Abstract: A method for forming an ink tank for an inkjet printhead, the method includes providing a housing including a back wall, a side wall extending from the back wall, and an ink supply port for providing ink to the inkjet printhead; providing a convex-shaped flexible wall including a peripheral bonding region; inserting a first capillary member into the housing, the first capillary member including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; inserting a spring into the housing such that a first portion of the spring contacts the back wall; affixing the peripheral bonding region of the flexible wall to an edge of the side wall of the housing to form a reservoir for holding ink; removing air from the reservoir such that the flexible wall is drawn toward the back wall; and adding liquid ink to the reservoir such that the liquid ink contacts the first surface of the first capillary member and such that air from outside the housing contacts the second surface of the first capillary member.

Abstract: An ink tank including a reservoir for holding ink, the reservoir including a flexible wall for adjusting an internal volume of the reservoir; a biasing element for applying a force to the flexible wall that tends to increase the internal volume of the reservoir; an ink supply port for delivering ink from the reservoir to a printhead; and a breather element, at least a portion of which is disposed inside the reservoir, including a capillary material in contact with ink in the reservoir, wherein the breather element is configured to allow air to enter the reservoir in response to an internal pressure of the reservoir being less than atmospheric pressure outside the ink tank by an amount that is related to a property of the biasing element and a capillary pressure of the breather element.

Abstract: A method of filling an ink tank with ink for use with a printer, the method includes the steps of providing or obtaining an ink tank which ink tank includes both an ink supply port and an ink fill port that are enclosed within a rim that extends outwardly from the ink tank; providing an ink fill tube connected to a source of ink; connecting the ink fill tube to the ink fill port; flowing ink from the source of ink through the ink fill tube to the ink tank; removing excess air from the ink tank; and withdrawing the ink fill tube from the ink fill port.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image receiving element comprising in order a support, at least one polyolefin resin coating and at least one toner receiver layer, wherein said toner receiver layer comprises a fuser-oil sorbent additive and a thermoplastic polymer and said additive is present in an amount of greater than 10% by weight of said layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a printing media comprising a first side comprising a first exposed layer comprising a mixture of polyolefin and at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyolefin copolymers, amide containing polymers, and ester containing polymers, wherein a measured Tg of said exposed layer comprises a Tg of less than 5° C. and a second side comprising an a second exposed layer having an advancing contact angle with water of less than 90°.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical compensator (5) on a transitional substrate (8) comprises applying a first orientation layer (20) to the transitional substrate. The first orientation layer (20) is then aligned and a first anisotropic liquid crystal material (30) is applied on the first orientation layer. In one embodiment, a retardation layer (10) is located between the transitional substrate (8) and the first orientation layer (20).

Abstract: A process for making an optical compensator, comprising the steps of coating a orientable resin in a solvent onto a support; drying the resin-containing coating; orienting the resin-containing layer in a predetermined direction; coating a nematic liquid-crystal compound in a solvent carrier onto the orientation layer; drying the nematic liquid-crystal-containing coating; thermally treating the nematic liquid-crystal compound layer, cooling the nematic liquid-crystal compound layer, polymerizing or curing the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer to form an integral component; and optionally repeating the above steps on top of the integral component so that the optical axis of the first anisotropic nematic liquid-crystal layer is positioned orthogonally relative to the respective optical axis of the second anisotropic nematic liquid-crystal layer about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the support.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical compensator and process for a liquid crystal display comprising a transparent polymeric support, an orientation layer, and an optically anisotropic layer, in order, and optionally, other layers, wherein a chemically bound surfactant is contained in at least one layer. The uniformity and quality of the film is enhanced by the use of a chemically bound surfactant in a layer.

Abstract: A process for making an optical compensator, comprising the steps of coating a orientable resin in a solvent onto a support; drying the resin-containing coating; orienting the resin-containing layer in a predetermined direction; coating a nematic liquid-crystal compound in a solvent carrier onto the orientation layer; drying the nematic liquid-crystal-containing coating; thermally treating the nematic liquid-crystal compound layer, cooling the nematic liquid-crystal compound layer, polymerizing or curing the anisotropic nematic liquid-crystalline layer to form an integral component; and optionally repeating the above steps on top of the integral component so that the optical axis of the first anisotropic nematic liquid-crystal layer is positioned orthogonally relative to the respective optical axis of the second anisotropic nematic liquid-crystal layer about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the support.

Abstract: Disclosed optical compensator for a liquid crystal display comprising a transparent polymeric support, an orientation layer, and an optically anisotropic layer comprising a nematic liquid crystal, in order, wherein the anisotropic layer contains a colorless polymer having a weight average molecular weight that is greater that the entanglement molecular weight of the polymer. The uniformity and quality of this film is enhanced by the addition of a high molecular weight polymer.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical compensator and process for liquid crystal displays comprising a transparent polymeric support, an orientation layer, and an optically anisotropic layer, in order, wherein the anisotropic layer contains a surfactant. The uniformity and quality of this film is enhanced by the use of a surfactant in the optical anisotropic layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical compensator for a liquid crystal display comprising a transparent polymer support, a photo-alignment layer, an anisotropic layer comprising a nematic liquid crystal, and located between the support and the photo-alignment layer, an impermeable barrier layer. The invention also provides a process for making such compensators.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical compensator film for a liquid crystal display and a process for forming the film comprising the steps of (1) coating an anisotropic layer containing liquid crystal prepolymer materials and an organic solvent system that is both miscible with said materials and has a weight average boiling point of from 85 to 130° C. and subsequently (2) drying the layer. The compensator widens the viewing angle characteristics of liquid crystal displays and is readily manufactured with improved quality and uniformity of coated layers.

Abstract: A process for making an optical compensator comprising the steps of coating a photo-alignable resin in a solvent onto a substrate; drying the resin-containing coating to form a orientable layer; heat treating the orientable layer before and/or after orientation, orienting the orientable layer in a predetermined direction; coating an anisotropic liquid crystal compound in a solvent carrier onto the orientation layer; drying the anisotropic layer. In a preferred embodiment, these steps are repeated so that the optical axis of a first anisotropic layer is positioned orthogonally relative to the respective optical axis of a second anisotropic layer about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of coating moveable supports at high speeds comprises moving a support along a path through a coating zone; forming two or more layers including a topmost layer of coating liquids to form a liquid coating composition; and applying the liquid coating composition to the moving support wherein the topmost layer of the liquid coating composition is shear thinning.

Abstract: A method of coating moveable supports at high speeds comprises moving the support along a path through a coating zone, forming two or more layers of coating liquids including an actual top coat layer to form a liquid composition (with a slide hopper coating a plurality of outlets for coating liquids) and applying a starting top most layer of coating liquid, which layer has a lower viscosity than that of the actual top coat layer, to the liquid coating composition either through the first outlet of the hopper or through an x-hopper located between the first outlet and coating zone, applying the coating composition and starting top most layer, and terminating the application of the starting top most layer when the coating operation is at steady state. Apparatus for carrying out this method is also described.

Abstract: A rotary valve has a valve housing with a wall defining a flow passageway, a closure member journalled within the valve housing and mounted for movement between a first position for permitting flow of fluid within the flow passageway and a second position for ceasing flow of fluid within the flow passageway, and a flexible seating ring disposed at least partially within the flow passageway in a position for sealing engagement with the closure member in second position. The flexible seating ring has a flow-through section sized to fit within the flow passageway with a clearance fit, and a flanged seating section extending outwardly from the flow-through section and positioned for sealing contact with the closure member to seal the valve. A seating ring support member is positioned to support the seating ring in a manner to permit the seating ring to move axially and radially within the flow passageway to provide improved tolerance to dimensional variation in manufacture.