Printing material container, and board mounted on printing material container

• US 8,882,513 B1
• Filed: 07/16/2014
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Asauchi, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): ZARROLI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US14/332,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20140327722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 118 Days
• US Class Current: 439/67
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17526 Electrical contacts to the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1753 Details of contacts on the cartridge, e.g. protection of contacts
• 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: B41J 2002/14491 Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17579 Measuring electrical impedance for ink level indication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/9241 Contacts arranged for sequential connection

Abstract

A printing material container detachably attachable to a printing apparatus having apparatus-side terminals. The container can comprise an electrical device, a memory device and a plurality of terminals. First and second terminals can be coupled to the electrical device and a plurality of memory terminals can be coupled to the memory device. Terminal contact portions are present where the terminals contact a respective apparatus side contact forming member. A short detection contact portion can be positioned to contact a contact forming member that itself is coupled to a short detection circuit of the printing apparatus. The terminals can be arranged with the memory terminal contact portions located to the left of the second terminal contact portion and to the right of the first terminal contact portion. The contact portion that is second farthest to the right can be the third contact portion.

Claims

1. A printing material container for mounting in an ink jet printing apparatus, the ink jet printing apparatus having a print head and a plurality of apparatus-side terminals, the printing material container comprising:

a memory device adapted to be driven by a memory driving voltage;

an electronic device adapted to receive a voltage higher than the memory driving voltage; and

a plurality of container-side terminals having contact portions arranged to contact corresponding apparatus-side terminals so that electrical communication is enabled with the ink jet printing apparatus, the contact portions including;

a plurality of memory device contact portions electrically coupled to the memory device;

a first and a second high voltage contact portion electrically coupled to the electronic device;

a first short detection contact portion arranged to electrically contact an apparatus-side terminal that itself is electrically coupled to a short detection circuit of the printing apparatus, the container-side terminal having the first short detection contact portion arranged for detecting a short between the container-side terminal having the first short detection contact portion and at least the container-side terminal having the first high voltage contact portion, wherein;

the contact portions are arranged in a first row of contact portions and a second row of contact portions, the first row of contact portions and the second row of contact portions both extending in a row direction,

the first and second high voltage contact portions are located at the ends of the first row of contact portions, and

the electronic device is adapted to receive a first voltage and to output a voltage that is lower than the first voltage.

2. The printing material container according to claim 1, wherein:

a subset of the memory device contact portions are arranged in the first row of contact portions between the first and the second high voltage contact portions; and

the first short detection contact portion and the remainder of the memory device contact portions are arranged in the second row of contact portions.

3. The printing material container according to claim 2, wherein the first short detection contact portion is arranged at one end of the second row of contact portions, positioned such that the first short detection contact portion is adjacent to the first high voltage contact portion and to a memory device contact portion that itself is the closest memory device contact portion to the first high voltage contact portion.

4. The printing material container according to claim 3, wherein fewer memory device contact portions are adjacent to the first high voltage contact portion than are adjacent to the first short detection contact portion.

5. The printing material container according to claim 3, comprising a second short detection terminal arranged to detect shorting between the second short detection terminal and at least the container-side terminal having the second high voltage contact portion, the second short detection terminal including a second short detection contact portion arranged at the other end of the second row of contact portions so that the memory device contact portions in the second row of contact portions are located between the first short detection contact portion and the second short detection contact portion.

6. The printing material container according to claim 5, wherein:

the first short detection contact portion and the second short detection contact portion are located between the first and second high voltage contact portions, with respect to the row direction, and

the first short detection contact portion and the first high voltage contact portion are located on one side of the plurality of memory device contact portions with respect to the row direction, and the second short detection contact portion and the second high voltage contact portion are located on the other side of the plurality of memory device contact portions with respect to the row direction.

7. The printing material container according to claim 6, comprising an ink supply opening having an exit adapted to supply ink from the printing material container to the printing apparatus, the first row of contact portions is located below the second row of contact portions when the terminal arrangement is viewed with the printing material container oriented with the exit of the ink supply opening facing downwards.

8. The printing material container according to claim 6, wherein the printing material container is configured and adapted to be mounted in the printing apparatus by being inserted in an insertion direction, the first row of contact portions being further in the insertion direction than the second row of contact portions.

9. A printing material container for mounting in an ink jet printing apparatus, the ink jet printing apparatus having a print head and a plurality of apparatus-side terminals, the printing material container comprising:

a memory device adapted to be driven by a memory driving voltage;

an electronic device adapted to receive a voltage higher than the memory driving voltage; and

a plurality of container-side terminals including;

a plurality of memory device terminals electrically coupled to the memory device, and each memory device terminal having a memory device contact portion arranged to contact a corresponding apparatus-side terminal;

a first and a second high voltage terminal electrically coupled to the electronic device, the first and second high voltage terminals including a first and a second high voltage contact portion, respectively, arranged to contact corresponding apparatus-side terminals;

a first short detection terminal for detecting a short between the first short detection terminal and at least the first high voltage terminal, and including a first short detection contact portion arranged to electrically contact an apparatus-side terminal that itself is electrically coupled to a short detection circuit of the printing apparatus;

wherein

the memory contact portions, the first and second high voltage contact portions, and the short detection contact portion are arranged in a first row of contact portions and in a second row of contact portions, the first row of contact portions and the second row of contact portions both extending in a row direction;

the first and second high voltage contact portions are located at the ends of the first row of contact portions; and

the electronic device is adapted such that a signal is output from at least one of the first high voltage terminal and the second high voltage terminal in response to the voltage received by the electronic device.

10. The printing material container according to claim 9, wherein:

a subset of the memory device contact portions are arranged in the first row of contact portions between the first and second high voltage contact portions; and

the first short detection contact portion and the remainder of the memory device contact portions are arranged in the second row of contact portions.

11. The printing material container according to claim 10, wherein the first short detection contact portion is arranged at one end of the second row of contact portions, positioned such that the first short detection contact portion is adjacent to the first high voltage contact portion, and to a memory device contact portion that itself is the closest memory device contact portion to the first high voltage contact portion.

12. The printing material container according to claim 11, comprising a second short detection terminal arranged to detect shorting between the second short detection terminal and at least the second high voltage terminal, the second short detection terminal including a second short detection contact portion arranged at the other end of the second row of contact portions so that the memory device contact portions in the second row of contact portions are located between the first short detection contact portion and the second short detection contact portion.

13. The printing material container according to claim 12, wherein:

the first short detection contact portion and the second short detection contact portion are located between the first and second high voltage contact portions, with respect to the row direction, and

the first short detection contact portion and the first high voltage contact portion are located on one side of the plurality of memory device contact portions with respect to the row direction, and the second short detection contact portion and the second high voltage contact portion are located on the other side of the plurality of memory device contact portions with respect to the row direction.

14. A printing material supply system for supplying printing material to a liquid jetting apparatus, the liquid jetting apparatus having a print head and a plurality of apparatus-side terminals, the printing material supply system comprising:

a memory device adapted to be driven by a memory driving voltage;

an electronic device adapted to receive a voltage higher than the memory driving voltage; and

a plurality of supply system terminals having contact portions arranged to contact corresponding apparatus-side terminals so that electrical communication is enabled between the printing material supply system and the liquid jetting apparatus, the contact portions including;

a plurality of memory device contact portions electrically coupled to the memory device;

a first and a second high voltage contact portion electrically coupled to the electronic device;

a first short detection contact portion arranged to electrically contact an apparatus-side terminal that itself is electrically coupled to a short detection circuit of the liquid jetting apparatus, the supply system terminal having the first short detection contact portion arranged for detecting a short between the supply system terminal having the first short detection contact portion and at least the supply system terminal having the first high voltage contact portion, wherein;

the contact portions are arranged in a first row of contact portions and a second row of contact portions, the first row of contact portions and the second row of contact portions both extending in a row direction,

the first and second high voltage contact portions are located at the ends of the first row of contact portions, and

the electronic device is adapted such that, in response to the voltage received by the electronic device, a signal is output from at least one of the supply system terminal having the first high voltage contact portion and the supply system terminal having the second high voltage contact portion.

15. The printing material supply system according to claim 14, wherein:

a subset of the memory device contact portions are arranged in the first row of contact portions between the first and second high voltage contact portions; and

the first short detection contact portion and the remainder of the memory device contact portions are arranged in the second row of contact portions and the first short detection contact portion is arranged at one end of the second row of contact portions, positioned such that the first short detection contact portion is adjacent to the first high voltage contact portion, and to a memory device contact portion that itself is the closest memory device contact portion to the first high voltage contact portion.

16. The printing material supply system according to claim 15, wherein fewer memory device contact portions are adjacent to the first high voltage contact portion than are adjacent to the first short detection contact portion.

17. The printing material supply system according to claim 15, comprising a second short detection terminal arranged to detect shorting between the second short detection terminal and at least the supply system terminal having the second high voltage contact portion, the second short detection terminal having a second short detection contact portion arranged at the other end of the second row of contact portions so that the memory device contact portions in the second row of contact portions are located between the first short detection contact portion and the second short detection contact portion.

18. The printing material supply system according to claim 17, wherein:

the first short detection contact portion and the second short detection contact portion are located between the first and second high voltage contact portions, with respect to the row direction, and

the first short detection contact portion and the first high voltage contact portion are located on one side of the plurality of memory device contact portions with respect to the row direction, and the second short detection contact portion and the second high voltage contact portion are located on the other side of the plurality of memory device contact portions with respect to the row direction.

19. The printing material supply system according to claim 18, comprising an ink supply opening having an exit adapted to supply ink from the printing material container to the printing apparatus, and the first row of contact portions is located below the second row of contact portions when the terminal arrangement is viewed with the exit of the ink supply opening facing downwards.

20. The printing material supply system according to claim 19, wherein the system is configured and adapted to be mounted in the liquid jetting apparatus by being inserted in an insertion direction, the first row of contact portions being further in the insertion direction than the second row of contact portions.

21. A combination of a printing material container for mounting in an ink jet printing apparatus and a short detection circuit, the ink jet printing apparatus having a print head and a plurality of apparatus-side terminals, the printing material container and short detection circuit combination, comprising:

a short detection circuit adapted to detect short circuits, the short detection circuit having at least one apparatus-side short detection terminal;

a memory device adapted to be driven by a memory driving voltage;

an electronic device adapted to receive a voltage higher than the memory driving voltage; and

a plurality of container-side terminals having contact portions arranged to contact corresponding apparatus-side terminals so that electrical communication is enabled with the ink jet printing apparatus, the contact portions including;

a plurality of memory device contact portions electrically coupled to the memory device;

a first and a second high voltage contact portion electrically coupled to the electronic device;

a first short detection contact portion arranged to electrically contact the apparatus-side terminal that itself is electrically coupled to the short detection circuit, the short detection circuit and the container-side terminal having the short detection contact portion being adapted and arranged for detecting a short between the container-side terminal having the first short detection contact portion and at least the container-side terminal having the first high voltage contact portion, wherein;

the contact portions are arranged in a first row of contact portions and a second row of contact portions, the first row of contact portions and the second row of contact portions both extending in a row direction,

the first and second high voltage contact portions are located at the ends of the first row of contact portions, and

the electronic device is adapted such that, in response to the voltage received by the electronic device, a signal is output from at least one of the container-side terminal having the first high voltage contact portion and the container-side terminal having the second high voltage contact portion.

22. The combination according to claim 21, wherein:

a subset of the memory device contact portions are arranged in the first row of contact portions between the first and second high voltage contact portions; and

the first short detection contact portion and the remainder of the memory device contact portions are arranged in the second row of contact portions.

23. The combination according to claim 22, wherein the first short detection contact portion is arranged at one end of the second row of contact portions, positioned such that the first short detection contact portion is adjacent to the first high voltage contact portion, and to a memory device contact portion that itself is the closest memory device contact portion to the first high voltage contact portion.

24. The combination according to claim 23, wherein fewer memory device contact portions are adjacent to the first high voltage contact portion than are adjacent to the first short detection contact portion.

25. The combination according to claim 23, wherein the short detection circuit comprises a second apparatus-side short detection terminal and the printing material container comprises a second short detection terminal arranged to detect shorting between the second short detection terminal and at least the container-side terminal having the second high voltage contact portion, the second short detection terminal including a second short detection contact portion arranged to electrically contact the second apparatus-side short detection terminal and located at the other end of the second row of contact portions so that the memory device contact portions in the second row of contact portions are located between the first short detection contact portion and the second short detection contact portion.

26. The combination according to claim 25, wherein:

the first short detection contact portion and the second short detection contact portion are located between the first and second high voltage contact portions, with respect to the row direction, and

the first short detection contact portion and the first high voltage contact portion are located on one side of the plurality of memory device contact portions with respect to the row direction, and the second short detection contact portion and the second high voltage contact portion are located on the other side of the plurality of memory device contact portions with respect to the row direction.

27. The combination according to claim 26, comprising an ink supply opening having an exit adapted to supply ink from the printing material container to the printing apparatus, the first row of contact portions located below the second row of contact portions when the terminal arrangement is viewed with the printing material container oriented with the exit of the ink supply opening facing downwards.

28. The combination according to claim 26, wherein the printing material container is configured and adapted to be mounted in the printing apparatus by being inserted in an insertion direction, the first row of contact portions being further in the insertion direction than the second row of contact portions.

29. The combination according to claim 26, wherein the electronic device is adapted to receive a first voltage and to output a voltage that is lower than the first voltage.

30. The combination of claim 21, further comprising a high voltage circuit electrically coupled to the apparatus side terminals that make contact with the first and second high voltage contact portions, the high voltage circuit adapted to supply a voltage to the first and second high voltage contact portions that is higher than the memory driving voltage.