Ink chamber suitable for an ink supply system in a portable printer
View Patent ↗An ink chamber, suitable for an ink supply system in a portable printer, is provided. The ink chamber comprises a plurality of baffles for minimizing ink flow fluctuations in the ink supply system. The ink chamber is typically elongate and divided into a plurality of elongate sections, each section corresponding to a different colored ink. The baffles are typically transverse baffles in the elongate ink chamber.
1. An ink chamber, suitable for an ink supply system in a portable printer, the ink chamber comprising a baffle unit sealingly cooperating with a housing, the baffle unit comprising a plurality of baffles for minimizing ink flow fluctuations in the ink supply system, wherein
the baffle unit is divided into a plurality of separate sections.
2. The ink chamber of claim 1 , wherein each section corresponds to a different colored ink.
3. The ink chamber of claim 1 , wherein the baffle unit is elongate and divided into a plurality of elongate sections.
4. The ink chamber of claim 3 , wherein the baffle unit comprises a plurality of transverse baffles.
5. The ink chamber of claim 4 , wherein the baffle unit comprises a longitudinally recessed base for mounting an ink manifold.
6. The ink chamber of claim 5 , wherein the recessed base comprises a plurality of ink outlets for fluid communication with a corresponding plurality of ink inlets in the ink manifold.
7. The ink chamber of claim 1 , wherein each section of the baffle unit comprises a pierceable end wall portion for providing fluid communication with a corresponding ink reservoir.
8. The ink chamber of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a plurality of hydrophobically sealed breather openings, the openings being permeable to air and impervious to ink.