Fluid-filled cartridge, method of preventing contamination and making an adhesive sealant tape

Abstract

A fluid-fillable cartridge, a method for preventing contamination of nozzle holes in a fluid ejection die, and a method for making an adhesive seal tape are presented. The fluid-fillable cartridge has an open fluid reservoir in the fluid-fillable cartridge and a fluid ejection die coupled to an exposed surface of the fluid-fillable cartridge opposite the open fluid reservoir. The adhesive seal tape is coupled to the fluid-fillable cartridge, where the adhesive seal tape has an adhesive pattern on a first end of the adhesive seal tape. The adhesive pattern is configured to couple the adhesive seal tape adjacent to the fluid ejection die without adhesive in a nozzle hole area of the fluid ejection die.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a sealing tape for the nozzle of a fluid ejector cartridge. Specifically, this disclosure relates to a one-piece sealing tape having an adhesive pattern and adhesive structure that, when the sealing tape is removed, prevents residue from adhering to the nozzle orifice of the fluid ejector chip. Background Technology

[0002] During the manufacturing process of the fluid jet cartridge before it reaches the end-user, a conventional inkjet printhead is filled with jet fluid. To prevent fluid leakage from the printhead attached to the fluid jet cartridge during the filling process, a special adhesive sealing tape is used to seal the nozzle holes of the fluid jet chip. This adhesive sealing tape contains adhesive covering the nozzle holes in the printhead. To facilitate removal of the special adhesive sealing tape, a label, known as a "remove label," is attached to the special adhesive sealing tape and wrapped around one side of the fluid jet cartridge. The distal end of the removal label typically has an area free of adhesive, allowing the user to easily grasp the removal label and pull it off the fluid jet cartridge, thus removing the special adhesive sealing tape along with the label. When the adhesive sealing tape is removed, some adhesive may remain in the nozzle holes. For inkjet printing applications, adhesive residue in the nozzle orifice can be easily removed during printhead start-up filling or cleaning operations. Even if the adhesive comes into contact with the ink through the nozzle orifice, there is no need to worry about the adhesive contaminating the ink.

[0003] However, for other applications (such as fluid jets for life science applications), the absence of adhesives that come into contact with and contaminate the fluid is crucial. Therefore, adhesive tape coated with common adhesives cannot be placed on the nozzles of fluid ejector chips for life science fluid applications due to the risk of leaving residue / adhesive in the nozzle orifice when removing it. Extensive research has been conducted on specialized tape materials and adhesives that do not leave residue on the fluid ejector chip upon removal. However, adhesive degradation due to aging or reaction with the life science fluid during the fluid cartridge filling process can clog the nozzle and / or otherwise contaminate the fluid.

[0004] Furthermore, with the application of fluid jet technology in the life sciences and similar fields, it has become increasingly common for end users to have fluid jet cartridges and fill them with their own jet fluid. Therefore, since the fluid jet cartridge is empty, the adhesive sealing tape used to prevent jet fluid from flowing out of the nozzle orifice during shipping and handling is no longer a primary concern. The main problem to be solved is preventing contamination of the nozzle orifice of the fluid ejector chip and the inner surface of the fluid reservoir. Another area of ​​concern is how to provide an adhesive sealing tape that adequately protects the fluid ejector chip and can be easily removed from it without damaging it. In this document, the present invention attempts to eliminate the risk of adhesive clogging of the nozzle, reduce the number of components required to assemble the finished fluid cartridge, and provide versatility in sealing and protecting the inner surface of the fluid ejector chip and the fluid reservoir. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In summary, embodiments of this disclosure provide a fluid-fillable cylinder, a method for preventing contamination of nozzle orifices in a fluid injector chip, and a method for manufacturing an adhesive sealing tape. The fluid-fillable cylinder includes: an open fluid reservoir located within the fluid-fillable cylinder; and a fluid injector chip, adhered to an exposed surface of the fluid-fillable cylinder opposite the open fluid reservoir. An adhesive sealing tape is adhered to the fluid-fillable cylinder. The adhesive sealing tape has an adhesive pattern located at a first end of the adhesive sealing tape, the adhesive pattern being configured to adhere the adhesive sealing tape adjacent to the fluid injector chip, without adhesive in the nozzle orifice region of the fluid injector chip.

[0006] In some embodiments, a method is provided for preventing contamination of nozzle orifices in a fluid injector chip. The method includes: providing a fluid-fillable cylinder having: an open fluid reservoir located within the fluid-fillable cylinder, and the fluid injector chip, and attaching it to an exposed surface of the fluid-fillable cylinder opposite the open fluid reservoir; and attaching an adhesive sealing tape to the fluid-fillable cylinder. The adhesive sealing tape has an adhesive patterned on a first end of a backing material of the adhesive sealing tape, the adhesive being configured to: adhere the adhesive sealing tape adjacently to the fluid injector chip, but without adhesive in the nozzle orifice region of the fluid injector chip.

[0007] In some embodiments, a method is provided for manufacturing an adhesive sealing tape for a fluid-fillable cylinder. The method includes: providing a backing material for the adhesive sealing tape, wherein the backing material has a first end and a second end remote from the first end; and applying an adhesive to the first end of the backing material. The adhesive sealing tape has an adhesive pattern configured to adhere the adhesive sealing tape adjacent to a fluid injector chip of the fluid-fillable cylinder, without adhesive in the nozzle orifice region of the fluid injector chip.

[0008] In some embodiments, the adhesive sealing tape includes an adhesive pattern located at a second end of the adhesive sealing tape remote from the first end of the adhesive sealing tape. The adhesive pattern is configured to seal the open fluid reservoir within the fillable fluid cylinder.

[0009] In some embodiments, the adhesive sealing tape is configured to wrap around the first sidewall of the fluid-fillable cylinder from the first end of the adhesive sealing tape to the second end of the adhesive sealing tape.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first end of the adhesive sealing tape is configured to overlap with the second sidewall of the fluid-fillable cylinder.

[0011] In some embodiments, the adhesive pattern on the first end of the backing material of the adhesive sealing tape is configured to adhere the adhesive sealing tape to the body region of the fluid-fillable cylinder adjacent to the fluid ejector chip.

[0012] In some embodiments, the adhesive pattern located on the first end of the backing material is configured to avoid adhesive contact with the fluid ejector chip.

[0013] In some embodiments, the adhesive sealant tape is patterned with the adhesive on the first end of the backing material to adhere the adhesive sealant tape to the body region of the fluid-fillable cylinder adjacent to the fluid ejector chip, without any adhesive overlapping the fluid ejector chip.

[0014] The advantage of the disclosed embodiments is that, since there is no adhesive in direct contact with the nozzle orifice, the disclosed adhesive sealing tape eliminates or significantly reduces the possibility of adhesive clogging the nozzle orifice. Therefore, a single-piece adhesive sealing tape can be used to seal and protect a fluid-fillable cylinder. The adhesive sealing tape can be modified to include a pull tab, or the adhesive sealing tape can be extended in a wrapping manner to other sides of the fluid-fillable cylinder to seal other features if necessary. Thus, before use, the fluid-fillable cylinder can be effectively sealed and protected from debris, while also preventing damage or performance degradation of the fluid ejector chip. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a fluid ejector chip including adhesive sealing tape according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and the cross-sectional view is not drawn to scale.

[0016] Figure 2 It is a perspective view of a fluid-fillable cylinder containing two fluid reservoirs, and the perspective view is not drawn to scale.

[0017] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The diagram shows a top view of a fluid-fillable cylinder, which is not drawn to scale.

[0018] Figure 4 According to the first embodiment of this disclosure Figure 1 The plan view shown is of the adhesive sealing tape and is not drawn to scale.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a plan view of the adhesive sealing tape according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, and the plan view is not drawn to scale.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a plan view of an adhesive sealing tape according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, and the plan view is not drawn to scale.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a plan view of the adhesive sealing tape according to the fourth embodiment of this disclosure, and the plan view is not drawn to scale.

[0022] Figure 8 This is a bottom view of a fluid-fillable cylinder containing adhesive sealing tape according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure, and the bottom view is not drawn to scale.

[0023] Figure 9 This is a top perspective view of a fluid-fillable cylinder containing adhesive sealing tape according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure, which is not drawn to scale.

[0024] Figure 10 This is a top perspective view of a fluid-fillable cylinder containing adhesive sealing tape according to a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure, which is not drawn to scale.

[0025] Figure 11 This is a top perspective view of a fluid-fillable cylinder containing adhesive sealing tape according to the eighth embodiment of this disclosure, which is not drawn to scale.

[0026] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 The exploded top view shown is of a fluid-fillable cylinder and an adhesive sealing tape. The exploded top view is not drawn to scale.

[0027] Figure 13 yes Figure 11 The exploded bottom view of the fluid-fillable cylinder and the adhesive sealing tape is shown; the exploded bottom view is not drawn to scale.

[0028] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view of a fluid ejector chip including adhesive sealing tape according to a ninth embodiment of the present disclosure, and the cross-sectional view is not drawn to scale.

[0029] Figure 15 It is a top perspective view of a fluid-fillable cylinder with a top cover containing vent holes. Detailed Implementation

[0030] For the purposes of this disclosure, the term "label" may be used interchangeably with the term "tape." Labels are typically made of polymer, elastomer, or fibrous-based backing material and include an adhesive layer for bonding the label or adhesive sealant tape to a fluid jet cartridge. Suitable backing materials for the adhesive layer may be selected from thin-film plastics, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide (PA), or synthetic paper (e.g., YUPO FPG 80). The thickness of the backing material may range from about 20 micrometers to about 200 micrometers (preferably from about 50 micrometers to about 70 micrometers).

[0031] The suitable adhesives described in this article for bonding sealing tapes exhibit an initial removal force of approximately 9 grams per centimeter of sealing tape width, increasing to approximately 45 grams per centimeter of sealing tape width after two years. Particularly suitable adhesives are silicone resins or acrylic adhesives. The thickness of the adhesive applied to the backing material can range from approximately 5 micrometers to approximately 25 micrometers. Figure 1 The image shows a cross-sectional view of an adhesive sealing tape 2, which includes a backing material 4 and an adhesive layer pattern 6, which is adhered to a fluid ejector chip 8 having a nozzle orifice array 10 therein.

[0032] exist Figure 2 and Figure 3 A fluid-fillable cylinder 12 is shown. A fluid-fillable cylinder is defined as a fluid cylinder containing one or more top-open fluid reservoirs. In this case, the fluid-fillable cylinder 12 includes two top-open fluid reservoirs 14a and 14b. When the fluid-fillable cylinder contains more than one top-open fluid reservoir, a partition wall is provided between adjacent top-open reservoirs. In this case, the fluid-fillable cylinder 12 includes a partition wall 16 located between the two fluid reservoirs 14a and 14b. The body 18 of the fluid-fillable cylinder is typically a unitary molded body made of a polymeric material compatible with the fluid inserted into the top-open fluid reservoirs 14a and 14b. However, a wide variety of other materials can be used to make the fluid-fillable cylinder, including but not limited to glass, ceramics, and metals.

[0033] A fluid ejector chip 20, comprising nozzle orifice arrays 22a and 22b and fluid ejectors for the nozzle orifice arrays 22a and 22b, is attached to the outer surface 24 of a fluid-fillable cylinder body by means of a flexible circuit 26. (See again...) Figure 3 Fluid supply tanks 28a and 28b are provided in top-open fluid reservoirs 14a and 14b to supply fluid from the reservoirs to the fluid ejector chip 20.

[0034] To protect the nozzle orifice from contamination and debris during the loading and handling of the fillable fluid cylinder 12, protective adhesive sealing tape is applied to the fillable fluid cylinder 12. Figure 1 and Figure 4A first embodiment of the adhesive sealing tape 2 is shown. In this embodiment, the adhesive sealing tape 2 includes an adhesive layer pattern 6 surrounding the nozzle orifice array 10 and the fluid injector on the fluid injector chip 8, but the adhesive sealing tape 2 does not have adhesive in the region 30 adjacent to the nozzle orifice array 10. The adhesive is patterned in such a way that the adhesive of the adhesive sealing tape 2 does not overlap with any of the nozzle orifice arrays 10 of the fluid injector chip 8. The adhesive layer pattern 6 may be configured as follows: Figure 1 The frame surrounding the nozzle orifice array 10, or the entire adhesive sealing tape 40, as shown, may have Figure 5 The adhesive layer pattern shown can be as long as there is no adhesive in the region 42 adjacent to the nozzle orifice array 10.

[0035] exist Figure 6 In another embodiment shown, the fluid ejector chip 20 includes a plurality of nozzle orifice arrays (e.g., nozzle orifice arrays 22a and 22b) and a fluid ejector for the plurality of nozzle orifice arrays. In this embodiment, the adhesive sealing tape 46 includes an adhesive backing 48 patterned to isolate nozzle orifice arrays 22a and 22b from each other using an adhesive strip 44 located between nozzle orifice arrays 22a and 22b, thereby preventing cross-contamination of fluids when top-open reservoirs 14a and 14b contain different fluids.

[0036] exist Figure 7 Another embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, the adhesive sealing tape 50 is cut to a size and shape such that it covers the portion of the outer surface 52 of the cartridge body that extends beyond the fluid injector chip 8. The adhesive pattern 54 can be applied in a manner that seals around the periphery of the fluid injector chip 8. This embodiment of the adhesive sealing tape 50 can be useful in situations where the fluid-fillable cartridge does not need to be filled before reaching the end user, but it is still necessary to protect the fluid injector chip 8 from contamination and debris. Figures 4 to 6 Compared to the illustrated embodiment, this embodiment also allows for greater tolerances when the adhesive sealing tape 50 is placed on the cylinder body, thereby reducing the assembly cost of the fluid-fillable cylinder.

[0037] Figure 8 This is a bottom side view of a fluid-fillable cylinder 56, which includes an adhesive sealing tape 58 having an adhesive pattern 60, the adhesive sealing tape 58 surrounding a reference. Figure 7The fluid ejector chip 62 described herein has an area of ​​adhesive sealing tape 58 covering it without adhesive. The adhesive sealing tape 58 may also be provided with a pull tab 64, which is also adhesive-free and can be used by a user to remove the adhesive sealing tape 58 from the fluid-fillable cartridge 56. Therefore, all adhesive sealing tapes described in the foregoing embodiments may include an additional length of backing material extending beyond the fluid ejector chip and having a non-adhesive area to serve as the pull tab 64, thereby facilitating removal of the adhesive sealing tape from the cartridge. The length of the backing material may extend directly beyond the adhesive, or further, the pull tab 64 may wrap around one side of the cartridge or extend beyond one side of the cartridge for easier and more convenient viewing by the user.

[0038] Although the foregoing embodiments show adhesive sealing tape specifically configured to protect the fluid ejector chip from contamination and debris, the adhesive sealing tape may also be extended to cover other parts of the fluid-fillable cylinder. Figure 9 This is a top perspective view of a fluid-fillable cylinder 56, wherein an adhesive sealing tape 66 extends to cover a top-open fluid reservoir 68 within the cylinder 56 to seal the top-open fluid reservoir 68, thereby preventing debris accumulation in the reservoir 68 during handling and shipping. The adhesive sealing tape 66 may comprise an adhesive for adhering the adhesive sealing tape to an edge 69 surrounding the periphery of the top-open fluid reservoir 68, or the adhesive may be applied to the entire area covering the top-open fluid reservoir 68. As described above, a pull tab 64 may also be included to assist in removing the adhesive sealing tape 66 from the cylinder 56. Figure 9 An adhesive sealing tape 66 is shown that adheres only to one side of the fluid-fillable cylinder 56. However, as... Figure 10 As shown, the adhesive sealing tape may have an extension 72 containing adhesive, which is attached to a second side of a fluid-fillable cylinder 56.

[0039] exist Figures 11 to 13 In another embodiment shown, the adhesive sealing tape 74 with pull tab 76 is cut such that the adhesive sealing tape wraps around the front side 78 of the fluid-fillable cylinder without interfering with the electrical connection on the flexible circuit 24, thereby enabling the fluid ejector chip attached to the fluid-fillable cylinder 56 to be tested using the electrical connection. Figure 12 It is an exploded perspective view of the fluid-fillable cylinder 56 and the adhesive sealing tape 74, showing a pattern of adhesive 80 surrounding the fluid injector chip region 82 which does not have adhesive. Figure 13 It is an exploded perspective view from below of a fluid-fillable cylinder 56 and an adhesive sealing tape 74, showing a pattern of adhesive 84 covering a top-open fluid reservoir 68.

[0040] exist Figure 14 In some embodiments shown, the entire backing material 90 for the adhesive sealing tape 92 is covered by adhesive 94. In the area of ​​the adhesive sealing tape that will contact the nozzle orifice 10 of the fluid ejector chip 8, a cushioning material 96 may be applied to the portion of the adhesive sealing tape 92 adjacent to the nozzle orifice 10. The cushioning material 96 is non-adhesive and prevents any residue from contacting the nozzle orifice.

[0041] In some embodiments, an adhesive preform is applied to a fluid-fillable cylinder such that it surrounds a nozzle orifice in the fluid ejector chip without overlapping it. A backing material is then applied to the adhesive preform so that it acts as a seal to prevent debris and contaminants from contacting the nozzle orifice and as a seal for the fluid ejector chip. The adhesive preform is cut in such a way that, when applied to the fluid ejector chip, it forms a window around the nozzle orifice (the window and...) Figure 1 and Figures 3 to 4 (Similar to the adhesive pattern shown), but without adhesive in contact with the nozzle orifice. The backing material applied to the adhesive preform does not contain adhesive.

[0042] In example Figure 15 In some embodiments shown, the fluid-fillable cylinder 100 includes a top cover 102 fitted to the cylinder body 104. The top cover 102 includes an air vent 106 for preventing backpressure in the fluid-fillable cylinder during fluid ejection. When the fluid-fillable cylinder 100 includes the top cover 102 with the air vent therein, adhesive sealing tape may also extend over the top cover 102 to cover the air vent 106 and protect it from debris during shipping and handling of the fluid-fillable cylinder 100.

[0043] For the purposes of this specification and the appended claims, unless otherwise indicated, all figures and other numerical values ​​expressing quantities, percentages, or proportions used in this specification and the claims are to be understood to be modified by the term "about" in all instances. Therefore, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and the appended claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired properties sought through this disclosure. At least and without attempt to limit the application of the equivalence principle to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should be interpreted at least based on the number of reported significant figures and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

[0044] Although specific embodiments have been described, alternative forms, modifications, variations, improvements, and substantial equivalents may be conceived by the applicant or others skilled in the art that are currently unforeseeable or likely to be unforeseeable. Therefore, the appended claims, which may be amended by them, are intended to encompass all such alternative forms, modifications, variations, improvements, and substantial equivalents.

Claims

1. A fluid-fillable cylinder, comprising: An open-type fluid reservoir is located within the fluid-fillable cylinder; as well as A fluid ejector chip is attached to the exposed surface of the fluid-fillable cylinder opposite the open fluid reservoir. The fluid-fillable cylinder includes: an adhesive sealing tape that adheres to the fluid-fillable cylinder. The adhesive sealing tape includes an adhesive pattern located on a first end of the adhesive sealing tape. The adhesive pattern is configured such that the adhesive sealing tape is bonded adjacent to the fluid ejector chip, but there is no adhesive in the nozzle orifice region of the fluid ejector chip; Its features are, The adhesive sealing tape further includes an adhesive pattern located on a second end of the adhesive sealing tape away from the first end of the adhesive sealing tape, the adhesive pattern located on the second end being configured to seal the open fluid reservoir in the fluid-fillable cylinder.

2. The fluid-fillable cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adhesive sealing tape is configured to wrap around the first sidewall of the fluid-fillable cylinder from the first end to the second end of the adhesive sealing tape.

3. The fluid-fillable cylinder according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first end of the adhesive sealing tape is configured to overlap with the second sidewall of the fluid-fillable cylinder.

4. The fluid-fillable cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adhesive pattern located on the first end of the backing material of the adhesive sealing tape is configured to adhere the adhesive sealing tape to the body region of the fluid-fillable cylinder adjacent to the fluid injector chip.

5. The fluid-fillable cylinder according to claim 4, characterized in that, The adhesive pattern located on the first end of the backing material is configured to avoid adhesive contact with the fluid ejector chip.

6. A method for preventing contamination of nozzle orifices in a fluid ejector chip, comprising: A fluid-fillable cylinder is provided, the fluid-fillable cylinder having: an open fluid reservoir located within the fluid-fillable cylinder, and the fluid ejector chip, which is attached to an exposed surface of the fluid-fillable cylinder opposite the open fluid reservoir; as well as Apply adhesive sealing tape to the fluid-fillable cylinder. in, The adhesive sealing tape has an adhesive patterned on the first end of the backing material of the adhesive sealing tape. The adhesive is configured to bond the adhesive sealing tape adjacent to the fluid ejector chip, without any adhesive in the nozzle orifice region of the fluid ejector chip. Its features are, The adhesive sealing tape further includes an adhesive pattern located on a second end of the adhesive sealing tape away from the first end of the adhesive sealing tape, the adhesive pattern located on the second end being configured to seal the open fluid reservoir in the fluid-fillable cylinder.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: The adhesive sealing tape is wrapped around the first sidewall of the fluid-fillable cylinder from the first end to the second end of the adhesive sealing tape.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first end of the adhesive sealing tape is configured to overlap with the second sidewall of the fluid-fillable cylinder.

9. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The adhesive sealant tape is patterned with the adhesive on the first end of the backing material to adhere the adhesive sealant tape to the body region of the fluid-fillable cylinder adjacent to the fluid ejector chip, without any adhesive overlapping the fluid ejector chip.

10. A method for producing an adhesive sealing tape for use in a fluid-fillable cylinder, the method characterized by comprising: A backing material is provided for the adhesive sealing tape, wherein the backing material has a first end and a second end remote from the first end; and Apply adhesive to the first end of the backing material. The adhesive sealing tape has an adhesive pattern. The adhesive pattern is configured to adhere the adhesive sealing tape adjacent to the fluid injector chip of the fluid-fillable cylinder, without adhesive in the nozzle orifice region of the fluid injector chip. The method is characterized in that it further includes: An adhesive pattern is applied to a second end of the backing material away from the first end of the backing material, and the adhesive pattern applied to the second end is configured to seal an open fluid reservoir in the fluid-fillable cylinder.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also includes: The adhesive sealing tape is wrapped around the first sidewall of the fluid-fillable cylinder from the first end of the backing material to the second end of the backing material.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first end of the adhesive sealing tape is configured to overlap with the second sidewall of the fluid-fillable cylinder.

13. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The backing material is patterned with the adhesive on the first end of the backing material. The adhesive pattern is sufficient to adhere the adhesive sealing tape to the body region of the fluid-fillable cylinder adjacent to the fluid ejector chip, without any adhesive overlapping the fluid ejector chip.

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