Ink jet printer with self-regulating refilling system

An ink jet printer operable with print head means for ejecting droplets of a colorant, the print head means including a reservoir container that holds a volume of the colorant, an ink ejector that receives colorant from the reservoir container and ejects droplets of colorant therefrom, and a refill tube extending from the exterior of the reservoir container into the interior of the reservoir container, the printer comprising:

• a service station whereat colorant is added to the reservoir container, including
• a colorant supply,
• a vacuum manifold,
• valve means for controllably placing the vacuum manifold in communication with the interior of the reservoir container and sealing the colorant supply from the refill tube in a first refilling position, and for controllably sealing the vacuum manifold from communication with the reservoir container and placing the colorant supply in communication with the refill tube in a second refilling position, and
• support means for holding the reservoir container in contact with the valve means, for preventing ejection of colorant, and for preventing introduction of air into the print head.

An ink jet print head, comprising:

• a reservoir container having a foam mass and adapted for holding a supply of the colorant, the reservoir container having no instrumentation therein for measuring liquid level within the container;
• an ink ejector that receives colorant from the reservoir container and ejects colorant therefrom;
• a vacuum port in the wall of the reservoir container;
• and
• a refill tube inserted from the exterior of the reservoir container into the foam mass within the reservoir container, whereby the vacuum port and the refill tube cooperate to permit refilling of the reservoir container without overfilling, and without requiring any level-measuring instrumentation within the container.

A process for adding colorant to the print head of an ink jet printer, comprising the steps of:

• furnishing a colorant reservoir container;
• creating a partial vacuum in the interior of the reservoir container using a vacuum manifold;
• sealing the interior of the reservoir container from the vacuum manifold:
• and, after the step of sealing,
• placing the interior of the reservoir container into fluid communication with a supply of the colorant and permitting colorant to be drawn into the interior of the reservoir container by the partial vacuum created in the step of creating.

An ink jet print head, comprising:

• a reservoir container having a foam mass and adapted for holding a supply of a colorant, the reservoir container having no instrumentation therein for measuring liquid level within the container;
• an ink ejector that receives colorant from the reservoir container and ejects colorant therefrom;
• and
• a refill port in the wall of the reservoir container, the refill port being adapted to permit the reservoir to be refilled with colorant without requiring instrumentation to monitor the toner level within the container.