Container arrangement including ink tank and adapter configured to be mounted to ink tank

• US 8,172,382 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kanbe, Tomohiro, Nakamura, Hirotake, Hattori, Shingo
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDLER, SHELBY LEE
• Application Number:
  US12/401,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20090322834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 347/86
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17533 Storage or packaging of ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/2023 in a flexible container B65D81/2038 takes precedence

Abstract

A container arrangement includes a packaging arrangement including an ink tank defining an ink chamber therein, in which the ink chamber is configured to store ink therein, and a packaging bag enclosing the ink tank therein. A pressure of an interior of the packaging bag is less than a pressure of an exterior of the packaging bag. The container arrangement also includes an adapter configured to be coupled to the ink tank, and a container enclosing each of the packaging arrangement and the adapter. The adapter is positioned outside the packaging bag.

Claims

1. A container arrangement comprising:

a packaging arrangement comprising;

an ink tank with a front side, a rear side, and one or more sides defining an ink chamber therein, wherein the ink chamber is configured to store ink therein; and

a packaging bag enclosing the ink tank therein, wherein a pressure of an interior of the packaging bag is less than a pressure of an exterior of the packaging bag;

an adapter configured to be removably coupled to the front side of the ink tank and to couple the ink tank to a cartridge mounting portion of a recording apparatus when inserted into the cartridge mounting portion in an insertion direction, wherein the adapter comprises;

a main body with a front face, a rear face, and at least one other face, wherein the rear face of the main body forms an opening that is configured to receive the ink tank inserted therethrough and the front face of the main body corresponds to the front side of the ink tank when the front side of the ink tank is coupled to the adapter; and

a plate shaped portion positioned at the front face of the main body, the plate shaped portion being configured to block light emitted from a light emitting portion in the recording apparatus when the adapter is inserted into the recording apparatus so as to provide an indication of at least one characteristic of the ink that the ink chamber is configured to store; and

a container enclosing each of the packaging arrangement and the adapter, wherein the adapter is positioned outside the packaging bag.

2. The container arrangement of claim 1, wherein the ink tank comprises a first member having a first rigidity which is greater than a predetermined rigidity, and the adapter comprises a second member having a second rigidity which is less than the predetermined rigidity.

3. The container arrangement of claim 2, wherein the predetermined rigidity is a rigidity sufficient to maintain a shape of the first member when a predetermined amount of force generated by a pressure differential between the interior of the packaging bag and the exterior of the packaging bag is applied to the first member.

4. The container arrangement of claim 3, wherein the second member has a plate shape.

5. The container arrangement of claim 4, wherein the first member comprises a frame defining a perimeter of the ink chamber.

6. The container arrangement of claim 5, wherein the container has a box shape.

7. The 7 container arrangement of claim 1, wherein the main body opening is configured to receive at least a portion of the ink tank.

8. The container arrangement of claim 7, further comprising at least one resilient member coupled to the adapter, wherein each of the at least one resilient member and the ink tank extend from the adapter in the insertion direction.

9. The container arrangement of claim 1, wherein the ink tank comprises an ink supply portion configured to dispense ink from an interior of the ink chamber to an exterior of the ink chamber, and the adapter has an ink supply opening formed therethrough, wherein when the adapter is coupled to the ink tank, the ink supply opening is configured to receive the ink supply portion therethrough.

10. The container arrangement of claim 9, wherein the ink tank further comprises an air intake portion configured to draw air from the exterior of the ink chamber to the interior of the ink chamber, and the adapter has an air intake opening formed therethrough, wherein when the adapter is coupled to the ink tank, the air intake opening is aligned with the air intake portion in the insertion direction.

11. The container arrangement of claim 1, wherein:

the plate shaped portion is configured to reflect light.

12. The container arrangement of claim 1, wherein:

the plate shaped portion is configured to prevent light from passing therethrough.

13. The container arrangement of claim 1, wherein:

the plate shaped portion extends across an opening in the front face of the main body.

14. The container arrangement of claim 1, wherein:

the plate shaped portion has a depth in the insertion direction; and

the depth of the plate shaped portion is what provides an indication of the at least one characteristic of the ink that the ink chamber is configured to store.