With Integral Ejector Patents (Class 347/87)
  • Patent number: 7448739
    Abstract: An ink supply arrangement for an inkjet printhead, the inkjet printhead having a plurality of ink ejection nozzles, the ink supply arrangement comprising: at least one ink bag containing ink for distribution to the nozzles via a fluid path between the ink bag and the nozzles, the ink being primed in the fluid path and nozzles so as to be ejected by the nozzles, in use, thereby depleting the ink contained in the ink bag, the ink bag being configured to collapse as the ink is depleted; a body for housing the ink bag and the printhead, the ink bag being attached to the body at a wall opposite a wall of the ink bag facing the printhead; and a biasing member arranged in the ink bag to apply outwardly directed force on at least the wall of the ink bag facing the printhead, wherein the biasing member is configured to maintain substantially constant negative pressure at the nozzles as the ink is depleted from the ink bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Christopher Hibbard, Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Garry Raymond Jackson, John Douglas Peter Morgan
  • Patent number: 7448740
    Abstract: An inkjet cartridge having a plurality of ink reservoirs and a plurality of nozzle rows without variations in lengths of ink flow paths communicating the ink reservoirs with the nozzle rows. An inkjet cartridge includes a tank part having a plurality of ink reservoirs and a head part having nozzle rows, each nozzle row having a plurality of nozzles from which ink supplied from the tank part is ejected. Each of ink supply ports provided in each of the ink reservoirs is communicated with a predetermined nozzle row via an ink flow path, and the plurality of ink reservoirs are formed by dividing an internal space of the tank part into equal parts on a plane perpendicular to an ink ejection direction while lengths of a plurality of ink flow paths are the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naohito Asai, Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Hirofumi Okuhara, Yasushi Iijima
  • Patent number: 7445320
    Abstract: A multi-chamber ink cartridge for an ink-jet printer, the ink cartridge including a printhead to eject ink droplets on a printing medium; a unitary body comprising: first, second and third ink chambers formed by “T”-shaped vertical walls in the unitary body, and first, second, and third ink channels respectively connected to a lower portion of each of the ink chambers to supply ink to the printhead; and a flexible printed circuit to apply an electrical signal to nozzles of the printhead; wherein the first chamber is disposed perpendicular to the second chamber and the third chamber, and the printhead is disposed on a lower portion of the unitary body which corresponds to the second and third chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung-song Jung, Young-su Lee
  • Publication number: 20080266369
    Abstract: A printhead assembly includes a base having a pocket formed therein, a substrate having at least one fluid passage formed therethrough received within the pocket of the base, and a printhead die supported by the substrate and communicated with the at least one fluid passage of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Daniel W. Petersen, John L. Taylor, Ashley Childs
  • Patent number: 7441882
    Abstract: An inkjet printer comprising: a printer body and a replaceable printhead cartridge, the printhead cartridge having a casing that supports a pagewidth printhead and a plurality of contacts for receiving print data from corresponding contacts on the printer body; the printer body having a cradle for holding the printhead cartridge in an operative position such that the pagewidth printhead is adjacent a paper path defined by the printer body and the contacts on the printhead cartridge are connected to the corresponding contacts on the printer body, the cradle having a fulcrum formation for engaging a complementary formation on the casing upon insertion of the cartridge; such that, the cartridge rotates into the operative position and the casing is a lever for pushing the contacts into engagement with the corresponding contacts on the printer body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Norman Michael Berry, Akira Nakazawa, Paul Ian Mackey, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7438399
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead cartridge, comprising: an inkjet printhead having a plurality of ink ejection nozzles; at least one ink bag containing ink for distribution to the nozzles via a fluid path between the ink bag and the nozzles, the ink being primed in the fluid path and nozzles so as to be ejected by the nozzles, in use, thereby depleting the ink contained in the ink bag, the ink bag being configured to collapse as the ink is depleted; a body for housing the ink bag and the printhead, the ink bag being attached to the body at a wall opposite a wall of the ink bag facing the printhead; and a biasing member arranged in the ink bag to apply outwardly directed force on at least the wall of the ink bag facing the printhead, wherein the biasing member is configured to maintain substantially constant negative pressure at the nozzles as the ink is depleted from the ink bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Christopher Hibbard, Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Garry Raymond Jackson, John Douglas Peter Morgan
  • Publication number: 20080252705
    Abstract: An inkjet printing cartridge capable of ejecting miniaturized ink droplets in a stable manner while avoiding the complexity of the structure and control as well as suppressing the cost rise. For this purpose, the inkjet printing cartridge is formed of a material having the permeability to liquid and gas, and the ink supply path for supplying ink to the ejection opening having a relatively small ejection amount is arranged adjacent to other ink supply paths via walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromasa Amma, Keiichiro Tsukuda
  • Patent number: 7434921
    Abstract: A liquid container includes a liquid containing portion for containing ink; a liquid introduction portion for introducing the ink into the liquid containing portion; a liquid discharge portion for discharging the ink to an outside from an inside of the liquid containing portion; a gas-liquid separation film; a gas-liquid blocking portion disposed adjacent to the gas-liquid separation film; wherein the gas-liquid separation film and the gas-liquid blocking portion are constructed such that when the ink is introduced into the liquid containing portion by discharging gas in the liquid containing portion through the gas-liquid separation film, a contact line where a gas-liquid interface between the ink and the gas contacts the gas-liquid separation film moves toward a boundary between the gas-liquid separation film and the gas-liquid blocking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenta Udagawa
  • Patent number: 7431443
    Abstract: A printer with an inkjet printhead, the printer comprising: an ink reservoir; and, a pressure regulating valve for establishing fluid communication between the printhead and the ink reservoir; wherein, the pressure regulating valve is biased closed and opens in response to a predetermined ink pressure difference across the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Norman Michael Berry, Akira Nakazawa, Paul Ian Mackey, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7431438
    Abstract: An ink cartridge which is detachably mountable to a liquid ejection type recording device including a liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid onto a recording material while scanning the recording material in a direction crossing with a feeding direction of the recording material, and a recovery unit for sucking the liquid through a nozzle of the liquid ejecting head. The ink cartridge includes a receiving portion for receiving the liquid discharged from the liquid ejecting head by the recovery unit; a liquid containing portion for accommodating the liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejecting head; and a connecting portion for connecting the receiving portion and the suction recovery unit, wherein the connecting portion is disposed at a position upstream of a front end surface portion of the ink cartridge with respect to an inserting direction in which the ink cartridge is inserted into the liquid ejection type recording device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Tsujimoto, Junji Shimoda, Kiyomitsu Kudo, Satoshi Kudo, Toru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7431442
    Abstract: An inkjet ink cartridge (20) having nozzle holes (24) to eject ink is sealed against escape of the ink from the orifices by tape (1) is hard at any temperature the container might reach during shipment and handling. This hardness resists any creep of the tape material into the orifices. The tape is applied after the surface that contacts the region of the orifices is softened by application of solvent for the material of the tape. The solvent softens the surface, causing it to conform closely to the surface having the nozzle plates in the manner of conventional pressure sensitive adhesive. The solvent is then removed. The tape can have high temperature resistance and the solvent need not be one that acts on the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: Dell T. Rosa
  • Publication number: 20080238988
    Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes a first liquid jetting head which has a plurality of first nozzles, a head holder to which a first liquid jetting head is fixed, a liquid cartridge which is detachably mounted on the head holder, and which supplies the first liquid jetting head with a liquid which is to be jetted from the first nozzles, and a head cartridge which has a second liquid jetting head having a plurality of second nozzles, and a liquid tank which supplies the second liquid jetting head with a liquid which is to be jetted from the second nozzles. The second liquid jetting head and the liquid tank are integrated to form the head cartridge, and the head cartridge is detachably mounted on the head holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroto Sugahara
  • Patent number: 7427128
    Abstract: An ink tank detachably mounted on a printer includes a non-volatile memory and a LED for executing a process in response to a condition of the tank such as ink residual quantity by transmitting information stored in the memory to a printer, and informing the condition of the ink by use of the LED. Further, the content stored in the memory is prevented from being destroyed, and the LED can perform light emission until immediately before detachment and thus contribute to improvement in workability of a user. A volatile memory element is provided in addition to the non-volatile memory. When a user can detach the tank, condition information on the ink tank retained by the non-volatile memory is transferred to the volatile memory in advance. When it is possible to detach the tank, control for turning the LED on and off is achieved by accessing only to the volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kimiyuki Hayasaki, Kenjiro Watanabe, Nobuyuki Hatasa, Tatsuhiko Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7425059
    Abstract: The present invention solves problems attributable to color mixing occurring at a region where an ink container containing three or more different inks and an inkjet printing head are connected as a result of repetition of connection and disconnection of the components. An ink cartridge has a joint section which is connected to a printing head unit when the inks are supplied to the printing head unit. The printing head unit performs printing by ejecting the cyan, magenta, and yellow inks. At the joint section, a supplying part for the cyan ink, a supplying part for the magenta ink, and a supplying part for the yellow ink are arranged in the order listed. The interval between the yellow ink supplying part and the magenta ink supplying part is greater than the interval between the cyan ink supplying part and the magenta ink supplying part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyomitsu Kudo, Akira Tsujimoto, Satoshi Kudo, Toru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7425055
    Abstract: An identifiable TAB for an inkjet cartridge. The identifiable tab contains a flexible substrate, a plurality of conductive traces formed on the flexible substrate, and a plurality of contacts formed on the flexible substrate and connected to the conductive traces. The contacts of the identifiable TAB are arranged into at least one identifiable area for aiding in identifying the inkjet cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Qisda Corporation
    Inventor: Chih-Ching Chen
  • Publication number: 20080204508
    Abstract: An inkjet pen includes an internal ink supply; and at least one datum feature configured to engage and slide over a guide track in a pen carriage during installation of the pen in the carriage. The at least one datum feature is configured to interact with corresponding datum features of the guide track to prevent improper installation of the pen in the carriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steve O'Hara, Scott D. Sturgeon
  • Patent number: 7416289
    Abstract: An ink cartridge is disclosed. The ink cartridge comprises an ink refill bag, and an ink refill bag housing in which the ink refill bag is accommodated. The ink refill bag includes a cap having an ink passage through which ink is supplied to an inkjet recording apparatus that ejects ink droplets for printing, and an ink storing section formed in a bag-like shape by thermally welding plural flexible film members together. The ink refill bag housing is provided with at least one bag loading opening through which the ink refill bag is loaded and removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Goro Katsuyama
  • Patent number: 7416287
    Abstract: A cradle unit for an inkjet printer comprising: a body complementary to a removable inkjet cartridge of a type having a pagewidth printhead and a refillable ink supply; and a controller for controlling the operation of the printhead to facilitate printing; wherein, said body is configured to receive a refill unit for supplying refill ink to the cartridge and includes a refill actuator for dispensing ink from said refill unit into said refillable ink supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian MacKey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Publication number: 20080186369
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for remanufacturing an ink jet ink cartridge. Specifically, the process relates to remanufacturing ink jet ink cartridges having design features that are designed to prevent the refill or otherwise reuse of the ink cartridge. The design features may include, but be not limited to, a memory device for tracking information relating to the cartridge such that ink may be prevented from flowing from the cartridge when a measured value reaches a threshold value. The present invention relates to a process whereby the memory device is manipulated to allow ink to freely flow from the cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventor: Benjamin A. Lyles
  • Patent number: 7407274
    Abstract: An ink container for containing ink to be supplied to an ink jet head to which the ink container is detachably mountable, inclues an ink supply port for supplying the ink to the ink jet head; a air vent for fluid communication with ambience; a claw-like projection provided on a first side of the ink container; a latching lever provided on a second side opposite from the ink container, the latching lever being resiliently supported on the ink container and having a latching claw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Inoue, Sadayuki Sugama, Soichi Hiramatsu, Toshihiko Ujita, Akihiro Yamanaka, Yasuo Kotaki, Keiichiro Tsukuda
  • Patent number: 7407275
    Abstract: An ink container for containing ink to be supplied to an ink jet head to which the ink container is detachably mountable, includes an ink supply port for supplying the ink to the ink jet head; a air vent for fluid communication with ambience; a claw-like projection provided on a first side of the ink container; a latching lever provided on a second side opposite from the ink container, the latching lever being resiliently supported on the ink container and having a latching claw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Inoue, Sadayuki Sugama, Soichi Hiramatsu, Toshihiko Ujita, Akihiro Yamanaka, Yasuo Kotaki, Keiichiro Tsukuda
  • Patent number: 7404616
    Abstract: A replaceable cartridge for installation in a mobile device, the cartridge comprising: a printhead; one or more ink reservoirs for supplying ink to the printhead; and an integrated circuit for enabling validation of the cartridge upon installation of the cartridge into the mobile device, the integrated circuit including non-volatile memory for storing secret information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Richard Thomas Plunkett, Simon Robert Walmsley, Paul Lapstun
  • Patent number: 7404630
    Abstract: A buffer tank for use in an inkjet printer wherein the buffer tank is located between one or more ink storage tanks which store one or more sorts of ink, and one or more inkjet recording heads which eject the one or more inks toward a recording medium and thereby perform recording on the recording medium. The buffer tank includes a partition wall which separates an inner space of the buffer tank into a plurality of ink delivery chambers which temporarily store the one or more inks; and a pair of flexible wall portions which are spaced from each other and which cooperate with each other to constitute a portion of the partition wall and partly define a pressure-change absorbing chamber which allows the pair of flexible wall portions to be flexed to absorb the change of pressure of the one or more inks temporarily stored by the ink delivery chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7404613
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an inkjet print cartridge and an inkjet cartridge produced thereby are disclosed. An inkjet print cartridge in accordance with one aspect includes a component of the inkjet print cartridge and an applied adhesive on at least a portion of the component, wherein the applied adhesive is formed from an adhesive having a rheology viscosity ratio ?i/?min of from 1.0 to less than 2.1. The method in accordance with one aspect includes applying an adhesive onto at least a portion of a component of an inkjet print cartridge at an application temperature, T?, and heating the adhesive from an initial temperature, Ti, to a cure temperature for the adhesive, Tc. The adhesive has a rheology cure profile characterized by at least one of the following parameters: a) a rheology viscosity ratio ?i/?min of from 1.0 to less than 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Kin Ming Kwan, James Michael Mrvos, Jeanne Marie Saldanha Singh, Mary Claire Smoot
  • Patent number: 7399072
    Abstract: A dispensing assembly for a printing fluid refill cartridge, that has a body for storing printing fluid having an outlet through which the printing fluid is dispensed, and a plunger arranged to selectively change the storage capacity of the body and expel the printing fluid through the outlet by selective engagement of a movable retaining member with a series of grooves arranged along a surface of the plunger, thereby dispensing a selected amount of printing fluid from the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian Mackey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7399052
    Abstract: An ink jet cartridge comprising a housing having a print head portion including a nozzle plate having opposed pairs of side edges, rows of nozzles and at least one row of slots between said rows of nozzles and which plate is initially attached to the head portion by beads of an adhesive material overlying the edges of one pair of the opposed pairs of side edges is prepared for renovation by applying a reinforcing bead of an adhesive material to overlie at least one of the other pair of the opposed pairs of side edges and the at least one row of slots. The beads may be a single bead or segmented and are applied by robotic glue applying apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Inventors: Stephen A. Anderson, Carl W. Holland, William F. Schumacher
  • Patent number: 7399073
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a foam ink supply includes: a chamber defined by a ceiling, a floor, and a wall between the ceiling and the floor; an outlet from the chamber; and a block of foam only partially filling the chamber, the block of foam positioned adjacent to the outlet and spaced apart from at least part of the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jon Rittgers, Eduardo Macias
  • Patent number: 7396115
    Abstract: An ink cartridge supported on a housing portion includes a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory communicates with a control portion mounted to a recording apparatus main body through a memory access controlling portion as an interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryuichi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7396109
    Abstract: Disclosed are printing systems and printhead assemblies in which yellow print nozzles are paired on a die with black print nozzles, with cyan and magenta print nozzles on a separate die. The pairing of yellow and black nozzles reduces constraints imposed by the printhead architecture and manufacturing processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Courian
  • Patent number: 7396117
    Abstract: A side rib provided on an inner wall of a housing creates space, which extends to reach an air hole, between a second ink retainer and the inner wall of the housing. A contact area where a first ink retainer and the second ink retainer are in contact with each other is provided with grooves that communicate with the space provided on the inner wall of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Hayashi, Tatsuo Nanjo, Wataru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7396118
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing an ink jet recording cartridge provided with a recording element substrate on the bottom surface, wherein the cartridge can be integrated with the recording element substrate precisely without causing any damage on the substrate, has a high barrier capacity, and can work with various inks and wherein such characteristics of the cartridge are provided by including the steps of pressing a lid to the upper opening of an ink-holding container made of a resin material including glass fibers to cover the opening, and vibration welding the lid to the container where means for holding the lid is vibrated in the direction along the top surface of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Ogawa, Wataru Takahashi, Hiromasa Anma, Yasuo Kotaki
  • Publication number: 20080158319
    Abstract: The invention provides for a printer cartridge for a pagewidth printer. The cartridge includes a body. A printhead integrated circuit assembly with a number of micro-electromechanical nozzles, and an authentication device that contains various manufacturer codes readable by a controller board of the printer to verify the authenticity of the printer cartridge are arranged on the body. The cartridge includes an air distribution channel configured to deliver air evenly along a length of the printhead, communicable with a pressurized air supply, and a plurality of reservoirs for discretely storing printing fluids for supply to the printhead integrated circuit. Also included is a refill port arranged in fluid communication with printing fluid conduits each leading to a respective reservoir, the port facilitating refilling of the reservoirs from a refill cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7393091
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a slide member slidably supported at a cartridge holder and a lock claw member rotatably supported at the cartridge holder. The slide member slides along an insertion direction of an ink cartridge with respect to the cartridge holder between a first slide position and a second slide position. When the slide member is located at the second slide position, the lock claw member is located at a first rotation position. At this time, the ink cartridge is incapable of being removed from the cartridge holder. When the slide member moves to the first slide position from the second slide position, the lock claw member is located at the second rotation position. At this time, the ink cartridge is removable from the cartridge holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Kumagai, Atsushi Kobayashi, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 7387353
    Abstract: An energizing circuit and methods and systems for same are described. One exemplary energizing circuit incorporated into a fluid ejecting device includes a piezoelectric actuator configured to selectively eject fluid from the fluid ejecting device. The circuit also includes an avalanched device electrically coupled to the piezoelectric actuator and configured to be triggered at a predetermined voltage level, and wherein the triggering of the avalanche device causes the piezoelectric actuator to be activated sufficiently to cause fluid to be ejected from the fluid ejecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Saksa
  • Publication number: 20080136880
    Abstract: Reliable ink jet print head, ink jet head cartridge, ink container, and the manufacture method thereof are provided. Specifically, an ink supply opening of an ink container includes a beam member crossing the ink supply opening. The beam member is shaped so that filler material included therein is oriented in a direction along which the beam member extends. By providing the beam member in the ink supply opening of the ink container, the deformation of the ink container due to a temperature change is prevented by the beam member having a smaller linear expansion coefficient that extends in a direction orthogonal to the nozzle arrangement direction. Thus, a more reliable ink jet print head can be provided. In addition, higher strength can be achieved in a direction orthogonal to the nozzle arrangement direction of the ink container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Tajima
  • Publication number: 20080129807
    Abstract: This invention relates to a tamper proof print cartridge for a video game console having an integral printer. The cartridge includes a casing defining a media storage portion, an ink storage portion and a media exit. The cartridge also includes a media transport mechanism arranged in said casing and configured to transport a single sheet of media from the media storage portion through the media exit when activated, as well as an ink supply manifold configured to operatively arrange the ink storage portion in fluid communication with the printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Tobin Allen King, Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080122894
    Abstract: A head chip usable in an image forming apparatus, the head chip includes a nozzle layer having a nozzle to discharge ink onto a recording medium, a substrate layer having an ink supplying slit provided to be parallel with the nozzle layer to supply the nozzle with the ink, and a reinforcing bridge provided along an extending direction of the ink supplying slit and blocks at least one region of the ink supplying slit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jin-wook Lee, Dong-sik Shim, Sung-joon Park, Bang-weon Lee, Sang-hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 7374355
    Abstract: An inkjet printer cradle including a body complementary to a removable inkjet cartridge of a type having a pagewidth printhead and an ink supply, a data connection point fast with the body for receiving data signals defining images for printing from an external data source; and a processor coupled to the data connection point and arranged to operate the pagewidth printhead in response to the data signals to print said images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7364265
    Abstract: A printhead that has a printhead integrated circuit (IC) (68) which is elongate and has an array of nozzles for ejecting ink. The printhead also has a support structure 176 for supporting the printhead IC and having ink outlets 186 for supplying the array of nozzles with ink. The ink outlets are spaced along the printhead IC such that the ink outlet spacing (210, 212) decreases at the ends of the printhead IC. By increasing the number of ink outlets near the end regions, the ink supply is enhanced to compensate for the slower priming of the end nozzles. This, in turn, makes the whole nozzle array prime more consistently to avoid flooding and ink wastage from early priming nozzles (or alternatively, unprimed end nozzles).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Brian Robert Brown, Norman Michael Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson, Paul Timothy Sharp, John Douglas Peter Morgan, Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Michael John Hudson, Christopher Hibbard, Samuel George Mallinson, Paul Justin Reichl
  • Patent number: 7360881
    Abstract: A container includes a housing forming at least one chamber therein, a fluid conduit having a fluid opening extends into the chamber, and a fluid holding member is arranged within the chamber over the fluid opening. The fluid holding member leaves at least one air pocket within the chamber adjacent to the fluid conduit. When the fluid holding member is at least partially filled with a fluid it will have at least one wetted portion and at least one non-wetted portion. The wetted portion is fluidically coupled to the fluid conduit. The container also includes at least one feature within the chamber to provide an air passageway that allows air movement between the air pocket and at least the non-wetted portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Inventors: David M. Hagen, John A Myers
  • Patent number: 7360880
    Abstract: An ink cartridge for use in a mobile device, the ink cartridge including: at least one ink reservoir for holding ink; at least one baffle dividing the at least one ink reservoir into a plurality of sections, each of the sections in each ink reservoir being in fluid communication with each of the other sections in that ink reservoir via an aperture; and at least one porous insert in each of the at least one reservoirs, such that substantially all of each ink reservoir is filled with the at least one porous insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7357496
    Abstract: A pagewidth printhead assembly for an inkjet printer, the printhead assembly comprising: a pagewidth printhead structure having an array of nozzles and a plurality of ink ports in fluid communication with corresponding nozzles in the array; an ink cartridge docking frame for receiving a plurality ink cartridges, the cartridge docking frame having ink inlet valves for sealed connection to outlets on each of the ink cartridges respectively; and, resilient connectors for sealed fluid communication between the ink inlet valves and the corresponding ink port to accommodate longitudinal expansion and contraction of the pagewidth printhead structure relative to the ink cartridge docking frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Norman Michael Berry, Akira Nakazawa, Paul Ian Mackey, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7354137
    Abstract: In a system for laser welding work pieces along a collapsing weld interface, methods and apparatus include providing welding pads and/or stop projections on either or both of the work pieces to control the manner or amount of collapse. Preferably, the stop projections exist a separation distance from the weld interface while the welding pads exist at and form a portion of the weld interface. Buffers are taught between the weld interface and stop projection. The work pieces may comprise inkjet printhead lids and bodies. In another aspect, the invention teaches methods of laser welding inkjet printhead lids and bodies according to whether the inkjet printhead body embodies a mono or color ink body type and especially includes selective control of one or more laser light sources to illuminate the inkjet printhead lid in a specific pattern of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: James Paul Drummond, Kin-Ming Kwan, Ganesh Vinayak Phatak, Jon Brock Whitney
  • Patent number: 7354144
    Abstract: The power consumption of the entire recording apparatus is decreased in the structure that the recording element and the light emitting portion are provided on the ink tank, processes according to the amount of the residual ink is performed by communicating information stored in the recording element to the main body of the recording apparatus, and the condition of the ink tank can be informed by emitting light. The ink tank comprises the recording element, the light emitting portion, and the controlling portion driving the the recording element and the light emitting portion at the appropriate timing, and further comprises the voltage level chanigng menas for supplying the appropriate voltage to each thereof. Relatively low voltage is constantly supplied to the controlling portion, thereby driving the recording element and the light emitting portion at the appropriate timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hatasa, Kenjiro Watanabe, Kimiyuki Hayasaki
  • Publication number: 20080079789
    Abstract: The invention provides a disposable ink cartridge to be installed in an existing all-in-one printhead-ink cartridge to form an assembled segregated printhead-ink cartridge for use in a printer. The all-in-one printhead-ink cartridge has a printhead with a printhead chamber from which any cover and ink-absorbent materials have been removed. The disposable ink cartridge includes an ink cartridge body, an assembly-securement member and a cartridge seal holder. The ink cartridge body further comprises a cartridge housing, a cartridge cover, at least one air vent cover, at least one ink-storing foam, at least one ink-filtering foam, at least one sealing member, which are integrated into one indivisible entity fitting into the chamber of the printhead. When the disposable cartridge runs out of ink, what is needed is just to replace the ink cartridge body without replacing the printhead and the assembly-securement member, thus making the originally disposable printhead repeatedly usable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventor: Shui Kuen Nip
  • Publication number: 20080079790
    Abstract: The ink cartridge has: a cartridge container having a flat box shape; an ink bag that is made of a plastic material or an elastic body, accommodates ink, is disposed in the cartridge container, and has an ink supply port via which the ink is extracted from the ink bag, wherein: the cartridge container has an air connection port by which an interior of the cartridge container in which the ink bag disposed is able to connect to an atmospheric air; the ink bag has a flat shape matching the flat box shape of the cartridge container; the ink bag is provided with a negative pressure generating device which applies impelling force to the ink bag in a direction of expanding a volume of the ink bag to generate a negative pressure inside the ink bag; and the impelling force applied to generate the negative pressure inside the ink bag by the negative pressure generating device, becomes less in a continuous or a stepwise fashion, as a distance from the ink supply port of the ink bag increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Kachi
  • Patent number: 7350911
    Abstract: A nozzle tape covers substantially all of an outlet portion and an electrical contact portion of a print cartridge. At least one hole provided in the portion of the nozzle tape covering substantially all of the electrical contact portion exposes at least one electrical contact formed on the electrical contact portion. When the cartridge is installed in a print device, such as a printer, a partial electrical connection will be established between the exposed electrical contact and a corresponding electrical contact in the print device. The partial electrical connection may be used to convey a signal to an output device, such as a computer. The signal may indicate that the nozzle tape must be removed before the print cartridge will work properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jefferson P Ward, Erik D Ness, Teresa M Cray
  • Patent number: 7350908
    Abstract: One embodiment of a fluid cartridge includes a fluid chamber including an interior for holding fluid and an exterior in communication with an ambient air pressure, and a pressure regulator aperture extending between the interior and the exterior of the fluid chamber, the pressure regulator aperture including a plurality of curved facets concave with respect to an elongate axis of the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Inventors: Ashley E Childs, Karen St Martin, Garry Liddell, Eric S. Dod
  • Patent number: 7347540
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inkjet printing apparatus (1) with at least one printing head (2). Several tanks (3, 4) for inks and/or a cleaning medium are arranged in front of a connection opening (7) for the printing head (2), and the tanks (3, 4) are connected by feed lines (5) with the connection opening (7) for the printing head (2), whereby a stop element (6) is arranged between each tank (3, 4) and the connection opening (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Durst Phototechnik-A.G.
    Inventors: Richard Piock, Franz Obertegger
  • Patent number: 7344234
    Abstract: A fluid container, such as, for example, an inkjet print head cartridge, architecture uses a relatively large filter that is located below a negative pressure material chamber and a free ink chamber in a side-by-side relationship. The negative pressure material volume relative to a free ink chamber value can me made to be approximately one to one. Both chambers overlie an ink manifold/delivery port and are separated from the delivery port by a filter. Flow impedance of the cartridge is reduced, as a result, in any orientation of the cartridge. The filter may be separated from, or in contact with a negative pressure material. A cartridge lid is provided with a negative pressure material chamber which is suspended into the cartridge. A negative pressure material having a fiber felt construction is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eric A Merz, Brian S Hilton, Kazuyuki Oda, Takatoshi Tsuchiya