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US 5,565,900 AGranted
Unit print head assembly for ink-jet printing
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsBruce Cowger, Donald B. Ouchida, Robert R. Beeson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Ink-jet pens having multiple print heads are manufactured with readily replaceable unit print head assemblies that facilitate testing of print head performance prior to complete assembly of the pen.
Claims10
A pen for an ink-jet printer, comprising:
- a print head assembly, including:
- a carrier having an outer side and an inner side;
- at least one print head mounted to the carrier, the print head having a plurality of chambers defined therein, the print head also having firing means associated with each chamber for expelling ink drops from the chambers;
- the carrier defining a passageway in fluid communication with the chambers, the passageway including an inlet port extending through the inner side and through which port ink may flow into the passageway to the chambers;
- a circuit member attached to the carrier and having conductors for conducting control signals to the firing means, the firing means responsive to the control signals for expelling ink drops from the chambers;
- a pen body having a mounting surface including:
- electrical contacts mounted to the pen body;
- a conduit defined by the pen body for conducting ink through the conduit, the conduit including an aperture through the mounting surface;
- and
- mounting means for removably mounting the carrier inner side adjacent to the pen body mounting surface so that the conductors and the contacts join to form a junction to provide continuous paths for conducting control signals between the contacts and the circuit member conductors and so that the aperture and inlet port join to form a junction and are in fluid communication.
7 more elements
A method of making a pen for an ink-jet printer, comprising the steps of:
- providing a carrier having at least one print head mounted thereto wherein the print head has a plurality of chambers defined therein for receiving ink, the print head also having firing means associated with each chamber for expelling ink drops from the chambers;
- defining in the carrier a passageway to be in fluid communication with the chambers, the passageway including an inlet port through which ink may flow into the passageway to the chambers;
- attaching a circuit member to the carrier, the circuit member having conductors for conducting control signals to the firing means, the firing means responsive to the control signals for expelling ink drops from the chambers, the conductors terminating in a plurality of contact members;
- providing a pen body that has exposed electrical contacts mounted thereto and a conduit defined by the pen body for conducting ink from a supply through the conduit;
- and
- removably mounting the carrier to the pen body so that the contact members and the electrical contacts are pressed together to provide continuous paths for conducting control signals between the electrical contacts and the conductors, and so that the conduit and inlet port are joined to form a junction and are in fluid communication.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.