Patent ID: 6877849

Claim:
A printing system, comprising: an ink container vessel configured to store a supply of ink, said ink container vessel containing a vent hole; an ink delivery system, coupled to said vessel, configured to extract ink from said vessel; an autonomous vent system comprising a flexible diaphragm coupled to said vent hole, said diaphragm having a diaphragm hole, wherein said autonomous vent system is configured to: (a) autonomously open said diaphragm hole to permit atmospheric air to enter said vessel when ink is extracted from said vessel by said delivery system, and (b) autonomously close said diaphragm hole when said delivery system is inactive; and, wherein said flexible diaphragm has an interior side facing said supply of ink and an exterior side facing atmospheric air wherein said autonomous vent system further comprises a sealing member configured to press against and seal said diaphragm hole on said exterior side of said diaphragm when said delivery system is inactive, wherein said flexible diaphragm flexes as negative pressure builds in said vessel when said delivery system extracts ink from said vessel, allowing atmospheric air pressure to push against said exterior side of diaphragm and cause said diaphragm to move away from said sealing member and toward the interior of said vessel, thereby actuating atmospheric air to flow into said diaphragm hole and through said vent hole and into said vessel.