Ink regulator tank for use with degassed inks
AssigneeMemjet Technology Limited
InventorsPatrick McAuliffe, Samuel Mallinson, Geordie McBain
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ink tank for an ink delivery system includes: a first ink chamber having an ink inlet port and an ink outlet port; a second ink chamber positioned above the first ink chamber and having a roof defining a tortuous vent pathway open to atmosphere via a gas port; and a diffusion tube interconnecting the first and second ink chambers. The first ink chamber has a smaller volume than the second ink chamber and the diffusion tube minimizes diffusion of air from the second chamber to the first chamber.
Claims17
An ink delivery system for an inkjet printer comprising:
- an intermediary ink tank comprising:
- a first ink chamber having an ink inlet port and an ink outlet port;
- a second ink chamber having a gas port open to atmosphere, the first ink chamber being positioned below the first ink chamber and having a smaller volume than the second ink chamber;
- and
- a diffusion tube interconnecting the first and second ink chambers;
- an ink supply reservoir connected to the ink inlet port via an ink supply line;
- an inkjet printhead having a printhead inlet port connected to the ink outlet port;
- and
- a control system coordinating with the intermediary ink tank for controlling an ink pressure of ink delivered to the printhead,
- wherein the intermediary ink tank is positioned below the printhead for gravity control of ink pressure in the printhead.
An ink tank for an ink delivery system in a printer, the ink tank comprising:
- a first ink chamber having an ink inlet port and an ink outlet port;
- a second ink chamber having a roof defining a tortuous vent pathway open to atmosphere via a gas port;
- and
- a diffusion tube interconnecting the first and second ink chambers,
- wherein:
- the first ink chamber is positioned below the second ink chamber;
- and
- the first ink chamber has a smaller volume than the second ink chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.