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US 2004/0165040 A1Published application
Ink Reservoirs
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorDavid N. Olsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ink reservoir having a body and a cover disposed on the body is provided. A vent is disposed in the cover. The vent has a vent hole passing through the cover and an elongated vent path that communicatively couples the vent hole to an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir. An oleophobically treated, porous membrane is disposed over the vent hole for acting to repel ink therefrom and for allowing airflow through the porous membrane and the vent.
Claims35
An ink reservoir comprising:
- a body;
- a cover disposed on the body;
- a vent disposed in the cover, the vent comprising a vent hole passing through the cover and an elongated vent path that communicatively couples the vent hole to an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir;
- and
- an oleophobically treated, porous membrane disposed over the vent hole for acting to repel ink therefrom and for allowing airflow through the porous membrane and the vent.
2 more elements
An ink reservoir comprising:
- a body having an outlet port passing therethrough;
- a cover disposed on the body;
- a vent disposed in the cover, the vent comprising a vent hole passing through the cover and an elongated vent path that communicatively couples the vent hole to an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir, wherein the elongated vent path comprises a groove disposed in an exterior surface of the cover covered by a seal and wherein the seal closes the vent hole at the exterior surface;
- a porous medium located within the body for containing ink and acting to prevent the ink from leaking through the outlet port;
- an oleophobically treated, porous membrane disposed over the vent hole opposite the seal for acting to repel the ink therefrom and for allowing airflow through the porous membrane and the vent.
2 more elements
An ink reservoir comprising:
- means for directing air through a cover of the ink reservoir;
- means disposed in the cover for directing air along the cover between an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir and the means for directing air through the cover;
- and
- means disposed within the ink reservoir and over the means for directing air through the cover for repelling ink contained in the reservoir and for allowing the air to flow between the ink reservoir and the atmosphere via the means for directing air through the cover and the means for directing the air along the cover.
1 more element
An ink cartridge comprising:
- a print head;
- an ink reservoir fluidly coupled to the print head, the ink reservoir having a vent comprising a vent hole passing through a cover of the ink reservoir and an elongated vent path that communicatively couples the vent hole to an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink cartridge;
- a porous medium located within the ink reservoir for containing ink and acting to prevent the ink from leaking through orifices of the print head;
- and
- an oleophobically treated, porous membrane disposed over the vent hole for acting to repel the ink therefrom and for allowing airflow through the porous membrane and the vent.
2 more elements
An ink deposition system comprising:
- a print head;
- an ink reservoir fluidly coupled to the print head by a flexible conduit, the ink reservoir having a vent comprising a vent hole passing through a cover of the ink reservoir and an elongated vent path that communicatively couples the vent hole to an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir;
- a porous medium located within the ink reservoir for containing ink and acting to prevent the ink from leaking through orifices of the print head;
- and
- an oleophobically treated, porous membrane disposed over the vent hole for acting to repel the ink therefrom and for allowing airflow through the porous membrane and the vent.
2 more elements
A method for venting an ink reservoir, the method comprising:
- passing a vent hole through a cover of the ink reservoir;
- disposing an elongated vent path in the cover between an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir and the vent hole for communicatively coupling the vent hole to the atmosphere;
- and
- disposing an oleophobically treated, porous membrane over the vent hole for repelling the ink from the porous membrane and for allowing airflow between an interior of the ink reservoir and the atmosphere via the porous membrane, the vent hole, and the elongated vent path.
1 more element
A method of dispensing ink, the method comprising:
- supplying ink to a print head from an ink reservoir;
- expelling the ink from print head;
- replacing the expelled ink in the ink reservoir with air, wherein the air flows from an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir through an elongated vent path disposed in a cover of the ink reservoir, through a vent hole connected to the elongated vent path and passing through the cover, through an oleophobically treated, porous membrane disposed over the vent hole, and into the ink reservoir, wherein the oleophobically treated, porous membrane is adapted to repel the ink therefrom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.