Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
  • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
  • B41J2/01—Ink jet
  • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
  • B41J2/02—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating a continuous ink jet
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
  • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
  • B41J2/01—Ink jet
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
  • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
  • B41J2/01—Ink jet
  • B41J2/135—Nozzles
  • B41J2/14—Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
  • B41J2002/14362—Assembling elements of heads
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J2202/00—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet or thermal heads
  • B41J2202/01—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet heads
  • B41J2202/14—Mounting head into the printer

Definitions

• the invention relates to an ink jet print head.
• the inkjet printing technique consists in carrying out a continuous jet of calibrated drops, supplied by a modulation system, then in electrostatically charging these drops by means of charging electrodes,,. finally to deflect each drop by means of an electric field so that if the support on which one wishes to write and the writing device are in relative displacement, one obtains the formation of a printing matrix.
• the role of this head is fundamental for the proper functioning of an inkjet printer. It is necessary, in particular, that the drops trajectory ejected to "the ejection nozzle level is perfectly defined _ relative to the charging electrodes, the deflection plate and the support which receives the impression.
• the printhead responsive these criteria must, in addition, be space-saving, require no adjustment during operation and, on the other hand, allow simple and reliable adjustments prior to start-up.
• this head must be very easy
• the object of the present invention is precisely to produce a printhead whose architecture enables it to meet all these requirements, and more specifically relates to an inkjet printhead comprising in particular modulation means capable of breaking the jet; means for ejecting the calibrated drops; means for electrostatically charging these drops and deflection means, this head being characterized in that the modulation and ejection means are integrated in a first modulation element and the charging and deflection means are integrated in a second element called the electrode holder, the first and the second element being respectively secured to a case and the cover of this case.
• FIG. 1 schematically shows the main elements of a print head according to the invention.
• a print head according to the invention consists essentially of a modulation element 1; an electrode holder element 2 supporting the charge electrodes 3 and 4 as well as the deflection plates 5 and 6.
• a system of solenoid valves 5 intended to regulate the supply of liquid as well as a gutter holder 7 supporting a gutter 66 intended to collect the drops not used for printing are also integrated into the print head.
• housing S whose cover 9 is made in two parts: one upper 10 is said to be fixed and the other 'lower 11 is said to be mobile.
• the housing 8 and its cover 9 perform two functions: that of rollover and that of holding in place the essential elements listed above.
• This housing S cooperates indeed with the new architecture of these elements to ensure obtaining, on the one hand, the optimal location of the jet break, on the other hand, the perfect centering of the jet.
• Such a constructive arrangement of the printhead, in accordance with the invention is particularly advantageous for the implementation of the ink jet printing process as is explained in more detail below by means of FIG.
• the housing 8 which constitutes a first support for the essential elements listed above is called support housing 8 in the following description. It comprises a bottom 13, a lower base 14, an upper base 15 and two side walls 16 and 17.
• the system of solenoid valves 5 is introduced into the support housing 8 to which it is fixed by any means known per se.
• the electrical connection devices, the fluid supply pipes, the safety relays and in general all the complementary environment which is not directly related to the invention is not shown. These are conventional technical means; only their passage 18 in the upper base 15 is shown.
• the lower base 14 has an orifice 190 through which the calibrated, charged and deflected drops pass through in the direction of the substrate to be printed (not shown).
• the modulation element 1 essentially consists of a base 19 comprising a bore 20 of diameter D, into which the modulation body 21 is introduced. well said. It may for example be a vibratory device with pie z o-electric elements as described in French patent EN 7923934 filed on 09.29.79, published under No. 2,465,528 and the holder of which is the plaintiff.
• the modulation body 21 carries at its base a cylindrical plate 22 fixed by at least three fixing points 25 forming an angle .s between them.
• This plate 22 carries a nozzle 23 consisting for example of a ruby pierced with an orifice 24 for ejecting the jet of drops, the path of which is symbolized by the axes XY and X'Y '; the base 19 of the modulation element 1 is made integral with the bottom 13 of the support housing 8, as shown in FIG. 2 by any known means, for example a screw 26.
• the faces 28 of the base are made integral with the bottom 13 of the support housing 8, as shown in FIG. 2 by any known means, for example a screw 26.
• L base 19, support of the modulation body 21 further comprises a recess 31, provided with a bore 32 capable of receiving an axis 34.
• the fixed upper part 10 of the cover 9 is put in place, the profile of which also has a recess 35 which frees space for the ends of the axis 34 intended to be in turn threaded into a bore 36 formed in the part 11 of the cover 9 as will be explained below.
• a second extremely important element of the invention and don t cooperation with the modulation element 1 is essential for the proper functioning of the print head is constituted by the electrode holder element 2.
• This essentially comprises a support body 40 in which are embedded and fixed the charge electrode 3 and the charge control electrode 4, and which receives by fixing the set of deflection plates 5 and 6.
• the two electrodes 3 and 4 are provided each of a calibrated slot 41 and 42 through which the jet of drops supplied by the modulation element 1 and passes. the nozzle 24, before crossing the space which separates the two deflection plates 5 and 6.
• the slots 41 and 42 produced in these electrodes and the bearing faces of the deflection plates are by construction strictly parallel.
• the electrode holder element 2 is made integral with the lower part 11 of the cover 9 intended to close the support box 8, previously fitted with the modulation element 1. This connection is carried out
• the lower part 11 of the cover 9 is immobilized by means, for example, of a soft nut
• modulation body 21 since 5 it is possible to orient the modulation body 21 in rotation inside the modulation base 19, it is certain to be able, by the combination of the two combined actions at the level of the nozzle holder plate 22 and of the body. modulation 21 to satisfy a fundamental condition, namely: putting the jet in a plane parallel to the faces of the charge electrodes
• the jet is centered by means of a centering means 50.
• the charging electrode 3 must be located at a determined distance from the precise place where the jet breaks up into droplets, in this case
• the gutter 66 is also fixed to the lower base of the housing 8. Its role is to collect the drops not used for printing.
• a print head according to the invention can be fitted to all types of printers of the so-called continuous ink jet type.
• maintenance is particularly facilitated because of the possible opening of the cover 9, the lower part 11 of which can undergo rotation around the axis 34.
• the substrate to be printed is placed facing the passage 190 formed in the lower base 14 of the housing 8 and perpendicular to the xy axis of the jet defined above.

Landscapes

• Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
• Ink Jet (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=9286719

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Families Citing this family (19)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 1983
  • 1983-03-07 FR FR8303975A patent/FR2542257B1/fr not_active Expired
• 1984
  • 1984-02-28 AU AU25755/84A patent/AU576751B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1984-02-28 DE DE8484900990T patent/DE3473582D1/de not_active Expired
  • 1984-02-28 JP JP59501039A patent/JPS60500660A/ja active Granted
  • 1984-02-28 WO PCT/FR1984/000041 patent/WO1984003474A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 1984-02-28 US US06/676,195 patent/US4617574A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1984-02-28 EP EP84900990A patent/EP0135558B1/de not_active Expired
  • 1984-03-07 IT IT67211/84A patent/IT1182256B/it active
  • 1984-03-07 CA CA000449038A patent/CA1225876A/fr not_active Expired
  • 1984-03-07 IT IT8453065U patent/IT8453065V0/it unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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