Buzz
An inkjet printer sprays tiny ink droplets to form images. zoranm / Getty ImagesAn inkjet printer is a device that propels minuscule ink droplets onto paper to produce an image. If you’ve ever seen a printout from an inkjet printer, you will notice that:
- The droplets are incredibly small (ranging from 10 to 30 droplets per millimeter).
- The droplets are placed with remarkable precision.
- In color printers, the droplets may be in various colors.
Inkjet printers are relatively affordable — cheaper than laser printers, and significantly more affordable than color laser printers.
Different inkjet printers generate their ink droplets in various ways. While there are multiple technologies used by manufacturers, the most common method is the bubble jet. In a bubble jet printer, small resistors generate heat, which causes the ink to vaporize and form a bubble. The bubble's expansion forces a droplet to shoot out of the print head. A standard bubble jet print head includes 64 or 128 tiny nozzles, each capable of firing a droplet at the same time.
Here are some fascinating links:
- How Inkjet Printers Work
- Epinions: Printers
- Color Printer Head Technology
- Patent 4,532,530: Bubble jet printing device - detailed background begins on page 7
- Patent 4,849,774: Bubble jet recording apparatus
- Patent 5,646,660: Printer ink cartridge with drive logic integrated circuit - an important HP patent
- How Laser Printers Work
- What is dye-sublimation printing?
