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:
Nov. 02, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 12, 1997
Mark Hauck, Corvallis, OR (US);
James A Harvey, Corvallis, OR (US);
Norman E Pawlowski, Jr, Corvallis, OR (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A free-ink inkjet pen is adapted to be fluidically coupled to a positive pressure, off-axis ink reservoir. The pen includes a pressure regulator mechanism in an ink accumulation chamber fluidically coupled to a print head mechanism maintained at a predetermined back pressure by the pressure regulator. A flexible bag is maintained at atmospheric pressure within the accumulator and acts as an actuator against a pressure regulator bias. In the preferred embodiment, the pressure regulator mechanism includes an actuation lever and a pressure regulation lever biased toward each other. The flexible bag is mounted between the levers where by expanding and contracting both levers are actuated appropriately. A variety of bag fabrication configurations, bag materials, and valve seat materials are disclosed.