Abstract: An ink jet aerosol control includes a carrier frame, a carrier, at least one airflow channel and a filter. The carrier is disposed and moveable within the frame and selectively creates a high-pressure zone and a low-pressure zone. The airflow channel joins the high-pressure zone to the low-pressure zone. The filter is disposed in association with the airflow channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for the management of the fluid level in a media coating system. In one embodiment, the apparatus has a supply item for the storage of a media coating fluid and an applicator having a trough for receiving the media coating fluid from the supply item. The apparatus utilizes a fluid level detection sensor that is located within the applicator to measure whether the media coating fluid level within the trough of the applicator is either above or below a threshold position and to generates an output signal. The apparatus has a controller for receiving the output signal and controlling delivery of the media coating fluid from the supply item to the applicator.

Abstract: An ink jet printer for printing on a print medium includes an ink jet cartridge assembly movable at a scan velocity in scan directions. The ink jet cartridge assembly includes a nozzle plate. A rotary wiper is positioned in association with the nozzle plate for contacting the nozzle plate. The rotary wiper is rotatable with a tangential velocity which is greater than the scan velocity.

Abstract: The invention provides a printhead for an ink jet printer and a method for making a printhead for an ink jet printer. The printhead includes a printhead body having a chip surface side, an ink surface side opposite the chip surface side and a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). A semiconductor chip containing ink ejector devices is adhesively attached to the chip surface side of the printhead body. A stiffener is adhesively attached to the ink surface side to provide body stiffening during curing of the adhesive. The semiconductor chip has a second CTE and the stiffener has a third CTE wherein the second and third CTE's have a similar value. The invention provides an improved structure for printheads which resist warpage and/or breakage of the semiconductor chips during the manufacturing process used to make the printheads.

Abstract: The invention provides a printhead for an ink jet printer and a method for making a printhead for an ink jet printer. The printhead includes a printhead body having a chip surface side, an ink surface side opposite the chip surface side and a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). A semiconductor chip containing ink ejector devices is adhesively attached to the chip surface side of the printhead body. A stiffener is adhesively attached to the ink surface side to provide body stiffening during curing of the adhesive. The semiconductor chip has a second CTE and the stiffener has a third CTE wherein the second and third CTE's have a similar value. The invention provides an improved structure for printheads which resist warpage and/or breakage of the semiconductor chips during the manufacturing process used to make the printheads.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for securing tubing which includes a reservoir, preferably being a printer cartridge, having a rigid wall with interior and exterior surfaces, a rigid restraining member for a tube, and the restraining member further having a passage therethrough. In one embodiment, the invention includes at least one locking lever with top and bottom ends, the locking lever having at least one notch proximate to the top end and the bottom end is pivotably attached to the interior surface of the reservoir wall, and the restraining member is alternately attached to the top end of the locking lever. In another embodiment, the locking lever is rigidly attached to the interior surface of the reservoir and the restraining member is alternately attached to the reservoir. In a further embodiment, the restraining member is attached to interior of the reservoir wall by at least two locking arms.

Abstract: An ink mist controller for a maintenance station including spit louvers and a spit wheel which serve as accumulating surfaces. A flow of air directs ink mist through the louvers and around the spit wheel. Mist that is not attracted to a surface is carried to a manifold which filters, then exhausts, air to the environment, thereby preventing contamination of articles surrounding the printer. Color ink droplets are ejected onto the spit louvers. Low pressure is created between and below the louvers, which increases air and mist velocity over the entire spit zone. An unrestricted air curtain occurs on three sides of the color printhead to further control the location of mist deposit. Black ink is ejected onto the spit wheel which holds the mist deposit during evaporation. At defined intervals, the spit wheel rotates a fraction of a revolution. A scraper removes the non-volatile residue from the wheel during rotation. An air curtain is created on all four sides of the spit wheel to direct mist to this surface.

Abstract: A process of, and apparatus for controlling waste ink from an ink jet printer printhead, transfers waste ink to an absorptive diaper, and at least intermittently forces air across the absorptive diaper to promote evaporation of certain volatile ink components from the transferred ink. Waste ink may be received and temporarily retained on a plurality of spaced apart inclined louvers located above the absorptive diaper, and air conveyed across and between the louvers to promote evaporation of certain volatile components from the received ink.

Abstract: A print head having an ink reservoir therein is made by forming, in a one-shot plastic injection molding step, a rigid monolithic frame including high melt temperature material having an opening therein extending from a first side to a second side, and first and second bonding surfaces surrounding the opening and facing the first and second sides, respectively. First and second thin flexible films are adhesively secured to the first and second bonding surfaces, respectively. The adhesive material may be a hot melt adhesive or dry adhesive films pre-formed to the shape of the bonding surfaces. By securing the flexible films to the bonding surfaces adhesively, rather than by heat staking, it is not necessary to form the frame of different materials during two separate molding steps.

Abstract: A print head having an ink reservoir therein is made by forming, in a one-shot plastic injection molding step, a rigid monolithic frame comprising high melt temperature material having an opening therein extending from a first side to a second side, and first and second bonding surfaces surrounding the opening and facing the first and second sides, respectively. First and second thin flexible films are adhesively secured to the first and second bonding surfaces, respectively. The adhesive material may be a hot melt adhesive or dry adhesive films pre-formed to the shape of the bonding surfaces. By securing the flexible films to the bonding surfaces adhesively, rather than by heat staking, it is not necessary to form the frame of different materials during two separate molding steps.

Abstract: An integrated scanner for scanning a barcode is formed on a common substrate. The scanner may include a micro-machined mirror, a laser diode, and a detector, mounted on a single substrate or several connected substrates. Lenses can be used to focus a laser beam from the laser diode as well as expand a laser beam deflected by the micro-machined mirror. The scanner may also scan a barcode without using a micro-machined mirror by rotating the laser diode.

Abstract: Polling of devices on an inter-IC (I.sup.2 C) is provided. An expansion processor resides on a primary I.sup.2 C bus. The expansion processor is coupled to a plurality of I.sup.2 C sub-buses each of which may host a plurality of I.sup.2 C devices. Data is transferred between the expansion processor and the plurality of I.sup.2 C devices via the corresponding sub-bus according to an I.sup.2 C protocol. Data transfer is in response to a request initiated by a bus master on the primary I.sup.2 C bus. The bus master communicates with a target device residing on one of the sub-buses by addressing the expansion processor. The bus master informs the expansion processor of the target device by sending the expansion processor a number of the sub-bus on which the target device resides, and an address of the target device. A data stream bound for the target device is directed to the expansion processor which then echos it to the target device.

Abstract: The present invention provides ultraviolet curable or electron beam curable fluorescent inks and ink concentrates, which cure upon exposure to ultraviolet or electron beam radiation. The synthesis of the fluorescent ink and ink concentrates does not involve the use of volatile organic solvents, so removal of solvents is not necessary during the manufacturing process. The fluorescent inks and ink concentrates display minimal, consistent color shift when cured. The cured fluorescent inks and ink concentrates are solvent resistant, particularly to methyl ethyl ketone, methanol, nonane, and sec butyl alcohol. The fluorescent ink and ink concentrate is comprised of: from about 20 to 90%, preferably from about 30 to 70%, more preferably from about 30 to 60% by weight of an oligomer, which is either a formaldehyde oligomer or a cyclic-aliphatic oligomer; from about 0.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer cartridge having a center reservoir chamber and two side reservoir chambers for holding inks of three different colors is provided with ink flow pathways of special configuration for connecting the reservoir chambers to exit ports at the print element. The ink flow pathways are provided with ridges extending along substantially their entire lengths so that air bubbles cannot completely block ink flow through the pathways. The ink flow pathways are disposed such that they have a vertical component of direction over their entire length and the pathways connecting the side reservoir chambers to exit ports include duct portions disposed at compound angles relative to the axes of the cartridge so that air bubbles, because of their buoyancy, will naturally tend to drift upwardly through the inclined ducts toward the reservoir chambers during normal usage, or drift toward the exit openings when the cartridge is inverted for priming.

Abstract: A cartridge for an ink-jet printer includes a nozzle plate having nozzles therein. A region around the nozzles is sealed when a maintenance cap is moved into contact with a surface of the cartridge surrounding the nozzle plate. Vent passages are provided in the cartridge body for venting the sealed region to the atmosphere. The vent passages are formed as grooves in a surface of the cartridge body, the open sides of the grooves being closed by an adhesive preform which attaches a tab circuit to the surface. One end of each passage vents to the atmosphere at a second surface of the cartridge body underneath a portion of the tab circuit which is not adhesively attached to the second surface. A second end of each vent passage extends into a region of the first surface that is not covered by the adhesive preform and tab circuit so that the vent passages communicate with the sealed region formed when the cap is moved into contact with the cartridge.

Abstract: A baffle divides a housing into first and second compartments. The first compartment includes a chromatography oven having a fan for circulating heated air over the columns while the oven is closed and for sucking ambient temperature cooling air in the first compartment into the oven while the oven is open. Ambient air is sucked into a tortuous path in the first compartment. Cooling air from the second compartment flows into the first compartment via openings in the baffle. The cooling air flows over the oven exterior and is at least partially sucked into the oven by an oven fan while the oven is open. The oven heater, coaxial with the blades, is located between an oven wall and blades. A ring baffle, having approximately the same diameter as and coaxial with the blades, is located between the wall and the blades. A fan outside of the oven sucks air from the oven through an outlet while the oven is open.