Ink container having a multiple function chassis

• US 6,010,210 A
• Filed: 06/04/1997
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Rhonda L., Krall, Thomas J., Neff, Jared E., Pawlowski, Norman E. Jr., Gasvoda, Eric L., Kamp, David C., Hmelar, Susan M., Merrill, David O., Houpt, Dennis W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Anh T. N.
• Application Number:
  US08/868,927
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 347/5, 347/7, 347/84, 347/85, 347/86, 347/30
• US Class Current: 347/85
• 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 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• 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 2002/17516 comprising a collapsible ink holder, e.g. a flexible bag

Abstract

An ink container for holding a supply of liquid ink for use in an inkjet printing system. The container includes a collapsible ink reservoir for holding a supply of liquid ink, and a multiple functioned chassis. The chassis rigidly support an air inlet for receiving pressurized air from the printing system and an ink outlet for delivering pressurized ink to the system. The chassis support a collapsible ink container by providing an attach surface over which the collapsible container is attached. The attach surface allows a relatively simple pleated bag construction to be used by providing a surface whose normal is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container. The chassis is adapted to engage with a pressure vessel opening, providing a seal that separates the pressure vessel from an outside atmosphere. The chassis provides a surface for outside electrical contacts along with locating means for a mating electrical connector, and provides pathways for them to be routed into the pressure vessel region. An efficient method of assembly of an ink container is described.

Claims

1. An ink container for holding a supply of liquid ink for use in an inkjet printing system, the system including an ink supply station including an ink path connection, an air supply connection for supplying pressurized air, and a station electrical circuit including supply station electrical contacts, the ink container comprising:

a collapsible ink reservoir for holding the supply of liquid ink;

a chassis, said chassis including a first tower structure extending from an external surface of the ink container for engagement with the ink path connection of the ink supply station, at least one attach surface for attachment of said ink reservoir to said chassis, an ink path extending through the chassis from the first tower structure and said ink reservoir, a second tower structure extending from said external surface for engagement with the air supply connection of the ink supply system, and an air passageway extending through the second tower structure to provide an air path for pressurized air to flow from the air supply connection through the chassis,

wherein said chassis is fabricated as a unitary one-piece element;

a plurality of container electrical contacts disposed on said external surface of said ink container, said plurality of container electrical contacts for connection to said supply station electrical contacts when the ink container is installed in the ink supply station to allow said circuitry to provide ink container-related data to said printing system.

2. The ink container of claim 1 wherein the chassis is an injection molded element.

3. The ink container of claim 1 wherein an accessible end of the ink path is at an exposed tip of said first tower structure.

4. The ink container of claim 3 wherein said ink path extends in parallel with a longitudinal axis of the ink container.

5. The ink container of claim 1 wherein an accessible end of the air passageway is at an exposed tip of said second tower structure.

6. An ink container for holding a supply of liquid ink for use in an inkjet printing system, the system including an ink supply station including an ink path connection and an air supply connection for supplying pressurized air, the ink container comprising:

a collapsible ink reservoir for holding the supply of liquid ink;

a chassis, said chassis including a first tower structure extending from an external surface of the ink container for engagement with the ink path connection of the ink supply station, at least one attach surface for attachment of said ink reservoir to said chassis, an ink path extending through the chassis from the first tower structure and said ink reservoir, a second tower structure extending from said external surface for engagement with the air supply connection of the ink supply system, and an air passageway extending through the second tower structure to provide an air path for pressurized air to flow from the air supply connection through the chassis,

wherein said chassis further includes a keel structure, said ink path extending through the keel structure, and wherein said at least one attach surface includes a first keel attachment surface and a second keel attachment surface, said first and second surfaces formed on opposite sides of said keel structure for attachment of flexible walls defining the collapsible ink reservoir.

7. The ink container of claim 6 wherein said flexible walls are attached to the keel attachment surfaces by application of pressure and heat.

8. The ink container of claim 7 further comprising a first series of protruding curved ribs extending from said first keel attachment surface generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the ink container, and a second series of protruding curved ribs extending from said second keel attachment surface generally transverse to said longitudinal axis.

9. The ink container of claim 6 wherein the first keel attachment surface includes a first generally concave curved surface and the second keel attachment surface includes a second generally concave curved surface, and wherein the first and second curved surfaces are generally oriented along a longitudinal axis of the container.

10. The ink container of claim 6 wherein the first and second curved surfaces have a compound curvature to reduce concentration of stress when the ink container is dropped.

11. The ink container of claim 6 wherein the ink path through the keel structure terminates at an inlet opening into the reservoir, the keel structure further comprising protruding tab features to prevent sealing off the inlet as the reservoir collapses.

12. An ink container for holding a supply of liquid ink for use in an inkjet printing system, the system including an ink supply station including an ink path connection and an air supply connection for supplying pressurized air, the ink container comprising:

a pressure vessel having a neck opening;

a collapsible ink reservoir for holding the supply of liquid ink, the ink reservoir disposed within said vessel;

a chassis fitted into the neck opening of the pressure vessel, said chassis including a first tower structure extending from an external surface of the ink container for engagement with the ink path connection of the ink supply station, at least one attach surface for attachment of said ink reservoir to said chassis, an ink path extending through the chassis from the first tower structure and said ink reservoir, a second tower structure extending from said external surface for engagement with the air supply connection of the ink supply system, and an air passageway extending through the second tower structure to provide an air path for pressurized air to flow from the air supply connection through the chassis; and

a sealing apparatus for providing a seal between the pressure vessel and the chassis.

13. The ink container of claim 12 wherein the chassis includes a first circumferential flange for registering the position of the sealing apparatus, and further includes a second circumferential flange for engaging against a rim surface of said neck opening of the pressure vessel.

14. The ink container of claim 13 further comprising a connection apparatus for securing said chassis in position in relation to the pressure vessel, the connection apparatus engaging the second circumferential flange.

15. The ink container of claim 13 wherein said chassis further includes a slot in said first flange and said second flange, said slot defining a portion of at least one electrical lead passageway.

16. The ink container of claim 15 wherein said sealing apparatus comprises an o-ring which is fitted adjacent said first flange.

17. An ink container for an inkjet printing system, the system including an ink supply station including an ink path connection and an air supply connection for supplying pressurized air, said inkjet printing system having a printhead for ejecting ink drops on media, said ink container comprising:

a collapsible ink reservoir for providing ink to said inkjet printhead;

a chassis, said chassis including;

a first projection that extends outward toward a first distal end from an external surface of said ink container for engagement with the ink path connection of the ink supply station, said first projection having a fluid outlet disposed on said distal end;

a fluid inlet passing between said collapsible ink reservoir and said fluid outlet that fluidically couples said collapsible ink reservoir to said fluid outlet; and

a second projection that extends outward toward a second distal end from said external surface of said ink container, said second projection having an air inlet disposed on said second distal end for engagement with the air supply connection of the ink supply system, said second projection having an air passageway passing through the second projection in communication with the air inlet to provide an air passageway for passing pressurized air from the air supply connection through the chassis; and

a plurality of container contacts disposed on said external surface of said ink container, said plurality of contacts coupled to circuitry, said plurality of contacts for connection to said printing system to allow said circuitry to provide ink container-related data to said printing system.

19. The ink container of claim 17 further comprising a housing member, said chassis abutting said housing member such that said chassis and said housing member form a pressure vessel, said pressure vessel surrounding said collapsible reservoir, said air inlet in communication with said pressure vessel.

20. The ink container of claim 19 wherein said chassis has a sealing feature for assuring a seal between said chassis and said housing member.

21. The ink container of claim 20 further including ink level circuitry mounted to external surfaces of said collapsible reservoir so as not to be in contact with ink stored within the collapsible reservoir, said ink container includes an electrical path that couples said container contacts to said ink level circuitry, said sealing feature includes a path routing portion that allows said electrical path to be routed through said seal between said chassis and said pressure vessel, and said ink level circuitry provides a signal to said printing system indicative of an ink level in said ink container.

22. The ink container of claim 21 wherein said sealing feature for supporting an o-ring that seals to said housing member.

23. The ink container of claim 17 wherein said circuitry includes a memory element mounted to said chassis.

18. The ink container of claim 18 wherein said first projection is a hollow tubular conduit that conducts ink from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet.

24. An ink container for providing ink to an inkjet printhead of a printing system, the system including an ink supply station for receiving the ink container, said ink container comprising:

a collapsible reservoir having an opening defined therein;

a chassis, said chassis including;

a projection that extends outward toward a distal end from an outside surface of said ink container, said projection having a fluid outlet disposed on said distal end, said fluid outlet for providing ink to said inkjet printhead; and

an ink inlet in fluid communication with said ink outlet, said ink inlet having an outer surface disposed through said opening of said collapsible reservoir, said reservoir being sealed to the outer surface of the ink inlet; and

an array of contact pads mounted on said outside surface of said chassis for making electrical connection to corresponding supply station contacts.

25. An ink container for holding a supply of liquid ink for use in an inkjet printing system, the printing system including an ink supply station having an ink receiving port, the ink container comprising:

a pressure vessel for defining an interior pressurized chamber, said vessel having a neck opening defined therein by a circumferential neck surface;

a collapsible ink reservoir for holding a supply of liquid ink, said reservoir disposed within said pressurized chamber;

electrical circuitry disposed within the chamber for providing electrical signals indicative of an amount of ink within the reservoir, said circuitry including conductive leads passing from a region which is inside the chamber and outside the ink reservoir through the neck opening for connection to a sensor controller;

a multiple function chassis member disposed within the neck opening, said chassis member including an ink tower extending from an external surface of said ink container, said chassis member forming an ink path extending through the ink tower structure and into said ink reservoir, said ink tower adapted for connection to the ink receiving port at the ink supply station, said chassis member further defining at least one electrical lead passageway through which said electrical leads are passed between the chamber and external electrical contacts, said chassis member further having a circumferential chassis surface generally conforming to said circumferential neck surface of said vessel so that said chassis fits into said vessel opening to close said opening; and

sealing apparatus comprising a compressible material fitted between said circumferential chassis surface and said circumferential neck surface to provide a seal for maintaining pressure within said chamber.

26. The ink container of claim 25 wherein the chassis member is a unitary, injection molded element.

27. The ink container of claim 25 wherein said chassis member further includes a keel structure extending inwardly into the pressure chamber, said ink path extending through the keel structure, and wherein said keel structure provides attachment surfaces for attachment of flexible walls defining the collapsible ink reservoir.

28. The ink container of claim 25 wherein said chassis member includes an ink tower which is exposed from said neck opening, said ink tower having formed therein a portion of said ink path, such that an accessible end of the ink path is at an exposed tip of said ink tower.

29. The ink container of claim 28 wherein said ink path extends in parallel with a longitudinal axis of the ink container.

30. The ink container of claim 25 wherein the chassis member further forms a fluid path between said region and a fluid port, said fluid port for connection to a source of pressurized fluid.

31. The ink container of claim 30 wherein the chassis member includes a fluid tower having a portion exposed from said neck opening and having defined therein a portion of said fluid path, such that an accessible end of the fluid path is at an exposed tip of said fluid tower.

32. A method of assembling an ink container for an inkjet printing system, comprising the steps of:

providing a chassis having a fluid conduit therethrough, said fluid conduit having an inlet and outlet, said outlet for providing ink to an inkjet printhead, said chassis having a leading surface;

attaching a collapsible reservoir to said inlet;

attaching a plurality of container contacts to said leading surface; and

attaching a sensing circuit to external surfaces of said collapsible reservoir so that the sensing circuit does not contact any ink contained in the collapsible reservoir, said sensing circuit electrically coupled to said container contacts, said container contacts provide a signal to said printing system indicative of an amount of ink contained in said collapsible reservoir.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said sensing circuit senses a collapse of said collapsible reservoir.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising the step of enclosing the collapsible reservoir with a pressurizable region to pressurize ink within the collapsible reservoir and allow said fluid outlet to provide pressurized ink.