Capillary unit for ink jet printer

Abstract: A capillary unit for ink jet printers, containing a nozzle (6) for spraying a jet of ink (2) onto a record carrier (20). The jet of ink breaks up into a series of droplets (14, 18) at a droplet formation point in front of the nozzle. A charging electrode (10), with which the ink droplets are selectively charged for subsequent electrical deflection, is arranged in the area of the droplet deflection point. The charging electrode is devised in the form of a plate (10), arranged perpendicular to the path of the jet, with a through hole (12) for passage of the droplets. The charging electrode (10) is further devised with at least one groove (24) running from the hole (12) to the outer edge of the electrode.

Description: This invention relates to a capillary unit for ink jet printers, containing a nozzle for spraying a jet of ink onto a record carrier, said jet of ink breaking up into a series of droplets at a droplet formation point in front of the nozzle, and a charging electrode, with which the ink droplets are selectively charged for subsequent electrical deflection, is provided in the vicinity of the droplet formation point, said charging electrode being devised in the form of plate, arranged perpendicular to the path of the jet, with a through hole for passage of the droplets. Continuous pumping of ink through a fine nozzle in an ink jet printer of the abovedescribed kind results in a continuous jet of ink which, at a given distance from the nozzle orifice, divides by spontaneous droplet formation into a string or series of droplets. Droplet formation is caused by instabilities in the ink jet as ink ejects from the nozzle's orifice. However, droplets created in spontaneous droplet formation vary in size, thereby reducing the quality of the printout obtained. Thus, attempts have been made to control droplet formation, so all droplets are of the same size in a uniform series, by mechanically vibrating the nozzle at a specific frequency. For high-quality printout, the droplet formation point must also be set correctly in relation to the charging electrode, in addition to control of droplet formation. Proper setting of the droplet formation point in relation to the charging electrode is of the greatest importance to effective charging of the droplets and to enable correct control of droplets by the subsequent deflection electrode system. In Electrical/Electronic Power and Control, Product Engineering, July 28, 1969, pp. 66-67, an ink jet printer is described with charging electrodes in the form of two vertical, parallel plates arranged on either side of the droplet formation point. Varying the charging voltage applied to the charging electrodes charges the droplets to varying degrees, so they are deflected in the desired way in a subsequent, constant, vertical deflection field, wherein vertical movements are synchronized with horizontal movements achieved by mechanical movement of the nozzle and charging electrodes so the droplets strike the record carrier in a prescribed pattern. The present invention refers to a type of printer with the record carrier arranged on a rotating drum, the droplet-emitting nozzle being moved perpendicular to the record carrier's direction of movement. A pulsed voltage for selective charging of the droplets to be deflected by subsequent deflection electrodes is applied to the charging electrode, so charged droplets do not reach the record carrier. For this type of printer, devising the charging electrode in the form of a plate with a through hole for passage of the droplets has proved to be advantageous. However, one disadvantage with this type of charging electrode is that the droplet formation point cannot be visually observed. This makes the setting of the droplet formation point inside the electrode more difficult, and direct visual scrutiny of droplet formation is impossible. The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages in the prior art design and achieve a capillary unit for an ink jet printer making possible direct visual inspection of the droplet formation point. This purpose is achieved with a capillary unit of the above-described kind with the features specified in claim 1. Thus, a capillary unit according to the invention makes possible simple setting of the nozzle orifice and the droplet formation point in the correct position in relation to the charging electrode by means of direct visual inspection, so droplets achieve maximum charging in their passage through the electrode for effective, subsequent electrostatic deflection and at the same time a stable and compact construction is obtained. According to one advantageous embodiment of the capillary unit according to the invention, the nozzle consists of the orifice of a fine capillary tube through which the ink is pumped. The capillary tube and the charging electrode are suitably arranged in relation to one another on a common nozzle or capillary tube holder. A device is provided to mechanically vibrate the capillary tube at a given point along its length, imparting vibration to the ink so droplet formation is controlled and droplets of essentially the same size are ejected in a uniform series. The said vibration device can advantageously consist of a piezoelectric crystal mounted on the capillary tube. The invention will now be described in greater detail, illustrated with one exemplified embodiment and referring to attached drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section of the end of a capillary tube holder, holding a capillary tube and a charging electrode, and a record carrier on a drum in an ink jet printer according to the invention; FIG. 2 shows a corresponding longitudinal cross-section, rotated 90° in relation to the cross-section shown in FIG. 1; In the version of the capillary unit according to the invention shown in the FIGS., a jet of ink 2 is ejected from a fine capillary tube 4 with a circular orifice 6. The capillary tube 4 is carried, by a means not shown in detail, by a capillary tube holder 8, at whose anterior end is mounted, in a recess, a charging electrode in the form of a circular plate 10 with a through hole 12. The hole's center axis is arranged to essentially coincide with the tube's 4 longitudinal direction. At a specific distance from the orifice 6 of the capillary tube 4, the jet 2 breaks up into a series or string of droplets 14. In the embodiment shown in the FIGS., the point at which the jet 2 breaks up into droplets 14, i.e. the droplet formation point, is inside the part of the charging electrode 10 nearest the orifice 6 of the capillary tube. The droplet formation point should suitably be at the edge of the electrode 10 nearest the orifice 6. Droplet formation occurs spontaneously as a result of instabilities in the ink jet as ink ejects from the orifice 6. However, droplet formation can be controlled, so a series of uniformly sized droplets 14 forms when the capillary tube 4 is subjected to mechanical vibration. This can be suitably achieved when a piezoelectric crystal 16 is mounted at an appropriate location on the capillary tube 4 in order to impart vibration to the ink through the tube wall. The tube is heavily damped around the crystal 16 to keep the tube from vibrating as a whole. The charging electrode is pulsed with a voltage so droplets 14 are selectively charged by the electrode 10 in their passage through the electrode, and the charged droplets 18 can be deflected in the subsequent electrostatic deflection system (not shown), so they are collected by a sharp splitter bar and do not strike the record carrier 20. The droplets 18, which are intended to strike the record carrier 20, pass the charging electrode 10 without receiving any charge. Thus, they remain uncharged, are not affected by the electrostatic deflection system and strike the record carrier 20 in the prescribed pattern. The record carrier 20, usually paper, is mounted on a rotating drum 22. For optimum printer operation, the charging electrode 10 must charge the droplets 14 to be removed as effectively as possible. For maximum charging of the droplets and, thus, the most sensitive printer possible, the position of the tip 6 of the capillary tube and the droplet formation point are of decisive importance, For this reason, at least one radial groove 24 is provided in the electrode plate 10 from the hole 12 out to the plate's 10 outer edge. It makes possible visual observation of the droplet formation point inside the charging electrode 10 and facilitates adjustment of the position of the droplet formation point. The groove 24 also makes possible direct visual inspection of droplet formation. Groove execution can be varied in a plurality of ways. For example, the depth of the groove can be varied, down to a value equal to the thickness of the electrode plate. The groove is formed by milling material out of the electrode plate.

Claims: A capillary unit for ink jet printers, containing a nozzle (6) for spraying a jet of ink (2) onto a record carrier (20), said jet of ink breaking up into a series of droplets (14, 18) at a droplet formation point in front of the nozzle, and a charging electrode (10), with which the ink droplets are selectively charged for subsequent electrical deflection, arranged in the vicinity of the droplet deflection point, said charging electrode being devised in the form of plate (10), arranged perpendicular to the path of the jet, with a through hole (12) for passage of the droplets, wherein the charging electrode (10) is devised with at least one groove (24) running from the hole (12) to the electrode's outer edge, and in that the charging electrode (10) is attached to a nozzle holder (8) holding the nozzle (6). A unit of claim 1, characterized in that the depth of the groove (24) is less than the thickness of the electrode plate. A unit of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the charging electrode is in the form of a circular plate (10) with the hole (12) arranged in the center (12) and the groove (24) running in an essentially radial direction. A unit of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the charging electrode is in the form of a circular plate (10) with the hole arranged in the center (12) and with grooves (24) running in an essential radial direction in diametrically opposite directions. A unit of any one of the claims 1-4, characterized in that the nozzle is formed by the orifice (6) of a capillary tube (4). A unit of claim 5, characterized in that means (16) are provided for mechanically vibrating the capillary tube (4). A unit of claim 6, characterized in that said means for vibrating the capillary tube comprise a piezoelectric crystal (16) mounted on the capillary tube.

Inventors: ALMGREN BERTIL, RYE TERJE, ALMGREN, BERTIL, RYE, TERJE
Applicants: SIEMENS ELEMA AB
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B41J2
IPC codes: B41J2