1. A fluid interconnection between a fluid container and a fluid ejector assembly, comprising:
a first wick at an outlet from the container, the first wick having an upstream surface and a downstream surface;
a second wick at an inlet to the ejector assembly, the second wick having an upstream surface and a downstream surface, the upstream surface of the second wick in direct contact with the downstream surface of the first wick across substantially the entire area of the upstream surface of the second wick; and
a filter in direct contact with the downstream surface of the second wick.
2. The fluid interconnection of claim 1, wherein the downstream surface of the first wick and the upstream surface of the second wick are compressed together.
3. The fluid interconnection of claim 1, wherein the downstream surface of the first wick has a cross sectional dimension larger than a cross sectional dimension of the upstream surface of the second wick.
4. The fluid interconnection of claim 1, wherein the first wick and the second wick have substantially the same wicking characteristics.
5. The fluid interconnection of claim 1, further comprising a fluid holding material in the container, the fluid holding material in direct contact with the upstream surface of the first wick.
6. The fluid interconnection of claim 1, further comprising a seal operatively connected between the inlet and the outlet to seal off the wicks from the atmosphere.
7. The fluid interconnection of claim 1, wherein the fluid container comprises an ink container and the fluid ejector structure comprises an inkjet printhead assembly.
8. The fluid interconnection of claim 7, further comprising an ink holding material in the ink container, the ink holding material in direct contact with the upstream surface of the first wick.
9. A fluid interconnection between a fluid container and a fluid ejector assembly in which fluid flows from the container
through a first interface between a fluid holding material in the container and an outlet wick at an outlet from the container, and then
through a second interface between the outlet wick and an inlet wick at an inlet to the assembly, and then
through a third interface between the inlet wick and a filter within the assembly,
in which the outlet wick and the inlet wick have substantially the same wicking characteristics.
10. A fluid ejector assembly, comprising:
an inlet tube having an exposed open end through which fluid may enter the assembly;
a conduit through which fluid may pass from the inlet tube to an ejector structure;
a filter in the inlet tube such that fluid passing through the inlet tube to the conduit passes through the filter;
a wick in the inlet tube such that fluid entering the inlet tube passes through the wick, the wick having a downstream surface in contact with the filter and:
an upstream surface of the wick protruding from the open end of the inlet tube,
a cross sectional dimension of the wick at the downstream surface greater than a cross-section dimensional of the filter such that a perimeter of the downstream surface of the wick extends beyond a perimeter of the filter, and
an interference fit between the wick and the inlet tube such that the wick is compressed in the inlet tube.
11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the interference fit is created with the wick having a cross sectional dimension slightly larger than an inside dimension of the inlet tube.
12. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the filter and the wick are supported in a recess in an inside surface of the inlet tube.
13. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the fluid ejector assembly comprises an inkjet printhead assembly and the fluid comprises ink, the assembly further comprising:
a bay for holding a detachable ink container, the inlet tube having an exposed open end through which ink from an ink container installed in the bay may enter the assembly; and
a printhead from which ink may be ejected from the assembly, the conduit through which ink may pass from the inlet tube to the printhead.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:
1. A pump having a positive displacement per cycle that is continuously variable between a maximum flow rate and a zero flow rate comprising:
a housing;
a first driven gear rotatably movable with respect to the housing;
a second gear rotatably movable with respect to the housing and meshing with the first gear, wherein the first and second gears are axially movable relative to each other;
a first complement, secured to rotate with and slide axially along the first gear;
a second complement, secured to rotate with and slide axially along the second gear;
a movable follower sealably engaged to the first complement and second gear, and slidably engaged with the first gear, wherein the first complement and second gear are configured to move continuously between a first position corresponding to the maximum flow rate and a second position corresponding to the zero flow rate;
a fixed follower sealably engaged with the second complement and slidably engaged with the second gear; and
a timing gear configured to rotate in correspondence with said first driven gear.
2. The pump of claim 1, further comprising:
a drive shaft carrying said first driven gear in driving relation.
3. The pump of claim 2, further comprising:
an idler axle carrying said second gear.
4. The pump of claim 3, wherein the timing gear is spaced axially from the first driven gear by the stationary follower.
5. The pump of claim 4, wherein the stationary follower further comprises:
a sleeve center positioned to cooperate with the second complement.
6. The pump of claim 5, wherein the sleeve center has an axial length at least equal to a thickness of the second complement.
7. The pump of claim 6, wherein the movable follower further comprises:
a sleeve positioned to slide axially over said sleeve center in a sealed relation, further adapted to travel with the movable follower.
8. The pump of claim 7, further comprising a pump chamber having a continuously variable length defined by a distance between the first and second complements.
9. The pump of claim 8, wherein said pump chamber length varies continuously between a maximum length corresponding to the length of said first driven gear less the length of the first compliment and a minimum length, including zero, corresponding with said zero flow rate.
10. The pump of claim 9, further comprising:
an adjuster configured to continuously vary the length of said pump chamber between said maximum length and said minimum length.
11. The pump of claim 10, wherein said adjuster comprises:
a mechanical linkage configured to displace the movable follower.
12. The pump of claim 10, wherein said adjuster comprises:
a fluid applied to exert a differential pressure between a proximal piston face and a distal piston face, wherein the proximal piston face comprises a proximal end of the follower and a proximal end of the first complement, and wherein the distal piston face comprises a distal end of said first driving gear and a distal end of said sleeve.
13. The pump of claim 10, further comprising a metering valve found between the movable follower and an output port, wherein said metering valve operates at reduced chamber length.
14. The pump of claim 11, wherein the timing gear is configured to reduce energy applied to fluid within the housing.
15. An improved pump, having axially translatable gears, to reduce energy applied to a working fluid during conditions of reduced pump output and full drive shaft speed, the improvement comprising:
a pump chamber comprising a sleeve and having a variable length to proportionally control pump output, the length variable between a maximum length and a minimum length, the minimum length corresponding to an effectively zero pump output;
the sleeve forming a pumping seal with a gear when the pump is configured to produce an output flow;
a timing arrangement adapted to keep a plurality of gears in constant synchronization, whether the gears are engaged or fully disengaged; and
an adjuster to vary the chamber length between the maximum and the minimum.
16. The pump of claim 15, wherein the chamber length is a distance between a proximal seal and a distal seal.
17. The pump of claim 16, wherein:
the distal seal comprises a stationary follower to form an effective axial seal with an axially fixed gear; and
the proximal seal comprises a movable follower to form an effective axial seal with an axially translating gear.
18. The pump of claim 17, wherein the stationary follower comprises a portion of a gear complement, a sleeve center, and a housing bridge element.
19. The pump of claim 15, wherein the sleeve is cantilevered from a movable follower and journaled in a housing for axial translation.
20. The pump of claim 19, wherein a sleeve center, coaxial with the sleeve, axially spaces a timing gear from another gear.
21. The pump of claim 15, wherein the adjuster comprises a mechanical linkage structured to translate a movable follower.
22. The pump of claim 15, further comprising a metering valve between a movable follower and an output port, the metering valve operable during conditions of reduced chamber length.
23. The pump of claim 15, the timing arrangement comprising:
a timing gear maintained in meshing agreement with a first gear, and axially spaced apart from the first gear.
24. The pump of claim 15, wherein the adjuster comprises:
a working fluid applied to exert a differential pressure between a proximal piston face and a distal piston face;
the proximal piston face comprising a proximal end of a follower and a proximal end of a complement; and
the distal piston face comprising a distal end of a gear and a distal end of the sleeve.
25. The pump of claim 24, wherein the working fluid is pressurized by a secondary pump between a gear and a timing gear.
26. A method to vary a fluid output rate, between a maximum rate and essentially zero, during a constant operational speed for a positive displacement pump, the method comprising:
providing a pump comprising:
gears, including first and second pump gears, and a timing gear to maintain synchronization between the pump gears; with
the first pump gear in pump sealing relation to a sleeve cantilevered from a movable follower;
the pump gears arranged for meshing engagement and mounted for relative axial translation between a position of maximum length engagement to complete disengagement; and
axially translating the second pump gear relative to the first pump gear such that the engagement length therebetween correspondingly changes between a maximum length and zero.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the axial translation is effected by a mechanical linkage element arranged to translate the movable follower.