Claims
- 1. Apparatus for dispensing a liquid comprising
- (i) a nozzle having a porous wick extending therefrom,
- (ii) a liquid supply to said wick,
- (iii) means to support said nozzle, and
- (iv) means to apply to said wick a sufficiently large electrical potential, relative to earth, that, when the tip of said wick positioned at a distance within the range 5 to 20 mm from an earthed surface, sufficient electrical gradient is provided at the tip of said wick to draw a ligament of said liquid away from said wick.
- 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a body and said liquid supply comprises a reservoir of said liquid within said body, said reservoir being demountable from said body.
- 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the reservoir, nozzle and wick comprise a single cartridge unit which can be removed from the body.
- 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said cartridge unit is a graphic marking implement.
- 5. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the body is elongated and shaped so as to be suitable for holding in the human hand with the wick at one end of said body.
- 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein a high voltage generator is mounted within the body.
- 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the outer surface of said body is provided with an electrically conductive portion electrically connected to the high voltage generator thereby providing an earth return to said generator when said electrically conductive portion is contacted by the hand of the user.
- 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the high voltage generator is powered by at least one battery provided within said body.
- 9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said electrically conductive portion comprises a push button which, when depressed, causes a high potential, relative to earth, to be generated by said generator.
- 10. Apparatus according to claim 1 for printing on a sheetlike substrate wherein the tip of the wick is spaced from the substrate, including
- (a) means for effecting relative movement between said nozzle and said substrate in a plane perpendicular to the perpendicular from said nozzle to said substrate in response to a signal or signals from a control unit,
- (b) an electrically conductive member spaced from the tip of said wick and contacting said substrate.
- 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 including means to vary the potential applied to the wick in response to a signal from the control unit.
- 12. Apparatus according to claim 10 including a control electrode disposed adjacent to, but spaced from, the wick, means to apply a high potential, relative to said conductive member, to said control electrode, and means to vary the potential applied to said control electrode in response to a signal from the control unit.
- 13. Apparatus according to claim 10 including means to vary the spacing of the tip of the wick from said substrate in response to a signal from the control unit.
- 14. Apparatus according to claim 10 including a plurality of applicators and means, controlled by said control unit, to determine the applicator to be actuated.
- 15. Apparatus for use in the dispensing of a liquid from a cartridge having a casing enclosing a reservoir of the liquid and a nozzle having a porous wick extending therefrom, comprising
- (i) a body, adapted to receive said cartridge with the tip of the wick projecting therefrom, and
- (iii) means to apply a sufficiently large electrical potential, relative to earth, to said cartridge, when said cartridge is fitted to said body that, when the tip of said wick is positioned at a distance within the range 5 to 50 mm from an earthed surface, sufficient electrical gradient is provided at the tip of said wick to draw a ligament of said liquid away from said wick.
- 16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the body is elongated and is shaped so as to be suitable for holding in the human hand with the wick at one end of said body.
- 17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein a high voltage generator is mounted within the body.
- 18. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the outer surface of said body is provided with an electrically conductive portion electrically connected to the high voltage generator thereby providing an earth return to said generator when said electrically conductive portion is contacted by the hand of the user.
- 19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the high voltage generator is powered by at least one battery provided within said body.
- 20. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said electrically conductive portion comprises a push button which, when depressed, causes a high potential, relative to earth, to be generated by said generator.
- 21. An electrostatic graphic art liquid applicator comprising: a nozzle having a porous wick extending therefrom, said wick having a cross-sectional area of between about 1.0 square cm and 0.02 square cm and a tip of convex shape; means for supplying liquid to said wick; and means to apply to said wick a sufficiently large electric potential, relative to earth, that when the tip of said wick is positioned at a distance of 5-20 mm from an earthed surface, sufficient electrical gradient is provided at the tip to draw a ligament of said liquid from said wick toward the earthed surface.
Priority Claims (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
8308346 |
Mar 1983 |
GBX |
|
8313959 |
May 1983 |
GBX |
|
8322308 |
Aug 1983 |
GBX |
|
8326666 |
Oct 1983 |
GBX |
|
84.301502.5 |
Mar 1984 |
EPX |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of our application Ser. No. 589,221 filed Mar. 13, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,243.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
589221 |
Mar 1984 |
|