Ink cartridge and a method for making the same

Abstract

An ink cartridge has a plurality of ink supplying elements coaxially mounted on a shaft for rotation therewith with each element having an ink containing layer molded integrally with an ink impervious layer covering a side face of the ink layer while an exposed radially outward edge face provides an ink supply surface. The ink containing layers are initially each molded into the ink impervious layer which provides a covering for one side face and a radially outward edge face of the ink containing layer. The edge face covering is subsequently removed from the ink containing layer to expose an ink supply surface of the ink layer. A substantial portion of the ink impervious material is retained in the exposed ink supply surface of the ink containing material to reinforce the surface pores therein while permitting an ink flow therefrom. The ink elements are subsequently assembled on the coaxial shaft in a parallel layered arrangement to position an ink impervious side face covering layer adjacent to an uncovered side face of an ink containing layer of an adjacent ink supplying element.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.