the steps of; a) providing an ink jet printer in which a continuous stream of ink jet ink is emitted from a nozzle that is responsive to digital data signals; b) loading the printer with an ink jet recording element; c) loading the printer with an ink jet ink comprising an organic solvent; and d) ejecting ink from a thermally-steered continuous ink jet print head onto one of the ink jet recording elements in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: A catcher assembly, which is adapted to catch non-print droplets while not catching print droplets, includes a section defining an ink collection chamber and an impact surface positioned to intercept non-print droplets and to direct the intercepted non-print droplets to the ink collection chamber. The section further defines at least one other surface that is subject to undesirable ink build up. An ink flow path extends from the other surface to the ink collection chamber, whereby ink that has undesirably built up on the other surface will tend to flow to the ink collection chamber. The ink flow path may be a hole through the section. The hole extends from the other surface to the ink collection chamber. The ink flow path may further include a slot in the section extending between the hole and the other surface to provide a path for ink to flow from the other surface to the hole and then through the hole to the ink collection chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling an ink jet printer includes a substrate; an ink delivery channel below the substrate; and a nozzle bore through the substrate and opening into the ink delivery channel to establish an ink flow path. A resistive heater has an upper surface above the upper surface of the substrate and defines a symmetrical radially-outward heater perimeter edge. Ink tends to form a meniscus on the upper surface of the heater, the meniscus tending to pin at the heater perimeter edge. A plurality of electrodes make contact with the heater at spaced-apart positions below the perimeter edge. The ink may flow in a continuous stream from the nozzle bore. The heater defines a plurality of sections, each section having a pair of electrodes.

Abstract: To compensate for droplet placement errors, a continuous ink jet printer includes a heater having a plurality of selectively independently actuated sections which are positioned along respectively different portions of the nozzle bore's perimeter. An actuator selectively activates none, one, or a plurality of the heater sections such that: actuation of heater sections associated with only a portion of the entire nozzle bore perimeter produces an asymmetric application of heat to the stream to control the direction of the stream between a print direction and a non-print direction, and simultaneous actuation of different numbers of heater sections associated with only a portion of the entire nozzle bore perimeter produces corresponding different asymmetric application of heat to the stream to thereby control the direction of the stream between one print direction and another print direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling ink in a continuous ink jet printer in which a continuous stream of ink is emitted from a nozzle includes a nozzle bore to establish a continuous stream of ink; a heater having a plurality of selectively independently actuated sections which are positioned along respectively different portions of the nozzle bore; a variable power source for the heater sections; and an actuator adapted to selectively activate none, one, or a plurality of said heater sections with an adjustable amount of power such that actuation of heater sections associated with only a portion of the entire nozzle bore perimeter produces an asymmetric application of heat to the stream to control the direction and the amount of deflection of the stream as a function of the amount of power of the activated heater sections.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling ink in an ink jet printer includes a print head of the type wherein ink forms a meniscus above a nozzle bore and spreads along an upper surface of the print head. The print head includes a substrate having an upper surface; an ink delivery channel below the substrate; and a nozzle bore through the substrate and opening below the substrate into the ink delivery channel to establish an ink flow path. A source of pressurized ink communicates with the ink delivery channel such that ink tends to form a meniscus on the upper surface of the heater. A resistive heater lies about at least a portion of the nozzle bore, the heater having an upper surface which is coplanar with a surrounding portion of the upper surface of the substrate, whereby the print head is flat in regions along an ink-to-solid contact line of the meniscus.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling ink in a continuous ink jet printer includes an ink delivery channel; a source of pressurized ink communicating with the ink delivery channel; a nozzle bore which opens into the ink delivery channel to establish a continuous flow of ink in a stream, the nozzle bore defining a nozzle bore perimeter; and a heater which causes the stream to break up into a plurality of droplets at a position spaced from the nozzle bore. The heater having a selectively-actuated section associated with only a portion of the nozzle bore perimeter, whereby actuation of the heater section produces an asymmetric application of heat to the stream to control the direction of the stream between a print direction and a non-print direction.

Abstract: A printer having mechanically-assisted ink droplet separation and method of using same, for separating an ink meniscus from an ink nozzle orifice while clearing-away particulate matter from about the orifice. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a heater surrounds an orifice formed by the nozzle, the orifice having an ink meniscus residing therein. As the heater heats the ink meniscus, surface tension of the ink meniscus decreases, thereby causing the ink meniscus to extend outwardly from the orifice to define an extended ink meniscus. A cutter, which is disposed near the orifice, includes a plate member disposed opposite an outside surface of the nozzle so as to define a passage between the outside surface and the plate member. The plate member has an opening aligned with the orifice and in communication with the passage. A gas pressure regulator in communication with the passage supplies pressurized gas into the passage, which gas flows along the passage an through the opening.

Abstract: A liquid ink, drop on demand page-width print-head comprises a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of drop-emitter nozzles fabricated on the substrate; an ink supply manifold coupled to the nozzles; pressure means for subjecting ink in the manifold to a pressure above ambient pressure causing a meniscus to form in each nozzle; a means for applying heat to the perimeter of the meniscus in predetermined selectively addressed nozzles; and a means for combined selection and ejection of drops from the selectively addressed nozzles.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for controlling ink in a continuous ink jet printer in which a continuous stream of ink is emitted from a nozzle, wherein an ink stream generator establishes a continuous flow of ink in a stream such that the stream breaks up into a plurality of droplets at a position spaced from the ink stream generator. A stream deflector includes a body having a surface positioned adjacent to the stream between the ink stream generator and the position whereat the stream breaks up into droplets such that the stream contacts the surface and is deflected at least in part due to a tendency of liquid to contact a surface in proportion to liquid-solid free energy.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet printer emits a continuous stream of ink from an ink stream generator. The stream breaks up into a plurality of droplets at a position spaced from the ink stream generator. A stream deflector includs a control surface positioned adjacent to the stream between the ink stream generator and the position whereat the stream breaks up into droplets such that the stream contacts the control surface and is thereby deflected due to a gain in free energy caused by physical contact between the ink in the stream and the control surface. Apparatus may be provided to modulate the position of the control surface to change the direction of the stream between a print direction and a non-print direction.

Abstract: The invention is related to an aqueous ink composition comprising water, a coloring agent, and solid surfactant particles wherein said solid particles comprise a mixture of at least two surfactants with very low water solubility and with melting points between 40.degree. C. and 90.degree. C.

Abstract: An amorphous upconversion phosphor comprising barium fluoride a combination of rare-earth fluorides including yttrium and lanthanum and dopants, and a waveguide thereof on a substrate selected to have a refractive index lower than a thin film of the phosphor material or any other substrate with an appropriate buffer layer of lower refractive index that the film wherein infrared radiation is converted into visible or visible and ultra violet light. The amorphous upconversion phosphor is deposited at temperatures low enough to permit integration into semiconductor materials.

Abstract: An amorphous upconversion phosphor comprising barium fluoride a combination of rare-earth fluorides including yttrium and lanthanum and dopants, and a waveguide thereof on a substrate selected to have a refractive index lower than a thin film of the phosphor material or any other substrate with an appropriate buffer layer of lower refractive index that the film wherein infrared radiation and visible light are converted to ultraviolet and visible light. The amorphous upconversion phosphor is deposited at temperatures low enough to permit integration into semiconductor materials.

Abstract: An amorphous upconversion phosphor comprising barium fluoride a combination of rare-earth fluorides including yttrium and lanthanum and dopants, and a waveguide thereof on a substrate selected to have a refractive index lower than a thin film of the phosphor material or any other substrate with an appropriate buffer layer of lower refractive index that the film wherein infrared radiation and visible light are convened to ultraviolet and visible light The amorphous upconversion phosphor is deposited at temperatures low enough to permit integration into semiconductor materials.