IP Library Granted Patent US 7,258,434
Granted Patent B2
US 7,258,434 · App. 10/720,353 · Granted Aug 21, 2007

Inkjet printheads having multiple label placement positions for air diffusion vents

Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,258,434
App. No.
10/720,353
Granted
Aug 21, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention teaches placing labels over air diffusion vents on inkjet printheads depending upon a content of the inkjet printhead. In one embodiment, the inkjet printhead contains one or three inks in its interior and has three air diffusion vents in a lid that fluidly communicate with the interior. If the interior has one ink, a label covers the entirety of two of the three air diffusion vents to substantially prevent the two air diffusion vents from communicating with atmosphere. If the interior has three inks, a label only covers a portion of each of the three air diffusion vents and allows each to fluidly communicate with atmosphere. In this manner, single or tri-color inkjet printhead manufacturing can occur with a single lid having a multiplicity of label placement positions. The labels can have similar dimensions, dissimilar length dimensions or other.

Claims (30)

1. An inkjet printhead, comprising:

a plurality of air diffusion vents; and

a label positioned over an entirety of at least one of said air diffusion vents during printing, said label being positioned over a portion but not an entirety of another of said air diffusion vents during printing.

2. The inkjet printhead of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of air diffusion vents reside in a top surface of an inkjet printhead lid.

3. An inkjet printhead, comprising:

an interior;

at least two air diffusion vents in fluid communication with said interior; and

a label positioned over an entirety of at least one of said at least two air diffusion vents during printing to prevent said at least one air diffusion vent from being in fluid communication with atmosphere, said label being positioned over a portion but not an entirety of another of said at least two air diffusion vents whereby said interior is in fluid communication with atmosphere during printing.

4. An inkjet printhead, comprising: a surface with a plurality of air diffusion vents, said surface having at least two predetermined label placement positions; and

a label on said surface positioned in one of said at least two predetermined label placement positions wherein said label is positioned over an entirety of at least one of said plurality of air diffusion vents thereby preventing fluid communication with atmosphere and over a portion but not an entirety of another of said plurality of air diffusion vents for fluid communication with atmosphere during printing.

5. The inkjet printhead of claim 4 , wherein said surface is a top surface of an inkjet printhead lid.

6. An inkjet printhead, comprising:

a body defining an interior;

a lid having a top and bottom surface, said bottom surface connected to said body, said top surface having more than one air diffusion vent and two predetermined label placement positions, each said air diffusion vent being in fluid communication with said interior; and

a label adhered to said top surface of said lid and positioned in one of said two predetermined label placement positions such that said label is positioned over an entirety of at least one of said air diffusion vents thereby preventing fluid communication with atmosphere and over a portion but not an entirety of at least one other of said air diffusion vents placing said interior in fluid communication with atmosphere during printing.

7. The inkjet printhead of claim 6 , wherein said each said air diffusion vent has a serpentine channel terminating in a hole extending through a thickness of said lid from said top surface to said bottom surface.

8. The inkjet printhead of claim 7 , wherein a length of said serpentine channel divided by a width multiplied a depth of a terminal end of said serpentine channel is numerically about 168.

9. The inkjet printhead of claim 6 , wherein said label is a two layer laminate.

10. The inkjet printhead of claim 9 , wherein said label is a layer of polyester over a layer of polypropylene.

11. An inkjet printhead, comprising:

a plurality of ink fill holes;

a plurality of air diffusion vents, each fluidly connected to one of said ink fill holes; and

a label positioned over an entirety of at least one of said air diffusion vents and one of said fluidly connected ink fill holes during printing, said label being positioned over a portion but not an entirety of another of said air diffusion vents during printing.

12. An inkjet printhead, comprising:

a surface with a plurality of air diffusion vents and fluidly connected ink fill holes, said surface having at least two predetermined label placement positions; and

a label on said surface positioned in one of said at least two predetermined label placement positions wherein said label is positioned over an entirety of at least one of said air diffusion vents and one said fluidly connected ink fill hole during printing, said label being positioned over a portion but not an entirety of at least one other of said air diffusion vents to place the ink fill hole fluidly connected thereto in fluid communication with atmosphere during printing.

13. An inkjet printhead, comprising:

a body defining an interior;

a lid having a top and bottom surface, said bottom surface connected to said body, said top surface having more than one air diffusion vent and fluidly connected ink fill hole and two predetermined label placement positions, each said air diffusion vent being in fluid communication with said interior by said fluidly connected ink fill hole; and

a label adhered to said top surface of said lid and positioned in one of said two predetermined label placement positions such that said label is positioned over an entirety of at least one of said air diffusion vents and fluidly connected ink fill holes and over a portion but not an entirety of at least one other of said air diffusion vents, placing said interior in fluid communication with atmosphere during printing.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2019
From: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: SLINGSHOT PRINTING LLC
Reel/Frame 048745/0551 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2013
From: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.; LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, S.A.
To: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 030416/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 30, 2004
From: SMITH, BRIAN D.; GREER, DAVID E.; CONEWAY, SARA M.
To: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 015738/0369 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20050110851A1 · May 26, 2005