Patent · US Expired

Balanced capillary ink jet pen for ink jet printing systems

US4791438A · kind A · utility

81Cited by
3References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 28, 1987
Grant dateDec 13, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 28, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2/175
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

This application is directed to an ink jet pen having an ink supply housing which includes a primary ink reservoir (30) and a secondary ink reservoir (26). A balancing capillary member is positioned within the ink supply housing and includes ink flow path (20, 24) which extends between the primary ink reservoir (30) and the secondary ink reservoir (26). This capillary member is operative to draw ink from the primary ink reservoir (30) and into or toward the secondary ink reservoir (26) by capillary action as temperature and pressure within the primary ink reservoir increases. Conversely, when temperature and pressure in the housing decreases, ink will be drawn back into or toward the primary ink reservoir (30). In addition, the primary ink reservoir (30) is connected by way of a suitable ink feed path to an ink jet printhead (32) for supplying ink to the printhead during an ink jet printing operation.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.