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. 24, 2010
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2007
Brian Robert Brown, Balmain, AU;
Norman Micheal Berry, Balmain, AU;
Garry Raymond Jackson, Balmain, AU;
Paul Timothy Sharp, Balmain, AU;
John Douglas Peter Morgan, Balmain, AU;
Kia Silverbrook, Balmain, AU;
Akira Nakazawa, Balmain, AU;
Michael John Hudson, Balmain, AU;
Christopher Hibbard, Balmain, AU;
Samuel George Mallinson, Balmain, AU;
Paul Justin Reichl, Balmain, AU;
Brian Robert Brown, Balmain, AU;
Norman Micheal Berry, Balmain, AU;
Garry Raymond Jackson, Balmain, AU;
Paul Timothy Sharp, Balmain, AU;
John Douglas Peter Morgan, Balmain, AU;
Kia Silverbrook, Balmain, AU;
Akira Nakazawa, Balmain, AU;
Michael John Hudson, Balmain, AU;
Christopher Hibbard, Balmain, AU;
Samuel George Mallinson, Balmain, AU;
Paul Justin Reichl, Balmain, AU;
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd, Balmain, New South Wales, AU;
Abstract
An ink coupling for connecting an inkjet printer and a replaceable cartridge configured to not drip ink upon detachment. The coupling has a cartridge valve on the cartridge side of the coupling and a printer conduit on the printer side of the coupling. The cartridge valve and the printer conduit having complementary formations configured to form a coupling seal when brought into engagement. The cartridge valve is biased closed and configured to open when brought into engagement with the printer conduit. Upon disengagement, the coupling seal breaks after the cartridge valve closes, and an ink meniscus forms and recedes from the complementary formations as they separate, the cartridge valve having external surfaces configured so that the meniscus travels across the external surfaces and only pins itself to the printer conduit surfaces. The invention keeps residual ink off the exterior of the cartridge valve by careful design of the external surfaces with respect to known receding contact angle of the ink meniscus. As the coupling seal breaks and the meniscus forms, the ink properties and hydrophilicity of the respective valve materials will determine where the meniscus stops moving and eventually pins itself.