Vent plug methods and apparatus
View Patent ↗Apparatus include a liquid container body defining a reservoir and having a vent aperture defined therethrough, and a quantity of expandable foam disposed within the aperture. The cured expandable foam can act as a vent plug to prevent liquid from leaking out of the container body through the aperture, while also allowing air or other such gases to pass through the aperture for venting of the reservoir. Methods include steps of installing a plug into a vent aperture defined through a liquid container body. The steps can consist of dispensing a quantity of expandable foam into the vent aperture.
1. An inkjet pen, comprising:
a body that defines an enclosed reservoir configured to contain a liquid ink, wherein the body defines a vent aperture therethrough; and,
a quantity of expandable foam that has been dispensed into the reservoir while in a substantially flowable state.
2. The inkjet pen of claim 1 , further comprising a support member supported by the body within the reservoir, wherein the expandable foam has been dispensed onto the support member.
3. The inkjet pen of claim 1 , and wherein the expandable foam comprises at least a portion of open cell content.
4. The inkjet pen of claim 1 , and wherein the expandable foam comprises substantially entirely open cell content.
5. The inkjet pen of claim 1 , and wherein the expandable foam comprises polyurethane foam.
6. The inkjet pen of claim 1 , wherein the body is a stationary body, and wherein the enclosed reservoir is a primary ink reservoir, the inkjet pen further comprising:
a movable body defining a secondary ink reservoir; and,
an ink conduit fluidly connecting the primary ink reservoir to the secondary ink reservoir.
7. The inkjet pen of claim 1 , wherein the body is a movable body, and wherein the enclosed reservoir is a secondary reservoir, the inkjet pen further comprising:
a stationary body defining a primary ink reservoir; and,
an ink conduit fluidly connecting the primary ink reservoir to the secondary ink reservoir.
8. The inkjet pen of claim 1 , and further comprising a capillary reticulate material disposed within the reservoir.
9. The inkjet pen of claim 1 , and further comprising an air pressure control bag supported by the body and disposed within the reservoir, wherein the aperture allows air flow from an ambient location outside of the cartridge body into the air pressure control bag.
10. The inkjet pen of claim 1 , and further comprising an ink bladder supported by the body and disposed within the reservoir.
11. An inkjet pen, comprising:
a body that defines an enclosed reservoir configured to contain a liquid ink, wherein the body defines a vent aperture therethrough;
a support member supported by the body within the reservoir and proximate the aperture, wherein an opening is defined between the support member and the body; and,
a quantity of expandable foam disposed within the reservoir to completely cover the aperture, wherein at least a portion of the expandable foam protrudes through the opening, thereby trapping the expandable foam between the support member and the body; and wherein the support member is configured to be inserted into the aperture, and wherein the support member comprises:
a substantially annular rim configured to rest on the body proximate the aperture and substantially outside of the reservoir;
a deck, wherein the deck and the rim are oriented in spaced-apart, juxtaposed relation to one another, and wherein the deck is configured to be located substantially within the reservoir; and,
a stave element connected to both the rim and to the deck, wherein an opening is defined there between, and wherein the opening is configured to allow the expandable foam to expand therethrough.
12. A method of installing a vent plug in a vent aperture defined through an inkjet pen body, the method comprising:
providing an expandable foam in an uncured, flowable state; and,
dispensing the expandable foam, while in the uncured, flowable state, into the aperture.
13. The method of claim 12 , and further comprising allowing the expandable foam to cure into a substantially rigid state, wherein the substantially rigid expandable foam completely covers the aperture.
14. The method of claim 13 , and further comprising trimming the cured expandable foam.
15. An inkjet pen, comprising:
a body that defines an enclosed reservoir, wherein the body defines a vent aperture there through;
a deck supported by the body, the deck defining a support surface, wherein the support surface is located within the reservoir and oriented in substantially juxtaposed, spaced-apart registration with the aperture, thereby defining an opening between the deck and the body; and,
a quantity of cured, rigid expandable foam supported on the support surface to completely cover the aperture.
16. The inkjet pen of claim 15 , and wherein at least a portion of the expandable foam protrudes through the opening.
17. The inkjet pen of claim 15 , and further comprising an interior surface defined on the pen body, wherein:
the interior surface is exposed to the reservoir; and,
at least a portion of the expandable foam protrudes through the opening so as to be substantially trapped between the support surface and the interior surface.
18. A liquid container, comprising:
a body that defines an enclosed reservoir, wherein the body defines a vent aperture therethrough;
a support member supported by the body within the reservoir and proximate the aperture, wherein an opening is defined between the support member and the body; and,
a quantity of expandable foam disposed within the reservoir to completely cover the aperture, wherein at least a portion of the expandable foam protrudes through the opening, thereby trapping the expandable foam between the support member and the body.
19. The liquid container of claim 18 , and wherein the support member comprises a deck defining thereon a support surface, wherein the support surface is located within the reservoir and oriented in substantially juxtaposed, spaced-apart registration with the aperture, whereby the expandable foam is located substantially between the support surface and the aperture.
20. The liquid container of claim 19 , and further comprising an interior surface defined on the pen body, wherein:
the interior surface is exposed to the reservoir; and,
at least a portion of the expandable foam is trapped between the support surface and the interior surface.
21. A liquid containment means, comprising:
a body that defines an aperture therethrough, and that encloses a reservoir;
a support means located within the reservoir; and,
a quantity of cured, rigid expandable foam within the reservoir and at least a portion of which expandable foam is trapped between the support means and the body to completely cover the aperture.
22. A method of installing a vent plug in a vent aperture defined through a liquid container body, the method comprising:
providing an expandable foam in an uncured, flowable state;
supporting the expandable foam, while in the uncured, flowable state, within the container body, and proximate the aperture; and,
allowing the expandable foam to expand to completely cover the aperture.
23. The method of claim 22 , and further comprising allowing the expanded expandable foam to cure into a rigid state.
24. The method of claim 22 , and wherein the expanded expandable foam is larger than the aperture, thereby preventing the removal of the expanded expandable foam from the aperture.
25. An inkjet pen, comprising:
a body that defines an enclosed reservoir configured to contain a liquid ink, wherein the body defines a vent aperture therethrough;
a print head supported on the body;
a quantity of expandable foam disposed within the aperture, thereby substantially preventing the flow therethrough of the liquid ink, and wherein the expandable foam is configured to allow air to flow therethrough; and,
a support member configured to support thereon the expandable foam, wherein:
the support member defines thereon a support surface configured to supportively contact the expandable foam;
the support member is configured to be inserted into the aperture;
the support member comprises:
a substantially annular rim configured to rest on the body proximate the aperture and substantially outside of the reservoir;
a deck on which the support surface is defined, wherein the deck and the rim are oriented in spaced-apart, juxtaposed relation to one another, and wherein the deck is configured to be located substantially within the reservoir; and,
a stave element connected to both the rim and to the deck, wherein an opening is defined therebetween, and wherein the opening is configured to allow the expandable foam to expand therethrough.
26. An inkjet pen, comprising:
a body that defines a substantially enclosed reservoir configured to contain a liquid ink, wherein the body defines a vent aperture therethrough; and,
a quantity of expandable foam disposed within the aperture, thereby substantially blocking ink flow through the aperture.
27. The inkjet pen of claim 26 , wherein the expandable foam has been dispensed into the reservoir in a substantially flowable state.
28. The inkjet pen of claim 27 , wherein the expandable foam has cured into a substantially rigid state.