The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 12, 1995
Filed:
Apr. 30, 1993
Michael T Dangelo, San Diego, CA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A thermal ink jet printhead cartridge priming apparatus that includes a plurality of caps respectively associated with a plurality of printhead nozzle arrays for controllably sealing printhead nozzle arrays pursuant to engagement thereof against the printhead cartridge to surround the nozzle arrays, a plurality of vacuum conveying elements respectively associated with the caps for individually conveying priming vacuum to an associated cap, a manually actuated selector assembly for connecting a selected one of the vacuum conveying elements to a source of priming vacuum, and a source of priming vacuum spaced apart from the manually actuated selector assembly for selectively engaging the selector assembly for application of vacuum thereto. By separating the vacuum source from the selector, positive pressure is not applied to the nozzle arrays when the caps are brought into engagement with the printhead cartridges since venting is provided by the unobstructed vacuum conveying elements.