Patent ID: 6547377
Filing Date: 2003-04-15
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An inkjet printing system, comprising:a replaceable ink supply comprising an ink reservoir structure, a fluid interconnect fluidically coupled to the ink reservoir structure, a body of unsaturated ink disposed in said ink reservoir structure, the fluid interconnect providing a fluid path for the ink to pass from the reservoir structure, and an air diffusion barrier system protecting the body of unsaturated ink within the ink reservoir structure from air diffusion to provide a shelf life of at least a period of six months before the ink is saturated; a semipermanent inkjet printhead, comprising a printhead body with an internal plenum, a nozzle array for ejecting droplets of ink, and a fluid inlet mounted to the printhead body and coupled to the plenum, wherein said printhead is free of any air purging apparatus for directly purging air from the printhead to the external environment; and an ink supply path coupled to the fluid interconnect of the ink supply and the fluid inlet of the printhead for carrying said unsaturated ink from the replaceable ink supply to the printhead.