Ink supply device
First Claim
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.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An ink supply device for supplying ink to a print head, said ink supply device comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22)
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13. An ink supply device comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification