Liquid reservoir apparatus

IIIIIIIH

US007014306B2

(12) United States Patent

Netsu et al.

(io) Patent No.: US 7,014,306 B2 (45) Date of Patent: Mar. 21,2006

(54) LIQUID RESERVOIR APPARATUS

(75) Inventors: Hiroshi Netsu, Kanagawa (JP); Junji Shimoda, Kanagawa (JP); Toshihiko Ujita, Kanagawa (JP); Hideaki Okamoto, Kanagawa (JP)

(73) Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 156 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 10/714,652

(22) Filed: Nov. 18, 2003

(65) Prior Publication Data

US 2004/0135853 Al Jul. 15, 2004

(30) Foreign Application Priority Data

Nov. 20, 2002 (JP) 2002-336459

(51) Int. CI.

B41J 2/175 (2006.01)

(52) U.S. C I 347/86

(58) Field of Classification Search 347/84-87,

347/31

See application file for complete search history.

4,459,600 A 7/1984 Sato et al 346/140 R

4,463,359 A 7/1984 Ayata et al 346/1.1

4,558,333 A 12/1985 Sugitani et al 346/140 R

4,723,129 A 2/1988 Endo et al 346/1.1

4,740,796 A 4/1988 Endo et al 346/1.1

5,430,471 A 7/1995 Nakajima et al 347/87

2002/0075366 Al * 6/2002 Smith et al 347/86

2003/0160848 Al 8/2003 Taniguchi et al 347/86

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

DE 196 03 195 7/1997

EP 408978 1/1991

EP 1048468 11/2000

JP 59-138461 8/1984

JP 59-123670 7/1985

JP 3-139562 6/1991

JP 4-179553 6/1992

JP 2001-1682 1/2001

* cited by examiner

Primary Examiner—K. Feggins

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto

An ink reservoir (166) has a plurality of thin bodies (164) provided in a housing (161) at gaps from each other. Ink in the housing (161) is held by a capillary force generated by the thin bodies (164). An ink guide portion (167) which is set at a gap between one end of the liquid ink (166) and an inner wall of the housing (161) is provided so that a capillary force in the vicinity of an ink supply port (165) is larger than that of the liquid reservoir (166).

10 Claims, 22 Drawing Sheets