One-way valve, valve unit assembly, and ink cartridge using the same

• US 7,475,972 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unicorn Image Products Company Limited of Zhuhai
• Original Assignee: Unicorn Image Products Company Limited of Zhuhai
• Inventors: Yu, Li, Qingguo, Xiao
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; An H
• Application Number:
  US11/141,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 347 85- 87
• US Class Current: 347/86
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17506 Refilling of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves

Abstract

A one-way valve, a valve unit assembly and ink cartridge using this valve or valve unit assembly for controlling ink flow are disclosed. The one-way valve includes a foot support portion, a wall support portion projecting at an angle from an interior side of the foot support portion, a shoulder support portion bending towards an interior side of the wall support portion, and a head support portion projecting from a shoulder support portion with a through hole. The valve unit assembly includes a bottom cover with a through hole for holding the one-way valve, a pressing cover with a through hole, and an elastic one-way valve disposed between the bottom cover and the pressing cover. The pressing cover is maintained selectively in contact with the head support portion through hole by a pressure difference. The one-way valve and the valve unit assembly are disposed in an ink chamber to replace a porous member usually used in the ink chamber. As a result, the ink cartridge using the one-way valve can store more ink and remaining ink is handled in a more environment friendly manner.

Claims

1. A one-way valve unit assembly comprising:

a bottom cover with a through hole for holding a valve;

a pressing cover with a through hole; and

an elastic valve disposed between the bottom cover and the pressing cover, the elastic valve including

a foot support portion, sealing an interior wall of the bottom cover;

a wall support portion, protruding from an interior wall of the foot support portion;

a shoulder support portion, bending toward an interior of said wall support portion; and

a head support portion with a through hole, protruding from said shoulder support portion;

wherein, the pressing cover is maintained selectively in contact with said head support portion through hole of said elastic valve by a pressure difference wherein,

a circumference side is at the downside of the foot support portion of the valve;

said foot support portion of the valve is provided with a curved part;

said bottom cover is composed of a cylindrical wall, a plane portion, and a circumferential wall protruded from the inner surface portion of the through hole of said bottom cover;

said pressing cover includes a top cover and a cylindrical wall, there is a valve plane in the middle of the top cover for connecting with the head support portion of said valve, and the through hole of the pressing cover is provided in the non-valve plane region and

said curved part of said valve is disposed between said circumferential wall of said bottom cover and the end of said vertical wall of said pressing cover.

2. A one-way valve unit assembly according to claim 1 wherein,

a leg provided with separated ribs is protruded from the external surface of the through hole portion of said bottom cover.

3. A one-way valve unit according to claim 1 incorporated in an ink cartridge, comprising a cartridge body with an ink chamber, an ink outlet and an air vent, wherein,

said ink chamber is composed of a main chamber and a supplementary chamber connected with each other, and an ink out detecting prism;

wherein, the pressing cover being maintained selectively in contact with said head support portion through hole of said elastic valve by a pressure difference.

4. An ink cartridge according to claim 3, wherein, said supplementary chamber is a part of said main chamber.

5. An ink cartridge according to claim 3, wherein, said ink out detecting prism is a projection projecting from a wall of said cartridge body.

6. An ink cartridge according to claim 3, wherein, a partition wall is provided between the main chamber and the supplementary chamber, and the main chamber and supplementary chamber are connected through an ink passage way at the bottom of the ink cartridge.

7. An ink cartridge according to claim 6, wherein, the supplementary chamber is sealed except said ink passage way.

8. A one-way valve unit according to claim 1 incorporated in an ink cartridge, comprising a cartridge body with an ink chamber and a cover with an air vent, an ink outlet with an ink guiding member, wherein,

a concave chamber surrounding the air vent is provided on the inner surface of the cover, and the air vent is disposed with a ventilated and waterproof stopper;

a row of slope localization protrusions provided on the cover; and

a sealing member provided within said ink outlet, said sealing member having a funnel-shaped hole changing from a circle to an ellipse.

9. An ink cartridge according to claim 8, wherein, said valve is bellows-shaped.

10. An ink cartridge according to claim 9, wherein,

the cartridge body comprises at least three ink chambers;

each chamber having an independent air vent, a concave chamber and a ventilated and waterproof stopper in the cover of the ink cartridge; and

each chamber having an independent ink outlet, a one-way valve unit and ink passage ways.

11. A one-way valve unit according to claim 1 incorporated in an ink cartridge, comprising a cartridge body with an ink chamber, an ink outlet with a sealing member on a side and an air vent connecting the ink chamber with the ambient air, wherein,

a valve socket formed on one side of the cartridge body vertically disposed with the one-way valve unit;

a fiber member disposed within the ink outlet; and

ink passages communicated between the ink chamber and the valve socket.

12. An ink cartridge according to claim 11, wherein, said valve is bellows-shaped.

13. A one-way valve unit according to claim 1 incorporated in an ink cartridge, comprising at least three ink chambers, wherein

the ink chambers are separated by partition walls;

at least a one-way valve unit assembly provided within each chamber;

at least an ink supply tube formed on a bottom side of the ink cartridge to transfer the ink from the valve unit to the ink outlet;

said one-way valve unit assembly comprising a bottom cover with a through hole for holding a valve, a pressing cover with a through hole, and an elastic valve with a head support portion through hole disposed between the bottom cover and the pressing cover, said pressing cover being maintained selectively in contact with said head support portion through hole of said elastic valve by a pressure difference.

14. An ink cartridge according to claim 13, wherein, said valve is bellows-shaped.

15. An ink cartridge, comprising an ink chamber with an air vent, ink outlet and a one-way valve unit assembly according to claim 1 and an ink supply chamber, further comprising an idle member disposed within said ink supply chamber for the engagement with the ink supply needle, said idle member withdraws upon the insertion of said ink supply needle.

16. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, a spring is interposed between the valve and the lower wall of the cartridge to urge the valve into sealing engagement with the pressing cover to adjust the pressure sensitivity.