Ink refill unit for refilling a high speed print engine

• US 7,303,268 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Hibbard, Christopher, Mackey, Paul Ian, Jackson, Garry Raymond, Berry, Norman Micheal, Nakazawa, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US11/014,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20050157027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 347/7, 347/14, 347/19, 347/40, 347/42, 347 84- 87
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/209 Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04541 Specific driving circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04543 Block driving
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0458 controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04585 controlling heads based on thermal bent actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04591 Width of the driving signal being adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/135 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14016 Structure of bubble jet print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1634 laser machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1637 molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16526 by applying pressure only
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16535 using wiping constructions B41J2/16552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1707 Conditioning of the inside of ink supply circuits, e.g. flushing during start-up or shut-down
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1714 : Conditioning of the outside of ink supply systems, e.g. inkjet collector cleaning, ink mist removal B41J2/08, B41J2/16517, B41J2/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 : Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 : Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17506 : Refilling of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 : Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 : Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 : Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17536 : Protection of cartridges or parts thereof, e.g. tape
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 : Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 : Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 : Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/19 : for removing air bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/515 : line printer type
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 : Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14403 : including a filter
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 : Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14435 : Moving nozzle made of thermal bend detached actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14459 : Matrix arrangement of the pressure chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14475 : characterised by nozzle shapes or number of orifices per chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/1742 : Open waste ink collector, e.g. ink receiving from a print head above the collector during borderless printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17516 : comprising a collapsible ink holder, e.g. a flexible bag
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/19 : Assembling head units
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/20 : Modules
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 25/34 : Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 : Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/13 : Cases or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 : Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism

Abstract

A printing fluid dispenser is provided for a printing fluid refill cartridge. The dispenser has a body which stores printing fluid and has an outlet through which the printing fluid is dispensed, and a selector arranged to select the amount of the printing fluid to be dispensed from the body.

Claims

1. A printing fluid dispenser for a printing fluid refill cartridge comprising:

a body storing printing fluid having an outlet through which the printing fluid is dispensed;

a selector arranged to selectively change the storage capacity of the body so as to select the amount of the printing fluid to be dispensed from the body; and

a plunger having a toothed helical thread which engages with a screw thread provided in an internal wall of the body, wherein;

the selector comprises a drive gear associated with a driving device; and

rotation of the drive gear is imparted to the toothed thread so as to rotate the plunger within the screw thread of the body thereby changing a storage capacity of the body.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the printing fluid selected by the selector is an amount selected from a set of discrete amounts of the printing fluid.

3. A dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the set of discrete amounts comprises amounts at about 6 ml intervals in a range of from 6 ml to 50 ml.

4. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein:

the selector comprises a series of grooves and a retaining member selectively engageable with each of the grooves; and

each selectively engageable position of the retaining member with the grooves provides a different amount of change of the storage capacity of the body.

5. A dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the series of grooves are arranged in a row along a surface of the selector and the retaining member is pivotable with respect to the grooves, said relative pivoting providing the selective engagement of the retaining member with the grooves.

6. A dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the series of grooves are arranged in a substantially circular loop and are rotatable with respect to the retaining member and the body, said relative rotation providing the selective engagement of the retaining member with the grooves.

7. A dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the retaining member is pivotable with respect to the grooves so as to engage and disengage therefrom, the grooves being able to rotate when the retaining member is disengaged and being prevented from rotating when the retaining member is engaged.

8. A dispenser according to claim 5, wherein:

the plunger is arranged to seal with an open end of the body opposite the outlet and to plunge into the interior of the body; and

the selector comprises;

an urging member arranged about the plunger so as to urge the plunger into the body;

a rotatable shaft having the substantially circular loop of grooves about one end and a grooved thread about the other end; and

a linking member attached to the grooved thread at one end and to the plunger at the other end so as to be windable into the grooved thread and about the shaft, the urging member causing the rotation of the shaft and thereby the grooves via the linking member when the retaining member is disengaged with the grooves.

9. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the body incorporates a collapsible reservoir storing the printing fluid and having the outlet at one end thereof.

10. A dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising an aperture removably engageable with an inlet of a printing fluid storage chamber of a printing unit.

11. A dispenser according to claim 10, further comprising means to determine an amount of printing fluid needed to substantially refill the printing fluid storage chamber, wherein the amount of printing fluid to be dispensed is selected by the selector to correspond to the determined amount.

12. A dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the aperture comprises a syringe needle arranged to penetrate a valve seal of the chamber inlet so as to dispense the stored printing fluid therethrough.

13. A dispenser according to claim 10, further comprising a securing arrangement for removably securing the aperture with the chamber inlet.

14. A dispenser according to claim 13, wherein the securing arrangement incorporates at least one first engagement member arranged to be removably engageable with at least one second engagement member of the printing unit.

15. A dispenser according to claim 14, wherein the second engagement member is a slot and the first engagement member is a movable protrusion engageable with the slot.

16. A dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the securing arrangement further incorporates a movable region of a wall of the body which is arranged with the first engagement member, whereby movement of the movable region provides engagement and disengagement of the first and second engagement members.

17. A dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the movable region incorporates a depressible region of the body wall.

18. A dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the printing unit is a printer cartridge which is mountable to a printer and incorporates a printhead.

19. A dispenser according to claim 18, wherein a controller of the printer cartridge is arranged to control the selector so as to select the amount of the printing fluid to be dispensed, the selected amount being sufficient for refilling the printing fluid storage chamber.

20. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the printing fluid is ink or ink fixative.