Abstract: A bit holder for use in a bit assembly in road milling, mining and trenching equipment has a hollow generally cylindrical shank and first and second elongate slots positioned in spaced axial relation through the shank. The first slot extends along the shank to the distal end thereof. The second slot may be altered in length and/or shaped to fine tune the outward radial force the shank exerts against the bore of a bit holder block into which it is inserted.

Abstract: A plurality of differing horizontal pairs of slot shapes are positioned in the upper body portion of a quick change type bit holder to provide access to a bit extractor tool for removing the bit holder from its associated bit block.

Abstract: A mounting for a replaceable tool on a ground-engaging machine, the mounting having a tool holder having an aperture extending into a body portion of the tool holder for receiving a projecting mounting portion of the tool, the tool holder having an inter-engagement structure for mechanically engaging with a base having a complementary structure, the base being adapted to be fixed to the machine, and the mounting further having retaining means for cooperating with the holder and the tool when installed to retain the holder on the base.

Abstract: An inner peripheral end portion of an annular back peripheral portion forming a front flange portion, an opening end portion of a front bead seat portion and a back surface portion of a wheel disc are joined to each other by a first welded portion and a second welded portion. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the front flange portion from being repeatedly elastically deformed by loads generated while the automobile is running. In addition, it is possible to mitigate a stress concentration generated on the front flange portion and the first welded portion and the second welded portion. Thus, an automobile wheel can exhibit high durability.

Abstract: The invention is based on a hydraulic unit for regulating the brake pressure in a vehicle brake system. Hydraulic units of such a type are the core component of an anti-lock vehicle brake system, of a drive slip vehicle brake system or of a vehicle brake system which regulates driving stability. The invention proposes a particularly advantageous arrangement of the required recesses in a housing block of a hydraulic unit. On account of the arrangement, the housing block can be reduced in terms of its dimensions, and can be produced with a lower weight and more simply in terms of production. For this purpose, according to the invention, the pressure fluid connection from one of the ports of the master brake cylinder to the suction side of one of the pump elements extends through the valve receptacle of the switching valve.

Abstract: A home appliance and a washing machine are provided. With a configuration in which an ornament having a patterned portion on which a predetermined image is formed and a transparent member placed on an outer surface of the ornament are closely attached to each other, it is possible to prevent water from entering a gap between the ornament and the transparent member.

Abstract: A vertically retractable shelf system comprises a shelf frame and a track assembly. The shelf frame comprises a rectangular frame. The track assembly comprises a roller slide assembly, disposed on the left and right sides of the shelf frame, to allow the shelf frame to slide vertically along the tracks.

Abstract: A front panel, a pair of side panels, a top panel, and a bottom panel connect to form a cabinet. Optionally, the cabinet includes a rear panel. The front panel includes a pair of master keyways. Each of side panels has a groove and a pair of side keyways. Each groove provides the side panel with an edge profile that connects with one master keyway to couple the side panels with the front panel. Each of top and bottom panels includes a pair of grooves. Each groove provides top and bottom panels with an edge profile that connects with one side keyway to couple the top and bottom panels with the side panels. Optionally, one of the top or bottom panels includes an extender and the front panel includes a groove wherein the extender is received within the groove to limit movement of the side panels.

Abstract: A water cooler with a rapidly detachable exterior panel. A water cooler with a detachable panel may have a wrapper with at least one detachable panel, and the wrapper may have multiple apertures to receive fasteners that may receive corresponding rear surface projections located on the rear surface of the panel. A water cooler with a detachable exterior panel may have a wrapper with at least one detachable panel, and one or more tensioning devices to cause the exterior panel to be placed in frictional and removable engagement against the wrapper.

Abstract: A container data center includes a housing, a driving device, a gear device, and a rope. The hosing includes a sidewall, and the gear device and the driving device are received within the housing. The gear device includes a winding member, one end of the rope is connected to the winding member, and the other end is connected to the rotatable sidewall. The winding member is mechanically connected to the driving device, the driving device drives the winding member to wind or unwind the rope, and the sidewall is closed or opened according to the rotation direction of the winding member.

Abstract: A positioning mechanism for a quick release device of a slide assembly includes an opening in the rail and a positioning member located corresponding to the opening. The rail has a first contact portion adjacent to the opening which has an open portion and a reception portion communicating with the open portion. The positioning member includes a base, a resilient arm, a restriction portion and a second contact portion. The base is fixed to the rail. The resilient arm is connected between the base and the restriction portion. The restriction portion has a first contact end located corresponding to the open portion. The second contact portion is connected to the restriction portion. An substantially enclosed area is defined between the first contact end and the reception portion. The second contact portion contacts the first contact portion of the rail such that the first contact end is secured.

Abstract: A movable furniture pull-out for a piece of furniture includes a side wall arranged between a rear wall and a front panel, and a rail that is arranged between the rear wall and the front panel. The rail is arranged below the side wall.

Abstract: A shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator includes a glass panel having a central region and a perimeter region, with the perimeter region having an upwardly turned spill prevention lip. The upwardly turned spill prevention lip is upwardly turned relative to the central region via a glass forming process. The upwardly turned spill prevention lip includes upwardly turned lip portions at the front, rear, left and right sides of the glass panel. The central region of the glass panel includes a storage portion. The upwardly turned spill prevention lip circumscribes the periphery of the central region to limit spillage of liquid over the sides of the glass panel. The shelf assembly may include a pair of support rails bonded at lower surfaces of the left and right sides of the glass panel and having attachment elements configured to mount the shelf assembly at the refrigerator.

Abstract: A paper floating detection apparatus which detects floating of paper conveyed along a prescribed conveyance path on a prescribed conveyance surface, includes: a paper floating detection device which includes a light emission unit and a light reception unit disposed so as to be mutually opposing across the conveyance path, and detects whether the paper floats or not according to whether a detection beam emitted parallel to the conveyance surface from the light emission unit toward the light reception unit in a position at a prescribed height from the conveyance surface is received by the light reception unit or not; a light emission parallel flat plate which is disposed in front of the light emission unit in such a manner that the detection beam emitted from the light emission unit passes through the light emission parallel flat plate, and which is provided rotatably about an axis parallel to the conveyance surface and perpendicular to the detection beam in such a manner that the height of the detection beam e

Abstract: The printing device includes a print head having a specialty gloss ink ejection head for ejecting a specialty gloss ink that creates a special gloss effect and a dye-based color ink ejection head for ejecting a dye-based color ink, and an ejection control unit configured to carry out ejection of the specialty gloss ink from the specialty gloss ink ejection head and ejection of the dye-based color ink from the dye-based color ink ejection head, and to carry out printing of a special gloss area with the specialty gloss ink and printing of a reproduction area onto the special gloss area with the dye-based color ink. The ejection control unit has a first printing mode for carrying out printing of the reproduction area in a main scan that chronologically follows a main scan of the print head in which printing of the special gloss area is carried out.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a direct current voltage which has positive and negative potentials relative to a ground potential interposed therebetween is used as a drive voltage for electric charging/discharging to/from an actuator.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a pressure chamber that communicates with a liquid supply section and a nozzle; an element that changes a pressure of liquid within the pressure chamber; and an ejection pulse generation section that generates an ejection pulse for operating the element in order to eject the liquid from the nozzle. In the apparatus, the viscosity of the liquid is not less than 8 millipascal seconds. The nozzle has a first portion in which a liquid ejection side thereof has a smaller opening area than a pressure chamber side thereof, and a second portion which communicates with an ejection side end portion of the first portion. In addition, the ejection pulse has a depressurizing portion for depressurizing the liquid in order to attract a meniscus positioned on the second portion to the first portion, and a pressurizing portion for pressurizing the liquid in order to eject the liquid before the meniscus attracted to the first portion returns to the second portion.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a circuit control device including switches of which first ends are connected to pressure generating elements; a voltage waveform generating device configured to generate a voltage waveform to be supplied to second ends of the switches; and a switch control device which causes the switches to close and open. The voltage waveform has a waveform such that, when the switch is caused to close and open so that a portion of the voltage waveform is applied to the pressure generating element, a droplet is ejected from a nozzle corresponding to the pressure generating element to which the portion of the voltage waveform has been applied, whereas when a whole of the voltage waveform is applied to the pressure generating element, no droplet is substantially ejected from the nozzle corresponding to the pressure generating element to which the whole of the voltage waveform has been applied.

Abstract: A recording device forming a printed image by discharging droplets of an image forming solution from a nozzle and attaching the droplets on recording media, which includes a recording head provided with a specific nozzle which is selectively filled with the image forming solution and a solution preventing the nozzle from being clogged, and a controller that controls the performance of switching from a first filled state in which the specific nozzle is filled with the image forming solution to a second filled state in which the specific nozzle is filled with the solution preventing the nozzle from clogging in accordance with a predetermined condition.

Abstract: In an inkjet printer that prints an image by a forward scan and a backward scan of printing heads, it is determined whether or not a color unevenness occurrence value set on the basis of values of unit image data constituting image data is more than a predetermined threshold value. If the color unevenness occurrence value is less than the threshold value, data that enable a dot to be formed in a unit area corresponding to the unit image data by the forward scan and the backward scan of the printing heads are generated. If the color unevenness occurrence value is more than the threshold value, data that enable a dot to be formed in the unit area only by one of the forward scan and the backward scan of the printing heads are generated.

Abstract: An adverse effect of air flows occurring near the nozzle line with high print duty is reliably avoided by appropriately dividing and allocating the print data to a plurality of ink ejection nozzle lines. When the print head is scanning in a forward direction, a combination of a magenta ink nozzle line and a yellow ink nozzle line that do not adjoin each other is mainly used. When the print head is scanning in a backward direction, another combination of a magenta ink nozzle line and a yellow ink nozzle line that do not adjoin each other is mainly used.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head having an ejection surface in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged two-dimensionally; a scanning device which conveys at least one of the liquid ejection head and an image formation receiving medium on which liquid ejected from the plurality of nozzles is deposited, to cause relative movement between the image formation receiving medium and the liquid ejection head in a first direction; a motor which is a driving source for driving the scanning device; and a drive force transmission mechanism which transmits drive force generated by the motor to the scanning device, wherein: in a case where rotational non-uniformity can occur Nm times for each revolution of the motor (where Nm is a natural number), and when Pv represents a spatial period representing an amount of the relative movement in the first direction on the image formation receiving medium corresponding to 1/Nm revolution of the motor, and when OSy represents an offset distance in

Abstract: A method of computing a conveyance variance from a difference of two adjustment patterns in order to measure a variance in a conveyance amount occurring while a sheet is conveyed. By using this method, the variance that occurs during one rotation of the roller occurring because of the roller accuracy, deflection of the roller, and the attachment of a roller supporting member can be alleviated. Thus, the unevenness occurring synchronously to one rotation of the roller can be alleviated, and as a result, an ink jet printer that is capable of printing with high quality can be provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method which can suppress the occurrence of set off when recording media are stacked on a discharge unit. Ink droplets are ejected to a sheet by inkjet heads in a drawing section, and an image is fixed to the sheet by heating in a fixing section. After that, during the sheet is conveyed by a conveying belt, cooling air is sent to plural fans by a cooler such that the cooling air is blown against the fans, and air is blown to the sheet by the plural fans. Accordingly, the sheet which is after fixing is cooled. The sheet, which has been cooled during being conveyed by the conveying belt, is stacked on a discharge tray.

Abstract: A printing device includes: a printing material container that includes first and second short circuit detection terminals, first and second attachment detection terminals; a high voltage power supply that applies a high voltage to the first attachment detection terminal; a short circuit detector that detects a short circuit between at least one of the first and second short circuit detection terminals and at least one of the first and second attachment detection terminals; a high voltage application controller that blocks supply of the high voltage from the high voltage power supply when the short circuit detector detects the short circuit; a resistor element that is arranged between the high voltage power supply and the first attachment detection terminal; and an electrostatic capacitor element that is arranged between the detection node of the short circuit detector and a low-potential-side power supply node.

Abstract: A control method for a fluid ejection device and a fluid ejection device reliably eliminate dropped dots while reducing consumption of ink droplets ejected from the nozzles. A fluid ejection device that performs at least one of a cleaning operation that suctions fluid from the nozzles and a wiping operation that wipes the nozzle surface when dropped dots occur determines if an elimination history of removing dropped dots by the wiping operation is stored when dropped dots are detected as a result of testing for dropped dots and determining if dropped dots occur. When a history of eliminating dropped dots by means of a wiping operation is not stored, the fluid ejection device performs the wiping operation. When a history of eliminating dropped dots by means of a wiping operation remains in memory, the cleaning operation is performed without the wiping operation.

Abstract: A printhead is provided having fluid ejection nozzles, heaters corresponding to each of the nozzles respectively, with each heater heating printing fluid to cause ejection of a drop of the printing fluid through the corresponding nozzle, and circuitry for generating electrical drive pulses having variable power and length for energizing the heaters. The drive pulses are generated to have less energy than the energy required to heat a volume of the printing fluid equivalent to the drop volume, from the temperature at which the printing fluid enters the printhead to the heterogeneous boiling point of the printing fluid.

Abstract: A method for automatic removal of a sealant member from a nozzle plate that includes applying a sealant member to a surface of the nozzle plate, attaching the sealant member with a pull tab, one end of the pull tab being attached to a maintenance sled of a maintenance mechanism at a first position, the maintenance sled moves from a first position to a second position thereby removing the sealant member at a 180 degree angle and with a speed of about 10 mm/sec.

Abstract: There is provided a cap device including: a cap unit which is tiltable in a plane direction of the jetting surface and which comes into close contact with the jetting surface of the liquid jetting head; a flexible discharge tube of which one end is connected to the cap unit, which communicates with an inner space defined by the cap unit and the jetting surface under a condition that the cap unit comes into close contact with the jetting surface, and through which a liquid in the inner space is discharged; and a fixing mechanism which fixes a portion, of the discharge tube, other than the one end to the cap unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a carriage, a first recording head, a second recording head, and a maintenance assembly. The carriage is movable in a main scanning direction. The first recording head has nozzles in a nozzle face thereof to eject liquid droplets. The second recording head has nozzles in a nozzle face thereof to eject liquid droplets. The second recording head is displaced from the first recording head in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. The maintenance assembly maintains and recovers the first recording head and the second recording head. The maintenance assembly includes a first maintenance device and a second maintenance device. The first maintenance device is held by the apparatus body. The second maintenance device is reciprocally movable between a first position to oppose the first recording head and a second position to oppose the second recording head.

Abstract: A droplet ejection apparatus includes: a droplet ejection head which includes a nozzle surface having a non-nozzle forming region and a nozzle forming region of a prescribed width in a prescribed direction, a nozzle row being formed in the nozzle forming region; and a nozzle surface cleaning apparatus which cleans the nozzle surface of the droplet ejection head and includes: a wiping device which presses a wiping member having absorbency against the nozzle surface and wipes the nozzle surface with the wiping member by moving the wiping member relatively in the prescribed direction with respect to the nozzle surface; and a sweeping device which sweeps excess liquid from the non-nozzle forming region before the wiping member wipes the nozzle surface, by pressing a sweeping member having elasticity against the non-nozzle forming region and moving the sweeping member relatively in the prescribed direction with respect to the nozzle surface.

Abstract: A method of performing maintenance on printheads of an imaging device includes the detection of at least one missing or defective inkjet in a printhead. A first pressure is applied to ink in printheads in which at least one missing or defective inkjet was detected. The first pressure is configured to discharge ink from the plurality of apertures in an aperture plate of the printhead to reestablish fluid continuity through the inkjet. A second pressure is applied to all of the printheads to be wiped. The second pressure is configured to form a convex meniscus at the plurality of apertures in the aperture plate of all of the printheads to be wiped. A single actuator is then operated to move one or more wipers into engagement with the printheads to be wiped. During wiping the convex meniscus is encountered by a wiper to lubricate a printhead and prevent the printhead from being damaged by wiping. The single actuator then retracts the one or more wipers from the printheads.

Abstract: A head cleaning method of wiping and cleaning a nozzle surface of a head with a band-shaped liquid absorbing body by, while pressing and abutting a pressing member on which the liquid absorbing body that travels is wrapped against the nozzle surface of the head, sliding the pressing member over the nozzle surface of the head, includes: a first cleaning step of wiping and cleaning the nozzle surface of the head with a non-wet region of the liquid absorbing body; a wet region forming step of forming a wet region on the liquid absorbing body; and a second cleaning step of wiping and cleaning the nozzle surface of the head with the wet region of the liquid absorbing body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage movable in a main scanning direction in the image forming apparatus; a recording head mounted on the carriage to eject droplets; a maintenance unit disposed outboard of a recording area in the main scanning direction of the carriage and including a first liquid receptacle to collect droplets not used for image formation; a first space provided between the recording area and the maintenance unit; and a first sloped member provided at a side of the first space close to the maintenance unit. The sloped member has a sloped portion inclined downwardly from an upper side toward a lateral side close to the recording area to guide droplet mist generated by ejection of droplets from the head to a lower part of the first space with movement of the carriage from a position facing the maintenance unit to a position facing the recording area.

Abstract: Provided is an ink jet recording head, including multiple ejection orifices for ejecting droplets to a recording medium, in which a normal of a plane formed of the following straight lines is tilted with respect to an axis line of each of the ejection orifices: a straight line obtained by connecting points, which are positioned on peripheries of the respective ejection orifices and are at shortest distances from a face plane, in a longitudinal direction of an ejection orifice array; and a straight line obtained by connecting points, which are positioned on the peripheries of the respective ejection orifices and are at longest distances from the face plane, in the longitudinal direction of the ejection orifice array.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head includes: defining a first imaginary reference line along the longitudinal direction of a base member and measuring the distances between the first imaginary reference line and at least two liquid supply port portions of a liquid supply port row, including defining a second imaginary reference line passing the liquid supply port portion at the shortest distance from the first imaginary reference line and the liquid supply port portion at the longest distance from the first imaginary reference line respectively from among the at least two liquid supply port portions and defining the second imaginary reference line between two imaginary lines parallel to the first imaginary reference line.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a first nozzle for ejecting clear ink to form a first dot; and a second nozzle for ejecting color ink to form a second dot, wherein, when forming a color image on a photoluminescent ground layer by means of the second dot, the first dot is formed at an area where the color image does not exist.

Abstract: An inkjet head with a harmonica-type head tip is configured in a way that wirings electrically connected to drive electrodes within channels are led rearward from a rear surface of the head tip. A groove is provided along an array direction of the channels in areas on the rear surface of the head tip in which the channels are not formed. A lead-out electrode, which is electrically connected to drive electrodes, is formed from the rear surface of the head tip to the interior of the groove. One end of a wiring member, which has connecting wirings upon an insulating material corresponding to the lead-out electrodes, is inserted into the groove. The drive electrode is electrically connected to the connecting wiring via the lead-out electrode as a result of the electrical connection of the connecting wiring within the groove to the lead-out electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ejecting apparatus including: an upper body which includes an inlet through which ejectable fluid flows in from an external source, a channel which fluidly communicates with the inlet and through which the ejectable fluid flows, and an upper mounting portion which fluidly communicates with the channel and is opened downwardly; a lower body which includes a lower mounting portion which is opened upwardly to correspond to the upper mounting portion, and a nozzle slit which fluidly communicates with the lower mounting portion to eject the ejectable fluid to an outside, the lower body being fastened to the upper body, and a nozzle chip which is interposed between the upper mounting portion and the lower mounting portion to receive the ejectable fluid from the channel and discharge the ejectable fluid into the nozzle slit by being driven by an actuator.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead has a plurality of nozzles; a bubble forming chamber corresponding to each of the nozzles; and a heater element disposed in each of the bubble forming chambers. The heater element is configured for heating an ejectable liquid above its boiling point to form a gas bubble that causes the ejection of a drop from the nozzle. The heater element is comprised of titanium aluminum nitride.

Abstract: An ink jet print head having a reduced size still can prevent an overall temperature increase in a printing element board. To this end, among ink supply port arrays formed on both sides of each nozzle array, the heat resistance of the portion (beams) of the printing element board between the adjoining ink supply ports is lowered in those arrays that are close to the end portions of the common liquid chamber. In one embodiment, the volume of the beams is greater in those arrays that are close to the end portion.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a liquid discharge head including: forming a first pattern for forming the flow path on the substrate; forming a first coating layer which covers the first pattern; forming a hole in the first coating layer, through which the first pattern is exposed; forming a second pattern for forming the flow path on the first coating layer, such that the second pattern contacts with the first pattern through the hole; forming a second coating layer for covering the second pattern; forming the discharge port in the second coating layer; and removing the first pattern and the second pattern to form the flow path.

Abstract: A micro-fluid ejection head has an ejection chip to expel fluid. It connects to a laminate construct. The construct has vertically configured wiring layers interspersed with non-wiring layers, such as carbon fiber layers. An upper of the wiring layers electrically connects to the ejection chip. The upper layer may also support a planar undersurface of the chip directly on a surface or in a recessed pocket. The two can connect with a die bond, such as one having silica or boron nitride. Fluid connections exist between ink feed slots of the chip and the laminate construct. A silicon tile or other material may also fluidly interconnect with the two. A plastic manifold optionally supports the laminate construct and may fluidly connect to it. The wiring layers of the laminate contemplate ground, power, and various bond pads. Other construct layers contemplate prepreg or core FR4 layers.

Abstract: A nozzle plate made of conductive ceramics is grounded. Therefore, electric charges do not easily accumulate on the nozzle plate. The migration of electric charges from nozzle orifices to a diaphragm plate through ink filled in pressure generation chambers is unlikely to occur or significantly less likely to occur. Thus, it is possible to prevent the dielectric breakdown of the diaphragm plate caused conventionally by accumulated electric charges and to provide an ink-jet recording head that is substantially free from the damage of a driving circuit.

Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a base plurality of pressure chambers which include recesses, respectively, arranged in a front surface of a base. A piezoelectric substrate is joined to upper surfaces of side walls of the recesses and is uniformly polarized in a direction parallel to a substrate surface of the piezoelectric substrate. A pair of a front surface drive electrode and a back surface drive electrode are provided on a front surface of the piezoelectric substrate, which is opposite to the pressure chamber side, and on a back surface of the piezoelectric substrate on the pressure chamber side, respectively, for each chamber and sandwich the piezoelectric substrate therebetween and extend to a side wall of the recess substantially from a center of the open end. A liquid chamber is formed in the base and communicates with the pressure chambers via openings formed in bottom surfaces or side wall surfaces of the recesses, respectively.

Abstract: A first lead electrode containing nickel and chromium contacts a second upper electrode containing titanium. Here, since a difference between the normal electrode potential of nickel and chromium and the normal electrode potential of titanium is smaller than a difference between the normal electrode potential of nickel and chromium and the normal electrode potential of iridium, electric corrosion can be made difficult to occur as compared with the case where the first lead electrode containing nickel and chromium contacts a first upper electrode containing iridium. Therefore, a piezoelectric element can be obtained in which an increase in resistance due to the narrowing of the contact area between an upper electrode and a lead electrode for upper electrode or the separation of the lead electrode for upper electrode can be suppressed and which can be driven by a given voltage.

Abstract: A diaphragm unit includes an elastic film unit which seals an opening portion of a pressure chamber, and an island unit which is provided on the elastic film unit and to which a tip portion of a piezoelectric vibrator is joined. The width of the center portion of the island unit in the longitudinal direction is set to be narrower than the width of both end portions of the island unit in the longitudinal direction. The dimension of the center portion of the island unit in the longitudinal direction is shorter than the dimension of the piezoelectric vibrator in the same direction.

Abstract: An ink tank includes an ink supply connection port connected to a main body of a recording apparatus for supplying ink thereto, a first ink reservoir reserving the ink supplied to a sub-tank, a first ink delivery passage supplying the ink reserved in the first ink reservoir to the ink supply connection port, a one-way valve disposed in the first ink delivery passage that enables the ink to move from the first ink reservoir to the ink supply connection port, a second ink reservoir reserving the ink returned from the sub-tank, and a second ink delivery passage supplying the ink reserved in the second ink reservoir to the ink supply connection port and joins with the first ink delivery passage at a position between the one-way valve and the ink supply connection port.

Abstract: An ink tank includes a free-ink chamber; an ink supply port extending from the tank body, which ink supply port permits passage of ink from the free-ink chamber; a filter disposed in the ink supply port and having a first surface facing the free-ink chamber and a second surface opposite the first surface; a wick disposed in the ink supply port adjacent to the second surface of the filter and downstream of the filter; and a single gasket disposed in the ink supply port adjacent to and downstream of the wick.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for maintaining flowability of solid-ink pellets when delivering solid-ink pellets from a container to an image-forming apparatus. The apparatus includes an extraction tube inserted into the container and connected to a vacuum source. Suction from the vacuum source impels pellets into the extraction tube through an extraction inlet, but pellet agglomerations may clog the system. Such a clog produces an immediate pressure spike within the extraction tube, an event detected by the clog detector. An actuator, responsive to the clog detector, drives an agitating structure that breaks up agglomerations and restores smooth pellet flow. Alternative embodiments can include devices having only the clog detector or the agitating structure. Alternative implementations of the agitating structure provide means for accomplishing pellet break up. The accompanying method detects the occurrence of a clog and responds by operating the agitating structure to break up agglomerations.