Method of filling an ink container

• US 5,621,446 A
• Filed: 01/03/1995
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Masami, Tanaka, Shigeaki, Kuwabara, Nobuyuki, Kimura, Makiko, Asai, Naohito, Izumida, Masaaki, Arashima, Teruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartary, Joseph W.
• Application Number:
  US08/368,056
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 347/86, 347/87, 347/92, 347/85, 141/1, 141/18
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17506 Refilling of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge

Abstract

An ink container includes an ink discharging portion for discharging ink; an air vent; first liquid absorbing material for absorbing the ink therein and; a second ink absorbing material, disposed between the air vent and the first absorbing material, for absorbing the ink. The first and second absorbing materials at least partly contacting each other.

Claims

1. A method of filling an ink jet recording head with ink, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a recording head main body including an ink ejection outlet, an energy generating element for generating energy for ejecting the ink through the ejection outlet, and a container for containing the ink having an ink supply side with a supply port for supplying the ink to the ejection outlet and an air vent side with an air vent for communicating the container and the atmosphere;

providing a first ink retainer at the ink supply side, the first ink retainer including a bundle of fibers;

providing a second ink retainer at the air vent side, the first ink retainer and the second ink retainer having an area of contact therebetween and the second ink retainer including a porous material; and

injecting ink into the second ink retainer in a vicinity of the area of contact between the first ink retainer and the second ink retainer.

2. A method of filling an ink container for containing ink in an ink jet recording apparatus, the ink container having an ink supply side with an ink supply port for supplying ink from the ink container to an ejection outlet and an air vent side with an air vent for fluid communication between the ink container and ambience, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first ink retainer at the ink supply side, the first ink retainer including a bundle of fibers;

providing a second ink retainer at the ink vent side, the first ink retainer and the second ink retainer having an area of contact therebetween and the second ink retainer including a porous material; and

injecting ink into the second ink retainer adjacent to the area of contact between the first ink retainer and the second ink retainer.