Ink container refurbishment system

• US 6,318,850 B1
• Filed: 08/08/1998
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Childers, Winthrop D., Thielman, Jeffrey L., Pawlowski, Norman E. Jr., Bullock, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGHIEM, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US09/230,950
• Time in Patent Office: 1,200 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85, 347/86, 347/87, 347/7, 347/19
• US Class Current: 347/85
• 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 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• 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 2002/17569 based on the amount printed or to be printed
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17586 using ink bag deformation for ink level indication
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 25/34 Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages

Abstract

Alternative methods for refurbishing a single-use ink delivery container for a printing system are described. The refurbishing methods include electrical and mechanical reconfiguration or replacement of original elements on the ink delivery container. Each method utilizes an existing ink fluid outlet, electrical connector and an information storage device on the ink delivery container.

Claims

1. A method for refilling a printer ink container for providing ink to an ink jet printhead of an ink jet printer, the ink container having a sealed housing, a flexible ink reservoir located within the housing and having an ink outlet in fluid communication with the ink reservoir, with the ink outlet being removably connectable to a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the ink jet printhead of the ink jet printer, an air inlet in fluid communication with a space between the housing and the ink reservoir, each of the ink outlet and the air inlet having a protruding stem with a septum, the ink outlet further having a check valve, and the ink container having a memory device connected to electrical contact pads mounted on the housing for communicating information concerning characteristics of the ink in the ink container to the printer, the method comprising:

(a) connecting an ink conduit to a source of ink and pushing the ink conduit through the septum of the ink outlet, thereby opening the check valve and placing the ink conduit in fluid communication with the ink reservoir;

(b) refilling the ink reservoir with ink from the source of ink through the ink conduit and ink outlet; and

(c) refurbishing the memory device for providing enabling information to the printer to enable the printer to operate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a release of air from the space between the housing and the ink reservoir.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises:

disabling the memory device such that it may no longer provide information to the printer; and

electrically connecting an electrical device to the ink container for providing enabling information to the printer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises:

removing the memory device from the ink container by prying the memory device from the ink container; and

securing a second memory device to the ink container for providing enabling information to the printer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises severing the memory device from communication with the contact pads and connecting an electrical device to the contact pads of the memory device for providing enabling information to the printer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises providing a second memory device and a second set of contact pads on an insulating substrate and securing the substrate on top of the first-mentioned memory device and contact pads.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises erasing all of the information in the memory device and reprogramming the memory device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory device and the printer exchange data in serial fashion over a single data line relative to a reference line, and wherein step (c) comprises:

disabling the memory device such that the memory device may no longer exchange data with the printer; and

electrically connecting an electrical device to the ink container which, when connected to the printer, provides data in a serial fashion on the single data line of the printer relative to the reference line.

9. A method of refurbishing an ink container for providing ink to an ink jet printhead of an ink jet printing system, the ink container having a fluid outlet including a septum, with the fluid outlet being removably connectable to a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the ink jet printhead of the ink jet printing system, the ink container including a fluid reservoir and a memory device connected to electrical contact pads mounted on the ink container for communicating information concerning characteristics of ink in the ink container to the printing system, comprising:

displacing a sealing ball from an inside surface of the septum;

connecting a source of ink to the fluid outlet;

establishing a flow of ink from the source of ink, past the sealing ball, and to the fluid reservoir; and

refurbishing the memory device for providing enabling information to the printing system to enable the printing system to operate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the ink container includes a pressure chamber formed by an outer housing, the method further comprising establishing a flow of air between the pressure chamber and a region outside of the outer housing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the ink container includes an air inlet that communicates between the pressure chamber and a region outside of the outer housing, and the method including connecting a conduit to the air inlet and establishing a flow of air from the pressure chamber, through the air inlet, and to the conduit to enhance the flow of ink into the fluid reservoir.