Patent ID: 6139136
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink supply system for a plurality of ink jet printheads offset from each other at different elevations, the ink supply system comprising:an ink reservoir having a single outer casing and a plurality of individual ink wells inside of the casing, the plurality of individual ink wells arranged in a stepped relationship from each other and extending from a first ink well at a highest elevation to a last ink well at a lowest elevation, each of the plurality of individual ink wells being lower in elevation than a corresponding one of the plurality of ink jet printheads;an ink supply having ink stored therein; andmeans for supplying ink from the ink supply to the first ink well;means for connecting each of the plurality of individual ink wells to the corresponding one of the plurality of ink jet printheads such that during activation of the plurality of inkjet printheads ink is supplied from the corresponding ink well to its corresponding one of the plurality of ink jet printheads and during deactivation of the ink jet printheads ink is maintained between the plurality of ink jet printheads and the corresponding ones of the plurality of individual ink wells;wherein at times when any specific one of the plurality of individual ink wells except for the last ink well receives an amount of ink greater than its capacity excess ink overflows out of the specific one of the plurality of individual ink wells and into an adjacent one of the plurality of individual ink wells which is lower in elevation than the specific one of the plurality of individual ink wells, and at times when the last ink well receives the amount of ink greater than its capacity excess ink overflows out of the last ink well and into the ink supply.