Apparatus for and method of graphical recording

Claim 3

The method of claIm 1 further comprising the steps of: moving the record receiving medium relative to the fountain of ink; and maintaining the fountain of ink independent of the relative movement between said record receiving medium and said fountain of ink.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said fountain of ink is directed through a writing tip to the record receiving medium and confined to said selected area of contact with the record receiving medium such that the maximum width of the mark on the record receiving medium is substantially equal to the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the writing tip at the end juxtaposed to the record receiving medium.

Claim 5

Apparatus for producing visible marks on a record receiving medium comprising: discharge means having a discharge port at the end thereof adapted to extend into marking communication with a record receiving medium so as to discharge marking liquid on the record receiving medium; tubular collection means having a collection port substantially the end of said surrounding discharge means, said end of said discharge means protruding substantially beyond the end of said tubular collection means toward the record receiving medium; and means coupled to said tubular collection means for establishing a substantial vacuum at said collection port so as to draw said marking liquid from said discharge port into said collection port.

Claim 6

Apparatus for producing visible marks on a record receiving medium comprising: discharge means having a discharge port at the end thereof adapted to extend into marking communication with a record receiving medium so as to discharge marking liquid on the record receiving medium; tubular collection means having a collection port substantially the end of said surrounding discharge means, said end of said discharge means protruding substantially beyond the end of said tubular collection means toward the record receiving medium; and means coupled to said tubular collection means for establishing a substantial vacuum at said collection port so as to draw said marking liquid from said discharge port into said collection port.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said discharge means comprises a tubular writing tip having said discharge port at the end thereof, said tip being located centrally of said collection port.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said discharge means further comprises a tubular supporting member connected to and supporting said tip, said tubular supporting member extending substantially into and connected to said tubular collection means.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said tubular supporting member is attached to said tubular collection means so as to form said collection port between said tubular collection means and said tubular supporting member.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said end of said discharge means protrudes beyond said end of said collection means a distance more than 10 and less than 100% of the maximum cross-sectional dimension of said end of said discharge means.

Claim 11

Apparatus for recording visible marks comprising: a record receiving medium; a pen comprising: circular discharge means having a circular discharge port at the end thereof adapted to extend into marking communication with said record receiving medium so as to discharge marking liquid on the record receiving medium; tubular collection means having a collection port substantially surrounding the end of said discharge means and spaced from said record receiving medium, said end of said discharge means being substantially flush with said end of said collection means; and means coupled to said tubular collection means for establishing a substantial vacuum at said collection port so as to draw said marking liquid from said discharge port into said collection port.

Claim 12

Apparatus for recording visible marks comprising: a record receiving medium; a pen comprising: circular discharge means having a circular discharge port at the end thereof adapted to extend into marking communication with said record receiving medium so as to discharge marking liquid on the record receiving medium; tubular collection means having a collection port substantially surrounding the end of said discharge means and spaced from said record receiving medium, said end of said discharge means being substantially flush with said end of said collection means; and means coupled to said tubular collection means for establishing a substantial vacuum at said collection port so as to draw said marking liquid from said discharge port into said collection port.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising reservoir means for ink coupled to said collection means, the pressure within said reservoir means above the ink level being substantially equal to ambient so as to prevent the discharge of ink from said discharge means when said pen is removed from marking communication with said record receiving medium.

Claim 14

Apparatus for applying ink to a record receiving medium comprising: reservoir means containing said ink; a pen comprising a tubular writing member forming a discharge port coupled to said reservoir means and a tubular collection member substantially surrounding said discharge port and forming a vacuum chamber; means for moving said ink through said discharge port and back into said vacuum chamber so as to form a fountain of ink in contact with said record receiving medium; and means for spacing the end of said collectIon member from said record receiving medium.

Claim 15

Apparatus for applying ink to a record receiving medium comprising: reservoir means containing said ink; a pen comprising a tubular writing member forming a discharge port coupled to said reservoir means and a tubular collection member substantially surrounding said discharge port and forming a vacuum chamber; means for moving said ink through said discharge port and back into said vacuum chamber so as to form a fountain of ink in contact with said record receiving medium; and means for spacing the end of said collectIon member from said record receiving medium.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means for spacing comprises a portion of said tubular writing member extending beyond the end of said collection member.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means for spacing comprises a spacer member in contact with said record receiving medium external to said fountain of ink.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means for spacing is adapted to space said collector member more than 10 and less than 100% of the overall diameter of said tubular writing member at said discharge port thereof.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising: means coupled to said collection member for establishing a substantial vacuum in said vacuum chamber so as to draw the ink from said discharge port into said vacuum chamber; means coupled to said tubular writing member for generating a pressure therein substantially greater than atmospheric pressure so as to force said ink through said discharge port; and a single motor coupled to and driving said means for establishing a substantial vacuum and said means for generating pressure.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said means coupled to said collection member comprises a larger tubular member and said means coupled to said writing member comprises a smaller tubular member extending through a central passageway in said larger tubular member.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said means for establishing a vacuum comprises a vacuum pump driven by said motor and said means for establishing pressure comprises a pressure pump driven by said motor.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising reservoir means for ink coupled to said tubular writing member and said collection member, said vacuum pump withdrawing said ink from said collection member to said reservoir means without circulating said ink through said vacuum pump, said pressure pump communicating with said reservoir means for delivering said ink to said tubular writing member from said reservoir means without circulating said ink through said pressure pump.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising reservoir means for said ink coupled to said tubular collection member, said record receiving medium being positioned below the level of ink in said reservoir means so as to provide a gravity feed of said ink through said writing member.