Patent ID: 7040742
Filing Date: 2006-05-09
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink flow control device for a printer having at least one print head, comprising: a main body; an ink flow passage formed at least in part in the main body and communicating a supply of ink with a print head; a diaphragm carried by the main body and defining at least a part of a pressure receiving chamber on one side of the diaphragm that forms part of the ink flow passage and a reference chamber on the other side of the diaphragm, a portion of the diaphragm being movable in generally opposed directions tending to increase and to decrease the volume of the pressure receiving chamber in response to a differential force across the diaphragm; a valve including a valve seat with a bore defining a portion of the ink flow passage, a valve head movable relative to and selectively engageable with the valve seat to at least substantially restrict ink flow through the bore when the valve head is engaged with the valve seat and to permit ink flow through the bore when the valve head is not engaged with the valve seat, the valve head being moved relative to the valve seat by movement of the diaphragm to control ink flow through the ink flow passage at least in part by the movement of the diaphragm.