Abstract: A conical vent (14) for a cartridge (10) is located on an inner surface (20) of the cartridge. The conical vent includes a conical-shaped member (26) having a base (28) and an apex (30). An opening (32) extends through the center of the conical-shaped member (26) to provide an air passage for a cartridge (10). The opening (32) is adapted to create a capillary force on a small amount of liquid (59) that might enter the opening to prevent any remaining liquid from leaking through the opening. The vent also includes a groove or capillary trap (34) that encircles the base of the conical-shaped member. Also, a pair of upright walls (36) and (38) surround the conical-shaped member and cooperate with the capillary trap to divert liquid to the base of the conical-shaped member and away from its apex.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for interconnecting a flexible (flex) circuit, printed circuit or the like to an ink jet printhead or other similar electronic device. This approach includes providing a flexible lead frame member between the flex circuit and printhead, with the lead frame member having a plurality of conductive leads or fingers extending at a predetermined angle with respect to the final plane of interconnection. During the interconnection process, these leads or fingers are spring biased through this predetermined angle to provide good compressive electrical contact between the two members interconnected by the lead frame in a single plane of interconnection.

Abstract: A three-sided barrier structure (22), comprising three walls (24a-c), is provided in conjunction with a resistor (10) used in a thermal ink-jet printhead. Placement of the structure less than about 25 .mu.m from the resistor results in longer resistor life and an improvement in the static bubble purging ability of the printhead.

Abstract: An ink jet pen (or other similar fluid delivery system) wherein primary and secondary ink reservoirs and an ink jet printhead are all interconnected by way of a porous ink-transfer member. The ink will pass directly from the primary ink reservoir to the printhead under a normal or predetermined range of temperatures and pressures. However, for temperatures and pressures outside this range, the secondary reservoir will be brought into operation to give or receive ink to or from the porous ink transfer member and thereby serve to maintain a substantially constant backpressure at the printhead.

Abstract: Off-setting the orifice (20) from the resistor (10) in a thermal ink-jet printhead provides improved print quality by controlling misdirection of first drops (26), second and subsequent drops (28) in multidrop printing, and for satellite drop control.

Abstract: An improved ink suitable for use in ink-jet printers is provided. The ink includes (a) a vehicle comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of water and a water-soluble, non-aqueous component, and (b) an anionic dye having cations associated therewith. The ink composition is characterized by further including a macrocyclic polyether associated with the cations, the macrocyclic polyether having binding sites and a cavity size suitable for complexing the cations. The ink composition of the invention evidences reduced crusting, increased fade resistance and, for use in thermal ink-jet printers, reduced kogation.

Abstract: This application is directed to an ink jet pen having an ink supply housing which includes a primary ink reservoir (30) and a secondary ink reservoir (26). A balancing capillary member is positioned within the ink supply housing and includes ink flow path (20, 24) which extends between the primary ink reservoir (30) and the secondary ink reservoir (26). This capillary member is operative to draw ink from the primary ink reservoir (30) and into or toward the secondary ink reservoir (26) by capillary action as temperature and pressure within the primary ink reservoir increases. Conversely, when temperature and pressure in the housing decreases, ink will be drawn back into or toward the primary ink reservoir (30). In addition, the primary ink reservoir (30) is connected by way of a suitable ink feed path to an ink jet printhead (32) for supplying ink to the printhead during an ink jet printing operation.

Abstract: A nozzle plate suitable for use in an ink jet printer and method of manufacturing this plate, which includes forming a plurality of grooves or serrations in the interior orifice bore surfaces of the plate. These grooves or serrations may advantageously be electroformed replications of a sculptured photoresist mask used in the electroforming process, and they serve to maximize the interior surface area of the orifice bores. This feature in turn serves to maximize frequency response, wettability, fluid flow rate, damping factor and capillarity of the nozzle plate relative to these parameters of a smooth surface orifice bore.

Abstract: A process is provided for reducing the crusting propensity of dyes, complexed with sodium or other cations, used in ink-jet print heads and for improving other properties of such dyes. The process comprises replacing at least a portion of the cations on such dyes with preselected cations, such as those of the alkali metals lithium, potassium, ammonium, and amines. A two-step process may be used, in which the sodium cations first are at least partially replaced with hydrogen cations by passing an aqueous solution of the dye through the hydrogen form of a strong acid ion exchange resin and the hydrogen cations subsequently are at least partially replaced with the preselected cations by neutralizing the hydrogen-containing dye solution with a base which contains the preselected cation species. Alternately, a one-step process, comprising passing the aqueous solution of the dye through an ion-exchange resin pre-loaded with the preselected cations may be employed.

Abstract: The specification describes a multilevel metal CMOS integrated circuit wherein a first or lower level of metallization comprises strips of tungsten over aluminum. These strips are connected through vias in an inter-metal dielectric layer to an upper or second level of metallization which is photodefined in a desired pattern. The tungsten suppresses hillocks in the underlying aluminum during high temperature processing and also advantageously serves as an etch stop material during integrated circuit fabrication.

Abstract: Compensation for servo gain variations when connected to different magnetic heads in a disc memory drive is achieved by determining individual servo gain corrections for each magnetic head at several different selected tracks on the associated memory disc, storing the individual servo gain corrections and addressing a stored individual servo gain correction for each selected magnetic head for coupling to the servo to equalize servo gain when positioning each selected magnetic head at a selected track.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a uniform heat flux dryer system and method for an ink jet printer, including a 180.degree. contoured paper transport path for transferring paper from an input paper supply tray to an output paper collection tray. During this transfer, the paper receives a uniform heat flux from an infrared bulb which is located at the axis of symmetry for the paper transport path, and reflectors are positioned on each side of the infrared bulb to maximize heat transmission from the bulb to the paper during the ink drying process. Advantageously, the input and output paper trays may be vertically aligned on one side of the printer to facilitate loading and unloading of the paper.

Abstract: A reusable mandrel and method of making a reusable mandrel is presented. This mandrel has a substrate with a conductive film layer. Upon the conductive film layer, a dielectric mold resides. An etched thin film mandrel is also presented. This mandrel has a substrate covered with a conductive film layer. This conductive film layer is etched to form a mold for the device to be manufactured. These mandrels facilitate the manufacture of high quality precision devices. In particular, they can be used to manufacture orifice plates for thermal ink jet printers by electrodeposition process.

Abstract: The novel pen body construction described herein includes multiple ink storage compartments communicating with a multi-orifice printhead, and these compartments are adapted to receive sections of ink-storage foam. Preferably, this foam is a reticulated polyurethane foam of controlled porosity and capalarity and is especially well suited for storing different ink colors, such as cyan, magenta and yellow. However, single compartment black ink storage is also within the scope of this invention.

Abstract: Inks used in ink-jet printing comprise a vehicle and a dye. The dye is typically an anionic dye, associated with undesirable cations such as sodium or potassium cations. Several properties of such inks are improved by replacing at least about one-fourth of such cations on the anionic dye with tetramethylammonium cations.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for reducing processing time for aligning two parts by machine vision. The prior art approach of utilizing a substrate (b 14) with two spaced-apart targets (16a, 16b) and a top-plate (10) with two primary alignment openings (b 12a, 12b) spaced apart the same distance as the targets is improved by providing a set of fiducials (a pair of secondary openings (18a, 18b) or a pair of marks (18'a, 18'b) on the surface) in the top-plate. As a consequence of the novel approach, the vision system is not confused by the similar reflectivities of the target and the top-plate as the substrate and top-plate are brought into contact. Accordingly, alignment may be readily rechecked after assembly.

Abstract: This patent application discloses a method and apparatus useful for eight-level halftone thermal ink jet printing by printing with droplets of ink with volumes weighted in a binary sequence. Three (3) binary-weighted drop generators which are fired in sequence are useful in an eight-level, four color printing process and additionally may be employed with a clear ink vehicle drop generator in order to reduce optical density of single small dots in a given pixel area to thereby reduce grainyness.This method and apparatus are also adapted for four color printing with a chosen number of rows of binary-weighted drop generators, including untoned vehicle if desired, in order to achieve color printing of pixels having desired color and optical density.

Abstract: A wave isolator (18) is provided for large format drafting plotters (10) for preventing waves in the drafting medium (16) from traveling up the platen (14) and adversely affecting the pen (20) and its operation and reducing acceleration related vertical scalloping of angled lines. Such waves in the medium are generated by the motion of the paper during the plotting operation. The wave isolator comprises at least one strip (22a) of flexible material secured to the platen and of substantially the same length. Preferably, a polyimide film is used, having a coating of a thermoset acrylic resin with additives including conductive carbon black and polyethylene. In operation, when the medium is moving upward, the wave isolator deflects under the increased inertial load, and air trapped between the medium and the platen exits at the sides of the medium, dissipating some of its energy.

Abstract: A unique inverse processed film resistance heater structure including a conventional passivation wear layer which is deposited directly on a first substrate. This deposition step is then followed by the deposition and patterning of resistance and conductive layers, and these layers are covered by an isolation layer and a thick support layer. The thick support layer is then bonded to a second substrate and the first substrate is removed so that a uniform, flat passivation layer is exposed. The result is a film resistor which has a reduced failure rate as compared to the prior art because it is covered by a planar passivation wear layer with fewer pin-holes and reduced stress.

Abstract: This application discloses a novel thermal ink jet printhead and related integrated pulse driver circuit useful in thermal ink jet printers. This combined printhead and pulse drive integrated circuit includes a first level of metalization comprising a refractory metal which is patterned to define the lateral dimension of the printhead resistor. A passivation layer or layers are deposited atop this first level of metalization and patterned to have an opening or openings therein for receiving a second level of metalization. This second level of metalization such as aluminum may then be used for electrically interconnecting the printhead resistors to MOSFET drivers and the like which have been fabricated in the same silicon substrate which provides support for the printhead resistors. Thus, this "on-chip" driver construction enables these pulse driver transistors to be moved from external electronic circuitry to the printhead substrate.