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US 2005/0030355 A1Published application
Ink-reservoir vents and venting methods
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsAnthony Studer, Kevin Almen, David Benson, Cary Bybee, David Hagen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Ink reservoirs and methods are provided. One ink reservoir has at least one compartment and first and second vents that communicatively couple the compartment to an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir.
Claims34
An ink reservoir comprising:
- at least one compartment;
- and
- first and second vents that communicatively couple the compartment to an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir.
An ink reservoir comprising:
- at least one compartment;
- and
- first and second labyrinth vents, the first and second labyrinth vents respectively comprising first and second vent holes passing through the ink reservoir and into the compartment and first and second elongated vent paths that respectively communicatively couple the first and second vent holes to an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir.
An ink reservoir comprising:
- a body comprising at least one compartment;
- a cover disposed on the body;
- a first labyrinth vent disposed in the cover that communicatively couples the compartment to an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir;
- a second labyrinth vent disposed in the cover or in a wall of the body that is opposite the cover that communicatively couples the compartment to the atmosphere surrounding the exterior of the ink reservoir;
- and
- a hydrophilic capillary medium located within the compartment for containing ink and acting to prevent the ink from leaking through an outlet of the ink reservoir.
3 more elements
An ink reservoir comprising:
- means for directing at least two airflows substantially simultaneously into a compartment of the ink reservoir from an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir when a pressure of the atmosphere is greater than a pressure in the compartment and substantially simultaneously from the compartment to the atmosphere when the pressure of the atmosphere is less than the pressure in the compartment.
An ink-deposition system comprising:
- a print head;
- an ink reservoir fluidly coupled to the print head, the ink reservoir comprising:
- at least one compartment;
- and
- first and second vents that communicatively couple the compartment to an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir;
- and
- a capillary medium located within the compartment for containing ink and acting to prevent the ink from leaking through orifices of the print head.
4 more elements
A method for venting an ink reservoir, the method comprising:
- passing a first vent hole through a cover of the ink reservoir into a compartment of the ink reservoir;
- forming a first elongated vent path in the cover between an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir and the first vent hole for communicatively coupling the first vent hole to the atmosphere;
- passing a second vent hole through the ink reservoir into the compartment;
- and
- forming a second elongated vent path in the ink reservoir between the atmosphere and the second vent hole for communicatively coupling the second vent hole to the atmosphere.
2 more elements
A method for venting an ink reservoir, the method comprising:
- directing first and second airflows substantially simultaneously into a compartment of the ink reservoir from an atmosphere surrounding an exterior of the ink reservoir when a pressure of the atmosphere is greater than a pressure in the compartment;
- and
- directing the first and second airflows substantially simultaneously from the compartment to the atmosphere when the pressure of the atmosphere is less than the pressure in the compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.