Intelligent fluid delivery system for a fluid jet printing system
First Claim
1. A system for controlling fluid delivery and one or more parameters of fluid usage in a fluid jet printing system comprising:
- a stand alone base station removably mounted to said fluid jet printing system, wherein said base station comprises;
a reservoir in said base station for periodically receiving a replenishment volume of a fluid media;
a fluid measurement and metering system disposed in said base station for detecting a level of said fluid media in said reservoir and for metering and measuring a flow of said fluid media flowing from said fluid bottle to said reservoir;
a base station transponder module having a memory and a transponder; and
a micro-controller in said base station for controlling fluid delivery and monitoring one or more parameters of fluid usage, wherein said functions of controlling fluid delivery and monitoring one or more parameters of fluid usage are controlled by said micro-controller independent from the electronics, controllers, or processors of said fluid jet printing system;
a fluid bottle that is replaceable mounted to said base station for supplying said replenishment volume of a fluid media, wherein said fluid bottle comprises;
a cavity defined by one or more sidewalls of said fluid bottle for holding said fluid media;
a bottle transponder module having a memory and a transponder; and
a communication link established between said base station transponder module and said bottle transponder module when said fluid bottle is inserted in said base station.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intelligent fluid delivery system and method for controlling fluid delivery and monitoring parameters of fluid usage in a fluid jet printing system. The intelligent fluid delivery system (IFDS) includes the controls and electronic of the base station and fluid bottle. The replaceable base station, or nest, includes a micro-controller, independent of the main controller of the main printing system, for controlling fluid delivery and fluid management. The intelligent fluid delivery system provides a detection mechanism so that it can be ascertained with near certainty that an inserted fluid bottle is an appropriate fluid bottle having a fluid media that is compatible with the fluid jet printing system (e.g., within the specifications of the printing system and suitable for use with the other components of the ink jet printing system). The micro-controller of the intelligent fluid delivery system may be programmed to record and store information relating to the fluid bottle and the fluid media that may be useful when servicing the printing system. The intelligent fluid delivery system also improves the reliability of fluid delivery and fluid management, and hence, the overall performance of the fluid jet printing system by preventing/reducing the use of unknown or non-compatible fluid media. The intelligent fluid delivery system provides an improved fluid delivery system with controlled metering of fluid media, recording capability for the fluid delivery function(s), wireless communication of information between the base station and the fluid bottle, and can also provide communication of status and other information between the base station micro-controller and the main printing system (e.g., OEM provided) controller.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A system for controlling fluid delivery and one or more parameters of fluid usage in a fluid jet printing system comprising:
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a stand alone base station removably mounted to said fluid jet printing system, wherein said base station comprises;
a reservoir in said base station for periodically receiving a replenishment volume of a fluid media;
a fluid measurement and metering system disposed in said base station for detecting a level of said fluid media in said reservoir and for metering and measuring a flow of said fluid media flowing from said fluid bottle to said reservoir;
a base station transponder module having a memory and a transponder; and
a micro-controller in said base station for controlling fluid delivery and monitoring one or more parameters of fluid usage, wherein said functions of controlling fluid delivery and monitoring one or more parameters of fluid usage are controlled by said micro-controller independent from the electronics, controllers, or processors of said fluid jet printing system;
a fluid bottle that is replaceable mounted to said base station for supplying said replenishment volume of a fluid media, wherein said fluid bottle comprises;
a cavity defined by one or more sidewalls of said fluid bottle for holding said fluid media;
a bottle transponder module having a memory and a transponder; and
a communication link established between said base station transponder module and said bottle transponder module when said fluid bottle is inserted in said base station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A replaceable printing component for insertion into an intelligent fluid delivery system of an ink jet printing system, wherein said intelligent fluid delivery system has a RF source and a response signal detector for determining whether said replaceable printing component is suitable for use in said intelligent fluid delivery system, said replaceable printing component comprising:
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a body;
a cavity defined in said body for holding a replenishment volume of a fluid media; and
a RFID transponder module on said body, wherein said RFID transponder module receives a RF signal from said RF source and, in response to said source RF signal, emits a response signal toward said detector for detection which thereby identifies said replaceable printing component as being suitable for use in said intelligent fluid delivery system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A fluid jet printer system having an intelligent fluid delivery system comprising:
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a main printing system, said main printing system comprising;
one or more printheads that move relative to a print media;
associated electronics for inputting printing system parameters to said main controller and for and monitoring operation of said main printing system;
a fluid conduit for providing a flow of fluid media to said one or more printheads;
a main controller connected to said one or more printheads and said electronics for controlling the printing operation of said fluid jet printing system, wherein said movement of said one or more printheads relative to said print media is controlled by said main controller that also acts to activate said printheads to deposit ink droplets onto said print media to form images and text as said print media passes through a print zone;
a base station replaceably mounted to said main printing system, said base station comprising;
a reservoir for holding a first volume of fluid media, said reservoir being fluidly connected to said fluid conduit when said base station is properly mounted to said main printing system;
a fluid inlet valve for selectively opening and closing an inlet opening to said reservoir;
a measuring and metering system disposed in said base station for measuring a level of fluid media in said reservoir and for metering a volume of fluid media entering said reservoir;
a base station transponder module having a memory and transponder;
a micro-controller for controlling fluid delivery and one or more parameters of fluid usage including an operation of said fluid inlet valve, said measuring and metering system, and said base station transponder module; and
a fluid bottle replaceably mounted to said base station, said fluid bottle comprising;
one or more side walls defining a cavity for holding a second volume of fluid media;
a fluid outlet opening positioned proximate said base station fluid inlet opening when said bottle is properly inserted in said base station;
wherein said cavity is in fluid communication with said reservoir when said fluid inlet valve is in said open position and wherein said second volume of fluid media is used to replenish said first volume of fluid media;
a bottle transponder module having a memory and transponder;
a communication link that is established between said base station transponder module and said bottle transponder module when said fluid bottle is properly inserted in said base station. - View Dependent Claims (23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37)
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24. A method for controlling fluid delivery and monitoring one or more parameters of fluid usage in a fluid jet printing system comprising the steps of:
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providing a base station having a base station transponder module having transponder and memory capabilities;
providing a fluid bottle having a bottle transponder module having transponder and memory capabilities;
removably mounting said fluid bottle in fluid communication with said base station; and
controlling fluid delivery from said fluid bottle to a reservoir of said base station by controlling one or more of metering said flow of fluid and measuring said flow of fluid from said bottle to said reservoir using a micro-controller disposed in said base station, wherein said micro-controller controls fluid delivery and fluid management independently of a main controller which controls the printing operation of said fluid jet printing system.
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34. A method for collecting data relating to fluid delivery and fluid usage in a fluid jet printing system comprising the steps of:
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monitoring one or more parameters indicative of fluid delivery between a replaceable bottle and a reservoir of a replaceable base station;
monitoring one or more parameters indicative of fluid usage between said reservoir of said base station and said fluid jet printing system;
storing said one or more parameters indicative of fluid delivery and said one or more parameters indicative of fluid usage to a memory of said base station;
transferring and storing information relating to said fluid bottle and said fluid media from a memory of said fluid bottle to said memory of said base station; and
transferring and storing information relating to said fluid usage from said base station memory to said memory of said fluid bottle.
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Specification