EP 0911171 A1 19990428 - Cleaning of printhead nozzles using vibration
Title (en)
Cleaning of printhead nozzles using vibration
Title (de)
Reinigen von Druckerdüsen unter Verwendung von Vibrationen
Title (fr)
Nettoyage de buses d'imprimantes utilisant des vibrations
Publication
Application
Priority
US 95593697 A 19971022
Abstract (en)
An invention for removing an agglomeration (82, 98) from an orifice (80, 100) of a printhead (54, 56, 102) used in a printing device (20) is disclosed. The invention may also be used to help prevent formation of agglomerations in printhead orifices. An embodiment of the invention is an apparatus that includes a source (36) that supplies a signal and a transducer (62, 88) coupled to the source (36) and configured to convert the signal from the source (36) into a vibrational waveform (84, 94, 134, 136) selected to remove the agglomeration (82, 98) from the orifice (80, 100) of the printhead (54, 56, 102). An embodiment of a method (150) in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of supplying a signal to a transducer coupled to the agglomeration (154), converting the signal into a vibrational waveform (154), and transmitting the vibrational waveform to the agglomeration to change a state of the agglomeration from a solid to a fluid to remove the agglomeration from the orifice of the printhead (154). <IMAGE>
IPC 1-7
IPC 8 full level
B41J 2/165 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP)
B41J 2/16517 (2013.01); B41J 2002/16567 (2013.01)
Citation (search report)
- [YA] US 4609925 A 19860902 - NOZU TAKETO [JP], et al
- [Y] US 4563688 A 19860107 - BRAUN HILARION [US]
- [XA] EP 0664218 A2 19950726 - IRIS GRAPHICS INC [US]
- [XY] PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 002, no. 086 (E - 043) 14 July 1978 (1978-07-14) & JP S5350834 A 19780509 - RICOH KK
- [XY] PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 011, no. 330 (M - 636) 28 October 1987 (1987-10-28)
- [XA] PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 011, no. 050 (M - 562) 17 February 1987 (1987-02-17)
- [XA] PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 096, no. 004 30 April 1996 (1996-04-30)
Designated contracting state (EPC)
DE GB
DOCDB simple family (publication)
DOCDB simple family (application)
EP 98307675 A 19980922