Ink cartridge and air management system for an ink cartridge

1. A one-piece air management system for use in an ink cartridge, comprising a fitment section configured to be supported by the ink cartridge, and an expansible bladder section which integrally extends from the fitment section and which defines a fluid reservoir, and wherein the expansible bladder section is configured to expand to thereby increase the fluid reservoir from a first volume to a second volume, and wherein the air management system is fabricated from a material having a shape-memory to thereby bias the expansible bladder section towards the first volume.

2. The one-piece air management system of claim 1 , and wherein the air management system is fabricated from a material selected from the group comprising high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, or polypropylene.

3. The one-piece air management system of claim 1 , and wherein the fitment section has an air passageway defined therein to allow air to enter the expansible bladder portion.

4. An ink cartridge, comprising:

a housing defining a first fluid reservoir;

an air management system comprising a fitment; and

a one-piece expansible bladder which defines a second fluid reservoir and which is supported by the fitment within the first fluid reservoir, the expansible bladder being configured to expand to thereby increase the second fluid reservoir from a first volume to a second volume, and wherein the expansible bladder is fabricated from a material having a shape-memory to thereby bias the expansible bladder towards the first volume, and wherein:

the fitment comprises an extension portion, a flared portion, and a recess portion defined between the extension portion and the flared portion;

the fitment is provided with a vent hole to thereby vent the second fluid reservoir to atmosphere; and

the one-piece expansible bladder comprises an elastomeric ring portion defining an opening into the one-piece expansible bladder, and the elastomeric ring portion of the one-piece expansible bladder is fitted about the recess portion of the fitment; and

the housing comprises a separate upper portion and a separate lower portion configured to be joined together; and

the fitment comprises an integral part of the housing upper portion.

5. The ink cartridge of claim 4 , and wherein the one-piece expansible bladder is fabricated from a material selected from the group comprising natural rubber, neoprene rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene-propylene, isobutylene-isoprene, chlorosulphonated polyethylene, viton, silicone rubber; acryl-nitrile butadiene, sytrol-butadiene, or flourosilicone.

6. The ink cartridge of claim 4 , and wherein the one-piece expansible bladder is defined by an inner surface and an outer surface, and further wherein the one-piece expansible bladder is configured to expand when the outer surface is subjected to a pressure of between about 0.01 psi and 0.50 psi.

7. The ink cartridge of claim 4 , and wherein the housing is defined by an inner surface and an outer surface, the ink cartridge further comprising a raised portion on the inner surface of the housing, the raised portion defining fluid passageways.

8. An ink cartridge, comprising:

a housing defining a first fluid reservoir;

an air management system comprising a fitment supported by the housing; and

a one-piece expansible bladder which defines a second fluid reservoir and which is supported by the fitment within the first fluid reservoir, the expansible bladder being configured to expand to thereby increase the second fluid reservoir from a first volume to a second volume, and wherein:

the expansible bladder is fabricated from a material having a shape-memory to thereby bias the expansible bladder towards the first volume; and

the one-piece expansible bladder is defined by an inner surface and an outer surface, and further wherein the one-piece expansible bladder is configured to expand when the outer surface is subjected to a pressure of between about 0.01 psi and 0.50 psi; and

the housing comprises a separate upper portion and a separate lower portion configured to be joined together; and

the fitment comprises an integral part of the housing upper portion.

9. The ink cartridge of claim 8 , and wherein the fitment is provided with a vent hole to thereby vent the second fluid reservoir to atmosphere.

10. The ink cartridge of claim 8 , and wherein the fitment comprises an extension portion, a flared portion, and a recess portion defined between the extension portion and the flared portion, and further wherein the one-piece expansible bladder comprises an elastomeric ring portion defining an opening into the one-piece expansible bladder, and the elastomeric ring portion of the one-piece expansible bladder is fitted about the recess portion of the fitment.

11. The ink cartridge of claim 8 , and wherein the one-piece expansible bladder is fabricated from a material selected from the group comprising natural rubber, neoprene rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene-propylene, isobutylene-isoprene, chlorosulphonated polyethylene, viton, silicone rubber, acryl-nitrile butadiene, sytrol-butadiene, or flourosilicone.

12. The ink cartridge of claim 8 , and wherein the housing is defined by an inner surface and an outer surface, the ink cartridge further comprising a raised portion on the inner surface of the housing, the raised portion defining fluid passageways.