Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6663224
-
Patent Number
6,663,224
-
Date Filed
Friday, May 4, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, December 16, 200320 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Nguyen; Judy
- Huffman; Julian D.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 029 8901
- 347 40
- 347 44
- 347 45
- 347 49
- 347 47
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A plate has a rectangular plate body with a plurality of nozzle arrays. The plate also has first and second end zones in between the plurality of nozzle arrays and opposing ends of the plate body, respectively. There is a break tab in at least one of the first and second end zones. In between the first and second end zones is a middle zone. A plating material encapsulates the plate body in the middle zone.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to ink jet printers, and particularly manufacture of orifice plates for use with ink jet printers and assembly therewith.
BACKGROUND
Generally, thermal ink jet printers have a print cartridge. The print cartridge often includes a print head having an orifice plate defining one or more arrays of numerous orifices through which droplets of fluid are expelled onto a medium to generate a desired pattern.
An orifice plate has a core plate material that is typically formed of a metal. Typically, an area of the core plate material is exposed during the manufacturing process. Often, the metals forming the core plate material are susceptible to corrosion by some fluids used in the cartridges. Further, the metal in the orifice plate sometimes forms a galvanic cell with some of the fluids used in the cartridge. With corrosion or the formation of a galvanic cell with the orifice plate, the cartridge is more likely to be rendered inoperable prematurely.
Often the exposed areas of the plate are encapsulated with an inert coating. However, the coating often extends over the plate to at least partially block the orifices through which fluid is to be expelled in a printing process. Consequently, an adequate margin between the orifices and exposed areas is employed. The size of the print head die onto which the plate is attached is thereby directly affected. It is desired to minimize the size of the print head die due to the costs associated with the material used therein. Accordingly, it is desired to manufacture orifice plates that minimize print head die size, resist corrosion and minimize galvanic cell formation.
SUMMARY
In one embodiment, a plate has a rectangular plate body with a plurality of nozzle arrays. The plate also has first and second end zones in between the plurality of nozzle arrays and opposing ends of the plate body, respectively. There is a break tab in at least one of the first and second end zones. In between the first and second end zones is a middle zone. A plating material encapsulates the plate body in the middle zone.
Many of the attendant features of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description and considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols designate like parts throughout.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a plan view of a sheet of intercoupled orifice plates according to one embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2
is an enlarged view of section
2
of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 3A
is an enlarged view of section
3
of FIG.
2
.
FIG. 3B
is another embodiment of the enlarged view of section
3
of FIG.
2
.
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of an ink jet cartridge including an orifice plate according to the embodiment of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 5
is an enlarged schematic sectional view of the ink jet cartridge of
FIG. 4
, taken along section
5
—
5
.
FIG. 6
is an enlarged plan view of an alternative configuration for a sheet of orifice plates.
FIG. 7
is an enlarged plan view of another alternative configuration for a sheet of orifice plates.
FIG. 8
is an enlarged plan view of another alternative configuration for a sheet of orifice plates.
FIG. 9
is an enlarged plan view of another alternative configuration for a sheet of orifice plates.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1
, a sheet
10
has a multitude of intercoupled orifice plates
12
. The sheet includes a peripheral frame
14
that surrounds the plates, and that provides structural support of the sheet and alignment of the plates.
In one embodiment, the plates
12
are arranged in rows
20
and columns
22
, with more columns than rows. In one embodiment, the rows
20
are staggered, in that the plates of one row are offset from the plates of the adjacent rows. In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1
, the offset is about one half the center-to-center spacing of the plates every other row.
In one embodiment, the sheet
10
is a square. In the embodiment illustrated, the sheet has sides of about 190 mm in length. In another embodiment, the sheet has a length and width found in a range of about 150 to 500 mm. In other embodiments the sheet length and width are determined by a desired number of plates per sheet, and/or a desire to have a sheet size that is compatible with manufacturing equipment sizes. A sheet thickness (and thus plate thickness) is about 29 μm. In alternative embodiments, the sheet thickness is found in a range from about 15 to 55 μm. The frame has a width of approximately 20 mm around the sides of the sheet. In alternative embodiments, the frame has a width that is found in a range from about 10 to 100 mm. In one embodiment, the frame size is determined based on the desired level of sheet structural integrity and stiffness.
In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 2
, each plate
12
is substantially identical to the other plates in the sheet
10
. In alternative embodiments, the sheet has different plate designs. In one embodiment, each plate is an elongated rectangle having a width of about 2.7 mm and a length of about 10.6 mm. In another embodiment, the width is about 2.2 mm. In another embodiment, the width is about 2.6 mm. In another embodiment, the width is about 3.5 mm. In another embodiment, the width is about 7 mm and the length is about 7.6 mm. In another embodiment, the width of the plate is found in a range of from about 2 to 20 mm, and the length is found in a range from about 5 to 20 mm. In another embodiment, the length and width of the plate depends on the demands of the application, including desired swath height, number of orifice arrays, and resolution. In one embodiment, the plate has an aspect ratio of about 4:1. In another embodiment, the aspect ratio is found in a range of from about 1:1 up to 8:1, for longer orifice arrays.
Each plate
12
has opposed first and second end edges
24
,
26
, and opposed first and second side edges
30
,
32
. In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 2
, the end edges are along plate sides which are shorter than those of the side edges.
In one embodiment, the sheet of plates has a core plate material. In one embodiment, the core plate material is plated over a substrate. In one embodiment, the substrate is glass, in another the substrate is metal. In one embodiment, the core plate material is nickel. The core plate material is peeled from the substrate and dipped into an electroplating bath to coat with a plating material
80
or protective coating. In another embodiment, the core plate material is formed by dipping a metal form into an electroplating bath and plating the metal form with a combination of nickel and a plating material
80
. The plating is then peeled off the metal form to become the sheet of orifice plates.
In one embodiment, the plating material
80
is gold or another precious metal, such as palladium (Ni—Rh, Ni—Pd, or Ni—Au). In one embodiment, the plating material
80
is corrosion resistant. These sheets are generally 20 to 50 μm thick. In one embodiment, the core plate material is nickel with a thickness of about 27 μm, and is coated with palladium having a thickness of about 1.5 μm. The plates in the sheet and break tabs therebetween are formed in the plating process. In alternative embodiments, the nickel plating ranges between about 13 to 53 μm, and the palladium thickness ranges between 0.3 to 2.0 μm. In another embodiment, the amount of precious metal is minimized, while plating reliability is maintained.
The sheet of plates has opposing surfaces which are plated with the plating material
80
. Additionally, the end edges
24
,
26
, including the break tabs, and the side edges
30
,
32
of the plates are plated with the plating material
80
.
In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the plate
12
includes four arrays
34
of nozzles
36
. In one embodiment, each of the four nozzle arrays corresponds to a different color that is supplied from a fluid reservoir or fluid chamber in a printer cartridge. In an alternative embodiment, the number of arrays in the plate range from about 1-12. In another embodiment, at least two of the nozzle arrays correspond to a same color.
Each plate
12
is coupled with the sheet
10
using at least one break tab
40
. In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 2
, there are four small break tabs
40
a
,
40
b
,
40
c
,
40
d
for the plate
12
. The break tabs
40
a
,
40
b
extend from the end edge
24
of the plate. The break tabs
40
c
and
40
d
extend from the end edge
26
of the plate. The break tabs
40
a
and
40
b
, and the break tabs
40
c
and
40
d
, are spaced apart from each other along the end edges
24
and
26
, respectively. In the embodiment shown, the side edges
30
,
32
of each plate are substantially straight, and do not include break tabs. This embodiment with no break tabs on the side edges enables the adjacent plates to be fabricated in closer proximity, which in turn provides the economic advantage of more plates per sheet. In one embodiment, the gap between the adjacent plates is about 120 μm. In another embodiment, the gap between the adjacent plates is about 80 to 120 μm, in particular, 80 to 100 μm.
For each break tab
40
in the plate
12
, there is a corresponding break tab
40
in one of the plates that are adjacent. The break tabs
40
of the adjacent plates are coupled with each other, thereby coupling the adjacent plates in the sheet.
The sheet has an end column adjacent the frame portion
48
. In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 2
, the rows
20
of the plates in the sheet are staggered giving an outer edge of the end column
22
a corrugated shape. Along the end column are exterior end plates
52
a
and interior end plates
52
b
. The plates in the end column alternate between the exterior end plate
52
a
and the interior end plate
52
b
. In the embodiment shown, the exterior end plates
52
a
extend about half the width of a plate past the interior end plates
52
b.
In one embodiment, along sides of the frame is a frame portion
48
. The frame portion
48
has an interior boundary
49
. The interior boundary
49
corresponds with the end column of the sheet of plates such that there is a substantially consistently sized gap
51
in between the end column and the interior boundary. The interior boundary
49
has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the outer edge of the end column
22
. Accordingly, the interior boundary
49
is shaped in a corrugated shape opposite to the corrugated shape of the end column of FIG.
2
.
The interior boundary
49
has protruding portions
50
a
that correspond to the interior end plate
52
b
, and thus the protruding portions
50
a
have the same length as the plates. Likewise, the interior boundary
49
has indented portions
50
b
that correspond to the exterior end plate
52
a
. The indented portions
50
b
receive the adjacent exterior end plate
52
a
in the staggered configuration.
In one embodiment, the sheet of plates is attached to the frame in the same manner as the plates are coupled to their adjacent plates. The exterior end plate
52
a
has a break tab
53
that extends from both end edges of the plate
52
a
. The break tab
53
couples with corresponding a break tab along the interior boundary
49
of the frame, as shown in FIG.
2
. In one embodiment, a top row
20
a
and a bottom row
20
b
of plates are coupled to the frame through the break tabs
40
along the top end edges and bottom end edges of the plates, respectively. The interior boundary
49
adjacent the top row
20
a
and the bottom row
20
b
of plates has break tabs that correspond to the break tabs
40
.
The plates
12
that are adjacent in one of the rows
20
are spaced apart by an I-shaped elongated gap
54
that extends the length of the plate. Flanges of the I-shaped gap are end segments
57
formed substantially perpendicular to a web portion of the gap
54
. The gap
54
terminates at each end segment
57
by abutting one of the end edges
24
,
26
of the plate in the adjacent row. The end segment
57
has a length determined by the distance between two adjacent break tabs. Thus, a total length of any gap
54
is greater than the length of the side edge
30
, because the length of the end gap segments
57
are included in the total length. In another embodiment, a length of the gap
54
corresponds to the longest span of unsupported plate material. A width of the gap
54
, including end segment
57
, is about 120 μm between adjacent plates and adjacent rows. In alternative embodiments, the gap width ranges from about 20 to 200 μm. In another embodiment, the gap width is minimized to allow more plates per sheet.
Each break tab of the plate
12
is coupled to a different one of the plates in one of the adjacent rows. The plate
12
is coupled with plates
12
a
,
12
b
,
12
c
, and
12
d
. The plates
12
a
and
12
b
are in the adjacent row above the plate
12
, while the plates
12
c
and
12
d
are in the adjacent row below the plate
12
. The break tabs
40
a
,
40
b
,
40
c
, and
40
d
couples the plate
12
with the plates
12
a
,
12
b
,
12
c
and
12
d
, respectively.
In one embodiment, adjacent plates in a common row are indirectly coupled through plates in adjacent rows. In particular the plate
12
is indirectly coupled with plates
12
e
,
12
f
that are in the same row as the plate
12
. The plate
12
e
is coupled with the plate
12
through either the plate
12
a
or the plate
12
c
. The plate
12
f
is coupled with the plate
12
through either the plate
12
b
or the plate
12
d.
In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 2
, the break tabs of the plates in one of the rows are aligned with the break tabs of the plates in the adjacent rows. As described in the application, the rows are each offset from adjacent rows a distance that is equal to a distance between adjacent break tabs. In this manner, the break tabs align with the break tabs in the adjacent rows, except for break tabs at the ends of the rows. The break tabs at the end of the rows are in plates
52
a
and couple with the interior boundary
49
, as described above.
In one embodiment, the break tabs are spaced apart evenly on the sheet at about half a pitch
55
of the plates. The pitch
55
is the distance between a center line of one plate to a centerline of an adjacent plate. The even spacing of the break tabs permits the stagger amount of about one-half the pitch between rows. In one embodiment, the break tab spacing on each plate is only slightly more than half the width of the plate.
In one embodiment, the nozzle arrays
34
are in a rectangular zone. As shown in
FIG. 2
, the plate
12
has an end peripheral zone
56
from each end edge
24
,
26
to the rectangular zone of the arrays
34
. The plate
12
has an side peripheral zone
58
from each side edge
30
,
32
to the rectangular zone of the arrays
34
. The end peripheral zone is about 982 μm wide. The side peripheral zone
58
is about 165 μm wide. In alternative embodiments, the values of the width of the end and side zones
56
,
58
range from between about 800 to 1000 μm, and from between about 100 to 800 μm, respectively. With the narrow elongated plate shape, the end zones
56
are relatively small compared with the total plate area. The end zones
56
are intended to provide adequate margin for encapsulation of exposed broken end surfaces of the break tabs, as discussed in more detail below. In between the end zones
56
is a middle zone, and in the middle zone is the rectangular array of orifices.
In one embodiment, each break tab
40
has a shape of a trapezoid. Due to the shape of the break tabs, at a junction of the break tabs from adjacent plates, there is a cross-sectional area that is narrower than other areas of the break tabs. The narrower areas maximize the likelihood that a fracture occurs at the junction and away from the end edge of the plates. In alternative embodiments, the break tab is of another shape having a necked configuration, or is a straight-sided rectangular bridge to the adjacent plate. In an embodiment where a disjunction location is determined independently of the shape of the break tab, as described in more detail below, the shape of the break tab is any feasible shape.
In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 3A
, the break tab
40
a
of sheet
12
and the break tab
40
of the adjacent sheet
12
a
are coupled when in a first position.
FIG. 3B
shows the break tabs
40
,
40
a
in a second position, wherein the break tabs have been separated along break area
59
, as described in more detail below.
As shown in
FIGS. 3A and 3B
, the break tab
40
a
has a wide base portion
42
coupled with and aligned with the end edge
24
. The wide base portion
42
has a length that ranges from about 320 μm to 500 μm, depending upon the application. The break tab
40
a
extends away from the end edge
24
, as the wide base portion
42
tapers to a nose portion
44
. The break tab
40
of the adjacent sheet
12
a
also has a nose portion
46
that corresponds to the nose portion
44
. The nose portion
44
has a length of about 180 μm for break tabs with shorter wide base portion lengths. At ends of the nose portion
44
and the nose portion
46
are indented (or concave) sections
47
. These indented sections
47
are aligned with the break area
59
.
In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 2
, the break tabs are aligned along cut lines (or break lines or break areas)
59
and end segments
57
. The break areas
59
are substantially straight, parallel gaps that define divisions between rows. The plates in the sheet are separated from each other upon separation of the break tabs at the break areas. In this embodiment, singulation of the plates is enabled by substantially parallel and straight cuts, as will be discussed below. As shown in
FIG. 4
, in one embodiment, after the plates are singulated, end surfaces
60
of the break tabs are exposed with the core plate material, while the rest of the plate
12
is plated.
In one embodiment, the singulation of the plates in the sheet is accomplished by bending the sheet at the break areas
59
. In one embodiment, the break tabs are bent so sharply that they rupture and break, thereby breaking the plates apart from each other. In one embodiment, a tool is positioned along the break area, and the sheet is bent around the tool. In one embodiment, a sharp edge of the tool is placed along the break area. In another embodiment, a rolling cutter is rolled over the break area to bend and break the break tabs apart. In one embodiment, the break tabs are formed of a sufficiently brittle material to break in a substantially efficient manner.
In another embodiment, the singulation is conducted using a mechanical shear having a substantially straight line of cutting. The shear severs the plates of each row from those of the adjacent row by cutting the line of break tabs along cut lines
59
, as illustrated in FIG.
2
. The entire sheet is singulated by a sequence of shearing cuts, with a cut for each line of break tabs equal to the number of rows plus one additional cut. After these row cuts are made, the plates are entirely singulated. In one embodiment, a significant manufacturing rate of singulated orifice plates is achieved using this series of row cuts.
An alternative singulating process uses laser cutting of the break tabs along the break lines. In this embodiment, the break area
59
is determined independently of the shape of the break tab. Consequently, the shape of the break tab is any feasible shape. In other embodiments where the break area is determined independently of the break tab shape, the break tab has any feasible shape.
As shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5
, the singulated plate
12
is applied over a barrier layer
82
. The barrier layer
82
defines firing chambers that align with the orifices
36
in the plate. Under the barrier layer
82
is an integrated circuit
65
with arrays of resistors corresponding to the firing chambers. The integrated circuit
65
, together with the barrier layer and the orifice plate are part of a print head
64
.
In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 4
, an inkjet cartridge body
62
has a recessed area for receipt of the print head
64
. In one embodiment, the print head
64
is bonded to the cartridge body
62
with structural adhesive. In one embodiment, fluid conduit(s) are located at a bottom of the recessed area. The conduit conveys one or more colors of fluid from fluid chambers within the cartridge into a slot in the print head
64
, which is fluidically coupled with the firing chambers. In one embodiment, the barrier layer
82
acts a gasket to prevent fluid flow between adjacent orifices. The fluid is heated in the firing chambers by the resistors and expelled from the corresponding nozzle orifice
36
.
As shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5
, along ends of the print head
64
are bond pads
74
. In one embodiment, there are
19
bond pads along each end. A circuit element
70
includes conductive tabs
72
that extend to contact with the bond pads
74
. The circuit element
70
electrically couples the print head with a printer.
In one embodiment, an insulating layer
76
is applied at each end of the print head. In another embodiment, the insulating layer is a bead of encapsulant. In one embodiment, the layer
76
is room temperature vulcanizing silicon rubber. In another embodiment, the layer
76
is a low temperature curing epoxy-based material. In one embodiment, the insulating layer
76
protects elements that are covered from corrosion.
In one embodiment, the insulating layer
76
encapsulates the end surfaces
60
of the break tabs, the bond pad
74
and the conductive tabs
72
. In one embodiment, the encapsulant covers the entire length of each end edge
24
,
26
, as well as extends onto the surface of the plate. The encapsulant extends at least partially into the end zone
56
, described with regard to FIG.
2
. In this embodiment, having the break tabs along the end edges
24
,
26
allows encapsulation of the break tabs with a margin of error: the length of the end zone
56
. In this manner, encapsulation of the orifices
36
is substantially avoided. In another embodiment, the encapsulant extends over less than 300 μm onto the surface of the plate.
In one embodiment, the exposed end surface of the break tab is not encapsulated by the insulating layer
76
. In one embodiment, the core plate material does not negatively react with some fluid chemistries to which the embodiment is exposed.
FIG. 6
is a partial plan view of an alternative configuration of a sheet
110
of orifice plates
112
. Unlike the embodiment of
FIG. 2
, the plates have break tabs
114
along side edges
130
, instead of shorter end edges
124
. Offset rows
120
, staggered columns
122
, and break tab
114
couplings in the sheet
110
, as well as other features are similar to that described with respect to the embodiment of FIG.
2
. Differences between this embodiment and that described with respect to
FIG. 2
include orientation of the rows of the plates
112
. In
FIG. 6
, the end edge
124
of the plate couples with the end edge
124
of the adjacent plate in the same row. In this arrangement, comparatively there are more rows
120
in the sheet, each row with fewer plates. In one embodiment, when the singulated plate
112
is positioned onto the rest of the printhead, the insulating layer
76
does cover the break tabs
114
along the side edges
130
. In another embodiment, the insulating layer
76
does not cover the break tabs
114
. Break areas
159
are similar to break areas
59
described with respect to FIG.
2
.
FIG. 7
is a partial plan view of an alternative configuration of a sheet
210
of orifice plates
212
. The embodiment is similar to the embodiment described with respect to FIG.
2
. Similar to
FIG. 2
, the plates have break tabs
240
along end edges
224
, and the plates have similar end zones
256
. Unlike the embodiment of
FIG. 2
, the plates are aligned in both rows
220
and columns
222
, as shown in FIG.
7
. In addition, unlike
FIG. 2
, side edges
230
have break tabs
241
in the end zone
256
. In this embodiment, when the singulated plate
212
is positioned onto the rest of the printhead, the insulating layer covers the break tabs
240
along the end edges
224
, and covers the break tabs
241
along the side edges
230
.
In contrast to the above described embodiment of
FIG. 2
, singulating the plates from the sheet
210
, and other embodiments in which plates are laterally intercoupled, is less efficient. In particular, after the matrix is cut into separate rows, each row is then cut into individual plates, which substantially slows the singulation process. For example, in an embodiment where there are five rows and five columns, using the configuration of
FIG. 2
, there are six total cuts along the break areas in between the rows. However, using the configuration of
FIG. 7
, there would be six cuts in between the rows, and six cuts in between the columns, assuming that the individual rows remained substantially intact in the frame.
FIG. 8
illustrates a partial plan view of an alternative configuration of a sheet
310
of plates
312
. The embodiment is similar to the embodiment described with respect to FIG.
2
. Unlike the embodiment of
FIG. 2
, the plates are aligned in both rows
320
and columns
322
, as shown in FIG.
8
. Also, in this embodiment, each plate
312
has break tabs
340
in each of four corners
314
of the plate. The break tabs are able to be separated from each other or cut in a similar manner along break area
359
. Because the break tabs are along the break area
359
, when the break tabs
340
are cut at the break area
359
, the plates
312
singulate accordingly (similarly to the embodiment described in FIG.
2
). Along an interior boundary of the frame, the plates
312
are coupled therewith at the corners
314
. In this embodiment, when the singulated plate
312
is positioned onto the rest of the printhead, the insulating layer covers the end edges
324
, and includes the corner break tabs
340
.
FIG. 9
illustrates a partial plan view of an alternative configuration of a sheet
410
of plates
412
. The embodiment is similar to the embodiment described with respect to FIG.
2
. However, unlike the embodiment of
FIG. 2
, rows
420
of
FIG. 9
are offset by about one-third (⅓) with respect to adjacent rows. In one embodiment, each plate
412
has three break tabs
440
along both end edges
424
,
426
. The break tabs
440
includes two break tabs
440
a
, and break tab
440
b
. The break tabs
440
a
couples the plate
412
with plate
412
a
in the adjacent row. The break tab
440
b
couples the plate
412
with plate
412
b
in the adjacent row. In one embodiment, each of the break tabs
440
are spaced from each other by a distance of about one-third (⅓) of an end edge length. The break tabs are able to be separated from each other or cut in a manner described above along break area
459
.
Although this invention has been described in certain specific embodiments, many additional modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, in one embodiment the columns and rows in the sheet of plates are substantially aligned (similar to the embodiments shown in FIGS.
7
and
8
). In another embodiment, the rows in the sheet are offset by less than half the width of the plate. In another embodiment, the rows in the sheet are offset by more than half the width of the plate. In one embodiment the rows are offset from each other by about ¼ of a plate width. In this embodiment, there are four (4) break tabs along each end edge. One of the four break tabs along the plate end edge is coupled with a first plate in an adjacent row, while the remaining three break tabs are coupled with a second plate adjacent the first plate in the adjacent row. In the embodiment, the break tabs are separated from each other along the row by about ¼ of the end edge length.
In one embodiment, there is one break tab on each end edge of the plate. In another embodiment, there are a plurality of break tabs on each end edge of the plate. In another embodiment, there are more than two (2) break tabs along each end edge of the plate. In one embodiment, the break tabs are symmetrical about a longitudinal axis in the plate. In one embodiment, the break tabs are in the corners of the plates as well as along the end edges of the plates.
In one embodiment, the break tabs are spaced apart along the end edge of the plate by greater than half the width of the plate. In one embodiment, the break tabs are spread out substantially evenly along the end edge of the plate. In another embodiment, the break tabs are spaced apart along the end edge of the plate by less than half of the width of the plate. In another embodiment, the break tabs are spread out substantially evenly along the row. In one embodiment with four break tabs, the break tabs are spaced apart in the row by about ¼ of the end edge length.
It is therefore to be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. Thus, the present embodiments of the invention should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention to be indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description.
Claims
- 1. A plate comprising:a rectangular plate body having a plurality of nozzles; first and second end zones in between the plurality of nozzles and opposing ends of the plate body, respectively; a middle zone defined in between the first and second end zones; opposing side edges extending between the first and second end zones; a break tab in at least one of the first and second end zones, wherein the entire break tab is located between the side edges; and a plating material encapsulating the plate body in the middle zone.
- 2. The plate of claim 1 wherein the plating material encapsulates the side edges in the middle zone.
- 3. The plate of claim 1 wherein the break tab includes two first break tabs and two second break tabs, wherein the first break tabs extend from the first end zone and the second break tabs extend from the second end zone.
- 4. The plate of claim 1 further comprising first and second opposing end edges along the ends of the plate body, wherein the break tab includes two first break tabs along the first end edge, and two second break tabs along the second end edge.
- 5. The plate of claim 1 further comprising:opposing end edges along the ends of the plate body; and a second break tab positioned along at least one of the opposing side edges.
- 6. The plate of claim 1 further comprising a gap extending the entire length of each side edge.
- 7. The plate of claim 1 wherein the opposing side edges are longitudinal edges of the plate body.
- 8. A method of manufacturing an ink jet cartridge, the method comprising:attaching a print head to a cartridge body, wherein the print head has an elongated orifice plate with a plurality of orifices, and first and second end zones in between the plurality of orifices and opposing end edges of the plate, respectively, wherein the plate further has a middle zone defined in between the first and second end zones, and wherein the plate further has opposing side edges extending between the first and second end zones and a break tab in at least one of the first and second end zones, the break tab being located between the opposing side edges; encapsulating the middle zone of the plate body with a plating material; and applying an encapsulant to at least a part of the first and second end zones.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the opposing side edges are along longitudinal edges of the plate body, and wherein the plating material encapsulates the opposing side edges.
- 10. A method of manufacturing orifice plates, the method comprising:forming a sheet with a plurality of plates, wherein the plurality of plates includes a first plate, wherein the first plate has a rectangular plate body having a plurality of orifice arrays, first and second end zones in between the plurality of orifice arrays and ends of the plate body, respectively, and a middle zone defined in between the first and second end zones; forming a plurality of break tabs in between adjacent plates, wherein the plurality of break tabs includes a first break tab associated with the first plate, wherein the first break tab is in at least one of the first and second end zones and located between opposing side edges of the plate body; and encapsulating the middle zone of the plate body with a plating material.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of break tabs includes a plurality of first break tabs of the first plate, the method further comprising coupling each first break tab of the first plate with a different adjacent plate.
- 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the plates are arranged in a plurality of rows, the method further comprising staggering adjacent rows of plates.
- 13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:arranging the plates in a plurality of rows including adjacent rows; and defining break areas between adjacent rows, wherein the plurality of break tabs are positioned along the break areas.
- 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising singulating the plurality of plates by separating the adjacent rows at the break areas.
- 15. A break tab of an orifice plate comprising:a base coupled with an end edge of the plate; a nose portion opposite the base; a pair of side edges coupling the base and the nose portion; and concave portions at junctions of the side edges and the nose portion, wherein the break tab is configured to break in the area of the concave portions.
- 16. The break tab of claim 15 wherein the base is wider than the nose portion.
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