Diaphragm pump having an integral pressure plate
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorPaul Mark Haines
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to an ink supply of the type having a diaphragm pump that is actuated by an actuator for providing ink to a printhead. The diaphragm pump includes a diaphragm and a chassis. The diaphragm has an integral pressure plate portion formed therein. The chassis and the diaphragm define a variable volume chamber. The chassis has a bias portion disposed therein for engaging the integral pressure plate portion to urge the pressure plate in a direction away from the chassis. The pressure plate urges the diaphragm away from the chassis to expand the variable volume chamber.
Claims13
An ink supply having a diaphragm pump that is actuated by an actuator for providing ink to a printhead, the diaphragm pump comprising:
- a diaphragm, the diaphragm having a pressure plate portion defined therein, wherein the diaphragm and pressure plate portion are an integrally formed single part;
- and
- a chassis, the chassis and the diaphragm defining a variable volume chamber, the chassis having a bias portion disposed therein for engaging the pressure plate portion of the diaphragm to urge the diaphragm in a direction away from the chassis to expand the variable volume chamber.
An ink supply having a variable volume chamber for providing ink to a printhead, the variable volume chamber defined by a chassis and a diaphragm engagable with an actuator of a printing system, the diaphragm comprising:
- a barrier layer for limiting the transfer of fluid and air through the diaphragm;
- and
- a pressure plate portion defined within the barrier layer itself such that the pressure plate portion and the barrier layer are a single unitary part, the pressure plate portion urging the barrier layer during application of unbalanced forces, provided by at least one of a bias portion of the chassis and the actuator, acting on the pressure plate portion to change a volume associated with the variable volume chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.