METHODS OF FILLING A LIQUID CONTAINER

• US 20080230141A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Hattori, Shingo
• Granted Patent: US 8,528,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/18
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17506 Refilling of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/00 Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars

Abstract

A liquid container includes a liquid chamber, and a liquid supply chamber at least partially defined by at least one wall having a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening formed therethrough. A method of filling such a liquid container includes the steps of closing the third opening, positioning the liquid container in a predetermined orientation, and introducing liquid into the liquid supply chamber via the second opening. The method also includes the step of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber after the step of introducing liquid into the liquid supply chamber.

Claims

1. A method of filling a liquid container, wherein the liquid container comprises a liquid chamber at least partially defined by at least one first wall, and a liquid supply chamber at least partially defined by at least one second wall having a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening formed therethrough, wherein the first opening allows liquid communication between the liquid chamber and the liquid supply chamber, and the third opening allows liquid communication between the liquid supply chamber and an exterior of the liquid container, the method comprising the steps of:

closing the third opening;

positioning the liquid container in a predetermined orientation;

introducing liquid into the liquid supply chamber via the second opening; and

introducing liquid into the liquid chamber after the step of introducing liquid into the liquid supply chamber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber comprises the substep of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber via the first opening.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of introducing liquid into the liquid supply chamber comprises the substep of filling an entirety of the liquid supply chamber with liquid, and the step of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber is performed after the substep of filling the entirety of the liquid supply chamber with liquid.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the liquid container further comprises a liquid introduction portion, and the method further comprises the step of closing the first opening after the substep of filling the entirety of the liquid supply chamber with liquid, wherein the step of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber comprises the substep of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber via the liquid introduction portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined orientation is an orientation in which the first opening and the third opening are aligned in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of gravitational force.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid container further comprises a liquid introduction portion defined by at least one third wall having a fourth opening formed therethrough, and a particular liquid path extending from the fourth opening to the second opening, wherein the step of introducing liquid into the liquid supply chamber comprises the substeps of:

introducing liquid to the particular liquid path via the fourth opening; and

introducing liquid to the liquid supply chamber via the particular liquid path and the second opening.

7. A method of filling a liquid container, wherein the liquid container comprises a liquid chamber at least partially defined by at least one first wall, and a liquid supply chamber at least partially defined by at least one second wall having a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening formed therethrough, wherein the second opening is positioned between the first opening and the second opening, the first opening allows liquid communication between the liquid chamber and the liquid supply chamber, and the third opening allows liquid communication between the liquid supply chamber and an exterior of the liquid container, the method comprising the steps of:

closing the third opening;

positioning the liquid container in a predetermined orientation; and

introducing liquid into the liquid supply chamber via the second opening.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber comprises the substep of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber via the first opening.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of introducing liquid into the liquid supply chamber comprises the substep of filling an entirety of the liquid supply chamber with liquid, and the step of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber is performed after the substep of filling the entirety of the liquid supply chamber with liquid.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the liquid container further comprises a liquid introduction portion, and the method further comprises the step of closing the first opening after the substep of filling the entirety of the liquid supply chamber with liquid, wherein the step of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber comprises the substep of introducing liquid into the liquid chamber via the liquid introduction portion.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined orientation is an orientation in which the first opening and the third opening are aligned in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of gravitational force.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the liquid container further comprises a liquid introduction portion defined by at least one third wall having a fourth opening formed therethrough, and a particular liquid path extending from the fourth opening to the second opening, wherein the step of introducing liquid into the liquid supply chamber comprises the substeps of:

introducing liquid to the particular liquid path via the fourth opening; and

introducing liquid to the liquid supply chamber via the particular liquid path and the second opening.