Patent ID: 7278719
Filing Date: 2007-10-09
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink jet printer comprising: a printhead movable in front of a printing medium; an auxiliary tank for ink integral with said printhead and containing a spongy body; a detecting circuit of a level of the ink in said auxiliary tank; a main tank for the ink, arranged on a frame of said printer; and refilling means selectively activable for transferring a predetermined quantity of ink from said main tank to said auxiliary tank, at predefined time intervals; wherein said refilling means comprise at least one capillary element of high capillarity and an auxiliary ink feeding device associated with said capillary element, mounted on said main tank, said capillary element being suitable for establishing hydraulic contact with said spongy body, for transferring through capillarity the ink from said main tank to said auxiliary tank, and said auxiliary ink feeding device being suitable for cooperating with said capillary element so as to increase the stream of ink transferred from said main tank to said auxiliary tank, when said printhead is parked in a service station, each time said detecting circuit detects a level of ink in said auxiliary tank lower than a prefixed value.