LIQUID CARTRIDGE, LIQUID EJECTING DEVICE COMPRISING LIQUID CARTRIDGE AND MAIN BODY, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING LIQUID CARTRIDGE, AND METHOD OF REFURBISHING LIQUID CARTRIDGE

• US 20120069068A1
• Filed: 07/27/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: ITO, Noritsugu, HIRANO, Mikio
• Granted Patent: US 8,998,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/6
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17506 Refilling of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17559 Cartridge manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves

Abstract

A liquid cartridge includes a liquid storing portion that stores liquid therein, a liquid path that is in fluid communication with the liquid storing portion, a sensor, and a memory. The sensor outputs a particular data corresponding to a particular value indicating that the liquid storing portion is in fluid communication with an exterior of the liquid cartridge, and a further data corresponding to a further value indicating that the liquid storing portion is not in fluid communication with the exterior of the liquid cartridge. The memory includes a first data corresponding to a first value and a second data corresponding to a second value. The first value and the second value are defined such that when the particular data and the further data are outputted, one half of a sum of the first value and the second value is between the particular value and the further value.

Claims

1. A liquid cartridge comprising:

a liquid storing portion configured to store liquid therein;

a liquid path configured to be in fluid communication with the liquid storing portion;

a sensor configured to output a particular data corresponding to a particular value indicating that the liquid storing portion is in fluid communication with an exterior of the liquid cartridge, and a further data corresponding to a further value indicating that the liquid storing portion is not in fluid communication with the exterior of the liquid cartridge; and

a memory comprising a first data corresponding to a first value and a second data corresponding to a second value, wherein the first value and the second value are defined such that when the particular data and the further data are outputted, one half of a sum of the first value and the second value is between the particular value and the further value.

2. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, wherein the first value and the second value are further defined such that the particular value is less than or equal to the one half of the sum of the first value and the second value.

3. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, wherein the first value and the second value are further defined such that the further value is greater than the one half of the sum of the first value and the second value.

4. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to output data corresponding to a continuously changing plurality of values between the further value and the particular value as the cartridge transitions from a state in which the liquid storing portion is not in fluid communication with the exterior of the liquid cartridge to a state in which the liquid storing portion is in fluid communication with the exterior of the liquid cartridge.

5. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a sealing member configured to selectively allow the liquid storing portion to be in fluid communication with an exterior of the liquid cartridge.

6. The liquid cartridge of claim 5, wherein the sensor is configured to output the particular data corresponding to the particular value when the sealing member is penetrated.

7. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, wherein when the sensor outputs the data corresponding to the particular value, an object other than the liquid is disposed in the liquid path.

8. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to output a data corresponding to values relative to a position of an object other than the liquid in the liquid path.

9. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, wherein the particular value, the further value, the first value and the second value represent voltages.

10. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed at a wall at the liquid path.

11. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a movable member disposed in the liquid path.

12. The liquid cartridge of claim 11, wherein the sensor is configured to output data corresponding to values relative to a position of the movable member.

13. The liquid cartridge of claim 11, wherein the movable member is configured to selectively place the liquid storing portion in fluid communication with the exterior of the liquid cartridge via the liquid path.

14. The liquid cartridge of claim 11, wherein the movable member is configured to move between a closed position in the liquid path and an open position in the liquid path, wherein the open position is closer to the liquid storing portion than the closed position, wherein the movable member is in the open position when the liquid storing portion is in fluid communication with the exterior of the cartridge and the movable member is in the closed position when the liquid storing portion is not in fluid communication with the exterior of the cartridge.

15. The liquid cartridge of claim 14, wherein when the movable member is in the open position, the sensor is configured to output the particular data corresponding to the particular value.

16. The liquid cartridge of claim 14, wherein when the movable member moves from the closed position to the open position, the sensor is configured to output a transition data corresponding to a transition value.

17. The liquid cartridge of claim 11, wherein as the liquid cartridge transitions from a state in which the liquid storing portion is not in fluid communication with the exterior of the cartridge to a state in which the liquid storing portion is in fluid communication with an exterior of the liquid cartridge, the movable member moves from the closed position to the open position.

18. The liquid cartridge of claim 17, wherein when the movable member is in the open position, the sensor is configured to output the particular data corresponding to the particular value.

19. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to output data corresponding to values relative to a position of a movable member disposed outside of the liquid path.

20. The liquid cartridge of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a magnetic sensor configured to output a signal corresponding to a magnetic flux density.

21. A liquid cartridge comprising:

a liquid storing portion configured to store liquid therein;

a liquid path configured to be in fluid communication with the liquid storing portion;

a sensor configured to output a particular data corresponding to a particular value when the liquid storing portion is in fluid communication with an exterior of the liquid cartridge, and a further data corresponding to a further value when the liquid storing portion is not in fluid communication with the exterior of the liquid cartridge; and

a memory configured to store at least one of the particular data corresponding to the particular value and the further data corresponding to the further value.

22. The liquid cartridge of claim 21, wherein the memory is configured to store the particular data corresponding to the particular value.

23. A liquid cartridge comprising:

a liquid storing portion configured to store liquid therein;

a liquid path configured to be in fluid communication with the liquid storing portion;

a sensor configured to output a data corresponding to a plurality of values related to a presence or an absence of an object other than the liquid in a predetermined position in the liquid path;

a memory configured to store at least one of a particular data corresponding to a particular value of the plurality of values that corresponds to the presence of the object in the predetermined position in the liquid path and a further data corresponding to a further value of the plurality of values that corresponds to the absence of the object in the predetermined position of the liquid path.

24. A liquid cartridge comprising:

a liquid storing portion configured to store liquid therein;

a sensor having a characteristic such that an output of the sensor is configured to change based on a state of the liquid cartridge; and

a memory configured to store a particular value related to the characteristic.

25. The liquid cartridge of claim 24, further comprising a liquid path configured to be in fluid communication with the liquid storing portion, wherein the sensor has the characteristic such that the output of the sensor is configured to change based on a position of an object in the liquid path.

26. A liquid ejecting device comprising:

a liquid cartridge; and

a main body, wherein the liquid cartridge is removably attachable to the main body,

the liquid cartridge comprising;

a liquid storing portion configured to store liquid therein;

a liquid path configured to be in fluid communication with the liquid storing portion;

a sensor configured to output a particular data corresponding to a particular value indicating that the liquid storing portion is in fluid communication with an exterior of the liquid cartridge, and a further data corresponding to a further value indicating that the liquid storing portion is not in fluid communication with the exterior of the liquid cartridge; and

a memory comprising a first data corresponding to a first value and a second data corresponding to a second value, wherein the first value and the second value are defined such that when the particular data and the further data are outputted, one half of a sum of the first value and the second value is between the particular value and the further value,

the main body comprising;

a mounting portion to which the liquid cartridge is selectively receivable,

an insertion member configured to be removably insertable into the liquid cartridge; and

a controller configured to retrieve the first data corresponding to the first value, and second data corresponding to the second value, wherein when the insertion member is inserted into the liquid cartridge, the controller is configured to retrieve the data corresponding to the particular value and to determine whether the particular value is less than or equal to one half of a sum of the first value and second value.

27. A method of manufacturing a liquid cartridge having a liquid path attached to a liquid storing portion, the method comprising:

storing a first data corresponding to a first value in a memory;

storing a second data corresponding to a second value in the memory;

disposing a sensor near the liquid path, wherein the sensor is configured to output a particular data corresponding to a particular value indicating that the liquid storing portion is in fluid communication with an exterior of the liquid cartridge, and a further data corresponding to a further value indicating that the liquid storing portion is not in fluid communication with the exterior of the liquid cartridge, wherein one half of a sum of the first value and the second value is between the particular value and the further value;

filling the liquid storing portion with liquid; and

plugging the liquid path by disposing a plug in the liquid path.

28. A method of refurbishing a liquid cartridge having a liquid path attached to a liquid storing portion, a sensor disposed near the liquid path, and a memory comprising a first data corresponding to a first value and a second data corresponding to a second value, the method comprising:

preparing the liquid cartridge for refilling;

storing a new first data corresponding to a new first value in the memory to replace the first data;

storing a new second data corresponding to a new second value in the memory to replace the second data, wherein the sensor is configured to output a particular data corresponding to a particular value indicating that the liquid storing portion is in fluid communication with an exterior of the liquid cartridge, and a further data corresponding to a further value indicating that the liquid storing portion is not in fluid communication with the exterior of the liquid cartridge, wherein one half of a sum of the new first value and the new second value is between the particular value and the further value;

refilling the liquid storing portion with liquid; and

plugging the liquid path by disposing a plug in the liquid path.