US 7,438,397 B2
Methods and devices for purging gases from an ink reservoirGeneral
US 7,438,397 B2
Methods and devices for purging gases from an ink reservoir
Tech Center:
2800 Semiconductors/Memory, Circuits/Measuring and Testing, Optics/Photocopying, Printing/Measuring and Testing
Examiner:
An H. Do
Art Unit:
2853 Printing/Measuring and Testing
Agent:
Taft, Stettinuis & Hollister LLP
Inventors:
James Daniel Anderson; David Emerson Greer; Matthew Joe Russell
Assignee:
Priority:
12/01/04
Filed:
12/01/04
Granted:
10/21/08
Expiration:
10/23/25
Abstract
A printhead comprising a first ink reservoir in fluid communication with an outlet nozzle and downstream from a first ink filter, and a pump assembly in fluid communication with the first ink reservoir and operative to withdraw gas from the first ink reservoir and subsequently inhibit fluid communication between the withdrawn gas and the first ink reservoir. The present invention also includes method of removing gas in fluid communication with an ink reservoir, the method comprising purging gas from a gas accumulation area of an ink reservoir, where purging act includes manipulating a valve assembly downstream from an ink filter, the valve assembly operative to separate the gas accumulation area of the ink reservoir from an external environment, the valve assembly operative to facilitate unidirectional volumetric flow of the gas between the gas accumulation area and the external environment.
Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
B41B41J2/17513B41J