Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer having ink jet nozzles comprising: a cartridge housing having a chamber (6) for holding ink, said housing of the cartridge having an aperture (4) exposing said chamber to atmosphere; a printhead (1) having said nozzles disposed at a vertical height greater than an ink level (13) in said chamber; a supply line (3) having an intake end (29) for conveying ink by printhead nozzle capillary action to said printhead from said chamber, said intake end being disposed near the bottom surface of said chamber; and a porous member (9) abutting said intake end to prevent fluid from spilling out of said nozzles upon tipping of said cartridge and exposing said porous member to air internal to the cartridge.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
The ink jet cartridge of claim 1 wherein said chamber for holding ink comprises a lower chamber (6), and including an upper chamber (7) for holding ink mounted above the lower chamber, the upper chamber (7) containing a porous member (8) which is in contact with the porous member (9) of the lower chamber, the porous member (9) in the lower chamber being of greater capillarity than that of the porous member (8) in the upper chamber (7).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The ink jet cartridge of claim 2 wherein the porous member (9) in the lower chamber (6) is saturated and the porous member (8) in the upper chamber (7) is unsaturated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The ink jet cartridge of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the porous member (8) in the upper chamber substantially fills said upper chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
132 words
An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer comprising: a cartridge housing having an upper chamber (7) and a lower chamber (6) and a wall (23) therebetween, said upper chamber having an aperture (4) exposed to atmosphere and containing a first porous member (8) having a specifiable capillarity for absorbing ink, said lower chamber having a conduit (19) for venting said lower chamber to atmosphere; a printhead (1) disposed at a vertical height greater than a top level of said lower chamber; a supply line (3) for conveying ink by capillary action to said printhead; and a second porous member (9) having a specifiable capillarity greater than the capillarity of said first porous member, said second porous member being in fluidic communication with the upper arid lower chambers and the supply line.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
The ink cartridge of claim 5 wherein said wall (23) extends horizontally from a first side of said housing, said wall having an end face positioned such that a gap (31) is formed between said end face and a second side of the housing, said second porous member (9) being positioned within said gap and having a first portion extending into contact with said first porous member (8).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The ink cartridge of claim 6 wherein said supply line (3) communicates with a second portion of said second porous member (9) located vertically below said first portion of the second porous member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ink cartridge of claim 7 wherein said printhead is disposed at a vertical height approximately 12.5 mm above said top level (13) of the lower chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The ink cartridge of any one of claims 5 to 8 further comprising a vent (18 or 27) for fluid sealing said conduit (19) while being permeable to air.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The ink cartridge of any of claims 1 to 9 wherein said (second) porous member (9) is located in said (lower) chamber (6) at a position furthest from the printhead to maximize portability upon tipping by allowing the porous member to be out of the ink at cartridge orientations that have the printhead below the ink level.