Patent US5877793A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5877793A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic ink refill system for disposable ink jet cartridges
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
•
Filing: 1997-11-18
•
Granted: 1999-03-02
•
Expires: 2017-11-18
Abstract
Abstract An ink refill system is provided for an ink jet printer having a print carriage that traverses across a print medium and is adapted to receive one or more ink jet cartridges. The ink refill system includes a disposable ink jet cartridge removably mountable in the print carriage and constructed as a selfcontained unit that includes a print head and an ink supply container that stores a first quantity of liquid ink at a given sub-atmospheric pressure hydrodynamic condition. An ink reservoir external to the print carriage stores a second quantity of ink for replenishing the first quantity of ink in the ink supply container. Flexible supply tubing couples the ink reservoir to the ink supply container to supply ink from the second quantity of ink to the first quantity of ink during operation of the ink jet printer as the print carriage traverses across the print medium. A mechanism for refilling the ink supply container of the ink jet cartridge from the external ink reservoir during operation of the ink jet printer as the print carriage traverses across the print medium operates such that the refilling of the ink supply container is accomplished in a manner that preserves the sub-atmospheric pressure hydrodynamic condition of the ink jet cartridge.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul R. Erickson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:46
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17503; B41J2/17506; B41J2/17509; B41J2/17566; B41J2/17596; F; F16; F16G; F16G13/00; F16G13/12; F16G13/16; B41J2002/17576
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
253 words
An ink refill system for an ink jet printer having a print carriage that traverses across a print mnedium, the print carriage being adapted to receive at least one ink jet cartridge, the ink refill system comprising: (a) a disposable ink jet cartridge removably mountable in the print carriage and constructed as a self-contained unit that includes a print head for discharging ink toward the print medium and an ink supply container that stores a first quantity of liquid ink at a given sub-atmospheric pressure hydrodynamic condition, the disposable ink jet cartridge being free of a foam body internal to the ink jet cartridge and free of capillary action, the disposable ink jet cartridge being substantially sealed when in use; (b) an ink reservoir that stores a second quantity of ink for replenishing the first quantity of ink in the ink supply container; and (c) flexible tubing, operatively coupled to the ink reservoir and the ink supply container, for supplying ink freely of capillary action from the second quantity of ink to the first quantity of ink during operation of the ink jet printer as the print carriage traverses across the print medium, wherein the sub-atmospheric pressure hydrodynamic condition refills the ink supply container from the ink reservoir during operation of the ink jet printer by passive pressure differential in a manner than maintains the sub-atmospheric pressure hydrodynamic condition of the ink jet cartridge, the ink supply container moving relative to the ink reservoir as the print carriage traverses across the print medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
253 words
An ink refill system for an ink jet printer having a print carriage that traverses across a print mnedium, the print carriage being adapted to receive at least one ink jet cartridge, the ink refill system comprising: (a) a disposable ink jet cartridge removably mountable in the print carriage and constructed as a self-contained unit that includes a print head for discharging ink toward the print medium and an ink supply container that stores a first quantity of liquid ink at a given sub-atmospheric pressure hydrodynamic condition, the disposable ink jet cartridge being free of a foam body internal to the ink jet cartridge and free of capillary action, the disposable ink jet cartridge being substantially sealed when in use; (b) an ink reservoir that stores a second quantity of ink for replenishing the first quantity of ink in the ink supply container; and (c) flexible tubing, operatively coupled to the ink reservoir and the ink supply container, for supplying ink freely of capillary action from the second quantity of ink to the first quantity of ink during operation of the ink jet printer as the print carriage traverses across the print medium, wherein the sub-atmospheric pressure hydrodynamic condition refills the ink supply container from the ink reservoir during operation of the ink jet printer by passive pressure differential in a manner than maintains the sub-atmospheric pressure hydrodynamic condition of the ink jet cartridge, the ink supply container moving relative to the ink reservoir as the print carriage traverses across the print medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The ink refill system of claim 1 wherein the ink reservoir comprises a sealed vessel, and the tubing is fixedly coupled to both the ink reservoir and the ink supply container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ink refill system of claim 2 wherein supporting the ink reservoir is supported at a height lower than a height of the ink jet cartridge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
The ink refill system of claim 3 further comprising regulating means, switchable between an open and closed position and operably coupled to the tubing for controlling flow of ink from the ink reservoir to the ink supply container as needed to continuously replenish the ink supply container of the ink jet cartridge when the regulating means is in the open position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The ink refill system of claim 4 wherein the regulating means comprises an in-line stopcock with a pressure wheel for pinching the tubing closed when the stopcock is in a closed position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3452361A
Cited
US3708798A
Cited
DE2336485A1
Cited
US3967286A
Cited
US3961337A
Cited
US4074284A
Cited
US4183131A
Cited
US4178595A
Cited
US4187511A
Cited
JPS55139268A
Cited
JPS55146768A
Cited
US4342041A
Cited
DE3034264A1
Cited
US4429320A
Cited
US4383263A
Cited
US4394669A
Cited
US4342042A
Cited
US4403233A
Cited
US4475116A
Cited
US4658272A
Cited
US4527175A
Cited
US4399446A
Cited
US4432005A
Cited
US4437104A
Cited
US4513297A
Cited
US4433341A
Cited
US4462037A
Cited
US4558326A
Cited
US4921811A
Cited
US4623905A
Cited
JPS59194854A
Cited
US4500895A
Cited
US4631556A
Cited
US4636814A
Cited
US4667448A
Cited
US4610202A
Cited
US5245360A
Cited
US4680696A
Cited
US5126767A
Cited
JPS60179258A
Cited
JPS6122953A
Cited
US4684962A
Cited
US4775871A
Cited
US4757331A
Cited
US4639738A
Cited
US4593294A
Cited
US4737801A
Cited
US4823146A
Cited
JPS6364751A
Cited
US4714937A
Cited
US5021809A
Cited
JPS63147651A
Cited
US4926196A
Cited
US4977413A
Cited
WO1988008514A1
Cited
US4791438A
Cited
US4794409A
Cited
US4831389A
Cited
US4999652A
Cited
US4833491A
Cited
US4929963A
Cited
US4970533A
Cited
US4992802A
Cited
US5051759A
Cited
US4931811A
Cited
US4959667A
Cited
US4885595A
Cited
US5189438A
Cited
US4973993A
Cited
US4931812A
Cited
US4967207A
Cited
US4968998A
Cited
US5121132A
Cited
US5079570A
Cited
EP0442485A2
Cited
US5245365A
Cited
JPH03272858A
Cited
US5101219A
Cited
JPH0425465A
Cited
US5040001A
Cited
US5182579A
Cited
US5159348A
Cited
US5136305A
Cited
US5309180A
Cited
US5289211A
Cited
US5187498A
Cited
US5280300A
Cited
JPH05162326A
Cited
DE9300133U1
Cited
DE9310026U1
Cited
US5367328A
Cited
US5369429A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-01 | 2002-08-31 | 2003-03-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-01 | 2006-08-31 | 2007-03-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-01 | 2010-08-31 | 2011-03-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |