INK CARTRIDGE, FLUID MEDIUM FLOW REGULATOR AND METHOD FOR REGULATING A FLOW OF FLUID MEDIUM Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC B41J2/175 

FIELD: ink cartridge intended for supplying ink under negative pressure to printing head and method for regulating a flow of fluid medium.

SUBSTANCE: ink cartridge contains ink storage chamber, ink feeding channel and device for creating a negative pressure, which selectively closes and opens fluid medium connection between the ink storage chamber and ink supply channel as a result of ink consumption. Device for creating a negative pressure includes a resilient element which has first and second surfaces and packing section, connecting section, which faces first surface of resilient element and connects to ink storage chamber, and intermediate section, which faces second surface of resilient element and connects to ink supply channel. Packing section has through aperture, ink passage channel, which connects to ink supply channel and has opening section in the location where packing section of resilient element is in contact with opening section and comes off the opening section, while the opening section faces the through aperture. Fluid medium flow regulator contains resilient element, made with possible shifting under effect of pressure difference between first and second surfaces, connecting section, made with possible connection to ink reservoir, in which ink is stored, outlet channel for ink flow, opening section of ink passage channel, which connects to outlet channel for ink flow, where packing section of resilient element is made with possible shifting to enter contact with opening section and to drain from opening section, and intermediate section, which connects to outlet channel for ink flow. Method for regulating a flow of ink includes operations: valve chamber is made, which represents a section of ink cartridge and has lid and base, where the base has both inlet aperture and outlet aperture, the valve chamber contains a resilient membrane which has through aperture, where the inlet and output apertures are positioned on the first side of the membrane, and the space, formed between second side and the membrane and the lid, and membrane is constricted towards the base with applied force in such a way, that contacting section of the membrane packs the outlet aperture and through aperture from inlet aperture. Also, when the pressure in space drops down to values below given value, pressure difference which occurs on the membrane as a result, forces the contacting section of the membrane to shift away from the outlet aperture in direction which is opposite to direction of effect of applied force, ensuring connection between output and through apertures and the input aperture.

EFFECT: the ink cartridge and the fluid medium flow regulator ensure reduction of through channel resistance which affects the ink in device for creating negative pressure without reduction of packing capacity, therefore, ensuring possibility of high speed of consumption of ink from ink cartridge by printing head; the ink cartridge is manufactured with high productivity, and with simplified design of the flowing channel in the cartridge.

3 cl, 22 dwg