Waste ink pad system and method of manufacturing an improved waste pad
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorPaul F. Sawicki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A waste ink pad system includes a separate first and second pad of absorbent material, each pad having a hole which is blocked by the opposing pad. The rate of evaporation of volatile components from waste ink is reduced by introducing the waste ink into the waste ink pad system at an interface between the first and second pads through a sleeve inserted into one of the blocked holes.
Claims22
A fluid absorbing pad system, comprising:
- a first pad having a centrally located hole and a second hole located between the centrally located hole and a comer of the first pad;
- a second pad positioned adjacent to the first pad to form an interface between the first and second pads, the second pad having a centrally located hole and a second hole located between the centrally located hole and a comer of the second pad, the second holes of the first and second pads located on relatively opposite sides of the centrally located holes, such that each second hole extends only part way through a total thickness of the first and second pads such that the respective second hole of the first pad is blocked by the second pad and the respective first hole of the second pad is blocked by the second pad;
- a guide member inserted into the second hole of one of the first and second pads, the guide member and the second hole of that one of the first and second pads defining a chamber;
- and
- wherein, as fluid collects in the chamber, the fluid received by the fluid absorbing system is deposited at the interface between the first and second pads.
A method for manufacturing a fluid absorbing pad system, comprising:
- forming a first pad with a centrally located hole and a second hole located between the hole and a second hole located between the centrally located hole and a corner of the first pad;
- forming a second pad having a centrally located hole and a second hole located between the centrally located hole and a comer of the second pad;
- placing the second pad adjacent to the first pad to form an interface between the first and second pads such that the second holes of the first and second pads are located on relatively opposite sides of the centrally located holes such that each second hole extends only part way through a total thickness of the first and second pads such that the respective second hole of the first pad is blocked by the second pad and the respective second hole of the second pad is blocked by the first pad;
- and
- inserting a guide member into the second hole of one of the first and second pads such that the guide member extends into that one of the first and second pads only to the interface, the guide member and the second hole of that one of the first and second pads defining a chamber.
A method of using a fluid absorbing pad system that comprises a first pad having a centrally located hole and a second hole located between the centrally located hole and a comer of the first pad, a second pad positioned adjacent to the first pad to form an interface between the first and second pads, the second pad having a centrally located hole and a second hole located between the centrally located hole and a comer of the second pad, the second holes of the first and second pads located on relatively opposite sides of the centrally located holes, such that each second hole extends only part way through a total thickness of the first and second pads such that the respective second hole of the first pad is blocked by the second pad and the respective second hole of the second pad is blocked by the first pad, and a guide member inserted into the second hole of one of the first and second pads, the guide member and the second hole of that one of the first and second pads defining a chamber, the method comprising:
- collecting fluid within the chamber defined by the guide member and the second hole of that one of the first and second pads;
- providing the fluid received by the fluid absorbing system to the interface between the first and second pads;
- and
- absorbing the fluid into the first and second pads from the interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.