Method and apparatus for keying ink supply containers

• US 6,183,077 B1
• Filed: 10/20/1998
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• 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: Schmidt, Glen E., Wilson, John F., Steinmetz, Charles R., Gonzales, Curt G., Underwood, John A., Pawlowski, Norman E. Jr., Barinaga, John A., Cowger, Bruce, Cocklin, Thomas, Merrill, David O., Hmelar, Susan, Green, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Huan
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGHIEM, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US09/177,144
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 347/49, 347/85, 347/86, 347/87
• 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

The present disclosure relates to an ink supply container for containing ink. The ink supply container is configured for providing ink to an ink jet printing system. The ink container includes a first feature indicative of an ink family of a plurality of ink families associated with ink contained in the container. Also included is a second feature spaced from the first feature. The second feature is indicative of an ink color of a plurality of ink colors associated with ink in the container.

Claims

1. An ink supply container for containing ink, the ink supply container configured for providing ink to an ink jet printing system, the ink supply container including:

a first feature indicative of an ink family of a plurality of ink families associated with ink contained in the container, the first feature extending in a first direction; and

a second feature different than and spaced from the first feature and extending in a second direction that is substantially opposite of the first direction, the second feature indicative of an ink color of a plurality of ink colors associated with ink in the container, wherein each of the first and second features are configured for engaging latch surfaces of the ink jet printing system for securely mounting the ink supply container to the ink jet printing system.

2. The ink supply container of claim 1 wherein the first feature comprises at least one keying portion that extends outwardly from the ink supply container and wherein the second feature comprises at least one keying portion that extends outwardly from the ink supply container.

3. The ink supply container of claim 1 further including a shell and a cap, the cap is attachable to the shell and wherein each of the first and second features are attached to the cap.

4. The ink supply container of claim 1 further comprising detent members formed in the shell adjacent to the first and second features.

5. The ink supply container of claim 1 wherein the ink family indicated by the first feature refers to particular physical properties of ink contained in the ink supply container.

6. The ink supply container of claim 5 wherein the particular physical properties of ink contained in the ink supply container is viscosity.

7. The ink supply container of claim 1 wherein the ink family indicated by the first feature refers to particular chemical properties of ink contained in the ink supply container.

8. The ink supply container of claim 7 wherein the particular chemical properties of ink contained in the ink supply container is solubility in water.

9. An ink supply container for containing ink, the ink supply container configured for providing ink to an ink jet printing system, the ink supply container including:

a first feature indicative of an ink family of a plurality of ink families associated with ink contained in the container, the first feature extending in a first direction;

a second feature spaced from the first feature and extending in a second direction that is substantially opposite of the first direction, the second feature indicative of an ink color of a plurality of ink colors associated with ink in the container;

a reservoir;

a variable volume chamber;

a valve interposed between the reservoir and the chamber to prevent the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir and allow the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber; and

a fluid outlet for establishing a fluid connection between the chamber and the printing system when the ink supply container is placed in the printing system, the fluid outlet being closed to prevent the flow of ink from the chamber when the ink supply container is not within the printing system, whereby when the volume of the chamber is increased as ink is drawn from the reservoir through the valve and into the chamber and when the volume of the chamber is decreased ink is forced from the chamber through the fluid outlet.

10. A method of manufacturing an ink supply container to include features indicative of the type of ink contained in the container, the ink supply container configured for insertion into an ink jet printing system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a cap;

forming on the cap a first feature at a predetermined location on the cap, wherein the location is indicative of a particular one type of ink;

forming on the cap a second feature indicative of a family of ink to be contained in the container;

providing a shell for containing a reservoir of ink, the shell lacking any perceptible indicia of the type of ink to be contained in the reservoir; and

attaching the cap to a leading end of the shell, the leading end of the shell being that end of the shell first received by the printing system upon insertion of the ink supply container into the printing system.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the attaching step includes covering a port, that is used for filling a reservoir of the shell, with the cap.

12. An ink container for supplying ink having proper ink parameters to an ink container receiving station having a latch surface, the ink container comprising:

a latch feature indicative of an ink parameter of a plurality of ink parameters, the latch feature being configured for engaging the latch surface of the ink container receiving station for securely mounting the ink container having proper ink parameters.

13. The ink container of claim 12 wherein the latch feature is a first and second latch feature and wherein the latch surface is a first and second latch surface with the first latch surface indicative of a first ink parameter and configured for engaging the first latch feature and the second latch surface indicative of a second ink parameter and configured for engaging the second latch feature.

14. The ink container of claim 13 wherein the first latch feature is different from the second latch feature.

15. The ink container of claim 13 wherein one of the first and second latch features are indicative of ink color associated with the ink container.

16. The ink container of claim 13 wherein one of the first and second latch features are indicative of ink compatibility associated with the ink container.

17. The ink container of claim 13 wherein the first latch feature is indicative of an ink color associated with the ink container and the second latching feature is indicative of an ink family associated with the ink container.

18. The ink container of claim 13 wherein each of the first and second latch features are a plurality of tabs extending from the ink container.

19. The ink container of claim 13 further including an ink container receiving station, the ink container receiving station including:

a first latching member configured for engaging corresponding ink container first latch features;

a second latching member configured for engaging corresponding ink container second latch features; and

a keying system component attached to the ink container receiving station to define, in conjunction with the first and second latch features, ink containers having proper ink parameters.

20. The ink container of claim 19 wherein the ink container receiving station is attached to an ink jet printer and ink provided by the ink container is utilized by the ink jet printer to form images on media.

21. An ink container receiving station for receiving ink containers having proper ink parameters, the ink container receiving station comprising:

a first latching member configured for engaging corresponding ink container first latch features disposed at ink container leading ends first received by the ink container receiving station;

a second latching member configured for engaging corresponding ink container second latch features disposed at the ink container leading ends first received by the ink container receiving station; and

a keying system component attached to the ink container receiving station to define, in conjunction with the first and second latch features ink containers having proper ink parameters.

22. The ink container receiving station for receiving ink containers of claim 21 wherein each of the first and second latching members are a spring clip.

23. The ink container receiving station for receiving ink containers of claim 21 wherein the keying system is a plurality of key slots for accepting ink containers having proper latch features.

24. A method for forming an ink container indicative of an ink parameter from a plurality of ink parameters, the method comprising:

forming first and second identical ink container portions, each ink container portion having a plurality of latch features;

assembling the ink container portions to form the ink container;

removing at least one of the plurality of latch features to form a non-symmetric ink container indicative of a selected ink parameter from a plurality of ink parameters.

25. A system for locating an ink container in an ink based printing device, the system comprising:

a plurality of ink containers, each of the plurality of ink containers having a plurality of latching features indicative of an ink parameter;

keying components integrated into the ink based printing device to guide the insertion of ink containers having corresponding latching features and to restrict the insertion of ink containers having latching features which correspond to non-compatible ink parameters; and

a latching mechanism configured for engaging the plurality of latching features for securing ink containers corresponding to keying components to the ink based printing device.

26. An ink container for use with a system of locating ink containers in an ink based printing device, the ink based printing device of the type having an ink container receiving station for receiving ink containers, the ink container comprising:

a latch feature configured for engaging ink container receiving station latch features, the ink container latch features being indicative of an ink parameter of a plurality of ink parameters;

a fluid interconnect attached to the ink container with only ink containers having ink parameters compatible with corresponding ink container receiving station ink parameters being configured for insertion wherein the latch feature received by corresponding ink container receiving station latch feature slots align the fluid interconnect with corresponding ink container receiving station fluid interconnects, with the ink container properly positioned in ink container receiving stations the latch feature is engaged by corresponding ink container receiving station latch features securing the ink container thereby establishing reliable inflow between the ink container and ink based printing devices.