Inkjet Cartridge Clip 101

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

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Inkjet Cartridge Clip 101

Clip Basics

Inkjet cartridge transportation “clips” or cartridge “carriers” are used for sealing the cartridge print-head/nozzle-plate to prevent it from leaking before being inserted into a printer. 

Typically a cartridge clip is a thermo-formed ABS plastic with a film-covered flexible pad for sealing the cartridge print-head.

A great sealing clip/pad combination can properly seal the cartridge print-head and extend the shelf-life of a cartridge for up to a year.

Critical Pad

• The pad is the critical component of the clip.  Clips with poor sealing characteristics can cause colors to contaminate or the cartridge could leak.
• Allowing color cartridges to set clipped after filling increases risk of color contamination—(remove them immediately if deep-vacuum refilling with clip on)
• Nozzle Plates should always be clean and dry prior to clipping (no lint or filaments)
• Reusing clips multiple times with nozzle plate imprints increases the risk of color contamination—it is recommended to use virgin clips for final sealing
• Pad Creep is what happens when a pad shifts under the pressure of an inserted cartridge.  Pad creep generally occurs because of poor clip design, weak pressure-sensitive adhesive, high temperatures, and/ or cartridge movement while inserted in the clip. 

Things to Look for in a Clip

Features:

• Clip geometry should include a sealing surface that is parallel to the cartridge’s nozzle plate
• Locking features (2) that control Pad creep and keeps the Cartridge in place for shipping
• Closed sides to distribute clamping forces equally on the Cartridge’s nozzle plate
• Snapping feature designed for “ease of use”

Pad:

• Sealing surface of the Pad should have the same properties as Blue Sealing Tape
• Pad should only cover the cartridge’s nozzle plate
• Acrylic PSA should be used to apply Pad to Clip