FLUID STORAGE CONTAINER
First Claim
1. A fluid storage container comprising:
- a fluid storage unit configured to hold fluid;
a fluid inlet/outlet opening for disposing fluid in the fluid storage unit or discharging fluid from the fluid storage unit;
a fluid path having a first end that communicates with the fluid inlet/outlet opening and a second end that extends to and opens into the fluid storage unit;
a wall unit that divides the fluid storage unit into a first chamber and a second chamber, the first and second chambers communicating with each other by way of a communication path; and
an outside air channel having a first end that communicates with the first chamber and a second end that enables communication with an outside environment, the second end being at a position that is further from the first chamber than the second chamber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid storage container enables the easy removal of recovered fluid and reuse of the container without incurring the added costs of disassembly and replacing an absorbent material. In one exemplary embodiment, an ink cartridge 17 can have an ink storage unit 45 that stores waste ink, an ink inlet/outlet 55 disposed in a frame part 52 that can be the outside wall of the ink storage unit 45, an ink path 53 of which one end 53a communicates with the ink inlet/outlet 55 and the other end 53b is disposed opening into the ink storage unit, wall parts 54 that divide the ink storage unit 45 into an upper air chamber 61 and a lower fluid chamber 62 that communicate with each other through a communication path 58, and an outside air channel 87, of which one end 87a communicates with the air chamber 61 and the other end 87b enables communication with the outside at a position further from the air chamber 61 than the fluid chamber 62. Other embodiments of fluid storage containers are also disclosed.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A fluid storage container comprising:
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a fluid storage unit configured to hold fluid; a fluid inlet/outlet opening for disposing fluid in the fluid storage unit or discharging fluid from the fluid storage unit; a fluid path having a first end that communicates with the fluid inlet/outlet opening and a second end that extends to and opens into the fluid storage unit; a wall unit that divides the fluid storage unit into a first chamber and a second chamber, the first and second chambers communicating with each other by way of a communication path; and an outside air channel having a first end that communicates with the first chamber and a second end that enables communication with an outside environment, the second end being at a position that is further from the first chamber than the second chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A fluid storage container comprising:
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a housing having a first chamber and a second chamber formed therein; a communication path disposed between the first and second chambers and configured for communication therebetween; a fluid path disposed between the first and second chambers, the fluid path being configured to receive fluid into the housing and remove fluid from the housing; and an exit path disposed between the first chamber and an outside environment; wherein the first and second chambers and the communication, fluid, and exit paths are configured such that when fluid is received into the housing, the fluid flows into the fluid path, into the communication path, and into the second chamber, and air located in the housing is pushed by the fluid, into the first chamber, and out of the housing by way of the exit path. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification