Patent ID: 6854837

Claim:
An ink supply system for a stencil printer comprising an ink container comprising a cylinder provided with a substantially cylindrical body portion and a small diameter portion which is formed on one end of the body portion and is provided with an ink discharge port on its free end, a piston inserted into the body portion of the cylinder to be slidable in the axial direction of the body portion along the inner peripheral surface thereof toward the small diameter portion, and ink filled in the space formed between the inner surface of the body portion and the surface of the piston facing the small diameter portion, an ink suction nozzle which is fitted with the small diameter portion to suck the ink in the ink container through the ink discharge port, a means for sealing the joint between the nozzle and the small diameter portion, and a vacuum release means which at least partly releases vacuum in the space evacuated by the ink suction nozzle before the tip of the nozzle and the tip of the small diameter portion are aligned with each other when the small diameter portion is drawn from the ink suction nozzle.