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:
Dec. 11, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 29, 1999
Bret K. Taylor, Vancouver, WA (US);
Jefferson P. Ward, Brush Prairie, WA (US);
Dawn M. Beachnau Hood, Portland, OR (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A ferro-fluidic inkjet printhead sealing and spitting system is provided for maintaining inkjet printhead health, prior to and after installation in an inkjet printing mechanism. As a ferro-fluidic capping system for sealing printhead nozzles which eject ink having either polar properties or non-polar properties, the system includes a support structure engageable with the printhead, and a magnetic element supported by the support structure. A ferro-fluidic fluid overlays the magnetic element to seal against the printhead nozzles when the support structure is engaged with the printhead. The ferro-fluidic fluid has polar properties when the ink has non polar properties, and non-polar properties when the ink has polar properties. The ferro-fluidic fluid may be used to receive ink spit from the printhead, or when used with an adhesive tape, to protect an inkjet cartridge during shipping. An inkjet printing mechanism having such a ferro-fluidic system, along with associated methods are also provided.