Lexmark International, Inc.

Robert Allen Samples

Ashok Murthy

Paul Douglas Horrall

Carl Edmond Sullivan

Larry Steven Foster

Benjamin Alan Askren

Jeanne Marie Saldanha Singh

Donn Duane Bryant

David Amos Ward

James Philip Harden

Colin G Maher

Michael David Lattuca

Frank Marion Hughes

David Michael Cseledy

Darren Wayne Tosh

Brian David Smith

Michael Scott Leiter

Darrin Wayne Oliver

The invention relates to an ink cartridge body which is removably mountable in a printer carriage area of an ink jet printer and an alignment and latching mechanism for the ink cartridge body. The printer carriage area includes at least first and second spaced-apart elongate guide rails and the ink cartridge body includes a printhead and at least two bearing points at predetermined locations on the ink cartridge body, each of the bearing points disposed on the cartridge body for separately engaging at least one of the elongate guide rails for aligning and maintaining the printhead in a predetermined orientation relative to the print media in the printer. The invention substantially reduces the number of parts and tolerances thereof required for aligning a printhead relative to a print media by directly aligning the cartridge body rather than the carrier in the carriage area of the printer.

Ink cartridge body and carrier assembly

Methods and apparatus are provided for aligning a TAB circuit on first and second intersecting surfaces of a print head. The methods comprise aligning a chip portion of the TAB circuit on the first surface and applying a progressive force along the contact pad portion of the TAB circuit to align the contact pad portion on the second surface of the print head. The apparatus comprise a machine for aligning the chip portion of the TAB circuit on the first surface and roller for applying a progressive force along the contact pad portion of the TAB circuit to align the contact pad portion on the second surface.

Aligning a tab circuit on print head intersecting surfaces

A heater chip module is provided comprising a carrier adapted to be secured directly to an ink-filled container, at least one heater chip having a base coupled to the carrier, and at least one nozzle plate coupled to the heater chip. The carrier includes inner side walls and a support section which together define an inner cavity. An edge feed heater chip is coupled to the carrier support section. The heater chip includes side walls. The support section includes first and second passages which define first and second paths for ink to travel from the container to the inner cavity. The inner cavity and the heater chip are sized such that a first side wall of the heater chip is spaced from a first inner side wall of the carrier and a second side wall of the heater chip is spaced from a second inner side wall of the carrier. A nozzle plate is coupled to the heater chip and the carrier. The nozzle plate has a width such that the nozzle plate extends over an outer surface of the carrier. Sealant material is provided in the inner cavity such that at least a portion of the first inner side wall of the carrier, at least a portion of the first side wall of the heater chip, a first section of the nozzle plate and the sealant material define a first sealed ink cavity for receiving ink passing through the first passage. Additional sealant material is provided in the inner cavity such that at least a portion of the second inner side wall of the carrier, at least a portion of the second side wall of the heater chip, a second section of the nozzle plate and the additional sealant material define a second sealed ink cavity for receiving ink passing through the second passage.

Ink jet heater chip module with sealant material

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Robert Allen Samples