Multi-chamber fluid supply

• US 6,309,062 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Askeland, Ronald A., Hickman, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGHIEM, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US09/183,538
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 347/96, 347/43, 347/98, 347/85, 347/95, 106/31.13, 106/31.27, 106/31.43, 106/31.51
• US Class Current: 347/96
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2114 Ejecting transparent or white coloured liquids, e.g. processing liquids B41J2/211 takes precedence

Abstract

In accordance with the invention, an ink-jet printing system and fluid supply configuration are disclosed that utilize the advantages of reactive fluids while allowing for maximum flexibility in the design and architecture of the ink-jet printing system. The ink-jet-printing apparatus includes a printhead portion having at least one integral printhead portion, the printhead portion having at least two ejector portions; and at least one reservoir portion associated with the printhead portion, the reservoir portion having at least two reservoir chambers, each reservoir chamber for providing fluid to one of the at least two ejector portions, one of the chambers including a reactant fluid and the other chamber including at least one ink non-reactive with the reactant fluid.

Claims

1. An ink-jet printing apparatus, comprising:

a least one printhead portion having at least one integral printhead portion, the printhead portion having at least three ejector portions; and

at least one reservoir portion associated with the printhead portion, the reservoir portion having at least three reservoir chambers, each reservoir chamber for providing fluid to one of the at least three ejector portions, one of the reservoir chambers including a reactant fluid, the other two reservoir chambers, each chamber including an ink, wherein

(1) at least one of the inks undergoes a reaction when contacted with the reactant fluid, the reaction being (a) a pH-sensitive colorant precipitating out of the ink when a certain pH range around the colorant is achieved, (b) a colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a precipitating agent from the reactant fluid, (c) an anionic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a cationic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid, or (d) a cationic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with an anionic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid;

(2) at least one of the inks does not undergo a reaction when contacted with the reactant fluid, the reaction being (a) a pH-sensitive colorant precipitating out of the ink when a certain pH range around the colorant is achieved, (b) a colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a precipitating agent from the reactant fluid, (c) an anionic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a cationic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid, or (d) a cationic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with an anionic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one integral printhead portion and the at least one reservoir portion associated with the at least one integral printhead portion form an integral print cartridge.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one reservoir portion is adapted to be releasably mounted to the at least one integral printhead portion associated with the at least one reservoir portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one printhead portion includes at least three fluid inlets, and the reservoir portion includes at least three corresponding fluid outlets configured for connection to the three fluid inlets.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ejector portion for ejecting the ink non-reactive with the reactant fluid is positioned between the two ejector portions associated with the reactant fluid and the ink reactive with the reactant fluid.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the ejector portions for ejecting the reactant fluid and the ink non-reactive with the reactant fluid are associated with the same integral printhead.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the ejector portion for ejecting the reactant fluid is on an integral printhead different than the integral printhead having the ejector portion for ejecting the ink reactive with the reactant fluid.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, 6, or 7 further comprising at least another ink reactive with the reactant fluid.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a scanning carriage that supports the printhead portion and provides relative motion between the printhead portion and a print media.

10. A fluid delivery apparatus for providing fluid ink-jet printing system, the fluid delivery apparatus comprising:

a reservoir portion having at least one integral reservoir portion, the reservoir portion having at least three reservoir chambers, each reservoir chamber for providing fluid to the ink-jet printing system, one of the reservoir chambers including a reactant fluid, the other two reservoir chambers each chamber including an ink, wherein

(1) at least one of the inks undergoes a reaction when contacted with the reactant fluid, the reaction being (a) a pH-sensitive colorant precipitating out of the ink when a certain pH range around the colorant is achieved, (b) a colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a precipitating agent from the reactant fluid, (c) an anionic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a cationic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid, or (d) a cationic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with an anionic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid and

(2) at least one of the inks does not undergo a reaction when contacted with the reactant fluid, the reaction being (a) a pH-sensitive colorant precipitating out of the ink when a certain pH range around the colorant is achieved, (b) a colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a precipitating agent from the reactant fluid, (c) an anionic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a cationic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid, or (d) a cationic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with an anionic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the reservoir chambers form an integral reservoir portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the reservoir chambers containing the reactant fluid and the ink reactive with the reactant fluid form different integral reservoir portions.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the reservoir portion includes at least three fluid outlets for providing the reactant fluid, the ink reactive with the reactant fluid, and the ink non-reactive with the reactant fluid, to three fluid inlets associated with the printing system.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the fluid outlets providing the reactant fluid and the ink reactive with the reactant fluid are separated by the fluid outlet providing the ink non-reactive with the reactant fluid, thereby minimizing the unwanted mixing of the reactant fluid and the ink reactive with the reactant fluid.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the printing system further includes at least one printhead portion having at least one integral printhead portion, and wherein the reservoir portion is adapted to be releasably mountable to the printhead portion associated with the reservoir portion, to make fluids available to the printhead portion.

16. A fluid delivery apparatus for providing fluid to an ink-jet printing system, the fluid delivery apparatus comprising:

a plurality of reservoir chambers, each reservoir chamber for containing one of a plurality of fluids, the plurality of fluids including at least two mutually reactive fluids and at least one ink which does not undergo a reaction when contacted with either of the at least two mutually reactive fluids, the reaction being (a) a pH-sensitive colorant precipitating out of the ink when a certain pH range around the colorant is achieved, (b) a colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a precipitating agent from the reactant fluid, (c) an anionic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a cationic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid, or (d) a cationic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with an anionic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid, and wherein one of the at least two mutually reactive fluids is an ink which undergoes a reaction when contacted with a reactant fluid and another one of the at least two mutually reactive fluids is the reactant fluid, the reaction being (a) a pH-sensitive colorant precipitating out of the ink when a certain pH range around the colorant is achieved, (b) a colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a precipitating agent from the reactant fluid, (c) an anionic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a cationic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid, or (d) a cationic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with an anionic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the plurality of reservoir chambers form an integral reservoir portion.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the reservoir chambers containing the reactant fluid and the ink reactive with the reactant fluid form different integral reservoir portions.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the reservoir chambers including at least the reactant fluid and the ink non-reactive with the reactant fluid for an integral reservoir portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising at least another ink reactive with the reactant fluid.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein at least two of the inks reactive with the reactant fluid are also reactive with one another, and at least one ink reactive with the reactant fluid is non-reactive with other inks.

22. An ink-jet printing apparatus, comprising:

at least one printhead portion having at least one integral printhead portion, the printhead portion having at least two ejector portions; and

at least one reservoir portion associated with the printhead portion, the reservoir portion having at least two reservoir chambers, each reservoir chamber for providing fluid to one of the at least two ejector portions, one of the chambers including a reactant fluid, and the other chamber including at least one ink which does not undergo a reaction when contacted with the reactant fluid, the reaction being (a) a pH-sensitive colorant precipitating out of the ink when a certain pH range around the colorant is achieved, (b) a colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a precipitating agent from the reactant fluid, (c) an anionic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a cationic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid, or (d) a cationic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with an anionic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least one integral printhead portion the at least one reservoir portion associated with the at least one integral printhead portion form an integral print cartridge.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least one reservoir portion is adapted to be releasably mounted to the at least one integral printhead portion associated with the at least one reservoir portion.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least one printhead portion includes at least two fluid inlets, and the reservoir portion includes at least two corresponding fluid outlets configured for connection to the two fluid inlets.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a scanning carriage that supports the printhead portion and provides relative motion between the printhead portion and a print media.

27. A fluid delivery apparatus for providing fluid to an ink-jet printing system, the fluid delivery apparatus comprising:

a reservoir portion having at least one integral reservoir portion, the reservoir portion having at least two reservoir chambers, each reservoir chamber for providing fluid to the ink-jet printing system, one of the reservoir chambers including a reactant fluid, the other reservoir chambers including an ink which does not undergo a reaction when contacted with the reactant fluid, the reaction being (a) a pH-sensitive colorant precipitating out of the ink when a certain pH range around a colorant is achieved, (b) a colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a precipitating agent from the reactant fluid, (c) an anionic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a cationic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid, or (d) a cationic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with an anionic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the reservoir chambers form an integral reservoir portion.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the reservoir chambers containing the reactant fluid and the ink reactive with the reactant fluid form different integral reservoir portions.

30. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the reservoir portion includes at least two fluid outlets for providing the reactant fluid and the ink non-reactive with the reactant fluid, to two fluid inlets associated with the printing system.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the printing system further includes at least one printhead portion having at least one integral printhead portion, and wherein the reservoir portion is adapted to be releasably mountable to the printhead portion associated with the reservoir portion, to make fluids available to the printhead portion.

32. A fluid delivery apparatus for providing fluid to an ink-jet printing system, the fluid delivery apparatus comprising:

a plurality of reservoir chambers each reservoir chamber for containing a fluid, the fluids including a reactant fluid and an ink which does not undergo a reaction when contacted with the reactant fluid, the reaction being (a) a pH-sensitive colorant precipitating out of the ink when a certain pH range around the colorant is achieved, (b) a colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a precipitating agent from the reactant fluid, (c) an anionic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with a cationic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid, or (d) a cationic colorant precipitating out of the ink when the colorant binds with an anionic polymeric dispersant from the reactant fluid.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the plurality of reservoir chambers form an integral reservoir portion.