Retail Inkjet Solutions, Inc.

Jason Guhse

Herb Sarnoff

Keith E Emery

Brian J Fox

George N Popa, Iii

Scott Shultz

Keith Kopitzke

Cecilia Gonzales

Jason Ruhl

Gabriel Aldaz

Giacomo Strollo

Hugh M Williams

Donald C Ulry

Keith Emery

Ceclilia Gonzales

Scott Schultz

Thaddeus H Walkowicz

Steve Szabo

George N Iii Popa

Cecilia Gonzalez

Embodiments provide an inkjet cartridge refilling system. The system may include a drill station configured to drill at least one refilling hole in an inkjet printer cartridge. The system may include an evacuation station configured to remove excess ink from the inkjet printer cartridge. In some embodiments, the excess ink is removed via a vacuum source. The system may also include a filling station configured to provide any of a plurality of inks into the cartridge. Some embodiments provide the ink to the inkjet cartridge via a hole drilled in the cartridge. Other embodiments provide the ink via inkjet nozzles of the inkjet printer cartridge. The system may also include a test station configured to test the refilled cartridge to determine whether it is functioning properly after being filled with ink.

Inkjet refilling adapter

An inkjet printer cartridge refilling system is described. The system may include a plurality of fixtures or adapters that are configured to hold inkjet printer cartridges. The adapters allow a variety of different configurations of inkjet printer cartridges to be refilled and cleaned by mating the cartridges to universal stations on the refilling system.

System and method for refilling ink containers

Embodiments provide a generic configurable Smart-chip for use in programming said Smart-chip on a remanufactured or refilled inkjet cartridge and for use with an inkjet cartridge refilling system. The system includes a programming station configured to program a configurable Smart-chip with information indicative, for example, of the color, size, and/or type of inkjet cartridge. The system may also include a filling station configured to provide any of a plurality of inks into the inkjet cartridge. The system may also include test capability that can be configured to test the configurable Smart-chip to determine whether it has been properly configured and is working properly. The Smart-chip identifies an inkjet cartridge to the host inkjet printer and, among functions, stores usage information that allows a printer to predict how much ink remains in the printer cartridge in order to inform the user when he/she is likely to need a replacement inkjet cartridge.

Programming customizable smart-chip in an ink refilling station

Inkjet refilling station

Modular ink cartridge refilling system

A fluid reservoir connector for dispensing a fluid from a fluid container to a reservoir is described. The reservoir includes a tank and a lid mounted to the top of the tank. A needle includes a tip end and an opposite end, and the needle traverses the housing and is adapted to pierce a septum of a fluid container. The needle also includes a first channel extending from a first opening at the tip end to an opening at the opposite end, and a second channel extending from a second opening at the tip end to an opening at a position between the tip end and the opposite end.

Fluid reservoir connector

Embodiments provide a system and method for cleaning inkjet cartridges. The system includes a fixture configured to mount an inkjet cartridge where a printhead of the inkjet cartridge is mounted to a cleaning plate. The cleaning plate includes one or more orifices connected to a vacuum source and one or more orifices connected to a wash solution source. The vacuum source can be used to extract ink from within the cartridge through nozzles in the printhead. The wash solution source can supply a pressurized wash solution through the nozzles of the printhead. The vacuum source can also be use to extract the wash solution from within the cartridge through the nozzles.

System for cleaning inkjet cartridges

Embodiments provide an ink reservoir system. The ink reservoir system includes a housing configured to hold ink and comprising a first opening and a second opening. The ink reservoir system further includes a fluid connector that traverses the first opening and communicates ink from inside the housing to a refilling system. The ink reservoir system further includes an interconnection region comprising a needle, where the needle traverses the second opening and is configured to mate with a septum cap on an ink bottle. When the ink bottle is placed within the second opening the needle punctures the septum of the septum cap and allows the ink to flow from the bottle into the interior of the housing.

Ink reservoir

Systems and methods for refilling inkjet printer cartridges are described. The system includes at least one rotary valve that contains a plurality of ports and a common port. The system further includes at least one pump in liquid communication with the common port of the rotary valve. At least one ink source is in liquid communication with at least one of the ports of the rotary valve, and at least one dispensing line is connected to at least one of the ports, where the dispensing line is configured to provide ink to an inkjet printer cartridge.

System for refilling inkjet cartridges

Systems and methods for testing inkjet printer cartridges are disclosed. An embodiment includes a plurality of adapters, where each adapter is configured to electrically connect to a predetermined inkjet printer cartridge configuration, and at least one receiver configured to electrically connect to the plurality of adapters. The system further includes electronics connected to the receiver and configured to eject drops of fluid from specific nozzles of the inkjet printer cartridges, and a sensing device configured to detect which nozzles of the inkjet printer cartridge are ejecting drops of fluid.

Test system for an inkjet refilling station

Embodiments provide a method of refilling an inkjet printer cartridge. The method includes providing an inkjet printer cartridge and lowering the pressure surrounding the cartridge below atmospheric level. A first volume of ink is directed into the cartridge at the reduced pressure. The method further includes at least partially raising the pressure surrounding the cartridge and subsequently at least partially lowering the pressure surrounding the cartridge. A second volume of ink is then directed into the cartridge at the second reduced pressure.

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Poway, CA, United States of America

Jason Guhse