Ink supply having an integral pump

• US 5,856,839 A
• Filed: 12/04/1995
• Issued: 01/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Ngoc-Diep, Aukstikalnis, Glen, Jones, Truman K., Clark, James E., Otis, David R. Jr., Barinaga, John A., Tarver, Gary D., Merrill, David O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Shawn
• Application Number:
  US08/566,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 347/86, 347/85, 347/7, 347/19
• 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 2/17523 Ink connection
• 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 2002/17573 using optical means for ink level indication
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17576 using a floater for ink level indication

Abstract

An ink supply for an inkjet printer is provided with a main reservoir, which is typically maintained at ambient pressure. The main reservoir, which has flexible side walls supported by a rigid frame, is coupled to a variable volume chamber via a check valve which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber and limits the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir. The chamber is coupled to a fluid outlet which is normally closed to prevent the flow of ink. However, when the ink supply is installed in a printer, the fluid outlet establishes a fluid connection between the chamber and the printer. The chamber is part of a pump provided with the ink supply that can be actuated to supply ink from the reservoir to the printer.

Claims

1. A replaceable ink supply for removable insertion into a docked position within a docking bay of an ink-jet printer, the docking bay having a pump actuator and a fluid inlet coupled to a trailing tube for supplying ink to a movable print head, the ink supply comprising:

a chassis;

a reservoir coupled to the chassis for containing a quantity of ink, the reservoir including a substantially rigid frame supporting at least one flexible wall;

a fluid outlet carried on the chassis for engaging the fluid inlet when the ink supply is in the docked position; and

a pump carried on the chassis in fluid communication with the reservoir and the fluid outlet, the pump actuable by the actuator when the ink supply is in the docked position to draw ink from the reservoir and supply the ink through the fluid outlet to the trailing tube.

2. The replaceable ink supply of claim 1 in which the fluid outlet allows the passage of ink through the fluid outlet and into the fluid inlet when in the docked position and prevents the flow of ink through the fluid outlet when not in the docked position.

3. The replaceable ink supply of claim 1 further comprising a valve interposed between the pump and the reservoir, the valve allowing the flow of ink from the reservoir into the pump and limiting the flow of ink from the pump into the reservoir.

4. The replaceable ink supply of claim 1 further comprising a quantity of ink within the reservoir.

5. The replaceable ink supply of claim 1 wherein the replaceable ink supply has a leading edge relative to an insertion direction into the docking bay of the ink-jet printer and wherein the pump is carried on the leading edge of the replaceable ink supply.

6. The replaceable ink supply of claim 1 wherein the pump is a diaphragm pump having a flexible diaphragm wherein the diaphragm pump is responsive to movement of the actuator to provide a pressurized supply of ink to the trailing tube.

7. The replaceable ink supply of claim 1 in which the pump comprises a variable volume chamber.

8. The replaceable ink supply of claim 7 in which the variable volume chamber has an expanded position and a retracted position, the chamber being internally biased toward the expanded position, the actuator overcoming the internal biasing of the chamber and urging the chamber toward the retracted position to pressurize ink within the chamber and urge ink from the pump through the fluid outlet and into the fluid inlet.

9. A chassis for a replaceable ink supply system for insertion into a docked position within a docking bay of an ink-jet printer, the docking bay having a pump actuator and a fluid inlet in fluid communication with a trailing tube for supplying ink to a movable print head, the chassis comprising:

a body;

a frame extending from one side of the body for supporting a flexible ink reservoir containing a supply of ink;

a pump chamber carried by the body;

a pump inlet through said body to allow ink flow from the ink reservoir to the pump chamber;

a valve associated with the pump inlet, the valve limiting the return flow of ink from the pump chamber to the ink reservoir;

a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the pump chamber, the fluid outlet engaging the fluid inlet and allowing the flow in ink through the fluid outlet to the fluid inlet when in the docked position and preventing the flow of ink through the fluid outlet when not in the docked position.

10. The chassis of claim 9 further comprising a flexible member attached to the pump chamber, flexure of the member varying the volume of the pump chamber between an expanded position and a contracted position.

11. The chassis of claim 10 in which the actuator is selectively movable to an engaged position in contact with the flexible member when the chassis is in the docked position, the actuator biasing the member toward the contracted position.

12. The chassis of claim 11 further comprising a spring within the pump chamber for urging the member toward the expanded position.

13. The chassis of claim 12 in which the actuator is selectively movable to an engaged position in contact with the member when the chassis is in the docked position, the actuator in the engaged position being biased to overcome the bias of the spring and urge the member toward the contracted position to pressurize ink within the chamber and urge ink from the pump chamber and to the fluid outlet.

14. A replaceable ink supply for removable insertion into a docking position in a docking station of an ink-jet printer, the docking station having an actuator, and a fluid inlet coupled to a trailing tube that supplies ink to a movable print head, the replaceable ink supply comprising:

a chassis defining a pump inlet and a pump outlet;

a quantity of ink;

a flexible ink reservoir for containing the quantity of ink;

a frame carried by the chassis for supporting the ink reservoir, the ink reservoir attached to the chassis in fluid communication with the pump inlet;

a protective shell made of a substantially rigid material, the protective shell containing the ink reservoir and having an open end receiving the chassis;

a valve positioned within the pump inlet to allow the flow of ink from the ink reservoir through the pump inlet and limit the flow of ink into the ink reservoir through the pump inlet;

a pump carried on the chassis, the pump having a variable volume pump chamber biased toward an expanded position to draw ink through the pump inlet from the ink reservoir, the pump being positioned such that the actuator is selectively movable into an engaged position when the ink supply is in the docked position, the actuator in the engaged position biasing the variable volume chamber toward a retracted position to pressurize ink within the variable volume chamber and to expel ink from the variable volume chamber through the pump outlet; and

a fluid outlet carried on the chassis, the fluid outlet comprising a boss containing a spring and a sealing member, a septum positioned over the boss such that the spring presses the sealing member against the septum in a sealing position, and a crimp cover positioned about the septum and crimped to the boss to hold the septum, sealing member and spring within the boss, the fluid inlet penetrating the septum and engaging the sealing member to move the sealing member from the sealing position to an open position when the ink supply is inserted into the docking position.

15. A replaceable ink supply for removable insertion into a docked position within a docking bay of an ink-jet printer, the docking bay having a fluid inlet coupled to a trailing tube for supplying ink to a movable print head, the ink supply comprising:

a frame that defines four sides of a generally rectangular ink reservoir,

at least one flexible sheet of material attached to the frame to define an ink reservoir;

a generally rigid protective shell covering the flexible sheet of material; and

a fluid outlet for engaging the fluid inlet when the ink supply is in the docked position, the fluid outlet including a passageway defined through the frame to allow the flow of ink from the ink reservoir when the ink supply is in the docked position.

16. The ink supply of claim 15 in which the fluid outlet further comprises a boss containing a spring and a sealing member, a septum positioned over the boss such that the spring presses the sealing member against the septum in a sealing position, and a crimp cover positioned about the septum and crimped to the boss to hold the septum, sealing member and spring within the boss, the fluid inlet penetrating the septum and engaging the sealing member to move the sealing member from the sealing position to an open position when the ink supply is inserted into the docking position.

17. The ink supply of claim 15 in which the at least one or more flexible sheets define the remaining two sides of the ink reservoir.

18. The ink supply of claim 17 further comprising a chassis which carries the frame and the fluid outlet.

19. The ink supply of claim 18 in which the protective shell has an open end into which the ink reservoir is inserted, the open end receiving the chassis when the ink reservoir is received within the protective shell.

20. The ink supply of claim 19 in which the open end of the protective shell is provided with raised ribs and in which the chassis carries interlocking ribs to join the chassis to the protective shell with the ink reservoir housed within the chassis.

21. The ink supply of claim 20 in which the fluid outlet further comprises a boss carried on the chassis, the boss containing a spring and a sealing member, a septum positioned over the boss such that the spring presses the sealing member against the septum in a sealing position, and a crimp cover positioned about the septum and crimped to the boss to hold the septum, sealing member and spring within the boss, the fluid inlet penetrating the septum and engaging the sealing member to move the sealing member from the sealing position to an open position when the ink supply is inserted into the docking position.