Abstract: A method of printing and an apparatus for controlling the directionality of liquid emitted from nozzles of a printhead are provided. Example embodiments of the apparatus include directionality control of liquid jets or liquid drops using a liquid jet directionality control mechanism. Example embodiments of the liquid jet directionality control mechanism include asymmetric energy application device configurations, nozzle geometry configurations, liquid delivery channel geometry configurations, or combinations of these configurations.

Abstract: A method of printing and an apparatus for controlling the directionality of liquid emitted from nozzles of a printhead are provided. Example embodiments of the apparatus include directionality control of liquid jets or liquid drops using a liquid jet directionality control mechanism. Example embodiments of the liquid jet directionality control mechanism include asymmetric energy application device configurations, nozzle geometry configurations, liquid delivery channel geometry configurations, or combinations of these configurations.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A printhead module includes a substrate, a plurality of drop ejector arrays, and electronic circuitry. The substrate includes a butting edge extending in a first direction along the substrate. The plurality of drop ejector arrays extends substantially parallel to the butting edge of the substrate with a first drop ejector array of the plurality of drop ejector arrays being closest to the butting edge of the substrate. A portion of the electronic circuitry is disposed between the first drop ejector array and the butting edge of the substrate.

Abstract: A printhead and a method of ejecting liquid droplets are provided. The method includes providing a printhead operable to eject liquid drops having a plurality of drop volumes Vi, for i equal to 1 through n, where n?2, with Vj>Vi when j>i. One of the plurality of drop volumes is a minimum drop volume Vmin, and a difference in drop volumes between successively larger drops equals (Vk+1?Vk) which is less than Vmin, for k equal to 1 through n-1. The method also includes ejecting liquid drops through the printhead.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser includes a liquid supply channel, a liquid supply adapted to feed a stream of liquid through the supply channel, a liquid return channel adapted to receive liquid from the supply channel, a liquid dispensing outlet opening, and a diverter member forming at least a portion of a wall of the liquid supply channel, said diverter member being selectively movable to form a convex surface along which liquid remains attached, thereby to divert droplets from the supply channel through the dispensing outlet opening. The motion of the diverter member is substantially orthogonal to the direction of liquid flow, so that energy associated with moving the diverter member imparts no energy to the diverted droplets. The energy associated with moving the diverter member is less than 100 nJ per pL droplet volume.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser includes a liquid supply channel, a liquid supply adapted to feed a stream of liquid through the supply channel, a liquid return channel adapted to receive liquid from the supply channel, a liquid dispensing outlet opening, and a diverter member selectively movable into the supply channel to divert droplets to the dispensing outlet opening. The liquid flows from the liquid supply channel to the liquid return channel by Coanda effect when not diverted. The motion of the diverter member is substantially orthogonal to and opposes the direction of liquid flow, so that energy associated with moving the diverter member imparts no energy to the diverted droplets. The energy associated with moving the diverter member is less than 100 nJ per pL droplet volume. In some embodiments, the energy associated with moving the diverter member is less than 10 nJ per pL droplet volume.

Abstract: A liquid ejector includes a structure defining a chamber. The chamber includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface includes a nozzle orifice. A drop forming mechanism is located on the second surface of the chamber opposite the nozzle orifice. A first liquid feed channel and a second liquid feed channel are in fluid communication with the chamber. A first segment of a segmented liquid inlet is in fluid communication with the first liquid feed channel and a second segment of the segmented liquid inlet is in fluid communication with the second liquid feed channel.

Abstract: A drop on demand ink jet print head has a chamber with a plurality of liquid passages into and out of said chamber, such that liquid is continuously moved into the chamber to a stagnation point adjacent to the nozzle opening, whereat the fluid comes substantially to rest, and out of the chamber from the stagnation point such that vector sum of liquid flow derived forces within the liquid channels is neutral. An actuator associated with the chamber is adapted to selectively increase the pressure of the liquid at the stagnation point to thereby eject a liquid drop from the nozzle opening. Continuous fluid flow internal to the system decreases the time to refill the fire chamber directly behind the nozzle opening after droplet ejection. This in turn dramatically increases the response time of the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus prevents satellite induced banding caused in bi-directional printing in which a print head alternatively moves in a first printing direction and in a second printing direction opposite to the first printing direction. The ink jet printer includes a controller that performs at least one of (i) selectively removing pixels in the first printing direction in order to lighten an image, and (ii) selectively adding pixels in the second printing direction in order to darken the image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus prevents satellite induced banding caused in bidirectional printing in which a print head alternatively moves in a first printing direction and in a second printing direction opposite to the first printing direction. The ink jet printer includes a controller that performs at least one of (i) selectively removing pixels in the first printing direction in order to lighten an image, and (ii) selectively adding pixels in the second printing direction in order to darken the image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus prevents banding defects caused by drop mass variations in an ink jet printer. The ink jet printer uses different pre-pulse sequences for drop ejection depending on print head temperature. Each of the different pre-pulse sequences is associated with a corresponding temperature range. Boundaries between adjacent temperature ranges are separated by critical temperatures. A determination is made as to whether a change in the print head temperature constitutes, or is part of, a temperature change that exceeds a predetermined threshold change amount, prior to determining whether to change the pre-pulse sequence.

Abstract: A method and apparatus prevents banding defects caused by drop mass variations in an ink jet printer. The ink jet printer uses different pre-pulse sequences for drop ejection depending on print head temperature. Each of the different pre-pulse sequences is associated with a corresponding temperature range. Boundaries between adjacent temperature ranges are separated by critical temperatures. A determination is made as to whether a change in the print head temperature constitutes, or is part of, a temperature change that exceeds a predetermined threshold change amount, prior to determining whether to change the pre-pulse sequence.

Abstract: Printing systems and methods that reduce inter-color bleeding between dark and light colored inks without losing productivity of a color ink jet printer by distributing the printing of a total amount of black ink required in a single swath over multiple passes while each of the color inks required for the same swath is printed in a single pass. For example, the print method may print a single swath by printing portions of the slow dry black ink in three passes while printing each of the fast dry color inks in single passes.

Abstract: The present system counteracts the distorting effect of a bi-directional print head by reducing the visual effect of a satellite drop displacement when the print head is traveling in a direction that increases the satellite displacement from a main drop. The system can also counteract the distorting effect of the bi-directional print head by increasing the visual effect of a satellite drop misplacement when the print head is traveling in a direction that decreases the satellite misplacement from the main drop. The satellite drop displacement can be adjusted by correcting a measured ink temperature, and thereby, an amount of pre-pulsing prior to ejection of the ink.

Abstract: A method of printing on a print medium with an ink jet printing mechanism having a print head with at least two nozzle arrays. The method comprising steps of printing with the nozzle arrays in a first printing mode, the first printing mode comprising the at least two nozzle arrays printing during a pass of the print head relative to the print medium, a second one of the nozzle arrays printing with a first density masking such that a portion of nozzles of the second nozzle array are prevented from printing during the pass; and switching to printing in a second printing mode when a subsequent pass of the print head relative to the print medium does not require printing from the first nozzle array, the second printing mode comprising the second nozzle array printing without the first density masking during the subsequent pass.