Fluid supply mechanism for multiple fluids to multiple spaced orifices

• US 6,318,849 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Judy
• Application Number:
  US09/113,103
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85-87, 347/42, 347/40, 347/65, 347/43, 347/20, 347/50, 347/104
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1637 molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

This patent describes an improved form of ink supply to an ink supply head for printing images. The supply is required for a number of different fluids to be supplied to a plurality of different supply slots, the supply slots being spaced apart at periodic intervals in an interleaved manner. The supply includes a fluid inlet portion for each of the plurality of different fluids and a main channel flow portion for each of the different fluids, connected to the fluid inlet portion and running past each of the supply slots; and a sub-channel flow portion connecting each of the supply slots to a corresponding main channel flow portion; two of the main channel flow portion run along the first surface of a moulded flow supply unit and another of the main channel flow portion runs along the top surface of the moulded piece with the subchannel flow portion being interconnected with the slots by way of through-holes through the surface of the the moulded piece. The supply member can be plastic injection moulded and the pitch rate of the slots can be 1,000 slots per inch.

Claims

1. A fluid supply unit for supplying a plurality of different fluids to a plurality of supply slots, said supply slots being spaced apart at substantially regular intervals in an interleaved manner, said fluid supply unit comprising:

an elongate element with a recess defined in one surface of the elongate element, the supply slots opening into said recess;

fluid inlet means for each of said plurality of different fluids arranged at one end of the elongate element;

a main channel flow means, defined at least partially by the elongate element, for each of said different fluids, a main channel flow means being in communication with each of said fluid inlet means; and

a sub-channel flow means extending from each of the main channel flow means for placing each of said supply slots in communication with a corresponding main channel flow means;

wherein the element is a one-piece moulded element, the number of fluids to be supplied is greater than 2 and at least one of said main channel flow means runs along said one surface of the elongate element and others of said main channel flow means run along an opposed surface of said elongate element, the sub-channel flow means being in fluid communication with said supply slots by means of through-holes through the surfaces of said elongate element.

2. A fluid supply unit as claimed in claim 1 which is plastic injection moulded.

3. A fluid supply unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pitch rate of said slots is substantially less than or equal to 1,000 slots per inch.

5. A fluid supply unit as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of roller slot means for the reception of one or more pinch rollers and wherein the plurality of different fluids comprise inks and said rollers are utilised to control the passage of a print media across a print-head in communication with said supply slots.

6. A fluid supply unit as claimed in claim 5 wherein said supply slots are divided into corresponding colour slots with each series of colour slots being arranged in columns.

7. A fluid supply unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said main channel flow means is exposed when fabricated and is sealed by means of utilising sealing tape to seal the exposed surface of said channel.

8. A fluid supply unit as claimed in claim 1 which is further provided with a TAB slot for the reception of Tape Automated Bonded (TAB) wires.

4. A fluid supply unit as claimed in claimed 1 wherein the supply slots are arranged in a collection of slots and the collection extends substantially the width of a photograph.