Patent ID: 8007068

Claim:
A printer comprising: a printhead having an ink inlet and an ink outlet; a pressure-regulating chamber containing ink at a predetermined first level relative to said printhead, said chamber comprising: an inlet port; an outlet port; a return port positioned in a base of the chamber; a float valve comprising: (i) an arm pivotally mounted about a pivot; (ii) a float mounted at one end of said arm; and (iii) a valve stem attached to said arm, said valve stem having a valve head for closure of a valve seat, wherein said valve seat is positioned at the inlet port of said pressure-regulating chamber, a snorkel extending from said return port and terminating at a snorkel outlet positioned above said first level of ink; an air vent open to atmosphere, said air vent communicating with a headspace above said ink; an upstream ink line interconnecting said outlet port and said ink inlet; and a downstream ink line interconnecting said return port and said ink outlet, said downstream ink line having a section looping below said first level of ink, wherein, in a printing configuration, a second level of ink in said snorkel is equal to said first level of ink in said chamber.