GB2250480A

GB2250480A - Ink jet marking device for use in physics experiments

Info

Publication number: GB2250480A
Application number: GB9005231A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alphonse Tardif
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-03-08
Filing date: 1990-03-08
Publication date: 1992-06-10
Also published as: GB9005231D0

Abstract

The invention relates to an ink-jet marking device adapted to provide a record, on paper, of the position of a mobile object at given time intervals. The jet-ink marking device shoots tiny drops of ink on a piece of paper as the mobile object is moving. The marking frequency is controled by a quartz frequency generator. The device is adapted to be mainly used in mechanical physics experiments such as estimation of gravitational acceleration, whereby an object is allowed to fall freely and the position of the object at given time intervals is recorded. However the device mentioned herein is also designed for experiments involving air tracks and air tables experiments. An infra-red remote control unit is provided.

Description

JET-INK MARKING DEVICE My invention is related to a marking device and more particularly to a jet-ink marking device adapted to provide a record, on paper, of the position of a mobile object at given time intervals. The jet-ink marking device shoots tiny drops of ink on a piece of regular paper as the mobile object is moving. The printing frequency is controlled by a quartz oscillatory frequency generator.

The device is adapted to be mainly used in mechanical physics experiences such as estimation of the gravitational acceleration, whereby an objet is allowed to fall freely and the position of the object at given time intervals is recorded.

Conventional devices used for this type of experience include electrical spark generators.

A preliminary patentability search was performed at the Canadian Patent Office on the above-mentioned subject matter.

However, none of the patents found through this search discloses a marking device offering the same advantages as the present invention.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a marking device which is relatively small and light and can thus be mounted onto the mobile object.

Another object of this invention is to provide a marking device which can operste from a 9 Volt internal battery power source.

A further object of this invention is to provide a marking device which is precise, the ink droplets being typically 1/100 of an inch wide and moving in straight lines at approximately 10 m/s. Typical droplet frequency being 32 Hz.

A further object of this invention is to provide a marking device which is safe to operate by classroom students.

A further object of this invention is to provide a marking device which can be readily adjusted to provide spots of different colors, thus allowing the identification on paper of various objects when, for example, the collision between two or more objects is studied.

A further object of this invention is to provide a marking device which is very simple to set-up. The main requirement being that the device be located at approximately 1 cm from the recording ribbon.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a marking device in accordance with the previous object which will conform to conventional forms of manufacturing, be of simple construction and easy to use as to provide a marking device which will be economically feasable, long-lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

The above-mentioned and other advantages of this invention will better be understood in reference to the following description and drawings in which: FIGURE 1: is a schematic perspective view of the external components of the device; FIGURE 2: is a functional diagram of the electronic components; FIGURE 3: is a schematic view of the electronic circuit.

Referring to the drawings, the structure comprising the invention herein is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10.

Structure 10 comprises a box-like casing 12 adapted to enclose and protect the various electronic components. The device is activated by a three-way switch 14 allowing a manual on-off operation or the use of an optional infra-red remote control. An optional infra-red sensor 16 is thus positioned on the casing 12 as well as a DEL indicator 18. The ink droplets escape the casing through an aperture 20.

Pivoting fixating brackets 22 are positioned at both longitudinal extremities of the casing 14.

Referring now more specifically to figure 2, the functional diagram illustrated a 32 768 Hz quartz oscillating frequency generator 24, a frequency divider 26 adapted to divide by 512, 1024 or 4096, 3 monostable pulse generator 28, a power stage 30, an optional infra-red remote control 32, a stabilized power source provided from a battery mounted in the device 34 and a jet-ink printing head 36.

Claims

Claims

The embodiements of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. An ink jet marking device which provides high timing accuracy and high stability through the use of quartz controled oscillators for marker and remote-control unit.
2. An ink jet marking device which provides a choice of convenient frequencies for experiments in physics such as 64 Hz, 32 Hz and 8 Hz.
3. An ink jet marking device which is small and light enough to be carried by available gliders or pucks for school laboratories as used in air tracks experiments and air table experiments.
4. An ink jet marking device that can be operated in stand-alone mode or remote-control mode by an infra-red control unit.
5. An ink jet marking device which can be triggered into operation and stopped in synchronism with other similar devices by its remote-control unit.
6. An ink jet marking device in which the jet printing head is mounted inside the casing on the printed circuit board itself in a unique way as described in figure 6.
7. An ink jet marking device providing a way to make dots of differentecolors by using a different cartridge in each marker.
8. An ink jet marking device in which the droplets escape through a hole located at the center of mass of the casing.
9. An ink jet marking device that can be remotly controled from any direction at a distance of two meters and more.
10. An ink jet marking device which requires a single 9 volts battery for its operation
11. An ink jet marking device that brings significant improvements in the methods for measuring experimental quantities in physics and more specifically with air track and air table apparatus.