Patent ID: 6568800
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
Ink-storage reservoir apparatus for a printer, wherein:the apparatus includes a bag of flexible plastic film; the apparatus includes a plug, which serves to close a mouth of the bag; the mouth of the bag is defined by an encircling lip of the felxible plastic film; the lip is uniform in thickness, around the mouth of the bag; the plug has an outward-facing surface; the apparatus includes a membrane, which can be pierced by, and seal around, a sharp hollow needle; the dimensions of the outward-facing surface of the plug, in relation to the dimensions of the mouth of the bag, are such that, in order for the mouth to be fitted over the plug, the lip of film that defines the mouth of the bag must be stretched; the said lip lies stretched over the outer surface of the plug; the apparatus includes a ring, and the ring has an inward-facing surface, which is complementary to the outward-facing surface of the plug; the inward-facing surface of the ring, and the outward-facing surface of the plug, are substantially circular in form, their circular forms being concentric; the dimensions of the ring, in relation to the dimensions of the plug and of the lip of film that defines the mouth of the bag when the lip lies stretched over the outer surface of the plug, are such that the ring is a tight interference fit over the lip of film when the lip is stretched over the outer surface of the plug; the ring lies pressed over the lip, and over the plug, and encircles the plug; whereby the lip of film that defines the mouth of the bag is sealed and gripped, tightly and securely, between the outward-facing surface of the plug and the inward-facing surface of the ring; the ring is of a relatively rigid plastic material, and is annular in form, and its form is characterised as thick and chunky; the tightness of the interference fit between the plug and the ring, the said lip of film being trapped therebetween, is such that the bag and the ring are held firmly and securely to the plug by friction induced by the tight fit; the interference fit between the plug and the bag and between the plug and the ring is uniform as to the tightness of the fit, around the mouth of the bag.