摘要:
An inkjet drop ejection system comprises a combination of printhead components and ink, mutually tuned to maximize operating characteristics of the printhead and print quality and dry time of the ink. Use of a short shelf (distance from ink source to ink firing element), on the order of 55 microns, provides a very high speed refill. However, it is a characteristic of high speed refill that it has a tendency for being over-damped. To provide the requisite damping, the ink should have a viscosity greater than about 2 cp. In this way, the ink and architecture work together to provide a tuned system that enables stable operation at high frequencies. One advantage of the combination of a pigment and a dispersant in the ink is the resultant higher viscosity provided. The high speed would be of little value if the ink did not have a fast enough rate of drying. This is accomplished by the addition of alcohols or alcohol(s) and surfactant(s) to the ink. Fast dry times are achieved with a combination of alcohols, such as iso-propyl alcohol with a 4 or 5 carbon alcohol or with iso-propyl alcohol plus surfactant(s). One preferred embodiment of a short shelf (90 to 130 microns), ink viscosity of about 3 cp, and surface tension of about 54 provides a high speed drop generator capable of operating at about 12 KHz. Reducing the shelf length to about 55 microns, in combination with rotating the substrate at an angle to the scan direction, permits maximum drop generator operation as high as about 20 KHz. As a consequence of employing pigment-based inks, high optical densities are realized, along with excellent permanence (no fade and better waterfastness), and good stability. The combination of preferred ink and pen architecture provides good drop generator stability.
摘要:
Disclosed is an inkjet print cartridge including an ink reservoir; a substrate having a plurality of individual ink firing chambers with an ink firing element in each chamber along a top surface of said substrate and having a first outer edge along a periphery of substrate; the first outer edge being in close proximity to the ink firing chambers. The ink firing chambers are arranged in a first chamber array and a second chamber array and with the firing chambers spaced so as to provide 600 dots per inch printing. An ink channel connects the reservoir with the ink firing chambers, the channel including a primary channel connected at a first end with the reservoir and at a second end to a secondary channel; the primary channel allowing ink to flow from the ink reservoir, around the first outer edge of the substrate to the secondary channel along the top surface of the substrate so as to be proximate to the ink firing chambers. A separate inlet passage defined by a barrier layer for each firing chamber connecting the secondary channel with the firing chamber for allowing high frequency refill of the firing chamber. The separate inlet passage for each firing chamber having peninsulas and pinch points formed in the barrier layer to prevent cross-talk and overshoot during high frequency operation. A group of the firing chambers in adjacent relationship forming a primitive in which only one firing chamber in said primitive is activated at a time. A first circuit on said substrate connect to the firing elements and a second circuit on the cartridge connect to the first circuit, for transmitting firing signals to the ink firing elements at a frequency greater than 9 kHz. The preferred configuration of the nozzle member, ink channels, and vaporization chambers allows a printing resolution of 600 dpi and a firing rate of greater than 9 kHz.
摘要:
A flexible circuit is staked to an ink-jet pen body to resist peeling from the body and to provide a flat surface to which mechanisms for enclosing the pen nozzles can be sealed. Also disclosed is a staking apparatus and method for ensuring flatness and uniform bonding of the staked circuit.
摘要:
Multi-color ink-jet pens having an orifice set associated with each color are primed by an apparatus that avoids mixing of two colors during priming. A resilient seal forms a chamber that encloses the orifice sets. The chamber is connected to a vacuum source to reduce the pressure in the chamber for drawing ink out of the orifices. A set of suction tubes connects to the vacuum source, with each tube terminating within the chamber in closely spaced relation with a corresponding orifice set for drawing excess ink away from the orifice set, thereby preventing the various colors of primed ink from mixing.
摘要:
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.
摘要:
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.
摘要:
An improved ink flow path between an ink reservoir and ink ejection chambers in an inkjet printhead is disclosed along with a preferred printhead architecture. In the preferred embodiment, a barrier layer containing ink channels and firing chambers is located between a rectangular substrate and a nozzle member containing an array of orifices. The substrate contains two spaced apart arrays of ink ejection elements, and each orifice in the nozzle member is associated with a firing chamber and ink ejection element. The ink channels in the barrier layer have ink entrances generally running along two opposite edges of the substrate so that ink flowing around the edges of the substrate gain access to the ink channels and to the firing chambers. High speed printing capability with a firing frequency up to 12 KHz is accomplished by offsetting neighboring ink ejection elements from each other in each primitive grouping in the linear array, combining short shelf length with damped ink inlet channels, and then firing only one ink ejection element at a time in each primitive grouping thereby minimizing undesirable interference such as fluidic crosstalk between closely adjacent ink firing chambers. High resolution printing capability for at least 600 dots-per-inch by the printhead as a whole is accomplished by densely positioning the ink ejection elements in each linear array of ink ejection elements.
摘要:
Disclosed is an inkjet print cartridge having an ink reservoir; a substrate having a plurality of individual ink firing chambers with an ink firing element in each chamber along a top surface of the substrate and having a first outer edge along a periphery of substrate; the first outer edge being in close proximity to the ink firing chambers. The ink firing chambers are arranged in a first chamber array and a second chamber array and with the firing chambers spaced so as to provide 600 dots per inch printing. An ink channel connects the reservoir with the ink firing chambers, the channel including a primary channel connected at a first end with the reservoir and at a second end to a secondary channel; the primary channel allowing ink to flow from the ink reservoir, around the first outer edge of the substrate to the secondary channel along the top surface of the substrate so as to be proximate to the ink firing chambers. A separate inlet passage for each firing chamber connecting the secondary channel with the firing chamber for allowing high frequency refill of the firing chamber. A group of the firing chambers in adjacent relationship forming a primitive in which only one firing chamber in the primitive is activated at a time. A first circuit on the substrate connects to the firing elements and a second circuit on the cartridge connects to the first circuit for transmitting firing signals to the ink firing elements at a frequency greater than 9 kHz. When operating the print cartridge, the substrate is able to dissipate more heat, since the ink flowing across the back of the substrate and around the edges of the substrate acts to draw heat away from the back of the substrate.
摘要:
Novel designs and methods of manufacture of ink-jet printheads capable of providing ink-droplet-tail-break-off control and preventing meniscus overshoot in order to overcome the puddling, pen directionality, and ruffle problems associated with thermal-ink-jet printing are disclosed. A printhead for use in an ink-delivery system includes a substrate that has at least one ink ejector thereon. An orifice-plate member is positioned over and above the substrate. The orifice-plate member has at least one ink-transfer bore extending therethrough. The orifice-plate member further includes: a top surface that defines a top opening for the ink-transfer bore, a bottom surface that defines a bottom opening for the ink-transfer bore, and a counter-bore in the top surface that is in fluid communication with the ink-transfer bore. The counter-bore can be: concentric or non-concentric with the ink-transfer bore, a full or partial counter-bore, and symmetric or asymmetric. In addition, the counter-bore can also be deep enough to hold the ink meniscus. Lastly, the counter-bore can smooth, round and/or provide a more uniform edge around the ink-transfer bore. By providing one or more combinations of these features, the present invention is able to control the tail break-off of expelled ink-jet droplets and/or minimize meniscus overflow.
摘要:
A closed ink replenishment system for replenishing the supply of ink in negative pressure spring-bag reservoirs in a printer/plotter. A tube runs between each cartridge reservoir and an auxiliary reservoir mounted to the printer/plotter frame to form the closed ink system. As ink is depleted from the spring-bag reservoir during printing operation, the negative pressure in the cartridge increases, drawing ink through the tube from the auxiliary reservoir into the cartridge until the negative pressure decreases to an equilibrium point. As a result, the volume of ink within the spring-bag reservoir remains substantially constant so long as there is ink remaining within the auxiliary reservoir. This maintains the print quality. The auxiliary reservoir is a flat bag mounted on a spring-biased platform, which acts as a height regulating system. As ink is depleted from the auxiliary bag, the height of the platform and bag increases to maintain a constant pressure and elevation head at the spring-bag reservoir.