Compliant ink interconnect between print cartridge and carriage

• US 5,980,032 A
• Filed: 08/30/1996
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• 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): Hartary, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALLACHER, CRAIG ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/706,045
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85-87
• US Class Current: 347/86
• 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 flexible ink conduit is connected to the fluid interconnect on the carriage to enable the fluid interconnect to have a degree of movement to allow precise alignment with the fluid interconnect on the print cartridge. 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 comprising:

a scanning carriage in an inkjet printer for scanning across a print zone of said printer, said carriage comprising;

a first interconnect member for receiving ink from a source of ink, said first interconnect member being mounted in said carriage to have a degree of movement, said first interconnect member for making an airtight fluid connection to a second interconnect member on a print cartridge; and

a compliant ink conduit connected to said first ink interconnect to allow said first ink interconnect to have a degree of movement as said second interconnect makes a fluid connection to said first interconnect.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said first interconnect member comprises a resilient septum, and said second interconnect member comprises a hollow needle communicating with an ink reservoir inside said print cartridge.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an ink tube connected between said source of ink and said carriage for providing ink to said compliant ink conduit.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said source of ink is at atmospheric pressure.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said source of ink is at a positive pressure relative to ambient pressure.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said first interconnect member comprises:

a resilient septum having a central hole; and

a rigid support member for said septum, said support member having a hollow central portion communicating between a support member ink entrance and said septum, said rigid support member being connected to said compliant ink conduit to allow said support member to have said degree of movement as said second interconnect member is inserted into said hole in said septum.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said hollow central portion of said rigid support member redirects ink flow approximately 90 degrees.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said compliant ink conduit is a corrugated tube.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said compliant ink conduit comprises a flexible tube.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said flexible tube is bent.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said compliant ink conduit is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of nitrile and butyl rubber.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said compliant ink conduit is connected between a rigid ink manifold and said first interconnect member.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising said print cartridge, said print cartridge having a shroud substantially surrounding said second interconnect member for guiding said first interconnect member into a desired position with respect to said second interconnect member as said print cartridge is inserted into said carriage.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said shroud has a tapered inner portion for guiding said first interconnect member.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said first interconnect member is for making an airtight fluid connection to a second interconnect member on a print cartridge as said print cartridge is inserted into said carriage in a first direction, such that said fluid connection is made automatically when inserting said print cartridge into said carriage in said first direction.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein said printer is a large format printer.

17. A method of creating an ink path between a supply of ink and a print cartridge in a printing system comprising the steps of:

providing a print cartridge having a printhead for receiving electrical signals and ejecting droplets of ink, an ink reservoir in fluid communication with said printhead, and a first interconnect member in fluid communication with said ink reservoir;

providing a scanning carriage having a second interconnect member in fluid communication with a supply of ink;

mounting said print cartridge onto said carriage in a first direction; and

connecting said first interconnect member and said second interconnect member, said second interconnect member being movably mounted on said carriage.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said first interconnect member comprises a hollow needle extending from said print cartridge in said first direction, and wherein said second interconnect member comprises a resilient septum mounted on said scanning carriage, wherein said step of connecting said first interconnect member and said second interconnect member comprises inserting said hollow needle through said septum, said septum receiving ink via a compliant ink conduit connected between said second interconnect member and a rigid ink outlet.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said first direction is the same direction as the ejection of ink droplets from said printhead when said printhead is energized.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said first interconnect member is a resilient septum, and said second interconnect member comprises a hollow needle extending parallel to said first direction, wherein said second interconnect member comprises a resilient septum mounted on said scanning carriage, wherein said step of connecting said first interconnect member and said second interconnect member comprises inserting said hollow needle through said septum.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein, during said step of mounting, said first interconnect member and said second interconnect member connect together to provide an airtight fluid communication path between said reservoir within said print cartridge and said supply of ink and further comprising the step of guiding said second interconnect member to be aligned with said first interconnect member as said print cartridge is mounted onto said carriage, said step of guiding being performed by a shroud on said print cartridge substantially surrounding said first interconnect member.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of mounting an ink supply cartridge onto a fixed ink supply station so as to provide ink to said second interconnect member.

23. An ink delivery system for an inkjet printing system, in which a printhead is removably mounted on a carriage that scans across a print zone to eject droplets of ink onto media, the carriage having a first interconnect member for receiving ink from a fixed supply station, the first interconnect member for making an airtight fluid connection to a second interconnect member on a print cartridge that contains the printhead, said system comprising:

an off-carriage ink supply containing a reservoir, the ink supply being adapted to be removably mounted to the supply station;

a discharge port in fluid communication with the reservoir; and

ink contained in the reservoir which passes out of the discharge port, through a conduit, and to a flexible fluid coupler in said carriage connected to said first interconnect member, the flexible fluid coupler allowing lateral movement of the first interconnect member as the first interconnect member is connected to the second interconnect member, when the ink supply is removably mounted in the fixed supply station.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the discharge port comprises a septum.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the discharge port further comprises a spring-loaded sealing member.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the discharge port further comprises a spring-loaded sealing member.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein the flexible fluid coupler is a corrugated tube.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein said reservoir contains ink at atmospheric pressure.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein said reservoir contains ink at above atmospheric pressure.

30. The system of claim 23 wherein said first interconnect member comprises a septum and a rigid support member connected to said flexible fluid coupler, said rigid support member redirecting said ink approximately 90 degrees from an input port to an opening in said septum.

31. A method comprising the steps of:

supplying ink from an ink source to a flexible tube connected to a scanning conduit that is rigidly mounted to a scanning carriage; and

allowing said ink in said flexible tube to flow into said scanning conduit to a flexible ink conduit, said flexible ink conduit also being connected to a first fluid interconnect mounted on said carriage to have a degree of movement, said first fluid interconnect for being connected to an ink inlet port of a print cartridge.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of providing ink to an ink reservoir in said ink source.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein said step of supplying ink from an ink source comprises supplying ink from an ink cartridge which is removably mountable in an ink supply station in an inkjet printer.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said first fluid interconnect comprises a resilient septum such that said step of allowing said ink to flow includes allowing said ink to flow through said septum.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said ink inlet port of said print cartridge comprises a hollow needle such that said step of allowing said ink to flow includes allowing said ink to flow through said hollow needle.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said flexible ink conduit is a corrugated tube such that said step of allowing said ink to flow includes allowing said ink to flow through said corrugated tube.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising the step of providing ink to an ink reservoir in said ink source.

38. The method of claim 31 further comprising the steps of:

channelling said ink to flow through said first fluid interconnect and into said ink inlet port of said print cartridge as a printhead in said print cartridge is ejecting droplets of said ink onto a medium; and

channelling said ink to flow from said ink inlet port in a direction opposite to a direction of ejection of said droplets of said ink onto said medium.

39. The method of claim 31 wherein said step of supplying ink from an ink source comprises the step of mounting an ink supply cartridge onto a fixed ink supply station so as to provide ink to said flexible tube.