Patent ID: 8087762
Filing Date: 2012-01-03
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An ink reservoir mechanism comprising: a ink reservoiring portion for directly reservoiring ink to be supplied to an ink jet recording head, said ink reservoiring portion having a reservoiring volume which reduces with consumption of the ink and being provided with an air-liquid separation device; a negative pressure source, having a variable inner volume, for normally applying a negative pressure to said ink reservoiring portion through said air-liquid separation device; and a connection path for connecting said negative pressure source and said ink reservoiring portion through said air-liquid separation device, wherein said negative pressure source comprises a flexible film and an internal elastic member, and is effective to discharge the air through said air-liquid separation device from said ink reservoiring portion by applying the negative pressure to said ink reservoiring portion through said connection path by changing the inner volume, and wherein said negative pressure source includes a one-way valve for permitting flow of the air from an inside thereof to an outside thereof while preventing flow of the air from the outside to the inside, and wherein the negative pressure is produced by displacing said flexible film and said elastic member in a direction of reducing the inner volume of said negative pressure source.