Vent seal

• US 7,614,710 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Meier; Stephen D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garcia, Jr.; Rene
• Application Number:
  US10/976,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20060092242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 347 84- 87, 347/6, 347/7, 347/92
• US Class Current: 347/7
• 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 stationarily positioned within said vent port, said stationary sealing structure manufactured of a first material and having a clogging agent positioned there throughout, said sealing structure allowing gas to vent through said vent port and inhibiting ink from venting through said vent port at an ambient pressure.

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 said 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 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 porous plug mates with said inwardly extending shoulder of said vent port so as to position said porous plug within said vent port.

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

8. 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.

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

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 in an ink supply container; and

a seal stationarily positioned within said vent channel such that said stationary seal is positioned in a stationary single location in both a closed vent condition and in an open vent condition, said seal manufactured of a first material and having a clogging agent positioned there throughout, said seal allowing gas to vent through said vent and inhibiting ink from venting through said vent at an ambient pressure.

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

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

14. 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.

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

16. 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;

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 in an absence of suction pressure.

17. A method according to claim 16 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.

18. A method according to claim 16 wherein said supplying said first and second volumes is conducted through a fill port of said ink supply.

19. A method according to claim 16 further comprising placing a second seal in said vent port downstream of said seal.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein said placing said second seal is chosen from one of tightening a threaded seal and press-fitting a ball seal.

21. An ink container, comprising:

a vent aperture positioned within a wall of said ink container; and

a fluid-activated seal positioned within said vent aperture, said fluid-activated seal allowing gas to vent therethrough and inhibiting fluid from flowing therethrough, said fluid-activated seal manufactured of a first material and having a clogging agent positioned on said first material, said fluid-activated seal allowing gas to vent through said vent aperture and inhibiting ink from venting through said vent aperture at an ambient pressure.

22. An ink container according to claim 21 wherein said clogging agent is activated by contact with a fluid.

23. An ink container according to claim 22 wherein said clogging agent is a hydrogel.

24. An ink container according to claim 21 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.

25. An ink container according to claim 21 wherein said vent aperture is positioned so that fluid contacts said seal only when said ink container is full of fluid.

26. An ink container, comprising:

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 an ink with said means for sealing, said means for sealing manufactured of a first material and having a self-sealing agent positioned there throughout, said means for sealing allowing gas to vent through said means for venting and inhibiting ink from venting through said means for venting at an ambient pressure.

27. An ink container according to claim 26 wherein said means for sealing in said open condition allows gas to vent therethrough and said means for sealing in said closed condition inhibits ink from flowing therethrough.

28. An ink container according to claim 26 wherein said self-sealing agent is activated from a flow-through condition to a non-flow condition by contact with an ink.

29. An ink container according to claim 26 wherein said means for sealing comprises a float.

30. An ink container according to claim 26 wherein said means for venting extends through a top surface of said ink container.

31. An ink container according to claim 26 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.