MXPA98002411A - Printing head exciter for jet launch heaters and substrate heater in an ink jet printer and method for controlling these heating - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an inkjet printer, comprising: a print head including a substrate, a nozzle plate having a plurality of ink-emitting orifices, a plurality of jet-throw heaters on the substrate and associated respectively the plurality of ink-emitting orifices and, at least one substrate heater associated the substrate, each of the jet-throw heaters and the substrate heaters include first and second terminals, and a head exciter of printing having a plurality of energizable outputs, the plurality of outputs includes at least one power line output and at least two line-enabling outputs, the power line output is electrically connected to a first terminal of each of the jet launch heater and substrate heater, two of the ac line enable outputs Opposed to a second Jet Launch Heater Terminal and a second Substrate Heater Terminal, where, during the energizing of the power line outlet, the Jet Launching Heater and the Substrate Heater can be selectively operated by selectively energizing the two lina-enabling outputs

Description

EXCITER PE HEAD OF PRINTING FOR HEATERS OF LAUNCH OF JET AND HEATER PE SUBSTRATE IN ONE PRINTER OF CHORRO PE INK AND METHOD TO CONTROL THESE HEATERS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to inkjet printers and, more particularly, to inkjet printers that include a plurality of jet launch heaters and at least one substrate heater.

DESCRIPTION OF XA RELATED TECHNIQUE An inkjet printer typically includes a printhead having a nozzle plate that is connected to a substrate and mounted in a separation relationship with respect to the substrate. The nozzle plate includes a plurality of ink-emitting orifices that are respectively located in association with a plurality of jet-throw heaters mounted on the substrate. When a particular jet launch heater is operated or ignited, the ink located adjacent to it rapidly expands to form a vapor bubble. The ink is ejected through the ink-emitting hole P1193 / 98MX by the bubble and launched in the form of a jet on the printing medium. During use, the selective actuation of the plurality of jet launch heaters inside the print head causes the operating or operating temperature of the print head to increase. The increase in the operating temperature of the print head in turn causes the temperature of the ink located inside the print head to increase correspondingly. A change in the temperature of the ink results in a change in the physical properties of the ink, such as viscosity, surface tension, etc. It has been found that the mass of the droplet and the speed of the ink droplets that are thrown in the form of a jet onto the printing medium vary with a change in the operating temperature of the ink within the print head, affecting This mode the print quality. It is known to provide the at least one substrate heater that is mounted on the substrate inside the print head, for the purpose of keeping the ink inside the print head at an approximate desired operating temperature, providing This way a more uniform and improved print quality. Substrate heaters are usually P1193 / 98MX operated with the initial energization of the print head or during periods of inactivity of the print head, so that the ink inside the print head remains at an approximate desired temperature. Conventional print heads employing one or more substrate heaters typically include exciter circuitry to excite the substrate heaters that are separate from the exciter circuitry and excite the jet launch heaters. By using separate exciter circuitry, the substrate heaters can be independently and selectively energized separately from the jet casting heaters. However, the separate exciter and the interconnection circuitry associated with the substrate heaters increase the cost and complexity associated with the printer and the print head. What is needed in the art is an inkjet printer having a printhead with both jet launch heaters and substrate heaters, without the increase in cost and complexity associated with the use of exciter circuits. the printer separately, as is known P1193 / 98MX to date.

SUMMARY OF THE NESTING The present invention provides a print head driver for a printhead in an ink jet printer that is capable of controlling the operation, both of a plurality of jet launch heaters and of at least one substrate heater. The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an ink jet printer including a printhead and a print head driver. The print head includes a substrate, a nozzle plate having a plurality of ink-emitting orifices, a plurality of jet-throw heaters in the substrate and associated respectively with the plurality of ink-emitting orifices and at least one heater of substrate associated with the substrate. Each of the jet launch heaters and substrate heaters include first and second terminals. The printhead driver has a plurality of energizable outputs that include at least one power line output and at least two line-enabling outputs. A power line output is electrically connected to a first terminal P1193 / 98MX of each of a jet launch heater and a substrate heater. Two of the line-enabling outputs are coupled to a second terminal of the jet-launch heater and to a second terminal of the substrate heater. During the energization of an energy line output, the jet launch heater and the substrate heater can be selectively selected, selectively energizing the two line-enabling outputs. An advantage of the present invention is that a printhead driver can be used to selectively drive a plurality of jet launch heaters and / or a substrate heater without the use of a separate exciter for the substrate heater.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS OR FIGURES The aforementioned features and advantages as well as other features and advantages of this invention and the way to achieve them, will be more evident and the invention will be understood less with reference to the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a conventional print head with which it can P1193 / 98MX used the printhead exciter of the present invention, which illustrates a typically configuration of ink-emitting orifices, jet-throw heaters and substrate heater; Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a print head driver of the present invention; and Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of a head driver of the present invention. The corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the various views. The exemplifications set forth herein illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and these exemplifications will not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, more particularly, to Figure 1, there is shown a schematic view of a print head 10 of the present invention with which the printhead exciter, described with greater detail later. The print head 10 includes a nozzle plate 12 having a plurality of emitter orifices P1193 / 98MX 14 ink formed on it. In the embodiment shown, the ink-emitting orifices 14 are formed in two vertical columns with fifty-two ink-emitting orifices 14 in each column (i.e., an array of 2 x 52). The ink-emitting orifices 14 are shown alternately or displaced with respect to the ink-emitting orifices 14 in an adjacent row over a distance of about half the distance between vertically adjacent orifices 14. However, the ink-emitting orifices 14 may be substantially aligned with respect to each other between adjacent columns. The print head 10 also includes a substrate 16 which is connected to a nozzle plate 12. A plurality of jet launch heaters 18 are mounted on the substrate 16 and positioned relative to the respective ink-emitting orifices 14. More particularly , each of the plurality of jet launch heaters 18 is positioned or positioned substantially in axial alignment with respect to an ink-emitting orifice 14. Actuation or actuation of a jet-throw heater 18 quickly warms the disposed ink or located adjacent to it and creates a gas bubble that ejects ink in the form of a jet from the ink-emitting hole P1193 / 98MX 14 associated. A pair of substrate heaters 20, one of which is shown in Figure 1, is also mounted on the substrate 16 at opposite ends of the print head 10. outside the area where the jet launch heaters are located. The substrate heaters 20 can be operated to provide additional heat to the print head 10 and thereby control the operating or operating temperature of the print head 10. As the variation temperature of the print head varies 10, in the same way the temperature of the ink varies within the print head 10, which results in a variation of the physical properties of the ink such as viscosity, etc. By maintaining the operating temperature of the print head 10 at an approximate desired level, it provides an improved print quality by keeping the physical properties of the ink at a relatively constant level. Although the print head 10 shown in the Figure 1 includes two substrate heaters 20, more or less substrate heaters may be used depending on the particular application and the heat transfer characteristics of the print head 10.

P1193 / 98MX Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a print head driver 30 of the present invention that can be used with the print head 10. The printhead driver 30 of the present invention includes an Integrated Application Specific Circuit (ASIC) or microprocessor 32, a line driver P 34 and a line driver A 36. The print head 10 includes a plurality of pins or tips Al to Al3 that are connected respectively with a group of thirteen ink jet launch heaters 18, shown as resistive elements and individually referred to as 18A-18F in Figure 2. Each group of thirteen jet launch heaters 18 shown in Figure 2, correspond to each consecutive group of thirteen jet launch heaters 18 shown in Fig. 1. That is, the jet launch heaters 18 labeled as 1-13 in Figure 1 correspond to the first group of jet launch heaters 18, the jet launch heaters 18 labeled 92-104 in Figure 1 correspond to the last group of jet launch heaters, etc. There are eight separate groups of thirteen jet launch heaters 18 and each of the thirteen jet launch heaters 18 P1193 / 98 X will be connected respectively to the tips Al to A13. A plurality of MOS transistors 22 are respectively associated with each jet launch heater 18 and provide selective actuation or operation of the respective jet launch heaters 18, as will be described in greater detail below. Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that the grouping of the ink jet heaters can vary, such as, for example, by forming a grouping of nozzles arranged or arranged in a single column. A plurality of additional transistors 24 are electrically connected to the respective tips Al to Al3 and provide selective operation of the entire print head 10 shown in Figure 2. The transistors 24 are connected with a tip labeled BSELECT which allows the selection of black of the printhead 10. Each of the eight groups of thirteen jet launch heaters 18 includes first terminals (not numbered) that are respectively connected to the power points on the high side Pl to P8. Any of the jet launch heaters 18 of the print head 10 can be selectively selected by applying power to one of the power points Pl a P8 P1193 / 98MX and, selectively energizing the MOS transistors 22 associated with one of the tips Al a A13. For example, to selectively energize the jet launch heater 18A, energy is applied to the tip Pl which in turn applies energy to a first terminal of the jet launch heater 18A. Assuming that the printhead 10 is selected for operation when closing the transistors 24, a signal can be applied to the tip Al for driving the MOS transistor 22 associated with the jet launch heater 18A. The actuation of the MOS transistor 22 associated with the jet launch heater 18A closes the circuit to ground and allows the jet launch heater 18A to be selectively energized. Although the other seven MOS 22 transistors associated with the other seven groups of seven jet launch heaters are also operated by applying the signal to the Al point, no energy is applied to the tips P2 to P8. In this way, the jet launch heater 18D associated with the tip P8 is not selectively energized when energy is applied to the tip Pl. To selectively energize the jet launch heater 18D, energy is applied to the tip P8 and applied a signal to the tip Al. In this way, any of the jet launch heaters 18 of the 104 heaters of P1193 / 98MX Jet Launch of 2 X 52 Jet Launching Arrester Array, can be selectively energized using the Pl to P8 tips and Al to A13 tips. The print head 10 also includes a tip labeled BSHSEL for the selective actuation of the substrate heaters 20 associated with the black print head 10. The substrate heaters 20 are also shown as resistor elements in the electrical scheme shown in FIG. Figure 2. The BSHSEL tip is connected to a transistor 26 to selectively energize the substrate heaters 20. More particularly, when power is applied to the tip Pl, a signal can be applied to the BSHSEL tip to drive the transistor 26 and close the transistor 26. circuit to ground with respect to the substrate heaters 20. In this way, the substrate heaters 20 can be energized selectively at any time when power is applied to the tip Pl, selectively opening or closing the transistor 26. In the embodiment shown, the substrate heaters 20 are connected in a first terminal thereof with the tip of potenti a or energy Pl and connected in a second terminal thereof with the transistor 26. However, it will also be understood that the substrate heaters 20 may be connected to P1193 / 98MX any of the power tips from Pl to P8. In addition, instead of using a transistor 26, a pair of transistors 26 may be respectively associated with each substrate heater 20 to allow the individual and selective operation of the substrate heaters 20. Additionally, the substrate heaters 20 may be individual and respectively connected to two of the power tips Pl to P8. An additional tip, shown at the bottom of the print head 10 in Figure 2, is used for identification of the particular print head, etc. The microprocessor 32 includes a line enabling output which is connected to the tip BSHSEL of the print head 10 and which provides it with a selection signal BSHSEL. The selection signal BSHSEL, opens and closes the transistor 26, as described above. The microprocessor 32 also provides a selection signal BSELECT to the BSELECT tip of the print head 10. The selection signal BSELECT is used to open and close the transistors 24, for the selective operation of the print head 10. The line driver P 34 includes a plurality of power line outputs Pl a P8 energizable which P1193 / 98MX are respectively connected to the tips Pl a P8 of the print head 10. The output of the power line Pl is connected to the first group of thirteen jet launch heaters 18 and is also connected to the substrate heaters 20, as described above. The outputs of the power line P2 to P8 are respectively connected to the other seven groups of thirteen jet launch heaters 18 in the print head 10. More particularly, a transistor 38 in the line driver P 34 selectively couples the output of Pl power line with a reference voltage source V +. Any of the eight groups of thirteen jet launch heaters 18 can be selectively connected to the voltage source V +, using one of the eight associated transistors, such as transistor 38 in the line driver P 34. A line driver A 36 includes a plurality of line-enabling outputs Al to A13, which are respectively connected to the tips A to A13 of the print head 10. The line-enabling outputs Al to A13 are coupled with the second terminals of the respective launch heaters of jet 18 on the printhead 10. The enable outputs of lines Al to A13 can be selectively energized to P1193 / 98MX activate the MOS 22 transistors connected to them. During use, any of the jet launch heaters 18 of the eight groups of jet launch heaters 18 can be selectively energized by coupling one of the outputs Pl to A8 of the power line to a first terminal of each of the Jet launch heaters in the selected group of jet launch heaters. The outputs Al to Al3 line enablers of the line driver A 36 are then selectively energized to activate an associated MOS transistor 22 and close the ground circuit of the corresponding jet launcher heater 18. The substrate heaters 20 can be powered selectively energizing selectively the BSHSEL output line enablers of the microprocessor 32 to close the circuit 26 when power is applied to the tip Pl. The print head 10 may be incorporated in an ink jet cartridge that is carried by a unit of carriage passing through the width of a printing medium during printing, in known manner. A printing image is defined with respect to the printing medium, with a printing margin located on each side of the printing image. In a modality of P1193 / 98MX invention, the transistors 24 are driven as the print head 10 traverses or crosses the print image in such a way that the selective actuation of the MOS transistors 22 causes the ink to be ejected in the form of a jet on the printing medium , using the associated jet launch heaters 18. When the print head 10 is located in the margins outside the area of the printing image, the transistors 24 are deactivated and energy is applied to the substrate heaters 20 by applying power to the tip Pl and activating the transistor 26. Substrate 20 is, therefore, selectively energized when the print head 10 is in the margins, resulting in a decrease in the cooling of the print head 10 associated with the inactivity of the jet throw heaters 18. In addition, having a single print head 10, the inkjet printer may also include one or more additional printheads for jetting inks of different colors onto the jet medium. For example, in Figure 2 there is shown a second print head 11 for ejecting a color ink jet such as cyan, magenta or yellow ink onto the printing medium. The electrical scheme of the print head 11 is the same as that shown and P1193 / 98MX described with reference to the black print head 10 and, thus, will not be described in detail. Referring now to Figure 3, a schematic illustration of another embodiment of a head driver 50 of the present invention is shown. The driver of the print head 50 includes a line driver P 34 and a line driver A 36 having the same configuration as described above with reference to the embodiment shown in Figure 2. The exciter 50 of the head of The printing also includes an ASIC or microprocessor 100 which is similar to the microprocessor 32 shown in Figure 2. However, the microprocessor 100 does not include a line-enabling BSHSEL output to selectively energize the substrate heaters 20. Rather, the Substrate 20 is selectively energized using the circuitry within the print head 40. The print head 40 has the same configuration as the print head 10 shown in Figure 2 however, the print head 40 does not include a BSHSEL tip shown in Figure 2 rather, two of the tips Al a Al3 of the print head 40 are coupled with the subs heaters. deal 20, namely, the tip Al is connected to the transistor 26 and the tip A2 P1193 / 98MX is coupled to a transistor 52. The actuation of the transistor 52 closes the connection between the tip Al and the transistor 26, allowing the transistor 26 to be driven to energize the substrate heaters 20. During use, the transistors 24 they close when the print head 40 is located in the area of the print image, to allow selective operation of the MOS transistors 22. When the print head 40 is located in the margins outside the print image area, the transistors 24 are deactivated. With the transistors 24 open, the line driver outputs A and A2 of the line exciter A 36 are each activated. The activation of the line-enabling output A2 closes the transistor 52 and, the drive of the output To the line enable closes the transistor 26. With the applied energy of the output Pl of the power line and with the closed transistors 52 and 26 both, the substrate heaters 20 are selectively energized to heat the print head 40. The color print head 60, shown in Figure 3, includes an electrical scheme that is the same as the black print head 40 and it will not be described further in detail. However, it will be understood that P1193 / 98MX with each separate printhead may be connected to it or a line driver P and / or a different line driver A. In addition, the actual combination of outputs from the power line and line-enabling outputs may vary from one print head to another. In the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 2 and 3 and described above, the print head 10, 11 and 40, 60 include, respectively, thirteen tips Al to Al3 which are each coupled to a plurality of corresponding launch heaters. of jet 18. For example, the tip Al is connected to each of the jet launch heaters 18A and 18D shown in Figures 2 and 3. However, the print heads 10, 11 and 40, 60 may include bolts separated A1 ... AN associated with each jet launch heater 18 of the eight groups of jet launch heaters. That is, each of the print heads 10, 11 and 40, 60 may include 104 Al-Al04 tips, which are respectively coupled with the jet launch heaters 18 of the 2 x jet launch heater arrangement 18. 52. Of course, if the print heads 10, 11 and 40, 60 are configured in this manner, the line driver A 36 would include 104 Al-Al04 line-enabling outputs. While it has been described that this invention P1193 / 98MX has a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, it is intended that this application cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Furthermore, it is intended that this application cover those deviations from the present disclosure which fall within the known or common practice of the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.

P1193 / 98MX

Claims (11)

1. NOVEPAD PE THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following CLAIMS is claimed as property: 1. An ink jet printer, comprising: a print head including a substrate, a nozzle plate having a plurality of ink-emitting orifices, a plurality of jet-throw heaters in the substrate and associated respectively with the plurality of ink-emitting orifices and, at least one substrate heater associated with the substrate, each of the jet launch heaters and the substrate heaters include first and second terminals; and a print head driver having a plurality of energizable outputs, the plurality of outputs includes at least one power line output and at least two line enable outputs, the power line output is electrically connected to a first terminal of each of the jet launch heater and the substrate heater, two of the line enable outputs will be coupled to a second terminal of the jet launch heater and
2. P1193 / 98MX to a second terminal of the substrate heater, where, during energization of the power line output, the jet launch heater and the substrate heater can be selectively operated by selectively energizing the two power-up outputs. line. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein a first output of the two line-enabling outputs is coupled to a second terminal of the jet-casting heater and the second of the two line-enabling outputs is coupled to a second terminal of the substrate heater, a jet launch heater and a substrate heater will be selectively energized by selectively energizing a corresponding output from the first and second line enable outputs.
3. 3. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the first of the two line-enabling outputs is coupled to each second of the terminal of a jet-throwing heater and to the second terminal of a substrate heater and , wherein the second output of the two line-enabling outputs is coupled to each of a second terminal of a second jet-throwing heater and to a second terminal of a substrate heater, wherein the

   P1193 / 98MX jet launch heater, second jet start heater and substrate heater are selectively energized by selectively energizing the first and second line enablers. The ink jet printer according to claim 3, wherein the first and second line-enabling outputs are individually energized to selectively activate a jet-throw heater and the second jet-throw heater and, where Outputs, first and second, line enablers are simultaneously energized to selectively activate a substrate heater. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the printhead driver further comprises an electrical processor having a line-enabling output that is connected and provides at least one selection signal at the head of the printer. Printing, the selective operation of the jet launch heater using two line-enabling outputs will depend on the selection signal. The ink jet printer according to claim 5, wherein the selection signal selectively couples and decouples one of the two line-enabling outputs with the jet-launch heater.

   P1193 / 98MX

   7. A method to control the operating temperature or operation of a print head in an inkjet printer, comprising the steps of: providing a print head including a substrate, a nozzle plate having a plurality of ink-emitting orifices, a plurality of jet-throw heaters in the substrate and associated respectively with the plurality of emitter orifices of ink, and at least one substrate heater associated with the substrate, each of the jet casting heaters and the substrate heaters include first and second terminals.; providing a driver of the print head having a plurality of energizable outputs, the plurality of outputs includes at least one power line output and at least two line-enabling outputs; electrically connecting an output of the power line with a first terminal of each of the jet launch heater and the substrate heater; coupling two of the line-enabling outputs with a second terminal of the jet-launch heater and with a second terminal of the substrate heater; energize the output of the power line; Y

   P1193 / 98MX selectively activate the jet launch heater and the substrate heater, during energization of the power line output, selectively energizing the two line-enabling outputs. The method according to claim 7, comprising the additional steps of: coupling a first output of the two line-enabling outputs with a second terminal of the jet-throwing heater; coupling the second of the two line-enabling outputs with a second terminal of the substrate heater; and selectively activating a jet launch heater and a substrate heater by selectively energizing the corresponding output of the first and second line enable outputs. The method according to claim 7, comprising the additional steps of: coupling the first of the two line-enabling outputs with each of the second terminal of the jet-launch heater and with the second terminal of the substrate heater; connect the second of the two line-enabling outputs with each of the second terminal

   P1193 / 98MX of a second jet launch heater and with the second terminal of the substrate heater; and selectively activating the jet launch heater, the second jet launch heater and the substrate heater, selectively energizing the first and second line enable outputs. The method according to claim 9, comprising the additional steps of: individually energizing the first and second line enable outputs to selectively activate the jet launch heater and the second jet launch heater; and simultaneously energize the outputs, first and second, line enablers to selectively activate the substrate heater. The method according to claim 7, wherein the coupling step comprises respectively coupling the two line-enabling outputs with the second terminal of the jet-launch heater and with the second terminal of the substrate heater.

   P1193 / 98MX SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to an ink jet printer that includes a print head and a print head driver. The print head includes: a substrate, a nozzle plate having a plurality of ink-emitting orifices, a plurality of jet-throw heaters in the substrate and associated respectively with the plurality of ink-emitting orifices and at least one Substrate heater associated with the substrate. Each of the jet launch heaters and the substrate heaters include terminals, first and second. The print head driver has a plurality of energizable outputs that include at least one output of the power line and at least two outputs of line enablers. An output of the power line is electrically connected to a first terminal of each of the jet launch heater and the substrate heater. Two of the line-enabling outputs are coupled to a second terminal of the jet-launch heater and to a second terminal of the substrate heater. During energizing of the power line output, the jet launch heater and the substrate heater can be selectively energized by energizing

   P1193 / 98MX selectively the two line-enabling outputs.

   P1193 / 98MX