Method of operating a liquid ejection device
View Patent ↗A method of operating a liquid ejection device including a fluid chamber having a fluid outlet port in a wall of the chamber; a fluid inlet port in a wall of the chamber and a paddle located in the chamber, the paddle including a fluid directing means; the method including urging the paddle from a first position to a second position to cause ink to flow out of the outlet and thereby cause a meniscus to bulge, the motion causing the fluid directing means to direct fluid away from the inlet and urging the paddle from the second position to a first position to cause the meniscus to break thereby ejecting ink from the outlet.
1. A method of operating a liquid ejection device including:
a fluid chamber having:
a fluid outlet port in a wall of the chamber;
a fluid inlet port in a wall of the chamber; and,
a paddle located in the chamber, the paddle including a fluid directing means;
the method including:
urging the paddle from a first position to a second position to cause ink to flow out of the outlet and thereby cause a meniscus to bulge, the motion causing the fluid directing means to direct fluid away from the inlet; and,
urging the paddle from the second position to a first position to cause the meniscus to break thereby ejecting ink from the outlet.
2. The method of claim 1 , the liquid ejection device including a thermal actuator having first and second arms coupled to the paddle, the method including:
activate heating of one of the arms causes the paddle to move from the first position to the second position; and,
deactivate heating of the arm to cause the paddle to move from the second position to the first position.
3. A method of claim 2 , one of the arms being interconnected to an electrical source, the method including:
activating the current causes the paddle to move from the first position to the second position; and,
deactivating the current to cause the paddle to move from the second position to the first position.
4. The method of claim 1 , the first position being adapted to substantially close the inlet.
5. The method of claim 1 , the movement from the first to the second position corresponding to movement towards the inlet.
6. The method of claim 1 , the fluid directing means being further adapted to increase the flow of fluid towards the outlet, thereby increasing the fluid pressure in the chamber.
7. The method of claim 1 , the paddle and the inlet port having respective circular shapes, with the paddle being positioned radially inwardly of the inlet port to define a substantially annular aperture, such that urging the paddle from the first to the second position causes a substantially symmetrical fluid flow outwardly from the centre of the paddle.