Methods and apparatus for curing a thermal sealing material using a heater trace
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsMark R. Natterer, Jeffrey D. Langford, Leo Clarke JR.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for forming a seal between two or more components using a thermally cured sealing material. One exemplary method includes selectively applying an electrical signal to a heating trace on a first component, applying a sealing material between at least a portion of the first component and at least a portion of a second component, and at least partially thermally curing the sealing material using thermal energy generated by the application of the electrical signal to the heating trace.
Claims23
An apparatus comprising:
- a first component;
- a second component having at least one electrical heater trace;
- and
- a thermally cured sealing material interface physically coupled between at least a portion of said first component and at least a portion of said second component, said at least a portion of said second component being controllably heatable by said electrical heater trace to heat the sealing material when an electrical signal is applied through said electrical heater trace.
A method comprising:
- selectively applying an electrical signal to a heater trace on a first component;
- applying a sealing material between at least a portion of said first component and at least a portion of a second component;
- and
- at least partially thermally curing said sealing material using thermal energy generated by the application of said electrical signal to said heating element.
A print cartridge for use with a printing device, the print cartridge comprising:
- a pen body;
- a flexible strip affixed to said pen body, said flexible strip including an electrical heater trace that extends about at least a portion of said flexible strip and is located near at least one edge of said flexible strip;
- and
- a thermally cured sealing material coupling at least a portion of said flexible strip to at least a portion of said pen body, said thermally cured sealing material forming a seal between said flexible strip and said pen body nearby the location of said electrical heater trace.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.