Thermal ink jet cartridge face sealing for shipping
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorMichael Carlotta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A removable seal for the face of a printhead is a laminate tab made of a flexible, tear resistant material having a layer of low temperature melt material on one side thereof. The seal is molded to the face of the printhead by applying heat to the laminate tab to reflow the low temperature melt material onto the face of the printhead. The seal extends beyond at least one side of the face of the printhead to form an easily graspable, removable tab. The seal is used during shipping and handling to prevent ink from leaking from the printhead and to prevent contamination and damage of the nozzles.
Claims14
A method of sealing a face of a printhead containing a plurality of ink nozzles with a laminated tab having a first layer of a flexible material and a second layer of a low temperature melt material capable of flowing upon application of heat at 400.degree. F. (205.degree. C.) or less, the first layer being resistant to flowing at said heat, comprising the steps of:
- forming the laminated tab from a laminate web by joining the second layer to the first layer;
- applying the second layer of the tab onto the nozzle face of the printhead so that at least one end of the tab extends beyond the face, wherein said second layer initially flows upon application to tack the second layer to said face;
- applying heat of less than 400.degree. F. (205.degree. C.) to said tab to reflow said second layer onto said face and into each of said plurality of nozzles within said face;
- and
- cooling said tab to resolidify said second layer and to cause said second layer to be non-flowable, wherein the cooling of said tab bonds said second layer to said face and individually seals each of said plurality of nozzles from external contamination or leakage of ink.
A printhead assembly comprising:
- a printhead die with a face having nozzles in communication with an ink source therein;
- and
- a seal removably secured to said face including a laminate tab having a first layer and a second layer, said second layer being of low temperature melt material coupled to said first layer, said second layer covering all of said nozzles and being reflowed onto said face through application of heat at a temperature of less than 400.degree. F. (205.degree. C.) causing said second layer to flow over said face, covering any surface irregularities and extending at least partially into each of said nozzles, said second layer solidifying upon cooling to effectively seal each of said nozzles and said face from contamination and prevent leakage of ink onto said face from said nozzles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.