Maintenance apparatus for vaporizing device

• US 10,512,921 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2016
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Norasak, Sam, Marra, III, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abraham, Ibrahime A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Calvetti, Frederick F
• Application Number:
  US15/149,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20170320087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 392404, 392405, 392399
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/485 Valves; Apertures
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/85 Maintenance, e.g. cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0026 Hinged caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/326 the valve being a gate valve, a sliding valve or a cock
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/143 Wipes
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16505 Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16538 with brushes or wiper blades perpendicular to the nozzle plate
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16547 the wipers and caps or spittoons being on the same movable support
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/284 with water in reservoirs

Abstract

An apparatus for a fluidic ejection device and a fluidic ejection device containing the apparatus. The apparatus includes a pivot member having at least a first position and a second position, a shaft attached on a first end thereof to the pivot member and on a second end distal from the first end to a capping structure, wherein pivot of the pivot member pivots the capping structure from a first capped position to a second uncapped position adjacent an ejection head of the fluidic ejection device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a fluidic ejection head of a fluidic ejection device comprising a triangular plate having a pivot point on an apex end thereof for rotation of the plate between at least a first position and a second position, a shaft attached on a first end thereof to the plate at the apex end of the plate, a shaft movement ring or slide lever attached to the shaft adjacent to a second end thereof, and an ejection head cap having four interconnected walls attached to and extending from a planar surface of the plate, wherein the ejection head cap is movable from a first capped position adjacent to the ejection head of the fluidic ejection device and to a second uncapped position with respect to the ejection head of the fluidic ejection device, and wherein the triangular plate is disposed between the ejection head and a vaporizing heater in the fluidic ejection device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the triangular plate includes an aperture therein for fluid flow therethrough when the plate is moved to the second uncapped position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the triangular plate further comprises a rectangular prism shaped wiper blade for cleaning the ejection head when the plate is moved between the first capped position and to the second uncapped position wherein the wiper blade is attached to and extends outwardly from the planar surface of plate.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shaft movement ring or slide lever is disposed on a vapor exit conduit of the fluidic ejection device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the slide lever is movable from a first position to a second position on the vapor exit conduit in order to rotate the shaft.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the shaft movement ring is rotated about the vapor exit conduit from a first position to a second position in order to rotate the shaft.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the triangular plate is disposed adjacent a vapor exit conduit of the fluidic ejection device.

8. A fluidic ejection device comprising a fluidic ejection head in fluid flow communication with a fluid reservoir, a heater for vaporizing fluid ejected from the fluidic ejection head, an exit conduit in flow communication from the heater, an ejection head cap having four interconnected walls attached to and extending from a planar surface of a triangular plate disposed between the heater and the fluidic ejection head, and a shaft movement ring or slide lever operatively connected to the triangular plate for moving the ejection head cap from a first capped position to a second uncapped position adjacent the fluidic ejection head.

9. The fluidic ejection device of claim 8, wherein triangular plate includes an aperture therein for fluid flow therethrough to the vaporizing heater when the ejection head cap is moved to the second uncapped position from the first capped position.

10. The fluidic ejection device of claim 9, wherein the triangular plate further comprises a rectangular prism shaped wiper blade for cleaning the ejection head when the ejection head cap is moved between the first capped position and the second uncapped position, wherein the wiper blade is attached to and extends outwardly from the planar surface of plate.

11. The fluidic ejection device of claim 9, wherein the shaft movement ring or slide lever is disposed on the exit conduit of the fluidic ejection device.

12. The fluidic ejection device of claim 11, wherein the shaft movement ring or slide lever is attached to a first end of a shaft disposed in the exit conduit, wherein a second end of the shaft is attached to the triangular plate for movement thereof.

13. The fluidic ejection device of 11, wherein the shaft movement ring is rotated about the exit conduit to rotate a shaft and move the ejection head cap on triangular plate between the first capped position and the second uncapped position.