INK REFILL UNIT WITH INCREMENTAL INK EJECTION FOR A PRINT CARTRIDGE

• US 20080068427A1
• Filed: 11/25/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Hibbard, Christopher, Nakazawa, Akira, Mackey, Paul, Jackson, Garry, Berry, Norman
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/209 Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04541 Specific driving circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04543 Block driving
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0458 controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04585 controlling heads based on thermal bent actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04591 Width of the driving signal being adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/135 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14016 Structure of bubble jet print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1634 laser machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1637 molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16526 by applying pressure only
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16535 using wiping constructions B41J2/16552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1707 Conditioning of the inside of ink supply circuits, e.g. flushing during start-up or shut-down
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1714 : Conditioning of the outside of ink supply systems, e.g. inkjet collector cleaning, ink mist removal B41J2/08, B41J2/16517, B41J2/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 : Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 : Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17506 : Refilling of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 : Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 : Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 : Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17536 : Protection of cartridges or parts thereof, e.g. tape
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 : Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 : Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 : Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/19 : for removing air bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/515 : line printer type
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 : Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14403 : including a filter
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 : Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14435 : Moving nozzle made of thermal bend detached actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14459 : Matrix arrangement of the pressure chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14475 : characterised by nozzle shapes or number of orifices per chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/1742 : Open waste ink collector, e.g. ink receiving from a print head above the collector during borderless printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17516 : comprising a collapsible ink holder, e.g. a flexible bag
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/19 : Assembling head units
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/20 : Modules
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 25/34 : Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 : Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/13 : Cases or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 : Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism

Abstract

An ink refill unit for a print cartridge is provided. The unit includes a housing which defines a fluid path in fluid communication with an outlet. The unit also includes an ink reservoir having an ejection port arranged in fluid communication with the fluid path inside the housing, and an ejector assembly configured to incrementally eject ink from the reservoir when the assembly is actuated by the print cartridge.

Claims

1. An ink refill unit for a print cartridge, said unit comprising:

a housing defining a fluid path in fluid communication with an outlet and configured to be operatively engaged with the print cartridge;

a fluid reservoir having an ejection port arranged in fluid communication with the fluid path inside the housing; and

an ejector assembly configured to incrementally eject fluid from the reservoir when the assembly is actuated by operative engagement of the print cartridge with the housing.

2. The unit of claim 1, wherein the ejector assembly includes a piston and cylinder arrangement with the piston biased into the cylinder with a compressed spring, said ejector assembly having a pawl-and-ratchet detent preventing the biased piston entering the cylinder until the pawl is actuated by the print cartridge.

3. The unit of claim 1, wherein the ejector assembly includes a plunger having a toothed thread which engages with a screw thread provided in an internal wall of the housing, the ejector having a drive gear so that actuation of the drive gear imparts rotation to the toothed thread so as to rotate the plunger within the screw thread of the housing to eject ink from a bellows-like reservoir.

4. The unit of claim 1, wherein the ejector assembly includes a piston and cylinder ink reservoir, said piston having a thread which engages a screw thread in an internal wall of the cylinder, the piston rotationally biased by a wound spring and the ejector having a pawl-and-ratchet detent preventing the biased piston threading into the reservoir until the pawl is actuated by the print cartridge.

5. The unit of claim 1, wherein the ejector assembly is configured so that the amount of the printing fluid ejected from the reservoir by the ejector assembly is between 6 ml and 50 ml per increment.

6. The unit of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a collapsible reservoir storing the printing fluid and having the outlet at one end thereof.

7. The unit of claim 1, wherein the outlet includes a syringe needle arranged to penetrate a valve seal of the print cartridge.

8. The unit of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a docking port including the outlet which is configured to dock with a refill port of the print cartridge.

9. The unit of claim 1, wherein the housing defines an aperture via which the print cartridge actuates the ejector assembly.