Printhead ink supply device
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorMasayuki Takata
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A foam unit for storing ink includes a porous member impregnated with ink and a film member wrapped around the porous member. A foam storing case has an opening for allowing insertion and removal of the foam unit into and from the case and a lid adapted to engage with the opening of the foam storing case. When the foam unit is inserted into the foam storing case, an O-ring engages with a projecting portion, and the film is burst by the projecting portion causing the foam member to abut against a filter. Then, a lid is fitted to the opening of the foam storing case. Thus, the foam unit is quickly and neatly replaced, and the ink impregnated in the replaced foam unit can be supplied to a print head.
Claims27
An ink supply device for supplying ink to a print head, said ink supply device comprising:
- a foam unit comprising a porous member impregnated with ink and a film member wrapping said porous member;
- a foam storing case having an opening for insertion and removal of said foam unit into and from said foam storing case, wherein said foam storing case has a projecting portion for bursting said film member, said projecting portion projecting inside said case and forming an ink supply passage communicating with the print head,
- whereby when said foam unit is inserted into said foam storing case, said foam unit is depressed by said projecting portion, and said film member of said foam unit is burst by said projecting portion to allow the ink contained in said porous member to be supplied through said ink supply passage to said print head;
- and
- a lid removably engaging said opening of said foam storing case.
An ink supply device for supplying ink to a print head comprising;
- an ink tank having an ink supply passage adapted for fluid communication with the print head and a cover with an inwardly protruding projecting sleeve defining an air passage;
- and
- a foam unit disposed in the ink tank comprising an ink impregnated foam member wrapped with a film, wherein the foam unit engages with the ink supply passage and has a compressed portion adjacent the ink supply passage, and wherein the projecting sleeve of the cover punctures the film of the foam unit when the cover is closed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.