EP0739740A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ink supply for an inkjet printer
Assignee: HP Inc
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Filing: 1995-12-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-12-07
Abstract
Abstract An ink supply for an ink-jet printer is provided with a main reservoir 14, which is typically maintained at ambient pressure. The main reservoir 14 is coupled to a variable volume chamber 36 via a one-way valve 42 which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir 14 to the chamber 36 and prevents the flow of ink from the chamber 36 to the reservoir 14. The chamber 36 is coupled to a fluid outlet 20 which is normally closed to prevent the flow of ink. However, when the ink supply is installed in a printer, the fluid outlet 20 establishes a fluid connection between the chamber 36 and the printer. The chamber 36 is part of a pump 18 provided with the ink supply that can be actuated to supply ink from the reservoir 14 to the printer.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce Cowger
- 👤 Norman Pawlowski, Jr.
- 👤 John A. Barinaga, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 04:20
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17503; B41J2/17553; B41J2/17506; B41J2/17513; B41J2/1752; B41J2/17543; B41J2/1755; B41J2/17566; B41J2/17596; B41J2002/17573; B41J2002/17576
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A replaceable ink supply 10 for removable insertion into a docked position within a docking bay 26 of an ink jet printer, the docking bay having a pump actuator 30 and a fluid inlet 28 coupled to a trailing tube 98 for supplying ink to a movable print head, the ink supply comprising: a chassis 16; a reservoir 14 coupled to the chassis 16 for containing a quantity of ink; a fluid outlet 20 carried on the chassis 16 for engaging the fluid inlet 28 when the ink supply 10 is in the docked position; and a pump 18 carried on the chassis 16 in fluid communication with the reservoir 14 and the fluid outlet 20, the pump 18 actuable by the actuator 30 when the ink supply is in the docked position to draw ink from the reservoir 14 and supply the ink through the fluid outlet 20 to the trailing tube 98.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
51 words
The replaceable ink supply of claim 1 in which the fluid outlet 20 allows the passage of ink through the fluid outlet 20 and into the fluid inlet 28 when in the docked position and prevents the flow of ink through the fluid outlet 20 when not in the docked position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The replaceable ink supply of claim 1 further comprising a valve 42 interposed between the pump 18 and the reservoir 14, the valve 42 allowing the flow of ink from the reservoir 14 into the pump 18 and limiting the flow of ink from the pump 18 into the reservoir 14.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
The replaceable ink supply of claim 1 in which the pump comprises a variable volume chamber 36 having an expanded position and a retracted position, the chamber 36 being internally biased toward the expanded position, the actuator 30 overcoming the internal biasing of the chamber 36 and urging the chamber toward the retracted position to pressurize ink within the chamber 36 and urge ink from the pump 18 through the fluid outlet 20 and into the fluid inlet 28.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The replaceable ink supply of claim 4 in which the chamber 36 is a bellows 122 and the bellows 122 is a unitary molded plastic element and in which the resiliency of the walls of the bellows urges the bellows toward the expanded position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The replaceable ink supply of claim 4 in which at least a portion of the chamber 36 comprises a flexible diaphragm 44 movable between the expanded position and the retracted position and further comprising a spring 48 within the chamber 36 to urge the flexible diaphragm 44 toward the expanded position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
185 words
A chassis 16 for a replaceable ink supply system for insertion into a docked position within a docking bay 26 of an ink jet printer, the docking bay 26 having a pump actuator 30 and a fluid inlet 28 in fluid communication with a trailing tube 98 for supplying ink to a movable print head, the chassis 16 comprising: an ink inlet 38 for coupling to an ink reservoir 14 containing a supply of ink; a pump 18 in fluid communication with the ink inlet 38; a valve 42 associated with the ink inlet, the valve 42 allowing the flow of ink from the reservoir 14 through the ink inlet 38 into the pump 18 and limiting the return flow of ink through the ink inlet 38; a fluid outlet 20 in fluid communication with the pump 18, the fluid outlet 20 engaging the fluid inlet 28 and allowing the flow in ink through the fluid outlet 20 to the fluid inlet 28 when in the docked position and preventing the flow of ink through the fluid outlet 20 when not in the docked position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The chassis of claim 7 in which the pump 18 comprises a variable volume chamber 36 that is actuable between an expanded position and a retracted position.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of supplying ink for an ink jet printer having a docking bay 26 with a pump actuator 30 and a fluid inlet 28 coupled to a trailing tube 98 for providing ink to a movable print head, the method comprising the steps of: providing a chassis 16 carrying a pump 18 having a pump inlet 28 coupled to a reservoir 14 containing a quantity of ink and a pump outlet 40 in fluid communication with a fluid outlet 20, the pump 28 comprising a variable volume chamber 36; inserting the chassis 16 into the docking bay 26 of the printer to form a fluid connection between the fluid outlet 20 and the fluid inlet 28; biasing the variable volume chamber 36 toward an expanded position to draw ink from the reservoir 14 into the pump 28; and moving the actuator 30 into engagement with the pump 18 to bias the variable volume chamber 36 toward a retracted position and urge ink within the pump 18 through the pump outlet 40 and to the fluid outlet 20.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 9 in which at least a portion of the variable volume chamber 36 comprises a flexible diaphragm 44 movable between the expanded position and the retracted position; and a spring 48 situated within the variable volume chamber 36 to bias the flexible diaphragm 44 toward the expanded position.
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