Hewlett-packard Company

Petrolite Corporation

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Charles L Thierheimer, Jr

Suraj L Hindagolla

John M Skene

Winthrop D Childers

Norman E Pawlowski

Joseph R Elliot

Marshall Field

Peter R Stokes

Paul Tyrell

Dale Dean Timm, Jr

Luanne J Rolly

William R Boucher

William Scott Colburn

William J Matlach

Michael E Newberry

Ching K Chieng

Roger F Evans

The present invention is drawn to ink-vehicle compositions and systems adapted for use in low dye load ink compositions, contain no salts, and provide low orifice plate puddling. Specifically, a non-reactive ink-vehicle for low dye-load ink-jet inks can include an effective amount of water; from 1% to 3% by weight of a 1,5-pentanediol co-solvent; from 7.5% to 15% by weight of a trimethylolpropane co-solvent; and from 5% to 8% by weight of a third co-solvent, with the proviso that the ink-vehicle include at least 20% by weight of total co-solvent. Alternatively, a non-reactive ink-vehicle for low dye-load ink-jet inks can include an effective amount of water; from 1% to 3% by weight of a 1,5-pentanediol co-solvent; from 7.5% to 15% by weight of a trimethylolpropane co-solvent; and from 0.05% to 0.25% of a buffer consisting essentially of 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-propanediol. These ink-jet ink vehicles can be used in swappable ink-jet pen systems having a common service station.

Non-reactive ink vehicle formulation

A method is provided for enhancing and accelerating wetting of hydrophobic foams for use as ink reservoirs in ink-jet printer pens. First, the foam is placed in a prewet bath, having already been compressed to expel air. The prewet bath contains an aqueous solution with a low molecular weight alcohol additive, such as n-propanol, ranging in concentration from about 3 to 10 wt. %. Second, the foam is repeatedly compressed and allowed to expand while in the prewet bath, thereby promoting the foam's absorbance of prewetting solution and further improving foam wettability. Finally, the foam is removed from the prewet bath and is compressed to expel excess prewetting solution. The foam retains residual alcohol from the prewet bath that subsequently becomes a constituent of the ink stored in the foam. In addition to improving the wetting process for hydrophobic foam, the alcohol additive prevents orifice plugging within ink-jet pens by becoming a residual constituent of the ink and wetting pen parts through ink usage.

Addition of alcohol to prewet solutions to enhance and accelerate

In one embodiment of the invention, a flexible tape has formed on it conductors for being connected to a printhead substrate. The conductors on the tape are coated with an insulating layer, and exposed ends of the conductors extend from the layer. A headland is formed on a plastic print cartridge for receiving the printhead substrate having the exposed conductors extending from one or more edges of the printhead substrate. An adhesive bead is formed on the headland so that when the printhead is properly positioned on the headland, the adhesive contacts the conductors to encapsulate and insulate one exposed side of the conductors. A second adhesive or encapsulant bead is deposited over the opposite side of the conductors to encapsulate and insulate the remaining exposed regions of the conductors. In this manner, the combined insulating action of the insulating layer and the two insulating adhesive beads prevents the conductors from being shorted together by ink which may flow in the vicinity of the conductors.

Structure and method for preventing ink shorting of conductors connected

Inks for ink-jet printing have improved water resistance and smear resistance when they contain from about 2.5 to 25%, preferably from about 7.5% to about 12.5%, by weight, 2-pyrrolidone, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone, or mixtures thereof.

Smear resistant inks for ink-jet printers

Inks for ink-jet printing containing Direct Black 168 dye have improved water resistance when the sodium cations on the dye are replaced with cations selected from the group consisting of ammonium, polyfunctional, and volatile amine cations.

Waterfastness of DB-168 ink by cation substitution

New inks for thermal ink-jet printers are formulated by replacing all or a large percentage of the aqueous component in prior art inks with an organic liquid which can adhere to, dissolve, swell, or penetrate a plastic film and also act as a solvent for the dyestuff in the ink. Present in the inks is a small percentage of a jetting agent. With these inks, a wide variety of plastic films can be marked with an ink-jet printer. The printed ink is water-fast, smear resistant, and substantially indelible.

Ink-jet inks for the marking of plastics

Inks for ink-jet printing have improved smear resistance when they contain from about 15 to 50%, preferably from about 20% to about 30%, formamide.

Smear resistant inks for thermal ink-jet printers

Paraffin deposits on oilfield equipment, pipelines, tanks and the like are removed on contact with a solvent composition comprising a substantially pure aromatic hydrocarbon and an aliphatic and/or alicyclic hydrocarbon. The solvent composition may contain a surfactant.

Solvent for paraffin removal from oilfield equipment

An improved method of transporting viscous hydrocarbons containing at least 10 to 15 percent water from a well bore hole or between two points via pipeline which comprises adding to the viscous hydrocarbon containing water a sufficient amount of a nonaqueous solution or dispersion of a surfactant to form a low viscosity oil-in-water emulsion which is easily transported.

Growing community of inventors

Corvallis, OR, United States of America

Charles L Thierheimer, Jr