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:
Aug. 31, 2004
Filed:
Feb. 21, 2003
Masahito Yoshida, Saitama, JP;
Naoji Otsuka, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroyuki Inoue, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Nojima, Tokyo, JP;
Hitoshi Sugimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Shusuke Inamura, Tokyo, JP;
Yasufumi Tanaami, Tokyo, JP;
Takeshi Iwasaki, Kanagawa, JP;
Noriko Sato, Tokyo, JP;
Yasuyuki Hirai, Kanagawa, JP;
Takeshi Yazawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a supply system which includes an ink container for reserving a predetermined amount of ink to be supplied to a printing head and which is configured such that ink is intermittently supplied to the container from an ink tank, there is provided a structure that fundamentally eliminates waste of ink associated with an operation of charging the container to apply a required negative pressure to the head. An ink containing body in which a negative pressure can be generated because of its elasticity is provided in the container. After the ink containing body is expanded to introduce ink into the same by depressurizing the interior of the container, the interior of the container is pressurized to contract the ink containing body, thereby returning a predetermined amount of ink to the tank. A negative pressure is thus generated in equilibrium with an ink meniscus holding ability of the head.