Recyclable printing device with tamper protection

• US 7,832,817 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2005
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIDLER, SHELBY LEE
• Application Number:
  US11/033,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20050122350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 347/2, 347/104, 396/6
• US Class Current: 347/2
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras

Abstract

A recyclable device comprising a chassis supporting a pagewidth print head for printing an image, an ink supply means for supplying ink to the print head, and a supply of print media on to which said sensed image is printed. A casing surrounds and encases said chassis so that the ink supply means is unable to be accessed without destruction of the casing.

Claims

1. A recyclable device comprising a chassis supporting:

an image sensor for sensing an image;

a pagewidth print head for printing the sensed image;

an ink supply cartridge for supplying ink to the print head;

a supply of print media on to which said image is printed;

a cutting mechanism for cutting the print media so as to separate the printed images from the supply of print media;

a counter mechanism coupled to the cutting mechanism so as to decrease a counter upon each operation of the cutting mechanism thereby indicating a number of images printed by the print head;

a controller for controlling the device, the controller having high current drive transistors for driving a media transport motor for transporting the print media past the print head and a cutting motor for operating the cutting mechanism, the controller being configured to never operate the high current drive transistors and the image sensor simultaneously; and

a casing surrounding and encasing said chassis so that the ink supply cartridge is unable to be accessed without destruction of the casing, the casing having a slot through which the counter is viewable.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the casing comprises two shells, the shells being bonded together during one of a manufacturing process and a recycling process.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the casing is of a recyclable material.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the ink supply cartridge defines a plurality of ink supply channels, each of which is in communication with the print head and each channel containing a different color ink, in use, for enabling full color printing to be effected.

5. The device of claim 4 in which the ink supply cartridge includes an inlet opening in communication with each channel via which said channel is refilled during recycling of the device.

6. The device of claim 4 in which each channel has a vent associated therewith, the vent being open during a refilling operation of the channel to allow egress of air from the channel and the vent being sealed by a seal after the refilling operation.

7. The device of claim 6 in which the seal is a replaceable seal to be removed during the refilling operation and replaced by a new seal after completion of the refilling operation.