Seal glass for nozzle assemblies of an ink jet printer

Claim 2

In a multiple ink-jet glass nozzle array embedded in a seal glass mass with the nozzle elements of said array fabricated from a composition consisting essentially, by weight, of ______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 55-58.5% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-1.0% ZrO.sub.2 17.0-22.5% CaO 0-2.5% Na.sub.2 O 16.0-17.0% K.sub.2 O 2.0-3.0% MgO 3.0-5.0% As.sub.2 O.sub.3 0.5%, ______________________________________ the improvement comprising forming said seal glass mass from a vitrified frit having a composition, by weight percent, selected from the group of: A. a first alkaline resistant formulation of ______________________________________ PbO [0-56] 45.0-53.5% [GeO2 0-3%] SiO.sub.2 [8-25] 15.0-24.5% ZrO.sub.2 [0.5-6.0] 4.5% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 5-[19] 12% MgO [1-2.5] 0.5-1.5% ZnO 3.5-[9] 4.5% BaO 0-1.5% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 [4-8] 3.0-4.0% TiO.sub.2 [0-2] 0.5-1.5% Na.sub.2 O 1-6.5% CaO [0-2] 0.5-1.5% CdO [0-67] 2-3% La.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-0.5% Cu.sub.2 O [1-3] 0-2%; ______________________________________ said formulation having an expansion coefficient (α at 24°-300° C.) of from about 69.5 to 88.6×10 -7 /° C., an anneal temperature (T a ) of about 418° to 468° C. and a softening temperature (T s ) of about 529° to 594° C.; B. a second alkaline resistant formulation of ______________________________________ CdO 56.6-67.0% MgO 0-2.5% SiO.sub.2 8-10% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 4.0-8.0% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 6.9-17.0% GeO.sub.2 0-3.0% ZnO 0-9.0% Na.sub.2 O 0-5.0% CaO 0-1.5%; and ______________________________________ said formulation having an expansion coefficient (α at 24°-300° C.) of from about 75 to 86.1×10 -7 /° C., an anneal temperature (T a ) of about 471° to 522° C. and a softening temperature (T s ) of about 560° to 622° C.; and C. an acid resistant formulation of ______________________________________ P.sub.2 O.sub.5 15-70.0% Na.sub.2 O 0-4.0% ZnO 14.0-66.4% SiO.sub.2 0-5.0% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-18.3% ZrO.sub.2 0-2% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 7-8% TiO.sub.2 0-1% ______________________________________ said formulation having an expansion coefficient (α 24°-300° C.) of from about 54.6 to 83.0×10 -7 /° C., an anneal temperature (T a ) of about 439° to 503° C., and a softening temperature (T s ) of about 563° to 580° C.

Claim 3

In a glass nozzle array for an ink-jet printer, comprising: a plurality of glass tubes coextending in parallel relationship with each other with the nozzle elements of said array fabricated from a composition consisting essentially by weight, of ______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 55-58.5% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-1.0% ZrO.sub.2 17.0-22.5% CaO 0-2.5% Na.sub.2 O 16.0-17.0% K.sub.2 O 2.0-3.0% MgO 3.0-5.0% As.sub.2 O.sub.3 0.5%, ______________________________________ and a seal glass for unitizing said tubes in a matrix therein, the improvement wherein said seal glass has a composition, by weight percent, selected from the group consisting of: A. an alkaline resistant formulation of ______________________________________ PbO [0-56] 45.0-53.5% GeO.sub.2 [0-3%] SiO.sub.2 [8-25] 15-24.5% ZrO.sub.2 [0.5-6.0] 4.5% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 5-[19] 12% MgO [1-2.5] 0.5-1.5% ZnO 3.5-[9] 4.5% BaO 0-1.5% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 [4-8] 3-4% TiO.sub.2 [0-2] 0.5-1.5% Na.sub.2 O 1-6.5% CaO [0-2] 0.5-1.5% CdO [0-67] 2-3% La.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-0.5% Cu.sub.2 O [1-3] 0-2%; [and] ______________________________________ said formulation having an expansion coefficient (α at 24°-300° C.) of from about 69.5 to 88.6×10 -7 /° C., an anneal temperature (T a ) of about 418° to 468° C. and a softening temperature (T s ) of about 529° to 594° C.; B. a second alkaline resistant formulation of ______________________________________ CdO 56.6-67.0% Mgo 0-2.5% SiO hd 2 8-10% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 4.0-8.0% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 6.9-17.0% GeO.sub.2 0-3.0% ZnO 0-9.0% Na.sub.2 O 0-5.0% CaO 0-1.5%; ______________________________________ said formulation having an expansion coefficient (α at 24°-300° C.) of from about 75 to 86.1×10 -7 /° C., an anneal temperature (T a ) of about 471° to 522° C. and a softening temperature (T s ) of about 560° to 622° C.; and C. an acid resistant formulation of ______________________________________ P.sub.2 O.sub.5 15-70.0% Na.sub.2 O 0-4.0% ZnO 14.0-66.4% SiO.sub.2 0-5.0% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-18.3% ZrO.sub.2 0-2% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 7-8% TiO.sub.2 0-1% ______________________________________ said formulation having an expansion coefficient (α 24°-300° C.) of from about 54.6 to 83.0×10 -7 /° C., an anneal temperature (T a ) of about 439° to 503° C., and a softening temperature (T s ) of about 563° to 580° C.

Claim 4

In a glass nozzle array for an ink-jet printer, comprising: a plurality of glass tubes coextending in parallel relationship with each other with the nozzle elements of said array fabricated from a composition consisting essentially by weight, of ______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 55-58.5% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-1.0% ZrO.sub.2 17.0-22.5% CaO 0-2.5% Na.sub.2 O 16.0-17.0% K.sub.2 O 2.0-3.0% MgO 3.0-5.0% As.sub.2 O.sub.3 0.5%, ______________________________________ and a seal glass for unitizing said tubes in a matrix therein, the improvement wherein said seal glass has a composition, by weight percent, selected from the group consisting of: A. an alkaline resistant formulation of ______________________________________ PbO [0-56] 45.0-53.5% GeO.sub.2 [0-3%] SiO.sub.2 [8-25] 15-24.5% ZrO.sub.2 [0.5-6.0] 4.5% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 5-[19] 12% MgO [1-2.5] 0.5-1.5% ZnO 3.5-[9] 4.5% BaO 0-1.5% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 [4-8] 3-4% TiO.sub.2 [0-2] 0.5-1.5% Na.sub.2 O 1-6.5% CaO [0-2] 0.5-1.5% CdO [0-67] 2-3% La.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-0.5% Cu.sub.2 O [1-3] 0-2%; [and] ______________________________________ said formulation having an expansion coefficient (α at 24°-300° C.) of from about 69.5 to 88.6×10 -7 /° C., an anneal temperature (T a ) of about 418° to 468° C. and a softening temperature (T s ) of about 529° to 594° C.; B. a second alkaline resistant formulation of ______________________________________ CdO 56.6-67.0% Mgo 0-2.5% SiO hd 2 8-10% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 4.0-8.0% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 6.9-17.0% GeO.sub.2 0-3.0% ZnO 0-9.0% Na.sub.2 O 0-5.0% CaO 0-1.5%; ______________________________________ said formulation having an expansion coefficient (α at 24°-300° C.) of from about 75 to 86.1×10 -7 /° C., an anneal temperature (T a ) of about 471° to 522° C. and a softening temperature (T s ) of about 560° to 622° C.; and C. an acid resistant formulation of ______________________________________ P.sub.2 O.sub.5 15-70.0% Na.sub.2 O 0-4.0% ZnO 14.0-66.4% SiO.sub.2 0-5.0% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-18.3% ZrO.sub.2 0-2% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 7-8% TiO.sub.2 0-1% ______________________________________ said formulation having an expansion coefficient (α 24°-300° C.) of from about 54.6 to 83.0×10 -7 /° C., an anneal temperature (T a ) of about 439° to 503° C., and a softening temperature (T s ) of about 563° to 580° C.

Claim 5

A glass nozzle array of claim 2 resistant to alkaline inks wherein said seal glass consists essentially of, by weight, ______________________________________ PbO [0-56]45-53.5% [GeO.sub.2 [0-3%] SiO.sub.2 [8-25]15-24.5% ZrO.sub.2 [0.5-6.0]4.5% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 5-[19]12% MgO [1-2.5]0.5-1.5% ZnO 3.5-[9]4.5% [B.sub.2 O.sub.3 ] BaO 0-1.5% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 [4-8]3-4% TiO.sub.2 [0-2]0.5-1.5% Na.sub.2 O [1-6.5]2-3% CaO [0-2]0.5-1.5% CdO [0-67]0-2% La.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-0.5% ______________________________________

Claim 6

The glass nozzle array of claim 3 wherein said glass nozzles consist essentially of, by weight, ______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 58.5% MgO 4.0% ZrO.sub.2 19.0% K.sub.2 O 2.0% Na.sub.2 O 16.0% As.sub.2 O.sub.3 0.5%, ______________________________________

Claim 7

The glass nozzle array of claim 4 wherein said seal glass consists essentially of, by weight, ______________________________________ PbO 45% BaO 1.5% SiO.sub.2 24.5% CaO 1% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 5% MgO 1% ZrO.sub.2 4.5% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 4% ZnO 4.5% CdO 2.5% Na.sub.2 O 5% TiO.sub.2 2% ______________________________________

Claim 8

A glass nozzle array of claim 2 resistant to alkaline inks wherein said seal glass consists essentially of, by weight, ______________________________________ CdO 56.6-67% CaO 0-1.5% SiO.sub.2 8-10% MgO 0-2.5% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 6.9-17% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 4-8% ZnO 0-9.0% GeO.sub.2 0-3% Na.sub.2 O 0-5% ______________________________________

Claim 9

The glass nozzle array of claim 6 wherein said glass nozzle consists essentially of, by weight, ______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 58.5% MgO 4% ZrO.sub.2 19% K.sub.2 O 2% Na.sub.2 O 16.0% As.sub.2 O.sub.3 0.5% ______________________________________

Claim 10

The glass nozzle array of claim 7 wherein said seal glass consists essentially of, by weight, SiO 2 : 10% B 2 O 3 : 15% Al 2 O 3 : 5% CdO: 67% GeO 2 : 3%.

Claim 11

A glass nozzle array of claim 2 resistant to acidic inks wherein said seal glass consists essentially of, by weight; ______________________________________ P.sub.2 O.sub.5 15-70% Na.sub.2 O 0-4% ZnO 14-66.4% SiO.sub.2 0-5% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-18.3% ZrO.sub.2 0-2% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 7-8% TiO.sub.2 0-1% ______________________________________

Claim 12

The glass nozzle array of claim 9 wherein said glass nozzles consist essentially of, by weight, ______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 58.5% MgO 4% ZrO.sub.2 19% K.sub.2 O 2% Na.sub.2 O 15% As.sub.2 O.sub.3 0.5% ______________________________________

Claim 13

The glass nozzle array of claim 10 wherein said seal glass consists essentially of, by weight; ______________________________________ P.sub.2 O.sub.5 69.5% Na.sub.2 O 4% SiO.sub.2 2.5% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 7% ZrO.sub.2 2% TiO.sub.2 1% ZnO 14% ______________________________________