Xerox Corporation

Michael Carlotta

Steven J Dietl

Donald M Stevens

Kenneth W Altfather

Fred F Hubble, Iii

David G Anderson

Richard A Morano

Thomas N Taylor

William R Burger

Thomas F Szlucha

Karai P Premnath

David P Breemes, Sr

Takashi Norigoe

William L Gary

James C Maher

Thomas R Binnert

William R Smith

Vladimir M Kupchik

Richard C Keefe

Robert K McCubbin

James E Hogle

A thermal ink jet printhead for a printer has a temperature sensor attached thereto for monitoring the operating temperature thereof. A maximum printhead operating temperature is stored in a memory of the printer's control circuitry and, if the printhead temperature sensed by the temperature sensor during a printing operation exceeds the maximum operating temperature stored is the memory, a signal is generated indicating that the printhead has stopped ejecting ink droplets and must be checked for depriming or a depleted ink supply.

Ink jet printhead having out-of-ink detection using temperature monitoring system

A low ink sensing system is combined with an ink cartridge detection system to enable a more efficient ink jet printer. An ink container which supplies ink to an associated printhead is modified by the incorporation of two light directing elements, in the preferred embodiment, a faceted prism and a roof mirror, into a transparent wall of the container housing. The cartridge, comprising the ink container and associated printhead, is mounted on a scan carriage. Periodically, the carriage is conveyed to a sensing station comprising a pair of light sources and a commonly used photosensor. A first light source is energized and a beam of light is directed to a location where the roof mirror, would be positioned if the cartridge is present. If the cartridge is absent, lack of a reflected return signal is sensed, indicating a cartridge has not been inserted. Print operation is halted until a cartridge is inserted. If a cartridge is properly inserted, the roof mirror returns most of the incident light to the photosensor which generates a signal indicating the presence of the cartridge. A second light source is then energized and directed towards the faceted prism, which is either immersed in ink or exposed to air within the interior of the container. If the latter, light is internally reflected by the prism facets back to the photosensor. If a print operation has been in progress, and the ink level has fallen, the common photosensor detects either a strong or weak redirected light component and initiates a status check and generates appropriate displays of low ink level or out of ink warnings.

Sensing system for detecting presence of an ink container and level of ink therein

A printing machine for printing on a recording medium moving along a path through a print zone, includes a printhead, adapted to deposit ink on the recording medium in the print zone; and a radiant dryer, disposed adjacently to the path, for heating the recording medium. The radiant dryer includes a reflector and a heat source. The reflector includes a first portion defining a first heat region preheating the recording medium at a position in the path prior to the print zone, and a second portion defining a second heat region heating the recording medium in or subsequent to the print zone. In this design, the first portion generates heat energy having a first temperature and said second portion generates heat energy having a second temperature greater than said first temperature.

Thermal ink jet printer having dual function dryer

Sensing system for detecting presence of an ink container and level of

A system for supplying liquid ink to a thermal ink-jet printing apparatus comprises a housing defining a single chamber having a ventilation port and an outlet port. A medium occupies at least a portion of the chamber, the medium being adapted to retain a quantity of liquid ink. A scavenger member is disposed across the outlet port, providing a capillary force greater than that of the medium.

Ink supply system for a thermal ink-jet printer

A method an apparatus for storing and supplying liquid ink to a thermal ink-jet printer includes a printhead that has ink ejection nozzles and an ink supply housing connected to the printhead. The ink supply housing defines an ink storage chamber, and an ink flow path communicating with the printhead and ink storage chamber. An ink storage medium and a scavenger member are placed in the ink storage chamber for retaining, and controllably supplying a quantity of liquid ink from the chamber within a desirable back pressure range at the printhead. The ink storage medium is a medium density non-reticulation process produced copolymer polyurethane foam consisting essentially of a blend of polyether and polyester materials.

Method and apparatus for storing and supplying ink to a thermal ink-jet

Combined print head and ink tank holder

An ink jet printhead cartridge having a fluid valved breather. The ink jet printhead cartridge includes a housing having an air inlet, an ink outlet, a first chamber, and a second chamber. The first chamber contains a supply of ink and is substantially free of ink-retaining foam. The second chamber includes an ink-retaining foam which saturates with ink for supply to an ink jet printhead. An air transfer passageway connects the first chamber to the second chamber so that air pressure affects the level of ink in the first chamber thereby maintaining a level of ink in the second chamber sufficient for supplying ink to the ink jet printhead.

Printhead cartridge having a fluid valved breather

In a printhead assembly, an ink jet printhead is fixed to the wall of an ink supply manifold. The printhead has an ink inlet in communication with a plurality of nozzles, and the manifold contains liquid ink which flows to the printhead inlet through an outlet in the manifold wall. A preformed hot melt adhesive member with a slot therein is positioned between the manifold wall and the printhead with the slot of the adhesive member surrounding the manifold outlet and printhead inlet, so that when the adhesive member is heated and cooled a hermetic seal is formed.

Ink jet printhead and ink supply manifold assembly having ink passageway

A maintenance station for an ink jet printer has a wiper blade cleaning assembly which contains two wiping blades releasably mounted in slots in a blade holder. The blade holder has two opposing extensions perpendicular to and positioned on opposite sides of the mounted blades. The blade holder is movably mounted in a fixed structural member of the maintenance station and is biased towards the ink jet printhead, which traverses past the cleaning assembly on a carriage to and from the maintenance station, by a resilient urging means, such as a foam or spring housed in a receptacle in the structural member. The blade holder extensions are parallel to each other and the direction of traversal by the printhead. The leading and training ends of the blade holder extensions are sloped for functioning as ramps or cams which slidingly engage the printhead as it moves past the wiper blade cleaning assembly and automatically positions the wiping blades relative the printhead to assure an appropriate interference or contact dimension of the distal ends with the blades by the printhead.

Automatic positioning of wiper blades in an ink jet printer maintenance

An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer that supplies ink at a negative pressure is disclosed. The cartridge includes a cartridge housing having an upper chamber and a lower chamber and a first wall therebetween. The upper chamber has an aperture exposed to atmosphere and it also contains a capillary foam having a specifiable capillarity for absorbing ink. The lower chamber is airlocked until the ink level in the upper chamber is sufficiently low to allow the passage of air through the pores. A printhead is disposed at a vertical height greater than a top level of the lower chamber. A supply line is provided which conveys ink by capillary action of the nozzles to the printhead. A second capillary foam has a specifiable capillarity greater than the capillarity of the first capillary foam. The second foam is in fluidic communication with the upper and lower chambers and with the supply line.

Apparatus for supplying ink to an ink jet printer

A sheet transport for transporting sheets across a surface which includes an elongated member supported for transverse movement across the surface. The transport further includes a fibrous material which comprises a base substrate portion carried by the member and a plurality of fibers extending from the base substrate so that the extending fibers form a sheet engaging area with the surface. Apparatus for moving the member across the surface is also provided so that a sheet in the sheet engaging area is translated in a process direction across the surface when the member is translated.

Sheet handling device and method for transporting sheets

A valve is disclosed for use in a maintenance station for an ink jet printer. The maintenance station has a carriage on which a cap that selectively seals the printhead nozzle is mounted. The carriage is movable in and relative to a fixed support member of the maintenance station. A flexible hose interconnects the cap with a pneumatic source for the removal of air and ink from the cap. The selective movement of the carriage towards and away from a wall of the support member pinches the flexible hose closed between them without requiring closely toleranced movement of the carriage.

Growing community of inventors

Sodus, NY, United States of America

Michael Carlotta