The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 23, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 22, 1992
Rodney O Aulick, Louisville, KY (US);
Bradley L Beach, Lexington, KY (US);
Terence E Franey, Lexington, KY (US);
James M Mrvos, Lexington, KY (US);
David G Vella, Lexington, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Greenwich, CT (US);
Abstract
An ink refill device includes a body having a chamber with ink therein. The chamber has one wall formed of a frangible material. The body has a needle communicating the chamber with a reservoir, which has a foam of a controlled porosity therein, in a print cartridge when the needle is inserted in a vent of the reservoir to fill the reservoir. Breaking of the frangible wall of the chamber with the needle extending downwardly enables ink to flow from the chamber at a controlled flow rate to the reservoir in the cartridge. In the preferred embodiment, the needle has one or more notched openings adjacent its distal end to increase its surface area through which ink flows to increase flow of ink to the reservoir.