초록 ▼

The fluid jet applicator of the present invention utilizes a piezoelectric crystal to artificially stimulate the fluid supply chamber with coherent acoustic energy to pruposely generate and exploit the acoustic standing waves therein. As a result, although sized droplets will be formed at substantia

The fluid jet applicator of the present invention utilizes a piezoelectric crystal to artificially stimulate the fluid supply chamber with coherent acoustic energy to pruposely generate and exploit the acoustic standing waves therein. As a result, although sized droplets will be formed at substantially the same frequency from each orifice, individual droplets will be formed so as to be out of phase with its adjacent neighbors in accordance with the standing acoustic wave pattern. By selecting only a very short print time, e.g., such that only one or two drops are formed within such a time and by controlling the frequency of such print time, a wide range of aesthetically appealing, unique, random interference of patterns can be created. Patterns closely simulating natural wood grains including knot holes can be readily produced by the present invention. More, the present invention allows patterns to be modified with relative ease and remarkable flexibility.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of applying random interference patterns to a moving substrate using a fluid jet applicator having a fluid plenum and an associated orifice array and means for selectively passing droplets onto the moving substrate only during controlled print times having a duration T, said method comprisi

A method of applying random interference patterns to a moving substrate using a fluid jet applicator having a fluid plenum and an associated orifice array and means for selectively passing droplets onto the moving substrate only during controlled print times having a duration T, said method comprising the steps of: applying artificial stimulation to said fluid plenum to purposefully generate standing waves within the fluid plenum to generate a droplet curtain such that a droplet emanating from a given orifice is not formed at the same time as droplets from neighboring orifices; and maintaining the print time T below a predetermined maximum value, said predetermined maximum value being selected so that a random interference pattern is applied by said selectively passing droplets of said droplet curtain onto said substrate, whereby said standing waves are purposefully utilized to generate said patterns and whereby a random interference pattern of a desired type may be applied to said substrate.