Why do inkjet cartridges have those sponges?

[Adam]

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. Or are they meant to keep the user
from shaking the cartridge and hearing that the ink compartments
start out less than half full? Thanks in advance for any and all
illumination on this mystery!

Adam

 

[Joel]

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. Or are they meant to keep the user
from shaking the cartridge and hearing that the ink compartments
start out less than half full? Thanks in advance for any and all
illumination on this mystery!

Adam

It seems like it's part of the old design and to limit the amount of ink.
The printer manufactures don't see any better reason to go without it as
well as the sponge can limit the number of refill etc. so they continue
using the old design. And they use thicker and darker color so owner can't
see the ink level.

Now with the 3rd party refillable ink catridge which uses clear,
transparent ink catrige with NO sponge. Not only the refillable ink
catridge doesn't have sponge that can hold more ink, no dried ink in sponge,
and no AIR/Bubble issue.

The original ink catridge we have to pump the ink slowly, when the
refillable ink catridge we use vacumm method and you can fill the catridge
as fast as the vacumm can vacumm the ink. This is how it works.

My catridge has 2 holes on top right next to each other (not one on top
and one on bottom like the link below), but works pretty much the same.

Someone just use needle and it should work too.

My Epson refillable ink catridge looks like the one below, but I use
Vacumming method instead.

1. Plug the AIR VENT hole

2. Insert the syringe without needle to the REFILL hole (whre the gentleman
in video inserts the needle), then PULL the syringe to create vacumm, and
the ink will be sucked into catridge the exact amount of air taking out.

That's it! no need to suck the ink our from bottom. I can also fill the
ink without taking the cartridge off the printer (like CISS), but I always
take them off to check the ink level.

 

[TJ]

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. Or are they meant to keep the user from shaking the
cartridge and hearing that the ink compartments start out less than half
full? Thanks in advance for any and all illumination on this mystery!

Just my own speculation, but I think you may have the main idea when you
talk of spilling. But not just in transit. Since these are tricolor
cartridges, the sponges may be there to reduce sloshing and potential
cross-contamination during high-speed printing. It's true that that
problem could be eliminated with a cartridge designed to be spongeless,
but this is how they chose to do it.

TJ

 

[Arthur Entlich]

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. Some heads, like those
on Epson printers are passive, meaning they are always open and can,
through siphon action, spill all the ink out the bottom. The sponge
allows the ink to hold. Also, with the heads moving back and forth
relatively rapidly, it keep the ink from splashing up the cartridge and
out the air vent.

The other advantage for the manufacturer, is it makes the cartridge more
difficult to refill will air pockets developing during refilling, In
fact, some manufacturers add a foaming agent which creates a dense
soap-like foam into the sponge, making it much more difficult to get the
refill ink into place. Depending upon the ink, one way to get around
this, besides the vacuum refill method, is using a small amount of
isopropyl alcohol injected into the cartridge, swishing it around before
adding ink. The alcohol breaks down the soap foam bubbles.

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.

Many newer cartridges use no sponge. Instead they use a complex
labyrinth of channels and air exchange filters, and valves to control
the ink flow, control air contact, etc. They also are even more
difficult to refill ;-)

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/

 

[Yianni]

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.

 

[Joel]

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.

 

[Joel]

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

I believe it's called the "laws of physics" especially some catridge has
rubber at the bottom.

Here, check it out for yourself

http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/10333...ridge_for_Epson_11880_7910_9910_7900_9900.jpg
http://image1.dhgate.com/upload/200...a0114b52869265919/productimg1239628476022.jpg
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/279885...toh-DX4-DX5-printer-440ML-with-chip-solt-.jpg
http://image.made-in-china.com/6f3j00evFTLMVPgEcU/CISS-Production-Line.jpg
http://www.goa.com.my/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/550kciss2.jpg

 

[Yianni]

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!!!

 

[Joel]

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

It's telling me that you never have a refillable ink catridge and haven't
had a chance to look at the links I passed them here.

The answer is NO as not only that all catridges have Air Vent which is too
little for most people to realize its existing, the AIR VENT of the
refillable cartridge is around 3/16" in diameter which you can't miss.

Not only the Air Vent is pretty big which is unplugged all the time,
during refilling at some point you will have to have both "refilling hole"
and "air vent" hole unplugged which make 2 holes combined almost 1/4"
diameter.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

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/

 

[Adam]

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

 

[Joel]

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

Yes, you have to seal the top, and it also depend on the design inside the
cartridge. Or it would work better *if* there is/are rooms/chambers to
reduce the gravity, pressure, as well as creating vacumm etc..

Just like so many thing around us the gravity only be able to pull thing
down if it become heavier than the air around it. And we have seen plane,
sky, balloon flying in sky, the morning fog hanging on the leave etc..

And with the Epson catridge (with no sponge) and with *both* holes opened,
the ink won't spill out. Because

1. It has the rubber at very bottom of the catridge

2. Inside catridge it has at least 3-4 chambers to create vacumm and
reducing gravity etc..

And if you look at the techniques (several methods) how people refill the
refillable catridge then you may see it's more than just a catridge with
couple holes. IOW, you see some using vacumm technique to draw air out of
the catridge to create vacumm to suck the ink in.

 

[Adam]

Yes, you have to seal the top, and it also depend on the design inside the
cartridge. Or it would work better *if* there is/are rooms/chambers to
reduce the gravity, pressure, as well as creating vacumm etc..

Just like so many thing around us the gravity only be able to pull thing
down if it become heavier than the air around it. And we have seen plane,
sky, balloon flying in sky, the morning fog hanging on the leave etc..

And with the Epson catridge (with no sponge) and with *both* holes opened,
the ink won't spill out.

Thanks, Joel! In this case I'm dealing only with HP 22 tricolor
cartridges as made by (or for) HP. I can't redesign them, although
I can try modifying them -- as long as I'm willing to clean up any
mess afterward.

Adam

 

[Joel]

Thanks, Joel! In this case I'm dealing only with HP 22 tricolor
cartridges as made by (or for) HP. I can't redesign them, although
I can try modifying them -- as long as I'm willing to clean up any
mess afterward.

Adam

You are quite welcome! and I know you more than you think you don't know,
or because someone tries to confuse you stopping you from knowing.

Example, on the very first message I only gave you the very general
information and you went ahead to do more researching (not many people do
and that's one of the reasons I don't often give much detail on the first
message). And you were the one who reported about the HP 21/22 refillable
ink catriage you found on internet, then I posted many different links to
photos of transparent refillable ink catridges for Epson, HP, Canon, and
even posted some link to Youtube.

IOW, you guys DID see them, so I don't know what else to say.

 

[Adam]

You are quite welcome! and I know you more than you think you don't know,
or because someone tries to confuse you stopping you from knowing.

Example, on the very first message I only gave you the very general
information and you went ahead to do more researching (not many people do

<blush> I suppose that comes from several years of being a Linux
user, where whoever's asking the questions is expected to work on
solving them as much as he/she is able to.

And you were the one who reported about the HP 21/22 refillable
ink cartridge you found on internet, then I posted many different links to
photos of transparent refillable ink cartridges for Epson, HP, Canon, and
even posted some link to Youtube.

In general I tend to over-research things, which sometimes is
helpful, like here.

Meanwhile I'm still "playing around" with refilling OEM HP 22 carts,
both with and without the sponges in them.

Thanks again for all your help!

Adam

 

[Joel]

<blush> I suppose that comes from several years of being a Linux
user, where whoever's asking the questions is expected to work on
solving them as much as he/she is able to.


In general I tend to over-research things, which sometimes is
helpful, like here.

Meanwhile I'm still "playing around" with refilling OEM HP 22 carts,
both with and without the sponges in them.

I don't have the OEM HP22 to play to be able to give you any infomration
what I may find. But as I have mentioned that there are 3-4 different
designs of the Refillable Ink Cartridge. The OUTSIDE all look pretty much
the same, or nothing special about it, but the INSIDE may be slightly
different than other. And that's how they controll the INK from leaking.

 

[Adam]

I don't have the OEM HP22 to play to be able to give you any information
what I may find. But as I have mentioned that there are 3-4 different
designs of the Refillable Ink Cartridge. The OUTSIDE all look pretty much
the same, or nothing special about it, but the INSIDE may be slightly
different than other. And that's how they control the INK from leaking.

Yes, my conclusion is that removing the sponges from a cartridge
designed to have sponges creates a mess sooner or later, at least
with the OEM HP 22. I'm sure the ones designed and sold as
spongeless have their own methods of preventing ink leaks.

Thanks again for all your help!

Adam

 

[Dom B]

Who sells sponge material of Hewlett Packard Printer Cartridges?. I think that they are made of hydrophobic foam. I refill my ink cartridges.

 

[Dom B]

Who sells sponge material of HP printer cartridges? I refill my printer cartridges. I think they are made of hydrophobic foam .

 

[stupiddolphin]

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. Or are they meant to keep the user
from shaking the cartridge and hearing that the ink compartments
start out less than half full? Thanks in advance for any and all
illumination on this mystery!

Adam

Many years late, but I also have wondered about this. I found some very interesting facts from an HP Inkologist from 2012 here: http://h20435.www2.hp.com/t5/The-Ne...de-Your-Ink-Cartridge/ba-p/77977#.WIP75fkrJhE