Abstract: Described is a method for incremental printing with an inkjet swath printer by depositing multiple drops of an ink from a printhead in each column of an image, in each scanning pass of the printhead over a print medium by obtaining the image, analyzing the image to determine which drops of ink will define leading and trailing edges in each row of the image element with respect to a scanning direction, removing at least one drop of ink preceding the drop defining the trailing edges in each of the rows, removing at least one drop of ink after the drop defining the leading edges in each of the rows and depositing the remaining drops of the ink on the medium while passing the printhead over the media in the scanning direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a flexible circuit that has a nozzle member formed therein with the nozzle member including a plurality of ink orifices and the flexible circuit having electrical leads. A substrate containing a plurality of heating elements and associated ink ejection chambers and having electrodes to which the electrical leads are bonded is mounted on a back surface of the nozzle member. Each heating element is located proximate to an associated ink orifice with the back surface of the nozzle member extending over two or more outer edges of the substrate. A print cartridge body having a headland portion is located proximate to the back surface of the nozzle member and includes an inner raised wall circumscribing the substrate with an adhesive support surface formed thereon and having wall openings therein. The wall openings have an adhesive support surface and an elevated substrate support surface raised above the adhesive support surface for supporting the substrate.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a method for predicting and avoiding bad bonds or connections when performing electrical connection of two electrical conductors by using a laser light beam attached to an optical fiber system which directs the light to the spot to be bonded. The method provides for rapid detection of damaged optical fibers before bad bonds or connections occur. Disclosed is a method for predicting and avoiding bad bonds or connections when performing solderless electrical connection of two contact elements by using a laser light beam attached to a optical fiber system which directs the light to the spot to be bonded.

Abstract: Disclosed is an inkjet print cartridge including an ink supply, a substrate having a plurality of individual ink ejection chambers defined by a barrier layer formed on a first surface of the substrate and having an ink ejection element in each of the ink ejection chambers, for ejecting drops of ink having a predetermined drop volume and drop velocity. The ink ejection chambers each have the same inlet channel length and are arranged in an array spaced so as to provide a predetermined resolution. A nozzle member having a plurality of ink orifices formed therein is positioned to overlie the barrier layer with the orifices aligned with the ink ejection chambers. An ink channel connects the reservoir with the ink ejection chambers. The inkjet print cartridge has several advantages of over previous printing systems in creating high quality images by using very small individual ink drops of low volume and high velocity. Highlight regions may be formed by using single low volume drops to form a dot.

Abstract: Described is an ink delivery system is that utilizes a filter carrier to simplify the process of attaching the filter. The filter carrier is an element that has a conduit that is substantially surrounded by a filter attach surface. The filter is attached to this surface, such that substantially all fluid passing through the conduit is filtered. The filter carrier is installed into a housing upon which a printhead is mounted. The filter then divides the ink delivery portion of the housing into upstream and downstream sections such that ink flows from the upstream portion through the filter to the downstream portion and to the printhead. The separation of the filter sing from the cartridge housing provides more freedom of material selection for both the cartridge housing and a good heat staking material for the filter carrier. The separation also greatly simplifies the molding of the rigid cartridge housing.

Abstract: A print cartridge receptacle assembly including a first modular print cartridge receptacle for removably receiving and supporting a single first print cartridge, a second modular print cartridge receptacle for removably receiving and supporting a single second print cartridge, a separate locking mechanism on the first and second modular print cartridge receptacles for individually locking the first and second print cartridges in the modular print receptacles, and alignment surfaces on the first and second modular print cartridge receptacles for aligning and interlocking the first modular print cartridge with the second modular print cartridge. First and second print cartridge driver circuits are mounted on the first and second modular print cartridge receptacles and electrically connected with first and second electrical interconnects.

Abstract: An inkjet print cartridge includes an ink supply and a substrate having a plurality of individual ink ejection chambers defined by a barrier layer formed on a first surface of the substrate and having an ink ejection element in each of the ink ejection chambers to eject ink drops. A nozzle having a plurality of ink orifices formed therein overlies the barrier layer with the orifices aligned and associated with the ink ejection chambers. An ink channel connects an ink supply. A group of the ink ejection chambers in adjacent relationship forms a primitive in which a maximum of only one ejection chamber in the primitive is energized at a time and the primitive is one of a plurality of primitives on the substrate. A first circuit on the substrate is connected to the ink ejection elements and a second circuit on the print cartridge is connected to the first circuit to transmit ejection signals to the ink ejection elements at high frequency.

Abstract: In a hybrid multi-drop and multi-pass printing system, composite drops are formed from separate drops merging onto media and highlight regions are formed by using single drops to form a dot. Individual drops are nearly invisible and thus can form highlights with low graininess. As the density of the image increases, multi-drop dots are formed by merging two or more drops. Drops merging together on the media cover white space more efficiently, increase optical density without throughput loss and reduce ink ejection frequency. Multiple passes result in error hiding and improved ink/media interaction. An array of ink ejection elements forms a single printhead in a carriage which is passed along a scan axis perpendicular to the media in the advance direction so that the array path defines a swath area on the media surface. The ink ejection elements are energized during the initial passing step.

Abstract: Described is an ink delivery system for an inkjet printing system including a housing; a printhead fixed to the housing for ejecting droplets of ink on media; a regulator located within the housing; a source of ink for replenishing the printhead; and an ink passageway for connecting the source of ink and the valve inlet.

Abstract: Described is a color inkjet printer for optimum bleed prevention in a printer utilizing multiple black and color pens wherein there is provided one print cartridge for dispensing black ink onto the printing medium and at least one print cartridge for dispensing color ink onto the printing medium. The cartridge for dispensing black ink contains an ink with little or no surface active agent while the cartridge for dispensing color ink contains a sufficient amount of surface active agent to reduce bleed between the colors. Moreover, the cartridge for dispensing black ink contains an ink which reacts with at least one and more preferably all inks contained in the cartridge for dispensing color ink. This reaction reduces bleed on images where the black print is adjacent to the color print to an acceptable level without requiring the black ink to contain surface active agents that would lead to inferior quality black text on the plain paper print medium.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing device that overcomes the thermal problems of previous printheads caused by heat generation by providing better cooling of the printhead,avoids bubble accumulation near the printhead which can starve the printhead of ink and provides sufficient volume for air accumulation away from the printhead. The printing device including an outer housing, a substrate having a front surface on which is formed ink ejection chambers and having a back surface, an ink conduit having a distal end proximate to the back surface of the substrate, the ink conduit, the outer housing and the substrate defining an ink flow path to the ink ejection chambers and a bubble accumulation chamber in communication with the ink flow path such that bouyancy will tend to move bubbles that accumulate in the ink flow path into the bubble accumulation chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is a modular print cartridge receptacle including a housing for removably receiving and supporting a single print cartridge; a locking mechanism on the housing for locking the print cartridge in the housing; and alignment surfaces on the housing for aligning and interlocking the housing with a second housing, the housing being used separately or in conjunction with a second housing.

Abstract: In a inkjet print cartridge ink flows from the reservoir around the edge of the silicon substrate before being ejected out of the nozzles. During operation, warm thermal boundary layers of ink form adjacent the substrate and dissolved gases in the thermal boundary layer of the ink form the bubbles. If the bubbles to grow larger than the diameter of subsequent ink passageways these bubbles choke the flow of ink to the vaporization chambers. This results in causing some of the nozzles of the printhead to become temporarily inoperable. The disclosure describes a method of avoiding such a malfunction in a liquid inkjet printing system by providing a bubble tolerant manifold design.

Abstract: An off-carriage printing system with high performance tubing. The printing system includes a media transporting system for transporting a print medium along a medium path to a print area, a scanning carriage for holding a printing structure including a printhead, and a scanning apparatus for scanning the carriage along a scanning axis transverse to the media path at the print area. The system further includes fixed ink supply station including an ink reservoir. A fluid conduit for the flow of ink, interconnects between the ink reservoir of the fixed ink supply station and the printing structure, the fluid conduit including a length of hollow flexible multiple layer tubing routed such that a flexible loop is formed therein. The multiple layer tubing comprises at least one inner barrier layer to water vapor transmission from the ink, at least one barrier layer to oxygen permeability, and at least one outer barrier layer to water vapor transmission from the atmosphere.

Abstract: Described is a printing system including a first array of ink ejection elements formed on a first substrate surface for ejecting droplets of a first ink, a second array of ink ejection elements formed on a second substrate surface for ejecting droplets of a second ink, a memory element associated with the first and second arrays of ink ejection elements contains parameters that relate droplet ejection characteristics of the first and second array of ink ejection elements. The droplet ejection characteristics may contain ink ejection alignment data that enables the calculation of the relative alignment between the first and second arrays of ink ejection elements such that droplets of the first ink can be effectively aligned with droplets of the second ink. Also, ink droplet volume data enables the calculation of the relative drop volume between the first and second arrays of ink ejection elements such that the printing system can provide hue control.

Abstract: This system selectively enables a printer to deposit primary or black color dots at pixel locations on a sheet to produce a color image--in such a way as to increase the overall number of dots used in the image, thereby minimizing contrast between dots on the sheet and adjacent areas and so providing a better simulation of a continuous-tone image. The result is print quality often near that of error diffusion, usually better than any dither technique, but with the greater speed of a dither technique. The system includes a memory for storing a first color vector for each pixel in the image, respectively, and a processor coupled to the memory for determining a second color vector from each of the first vectors, respectively. The processor accomplishes this determination by replacing a fraction of the black color component of the first vector with primary colors.

Abstract: An ink delivery system for an ink jet printing system having a printhead for ejecting droplets of ink, the printhead receiving ink at a controlled pressure, the controlled pressure having a specified pressure range that assures stable printhead operation which includes a replaceable ink supply removeably mounted in an ink supply station, and a controllable valve. The valve inlet is in fluid communication with the replaceable ink supply. An accumulator in fluid communication with the valve outlet and the printhead has a sensor coupled to the accumulator to sense the state of the accumulator. A controller electrically coupled to the sensor and electrically coupled to the controllable valve opens and closes the valve in response to the state of the accumulator.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a headland design for adhesively attaching a printhead to a print cartridge which reduces dimple in the nozzle member and the attendant nozzle trajectory errors. In a preferred embodiment, a nozzle member containing an array of orifices has a substrate having heater elements formed thereon, affixed to a back surface of the nozzle member. Each orifice in the nozzle member is associated with a single ink ejection chamber and heating element formed on the substrate. The nozzle member is adhesively sealed with respect to the ink reservoir body by forming an ink seal circumscribing the substrate, between the back surface of the nozzle member and the headland area of the print cartridge. This method and design for a print cartridge headland which provides a seal directly between a nozzle member and an ink reservoir body. The above design provides reduced yield losses, and thus lower manufacturing costs, when manufacturing print cartridges.

Abstract: A method for the solderless laser welding of two materials by using a laser light beam attached to a fiber optic system which directs the light to a region where the laser beam can shine through one of the materials to create a seam weld. By using a fiber optic system the laser beam is converted into thermal energy and weld flaws due to underheating or destruction of the materials due to overheating do not occur. A seed-metal layer and weldable-metal patterns are formed on non-metallic materials-to-allow their laser welding by this method.

Abstract: An inkjet printer whereby high density graphics images can be printed without smearing and without either a reduction of print speed or a degradation of print quality is disclosed. Previous methods of inducing drying on inkjet output in printers with heaters did not use print density to adjust heater output. Heater output was simply adjusted based on the type of media so destruction of the media did not take place. The media was given enough time to dry by either lowering the print speed of the printer or utilizing special multi-pass print modes. As a result, the throughput of the printer was reduced. The disclosed inkjet printer allows for greater heater drying to be applied to output printed with greater densities of ink. The inkjet printer comprises a carriage mounted inkjet printing mechanism for applying liquid ink to a print medium as successive columns of dots contained within horizontal swaths to thereby form a portion of the image of an image to be printed on a sheet of print media.