Back to results
US 7,682,005 B2Granted
Ink tank configured to accommodate high ink flow rates
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorBhaskar Ramakrishnan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorBhaskar Ramakrishnan
Estimating the term…
A removable ink tank configured to be mounted to a printhead assembly includes a floor having an ink output port A free ink chamber is located above the floor. A suspended ink chamber is located above the floor and around the ink output port. The suspended ink chamber is separated from the free ink chamber. At least one ink suspension body is contained in the suspended ink chamber. A fluid communication port is formed between the free ink chamber and the suspended ink chamber to facilitate a fluid communication between the free ink chamber and the suspended ink chamber. A filter device is positioned to cover the fluid communication port. The filter device has a porosity selected to establish a desired bubbling pressure between the free ink chamber and the suspended ink chamber.
A removable ink tank configured to be mounted to a printhead assembly installed on an imaging apparatus comprising:
An imaging apparatus, comprising:
A removable ink tank configured to be mounted to a printhead assembly installed on an imaging apparatus, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Ink cartridges: inner structure
Characterised by ink handling: for removing air bubbles
Typewriters
About 1 year 10 months of term left · ends 19 Aug 2028 (estimated)
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink tank, and, more particularly, to an ink tank with features to regulate bubbling pressure, so as to accommodate high ink flow rates at a desirable backpressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic depiction of an imaging system embodying the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the printhead carrier of FIG. 1, with the printhead assembly and ink tanks uninstalled.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic depiction of an imaging system 10 embodying the present invention, Imaging system 10 may include a host 12 and an imaging apparatus 14. Imaging apparatus 14 communicates with host 12 via a communications link 16. Communications link 16 may be established by a direct cable connection, wireless connection or by a network connection such as for example an Ethernet local area network (LAN).
Alternatively, imaging apparatus 14 may be a standalone unit that is not communicatively linked to a host, such as host 12. For example, imaging apparatus 14 may take the form of an all-in-one, i.e., multifunction, machine that includes standalone copying and facsimile capabilities, in addition to optionally serving as a printer when attached to a host, such as host 12.