Prev: Canon Printers and the address book
Next: Onsite Computer Repairs Northern & Southern Suburbs Perth
From: Yianni on 24 Jul 2010 11:17
> The use of sponges or other batting (some use a plastic fiber) is
> multiple, but is also an older and not as effective method. It is mainly
> there to control ink release to the head. The capillary action of the
> sponge or batting, helps to keep the ink from leaking out of the cartridge
> and through the heads, flooding them.

Yes, the sponges are used to retain the ink. It's the simpliest method. I
don't see any drawback of using sponges.


> The problems with this system are that it wastes a lot of ink in the
> sponge, (and some of the components of the ink are considered
> environmentally hazardous), the ink has more chance of oxidizing due to
> direct air exposure, and the ink distribution to the head is not well
> regulated which can lead to skipping ink output, the surface of the sponge
> can dry out, the sponge can break down chemically, etc.

I don't think the sponges waste ink. For example a normal black cartridge
could contain 15ml of ink and after it runs out contains only 1ml residue
ink.
The surface of the sponge doesn't dry, because of the usually long breathing
channel. I have cartrides wihch work even 10 years later.


From: Bob Headrick on 24 Jul 2010 16:19
"Adam" <adam(a)address.invalid> wrote in message
news:i25886$6el$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
> Has anyone found out why inkjet cartridges have those sponges inside, one
> for each ink? The only advantage I can see is that they keep ink from
> spilling all over the place if the cartridge gets tilted or inverted in
> transit.

Without foam or some other method to hold the ink in the ink would freely
dribble out the bottom of the cartridge.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging

From: Yianni on 25 Jul 2010 11:23
> Well, that's what some people may think. Now you can try for yourself.
>
> 1. Fill a bottle with water with a big hole at bottom.
>
> 2. Put a sponge in the bottle then put the bottle on top of your monitor
> or
> laptop (if you have one).
>
> Then tell me that the sponge will hold the water.
>

Take a full ink cartridge, remove the top label and turn it upside down. Do
you notice any spill of ink?

There are some methods to hold the ink inside. Of course "no sponge" are
some other methods. Sponge method another. May companies take advantage of
the sponge to make the refilling more difficult (there are many different
methods for this too). But STILL the sponge retains the ink!!!


From: Arthur Entlich on 26 Jul 2010 03:30
Inkjet cartridges with sponges DO have a hole drilled in them, at the
top, Joel, or a vacuum would develops which would not allow the ink out.

They usually had a pull tab you have to pull off before installing the
cartridge to open that hole.

It is that vacuum that keeps the water in the bottle without the drilled
hole. In order for the water to leave, air needs to replace it, or the
sides of the container need to collapse. f the hole is large enough at
the bottom, air comes it part of the hole while the water escapes from
the other part.


Art

If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/

Joel wrote:
> "Yianni" <9jir_2006(a)yahoo.gr> wrote:
>
>>> The use of sponges or other batting (some use a plastic fiber) is
>>> multiple, but is also an older and not as effective method. It is mainly
>>> there to control ink release to the head. The capillary action of the
>>> sponge or batting, helps to keep the ink from leaking out of the cartridge
>>> and through the heads, flooding them.
>> Yes, the sponges are used to retain the ink. It's the simpliest method. I
>> don't see any drawback of using sponges.
>
> Well, that's what some people may think. Now you can try for yourself.
>
> 1. Fill a bottle with water with a big hole at bottom.
>
> 2. Put a sponge in the bottle then put the bottle on top of your monitor or
> laptop (if you have one).
>
> Then tell me that the sponge will hold the water.
>
> Now,
>
> 1. Fill the plastic soda bottle with water. Don't drill any hole on this
> one
>
> 2. Now turn the bottle upsidedown see if any water will spill out.
>
> These I learned from junior high school over 60 years ago. And I don't
> know if they still teaching this old laws of physics or not, but they still
> seem to work quite well on my new catridge with no sponge and 2 big holes on
> top of cartridge. And a big hole at the bottom with the rubber to make the
> hole smaller and longer as a small tube,. as well as some special design
> around the bottom hole. Remember that Epson cartridge has no printhead.
>
>>> The problems with this system are that it wastes a lot of ink in the
>>> sponge, (and some of the components of the ink are considered
>>> environmentally hazardous), the ink has more chance of oxidizing due to
>>> direct air exposure, and the ink distribution to the head is not well
>>> regulated which can lead to skipping ink output, the surface of the sponge
>>> can dry out, the sponge can break down chemically, etc.
>> I don't think the sponges waste ink. For example a normal black cartridge
>> could contain 15ml of ink and after it runs out contains only 1ml residue
>> ink.
>> The surface of the sponge doesn't dry, because of the usually long breathing
>> channel. I have cartrides wihch work even 10 years later.
>>
From: Adam on 26 Jul 2010 21:35
Arthur Entlich wrote:
> It is mainly there to control ink release to the head.
[...]
> The other advantage for the manufacturer, is it makes the cartridge more
> difficult to refill will air pockets developing during refilling,

Thanks, Arthur and EVERYONE, for all your very informative replies!
I'd never expected my question to generate this much discussion.

As I mentioned, I'm playing around with one HP22 cartridge where I
pried off the top and removed the sponges. If anyone else ever
wants to try that, at least make sure you reseal the top back on
thoroughly. Otherwise ink does tend to splash around and escape
from the cartridge, even in normal use.

Thanks again, everyone!

Adam
First  |  Prev  |  Next  |  Last
Pages: 1 2 3
Prev: Canon Printers and the address book
Next: Onsite Computer Repairs Northern & Southern Suburbs Perth