Fluid ejection apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9283590-B2
Application number	US-201214397481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2012
Priority date	Jul 3, 2012
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A fluid ejection apparatus ( 20, 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920, 1020, 1120, 1220, 1320, 1420, 1490, 1720, 1820 ) and method eject a droplet of fluid using a drop generator ( 46, 246, 1546 ) receiving fluid from a passage ( 44, 244, 1344, 1444, 1494, 1544, 1744 ) having an inlet ( 54, 254, 1554 ) adjacent a fluid slot ( 40, 240, 1540 ) and an outlet ( 56, 256, 1556 ) spaced from the inlet ( 54, 254, 1554 ) and adjacent the fluid slot ( 40, 240, 1540 ). Fluid is drawn through a filter ( 50, 250, 650, 1550 ) with a pump ( 48, 248, 1548 ) within the passage ( 44, 244, 1344, 1444, 1494, 1544, 1744 ) that pumps the fluid towards the inlet ( 54, 254, 1554 ) to the drop generator ( 46, 246, 1546 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid ejection apparatus comprising:
a fluid slot;
a passage having an inlet connected to the fluid slot and an outlet spaced from the inlet and connected to the fluid slot;
a drop generator along the passage;
a fluid circulation pump between the drop generator and the inlet; and
a filter across the passage between the fluid slot and the fluid circulation pump;
a second passage having a second inlet connected to the fluid slot and a second outlet spaced from the second inlet and connected to the fluid slot;
a second drop generator along the second passage; and
a second fluid circulation pump, wherein the filter continuously extends across the inlet and the second inlet and wherein the outlet and the second outlet each have a corresponding opening in the filter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a flow constriction between the drop generator and the outlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a flow obstruction within the passage and surrounded by the passage between the drop generator and the outlet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second inlet for the passage and connected to the fluid slot;
a second drop generator along the passage through that; and

a second fluid circulation pump between the second drop generator and the second inlet.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second inlet for the passage and connected to the fluid slot; and
a second fluid circulation pump between the drop generator and the second inlet, wherein the fluid circulation pump and the second fluid circulation are to pump direct fluid from the inlet and the second inlet, respectively, to the drop generator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a flow constriction between the fluid circulation pump and the inlet.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising an obstruction within and surrounded by the passage between the pump and the inlet.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an obstruction within and surrounded by the passage between the pump and the inlet.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the passage comprises:
a first portion having a first cross-sectional area adjacent the drop generator and extending to the outlet; and
a second portion having a second cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area and extending from the drop generator to the inlet.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the passage comprises:
a first portion extending from the inlet and including the pump;
a second portion extending from the first portion to the outlet that includes the drop generator; and
a third portion extending from the first portion to a second outlet connected to the fluid slot, wherein the apparatus further comprises a second fluid drop generator within the third portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drop generator eject drops in a first direction and wherein the inlet faces in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drop generator eject drops in a first direction and wherein the inlet faces in a second direction substantially parallel to the first direction.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a third passage having a third inlet connected to the fluid slot and a third outlet spaced from the third outlet and connected to the fluid slot;
a third drop generator along the third passage; and
a third fluid circulation pump between the third drop generator and the third inlet.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a third passage having a third inlet connected to the fluid slot and a third outlet spaced from the second outlet and connected to the fluid slot, the third inlet and the third outlet located on a side of the slot opposite to the inlet and the outlet;
a third drop generator along the third passage; and
a third fluid circulation pump between the third drop generator and the third inlet.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the filter continuously extends across the slot from the inlet to the third inlet.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a second filter between the fluid slot and the fluid circulation pump proximate the third inlet, the second filter being spaced from the filter.

17. A fluid ejection apparatus comprising:
a fluid slot;
a first passage having a first inlet connected to the fluid slot and a first outlet spaced from the first inlet and connected to the fluid slot;
a first drop generator along the first passage;
a first fluid circulation pump between the first drop generator and the first inlet;
a second passage having a second inlet connected to the fluid slot and a second outlet spaced from the inlet and connected to the fluid slot, the second inlet and the second outlet located on a side of the slot opposite to the first inlet and the first outlet;
a second drop generator along the second passage;
a second fluid circulation pump between the second drop generator and the second inlet; and
at least one filter across the first passage between the fluid slot and the first fluid circulation pump and across the second passage between the fluid slot and the second fluid circulation pump.

18. A fluid ejection apparatus comprising:
a fluid slot;
a passage having an inlet connected to the fluid slot and an outlet spaced from the inlet and connected to the fluid slot;
a drop generator along the passage;
a fluid circulation pump between the drop generator and the inlet;
wherein the passage comprises:
a first portion having a first cross-sectional area adjacent the drop generator and extending to the outlet; and
a second portion having a second cross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area and extending from the drop generator to the inlet.

Assignees

• Govyadinov Alexander N
• Richards Paul A
• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Govyadinov Alexander N
• Richards Paul A

Classifications

• B41J2/17596 Primary

  Ink pumps, ink valves · CPC title

• B41J2/175 Primary

  Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor} · CPC title

• B41J2002/14467

  Multiple feed channels per ink chamber · CPC title

• B05C5/02 Primary

  {the liquid or other fluent material being discharged through an outlet orifice by pressure, e.g.} from an outlet device in contact or almost in contact, with the work · CPC title

• B41J2/14201

  Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements · CPC title