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US 6,682,183 B2Granted
Seal member for ink jet cartridge
AssigneeNu-kote International, Inc.
InventorsBruce S. Jones, Stephen A. Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air-impermeable, nonporous seal member is disposed in the outlet passage of an ink cartridge. A housing in the cartridge has a chamber that stores ink therein and communicates with the outlet passage. The seal member is preferably formed of one of a rubber, polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic rubber, or silicone rubber. The seal member frictionally engages an inner wall of the outlet passage and has a thin membrane that is selectively pierced by an associated needle of the printer.
Claims24
An ink cartridge comprising:
- a housing having a chamber formed therein for receiving ink and a first surface containing an outlet passage communicating with the chamber and through which ink is selectively dispensed, said outlet passage having an axis;
- and
- an air impermeable, non-porous seal member received in the outlet passage for preventing air from entering the outlet passage, said seal member comprising a wall transverse to said axis, said wall having an axial thickness and including a membrane portion to be pierced by a needle of an associated printer, said membrane portion being axially thinner than said axial thickness.
An ink cartridge for use with an inkjet printer, the cartridge comprising:
- a housing having at least one chamber adapted to receive ink therein;
- a passage leading to an outlet port in fluid communication with the chamber whereby ink is selectively dispensed from the chamber;
- and
- an air impermeable, non-porous seal member disposed in the passage the seal member comprising a wall extending across the outlet port and including an integral membrane dimensioned to be selectively pierced by an associated needle of a printer, said wall having a thickness and said membrane having a thickness less than that of the wall.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.