Importance

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Abstract

An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer that supplies ink at a negative pressure is disclosed. The cartridge includes a cartridge housing having an upper chamber and a lower chamber and a first wall therebetween. The upper chamber has an aperture exposed to atmosphere and it also contains a capillary foam having a specifiable capillarity for absorbing ink. The lower chamber is airlocked until the ink level in the upper chamber is sufficiently low to allow the passage of air through the pores. A printhead is disposed at a vertical height greater than a top level of the lower chamber. A supply line is provided which conveys ink by capillary action of the nozzles to the printhead. A second capillary foam has a specifiable capillarity greater than the capillarity of the first capillary foam. The second foam is in fluidic communication with the upper and lower chambers and with the supply line.

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First Claim