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. 16, 2003
Filed:
Jun. 08, 2001
Brian Lee Cobb, Lexington, KY (US);
Jeffrey Louis Sangalli, Shelbyville, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
An improved TAB circuit is provided for use with ink jet printer cartridges, which carries electrical signals to an array of nozzles on a heater chip. The TAB circuit eliminates bent or broken electrical circuit traces before being bonded to the heater chip by creating a chip window that partially overlaps the edges of the heater chip, and by bringing the electrical circuit traces to the chip window and terminating these circuit traces at a PI (polyimide) edge, which defines the inner perimeter of the chip window. The circuit traces thus are not unsupported at their ends before being assembled to the heater chip, and are automatically correctly positioned to make contact with bond pads of the heater chip when the overall TAB circuit is in correct registration therewith. The TAB circuit also provides an improved tolerance for a covercoat placement that will tend to prevent corrosive ink from coming into contact with these metal traces. The chip window of the TAB circuit also allows for a separate nozzle plate to be assembled to the heater chip.