Dispenser apparatus especially for liquid toner concentrate

• US 6,155,457 A
• Filed: 12/23/1993
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Indigo BV (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Indigo NV (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sagiv, Oded, Landa, Benzion
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Fred L.
• Application Number:
  US08/119,163
• Time in Patent Office: 2,539 Days
• Field of Search: 222/94, 222/162, 222/386.5, 222/559, 355/256, 399/237, 399/238
• US Class Current: 222/94
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/104 Preparing, mixing, transporting or dispensing developer

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing liquid toner concentrate including a container containing liquid toner concentrate, mounting apparatus operative to secure the container while allowing for axial movement of the container and air pressure apparatus for causing axial movement of the container and movement of a movable partition in the canister to aid in selective dispensing of the liquid toner concentrate from the container.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing material such as liquid toner concentrate comprising:

a canister;

a movable partition disposed within the canister, said movable partition defining a first space containing liquid toner concentrate and a second space between the movable partition and the canister;

a first valve communicating with said first space and allowing egress of liquid toner concentrate from said first space when said first valve is activated;

a second valve communicating with said second space and allowing ingress of pressurized fluid into said second space when said second valve is activated;

mounting means operative to secure the canister while allowing for axial movement of the canister; and

fluid pressure means for causing axial movement of the canister and selective dispensing of the liquid toner concentrate from the first space.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is air and the fluid pressure means is an air pressure means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is a gas and the fluid pressure means is a gas pressure means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the gas pressure means is operative to activate the first and second valves thereby to cause said selective dispensing of toner concentrate from the first space.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first valve is a push-type valve which is activated when said first valve is depressed.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the gas pressure means activates said first valve by causing displacement of said canister.

7. Apparatus according claim 3 wherein said second valve is a uni-directional pressure valve which is activated when the gas pressure exterior to said second space is greater than the gas pressure within said second space.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the gas pressure means forces pressurized gas into said second space via said second valve.

9. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the gas pressure means includes a piston in operative association with said canister, wherein activation of said gas pressure means causes axial displacement of said piston and said canister and activation of said first valve.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said piston is mounted on a spring which is operative to cause the piston to return to its rest position when the gas pressure means is not activated.

11. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the gas pressure means is operative to maintain said canister in a first position wherein said first valve is not activated and in a second position wherein said first valve is activated.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the gas pressure means includes a counter-spring in operative association with said canister, which is operative to cause the canister to return to said first position when the gas pressure means is not activated.

13. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said canister is a rigid enclosure having first and second communication openings in opposite end portions thereof, said first valve being disposed in said first communication opening and said second valve being disposed in said second communication opening.

14. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said movable partition is a flexible envelope.

15. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the first valve is an axial push valve which is activated when it is displaced in along the path of egress of the toner concentrate.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein gas pressure means activates the first valve by causing axial displacement of the container.

17. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the gas pressure means includes a piston in operative association with said canister, wherein activation of said gas pressure means causes axial displacement of said piston and said canister and activation of said first valve.

18. A dispensing container for dispensing a material such as liquid toner concentrate comprising:

a canister;

a movable partition disposed within the canister, said movable partition defining a first space containing liquid toner concentrate and a second space between the movable partition and the canister;

a first valve communicating with said first space for allowing egress of material from said first space when said first valve is activated; and

a second valve communicating with said second space for allowing ingress of pressurized fluid into said second space when said second valve is activated;

wherein the canister is a rigid enclosure having first and second communication openings in the opposite end portions thereof, said first valve being disposed within said first communication opening and said second valve being disposed within said second communication opening.

19. A dispensing container according to claim 18 wherein said movable partition comprises a flexible envelope.

20. A dispenser container according to claim 18 wherein said first valve is an axial push-type valve which is activated when said first valve is depressed parallel to the path of egress of the toner concentrate from the container.

21. A dispenser container according to claim 18 wherein said second valve is a one-way pressure valve which is activated when the fluid pressure exterior to said canister is greater than the fluid pressure within said second space.

22. A dispenser container according to claim 21 wherein said fluid is a gas.

23. A dispenser container according to claim 21 wherein said fluid is air.

24. A dispenser container according to claim 18 wherein said fluid is a gas.

25. A dispenser container according to claim 18 wherein said fluid is air.