Ink roller assembly with capillary ink supply
AssigneeMonarch Marking Systems, Inc.
InventorJohn R. Kessler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rigid plastic tube supports an ink applying sleeve of resilient micro-porous ink retaining material, and a pair of end journal and closure members are pressed into opposite ends of the tube. An ink retaining unit confined within the support tube between the end closure members and includes axially spaced thin plastic discs which define therebetween ink retaining capillary chambers for receiving a supply of ink. A series of axially spaced holes are formed in the support tube and control the outward radial flow of ink from the capillary chambers into the micro-porous sleeve. In one form, the thin plastic discs are separately formed of molded and include axially projecting hub portions which interfit and provide for pressing a stack of the discs together to form the ink retaining unit.
Claims7
A method of producing an improved ink roller assembly adapted to provide a uniform application of ink over an extended period of use, comprising the steps of forming an ink retaining unit having axially spaced generally circular walls having integral hub means, said hub means rigidly connecting said series of walls together to define a series of axially spaced annular ink retaining chambers each having a width predetermined by said hub means, inserting the ink retaining unit into a generally rigid cylindrical support tube, mounting a flexible sleeve of porous ink retaining material on the support tube, forming a plurality of openings within the support tube to provide for a controlled flow of ink from the ink retaining chambers outwardly into the sleeve, and forming a set of end closure and support members on opposite ends of the support tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.