Systems and methods for degassing fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9315019-B2
Application number	US-201113985750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2011
Priority date	Apr 29, 2011
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method of degassing ink in a fluid ejection device includes generating a localized nucleation site within an ejection chamber of a fluid ejection device. An air bubble is formed at the nucleation site, and the air bubble is prevented from venting into an ink supply slot using a bubble-impeding structure. The air bubble is vented through a nozzle associated with the ejection chamber and into the atmosphere.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of degassing ink in a fluid ejection device, comprising:
generating a localized nucleation site within an ejection chamber of a fluid ejection device;
forming an air bubble at the nucleation site;
preventing the air bubble from venting into an ink supply slot using:
a first bubble-impeding structure at an inlet of a channel, the channel in communication with the ink supply slot; and
a second bubble-impeding structure at an outlet of the channel; and

venting the air bubble through a nozzle associated with the ejection chamber and into the atmosphere.

2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the second bubble-impeding structure is disposed in the channel between the ejection chamber and the ink supply slot.

3. A method as in claim 2 , further including providing a minimum clearance between the bubble-impeding structure and walls of the passageway.

4. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the generating of the localized nucleation site includes repeatedly pulsing a thermal ejection element within the ejection chamber at a sub-turn-on-energy level.

5. A method as in claim 1 , further including pre-heating a die substrate of the fluid ejection device to a pre-firing temperature.

6. A method as in claim 5 , wherein the pre-heating of the die substrate includes pre-heating the die substrate to a temperature within a range of approximately 45° C. and approximately 65° C.

7. A system for degassing ink in a fluid ejection device comprising:
a fluidic chamber having a firing element and a nozzle;
an ink supply slot in fluid communication with the fluidic chamber;
a controller to control drop ejections through the nozzle by activating the firing element;
a degassing module executable on the controller to generate a first nucleation site within the fluidic chamber through repeated, sub-turn-on-energy activations of the firing element and to generate a second nucleation site through repeated, turn-on-energy activations of a pump; and
a bubble-impeding structure between the fluidic chamber and the ink supply slot to prevent an air bubble formed on the nucleation site from venting into the ink supply slot.

8. A system for degassing ink in a fluid ejection device, comprising:
a fluidic chamber having a firing element and a nozzle;
an ink supply slot in fluid communication with the fluidic chamber;
a controller to control drop ejections through the nozzle by activating the firing element;
a degassing module executable on the controller to generate a nucleation site within the fluidic chamber through repeated, sub-turn-on-energy activations of the firing element;
a bubble-impeding structure between the fluidic chamber and the ink supply slot to prevent an air bubble formed on the nucleation site from venting into the ink supply slot;
a recirculation channel having first and second ends in communication with the ink supply slot;
a pump located toward the first end of the channel, the degassing module is to generate a second nucleation site through repeated, turn-on-energy activations of the pump;
the fluidic chamber located toward the second end of the channel; and
a second bubble-impeding structure between the pump and the ink supply slot to prevent a second air bubble formed on the second nucleation site from venting into the ink supply slot.

9. A system as in claim 7 , wherein the bubble-impeding structure provides a clearance that ranges between approximately 1 micron and approximately 10 microns.

10. A method of degassing ink in a fluid ejection device, comprising:
generating a nucleation site with a pump in a fluidic micro-recirculation channel;
forming an air bubble at the nucleation site;
moving the air bubble through the channel to an ejection chamber;
preventing the air bubble from venting into an ink supply slot using:
a first bubble-impeding structure at an inlet of the channel nearest the pump; and
a second bubble-impeding structure at an outlet of the channel nearest an ejection element; and

venting the air bubble through a nozzle associated with the ejection chamber.

11. A method as in claim 10 , further including:
generating a second nucleation site with the ejection element in the ejection chamber;
forming a second air bubble at the second nucleation site;
preventing the second air bubble from venting into an ink supply slot using at least one of the first bubble-impeding structure or the second bubble-impeding structure; and
venting the second air bubble through the nozzle.

12. A method of degassing ink in a fluid ejection device, comprising:
generating a nucleation site with a pump in a fluidic micro-recirculation channel;
forming an air bubble at the nucleation site by repeatedly activating the pump with a full level;
moving the air bubble through the channel to an ejection chamber;
preventing the air bubble from venting into an ink supply slot using a bubble-impeding structure;
venting the air bubble through a nozzle associated with the ejection chamber;
generating a second nucleation site with an ejection element in the ejection chamber including by repeatedly activating the ejection element with a sub turn-on-energy level;
forming a second air bubble at the second nucleation site;
preventing the second air bubble from venting into an ink supply slot using the bubble-impeding structure; and
venting the second air bubble through the nozzle.

13. A method as in claim 12 , wherein the activation of the pump is timed so as not to occur during the activation of the ejection element.

14. The method as in claim 12 , wherein the bubble-impeding structure includes a first bubble-impeding structure at an inlet of a channel, the channel in communication with the ink supply slot and a second bubble-impeding structure at an outlet of the channel.

15. A method of degassing ink in a fluid ejection device, comprising:
generating a nucleation site with a pump in a fluidic micro-recirculation channel;
forming an air bubble at the nucleation site;
moving the air bubble through the channel to an ejection chamber;
preventing the air bubble from venting into an ink supply slot using a bubble-impeding structure, wherein preventing the air bubble from venting into ink supply slot using:
a first bubble-impeding structure at an inlet of the channel nearest the pump; and
a second bubble-impeding structure at an outlet of the channel nearest an ejection element;

venting the air bubble through a nozzle associated with the ejection chamber;
generating a second nucleation site with the ejection element in the ejection chamber;
forming a second air bubble at the second nucleation site;
preventing the second air bubble from venting into an ink supply slot using at least one of the first bubble-impeding structure or the second bubble-impeding structure; and
venting the second air bubble through the nozzle.

16. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the venting of the air bubble and the venting of the second air bubble includes pulsing the pump with a full level, or pulsing the ejection element with a sub turn-on-energy level to disrupt an ink meniscus in the nozzle.

17. A method as in claim 10 , wherein the venting of the air bubble through the nozzle includes breaking a meniscus of ink in the nozzle by activating the pump.

18. A method as in claim 10 , wherein the moving of the air bubble through the channel to the ejection chamber includes activating the pump to generate fluid flow from the pump to the ejection chamber.

19. A method as in claim 10 , further including pre-h

Assignees

• Govyadinov Alexander
• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Govyadinov Alexander

Classifications

• B41J2002/14169

  Bubble vented to the ambience · CPC title

• B41J2/14016 Primary

  Structure of bubble jet print heads · CPC title

• B41J2/1404

  Geometrical characteristics · CPC title

• B41J2002/14467

  Multiple feed channels per ink chamber · CPC title

• B41J2/0458

  controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles · CPC title