Ink supply device

• US 5,633,666 A
• Filed: 05/03/1994
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Haigo, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, Jr., John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/237,054
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 347/86, 347/87
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection

Abstract

An ink supply port to supply ink to a print head is formed on an ink tank, and a filter is provided along the inside surface of the ink tank with an ink foam member arranged therein. The ink foam member has a convex shaped portion where it confronts the filter. Thus, in operation, the convex portion is compressed and firmly contacts with the filter with a uniform pressure. The ink absorbed in the foam member is moved by capillary action from an uncompressed portion to a dense compressed portion of the foam member, which is the convex portion. Then, the ink absorbed in the foam member is transferred into a ink room provided in the ink tank by the capillary action of the filter. The ink is then supplied to the ink jet head through a hollow needle inserted into the ink room.

Claims

1. An ink supply device for supplying ink to a print head, said ink supply device comprising:

an ink tank comprising ink supply means for supplying ink to the print head including an ink supply port provided in an inside surface of the ink tank; and

ink absorbing means for absorbing ink, said ink absorbing means being arranged in said ink tank,

wherein said ink absorbing means includes a projecting portion that projects toward said ink supplying means prior to arranging said ink absorbing means in said ink tank, and said projecting portion directly abutting and being compressed against said ink supplying means when said absorbing means is arranged inside said ink tank thus creating an area in the ink absorbing means that is more dense than other areas of the ink absorbing means that directly abuts the ink supply port so that ink absorbed in said ink absorbing means is drawn to the compressed projecting portion by capillary action and is directly funneled to the ink supply port.

2. The ink supply device according to claim 1 further comprising filter means for filtering ink from said ink absorbing means provided on said ink supplying means, wherein said projecting portion of said ink absorbing means applies uniform pressure to said filter means.

3. The ink supply device according to claim 1, wherein said ink supply port is flush with the inside surface of said ink tank.

4. The ink supply device according to claim 1 wherein said ink supply port comprises an air-tight ink room and is sealed by a resilient stopper.

5. The ink supply device according to claim 1, wherein said ink absorbing means is made of a porous material.

6. The ink supply device according to claim 1, wherein said ink absorbing means is polyurethane foam.

7. The ink supply device according to claim 1 wherein said ink tank is detachably coupled to the print head.

8. The ink supply device according to claim 1 wherein said ink tank is integral with the print head.

9. The ink supply device according to claim 1 wherein said ink tank further comprises a cover, wherein said cover has an air hole therein.

10. The ink supply device according to claim 1 further comprising ink transfer means for transferring ink from said ink tank to the print head.

11. The ink supply device according to claim 10 wherein said ink transfer means comprises a hollow needle with an ink entrance sealingly engaged in said ink supply means.

12. The ink supply device according to claim 1, wherein a higher capillarity is developed in said ink absorbing means in an area of the projecting portion due to compression.

22. The ink supply device according to claim 12, wherein a higher capillarity is developed in said foam member in an area of the projecting portion due to compression.

13. An ink supply device comprising:

an ink tank including an ink supply port adapted to communicate with a print head; and

a foam member impregnated with ink and having a protruding compressible portion that projects toward the ink supply port, the foam member being disposed in the ink tank with the protruding portion being directly compressed against the supply port and forming a dense area in the foam member, said protruding compressible portion being formed as a convex portion at an extremity of the foam member,

wherein ink impregnated in the foam member naturally travels to the compressed protruding portion by capillary action and collects in the dense area immediately adjacent to the supply port so as to be funneled to the supply port.

14. The ink supply device according to claim 13, further comprising a filter provided on the ink supply port, wherein the protruding portion of the foam member applies uniform pressure to the filter means.

15. The ink supply device according to claim 13, wherein the foam member is polyurethane foam.

16. The ink supply device according to claim 13, wherein the ink tank is detachably coupled to the print head.

17. The ink supply device according to claim 13, wherein the ink tank is integral with the print head.

18. The ink supply device according to claim 13, wherein the ink supply port comprises an air-tight ink room, the ink supply port being sealed by a resilient stopper.

19. The ink supply device according to claim 13, wherein the ink tank further comprises a cover, wherein the cover has an air hole therein.

20. The ink supply device according to claim 13 further comprising a hollow needle with an ink entrance sealingly engaged in the ink supply port.

21. The ink supply device according to claim 13, wherein the ink supply port is a passage formed flush with an interior surface of the ink tank.