Removable cassette having integrated supply of consumables

• US 6,375,314 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Reed, William H., Zbrozek, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Anh T. N.
• Application Number:
  US09/633,158
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85, 347/86, 347/87, 347/104, 347/108, 347/214, 347/215, 399/110, 399/111
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/0081 Sheet-storing packages, e.g. for protecting the sheets against ambient influences, e.g. light, humidity, changes in temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns

Abstract

A removable cassette for a photoprinter includes a reservoir containing a consumable source of ink adapted to be used by the photoprinter for printing, and a consumable supply of printable media sheets adapted to be printed upon by the photoprinter using the source of ink. The consumable source of ink for use with the photoprinter, and the printable media sheets for use with the photoprinter in conjunction with the consumable source of ink, wherein the consumable source of ink and the printable media sheets are integrated into the cassette removable from the photoprinter.

Claims

1. A photoprinter, comprising:

a) a computer readable medium upon which is encoded data readable by the photoprinter,

b) a drive capable of interfacing with the computer readable medium,

c) a reservoir containing a source of ink for use with the photoprinter; and

d) a supply of printable media sheets for use with the photoprinter in conjunction with the reservoir containing the source of ink, wherein the computer readable medium, the reservoir containing the source of ink and the printable media sheets are integrated into a cassette which is removable from the photoprinter.

2. The photoprinter of claim 1, wherein the photoprinter is a stand alone photoprinter.

3. The photoprinter of claim 1, further comprising a power source for the photoprinter integrated into the cassette.

4. The photoprinter of claim 1, further comprising a feeding mechanism operative to initiate, effect or assist feeding the printable media sheets from the cassette.

5. The photoprinter of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the feeding mechanism is integrated into the cassette.

6. A removable cassette comprising:

a computer readable medium upon which is encoded data readable by a printer comprising a drive capable of interfacing with the computer readable medium,

a reservoir containing a consumable source of ink; and

a consumable supply of printable media sheets, wherein the cassette is adapted to supply the printable media sheets and the source of ink to the printer.

7. The cassette of claim 6, further comprising at least one feeding mechanism operative to initiate, effect or assist feeding the printable media sheets from the cassette.

8. The cassette of claim 6, further comprising a power source for a printer.

9. The cassette of claim 6, further comprising a sump for waste ink.

10. The cassette of claim 6, further comprising a housing containing the reservoir and the printable media sheets.

11. A removable cassette comprising:

a) a computer readable medium upon which is encoded data readable by a photoprinter comprising a drive capable of interfacing with the computer readable medium,

b) a consumable supply of printable media sheets; and

c) a reservoir containing a consumable source of ink, wherein the cassette is adapted to supply the printable media sheets and the source of ink to the photoprinter to print digital photographs onto the printable media sheets.

12. The cassette of claim 11, further comprising a sump for waste ink.

13. The cassette of claim 11, further comprising a feeding mechanism operative to initiate, effect or assist feeding the printable media sheets from the cassette.