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Some high production inkjet printers utilize very large off-axis ink supplies. Each supply container may hold several liters of ink. Such large ink supplies present special challenges in the development of closure and connection systems that combine a secure closure with a large ink fill port and still provide a reasonable degree of ease and reliability when installing the container at the printer supply station.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an inkjet printer.
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of one embodiment of an ink supply installed in an ink supply station in an inkjet printer such as the printer shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ink supply shown in FIG. 2.
FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of one embodiment of a plug for closing the ink supply container in the ink supply shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
FIGS. 6-8 are a sequence of elevation and partial section views showing installation of the plug of FIGS. 4-5 in an ink supply container.
FIGS. 9-11 are perspective views of one embodiment of a receptacle for receiving the plug of FIGS. 4-5 to connect the ink supply container to the printer.
FIGS. 12 and 13 are a sequence of elevation views showing installation of the plug of FIGS. 4-5 into the receptacle of FIGS. 9-11.
FIGS. 14-15 and 16-17 show the different keying features for two ink supplies, respectively.
Embodiments of the present disclosure were developed in an effort to improve closure and connection systems for very large ink supplies. Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described, therefore, with reference to an ink supply container and an inkjet printer ink supply station that supports large ink supply containers. Embodiments of the disclosure, however, are not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described below. Other forms, details, and embodiments may be made and implemented. Hence, the following description should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined in the claims that follow the description.
As used in this document: a “chip” means an integrated or other electronic circuit that may be used to store information; a “lip” means a projecting edge; a “plug” means something used to fill a hole; a “septum” means a membrane that seals around a needle inserted through the membrane; and a “spout” means a short projecting tube or lip through which a liquid or other material may flow from a container.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an inkjet printer 10 in which embodiments of the invention may be utilized. Referring to FIG. 1, inkjet printer 10 includes a series of printheads 12, 14, 16, and 18, a series of corresponding ink supplies 20, 22, 24, and 26 at a supply station 28, a print media transport mechanism 30, and an electronic printer controller 32. Each printhead 12-18 and the corresponding ink supply 20-26 is usually associated with a different color ink. Each printhead 12-18 in FIG. 1 represents generally one or more printheads and the associated mechanical and electrical components for ejecting drops of ink on to a sheet or strip of print media 34. For example, a typical thermal inkjet printhead includes a nozzle plate arrayed with ink ejection nozzles and firing resistors formed on an integrated circuit chip positioned behind the ink ejection nozzles. Each printhead 12-18 is electronically coupled to printer controller 32 and fluidically coupled to the corresponding ink supply 20-26. In operation, printer controller 32 selectively energizes the firing resistors and, when a firing resistor is energized, a vapor bubble forms in the ink vaporization chamber, ejecting a drop of ink through a nozzle on to the print media 34. In a piezoelectric printhead, for another example, piezoelectric elements are used to eject ink from a nozzle. Piezoelectric elements located close to the nozzles are caused to deform very rapidly to eject ink through the nozzles.
An ink chamber 36, 38, 40, and 42 and a printhead 12-18 are often housed together in an ink pen 44, 46, 48, and 50. Ink pens are sometimes also referred to as print cartridges, ink cartridges or printhead assemblies. Printer 10 may include a series of stationary ink pens 44-50 that span the width of print media 34 or a series of scanning ink pens 44-50 that are scanned back and forth across the width of media 34 on a moveable carriage. Media transport 30 advances print media 34 past printheads 12-18. For stationary pens 44-50, media transport 30 may advance media 34 continuously past printheads 12-18. For scanning pens 44-50, media transport 30 may advance media 34 incrementally past pens 44-50, stopping as each swath is printed and then advancing media 34 for printing the next swath. Ink flows to a printhead 12-18 in pens 44-50 from an ink supply 20-26 through an ink chamber 36-42. Each ink chamber 36-42 represents generally one or more ink chambers in the pen through which ink passes on its way to the printhead. For example, the ink may pass through a filter chamber and a pressure regulator chamber before reaching the printhead.
Ink may be supplied to each pen 44-50 from a supply 20-26 using any suitable technique. For example, ink may be pumped from supplies 20-26 to pens 44-50, ink may flow to pens 44-50 under the influence of gravity (i.e., gravity feed) or each ink supply 20-26 may be pressurized to feed the ink into each ink pen 44-50. Controller 32 receives print data from a computer or other host device 54 and processes that data into printer control information and image data. Controller 32 controls the movement of the carriage, if any, and media transport 34. As noted above, controller 32 is electrically coupled to printheads 12-18 to energize the firing resistors to eject ink drops on to media 34. By coordinating the relative position of pens 44-50 and media 34 with the ejection of ink drops, controller 32 produces the desired image on media 34 according to the print data received from host 54.
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of one embodiment of an ink supply 20 installed in a supply station 28 in an inkjet printer such as printer 10 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of ink supply 20. Referring first to FIG. 2, supply station 28 includes a receptable 56. As discussed in detail below, receptacle 56 provides the operative connection between ink supply 20 and ink pen 44 and between ink supply 20 and controller 32. Supply 20 is supported on a shelf 58 or other suitable structure at supply station 28. Referring now also to FIG. 3, in the embodiment shown, ink supply 20 includes a collapsible container 60 for holding ink. Container 60 is housed in a rigid box or other suitable housing 62. An opening 64 at the bottom of housing 62 allows user access to the outlet area of container 60 and to receptacle 56 to facilitate installing ink supply 20 at supply station 28. Ink flows from container 60 through receptacle 56 and tube 66 to ink pen 44. Electronic signals are transmitted between controller 32 and circuitry associated with supply 20 through receptacle 56 and a wire or signal trace bundle 68.
FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of one embodiment of a plug 70 for closing ink container 60. FIGS. 6-8 are a sequence of elevation views showing installation of plug 70 in a spout 72 at the outlet 74 of container 60. A stiff retainer 75 may be used to help secure spout 72 in a box 62. Spout 72 and plug 70 form a closure 76 for container 60. Referring to FIGS. 4-8, plug 70 includes a cylindrical barrel 78 characterized by an outside surface 80, a leading end 82 facing the interior of container 60 when plug 70 is installed in spout 72, and a trailing end 84 that fits into receptacle 56. The directional characterization of a “leading” end and a “trailing” end is made with reference to inserting plug 70 into spout 72.
The outside surface 80 of plug barrel 78 conforms generally to the shape of the inside surface 86 of spout 72, as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8. Plug outside surface 80 has a nominal outside diameter 88 that is slightly less than the nominal inside diameter 90 of spout inside surface 86. Still referring to FIGS. 4-8, a ridge 92 on plug outside surface 80 is sized and shaped to interfere with a lip 94 on spout inside surface 86 when plug 70 is inserted into and removed from spout 72 such that the interference between ridge 92 and lip 94 resists but does not prevent inserting plug 70 into spout 72 or removing plug 70 from spout 72. Hence, for example, ridge 92 transitions gradually on both its leading edge and its trailing edge from nominal outside diameter 88 out to a ridge diameter 96 that is greater than the inside diameter 98 of lip 94. A lip 100 on plug outside surface 80 is sized and shaped (1) to interfere with lip 94 on spout inside surface 86 to resist but not prevent inserting plug 70 into spout 72 and (2) to catch on lip 94 to prevent removing plug 70 from spout 72 once plug 70 is inserted fully into spout 72. Hence, for example, lip 100 transitions gradually on its leading edge and abruptly on its trailing edge from nominal outside diameter 88 out to a lip diameter 102 that is greater than inside diameter 98 of lip 94.
Ridge 92 is positioned forward of lip 100, toward leading end 82, on plug barrel outside surface 80. Thus, and referring specifically to FIGS. 6 and 7, as plug 70 is inserted into spout 72, ridge 92 is the first to engage lip 94 to secure plug 70 in the position shown in FIG. 7 partially inserted into spout 72. In the embodiment shown, ridge 92 and lip 100 on plug 70 are spaced apart from one another a distance that approximates the width of lip 94 on spout 72. This spacing helps plug 70 fit more tightly in spout 70 in the partially inserted position shown in FIG. 7. This position allows container 60 to be temporarily closed, for example during “dry” shipping and handling before container 60 is filled with ink. Then, once container 60 is filled with ink and plug 70 is inserted fully into spout 72, the abrupt trailing edge of plug lip 100 catches on spout lip 94 to prevent removing plug 70, as shown in FIG. 8. In the embodiment shown, lip 100 on plug 70 and flange 104 on the trailing end 84 of plug 70 are spaced apart from one another a distance that closely approximates the width of lip 94 on spout 72. This spacing helps plug 70 fit tightly in spout 70 in the fully inserted position shown in FIG. 8. An O-ring 103 (FIGS. 6-8) positioned in a slot 105 (FIG. 4) around outside surface 80 near leading end 82, or another suitable seal, seals against ink leaking from container 60 past plug 70.
Referring again to FIGS. 4-8, a conduit 106 extends from an opening 108 at a leading end face 110 of plug 70 to a breachable seal 112 on the projecting end 114 of conduit 106 at plug trailing end 84. Such a breachable seal 112 in an ink supply is often formed as a septum. Ridges 116 on plug face 110 radiating out from opening 108 help prevent container 60 from collapsing on to and closing opening 108 as ink is withdrawn from container 60. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a pair of straight/flat parts 118 on the perimeter of flange 104 serves as a first keying feature that, along with mating flat parts on receptacle 56 (described below), help the user identified the correct alignment between plug 70 and receptacle 56. T-posts 119 projecting out from flange 104 at plug trailing end 84 serve as a second keying feature that, along with T-shaped holes in receptacle 56 (described below), help prevent the user from inadvertently installing the wrong ink supply 20-26 into a receptacle 56. A pocket 120 houses a chip 122 that may identify various features or status of ink supply 20 to controller 32 when supply 20 is installed in receptacle 56.
FIGS. 9-11 are perspective views of one embodiment of a receptacle 56 for receiving trailing end 84 of plug 70. FIGS. 12 and 13 are a sequence of elevation views showing the installation of plug 70 in receptacle 56. Some parts of receptacle 56 are shown in section in FIG. 13 to better illustrate plug 70 installed in receptacle 56. Referring to FIGS. 9-13, receptacle 56 includes a housing 125 that has a leading end 126 for receiving plug 70 and a trailing end 128. The directional characterization of a “leading” end and a “trailing” end for receptacle 56 is made with reference to installing receptacle 56 on to plug 70. Thus, the leading end 126 of receptacle 56 plugs on to and receives the trailing end 84 of plug 70. An ink port 130 and electrical contacts 132 are positioned in a recess 134 in housing 125 at receptacle leading end 126.
Ink port 130 includes a needle 136 and a protective humidor 138 surrounding needle 136. A humidor 138 is commonly used to help keep the opening in needle 136 from drying out or crusting up when not inserted in septum 112. Humidor 138 is biased toward the protective position shown in FIG. 11 at the urging of a biasing spring 140 (FIG. 13). As plug trailing end 84 is received into recess 134, conduit end 114 and septum 112 on plug 70 push down on humidor 138, compressing spring 140, and exposing the end of needle 136 until, upon full insertion, needle 136 pierces septum 112 so that ink can flow from container 60, through needle 136, to an outlet conduit 142 and on to an ink pen through tube 66. The protruding electrical contacts 132 on receptacle 56 contact chip 122 in plug pocket 120 to connect chip 122 to printer controller 32 through signal traces 68.
A pair of straight/flat parts 144 on the perimeter of housing 125 at leading end 126 serves as a first keying feature that, along with mating flat parts 118 on plug flange 104, help the user identify the correct alignment between plug 70 and receptacle 56. T-shaped holes 146 at the bottom of recess 134 serve as a second keying feature that, along with T-posts 119 projecting out from plug flange 104, help prevent the user from inadvertently installing the wrong ink supply 20-26 into a receptacle 56. For example, the number, position and/or orientation of T-posts 119 and T-holes 146 may be different for each color ink supply 20-26 so that a user cannot install a black ink supply, for example, into a yellow ink supply receptacle. The number, position and/or orientation of each of the three T-posts 119 and mating T-holes 146 can be changed to accommodate many different color/ink combinations. For example, the orientation of T-posts 119 and T-holes 146 may be rotated 90° to designate two different color ink supplies, as seen by comparing the orientation of T-posts 119 and T-holes 146 in FIGS. 14-15 with the orientation of T-posts 119 and T-holes 146 in FIGS. 16-17.
Receptacle housing 125 may include a body 148 and an end cap 150 affixed to body 148 as shown in FIG. 13. Alternatively, housing 125 may be formed as a single unit or as two or more units as may be necessary or desirable to facilitate efficient fabrication and assembly. A pair of pivoting, spring loaded latches 152 secure receptacle 56 on plug 70. A spring (not shown) or other suitable biasing mechanism urges each latch 152 toward the closed position shown in FIG. 13. A beveled surface 156 approaches a catch 158 on the end of each latch 152. As receptacle 56 is pushed on to plug 70, plug flange 104 engages the beveled surfaces 156 to force each latch 152 open until catch 158 pops over flange 104 to latch receptacle 56 on to plug 70, as shown in FIG. 13. Pressing in on latch levers 160 releases catches 158, allowing receptacle 56 to be withdrawn from plug 70. (One of the latch levers 160 is shown in the depressed position with latch 152 open in FIG. 9 and the other in the released/non-depressed position with latch 152 closed to better illustrate the two positions for latches 152.)
As noted at the beginning of this Description, the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures and described above illustrate but do not limit the disclosure. Other forms, details, and embodiments may be made and implemented. Therefore, the foregoing description should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined in the following claims.