Ink container refurbishment system
First Claim
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1. A refurbished ink container adapted for installation into an inkjet printing system, the printing system configured to receive signals conveying information about the refurbished ink container, the ink container comprising:
- a pressure vessel surrounding a supply of ink, the supply of ink including a volume of a refill ink added to an at least partially depleted volume of an initial ink; and
a refurbished source of signals configured to send signals conveying information about the refurbished ink container to the printing system, wherein the information enables printing when the refurbished ink container is releasably installed into the printing system, and wherein the information conveyed by the refurbished source of signals is indicative of an increase in a volume of the supply of ink caused by addition of the volume of the refill ink to the at least partially depleted volume of the initial ink.
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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.
37 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A refurbished ink container adapted for installation into an inkjet printing system, the printing system configured to receive signals conveying information about the refurbished ink container, the ink container comprising:
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a pressure vessel surrounding a supply of ink, the supply of ink including a volume of a refill ink added to an at least partially depleted volume of an initial ink; and a refurbished source of signals configured to send signals conveying information about the refurbished ink container to the printing system, wherein the information enables printing when the refurbished ink container is releasably installed into the printing system, and wherein the information conveyed by the refurbished source of signals is indicative of an increase in a volume of the supply of ink caused by addition of the volume of the refill ink to the at least partially depleted volume of the initial ink. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A refurbished ink container adapted for installation into an inkjet printing system, the inkjet printing system configured to receive signals conveying information about the refurbished ink container, the ink container comprising:
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a pressure chamber surrounding a collapsible ink reservoir, the ink reservoir including a refill ink added to an at least partially depleted initial ink; means for adding the refill ink into the collapsible ink reservoir; an air fitting in fluid communication with an interior of the pressure chamber for releasing air within the pressure chamber to atmosphere as the refill ink is added into the collapsible ink reservoir; and a refurbished source of signals configured to send signals conveying information about the refurbished ink container to the printing system, wherein the information enables printing when the refurbished ink container is installed into the printing systems, wherein the refurbished source of signals is indicative of an increase in a volume of the supply of ink caused by adding the refill ink into the collapsible ink reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for refilling a printer ink container for providing ink, to an ink jet printhead of an ink jet printing system, the ink container in an at least partially depleted of initial ink condition, the ink container having a sealed housing, a flexible ink reservoir located within the housing, an ink outlet on the housing and 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 printing system upon insertion of the housing into the ink jet printing system, an air inlet on the housing and in fluid communication with a space between the housing and the ink reservoir, with the air inlet being removably connectable to an air outlet of the ink jet printing system upon insertion of the housing into the ink jet printing system, and a source of signals conveving information to the inkjet printing system, the information indicative of the at least partially depleted of initial ink condition of the ink container, the method comprising:
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(a) refilling the ink reservoir with a refill ink from a source of refill ink through the ink outlet; and (b) releasing air from the space between the housing and the ink reservoir and through the air inlet; and (c) refurbishing the source of signals to convey information indicative of a refilled condition of the ink container and thereby enable printing when the refilled ink container is installed into the ink jet printing system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification