Ink jet printer
AssigneeNCR Corporation
InventorsLeonhard Bader, Frank Giessner, Helmut Weber
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Means for supplying ink to a plurality of individually-spaced movable print heads is caused to be moved in a direction therewith but which ink supply means is positioned and directed in a manner perpendicular to the direction of movement of the print heads. An ink container is fixed at a distance from the print heads and a separate flexible ink supply tube, extending substantially in a vertical direction, connects the container with each individual print head. The ink supply tubes are movably swung or pivoted as the print heads are caused to be laterally moved and the swinging or pivoting movement of the supply tubes prevents interruption of the flow of ink to the print heads upon reversal of travel thereof at the ends of the printing lines.
Claims13
In an ink jet printer, means for supplying ink in continuous manner to a plurality of ink jet print heads movable in back and forth direction across the printer comprising:
- an
- ink container secured to said printer and including rigid conduit means extending in the direction of movement of said print heads, and a
- plurality of flexible passageways pivotally connected with said conduit means and flexibly connected with respective print heads for supplying ink thereto, said passageways extending substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said print heads and being constructed to have one end thereof distal from said conduit means swingably movable a predetermined distance in the direction of movement of said print heads.
An ink jet printer having a platen, a plurality of spaced print heads operable with the platen and movable therealong, and means for supplying ink to said print heads comprising:
- an
- ink supply container secured to said printer,
- rigid conduit means connected in fixed manner to said container and extending in the direction of movement of said print heads, and a
- plurality of flexible tubes pivotally connected with said conduit means and flexibly connected with respective print heads, said flexible tubes extending generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of said print heads and having one end thereof pivotable with respect to said conduit means through a minimum angle of displacement therewith while maintaining flow of ink to said print heads.
An ink jet recording device comprising:
- a
- plurality of printing elements spaced one from the other in aligned manner, a
- carriage for carrying said printing elements in bidirectional transverse movement for printing on record media adjacent said carriage, and
- means supplying ink to said printing elements consisting of a stationary ink container extending along said carriage, an elongated ink container on said carriage and movable therewith and flexible means pivotally connected with said stationary ink container and connected with said elongated ink container and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said printing elements and having one end movable therewith in providing an angular displacement of minimum amount between the stationary ink container and the elongated ink container while maintaining a constant supply of ink to said printing elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.