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:
Jul. 03, 2012
Filed:
May. 20, 2009
Christopher Alan Adkins, Lexington, KY (US);
Eric David Langevin, Lexington, KY (US);
Jason Todd Mcreynolds, Georgetown, KY (US);
Robert Henry Muyskens, Lexington, KY (US);
Nicholas Jon Post, Lexington, KY (US);
Kent Lee Ubellacker, Georgetown, KY (US);
Christopher Alan Adkins, Lexington, KY (US);
Eric David Langevin, Lexington, KY (US);
Jason Todd McReynolds, Georgetown, KY (US);
Robert Henry Muyskens, Lexington, KY (US);
Nicholas Jon Post, Lexington, KY (US);
Kent Lee Ubellacker, Georgetown, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
A method of determining the state of a printhead/cartridge in a thermal inkjet printer. An inkjet printhead undergoes a jetting operation in which a jetting frequency is selected and a corresponding steady state printhead temperature is known. The printhead is heated to the steady state temperature. Then the printhead is jetted with all nozzles for a predetermined period of time. Temperature samples from the printhead are obtained and the change in the printhead temperature for a short period of time is used to determine a slope in the temperature change. From the slope of printhead temperature changes, the ink flow rate through the printhead can be determined. The flow rate of ink through the printhead can be used to determine the various states of the printhead, including out of ink, clogged, deprimed, a taped printhead, etc.