Patent US5328279A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5328279A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Dot matrix printer head
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 1992-10-16
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Granted: 1994-07-12
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Expires: 2012-10-16
Abstract
Abstract An ink-supplied wire dot matrix printer head for actuating wires with ink attached to tip ends thereof into contact with a sheet of print paper to transfer ink to the sheet, thereby forming ink dots thereon. The ink-supplied wire dot matrix printer head includes a wire guide member having a wire guide hole for guiding the tip end of the wire, and an ink tank containing an ink absorbing body therein and having an ink supply port in which a portion of the wire guide member is inserted. The wire guide member has a capillary ink path communicating with a side of the wire and supplied with ink from the ink absorbing body.
Inventors
- 👤 Takashi Suzuki
- 👤 Masanao Matsuzawa
- 👤 Yoshinori Miyazawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 20:48
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/22; B41J2/23; B41J2/305; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17503; B41J2/17513; B41J2/235; B41J2/25; B41J2/255
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
A dot matrix printer head comprising: an ink-supply tank formed with an ink-supply delivery port; an ink absorbing member formed of a porous material mounted within said ink-supply tank, said ink absorbing member carrying substantially all of the ink said ink-supply tank is designed to carry; a printing means for applying ink at an exit point thereof in a dot form to effect printing; and ink guide means extending from the ink supply delivery port to the printing means for delivering ink to said printing means, said ink guide means and said printing means having at least one capillary ink path communicating between said ink-supply delivery port and said exit point of said printing means, said capillary ink path including a plurality of adjacent segments all of which are entirely free of an ink absorbing material, each adjacent pair of such segments along said capillary ink path being dimensioned so that the segment of said pair of adjacent segments closer to said ink-supply delivery port will apply a lower capillary force to the ink in said capillary ink path than the segment of said pair of adjacent segments closer to said exit point of said printing means, whereby the capillary force on the ink in said capillary ink path increases between the ink-supply delivery port and said exit point of said printing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
A dot matrix printer head comprising: an ink-supply tank formed with an ink-supply delivery port; an ink absorbing member formed of a porous material mounted within said ink-supply tank, said ink absorbing member carrying substantially all of the ink said ink-supply tank is designed to carry; a printing means for applying ink at an exit point thereof in a dot form to effect printing; and ink guide means extending from the ink supply delivery port to the printing means for delivering ink to said printing means, said ink guide means and said printing means having at least one capillary ink path communicating between said ink-supply delivery port and said exit point of said printing means, said capillary ink path including a plurality of adjacent segments all of which are entirely free of an ink absorbing material, each adjacent pair of such segments along said capillary ink path being dimensioned so that the segment of said pair of adjacent segments closer to said ink-supply delivery port will apply a lower capillary force to the ink in said capillary ink path than the segment of said pair of adjacent segments closer to said exit point of said printing means, whereby the capillary force on the ink in said capillary ink path increases between the ink-supply delivery port and said exit point of said printing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The dot matrix printer head of claim 1, wherein said capillary ink path from said ink-supply delivery port to said exit point is entirely free of ink-absorbing material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The dot matrix printer head as recited in claim 1, wherein said ink absorbing member is formed of a continuous body of porous material free of gaps separating one portion of the porous material from the remaining portion of the porous material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The dot matrix printer head of claim 1 wherein said capillary ink path from said ink absorbing member to said exit point is entirely free of ink absorbing material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
215 words
A dot matrix printer head comprising: an ink-supply tank formed with an ink-supply delivery port; an ink absorbing member formed of a porous material mounted within said ink-supply tank, said ink absorbing member substantially filling said ink-supply tank; a printing means for applying ink at an exit point thereof in a dot form to effect printing; and ink guide means extending from the ink supply delivery port to the printing means for delivering ink to said printing means, said ink guide means and said printing means having at least one capillary ink path communicating between said ink-supply delivery port and said exit point of said printing means, said capillary ink path including a plurality of adjacent segments all of which are entirely free of an ink absorbing material, each adjacent pair of such segments along said capillary ink path being dimensioned so that the segment of said pair of adjacent segments closer to said ink-supply delivery port will apply a lower capillary force to the ink in said capillary ink path than the segment of said pair of adjacent segments closer to said exit point of said printing means, whereby the capillary force on the ink in said capillary ink path increases between the ink-supply delivery port and said exit point of said printing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
215 words
A dot matrix printer head comprising: an ink-supply tank formed with an ink-supply delivery port; an ink absorbing member formed of a porous material mounted within said ink-supply tank, said ink absorbing member substantially filling said ink-supply tank; a printing means for applying ink at an exit point thereof in a dot form to effect printing; and ink guide means extending from the ink supply delivery port to the printing means for delivering ink to said printing means, said ink guide means and said printing means having at least one capillary ink path communicating between said ink-supply delivery port and said exit point of said printing means, said capillary ink path including a plurality of adjacent segments all of which are entirely free of an ink absorbing material, each adjacent pair of such segments along said capillary ink path being dimensioned so that the segment of said pair of adjacent segments closer to said ink-supply delivery port will apply a lower capillary force to the ink in said capillary ink path than the segment of said pair of adjacent segments closer to said exit point of said printing means, whereby the capillary force on the ink in said capillary ink path increases between the ink-supply delivery port and said exit point of said printing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The dot matrix printer head as recited in claim 5, wherein said ink absorbing member is formed of a continuous body of porous material free of gaps separating one portion of the porous material from the remaining portion of the porous material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
196 words
A dot matrix printer head comprising: an ink-supply tank; an ink absorbing member formed of a porous material contained within said ink-supply tank, said ink absorbing member carrying substantially all of the ink said ink-supply tank is designed to carry; a printing means for applying ink at an exit point thereof in a dot form to effect printing; and means in part projecting into said ink-supply tank for receiving and transmitting ink from said ink absorbing member and delivering said ink to said printing means, said ink receiving and transmitting means and said printing means having at least one capillary ink path communicating between said ink absorbing member and said exit point of said printing means, said capillary ink path including a plurality of successive segments entirely free of an absorbing member, each such successive segment as viewed in the direction of said exit point of said printing means being dimensioned to apply the same or greater capillary force to the ink therein than the preceding of such successive segments, said segments being dimensioned so that the capillary force applied to the ink increases as the ink passes through said segments of said capillary ink path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
196 words
A dot matrix printer head comprising: an ink-supply tank; an ink absorbing member formed of a porous material contained within said ink-supply tank, said ink absorbing member carrying substantially all of the ink said ink-supply tank is designed to carry; a printing means for applying ink at an exit point thereof in a dot form to effect printing; and means in part projecting into said ink-supply tank for receiving and transmitting ink from said ink absorbing member and delivering said ink to said printing means, said ink receiving and transmitting means and said printing means having at least one capillary ink path communicating between said ink absorbing member and said exit point of said printing means, said capillary ink path including a plurality of successive segments entirely free of an absorbing member, each such successive segment as viewed in the direction of said exit point of said printing means being dimensioned to apply the same or greater capillary force to the ink therein than the preceding of such successive segments, said segments being dimensioned so that the capillary force applied to the ink increases as the ink passes through said segments of said capillary ink path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The dot matrix printer head as recited in claim 7, wherein said ink absorbing member is formed of a continuous body of porous material free of gaps separating one portion of the porous material from the remaining portion of the porous material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
188 words
A dot matrix printer head comprising: an ink-supply tank; an ink absorbing member formed of a porous material contained within said ink-supply tank, said ink absorbing member substantially filling said ink-supply tank; a printing means for applying ink at an exit point thereof in a dot form to effect printing; and means in part projecting into said ink-supply tank for receiving and transmitting ink from said ink absorbing member and delivering said ink to said printing means, said ink receiving and transmitting means and said printing means having at least one capillary ink path communicating between said ink absorbing member and said exit point of said printing means, said capillary ink path including a plurality of successive segments entirely free of an absorbing member, each such successive segment as viewed in the direction of said exit point of said printing means being dimensioned to apply the same or greater capillary force to the ink therein than the preceding of such successive segments, said segments being dimensioned so that the capillary force applied to the ink increases as the ink passes through said segments of said capillary ink path.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
188 words
A dot matrix printer head comprising: an ink-supply tank; an ink absorbing member formed of a porous material contained within said ink-supply tank, said ink absorbing member substantially filling said ink-supply tank; a printing means for applying ink at an exit point thereof in a dot form to effect printing; and means in part projecting into said ink-supply tank for receiving and transmitting ink from said ink absorbing member and delivering said ink to said printing means, said ink receiving and transmitting means and said printing means having at least one capillary ink path communicating between said ink absorbing member and said exit point of said printing means, said capillary ink path including a plurality of successive segments entirely free of an absorbing member, each such successive segment as viewed in the direction of said exit point of said printing means being dimensioned to apply the same or greater capillary force to the ink therein than the preceding of such successive segments, said segments being dimensioned so that the capillary force applied to the ink increases as the ink passes through said segments of said capillary ink path.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The dot matrix printer head as recited in claim 9, wherein said ink absorbing member is formed of a continuous body of porous material free of gaps separating one portion of the porous material from the remaining portion of the porous material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-07-11 | 1998-01-10 | 1998-07-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-07-11 | 2002-01-10 | 2002-07-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-07-11 | 2006-01-10 | 2006-07-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |