Self-sealing fluid inerconnect with double sealing septum

• US 5,777,646 A
• Filed: 12/04/1995
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Otis, David R., Clark, James E., Barinaga, John A., Merrill, David O., Nguyen, Ngoc-Diep T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterrett, Jeffrey L.
• Application Number:
  US08/566,821
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 347/86
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1755 mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17569 based on the amount printed or to be printed

Abstract

A fluid interconnect for coupling an ink supply to an ink-jet printer includes a fluid outlet and a fluid inlet. The fluid outlet has a housing with one end in fluid communication with the ink supply and the other end sealed by a septum. A sealing member is positioned within the housing and is biased against the septum by a spring to form a second seal. The fluid inlet includes a hollow needle having one end in fluid communication with the print head and the other end defining a hole. A sliding collar surrounds the needle and is biased into a sealing position in which it seals the hole. The fluid inlet and fluid outlet can be coupled by pressing them together. During the coupling process, the needle pierces the septum to enter the housing and press the sealing member away from the septum. This allows fluid to flow from the ink supply, into the housing, passed the sealing member, into the hole in the needle and to the print head. Upon decoupling, the needle is withdrawn to seal the septum. In addition, the sealing member is biased back into place against the septum to reform the second seal and the sliding collar is again biased into its sealing position.

Claims

1. A system for forming a fluid connection between a removable ink supply containing a quantity of ink and an ink-jet printer into which the ink supply can be inserted, the ink-jet printer having a trailing tube for supplying ink to an ink-jet print head, the system comprising:

a fluid inlet mounted to the ink-jet printer, the fluid inlet comprising;

a hollow needle having a base and a top, the base of the needle being in fluid communication with the trailing tube, the needle further defining a hole near the top; and

a sliding collar encircling the needle, the sliding collar having a top surface and an inner surface in contact with the needle, the sliding collar being movable from a first position in which the inner surface seals the hole and the top surface is adjacent the top of the needle to a second position in which the hole is exposed; and

a fluid outlet mounted to the ink supply for engaging the fluid inlet when the ink supply is inserted into the ink-jet printer, the fluid outlet comprising;

a hollow housing having a first end in fluid communication with said quantity of ink;

a septum positioned to seal the second end of the housing; and

a sealing member positioned within the housing, the sealing member being movable between a first position in which the sealing member seals against the septum and a second position in which ink can flow passed the sealing member to the septum,

wherein as the ink supply is inserted into the ink-jet printer the housing moves the sealing collar from the first position to the second position to expose the hole and the needle pierces the septum to move the sealing member from the first position to the second position to allow the flow of ink from the housing and into the hole.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a first spring positioned to bias the sliding collar toward the first position.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a second spring positioned to bias the sealing member toward the first position.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a stop formed on the sliding collar and a base plate positioned within the printer, the stop engaging the base plate to define the first position of the sliding collar.

5. The system of claim 4 in which the second spring is positioned within the housing.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the sealing member is a sphere.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a crimp cover positioned over the septum and engaging the housing to maintain the septum in position within the housing.

8. The system of claim 1 in which the top surface and the top of the needle define a first mating surface and the crimp cover defines a second mating surface and wherein the first mating surface and second mating surface generally conform in shape to substantially eliminate air trapped between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

9. A system for forming a fluid connection between a removable ink supply containing a quantity of ink and an ink-jet printer into which the ink supply can be inserted, the ink-jet printer having a trailing tube for supplying ink to an ink-jet print head, the system comprising:

a fluid inlet mounted to the ink supply, the fluid inlet comprising;

a hollow needle having a base and a top, the base of the needle being in fluid communication with the quantity of ink, the needle further defining a hole near the top; and

a sliding collar encircling the needle, the sliding collar having a top surface and an inner surface in contact with the needle, the sliding collar being movable from a first position in which the inner surface seals the hole and the top surface is adjacent the top of the needle to a second position in which the hole is exposed; and

a fluid outlet mounted to the printer for engaging the fluid inlet when the ink supply is inserted into the ink-jet printer, the fluid outlet comprising;

a hollow housing having a first end in fluid communication with the trailing tube;

a septum positioned to seal the second end of the housing; and

a sealing member positioned within the housing, the sealing member being movable between a first position in which the sealing member seals against the septum and a second position in which ink can flow passed the sealing member to the septum,

wherein as the ink supply is inserted into the ink-jet printer the housing moves the sealing collar from the first position to the second position to expose the hole and the needle pierces the septum to move the sealing member from the first position to the second position to allow the flow of ink from the hole into the housing.

10. A method of forming a fluid interconnect between a removable ink supply containing a quantity of ink and an ink-jet printer into which the ink supply can be inserted, the ink-jet printer having a trailing tube for supplying ink to an ink-jet print head, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a fluid inlet mounted to the ink-jet printer, the fluid inlet comprising;

a hollow needle having a base and a top, the base of the needle being in fluid communication with the trailing tube, the needle further defining a lateral hole adjacent the top; and

a sliding collar encircling the needle, the sliding collar having a top surface and an inner surface in contact with the needle, the sliding collar being movable from a first position in which the inner surface seals the lateral hole and the top surface is adjacent the top of the needle to a second position in which the lateral hole is exposed; and

providing a fluid outlet mounted to the ink supply for engaging the fluid inlet when the ink supply is inserted into the ink-jet printer, the fluid outlet comprising;

a housing having a first end in fluid communication with said quantity of ink;

a septum positioned to seal the second end of the housing; and

a sealing member positioned within the housing, the sealing member being movable between a first position in which the sealing member seals against the septum and a second position in which ink can flow passed the sealing member to the septum;

inserting the ink supply partially into the ink-jet printer such that the top surface of the sliding collar engages the sealing surface to form a seal between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the seal leaving no substantial space between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, and

further inserting the ink supply into the ink-jet printer such that the housing moves the sliding collar from the first position to the second position to expose the lateral hole and the needle pierces the septum to move the sealing member from the first position to the second position to allow the flow of ink from the housing and into the lateral hole.

11. A fluid outlet for an ink supply containing a quantity of ink that is removably insertible into a docked position within a docking bay of an ink-jet printer, the docking bay having a fluid inlet for coupling with the fluid outlet to form a fluid connection between the removable ink supply and the ink-jet printer, the fluid outlet comprising:

a hollow housing having a first end in fluid communication with said quantity of ink;

a septum positioned to seal a second end of the housing; and

a sealing member positioned within the housing, the sealing member being movable between a first position in which the sealing member seals against the septum and a second position in which ink can flow past the sealing member to the septum,

the septum capable of being pierced by a portion of the fluid inlet, upon piercing the septum said portion of the fluid inlet moving the sealing member from the first position to the second position to allow ink flow between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a spring positioned to bias the sealing member toward the first position.

13. The system of claim 12 in which the sealing member is a sphere.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a crimp cover positioned over the septum and engaging the housing to maintain the septum in position within the housing.