Abstract: The ink jet printer comprises a printhead (22) movable in front of a printing medium (30) and provided with an ink cartridge (25) integral with it; the cartridge is filled with ink from a main, high capacity tank (35), which is connected at intervals to the cartridge (25) by means of a capillary element. During each connection, the capillary element (101) is brought into contact with the sponge (41) inside the cartridge, while a peristaltic pump (134) mounted integral upon the main tank provides a pressure suitable for generating a sufficient flow of ink to refill the cartridge (25) in a short time frame. To perform the refilling, the cartridge is brought at the end of its stroke into a service station (5) mounted on the body of the main tank (35), which is moved against the cartridge by means of a motor-driven linkage, controlled by a refilling management program, in response to the signals of a cartridge ink level sensor.

Abstract: An ink jet cartridge comprising an ink container which comprises a bottom portion and an upper portion, said bottom portion being in communication with the printhead through an ink supply port, and said upper portion being in communication with a vent hole, wherein said bottom portion comprises a first ink absorbing member, and said upper portion comprises a second ink absorbing member, wherein said first ink absorbing member is a compressible porous material and said second ink absorbing member is an incompressible porous material, and wherein the capillarity of said first ink absorbing member is higher than the capillarity of said second ink absorbing member.

Abstract: The ink jet printer comprises a printhead (22) movable in front of a printing medium (30) and provided with an ink cartridge (25) integral with it; the cartridge is filled with ink from a main, high capacity tank (35), which is connected at intervals to the cartridge (25) by means of a capillary element. During each connection, the capillary element (101) is brought into contact with the sponge (41) inside the cartridge, while a peristaltic pump (134) mounted integral upon the main tank provides a pressure suitable for generating a sufficient flow of ink to refill the cartridge (25) in a short time frame. To perform the refilling, the cartridge is brought at the end of its stroke into a service station (5) mounted on the body of the main tank (35), which is moved against the cartridge by means of a motor-driven linkage, controlled by a refilling management programme, in response to the signals of a cartridge ink level sensor.

Abstract: The ink jet printer comprises a printhead (22) movable in front of a printing medium (30) and provided with an ink cartridge (25) integral with it; the cartridge is filled with ink from a main, high capacity tank (35), which is connected at intervals to the cartridge (25) by means of a capillary element. During each connection, the capillary element (101) is brought into contact with the sponge (41) inside the cartridge, while a peristaltic pump (134) mounted integral upon the main tank provides a pressure suitable for generating a sufficient flow of ink to refill the cartridge (25) in a short time frame. To perform the refilling, the cartridge is brought at the end of its stroke into a service station (5) mounted on the body of the main tank (35), which is moved against the cartridge by means of a motor-driven linkage, controlled by a refilling management programme, in response to the signals of a cartridge ink level sensor.

Abstract: The ink jet printer comprises a printhead (22) movable in front of a printing medium (30) and provided with an ink cartridge (25) integral with it; the cartridge is filled with ink from a main, high capacity tank (35), which is connected at intervals to the cartridge (25) by means of a capillary element. During each connection, the capillary element (101) is brought into contact with the sponge (41) inside the cartridge, while a peristaltic pump (134) mounted integral upon the main tank provides a pressure suitable for generating a sufficient flow of ink to refill the cartridge (25) in a short time frame. To perform the refilling, the cartridge is brought at the end of its stroke into a service station (5) mounted on the body of the main tank (35), which is moved against the cartridge by means of a motor-driven linkage, controlled by a refilling management programme, in response to the signals of a cartridge ink level sensor.

Abstract: The ink jet printer comprises a printhead (22) movable in front of a printing medium (30) and provided with an ink cartridge (25) integral with it; the cartridge is filled with ink from a main, high capacity tank (35), which is connected at intervals to the cartridge (25) by means of a capillary element. During each connection, the capillary element (101) is brought into contact with the sponge (41) inside the cartridge, while a peristaltic pump (134) mounted integral upon the main tank provides a pressure suitable for generating a sufficient flow of ink to refill the cartridge (25) in a short time frame. To perform the refilling, the cartridge is brought at the end of its stroke into a service station (5) mounted on the body of the main tank (35), which is moved against the cartridge by means of a motor-driven linkage, controlled by a refilling management programme, in response to the signals of a cartridge ink level sensor.

Abstract: The ink jet printer comprises a printhead (22) movable in front of a printing medium (30) and provided with an ink cartridge (25) integral with it; the cartridge is filled with ink from a main, high capacity tank (35), which is connected at intervals to the cartridge (25) by means of a capillary element. During each connection, the capillary element (101) is brought into contact with the sponge (41) inside the cartridge, while a peristaltic pump (134) mounted integral upon the main tank provides a pressure suitable for generating a sufficient flow of ink to refill the cartridge (25) in a short time frame. To perform the refilling, the cartridge is brought at the end of its stroke into a service station (5) mounted on the body of the main tank (35), which is moved against the cartridge by means of a motor-driven linkage, controlled by a refilling management programme, in response to the signals of a cartridge ink level sensor.

Abstract: In an ink-jet printing unit comprising a printing head mounted on the container, a measuring circuit comprising a pair of electrodes which substantially enclose the volume of ink within the container, allows hysteresis- free linear mode measurement of variations in the ink volume within the container and the signalling of at least one of the ends of the variation interval to indicate the most suitable moment for recharging ink in the container by means of a cartridge inserted into the container.

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printing module, of the type that can be removably mounted on the carriage of a printer, comprises a reservoir for the ink and a thermal ink jet printing head fixed to and communicating with the reservoir, and a housing integral with the reservoir for receiving an ink refill cartridge for supplying the spent module with fresh ink by means of a transfer element integral with the housing of the cartridge. Successive refilling of the printing module exploits the working life of the head to the utmost and reduces the waste of expensive materials. The reservoir can be refilled relatively easily, even when the user is travelling.

Abstract: An ink jet print head in which the ink contained in a chamber is expelled through a nozzle in the form of droplets by the rapid heating of a heating element inside the chamber. The chamber is of polygonal form and communicates with an ink supply channel disposed at a corner of the chamber.

Abstract: An ink container for an ink jet print head has a main tank filled with an absorbent fibrous material which holds ink by capillary action. A feed channel conducts ink from the main tank to a feed chamber whence it passes to the head. An auxiliary tank (30) is fixed to the side of the main tank (15) and communicates with it by a channel at the end of the main tank having the feed channel. The container can be refilled by inserting ink through an aperture into the auxiliary tank from where it passes into the main tank by capillary action.

Abstract: The ink detecting device gives advance warning of the end of the ink in a reservoir or cartridge feeding an ink-jet thermal print head. The device comprises a pair of electrodes that are immersed in a spongy, ink-soaked body contained in the reservoir, and are arranged in a region adjacent to the feed duct at which the spongy body has a 30% to 100% higher capillarity than in remote regions. The electrodes are connected to a bridge circuit which measures the electrical resistance of the ink between the two electrodes.