Xerox Corporation

Eastman-kodak Company

Norman S Edgett

Wayne A Bowman

Mario D DeLaura

Kurt B Gundlach

Dennis M Lengyel

Louis V Isganitis

Gary R Fague

Joseph R Weber

Richard P Schell

Richard C Keefe

Vincent J Ouellette

In one embodiment of an ink jet print cartridge wherein ink flows from an ink container to a printhead via an ink manifold which includes an ink pipe which projects into an outlet port in the ink container. The interface between the manifold and the outlet port is sealed by placing a foam member, in compression, between two adjoining surfaces. In one embodiment, the foam is a closed cell neoprene. In another embodiment, the foam is a dual membrane consisting of a first layer of closed cell foam laminated to an open cell foam. In a third embodiment, a member is used to both seal the pipe to outlet port interface and also to wipe the ink pipe clear of ink. A polyurethane member is affixed to the outside surface of the ink container adjacent the outlet port. The polyurethane member has an aperture with a diameter which is smaller than the outside diameter of the ink pipe. When the ink pipe is projected through the polyurethane member aperture, it causes the member to extend over the top surface of the ink pipe and into a sealing engagement thereon. Upon withdrawal of the pipe (or withdrawal of the container), the polyurethane acts as a wiper to wipe the surface of the ink pipe free of any residual ink.

Ink jet cartridge with improved sealing between ink container and

Several methods are provided for cleaning felt or foam materials that are used to store and deliver ink, particularly ink supplied to ink jet printheads in an ink jet printing system. The felt materials are contaminated during manufacture, by various antistats, primarily phosphates. These antistats later react with the ink to create kogation and nozzle blocking problems as well as reduction of surface tension of the ink. The methods of the invention are directed to reducing the antistats left in the storage material after manufacture. In one method, the material is washed in heated softened water. Prior to loading the material in the wash, IPA is added to the heated wash. The material is washed through two Wash/Rinse cycles and then dried. The removal of the calcium in the wash water via softening prevents the precipitation of calcium-phosphate salts, which, when the material later contacts the ink, reduces nozzle clogging caused by these precipitates. The addition of the IPA increases removal of the phosphate antistats and greatly reduces the kogation and clogging problems. In a second embodiment, the storage material is washed in tap water to which has been added the IPA as well as a chelating agent. The chelating agent prevents the calcium from forming a precipitate with the remaining antistats in the material and provides the same function against any calcium or other divalent metal ions that may be introduced during ink flow from material to printhead nozzle.

Method of cleaning an ink storage material

An aqueous coating composition for applying a print retaining antistatic layer consisting essentially of an aluminum modified colloidal silica and an antistatic agent in a binder polymer, the binder polymer consisting essentially of an addition product of from about 30 to 78 mol % of an alkyl methacrylate wherein the alkyl group has from 3 to 8 carbon atoms, from about 2 to about 10 mol % of an alkali metal salt of an ethylenically unsaturated sulfonic acid and from 20 to about 65 mol % of a vinyl benzene, the polymer having a glass transition point of from 30.degree. to 65.degree. C.

Aqueous coating compositions for antistat layers having print retaining

A photographic paper coated with a polyolefin resin layer on each surface, one of the free surfaces of one of the polyolefin layers bearing a print retaining antistatic layer, the print retaining antistatic layer consisting essentially of an aluminum modified colloidal silica and an antistatic agent in a binder polymer, the binder polymer consisting essentially of an addition product of from about 30 to 78 mol % of an alkyl methacrylate wherein the alkyl group has from 3 to 8 carbon atoms, from about 2 to about 10 mol % of an alkali metal salt of an ethylenically unsaturated sulfonic acid and from 20 to about 65 mol % of a vinyl benzene, the polymer having a glass transition point of from 30.degree. to 65.degree. C.

Antistat layers having print retaining qualities

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Norman S Edgett