Inkjet printing system with off-axis ink supply having ink path which does not extend above print cartridge

• US 5,966,155 A
• Filed: 08/30/1996
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Marler, Jaren D., Childers, Winthrop D., Pawlowski, Norman E. Jr., Lee, Ted
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Judy
• Application Number:
  US08/706,121
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85, 347/86, 347/87
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14145 Structure of the manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• 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 2/17526 Electrical contacts to the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17533 Storage or packaging of ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• 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 2002/14387 Front shooter
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17516 comprising a collapsible ink holder, e.g. a flexible bag
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/003 with a probe suspended by rotatable arms with floats G01F23/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/72 using magnetically actuated indicating means

Abstract

In the preferred embodiment, an inkjet printer includes a replaceable print cartridge which is inserted into a scanning carriage. An ink tube extends from the scanning carriage to a separate ink supply located within the printer. A fluid interconnect on the print cartridge connects to a fluid interconnect on the carriage when the print cartridge is inserted into the carriage to complete the fluid connection between the external ink supply and the print cartridge. In one embodiment, the fluid interconnection is made between the print cartridge and the ink tube simply by placing the print cartridge into a stall in the scanning carriage. A pressure regulator, which may be internal or external to the print cartridge, regulates the flow of ink from the external ink supply to the print cartridge. The external ink supply may be pressurized or non-pressurized.

Claims

1. A printing system for depositing ink onto a printing medium, said printing system having a bottom surface when supported on a planar surface for printing, comprising:

a scanning carriage having a first interconnect member;

an ink source external to said carriage;

a flexible tube having a first end and a second end, said first end connected to said ink source and said second end connected to said carriage, said flexible tube providing a fluid connection between said ink source and said carriage;

a print cartridge, supported by and removably installed in said carriage, having a printhead for ejecting droplets of ink in a direction toward said bottom surface and onto the printing medium, said printhead extending in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom surface, said print cartridge also having a second interconnect member in fluid communication with said first interconnect member, said second interconnect member being spaced farther away from said bottom surface than said printhead, said print cartridge also having an ink chamber in fluid communication with said printhead, and an ink channel leading from said second interconnect member to said ink chamber, said second interconnect member and said ink channel forming a path of ink from said first interconnect member to said chamber, wherein said path of ink does not extend to a height above said print cartridge.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said print cartridge further comprises contact pads located on a first sidewall of said print cartridge, and wherein said second interconnect member is located on a side of said print cartridge which is not directly adjacent to said first sidewall.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising ink flowing from said ink source to said print cartridge, said ink flowing into said second interconnect member being in a direction opposite to a direction of ejection of ink droplets from said printhead.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said ink flowing from said flexible tube to said carriage is substantially perpendicular to said direction of ejection of ink droplets from said printhead.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said second interconnect member comprises a hollow needle extending from said print cartridge, and wherein said first interconnect member comprises a resilient septum mounted on said scanning carriage.

6. An ink system for an inkjet printing system having a print zone for depositing ink on a printing medium and a rigid frame including a fixed supply station, said printing system having a bottom surface when supported on a planar surface for printing, said printing system having a carriage for scanning across the print zone, said carriage having an upper surface and a first fluid interconnect extending upward from said upper surface, said printing system also having a print cartridge removably mounted on said carriage, said cartridge having a second fluid interconnect coupled to said first fluid interconnect and a printhead for ejecting ink in a first direction toward said bottom surface and onto the printing medium, said printhead extending in a plane substantially parallel to said bottom surface, said second fluid interconnect being spaced farther away from said bottom surface than said printhead and extending in said first direction, said print system also having an ink conduit coupled between said first fluid interconnect and said fixed supply station, said ink system comprising:

an off-carriage ink supply, with a rigid shell removably mountable on said fixed supply station, said ink supply having a discharge port;

an ink reservoir in said ink supply in fluid communication with said discharge port; and

ink contained in the reservoir that passes out of the discharge port, through said conduit, to said first fluid interconnect on said carriage, and into the cartridge through said second fluid interconnect in a second direction that is opposite to said first direction of ink ejected from said printhead, when the off-carriage ink supply is removably mounted on the supply station.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said ink supply contains said ink at above atmospheric pressure.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the discharge port comprises a septum.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a spring-loaded sealing member coupled to said septum.

10. The system of claim 6 further comprising a spring-loaded sealing member coupled to said discharge port.

11. The system of claim 6 wherein said first fluid interconnect comprises a resilient septum, and said second fluid interconnect comprises a hollow needle communicating with an ink chamber inside said cartridge, said hollow needle extending parallel to said first direction.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein said ink supply contains said ink at atmospheric pressure.

13. A method of using a printing system having a bottom surface when supported on a planar surface for printing, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting a print cartridge into a scanning carriage, said scanning carriage having an upper surface and a first fluid interconnect extending upward from said upper surface, said print cartridge having a second fluid interconnect, said second fluid interconnect forming a fluid connection with said first fluid interconnect, said print cartridge further including an ink chamber in fluid communication with said second fluid interconnect and a printhead for ejecting ink in a first direction toward the bottom surface, said printhead extending in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom surface, said second fluid interconnect being spaced farther away from said bottom surface than said printhead;

supplying ink from an ink source, said ink source connected by a flexible tube to said first fluid interconnect mounted on said scanning carriage to allow said ink to flow from said ink source to said flexible tube and into said first fluid interconnect mounted on said carriage; and

channeling said ink into said second fluid interconnect such that a flow of ink between said first fluid interconnect and said ink chamber does not extend to a height above said print cartridge.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of channeling said ink comprises channeling said ink from said first fluid interconnect into said second fluid interconnect so that said ink flows in a second direction, said second direction being opposite to said first direction of ink ejected from said printhead.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of providing ink to an ink reservoir in said ink source.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of supplying ink from said ink source comprises removably mounting an ink cartridge in an ink supply station in an inkjet printer.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of supplying ink from said ink source includes allowing said ink to flow through a resilient septum of said first fluid interconnect.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of channeling said ink includes channeling said ink through a hollow needle of said second fluid interconnect of said print cartridge.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of providing ink to an ink reservoir in said ink source.