Direct ink delivery system for print heads utilizing adjustable means for controlling ink flows

An ink supply container adapted to be mounted upon a reciprocating carriage for use in supplying ink to a printing member, said container being a hollow plastic housing having a floor portion, a top portion and a sidewall portion integrally joined to said floor and top portions;

• a sleeve integrally joined to the interior of said housing along said sidewall portion;
• a capillary member positioned in said sleeve;
• the lower end of said capillary member resting on said floor portion, the lower portion of said sleeve being a spaced distance above said floor portion to enable the lower end of said capillary member to be immersed in the ink in said container;
• a plurality of baffles being integrally joined to the interior surface of said container and extending into the pool of ink stored in said housing for attenuating sloshing and splashing of said ink due to reciprocating movement of the housing during printing, said baffles each being thin elongated members having a width many times greater than its thickness forming opposed major surfaces arranged transverse to the direction of reciprocating movement of said container.

Apparatus for delivering ink to printing means for printing on a print receiving medium, comprising a reciprocating printing member, said ink delivery apparatus comprising:

• an ink supply container;
• an elongated capillary member having a first end extending into said ink supply container and a second end positioned in the path of movement of the forward end of said printing member, whereby said forward end passes through said capillary member to impact said ink receiving medium, whereby said capillary member delivers ink to the front face at the forward end of said printing member to effect printing by transfer of ink from the printing member to the print receiving medium when the front face impacts the print receiving medium;
• a supporting bracket for supporting said capillary member, said supporting bracket having an L-shaped interior surface for supporting said capillary member and positioning said second end in the path of said printing member, said bracket being provided with a narrow opening a spaced distance inward from the front end of said bracket with said capillary member extending through said narrow opening and towards said ink supply container;
• spring means having a first end mounted upon said bracket and a second end extending along the first end of said capillary member for supporting the front end of said capillary member.

Apparatus for delivering ink to printing means for printing on a print receiving medium, comprising a reciprocating printing member, said ink delivery apparatus comprising:

• an ink supply container;
• an elongated capillary member having a first end extending into said ink supply container and a second end positioned in the path of movement of the forward end of said printing member, whereby said forward end passes through said capillary member to impact said ink receiving medium, whereby said capillary member delivers ink to the front face at the forward end of said printing member to effect printing by transfer of ink from the printing member to the print receiving medium when the front face impacts the print receiving medium;
• a housing for supporting the said printing member;
• the forward end of said housing having a bearing with an opening;
• the forward end of said printing member extending through said opening;
• a snap-on bracket for supporting said capillary member;
• said housing having a pair of flanges;
• said snap-on bracket having a pair of recesses for slidably receiving said flanges;
• said bracket having also a pair of resilient flanges arranged on opposite sides of said bracket transverse to the front thereof and extending towards one another;
• said printing member housing having a pair of projections spaced rearwardly from the front thereof;
• said resilient flanges each having a first sloping edge, said first edges substantially forming a V-shape and adapted to separate when engaged by said projections as the housing is inserted into said bracket.