Patent ID: 6238042
Filing Date: 2001-05-29
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer, comprising:a main body shaped to define an interior space and including a partition wall in said interior space defining an ink chamber and a foam chamber maintained in fluid communication with said ink chamber through a communication hole in said partition wall, said communication hole providing the sole access for fluid flow into and out of said ink chamber, said foam chamber defining a larger volume than said ink chamber, a portion of said main body defining said foam chamber having at least a plurality of walls;an air vent formed in a first wall of said foam chamber;an ink supply port formed in a second wall of said foam chamber;a porous body accommodated within said foam chamber with a portion of said porous body confronting said ink supply port, said porous body having a volume larger than the volume of said foam chamber;a removable seal for releasably closing access of said air vent to the exterior of said main body;liquid ink in said ink chamber and absorbed in said porous body, the amount of ink in said ink chamber being less than the amount of ink absorbed in said porous body when said air vent removable seal is closed, at least a portion of the ink initially charged into said ink cartridge is charged into said porous body; andwhereby said ink from said ink chamber is supplied via said porous body to said ink supply port for supply to said ink jet printer after said removable seal is opened.