Abstract: A replaceable ink container for providing ink to a printhead of a printing system. The ink container has a housing that includes and ink reservoir for containing a supply of ink, and an ink level sensor for sensing a low ink condition in the ink reservoir. The ink reservoir includes a capillary ink storage member. The ink level sensor includes resistance probes that are in fluid communication with the supply of ink, but are free from contact with the capillary ink storage member. The resistance probes are mounted to the housing by way of sensor ports that extend through the housing and prevent contact between the capillary ink storage member and the probes. The resistance probes protrude slightly from an exterior surface of the housing to define electrical contacts for engaging corresponding electrical contacts of the printing system. A change in electrical resistance measured across the resistance probes indicates a low ink condition in the ink reservoir.

Abstract: Packaging for enclosing an inkjet print cartridge that preserves the reliability and function of the cartridge by incorporating water vapor inside the packaging to inhibit the growth of bubbles under the sealing component or tape that covers the nozzle orifices during shipping or storage.

Abstract: A thin film structure is fabricated using photolithographic techniques and includes a plurality of substrates defining a resistor film, a conductor film and a passivation layer. The resistor film is etched to provide a plurality of individual heaters. The conductor film is etched to provide a plurality of conductive traces. At least one passivation layer covers the conductor film. A plurality of electrical contact pads are also formed that extend through etched holes in the passivation layer so that the electrical contact pads make electrical contact with the conductive traces. A nozzle plate is attached to the thin film structure. The nozzle plate has a plurality of individual nozzle orifices and also defines a plurality of corresponding ejection cavities for receiving ink from an ink reservoir via capillary action.

Abstract: A thin film structure is fabricated using photolithographic techniques and includes a plurality of substrates defining a resistor film, a conductor film and a passivation layer. The resistor film is etched to provide a plurality of individual heaters. The conductor film is etched to provide a plurality of conductive traces. At least one passivation layer covers the conductor film. A plurality of electrical contact pads are also formed that extend through etched holes in the passivation layer so that the electrical contact pads make electrical contact with the conductive traces. A nozzle plate is attached to the thin film structure. The nozzle plate has a plurality of individual nozzle orifices and also defines a plurality of corresponding ejection cavities for receiving ink from an ink reservoir via capillary action. The ejection cavities are each aligned with a corresponding one of the heaters for thermally ejecting ink through the orifices onto an adjacent print medium.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk memory drive, inertia in the magnetic head positioning system is reduced by providing a light weight, integrated, magnetic head suspension assembly fabricated of weldable thin sheet material and shaped to provide the required magnetic head flexibility, mobility and spring loading, while affording structural rigidity and dimensional stability in the disk memory drive environment. Unwanted magnetic head displacements are additionally minimizing by employing materials in the magnetic head suspension assembly, including the actuator, the arm and the load beam or flexure, having the same, or nearly the same, thermal expansion coefficients.

Abstract: A disk drive having a base and a cover, enclosing the memory disks and the magnetic head actuator. The spindle journaling the memory disks and the support for the actuator are secured to the base and to the cover and relatively position the base and the cover with respective peripheral extremities in closely spaced, but not touching relationship, to provide a gap therebetween. A pressure sensitive adhesive tape of a material having a high shear strength is applied to the base and the cover bridging the gap without applying stresses to the cover or the base through the tape and providing a seal for the disk drive between the cover and the base. The materials of the base, the cover, the spindle and the support, have thermal coefficients of expansion which are at least substantially the same. Preferably the materials are the same. Steel is a preferred material.

Abstract: A disk drive in which the base and the cover are interconnected in spaced positions to provide a marginal, peripheral gap between confronting or adjacent faces or edges thereof. The gap is bridged, closed and sealed by means of a pressure sensitive adhesive tape, a viscoelastic tape, which is energy adsorbing to damp disk drive vibrations.

Abstract: In order to improve servo system stability and decrease settling times in rotary head positioners for high performance magnetic disc drives, a floating mass damper is mounted on the end of an accessing head arm structure of the positioner opposite to the end or ends carrying the magnetic head or heads. The damper includes a centered floating mass which rests on a viscous film, such as silicone oil, and the shear forces developed by motion of the floating mass across the film dissipates vibrational mode energy in the accessing head arm structure during both a fast seek operation followed by track following fine servo operation. Such energy dissipation thus reduces the settling time and amplitude of natural resonance of the head positioner.The floating mass may be either an elongated cylindrical metal slug or a plurality of steel balls, but lower tolerances and lower manufacturing costs are made possible when the steel balls are used as the floating mass.

Abstract: In order to improve servo system stability and decrease settling times in rotary head positioners for high performance magnetic disc drives, a floating mass damper is mounted on the end of an accessing head arm structure of the positioner opposite to the end or ends carrying the magnetic head or heads. The damper includes a spring centered floating mass which rests on a viscous film, such as silicone oil, and the shear forces developed by motion of the floating mass across the film dissipates vibrational mode energy in the accessing head arm structure during both a fast seek operation followed by track following fine servo operation. Such energy dissipation thus reduces the settling time and amplitude of natural resonance of the head positioner.

Abstract: A precision hydrodynamic bearing which has a rotatable shaft disposed in the bore of a housing to form an annular gap. The annular includes a journal zone for containing and pressurizing lubricant to facilitate low friction rotation of the shaft and to maintain the annular gap as the shaft rotates.

Abstract: A shaft assembly of a rotary actuator arm structure in a rotary disc memory drive in which all machine operations cutting slots or openings for receiving leaf springs which provide axial and radial loads are performed along axes paralleling the axis of the rotary actuator. One leaf spring provides an axial load on the bearings of the shaft assembly. A second leaf spring fitted between one shaft bearing and the bearing housing thereat provides the radial bearing load.

Abstract: A highly compact and functional professional audio magnetic tape transport provides a simple, symmetrical tape path including a pair of reels positioned in side-by-side relationship, a pair of large, equal diameter rollers positioned in side-by-side relationship below the reels, a pair of buffer loop tape tension arms positioned between the rollers and reels to receive tape directly from the reels along a straight tape line and without any intervening guide, and a transducer assembly positioned in frictional engagement with the tape along the tape path between the rollers. A capstan drive system is coupled to energize one of the rollers as a capstan to control tape motion along the tape path while reel servo systems energize the reels to maintain the tension arms at nominal central positions of rotation. Variations in tape tension with reel pack diameter are minimized and made self-equalizing by orienting the nominal arm positions perpendicular to tape direction for intermediate reel pack diameters.

Abstract: A tape drive that includes a capstan and tachometer mounted on the same shaft with a printed circuit motor. The capstan and tachometer are mounted to be accurately concentric with one another and the tachometer is sensed at the same angular position as the point of tangential engagement of tape and capstan and at the same radius, and controls the peripheral velocity of the capstan there so that even though the capstan may be eccentric relative to the true motor turning center, the tape speed is constant. The armature disc of the motor is accurately mounted in a plane normal to the shaft, and upon a cushioning element, to reduce brush contact errors.

Abstract: To slow down the action of a solenoid for use in moving delicate mechanisms, or other time-delay uses, the solenoid frame is provided with a closed end, vented only by a restricted orifice, and the solenoid plunger is fitted with a pressure seal to ensure venting of trapped air only through the restricted orifice.