Patent ID: 6460985
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink container for providing ink to an inkjet printhead, the ink container comprising:a reservoir for containing the ink, the ink container when inserted into a printing system having a top and a bottom relative to a gravitational frame of reference, the ink container further including a fluid outlet proximate the bottom of the ink container for permitting ink flow from the reservoir to the printhead, the reservoir having a rectangular configuration with a height dimension, a width dimension and a length dimension, and wherein each of said dimensions is greater than one inch; and an ink absorbing member having a rectangular configuration, said member disposed in said reservoir for generating a capillary force on the ink in the reservoir, said ink absorbing member including at least one continuous fiber defining a three dimensional porous member with the at least one continuous fiber bonded to itself at points of contact to form a self sustaining structure for retaining the ink and is disposed within the reservoir, wherein ink drawn from the self sustaining structure is provided to the inkjet printhead, said ink absorbing member having a general fiber orientation in a direction parallel to said bottom of said reservoir.