Self-sealing fluid interconnect
US5796419A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 4, 1995 |
| Grant date | Aug 18, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 4, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16L37/28
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A fluid interconnect between an ink supply and an ink-jet printer has an outlet assembly and an inlet assembly. The outlet assembly has a hollow tube with a lateral hole, a guide member and a sealing member with a catch. The inlet assembly has a poppet valve and at least one compliant finger. When the outlet assembly is inserted into the inlet assembly, the sealing member is moved from a closed position, in which the sealing member covers the lateral hole to occlude ink flow, into an open position, in which the lateral hole is exposed so that ink may flow through the outlet assembly. At the same time, the compliant finger engages the catch on the sealing member. As the outlet assembly is extracted from the inlet assembly, the compliant finger moves the sealing member back to a closed position to cover the lateral hole to occlude ink flow through the outlet assembly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.