Print media roll and ink supply cartridge

• US 7,377,706 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2005
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Walmsley, Simon Robert, Lapstun, Paul, Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Colilla, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Kevin D.
• Application Number:
  US10/983,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20060050286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 347/84, 347/85, 347/86, 347/104, 347/108, 400/611, 400/613
• US Class Current: 400/613
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0005 Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/15 for serial printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17 characterised by ink handling cleaning by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof B41J2/1652; for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing B41J11/0015
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/12 otherwise than by punching
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00965 : using a plug-in memory module, e.g. memory card, memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 : using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 : the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 : on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 : of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3261 : of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 : of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 : of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

A print media and ink supply cartridge includes an outer housing in which there is located a roll of print media located about a cylindrical former. The former includes a number of internal longitudinal ink storage volumes that are filled with hydrophobic sponges. One end of the former has winding airways formed into it that communicate with the internal ink storage volumes. An opposing end of the former includes a number of ink outlet ports that communicate with corresponding outlets in the housing. The cartridge includes a pair of print media transport rollers arranged to be driven by a power source external to the cartridge.

Claims

1. A print media and ink supply cartridge including;

an outer housing;

a former for a roll of print media containing one or more ink storage volumes;

a first end of the former having one or more ink ports in communication with a corresponding one or more of the ink storage volumes;

a second end of the former including one or more airways in communication with a corresponding one or more of the ink storage volumes;

a roll of print media located within the housing and about the former.

2. A print media and ink supply cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the former is cylindrical and the ink storage volumes are longitudinally disposed within.

3. A print media and ink supply cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the outer housing includes one or more print media transport rollers.

4. A print media and ink supply cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the one or more print media transport rollers comprise a pair of rollers arranged to be driven by a power source external to said cartridge.

5. A print media and ink supply cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the one or more ink storage volumes each contain a sponge.

6. A print media and ink supply cartridge according to claim 5, wherein the sponge is hydrophobic.

7. A print media and ink supply cartridge according to claim 1, including an elastomeric seal located to communicate between the ink ports and ink connection ports formed in a part of the housing.

8. A print media and ink supply cartridge according to claim 1, including ribs mounted on the outside of the former to reduce friction between the former and the roll of print media.

9. A print media and ink supply cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the airways include a number of corners.

10. A print media and ink supply cartridge according to claim 9, wherein air within the airways is exposed to a hydrophobic medium.

11. A print media and ink supply cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the hydrophobic medium comprises a sealing tape.