Patent US5453772A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5453772A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid container with bladder-like member and liquid path along an interior container wall
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1995-03-03
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Granted: 1995-09-26
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Expires: 2015-03-03
Abstract
Abstract An ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to a recording unit comprises a bag-like member arranged in an inner space of the ink tank and communicating with the atmosphere, which bag-like member has a volume variable from substantially zero to a volume substantially equal to that of the inner space of the ink tank. Ink is stored in a space defined between the ink tank and the bag-like member and a liquid path is formed in an inner wall surface of the ink tank.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenji Aono
- 👤 Yoshifumi Hattori
- 👤 Masashi Kitani
- 👤 Etsurou Suzuki
- 👤 Hideo Saikawa
- 👤 Masami Kojima
- 👤 Kenji Kawano
- 👤 Koichi Tanno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 13:46
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17503; B41J2/17513
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A liquid storing container for storing liquid to be supplied to liquid discharging means, said container comprising: a container body for storing liquid; a liquid supply port on a part of said container body for connecting said container body to the liquid discharging means; pressure adjusting means on said liquid supply port for generating a negative pressure in the liquid supplied to the liquid discharging means; an atmosphere-communicating port on a part of said container body; a bladder-like member on said atmosphere-communicating port for expanding into the interior of said container body in accordance with consumption of the liquid contained in said container body; and a liquid path on an inner wall of said container body, said path extending from a side of said container body where said liquid supply port is located to a side of said container body where said atmosphere-communicating port is located.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
A liquid storing container for storing liquid to be supplied to liquid discharging means, said container comprising: a container body for storing liquid; a liquid supply port on a part of said container body for connecting said container body to the liquid discharging means; pressure adjusting means on said liquid supply port for generating a negative pressure in the liquid supplied to the liquid discharging means; an atmosphere-communicating port on a part of said container body; a bladder-like member on said atmosphere-communicating port for expanding into the interior of said container body in accordance with consumption of the liquid contained in said container body; and a liquid path on an inner wall of said container body, said path extending from a side of said container body where said liquid supply port is located to a side of said container body where said atmosphere-communicating port is located.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 1, wherein said pressure adjusting means generates negative pressure within a predetermined pressure range.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 1, wherein said liquid storing container is an integral part of a cartridge which also includes the liquid discharging means and which cartridge is removably mountable on a carriage on an apparatus and is capable of being scanned when mounted on the carriage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 3, wherein said pressure adjusting means generates negative pressure within a predetermined pressure range.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 1, wherein the liquid discharging means is capable of discharging liquid by utilizing thermal energy and an electrothermal transducing element for generating such thermal energy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 1, wherein said liquid path comprises a recessed groove in said inner wall, wherein said groove remains unobstructed as said bladder-like member expands.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 1, wherein said liquid path is defined by a projecting rib on said inner wall for maintaining a space between said inner wall and said bladder-like member as said bladder-like member expands.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 1, wherein said pressure adjusting means is an absorbing member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A liquid storing container according to claim 1, wherein said pressure adjusting means is an elastic member having a slit which opens in response to a predetermined pressure change.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
173 words
An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: an ink jet head; an ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to said ink jet head, said ink tank having: a container body for storing ink, an ink supply port on a part of said container body for connecting said container body to said ink jet head, pressure adjusting means on said ink supply port for generating a negative pressure in the ink supplied to said ink jet head, an atmosphere-communicating port on a part of said container body, a bladder-like member on said atmosphere-communicating port for expanding into the interior of said container body in accordance with consumption of the ink contained in said container body, and an ink path on an inner wall of said container body, said path extending from a side of said container body where said ink supply port is located to a side of said container body where said atmosphere-communicating port is located; and carriage means for scanning said ink jet head and said ink tank to perform recording.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
173 words
An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: an ink jet head; an ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to said ink jet head, said ink tank having: a container body for storing ink, an ink supply port on a part of said container body for connecting said container body to said ink jet head, pressure adjusting means on said ink supply port for generating a negative pressure in the ink supplied to said ink jet head, an atmosphere-communicating port on a part of said container body, a bladder-like member on said atmosphere-communicating port for expanding into the interior of said container body in accordance with consumption of the ink contained in said container body, and an ink path on an inner wall of said container body, said path extending from a side of said container body where said ink supply port is located to a side of said container body where said atmosphere-communicating port is located; and carriage means for scanning said ink jet head and said ink tank to perform recording.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said pressure adjusting means generates negative pressure within a predetermined pressure range.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said ink jet head discharges ink by utilizing thermal energy and comprises an electrothermal transducing element for generating such thermal energy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said ink path comprises a recessed groove in said inner wall, wherein said groove remains unobstructed as said bladder-like member expands.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said ink path is defined by a projecting rib on said inner wall for maintaining a space between said inner wall and said bladder-like member as said bladder-like member expands.
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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) | 1998-09-25 | 1999-03-27 | 1999-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-09-25 | 2003-03-27 | 2003-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-09-25 | 2007-03-27 | 2007-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |