A greater number of people buying Kodak ink cartridges and printers may be a bonus for the struggling imaging company.

The brand noted in its latest earnings report that sales of home inkjet devices are performing well, with shipments up by 44 per cent during the third quarter compared with the same time last year.

However, it still posted an overall loss of $222 million (£138 million) during the three-month period.

Kodak was a key innovator in digital photography and developed the world's first camera of the type, but analysts suggest it was slow to shift to the format from traditional film, which has contributed to its current financial difficulties.

Shannon Cross of Cross Research warned that unless it finds a way to raise money quickly, bankruptcy is a real possibility for the firm, which has been making cameras since 1888.

It was noted that the future of the ink supplies and photography brand may hinge on a proposed sales of its patents, which could raise billions of dollars.