Collapsible ink cartridge

Patent 5691755 Issued on November 25, 1997. Estimated Expiration Date:

November 25, 2014. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

D341157

3438058

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Inventors

Application

No. 229047 filed on 04/18/1994

US Classes:

347/86, CartridgeD18/56Element or attachment (9)

Examiners

Primary: Fuller, Benjamin R.
Assistant: Nguyen, Huy

Foreign Patent References

0437363 EP 07/12/1991
0490545 EP 06/12/1992
0560398 EP 09/12/1993
560398A2 EP 09/12/1993
0604128 EP 06/12/1994
0604119 EP 06/12/1994
0633137 EP 01/12/1995
52-121062 JP 06/12/1987
1141752 JP 06/12/1989
1141751 JP 06/12/1989
2 063 175 GB. 06/12/1981

International Class

B41J 002/175

Abstract

An ink cartridge has a body comprised of a plurality of wall panels that are resiliently hinged to adjacent wall panels. The wall panels define a cavity within the body for storing ink when the body is in a full configuration. The body collapses from the full configuration to an empty configuration as ink is removed from the body. The wall panels collapse inwardly about the hinges to lie flat against one another to reduce the cavity volume. A frame frames the plurality of wall panels of the body. The frame resiliently expands as the wall panels collapse flat together within the frame. The resilient expansion of the frame and the panel collapse about the hinges biases the body toward the full configuration.