Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080230468 | HIGH FLOWRATE FILTER FOR INKJET PRINTHEAD - A filter for an inkjet printer that has a chamber divided into an upstream section and a downstream section by a filter membrane. An inlet conduit establishes fluid communication between an ink supply and the upstream section. An outlet conduit establishes fluid communication between the downstream section and a printhead. During use at least part of the inlet conduit is elevated relative to the filter membrane. By elevating the inlet conduit relative to the filter membrane, it acts as a bubble trap to retain bubbles that would otherwise obstruct the filter. This allows the filter size to be reduced for a more compact overall design. | 09-25-2008 |
20080230730 | DETACHABLE FLUID COUPLING FOR INKJET PRINTER - A detachable fluid coupling for connecting an inkjet printhead with an ink supply, the detachable coupling having a fixed valve member defining a valve seat, a sealing collar ( | 09-25-2008 |
20080231660 | PRINTHEAD WITH INK CONDUIT WEIR FOR PRIMING CONTROL - A printhead for an inkjet printer, that has a printhead integrated circuit with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC within the printer. The support structure has ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink. Within the ink conduits is a weir formation to partially obstruct ink flow so that when priming the printhead, the weir formation preferentially primes an upstream section the ink conduit. Using a weir downstream of areas that have a propensity to prime incorrectly can force them to prime more quickly or in preference to downstream sections. As long as the downstream section is one that reliably primes, albeit delayed by the weir, there is no disadvantage to priming the upstream section in preference. | 09-25-2008 |
20080231661 | PRINTHEAD WITH MENISCUS ANCHOR FOR CONTROLLED PRIMING - A printhead for an inkjet printer that has a printhead integrated circuit (IC) with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink, and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC within the printer. The support structure has ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink, the ink conduits have a meniscus anchor for pinning part of an advancing meniscus of ink to divert the advancing meniscus from a path it would otherwise take. If a printhead consistently fails to prime correctly because a meniscus pins at one or more points, then the advancing meniscus can be directed so that it does not contact these critical points. Deliberately incorporating a discontinuity into an ink conduit immediately upstream of the problem area can temporarily pin to the meniscus and skew it to one side of the conduit and away from the undesirable pinning point. Once flow has been initiated into the side branch or downstream of the undesirable pinning point, it is not necessary for the anchor to hold the ink meniscus any longer and priming can continue. | 09-25-2008 |
20080231662 | PRINTHEAD WITH DRIVE CIRCUITRY COMPONENTS ADJACENT THE PRINTHEAD IC - A printhead for an inkjet printer, that has a printhead IC with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC in the printer adjacent a paper path. The printhead IC is mounted on a face of the support structure that, in use, faces the paper path. A flexible printed circuit board (flex PCB) has drive circuitry for operating the array of nozzles on the printhead IC. The drive circuitry has circuit components connected by traces in the flex PCB, and contacts for receiving print data from the print engine controller. The flex PCB being mounted to the support structure at the contacts onto a face that does not face the paper path such that the flex PCB extends through a bent section between the printhead IC and the contacts. The printhead IC and the circuit components are adjacent each other and separated from the contacts by the bent section of the flex PCB. The bent section reduces the likelihood of trace cracking by holding the flex PCB at a set radius rather than allowing the flex to follow an irregular curve and thereby risking localized points of high stress on the traces. | 09-25-2008 |
20080231670 | INK COUPLING FOR INKJET PRINTER WITH CARTRIDGE - An ink coupling for connecting an inkjet printer and a replaceable cartridge configured to not drip ink upon detachment. The coupling has a cartridge valve on the cartridge side of the coupling and a printer conduit on the printer side of the coupling. The cartridge valve and the printer conduit having complementary formations configured to form a coupling seal when brought into engagement. The cartridge valve is biased closed and configured to open when brought into engagement with the printer conduit. Upon disengagement, the coupling seal breaks after the cartridge valve closes, and an ink meniscus forms and recedes from the complementary formations as they separate, the cartridge valve having external surfaces configured so that the meniscus travels across the external surfaces and only pins itself to the printer conduit surfaces. The invention keeps residual ink off the exterior of the cartridge valve by careful design of the external surfaces with respect to known receding contact angle of the ink meniscus. As the coupling seal breaks and the meniscus forms, the ink properties and hydrophilicity of the respective valve materials will determine where the meniscus stops moving and eventually pins itself. | 09-25-2008 |
20080273071 | FLUIDIC ARRANGEMENT WITH A SUMP FOR A PRINTER - The invention relates to a fluidic arrangement for a printer. The arrangement includes an ink tank for storing ink, and an ink distribution assembly in fluid communication with the ink tank for supplying printhead integrated circuits (ICs) positioned thereon with ink from the ink tank. The arrangement also includes a valve arranged in an ink line between the ink distribution assembly and the ink tank, said valve configured to isolate ink in the ink tank from the printhead ICs whenever the printer is powered down. Further included is a pump located downstream from the ink distribution assembly, and a sump arranged in fluid communication with the pump for receiving excess ink from the ink distribution assembly. | 11-06-2008 |
20090085995 | Inkjet Printer With Elongate Array Of Nozzles And Distributed Pulse Dampers - An inkjet printer that has an elongate array of nozzles for ejecting ink and ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink. The ink conduits are aligned with the longitudinal extent of the elongate array and have a plurality of pulse dampers individually in fluid communication with the ink conduits. Each pulse damper contains a volume of gas for compression by pressure pulses in the ink conduits, distributed along the length of the elongate array. A pressure pulse moving through an elongate printheads, such as a pagewidth printhead, can be damped at any point in the ink flow line. However, the pulse will cause nozzle flooding as it passes the nozzles in the printhead integrated circuit, regardless of whether it is subsequently dissipated at the damper. By incorporating a number of pulse dampers into the ink supply conduits immediately next to the nozzle array, any pressure spikes are damped at the site where they would otherwise cause detrimental flooding. | 04-02-2009 |
20090179963 | PRINTHEAD WITH EXTERIOR SURFACE PROFILED FOR WIPING MAINTENANCE STATION - A printhead assembly with an elongate printhead IC having a nozzle face defining an array of nozzles, and a support structure for supporting the elongate printhead IC on an external surface such that its length is transverse to a media feed direction through the printer. The external surface has a section that is flush with a long side edge of the elongate printhead IC. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179967 | MULTIPLE CONDUIT FLUID COUPLING WITH LEAKAGE FLOW CONTROL - A fluid coupling for an inkjet printhead, that has an interface plate supporting a plurality of spouts positioned for sealed engagement with corresponding apertures in a complementary socket in order to establish fluid communication between an inkjet printhead and an ink supply. The interface plate has surface formations individually associated with each of the spouts respectively. The surface formations define a preferred flow path along the interface plate for any residual ink draining away from the spouts under gravity. The preferred flow paths are configured to avoid any of the other spouts. | 07-16-2009 |
20100118087 | Printhead With Flex PCB Bent Between Contacts And Printhead IC - A printhead is provided for an inkjet printer that has a print engine controller for receiving print data and sending it to the printhead. The printhead has a printhead IC for ejecting ink and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC in the printer adjacent a paper path. The printhead IC is mounted on a face of the support structure that, in use, faces the paper path. A flexible printed circuit board (flex PCB) that has contacts for receiving print data mounted to the support structure on a face that does not face the paper path. The bent section reduces the likelihood of trace cracking by holding the flex PCB at a set radius rather than allowing the flex to follow an irregular curve and thereby risking localized points of high stress on the traces. | 05-13-2010 |
20100149294 | INKJET PRINTER WITH ELONGATE NOZZLE ARRAY SUPPLIED THROUGH PULSE DAMPED CONDUITS - An inkjet printer that has an elongate array of nozzles for ejecting ink, a plurality of ejection actuators, each configured to eject ink through one of the nozzles respectively, a plurality of ink conduits aligned with a longitudinal extent of the elongate array of nozzles, the ink conduits extending adjacent the elongate array for supplying the array of nozzles with ink and, a plurality of pulse dampers positioned along each of the ink conduits, each pulse damper being individually in fluid communication with one of the ink conduits and each containing a volume of gas for compression by pressure pulses in the ink conduits. A pressure pulse moving through an elongate printheads, such as a pagewidth printhead, can be damped at any point in the ink flow line. However, the pulse will cause nozzle flooding as it passes the nozzles in the printhead integrated circuit, regardless of whether it is subsequently dissipated at the damper. By incorporating a number of pulse dampers into the ink supply conduits immediately next to the nozzle array, any pressure spikes are damped at the site where they would otherwise cause detrimental flooding. | 06-17-2010 |
20100221671 | PRINTHEAD INTEGRATED CIRCUIT ATTACHMENT FILM - A method of fabricating a film used in attaching a printhead integrated circuit to an ink supply manifold is disclosed. An adhesive polymeric film having a protective liner is provided. Photoresist is then deposited onto the protective liner, and the photoresist is photopatterned. Ink supply holes are etched through the adhesive polymeric film and the protective liner, with the photoresist acting as a mask for the etching. Finally, the protective liner including the photoresist is removed from the adhesive polymeric film after the etching step is complete. | 09-02-2010 |
20100277559 | PRINTER WITH HIGH FLOWRATE INK FILTER - An inkjet printer that has a filter with a chamber divided into an upstream section and a downstream section by a filter membrane. An inlet conduit establishes fluid communication between an ink supply and the upstream section. An outlet conduit establishes fluid communication between the downstream section and a printhead. During use at least part of the inlet conduit is elevated relative to the filter membrane. By elevating the inlet conduit relative to the filter membrane, it acts as a bubble trap to retain bubbles that would otherwise obstruct the filter. This allows the filter size to be reduced for a more compact overall design. | 11-04-2010 |
20110025778 | PRINTHEAD ASSEMBLY WITH PROFILED EXTERIOR SURFACE - A printhead assembly for an inkjet printer is disclosed. The printhead assembly has an elongate printhead chip with a nozzle face defining an array of nozzles. A support structure supports the elongate printhead chip on an external surface thereof. An epoxy resin is also provided adjacent a long side edge of the elongate printhead chip. The epoxy resin is profiled such that the epoxy resin is flush with the nozzle face of the elongate printhead chip. The epoxy resin is thixotropic prior to setting. | 02-03-2011 |
20110025787 | PRINTHEAD SUPPORT STRUCTURE WITH CAVITIES FOR PULSE DAMPING - A printhead for an inkjet printer is disclosed. The printhead has one or more a printhead integrated circuits (ICs) with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink. A support structure of the printhead supports the printhead ICs. The support structure has ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink. Each ink conduit includes cavities distributed along a roof of the ink conduit. An opening to each respective cavity has an upstream edge and a downstream edge. The upstream edge contacts the ink before the downstream edge during initial priming of the ink conduits from an ink supply. The upstream edge has a transition face between the ink conduit and the cavity interior. The transition face is configured to inhibit ink from filling the cavity by capillary action during initial priming of the ink conduit. This causes gas to be trapped within the cavity. The gas acts to compress pressure pulses in the ink. | 02-03-2011 |
20110310186 | PRINTHEAD SUPPORT STRUCTURE WITH CAVITIES FOR PULSE DAMPING - A structure for an inkjet printhead is disclosed. The printhead structure has an elongate support structure for supporting a printhead integrated circuit, and ink conduits formed in the elongate support structure for supplying ink to an array of nozzles of the printhead integrated circuit. Each ink conduit includes cavities distributed along a roof of the ink conduit. An opening to each cavity has an upstream edge and a downstream edge. The upstream edge contacts the ink before the downstream edge during initial priming of the ink conduits from an ink supply. The upstream edge has a transition face between the ink conduit and the cavity interior, the transition face being configured to inhibit ink from filling the cavity by capillary action during initial priming of the ink conduit. This causes gas to be trapped within the cavity. The gas acts to compress pressure pulses in the ink. | 12-22-2011 |