Abstract: An ink container opener having a first member having an opening formed therein; and, a second member received within the opening of the first member. The second member further has an opening for receiving an ink container for separating a top portion from a bottom portion of the ink container.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge includes a housing having a chamber in which ink is stored. A screen is secured to a surface of the housing through which an outlet passage communicates with the chamber. The screen is fused to the first surface by melting a continuous portion or bead around the outlet passage with a heated ram, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, etc. A vacuum can be applied through the outlet port to assist in locating and removing wrinkles from the screen. A recess can also be provided in the first surface of the housing to locate the screen and allow the ink absorbing member, filled with ink, to form a liquid-tight seal with the remainder of the first surface about the recess.

Abstract: A method of filling ink into a dual chamber ink-jet cartridge for use with an ink-jet printer includes applying a vacuum to the cartridge through a fill hole of the cartridge to substantially eliminate air within an ink absorbing member of the cartridge. The fill hole is sealed and then ink is pressure filled into the cartridge through the fill hole. A vacuum is again applied to the cartridge to substantially eliminate any residual air in the cartridge due to the pressure filling of the ink. The fill hole may be positioned over a free ink chamber or over the ink absorbing member of the cartridge. The vacuum includes applying a negative pressure of about 27.5 in/Hg. The negative pressure is applied at a cycle rate of 5-30 seconds.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge for an ink-jet type recording apparatus includes a housing with a plurality of walls forming a cavity and a bottom wall. A removable divider wall or spacer is inserted into the cavity which divides the cavity into first and second chambers. The spacer includes a wall section and a pair of legs extending from the wall which are spaced apart and are parallel to each other. The spacer is substantially U-shaped where the U-shape is formed by the legs and the wall section. A porous member is inserted into one of the chambers and resiliently abuts an opening of the supply port. The other chamber is at least partially filled with ink. The spacer has an opening to allow the ink to pass from the ink chamber to the foam chamber. The spacer is inserted into the chamber so that the opening is adjacent the bottom wall of the housing.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge (A) includes a housing (10) having a bottom wall (28) and a plurality of side walls (12, 14, 16, 18) forming a cavity (20). A divider wall (22) is positioned within the cavity to divide the cavity into first and second chambers (24, 26). An ink supply port (42) projects from the bottom wall of the housing. A porous member (40) is accommodated in the chamber having the ink supply port. The other chamber is partially filled with ink. The divider wall has an opening (30) allowing ink to pass from one of the chambers to the other chamber. A cover (50) having a fill hole (94) is secured to the housing.

Abstract: An ink cartridge (10) for dispensing ink (IK) having a housing (12) with a cavity (22) therein for storing a quantity of ink, and a dispensing port (26) for delivering the ink to an output recordation device, such as a printer. The housing further having one or more additional ports (32, 34) extending through the housing in fluid communication with the cavity, and a self-sealing plug (16) received in one of the additional ports. The self-sealing plug being pierceable by a hollow instrument (H), such as a needle, to form a fluid passage therethrough, the self-sealing plug re-forming a fluid-tight seal in the port upon the removal of the hollow instrument.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge (A) for an ink-jet type recording apparatus includes a housing (10) with a plurality of walls (12, 14, 16, 18) forming a cavity and a bottom wall (28). A removable divider wall or spacer (22) is inserted into the cavity which divides the cavity into first and second chambers (24, 26). The spacer includes a wall section (29) and a pair of legs (25, 27) extending from the wall which are spaced apart and are parallel to each other. The spacer is substantially U-shaped where the U-shape is formed by the legs and the wall section. A porous member (40) is inserted into one of the chambers and resiliently abuts an opening (44) of the supply port (42). The other chamber is at least partially filled with ink. The spacer has an opening (30) to allow the ink to pass from the ink chamber to the foam chamber. The spacer is inserted into the chamber so that the opening is adjacent the bottom wall of the housing.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge includes a housing having a chamber in which ink is stored. A screen is secured to a surface of the housing through which an outlet passage communicates with the chamber. The screen is fused to the first surface by melting a continuous portion or bead around the outlet passage with a heated ram, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, etc. A vacuum can be applied through the outlet port to assist in locating and removing wrinkles from the screen. A recess can also be provided in the first surface of the housing to locate the screen and allow the ink absorbing member, filled with ink, to form a liquid-tight seal with the remainder of the first surface about the recess.

Abstract: A method of filling ink into a dual chamber inkjet cartridge (A) for used with an ink-jet printer includes applying a vacuum to the cartridge (A) through a fill hole (52) of the cartridge (A) to substantially eliminate air within an ink absorbing member (40) of the cartridge (A). The fill hole (52) is sealed and then ink is pressure filled into the cartridge (A) through the fill hole (52). A vacuum is again applied to the cartridge (A) to substantially eliminate any residual air in the cartridge (A) due to the pressure filling of the ink. The fill hole (52) may be positioned over a free ink chamber (24) or over the ink absorbing member (40) of the cartridge. The vacuum includes applying a negative pressure of about 27.in/Hg. The negative pressure is applied at a cycle rate of 5-30 seconds.

Abstract: An ink cartridge (10) for dispensing ink (IK) having a housing (12) with a cavity (22) therein for storing a quantity of ink, and a dispensing port (26) for delivering the ink to an output recordation device, such as a printer. The housing further having one or more additional ports (32, 34) extending through the housing in fluid communication with the cavity, and a self-sealing plug (16) received in one of the additional ports. The self-sealing plug being pierceable by a hollow instrument (H), such as a needle, to form a fluid passage therethrough, the self-sealing plug re-forming a fluid-tight seal in the port upon the removal of the hollow instrument.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge (A) includes a housing (10) having a bottom wall (28) and a plurality of side walls (12, 14, 16, 18) forming a cavity (20). A divider wall (22) is positioned within the cavity to divide the cavity into first and second chambers (24, 26). An ink supply port (42) projects from the bottom wall of the housing. A porous member (40) is accommodated in the chamber having the ink supply port. The other chamber is partially filled with ink. The divider wall has an opening (30) allowing ink to pass from one of the chambers to the other chamber. A cover (50) having a fill hole (94) is secured to the housing.

Abstract: Assembly fixtures for assembling and stuffing a ribbon into a ribbon cartridge for use with a typewriter, or a printer, comprises a base plate, stops on the base plate forming a space for receiving a ribbon cartridge, and an instruction card mounted on the base plate for instructing the operator how to assemble and stuff a ribbon cartridge. The instruction card may include three-dimensional drawings of the ribbon cartridge and its parts. A method of assembling and stuffing a ribbon cartridge includes the steps of providing an assembly fixture having a base plate and a ribbon cartridge space providing instruction cards mounted on the base plate for instructing an operator, guiding the ribbon cartridge into the cartridge space on the base plate, and following the instructions mounted on the base plate to assemble and stuff the ribbon cartridge.

Abstract: A rotary table assembly apparatus for stuffing a snailed endless ribbon into a ribbon cartridge comprises a rotary table, a mounting plate affixed to the table for mounting and positioning a bottom housing of a ribbon cartridge, a loop tray affixed to the front portion of the mounting plate for holding a snailed loop while it is being stuffed into the ribbon cartridge, adjustable slide panels mounted on the loop tray to create narrow slits with a pin to hold the ribbon upright as it passes through the slits into the ribbon cartridge and to prevent more than one layer of ribbon from passing from the loop tray into the cartridge, and a cover for keeping the ribbon from jumping out of the loop tray as the ribbon is being fed into the cartridge.

Abstract: A rotary table assembly apparatus for stuffing a snailed endless ribbon into a ribbon cartridge comprises a rotary table, a mounting plate affixed to the table for mounting and positioning a bottom housing of a ribbon cartridge, a loop tray affixed to the front portion of the mounting plate for holding a snailed loop while it is being stuffed into the ribbon cartridge, adjustable slide panels mounted on the loop tray to create narrow slits with a pin to hold the ribbon upright as it passes through the slits into the ribbon cartridge and to prevent more than one layer of ribbon from passing from the loop tray into the cartridge, and a cover for keeping the ribbon from jumping out of the loop tray as the ribbon is being fed into the cartridge.