Patent ID: 7243513

Claim:
A valve card for use in a substrate treatment apparatus adapted to controllably discharge a treatment fluid onto a substrate, the valve card comprising in combination: a plurality of selectively operable valves operable between open and closed positions, wherein at least a portion of the valves are in fluid communication with corresponding dedicated fluid discharge jets, wherein said fluid discharge jets controllably discharge said treatment fluid onto said substrate when said valves are in the open position, said treatment fluid being selected from the group consisting of colorant compositions and chemical compositions; a power input port adapted to receive a power cable for supply of electrical power to the valve card; an instruction data input port adapted to receive a valve control cable for transmission of valve operating instructions from a control unit to the valve card; and an integral circuit board adapted to translate instruction data from the data input port into powered valve operating commands such that the valves may be selectively opened and closed, whereby said treatment fluids are discharged onto said substrate when said valves are open, and wherein the valve card is a modular unit which is suitable for independent operation within the substrate treatment apparatus and which is removable as a one piece structure from the substrate treatment apparatus.