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:
Mar. 21, 2006
Filed:
Dec. 08, 2003
Masaki Matsushita, Nara, JP;
Hirokazu Nakamura, Nara, JP;
Naozumi Ueno, Ikoma, JP;
Hisashi Yoshimura, Nara, JP;
Takashi Goto, Nara, JP;
Hiroshi Ishii, Osaki, JP;
Masaki Matsushita, Nara, JP;
Hirokazu Nakamura, Nara, JP;
Naozumi Ueno, Ikoma, JP;
Hisashi Yoshimura, Nara, JP;
Takashi Goto, Nara, JP;
Hiroshi Ishii, Osaki, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
The invention offers an inkjet printer which does not produce defective prints when bubbles enter ink supply tube. There is provided an air trap in an ink supply tube near an ink delivery port of an ink tank. The air trap is a hollow rectangular parallelepiped with a flow passage length of Lx, a height of Lh as measured from the bottom of an ink flow to a highest part, and a width of W. On its downstream end, the air trap has an outlet having a height of Ly as measured from the bottom of an ink flow. The air trap has a bubble catching space above the outlet. The dimensions are determined so that bubbles float at least up to height Ly while passing through the flow passage of length Lx. When bubbles flow into the air trap, they float and are caught in the space of the air trap before reaching the outlet.