EP0408241A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Print head for a thermal ink jet printer
Assignee: Olivetti SpA
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Filing: 1990-07-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-07-04
Abstract
Abstract In a thermal ink jet print head the ink is expelled in the form of small drops through a plurality of nozzles (45) communicating with corresponding expulsion chambers for expulsion of the ink through the effect of rapid heating of heater elements contained in the expulsion chambers. The nozzles, the expulsion chambers, the heater elements and the associated electrical conductors are constructedin a plurality of metal layers and insulating layers supported by a silicon plate (39). The plate is fixed to the structure (10) of the head and is supplied with ink contained in a removable cartridge (32) fitted to the structure of the head. The cartridge comprises a rigid reservoir (33) containing a sponge (52) saturated with ink which can be hydraulically connected to the head by means of a needle-type conduit (36) mounted on the head and which perforates a rubber membrane (50) of the cartridge. During periods of storage and inactivity of the head, the cartridge is removed, permitting drying of the nozzles to avoid possible nozzle blockages and corrosion of the layers of the plate by the ink.
Inventors
- 👤 Mario Buat
- 👤 Renato Conta
- 👤 Adriano Fetta
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 09:48
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17503; B41J2/1752; B41J2/17513
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A print head for a thermal ink jet printer, comprising a support structure (10) for at least one multi-layer printing element (35) carrying a plurality of nozzles (45), said multi-layer element being formed by metal layers interposed with insulating layers and layers of resin which are deposited on a silicon plate (36) and in which said nozzles communicate with an intermediate reservoir (16) by way of a supply conduit passing through said silicon plate, characterized in that said silicon plate (36) and said intermediate reservoir (16) are mounted fixedly on said structure (10) and that said structure comprises receiving means (20, 23) for removably accommodating an ink cartridge (32) comprising a container (33) formed by rigid walls (40-44, 54) and filled with porous material (52) and a tubular element (36) which is fixed with respect to said structure and communicating with said intermediate reservoir, said tubular element extending within said receiving means for hydraulically connecting said container to said intermediate reservoir when said cartridge is inserted into said receiving means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
A print head for a thermal ink jet printer, comprising a support structure (10) for at least one multi-layer printing element (35) carrying a plurality of nozzles (45), said multi-layer element being formed by metal layers interposed with insulating layers and layers of resin which are deposited on a silicon plate (36) and in which said nozzles communicate with an intermediate reservoir (16) by way of a supply conduit passing through said silicon plate, characterized in that said silicon plate (36) and said intermediate reservoir (16) are mounted fixedly on said structure (10) and that said structure comprises receiving means (20, 23) for removably accommodating an ink cartridge (32) comprising a container (33) formed by rigid walls (40-44, 54) and filled with porous material (52) and a tubular element (36) which is fixed with respect to said structure and communicating with said intermediate reservoir, said tubular element extending within said receiving means for hydraulically connecting said container to said intermediate reservoir when said cartridge is inserted into said receiving means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
A print head according to claim 1, characterized in that a first (54) of said walls is provided with an opening (56) communicating with atmospheric pressure, and a second (44) of said walls opposite to said first wall comprises an element (50) of resilient material for closing a chamber (46) for receiving ink, said receiving chamber being communicated with the interior of said container and being free from said porous material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A print head according to claim 1, characterized in that said receiving means define a space (30) closed at one end by an end wall (18) adjacent to said intermediate reservoir and open at the opposite end to permit the introduction of said cartridge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A print head according to claim 3, characterized in that said receiving means comprise guide elements (20-23) which are fixed with respect to said end wall and which extend perpendicularly to said wall to guide and support said cartridge on said head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
124 words
An ink cartridge which can be removably fitted to a thermal ink jet print head, comprising a container (33) formed by rigid side walls (40-43) and an end wall (44) and filled with ink-impregnated porous material (52), and a perforatable closure element (50) fixed to said end wall, characterized in that said container comprises an ink receiving chamber (46) which is delineated by said end wall and by at least one of said side walls and by a third wall (48) which is fixed with respect to and perpendicular to said end wall, said receiving chamber being open towards the interior of said container and being free from said porous material, said closure element being disposed at a position corresponding to said receiving chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
124 words
An ink cartridge which can be removably fitted to a thermal ink jet print head, comprising a container (33) formed by rigid side walls (40-43) and an end wall (44) and filled with ink-impregnated porous material (52), and a perforatable closure element (50) fixed to said end wall, characterized in that said container comprises an ink receiving chamber (46) which is delineated by said end wall and by at least one of said side walls and by a third wall (48) which is fixed with respect to and perpendicular to said end wall, said receiving chamber being open towards the interior of said container and being free from said porous material, said closure element being disposed at a position corresponding to said receiving chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
158 words
A multi-color print head for a thermal ink jet printer, comprising a support structure (70) for a plurality of multi-layer printing elements (93), each carrying a plurality of nozzles for the emission of drops of ink of different colors, the nozzles of each of said printing elements communicating with corresponding intermediate reservoirs (94), characterized in that said printing elements (93) and said intermediate reservoirs (94) are disposed on said support structure (70), and that said support structure comprises receiving means (74) for removably accommodating a single cartridge (72) comprising a container (78) subdivided into a plurality of mutually separate compartments (80), each compartment being filled with porous material (95) impregnable with an ink of different color, and tubular elements (92) fixed on said structure and extending towards said receiving means, each tubular element communicating with a corresponding intermediate reservoir for hydraulically connecting each compartment to said corresponding intermediate reservoir when said cartridge is fitted to said support structure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
158 words
A multi-color print head for a thermal ink jet printer, comprising a support structure (70) for a plurality of multi-layer printing elements (93), each carrying a plurality of nozzles for the emission of drops of ink of different colors, the nozzles of each of said printing elements communicating with corresponding intermediate reservoirs (94), characterized in that said printing elements (93) and said intermediate reservoirs (94) are disposed on said support structure (70), and that said support structure comprises receiving means (74) for removably accommodating a single cartridge (72) comprising a container (78) subdivided into a plurality of mutually separate compartments (80), each compartment being filled with porous material (95) impregnable with an ink of different color, and tubular elements (92) fixed on said structure and extending towards said receiving means, each tubular element communicating with a corresponding intermediate reservoir for hydraulically connecting each compartment to said corresponding intermediate reservoir when said cartridge is fitted to said support structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
A print head according to claim 6 in which said structure (70) is mounted on a carriage movable in a printing direction, characterized in that said printing elements are aligned parallel to said direction, each of said printing elements successively emitting drops of ink of different colors for printing with selectively variable chromatic shades.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
77 words
A print head according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that each of said compartments (80) comprises an ink receiving chamber delineated by at least first and second walls (82) of said container, said chamber being in communication on one side with the interior of said compartment and on an opposite side being closed by a perforatable closure element (90), said tubular elements (92) perforating said closure for hydraulically connecting said chamber to corresponding intermediate reservoirs.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
162 words
An ink cartridge for ink which can be removably fitted to a thermal multi-color ink jet print head, comprising a container (78) formed by side walls and by an end wall and subdivided into a plurality of independent compartments separated by divider walls (82) perpendicular to said end wall, each compartment comprising a perforatable closure element (90) disposed on said end wall, characterized in that each of said compartments is filled with a porous material (95) capable of being impregnated with ink of a different color, and that an ink receiving chamber (86) is disposed within each compartment and is delineated by said end wall and by at least one of said side walls and divider walls (82) and by a third wall (88) which is fixed with respect to and perpendicular to said end wall, said chamber communicating on one side with said compartment and closed on an opposite side by said closure element and being free from said porous material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
162 words
An ink cartridge for ink which can be removably fitted to a thermal multi-color ink jet print head, comprising a container (78) formed by side walls and by an end wall and subdivided into a plurality of independent compartments separated by divider walls (82) perpendicular to said end wall, each compartment comprising a perforatable closure element (90) disposed on said end wall, characterized in that each of said compartments is filled with a porous material (95) capable of being impregnated with ink of a different color, and that an ink receiving chamber (86) is disposed within each compartment and is delineated by said end wall and by at least one of said side walls and divider walls (82) and by a third wall (88) which is fixed with respect to and perpendicular to said end wall, said chamber communicating on one side with said compartment and closed on an opposite side by said closure element and being free from said porous material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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