Abstract: The present invention is drawn to ink-jet ink compositions, methods, and systems for reducing satellite spotting around a printed image. Specifically, an aqueous ink-jet ink composition exhibiting a reduction in aerosol formation during printing, comprises an effective amount of an ink vehicle; an effective amount of at least one ink colorant; and from 5 to 200 ppm of a high molecular weight polysaccharide.

Abstract: An inkjet printer for printing on a print medium includes at least one print cartridge, a carriage shell adapted to hold the at least one print cartridge and traverse the print medium, and a carriage skirt extending from the carriage shell. The at least one print cartridge includes a printhead having a scan axis and a plurality of ink orifices formed in a front face thereof. The carriage shell traverses the print medium along the scan axis during printing and the carriage skirt extends from the carriage shell substantially parallel with the front face of the printhead in a direction of the scan axis.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to ink-jet ink compositions, methods, and systems for reducing satellite spotting around a printed image. Specifically, an aqueous ink-jet ink composition exhibiting a reduction in aerosol formation during printing, comprises an effective amount of an ink vehicle; an effective amount of at least one ink colorant; and from 5 to 200 ppm of a high molecular weight polysaccharide.

Abstract: Ink-jet printer inks wherein kogation reduction is accomplished by the addition of phosphonate additives to the inks. In a preferred embodiment, the following are utilized: sodium salt of amino tri(methylene-phosphonic acid), 1-Hydroxyethylidene-1,1,-diphosphonic acid, diethylene triaminepenta(methylenephosonic acid); and potassium salt form of hexamethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid). Although in the examples disclosed herein, the salt form of the phosphonic acids were used, the acid form of the phosphonic acid can also be used provided the pH of the final inks are adjusted to desirable levels. Use of the above listed additives essentially eliminate kogation for the life of the pens, such as those used in Hewlett-Packard Company's thermal inkjet printers.

Abstract: Inkjet printer inks wherein kogation reduction is accomplished by the addition of phosphonate additives to the inks. In a preferred embodiment, the following are utilized: sodium salt of amino tri(methylene-phosphonic acid), 1-Hydroxyethylidene-1,1,-diphosphonic acid, diethylene triaminepenta(methylenephosonic acid); and potassium salt form of hexamethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid). Although in the examples disclosed herein, the salt form of the phosphonic acids were used, the acid form of the phosphonic acid can also be used provided the pH of the final inks are adjusted to desirable levels. Use of the above listed additives essentially eliminate kogation for the life of the pens, such as those used in Hewlett-Packard Company's thermal inkjet printers.

Abstract: An inkjet printer for printing on a print medium includes a printhead having an ink orifice formed therein through which an ink drop is ejected into a print zone between the printhead and the print medium during printing, and an air movement system which directs a stream of gas through the print zone as the ink drop is ejected during printing. When ejected, the ink drop forms a head and a tail. As such, the stream of gas converges the tail of the ink drop and the head of the ink drop during printing so as to improve the shape of a dot formed by the ink drop on the print medium.

Abstract: An inkjet printer for printing on a print medium includes at least one print cartridge, a carriage shell adapted to hold the at least one print cartridge and traverse the print medium, and a carriage skirt extending from the carriage shell. The at least one print cartridge includes a printhead having a scan axis and a plurality of ink orifices formed in a front face thereof. The carriage shell traverses the print medium along the scan axis during printing and the carriage skirt extends from the carriage shell substantially parallel with the front face of the printhead in a direction of the scan axis.

Abstract: An inkjet printer for printing on a print medium includes a printhead having an ink orifice formed therein through which an ink drop is ejected into a print zone between the printhead and the print medium during printing, and an air movement system which directs a stream of gas through the print zone as the ink drop is ejected during printing. When ejected, the ink drop forms a head and a tail. As such, the stream of gas converges the tail of the ink drop and the head of the ink drop during printing so as to improve the shape of a dot formed by the ink drop on the print medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink feed architecture for an inkjet printhead that extends the life of firing resistors. Two separate ink channels lead to each firing chamber. The ink channels are asymmetric with respect to the firing chamber, causing an asymmetric flow pattern that pushes the collapsing drive bubble and distributes the associated high pressure spikes over the resistor surface. This increases the life of the resistors.

Abstract: An inkjet print cartridge uses at least one groove to supply ink from an ink reservoir to the fluid channel, which includes an ink ejection chamber, such that foreign particles within the ink supply are filtered out by the grooves so as not to block the fluid channel. In one embodiment, a barrier layer between a substrate and nozzle member contains the ink ejection chamber which is in communication with a plenum via a flow restrictor, such as pinch points. The nozzle member includes an array of orifices and grooves. The substrate includes two linear arrays of ink ejection elements, such as heater elements, and each orifice in the nozzle member is associated with an ink ejection chamber and ink ejection element. A plurality of grooves is likewise associated with each plenum. The plurality of grooves in the nozzle member supply ink into each plenum, which in turn supplies ink to the ink ejection chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is an inkjet printhead having a substrate that includes plurality of ink ejection elements formed thereon. The printhead also includes a heat exchanger in thermal contact with the substrate. The heat exchanger has a plurality of pathways for allowing a passage of ink through the heat exchanger.

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: Disclosed is an ink delivery system for high throughput commercial inkjet printing devices. The ink delivery system includes a high speed ink ejection printhead with a large number of nozzles and an ink flow design which provides for improved printhead cooling. The printhead design achieves high ink ejection rates by having a very short inlet channel length which is made possible by having nozzles with a constant distance from the edge of the printhead. In order to accommodate this constant distance from the edge of the printhead the entire array of nozzles is disposed at a angle relative to the direction normal to the scan direction. An impinging ink flow against the back of the printhead is provided to limit the temperature of the printhead. A bubble collection chamber to increase the life of the printhead and a pressure regulator to provide ink at a controlled pressure to the printhead may also be provided.

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: An ink conduit for an inkjet printhead is disclosed which increases the velocity of ink flowing across the back surface of a substrate and into ink ejection chambers. The increased velocity of ink across the back surface of the substrate results in greater removal of heat from the substrate. This increased ink velocity is achieved by providing narrow ink conduit openings proximate to the back surface of the substrate. To avoid air bubbles becoming trapped in the relatively narrow ink conduit, one or more pockets are formed to allow the accumulation of bubbles, so that the bubbles do not affect the ink flow through the ink conduit and into the ink ejection chambers.