Ink cartridge device

• US 6,412,933 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2001
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Umemura, Shunji, Ogawa, Ayao
• Primary Examiner(s): NGHIEM, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US09/904,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20010038407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 347/85, 347/86, 347/87, 347/108, 206/471, 206/320, 206/576
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17533 Storage or packaging of ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17536 Protection of cartridges or parts thereof, e.g. tape

Abstract

There is provided an ink cartridge device which permits a delivery port-sealing film thereof to be positively peeled off and prevents ink from scattering out of the device during an operation for peeling off the delivery port-sealing film. An ink cartridge has an ink delivery port for supplying ink to the printer therefrom, and a rim of the ink delivery port. A container box contains the ink cartridge and has a box body and a lid for closing the box body. The box body is formed with a slit. A delivery port-sealing film has a sealing portion removably welded to the rim of the ink delivery port, for sealing the ink delivery port, and an unsealing operation portion continuous with the sealing portion and extending in a direction of making a U-turn with respect to the sealing portion to extend out of the container box through the slit of the box body.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge device for a printer, comprising:

an ink cartridge having an ink delivery port for supplying ink to said printer therefrom, and a rim of said ink delivery port;

a container box for containing said ink cartridge, said container box having a box body and a lid for closing said box body, said box body being formed with a slit; and

a delivery port-sealing film having a sealing portion removably welded to said rim of said ink delivery port, for sealing said ink delivery port, and an unsealing operation portion continuous with said sealing portion and extending in a direction of making a U-turn with respect to said sealing portion to extend out of said container box through said slit of said box body, an end of said sealing portion remote from said unsealing operation portion being fixedly attached to said box body, and a distal end portion of said unsealing operation portion extending out of said container box being folded to extend under said lid in a closed state;

said ink cartridge having an air inlet port corresponding to said ink deliver port, for permitting air to flow into an inside of said ink cartridge, and a rim of said air inlet port,

the ink cartridge device further including an air inlet port-sealing film for sealing said air inlet port of said ink cartridge,

wherein said air inlet port-sealing film has an air inlet-port-sealing portion removably welded to said rim of said air inlet port, and an air inlet port-unsealing operation portion continuous with said air inlet port-sealing portion, said air inlet port-unsealing operation portion being fixedly attached to said lid, for permitting said air inlet port-sealing portion to be peeled off by an opening operation for opening said lid.

2. An ink cartridge device according to claim 1, wherein said lid is formed with an opening tab, for being pulled up to carry out said opening operation for opening said lid,

said air inlet port-unsealing operation portion being fixedly attached to said opening tab.

3. An ink cartridge device for a printer, comprising:

an ink cartridge having an ink delivery port for supplying ink to said printer therefrom, and a rim of said ink delivery port;

a container box for containing said ink cartridge;

a delivery port-sealing film having a sealing portion removably welded to said rim of said ink delivery port, for sealing said ink delivery port, and an unsealing operation portion continuous with said sealing portion and fixedly attached to said container box,

said sealing portion being peeled off within said container box as a drawing operation for drawing out said ink cartridge from said container box is carried out; and

braking means for braking said drawing operation.

4. An ink cartridge device according to claim 3, wherein said braking means comprises an auxiliary film which has one end thereof removably welded to said ink cartridge, and another end thereof fixedly attached to said container box, and

wherein said drawing operation is braked by a peeling operation for peeling off said auxiliary film.

5. An ink cartridge device according to claim 3,

wherein said ink delivery port opens in one end face of said ink cartridge,

wherein said braking means comprises outward projections formed on respective side surfaces of said ink cartridge toward said one end face thereof, and inward projections formed on respective inner surfaces of said container box toward an opening of said container box which permits said ink cartridge to be drawn out therefrom, and

wherein said drawing operation is braked by bringing said outward projections and said inward projections into sliding contact with each other.

6. An ink cartridge device according to claim 3, wherein said braking means comprises a welded portion continuous with an end of said sealing portion remote from said unsealing operation portion and removably welded to said ink cartridge, and

wherein said drawing operation is braked by a peeling operation for peeling off said welded portion.

7. An ink cartridge device according to claim 3, wherein said ink cartridge has an air inlet port corresponding to said ink deliver port, for permitting air to flow into an inside of said ink cartridge, and a rim of said air inlet port,

the ink cartridge device further including an air inlet port-sealing film for sealing said air inlet port of said ink cartridge,

wherein said air inlet port-sealing film has an air inlet-port-sealing portion removably welded to said rim of said air inlet port, and an air inlet port unsealing operation portion continuous with said air inlet port-sealing portion, said air inlet port-unsealing operation portion being fixedly attached to a lid of said container box, for permitting said air inlet port-sealing portion to be peeled off by an opening operation for opening said lid.

8. An ink cartridge device according to claim 7, wherein said lid is formed with an opening tab, for being pulled up to carry out said opening operation for opening said lid, said air inlet port-unsealing operation portion being fixedly attached to said opening tab.

9. An ink cartridge device for a printer, comprising:

an ink cartridge having an ink delivery port for supplying ink to said printer therefrom, and a rim of said ink delivery port;

a container box for containing said ink cartridge, said container box having a box body and a lid for closing said box body, said box body being formed with a slit; and

a delivery port-sealing film having a sealing portion removably welded to said rim of said ink delivery port, for sealing said ink delivery port, and an unsealing operation portion continuous with said sealing portion and extending in a direction of making a U-turn with respect to said sealing portion to extend out of said container box through said slit of said box body

said ink cartridge having an air inlet port corresponding to said ink deliver port, for permitting air to flow into an inside of said ink cartridge, and a rim of said air inlet port,

the ink cartridge device further including an air inlet port-sealing film for sealing said air inlet port of said ink cartridge, said air inlet port-sealing film being formed of a uniaxially oriented film,

wherein said air inlet port-sealing film has an air inlet-port-sealing portion removably welded to said rim of said air inlet port, and an air inlet port-unsealing operation portion continuous with said air inlet port-sealing portion, said air inlet port-unsealing operation portion being fixedly attached to said lid, for permitting said air inlet port-sealing portion to be peeled off by an opening operation for opening said lid.