Lexmark International, Inc.

Gregory Alan Long

Steven Robert Komplin

David Amos Ward

Matthew Joe Russell

Michael David Lattuca

James Harold Powers

Frank Edward Anderson

Carl Edmond Sullivan

David Emerson Greer

Jeffery James Buchanan

Paul Timothy Spivey

Curtis Ray Droege

Ganesh Vinayak Phatak

Kent Lee Ubellacker

Kin Ming Kwan

Melissa Marie Waldeck

Stephen Francis DeFosse

Jon Brock Whitney

James M Rioux

Julie Ann Whitney

A method and system for purging bubbles from a fluid ejection head comprising a plurality of fluid flow channels including a first plurality of fluid flow channels flowing a first ink to a first actuator device and a second plurality of fluid flow channels for flowing a second ink to a second actuator device. During a bubble purging operation the first and second actuator devices are pulsed with different energies that depend on the viscosity of the first ink and the second ink. Heating the inks with different energies, results in the viscosity of the first ink to be same as the viscosity of the second ink. In one embodiment, a test pattern that includes a plurality of dots is printed to determine a clogged fluid ejection nozzle. Based on the determination, an actuator device corresponding to the clogged fluid ejection nozzle is pulsed.

Bubble purging system for a fluid ejection head

A multi-fluid body and an ejection head substrate connected in fluid flow communication with the multi-fluid body for ejecting multiple fluids therefrom. The multi-fluid body includes at least two segregated fluid chambers. Independent fluid supply paths lead from each of the fluid chambers providing fluid to multiple fluid flow paths in the ejection head substrate. The ejection head substrate is attached adjacent an ejection head area of the body. The fluid flow paths in the ejection head substrate have a flow path density of greater than about one flow paths per millimeter.

Multi-fluid ejection device

A semiconductor substrate for an ink jet printhead. The substrate includes a silicon substrate having a thickness ranging from about 500 to about 900 microns and having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. One or more ink feed slots are formed in the silicon substrate from the first surface to the second surface thereof. The ink feed slots have a first width dimension, opposing first ends, and a first length dimension between the opposing first ends adjacent the first surface of the substrate. Stress relieving openings are provided adjacent the opposing first ends of the ink feed slots. The stress relieving openings provide an overall feed slot length dimension, have a radius greater than the first width dimension of the ink feed slots and have a radius to first length dimension ratio ranging from about 1:60 to about 1:250.

Ink jet printheads and method therefor

The invention provides an ink jet pen including a cartridge body having a printhead and a replaceable ink cartridge removably positionable on the cartridge body. At least one cooperating elongate recess and at least one projection are located on the mutually facing surfaces of the ink cartridge and the cartridge body. The projection and recess are engageable with one another for guidably positioning the ink cartridge to a desired position relative to the cartridge body.

Replaceable ink cartridge for ink jet pen

A printhead apparatus for filtering ink which includes an elongate open-ended trough having a bottom wall and opposing end walls and opposing side walls attached to the bottom wall, an ink exit port attached to the bottom wall between the opposing end walls and side wall, a filter member disposed in the open-ended trough between the end walls and the side walls and an elongate cover assembly attached to the end walls and the side walls covering the trough defining a filter chamber containing filter element, the cover assembly containing an ink inlet valve and a gas outlet valve. The device is disposed between an ink cartridge and an ink jet pen containing one or more printheads and is activated automatically when a new ink cartridge is installed on the pen thereby removing unwanted air and gas bubbles from the filter chamber and providing gas free ink to the pen and one or more printheads.

Bubble elimination and filter tower structure

The invention provides an improved ink jet cartridge for an ink jet printer and a method for making the improved ink jet cartridge. The ink jet cartridge includes a substantially inflexible frame having at least one pressure port, the frame having at least one peripheral edge. At least one malleable web is provided having a first side and a second side the first side being attached to the peripheral edge of the frame defining a substantially closed cavity. The malleable web is conformed to the cavity by applying a subatmospheric pressure to the cavity before, after or while heating the malleable web in order to substantially conform the web to the cavity thereby creating a variable volume cavity having a substantially predictable pressure/volume relationship. A biasing element is disposed adjacent the first or second side of the malleable web for biasing the web relative to the cavity. Because the malleable web is conformed to the cavity with heat and differential pressure, ink flow in and out of the ink cartridge is more predictable and the pressure in the ink cartridge is easier to maintained at a desired level thereby improving print quality.

Ink jet printer cartridge manufacturing method and apparatus

The invention relates to a molded cartridge body including a substantially one-piece molded polymeric structure defining two or more ink cartridge positions and being removably mountable on a printer carriage. The molded cartridge body has a front panel member opposite a back panel member, side panel members connected to the front and back panel members and a bottom panel member having an ink cartridge side and a printhead side which is connected to a lower edge of each of the front, back and side panel members, the front, back, side and bottom panel members defining an open-ended cavity. The open-ended cavity contains an ink chamber for each of the ink cartridges, each of the ink chambers being in flow communication with a printhead attached to a printhead location on the cartridge body. A needle panel member containing an ink needle for each of the ink chambers is provided, the panel member being attached to the ink chambers so as to define closed ink chambers. Filter elements are disposed in each of the ink chambers between the panel members and the cavities for filtering ink to the printheads. The components of the ink cartridge body promote easy assembly of critical parts and improved yield of useable parts.

Cartridge body for ink jet printer

An ink printer cartridge having a press-on lid and the method of make the same is described. An ink reservoir body is having an open-ended cavity and a foam insert is disposed therein. A spacer having a plurality of holes is fixedly attached to the top of the ink reservoir body as by ultrasonic welding. The reservoir is then filled with ink through the plurality of holes in the spacer. A reservoir lid having a plurality of connecting posts is then attached to the spacer by engaging the connecting posts of the lid into the holes of the spacer.

Growing community of inventors

Georgetown, KY, United States of America

Gregory Alan Long