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:
Jan. 04, 2005
Filed:
Jun. 18, 2003
James D. Anderson, Harrodsburg, KY (US);
James P. Drummond, Georgetown, KY (US);
John R. Fowler, Nicholasville, KY (US);
Trevor D. Gray, Midway, KY (US);
David E. Greer, Lexington, KY (US);
Timothy L. Howard, Lexington, KY (US);
Steve R. Komplin, Lexington, KY (US);
Matthew J. Russell, Stamping Ground, KY (US);
Julie A. Whitney, Georgetown, KY (US);
Jon B. Whitney, Georgetown, KY (US);
James D. Anderson, Harrodsburg, KY (US);
James P. Drummond, Georgetown, KY (US);
John R. Fowler, Nicholasville, KY (US);
Trevor D. Gray, Midway, KY (US);
David E. Greer, Lexington, KY (US);
Timothy L. Howard, Lexington, KY (US);
Steve R. Komplin, Lexington, KY (US);
Matthew J. Russell, Stamping Ground, KY (US);
Julie A. Whitney, Georgetown, KY (US);
Jon B. Whitney, Georgetown, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
A regulator adapted to regulate the throughput of an ink between an ink source and a print head includes: (a) a pressurized chamber including an ink inlet in fluid communication with the ink source, an ink outlet in fluid communication with the print head, and at least one flexible wall; and (b) a lever including a flexible arm extending along a portion of the flexible wall and an opposing arm operatively coupled to a seal biased to close the ink inlet when the lever is in a first position and to open the ink inlet to allow fluid communication between the ink inlet and the pressurized chamber when the lever is pivoted to a second position; where a lower pressure differential across the flexible wall causes the flexible wall to actuate the flexible arm, pivoting the lever to the first position (inlet closed), where a higher pressure differential across the flexible wall causes the flexible wall to actuate the flexible arm to pivot the lever to the second position (inlet open), and where a pressure change from the lower pressure differential to the higher pressure differential across the flexible wall causes the flexible wall to actuate and flex the flexible arm without causing the lever to pivot.