Method of manufacturing a replaceable ink supply for an ink-jet printer

• US 5,856,840 A
• Filed: 12/04/1995
• Issued: 01/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Pawlowski, Norman E. Jr., Barinaga, John A., Cowger, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalakis, Michael
• Application Number:
  US08/567,641
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85-87
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17506 Refilling of the cartridge
• 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 2002/17573 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 ink-jet printer is provided with a main reservoir, which is typically maintained at ambient pressure. The main reservoir is coupled to a variable volume chamber via a one-way valve which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber and prevents 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 method of manufacturing a replaceable ink supply for insertion into a docked position within 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 method comprising the steps of:

providing a chassis having;

an ink inlet;

a pump in fluid communication with the ink inlet; and

a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the pump, the fluid outlet coupling with the fluid inlet if the docking station and allowing the flow of 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;

attaching an ink reservoir to the ink inlet; and

positioning a valve adjacent the ink inlet, the valve allowing the flow of ink through the ink inlet into the pump and limiting the flow of ink through the ink inlet from the pump.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the ink reservoir is a flexible plastic bag.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of housing the ink reservoir in a protective shell attached to the chassis.

4. The method of claim 2 in which the chassis further comprises a manifold defining the ink inlet and at least a portion of a conduit between the pump and the fluid outlet and in which the attaching step comprises heat staking the ink reservoir to the manifold.

5. The method of claim 4 in which the ink reservoir defines at least a portion of the conduit between the pump and the fluid outlet.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the chassis further comprises a fill port in fluid communication with the ink reservoir for allowing the introduction of ink into the reservoir and further comprising the step of plugging the fill port after the introduction of ink into the ink reservoir.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the plugging step comprises press fitting a ball into the fill port.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of placing a cap over the chassis, the cap having a first aperture to allow the actuator to engage the pump when the ink supply is in the docked position and a second aperture to allow the fluid inlet to couple with the fluid outlet when the ink supply is in the docked position.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the placing step is performed after the introducing step and in which the cap includes indicia identifying a type of ink introduced into the reservoir.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said pump includes a variable volume chamber, a wall of said variable volume chamber comprising a flexible member for varying said volume of said chamber.

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

providing a chassis having;

a pump;

an ink inlet in fluid communication with the pump;

a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the pump, the fluid outlet coupling with the fluid inlet of the docking station and allowing the flow of 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;

a fill port; and

a manifold defining at least part of a conduit coupling the pump to the fluid outlet;

attaching an ink reservoir to the chassis, the ink reservoir comprising a flexible plastic bag having a first aperture in communication with the fill port and a second aperture in communication with the ink inlet;

placing a cap onto the chassis, the cap being selected from among a plurality of different caps, each different cap having an arrangement of keys that identifies one of a plurality of different types of ink.

12. The method of claim 11 in which the attaching step comprises the steps of:

fixing a flexible plastic sheet to the chassis, the flexible plastic sheet having a first end, a second end, and a middle;

folding the flexible plastic sheet about the middle; and

sealing the first end to the second end about their perimeters to define the ink reservoir.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the fixing step comprises heat staking the flexible plastic sheet to the chassis.

14. The method of claim 12 in which the fixing step comprises heat staking a portion of the middle of the flexible plastic sheet to the manifold with a portion of the plastic sheet forming a portion of the conduit.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the attaching step further comprises the step of forming the first aperture and the second aperture in the flexible plastic sheet.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of housing the ink reservoir within a substantially rigid shell connected to the chassis.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said pump includes a variable volume chamber, a wall of said variable volume chamber comprising a flexible member for varying said volume of said chamber.

26. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of placing a valve adjacent the ink inlet to limit the flow of ink from the chamber through the ink inlet such that ink is forced from the chamber and to the fluid outlet as the flexible member is moved from the first position to the second position.

27. The method of claim 26 in which the fluid outlet is heat staked to the chassis body.

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

providing a chassis having;

a fill port;

a pump;

an ink inlet in fluid communication with the pump; and

a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the pump, the fluid outlet coupling with the fluid inlet of the docking station and allowing the flow of 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; and

attaching an ink reservoir to the chassis, the ink reservoir comprising a flexible plastic bag having a first aperture in communication with the fill port and a second aperture in communication with the ink inlet.

19. The method of claim 18 in which the fluid outlet comprises a hollow cylindrical bore having an open base and a narrow neck.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of placing a sealing member within the hollow cylindrical bore, the sealing member being movable within the hollow cylindrical bore and being larger than the narrow neck such that when in a position abutting the narrow neck the sealing member prevents the flow of ink through the fluid outlet.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of positioning a spring within the hollow cylindrical bore to bias the sealing member into abutment with the narrow neck.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of locating a retaining member adjacent the base of the hollow cylindrical bore, the retaining member allowing the passage of ink and engaging a first end of the spring, a second end of the spring engaging the sealing member.

23. The method of claim 22 in which the sealing member is a ball and the retaining member is a ball press fit into the base of the hollow cylindrical bore.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein said pump includes a variable volume chamber, a wall of said variable volume chamber comprising a flexible member for varying said volume of said chamber.

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

providing a chassis body having;

a fill port;

a chamber having a lower perimeter;

an ink inlet in fluid communication with the chamber; and

a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the chamber, the fluid outlet coupling with the fluid inlet of the docking station and allowing the flow of 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;

attaching a flexible member to the lower perimeter of the chamber, the member being movable between a first position and a second position to vary the volume of the chamber; and

connecting an ink reservoir to the chassis, the ink reservoir comprising a flexible plastic bag having a first aperture in communication with the fill port and a second aperture in communication with the ink inlet.

28. A method of manufacturing a replaceable ink supply for insertion into a docked position within 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 method comprising the steps of:

providing a chassis having;

a fill port;

an ink inlet;

a chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet;

a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the chamber, the fluid outlet coupling with the fluid inlet of the docking station and allowing the flow of 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, the fluid outlet comprising a hollow cylindrical bore having an open base and a narrow neck; and

a manifold defining the ink inlet and at least a portion of a conduit between the chamber and the fluid outlet;

placing a sealing member within the hollow cylindrical bore, the sealing member being movable within the hollow cylindrical bore and being larger than the narrow neck such that when in a position abutting the narrow neck the sealing member prevents the flow of ink through the fluid outlet;

positioning a first spring within the hollow cylindrical bore to bias the sealing member into abutment with the narrow neck;

fixing a flexible plastic sheet to the chassis, the flexible plastic sheet having a first end, a second end, and a middle;

folding the flexible plastic sheet about the middle;

sealing the first end to the second end about their perimeters to define an ink reservoir for containing a quantity of ink;

positioning a valve adjacent the ink inlet, the valve allowing the flow of ink through the ink inlet into the chamber and limiting the flow of ink through the ink inlet from the chamber;

attaching a flexible member to a lower perimeter of the chamber, the membrane being movable between a first position and a second position to vary the volume of the chamber;

housing the ink reservoir in a protective shell attached to the chassis;

plugging the fill port after the introduction of ink into the ink reservoir; and

placing a cap over the chassis, the cap having a first aperture to allow the actuator to engage the pump when the ink supply is in the docked position and a second aperture to allow the fluid inlet to couple with the fluid outlet when the ink supply is in the docked position, the cap further including indicia identifying a selected type of ink.