Reduzierung von Bläschen und Hohlräumen in Phasenwechseltinte

Details

Veröffentlichungs-Nr.

EP2484528

Aktenzeichen

EP12153580

Anmeldetag

2. Februar 2012

Veröffentlichung

18. Juni 2014

Erteilung

18. Juni 2014

Rechtsraum

EP

IPC

B41J2/175

Abstract

Bubble mitigation approaches for phase change ink involve creating a thermal gradient along an ink flow path of an ink jet printer during a time that the ink is undergoing a phase change. The thermal gradient causes one portion of the ink in the ink flow path to be in liquid phase while another portion of the ink is in solid phase. The thermal gradient allows the liquid ink to move along the ink flow path to fill in voids and/or to push out air pockets in the portion of the ink that is still solid. The bubble mitigation process may be implemented during a start-up operation when the ink is transitioning from a solid phase to a liquid phase and/or during a power down operation when the ink is transitioning from a liquid phase to a solid phase. A print head assembly for an ink jet printer thus comprises: one or more components (510-520) fluidically coupled to define an ink flow path, the ink flow path configured to allow passage of a phase-change ink along the ink flow path; one or more thermal elements (543-547) positioned along the ink flow path at two or more locations, the thermal elements configured to actively heat or cool the ink; and a control module (550) configured to control the thermal elements to create a thermal gradient along at least a portion of the ink flow path during a time that the ink is undergoing a phase change, wherein the thermal gradient causes one portion of the ink in the ink flow path to be in solid phase and another portion of the ink in the ink flow path to be in liquid phase.

Anmelder

Firma

Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated

Land

🇺🇸 USA

Fachgebiete