Disposable ink jet head
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsRoy T. Buck, Frank L. Cloutier, R. Ernst Erni, Robert N. Low, F. Duncan Terry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal ink jet head is disclosed in which the jetting resistors, fluid interconnections, ink reservoir, electrical connections, and jetting orifices are fully integrated to provide an inexpensive, disposable jetting head. The entire hydraulic ink system is sealed to eliminate user interaction with the liquid ink, and ink can only exit the head via the jetting orifices under the influence of the jetting resistors. Once the ink is expended the user disposes with the old head and installs a new one by breaking and making a simple mechanical and low voltage electrical connection.
Claims10
A printing apparatus for jetting ink in an ink jet printer comprising:
- a collapsible ink reservoir;
- a substrate having jetting means disposed on the substrate for imparting momentum to the ink, and electrical connection means for energizing the jetting means;
- orifice means connected to the substrate and covering the jetting means for providing an orifice through which the ink is jetted under the influence of the momentum imparted by the jetting means;
- support means coupled to and mechanically supporting the ink reservoir and the substrate for providing a sealed hydraulic connection therebetween for the ink;
- fill means coupled to the ink reservoir for substantially filling the collapsible ink reservoir with ink;
- and
- plug means coupled to the fill means for hydraulically sealing the fill means so that the only exit for the ink from the ink reservoir is through the orifice means.
A method of filling with liquid ink an ink reservoir having a fill hole in a disposable ink jet head, comprising the steps of:
- drawing a partial vacuum on the fill hole to create a partial vacuum in the ink reservoir;
- allowing liquid ink to be sucked through the fill hole into the ink reservoir under the influence of the partial vacuum;
- and
- permanently and mechanically sealing the fill hole, so that ink cannot later enter or escape from the ink reservoir through the fill hole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.