Vent seal

• US 20060092242A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Haines, Paul Mark, Scheffelin, Joseph E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,614,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure

Abstract

One embodiment of a vent seal includes a vent that defines a vent channel and a seal positioned within the channel in both a closed vent condition and in an open vent condition.

Claims

1. An ink supply container, comprising:

a body including an interior adapted for containing ink therein;

a vent port for venting gas from said interior; and

a sealing structure positioned within said vent port, said sealing structure allowing gas to vent through said vent port and inhibiting ink from venting through said vent port.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein said sealing structure is chosen from the group including a porous plug, a septum, a screw, a float and a press-fit ball.

3. A container according to claim 1 wherein said sealing structure comprises a porous plug including a clogging agent therein, said clogging agent activated by contact with ink.

4. A container according to claim 3 wherein said porous plug is manufactured of a material chosen from the group including polyethylene, a fluoropolymer resin and polypropylene.

5. A container according to claim 3 wherein said clogging agent is manufactured of a hydrogel.

6. A container according to claim 1 further including a fill port adapted for filling said interior with ink.

7. A container according to claim 1 wherein said vent port is positioned in an upper region of said interior when said interior is filled with ink.

8. A container according to claim 1 further comprising a second seal positioned within said vent port downstream of said sealing structure.

9. A container according to claim 3 wherein said porous plug includes an outwardly extending shoulder, said vent port includes an inwardly extending shoulder, and wherein said outwardly extending shoulder of said plug mates with said inwardly extending shoulder of said vent port so as to position said plug within said vent port.

10. A container according to claim 1 wherein said body comprises an off-axis inkjet ink reservoir.

11. A vent port seal, comprising:

a vent that defines a vent channel; and

a seal positioned within said channel in both a closed vent condition and in an open vent condition.

12. A seal according to claim 11 wherein said vent is positioned in a wall of an ink supply container.

13. A seal according to claim 11 wherein said seal comprises a foam material impregnated with a clogging agent, wherein said clogging agent is activated by contact with a fluid, and wherein said foam and said clogging agent allow gas to pass therethrough prior to activation of said clogging agent.

14. A seal according to claim 11 wherein said seal comprises a foam material impregnated with a clogging agent, wherein said clogging agent is activated by contact with a fluid, and wherein said foam and said clogging agent inhibit gas from passing therethrough after activation of said clogging agent.

15. A seal according to claim 11 wherein said vent channel is positioned in an upper position of an ink supply container during filling of said container with an ink.

16. A seal according to claim 11 wherein said seal comprises one of a ball, a septum, a float and a screw.

17. A printing mechanism, comprising:

a print cartridge;

an ink supply that supplies ink to said print cartridge;

an vent aperture positioned within said ink supply; and

a seal positioned within said vent aperture, said seal allowing gas to vent therethrough and inhibiting fluid from flowing therethrough.

18. A printing mechanism according to claim 17 wherein said seal includes a clogging agent activated by contact with a fluid.

19. A printing mechanism according to claim 18 wherein said clogging agent is a hydrogel.

20. A printing mechanism according to claim 17 wherein said seal comprises a porous material chosen from one of a metal, a metal oxide, a metal alloy, ceramic, graphite, glass, paper, an organic polymer, and mixtures thereof.

21. A printing mechanism according to claim 17 wherein said vent aperture is positioned so that fluid contacts said seal only when said ink supply is full of fluid.

22. A printing mechanism, comprising:

an ink supply container including means for venting gas therefrom; and

means for sealing said means for venting, said means for sealing changing from an open condition to a closed condition upon contact of a fluid with said means for sealing.

23. A printing mechanism according to claim 22 wherein said means for sealing in said open condition allows gas to vent therethrough and said means for sealing in said closed condition inhibits fluid from flowing therethrough.

24. A printing mechanism according to claim 22 wherein said means for sealing comprises a first material including a second material impregnated therein, said second material activated from a flow-through condition to a non-flow condition by contact with a fluid.

25. A printing mechanism according to claim 22 wherein said means for sealing comprises a float.

26. A printing mechanism according to claim 22 wherein said means for venting extends through a top surface of said ink supply container.

27. A printing mechanism according to claim 24 wherein said first material comprises a porous material chosen from one of a metal, a metal oxide, a metal alloy, ceramic, graphite, glass, paper, an organic polymer, and mixtures thereof.

28. A method of sealing an ink supply vent port, comprising:

supplying a first volume of ink to an ink supply wherein gas is vented from said ink supply through a self-sealing seal in a vent port during said supplying said first volume, and

supplying a second volume of ink to an ink supply such that ink contacts said self-sealing seal, wherein contact of ink with said self-sealing seal seals said vent port against ink flowing therethrough.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein said vent port is positioned in said ink supply such that ink contacts said seal only when said ink supply is full of ink.

30. A method according to claim 28 wherein said self-sealing seal comprises a first material having a clogging agent impregnated therein, said clogging agent activated from an open condition to a blocked condition upon contact of ink with said seal.

31. A method according to claim 28 wherein said supplying said first and second volumes is conducted through a fill port of said ink supply.

32. A method according to claim 28 further comprising placing a second seal in said vent port downstream of said seal.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein said second seal is chosen from one of a screw and a press-fit ball.