Patent ID: 7325910
Filing Date: 2008-02-05
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A sublimation pen for use in a dye sublimation printing system, and for use with sublimation inks of the type comprising at least a liquid carrier and solid-form pigments insoluble in the liquid carrier, said sublimation pen comprising: a pen main body; an ink inlet provided on said pen main body; a variable-width ink passageway defined within said pen main body and capable of fluidly communicating with said ink inlet, said ink passageway defining: a heating means for transmitting heat to said sublimation chamber; and a nozzle mounted to said pen main body, said nozzle defining a narrow discharge channel opening at a first end into said sublimation chamber outlet, and opening at a second end outwardly of said sublimation pen; wherein sublimation ink injected in said pen body through said pen sublimation ink inlet may flow in said ink passageway, first through said sublimation chamber vestibule and then into said wider sublimation chamber within which the solid-state pigments of the sublimation ink are sublimed, the sublimed pigments being thereafter forcibly discharged out of the pen through said discharge channel of said nozzle.