Bonded structures formed form multicomponent fibers having elastomeric components for use as ink reservoirs

• US 20060216491A1
• Filed: 03/17/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Filtrona Richmond, Inc. (Essentra Plc)
• Original Assignee: Filtrona Richmond, Inc. (Essentra Plc)
• Inventors: Payne, Joseph, Ward, Bennett C., Xiang, Jian, Payne, Jackie F. Jr., Schneekloth, Andreas
• Application Number:
  US11/378,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20060216491A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/292.100
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4358 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/5412 sheath-core
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/5414 side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/56 in association with fibre formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion of staple fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/76 otherwise than in a plane, e.g. in a tubular way
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/077 Stick, rod or solid cylinder shaped
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/16 with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249924 Noninterengaged fiber-containing paper-free web or sheet which is not of specified porosity

Abstract

A bonded fiber ink reservoir, an ink jet printer cartridge containing a bonded fiber reservoir, and a ink jet printer using an ink jet cartridge containing a bonded fiber reservoir are disclosed. The bonded fiber reservoir may comprise a three dimensional bonded fiber structure, wherein the three dimensional bonded fiber structure is comprised of a plurality of fibers bonded to each other at spaced apart points of contact, at least a portion of the fibers being multicomponent fibers having at least one elastomeric fiber component.

Claims

1. An ink reservoir, comprising a three dimensional bonded fiber structure, wherein the three dimensional bonded fiber structure is comprised of a plurality of fibers bonded to each other at spaced apart points of contact, at least a portion of the fibers being multicomponent fibers having at least one elastomeric fiber component.

2. The ink reservoir of claim 1, wherein the at least one elastomeric fiber component comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

3. The ink reservoir of claim 1, wherein the at least one elastomeric fiber component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of elastomeric and plastomeric polypropylenes, styrene-butadiene copolymers, polyisoprene, polyisobutylene, polychloroprene, butadiene-acrylonitrile, elastomeric block olefinic copolymers, elastomeric block co-polyether polyamides, elastomeric block copolyesters, poly(ether-urethane-urea), poly(ester-urethane-urea), and elastomeric silicones.

4. The ink reservoir of claim 1, wherein the multicomponent fibers are multicomponent fibers comprising:

a thermoplastic polymer core material; and

an elastomeric polymer sheath material surrounding the core material.

5. The ink reservoir of claim 4, wherein the elastomeric polymer sheath material comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

6. The ink reservoir of claim 4, wherein the thermoplastic core material comprises a second elastomeric material different from the elastomeric polymer sheath material.

7. The ink reservoir of claim 4, wherein the thermoplastic core material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyester, polybutylene terephthalate, and polyethylene terephthalate.

8. The ink reservoir of claim 1, wherein the multicomponent fibers are melt-blown side-by-side bicomponent fibers.

9. The ink reservoir of claim 1, wherein the three dimensional bonded fiber structure has at least one dimension along which the structure can be elongating at least 200% while retaining its structural integrity.

10. The ink reservoir of claim 1, wherein the fibers have a diameter in a range from about 1 micron to about 200 microns.

11. The ink reservoir of claim 1, wherein the fibers have a diameter in a range from about 1 micron to about 25 microns.

12. The ink reservoir of claim 1, wherein the fibers comprise materials that are selected, at least in part, for their compatibility with a particular ink formulation.

13. The ink reservoir of claim 1, wherein the bonded fiber structure is adapted to take up, hold, and controllably release a particular ink formulation.

14. An ink jet printer cartridge, comprising:

a housing, defining a reservoir cavity; and

a reservoir, disposed within the reservoir cavity, the reservoir comprising a three dimensional bonded fiber structure, wherein the three dimensional bonded fiber structure is comprised of a plurality of fibers bonded to each other at spaced apart points of contact, at least a portion of the fibers being multicomponent fibers having at least one elastomeric fiber component.

15. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the at least one elastomeric fiber component comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

16. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the at least one elastomeric fiber component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of elastomeric and plastomeric polypropylenes, styrene-butadiene copolymers, polyisoprene, polyisobutylene, polychloroprene, butadiene-acrylonitrile, elastomeric block olefinic copolymers, elastomeric block co-polyether polyamides, elastomeric block copolyesters, poly(ether-urethane-urea), poly(ester-urethane-urea), and elastomeric silicones.

17. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the multicomponent fibers are multicomponent fibers comprising:

a thermoplastic polymer core material; and

an elastomeric polymer sheath material surrounding the core material.

18. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 17, wherein the elastomeric polymer sheath material comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane.

19. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 17, wherein the thermoplastic core material comprises a second elastomeric material different from the elastomeric polymer sheath material.

20. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 17, wherein the thermoplastic core material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyester, polybutylene terephthalate, and polyethylene terephthalate.

21. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the multicomponent fibers are melt-blown side-by-side bicomponent fibers.

22. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the three dimensional bonded fiber structure has at least one dimension along which the structure can be elongating at least 200% while retaining its structural integrity.

23. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the fibers have a diameter in a range from about 1 micron to about 200 microns.

24. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the fibers have a diameter in a range from about 1 micron to about 25 microns.

25. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the fibers comprise materials that are selected, at least in part, for their compatibility with a particular ink formulation.

26. The ink jet printer cartridge of claim 14, wherein the bonded fiber structure is adapted to take up, hold, and controllably release a particular ink formulation.

27. An ink jet printer, comprising:

a carriage;

a print-head mounted on the carriage; and

an ink jet printer cartridge associated with the print-head, such that the ink jet printer cartridge provides the print-head with ink, and wherein the ink jet printer cartridge comprises an ink reservoir formed from a plurality of fibers bonded to each other at spaced apart points of contact, at least a portion of the fibers being multicomponent fibers having at least one elastomeric fiber component.

28. The ink jet printer of claim 27, wherein the multicomponent fibers are multicomponent fibers comprising:

a thermoplastic polymer core material; and

an elastomeric polymer sheath material surrounding the core material.