Thermal sense resistor for a replaceable printer component

• US 20030063297A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dodd, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 6,966,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.8
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges

Abstract

A replaceable printer component (14) includes a thermal sense resistor (14B) having a first resistance. A resistance modifier (510) coupled to the thermal sense resistor modifies the first resistance.

Claims

1. A replaceable printer component comprising:

a thermal sense resistor having a first resistance; and

a resistance modifier coupled to the thermal sense resistor for modifying the first resistance.

2. The replaceable printer component of claim 1, and further comprising:

a memory for storing a resistance value representing a magnitude of the modified first resistance.

3. The replaceable printer component of claim 2, wherein the memory is a ROM.

4. The replaceable printer component of claim 2, wherein the stored resistance value also represents at least a portion of a second type of component information.

5. The replaceable printer component of claim 4, wherein the second type of component information is component uniqueness information.

6. The replaceable printer component of claim 4, wherein the second type of component information is pen uniqueness information.

7. The replaceable printer component of claim 1, wherein the replaceable printer component is an inkjet printhead assembly.

8. The replaceable printer component of claim 1, wherein the replaceable printer component is an inkjet cartridge.

9. The replaceable printer component of claim 1, wherein the resistance modifier is a conductor for shorting a portion of the thermal sense resistor.

10. The replaceable printer component of claim 1, wherein the thermal sense resistor includes a serpentine-shaped portion having a plurality of transition regions.

11. The replaceable printer component of claim 10, wherein the resistance modifier is a conductor positioned near at least one of the transition regions for shorting a portion of the thermal sense resistor.

12. A method of forming a plurality of replaceable printer components with thermal sense resistors having varying nominal resistance values, the method comprising:

forming the plurality of replaceable printer components on a wafer, the plurality of replaceable printer components each including a thermal sense resistor, each thermal sense resistor having substantially the same nominal resistance; and

forming a plurality of resistance modifiers on the wafer, the plurality of resistance modifiers configured to modify the nominal resistance of the plurality of thermal sense resistors, thereby forming thermal sense resistors having varying nominal resistance values.

13. The method of claim 12, and further comprising:

associating each one of a plurality of memories with one of the plurality of replaceable printer components;

measuring the resistance of each of the thermal sense resistors; and

storing a resistance value in each of the plurality of memories, the resistance value in each memory representing a magnitude of the measured resistance of the thermal sense resistor associated with the memory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of memories is a ROM.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the stored resistance values also represents at least a portion of a second type of component information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second type of component information is component uniqueness information.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second type of component information is pen uniqueness information.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of replaceable printer components is formed based on a single set of generic die data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of resistance modifiers is formed based on mask frame data.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the replaceable printer components is an inkjet printhead assembly.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of resistance modifiers is a conductor for shorting a portion of one of the thermal sense resistors.

22. The method of claim 12, and further comprising:

forming at least a portion of each one of the thermal sense resistors in a serpentine shape having a plurality of transition regions.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein each of the resistance modifiers is a conductor positioned near at least one of the transition regions for shorting a portion of one of the thermal sense resistors.

24. A printing system comprising:

an inkjet printhead assembly including at least one inkjet printhead for selectively depositing ink drops on print media;

an ink supply for storing ink to be provided to the at least one inkjet printhead;

a thermal sense resistor having a first resistance;

a resistance modifier coupled to the thermal sense resistor for modifying the first resistance;

a memory device for storing a resistance value representing a magnitude of the modified first resistance; and

a controller coupled to the memory device and responsive to output of the memory device, the controller configured to determine a temperature of a component within the printing system based at least in part on the stored resistance value.

25. The printing system of claim 24, wherein the memory device is a ROM.

26. The printing system of claim 24, wherein the stored resistance value also represents at least a portion of a second type of component information.

27. The printing system of claim 26, wherein the second type of component information is component uniqueness information.

28. The printing system of claim 24, wherein the resistance modifier is a conductor for shorting a portion of the thermal sense resistor.