SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A SERVICE STATION ROUTINE

• US 20170157963A1
• Filed: 12/07/2015
• Published: 06/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: VERNON, Paul John Edward, RABE, Thomas Elliot, STRIEMER, Grant Edward Anders, LINGOES, Janette Villalobos
• Granted Patent: US 11,077,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16511 Constructions for cap positioning B41J2/16547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16544 Constructions for the positioning of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16547 the wipers and caps or spittoons being on the same movable support
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16579 Detection means therefor, e.g. for nozzle clogging
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/16514 creating a distance between cap and print head, e.g. for suction or pressurising
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/16573 Cleaning process logic, e.g. for determining type or order of cleaning processes
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence

Abstract

Included are embodiments for providing a service station routine. Some embodiments of a system include a service station for receiving a handheld jet dispensing apparatus and a memory component that stores logic. When the logic is executed by a processor, the logic may cause the system to, in response to the service station receiving the handheld jet dispensing apparatus, identify the handheld jet dispensing apparatus, where identifying the handheld jet dispensing apparatus includes determining a time of a previous maintenance to the handheld jet dispensing apparatus. In some embodiments, the logic causes the system to determine whether the time of the previous maintenance meets a predetermined threshold, in response to determining that the time of the previous maintenance meets a predetermined threshold, determine a desired maintenance routine to execute and execute the desired maintenance routine, and record a current time as the time of the previous maintenance.

Claims

1. A system for providing a service station routine, comprising:

a service station for receiving a handheld jet dispensing apparatus; and

a memory component that stores logic that, when executed by a processor, causes the system to perform at least the following;

in response to the service station receiving the handheld jet dispensing apparatus, identify the handheld jet dispensing apparatus, wherein identifying the handheld jet dispensing apparatus includes determining a time of a previous maintenance to the handheld jet dispensing apparatus;

determine whether the time of the previous maintenance meets a predetermined threshold;

in response to determining that the time of the previous maintenance meets a predetermined threshold, determine a desired maintenance routine to execute and execute the desired maintenance routine; and

record a current time as the time of the previous maintenance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld jet dispensing apparatus comprises a fluid containing cartridge and with at least one nozzle and wherein the desired maintenance routine comprises imparting energy into the cartridge to achieve a desired fluid homogeneity of a solution that resides in the handheld jet dispensing apparatus.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein imparting energy into the handheld jet dispensing apparatus comprises at least one of the following:

shaking the cartridge, vibrating the cartridge, turning the cartridge, stirring the cartridge, spinning the cartridge, exposing the cartridge to a magnetic field, and exposing the cartridge to an electric field.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld jet dispensing apparatus comprises a cassette nozzle and a camera lens and wherein the desired maintenance routine comprises wiping a surface of at least one of the cassette nozzle and the camera lens.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic further causes the system to perform at least the following:

determine a functionality of handheld jet dispensing apparatus;

determine whether to implement the desired maintenance routine, based on at least one of the following;

the functionality of the handheld jet dispensing apparatus and the time since the previous maintenance; and

in response to executing the desired maintenance routine, again determine the functionality of the handheld jet dispensing apparatus.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein executing the desired maintenance routine comprises executing a calibration process to calibrate the deposition accuracy of the handheld jet dispensing apparatus.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic further causes the system to, in response to the service station receiving the handheld jet dispensing apparatus, performing at least the following:

determine whether the handheld jet dispensing apparatus is registered with the service station; and

in response to determining that the handheld jet dispensing apparatus is not registered with the service station, determine data related to the handheld jet dispensing apparatus for monitoring a status of the handheld jet dispensing apparatus.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld jet dispensing apparatus includes a cartridge for containing a solution, and wherein the logic further causes the system to perform at least the following:

determine the amount of usage of solution;

determining, from the usage of solution, whether the cartridge should be replaced; and

in response to determining that the cartridge should be replaced, providing an indication to a user to replace the cartridge.

9. A system of claim 1 wherein the handheld jet dispensing apparatus includes a cartridge with stored bits of information that singularly identify the composition of the contents in the cartridge, and wherein the logic further causes the system to perform at least the following determine the composition of the contents of the cartridge determine, from the contents of the cartridge, the specific predetermined servicing routine

9-1. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein imparting energy into the handheld jet dispensing apparatus comprises at least one of the following:

shaking the cartridge, vibrating the cartridge, turning the cartridge, stirring the cartridge, spinning the cartridge, exposing the cartridge to a magnetic field, and exposing the cartridge to an electric field.

10. A method for providing a service station routine, comprising:

receiving a handheld jet dispensing apparatus at a service station;

determining whether the handheld jet dispensing apparatus is registered;

in response to determining that the handheld jet dispensing apparatus is registered, determining a time of a previous maintenance to the handheld jet dispensing apparatus;

determining whether the time of the previous maintenance meets a predetermined threshold;

in response to determining that the time of the previous maintenance meets the predetermined threshold, determining a desired maintenance routine to execute and execute the desired maintenance routine; and

recording a current time as the time of the previous maintenance.

10-1. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein the handheld jet dispensing apparatus comprises a cassette nozzle and a camera lens and wherein the desired maintenance routine comprises wiping a surface of at least one of the cassette nozzle and the camera lens.

11. The method of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein the handheld jet dispensing apparatus comprises a cartridge and wherein the desired maintenance routine comprises imparting energy into the cartridge to maintain a desired fluid homogeneity of a solution that resides in the handheld jet dispensing apparatus.

11-1. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein determining whether the handheld jet dispensing apparatus is due for maintenance comprises at least one of the following:

determine whether a predetermined time for maintenance has expired; and

determine whether a component of the handheld jet dispensing apparatus is functioning at a level that would be improved by executing a predetermined maintenance routine.

12. The method of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein imparting energy into the handheld jet dispensing apparatus comprises at least one of the following:

shaking the cartridge, vibrating the cartridge, turning the cartridge, stirring the cartridge, spinning the cartridge, exposing the cartridge to a magnetic field, and exposing the cartridge to an electric field.

12-1. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein executing the desired maintenance routine comprises executing a calibration process to calibrate the handheld jet dispensing apparatus.

13. The method of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein the handheld jet dispensing apparatus comprises a cassette nozzle and a camera lens and wherein the desired maintenance routine comprises wiping a surface of at least one of the cassette nozzle and the camera lens.

14. The method of claim Error! Reference source not found., further comprising:

determining a functionality of handheld jet dispensing apparatus;

determining whether to implement the desired maintenance routine, based on at least one of the following;

the functionality of the handheld jet dispensing apparatus and the time of the previous maintenance; and

in response to executing the desired maintenance routine, again determining the functionality of the handheld jet dispensing apparatus.

15. The method of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein executing the desired maintenance routine comprises executing a calibration process to calibrate the handheld jet dispensing apparatus.

16. The method of claim Error! Reference source not found., further comprising, in response to determining that the handheld jet dispensing apparatus is not registered with the service station, determining additional data related to the handheld jet dispensing apparatus for monitoring a status of the handheld jet dispensing apparatus.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for providing a service station routine that stores logic that, when executed by a processor, causes a service station to perform the following:

in response to the service station receiving a handheld jet dispensing apparatus, identify the handheld jet dispensing apparatus, wherein identifying the handheld jet dispensing apparatus includes determining whether the handheld jet dispensing apparatus is due for maintenance;

in response to determining that the handheld jet dispensing apparatus is due for maintenance, determine a desired maintenance routine to execute and execute the desired maintenance routine on the handheld jet dispensing apparatus while the handheld jet dispensing apparatus resides in the service station; and

record data regarding the handheld jet dispensing apparatus and the maintenance,

wherein the handheld jet dispensing apparatus comprises a cartridge and wherein the desired maintenance routine comprises imparting energy into the cartridge to maintain a desired fluid homogeneity of a solution that resides in the handheld jet dispensing apparatus.