Hewlett-packard Company

Coulter Corporation

Jon J Fong

David S Hunt

Joseph Edward Scheffelin

Alfred U Zepeda

Elizabeth Zapata

Mark E Young

Christopher J Schultz

Christopher J Shultz

Arthur King Wilson

S Dana Seccombe

Brian D Gragg

Richard A Wenman

William B Reid

Michael Borer

Michael L Borer

An inkjet print cartridge is described which has a first fill port, for initially filling the print cartridge with ink, and a refill port for recharging the print cartridge. The refill port includes a slideable valve which is engageable with a valve on an external ink reservoir to create an airtight fluid communication path between the print cartridge reservoir and the external ink reservoir.

Refilling technique for inkjet print cartridge having two ink inlet

A print cartridge is described which has an ink recharge port and valve structure to enable the print cartridge reservoir to be recharged with ink. A slideable, generally cylindrical ink valve extends through the print cartridge body and into the ink bag. The valve has a male connector portion at its end external to the print cartridge body. The valve is open when pushed into the print cartridge body and closed when pulled away from the print cartridge body. An ink refill system containing a supply of ink has a slideable valve with a female connector portion which is engageable with the male connector portion of the print cartridge valve. To recharge the print cartridge ink reservoir, the end of the print cartridge valve is inserted into the end of the ink refill system valve to create both a mechanical coupling and a fluid tight coupling between the two valves. A further force pushing the print cartridge against the ink refill system causes both valves to be pushed inside their respective ink reservoirs. This further insertion causes both valves to become open, thus creating an airtight fluid path between the ink refill system reservoir and the depleted print cartridge reservoir. When the valves are mechanically decoupled, the valves are automatically closed.

Intermittent refilling of print cartridge installed in an inkjet printer

An inkjet print cartridge is described which allows recharging of the ink supply in the print cartridge without removing the print cartridge from the printer. In a preferred embodiment, the ink reservoir in the print cartridge consists of a spring-loaded collapsible ink bag, where the spring urges the sides of the ink bag apart and thus maintains a negative pressure within the ink bag relative to ambient pressure. The ink bag is initially filled through a first fill port in the print cartridge. The first fill port is then sealed with a stopper. The print cartridge is installed in a slideable carriage in an inkjet printer. As the ink is depleted during use of the print cartridge, the ink bag progressively collapses and overcomes the spring force. A slideable, generally cylindrical ink valve extends through the print cartridge body and into the ink bag. The valve is open when pushed into the print cartridge body and closed when pulled away from the print cartridge body. An ink refill system containing a supply of ink is connected to the valve on the print cartridge by a flexible tube. The negative pressure within the print cartridge ink bag draws the ink from the ink refill system reservoir into the ink bag continuously or at intermittent times.

Inkjet print cartridge having a first inlet port for initial filling and

Inkjet print cartridge having an ink fill port for initial filling and a

An ink refill system is described for engaging a print cartridge's refill valve and transferring ink to the ink reservoir. The ink refill system has a slideable valve with a female connector portion which is engageable with a male connector portion of a print cartridge valve. To recharge the print cartridge ink reservoir, the end of the print cartridge valve is inserted into the end of the ink refill system valve to create both a mechanical coupling and a fluid tight coupling between the two valves. A further force pushing the print cartridge against the ink refill system causes both valves to be pushed inside their respective ink reservoirs. This further insertion causes both valves to become open, thus creating an airtight fluid path between the ink refill system reservoir and the depleted print cartridge reservoir. The negative pressure within the print cartridge ink bag draws the ink from the ink refill system reservoir into the ink bag until the ink bag is substantially full. The print cartridge is then removed from the ink refill system, automatically closing both valves.

Ink recharger for inkjet print cartridge having sliding valve

Inkjet print cartridge having valve connectable to an external ink

An ink-jet printing system having a pressurized ink reservoir. Ink at elevated pressure is supplied to a back pressure regulator which reduces the pressure down for use by conventional ink-jet printhead. The ink reservoir can be either stationary and off-axis or movable and onboard with the printhead.

Apparatus for providing ink to a printhead

A wickless temperature controlling apparatus and method to analyze the characteristics of an adsorbent is provided. The apparatus provides a heat transfer between a cooling liquid and a sample vessel immersed in the cooling liquid and further provides a stabilized temperature to the sample vessel. The apparatus further comprises a thermal bridge between a saturation vapor pressure thermometer, which is also immersed in the cooling liquid, and the sample vessel to provide a uniform temperature between the thermometer and the vessel. The method to analyze the adsorbent utilizes the apparatus. In addition, the method includes a novel method of dosing an adsorptive gas to an adsorbent.

Wickless temperature controlling apparatus and method for use with pore

The invention generally relates to refillable ink cartridges for computer controlled ink jet printers and, more specifically, to apparatus for refilling collapsible ink bags which are maintained at sub-atmospheric pressure within such equipment. The refilling apparatus includes a fluid bridge located between the reservoir holding replenishment ink and the ink cartridge. The fluid bridge may contain either a purge valve and/or a priming valve that prevent air bubbles from being introduced into the ink bag and from obstructing the flow of replenishment ink.

Apparatus for refilling ink cartridges

Apparatus and method for refilling print cartridges for computer controlled printers. The apparatus creates a closed system that is isolated from ambient pressure. The apparatus utilizes both a vacuum in the ink reservoir in the print cartridge and vertical displacement of the refill reservoir with respect to the reservoir in the print cartridge to draw refill ink into the print cartridge to an operating level and to an operating pressure of less than ambient pressure. Within this closed system the apparatus dislodges the closure on the print cartridge and reseats a replacement closure during refilling.

Method and apparatus for refilling a print cartridge having a reservoir

A thermal ink jet pen including a main ink storage compartment wherein a block of foam is completely sealed off from the surrounding ambient. The pen further includes an ink delivery section which is fluidically coupled at one end to the ink storage compartment and has a thin film printhead mounted on an outer surface thereof. The above main ink storage compartment includes a pair of flexible major side walls which begin to collapse as ink and air are drawn out of the pen during an ink jet printing operation. As this happens, and the collapsible side walls are forced into the opposite surfaces of the compressed foam block, and the inherent spring force of the foam block produces an equal and opposite force in equilibrium with these side walls within the ink storage compartment. This equilibrium condition operates to stabilize the negative backpressure within the ink storage compartment at a relatively constant value and prevents the pen from drooling ink.

Thermal ink jet pen having foam controlled backpressure regulation and

An ink pressure regulator system disposed inside of a flexible ink bag reservoir for a replaceable or refillable computer driven printer ink cartridge comprises a pair of parallel piston plates and a spring system therebetween having a variable spring function relating force to displacement of the spring such that the regulator collapses to a substantially flat shape under decreasing amounts of added spring collapsing force as the plates approach each other to allow substantially complete evacuation of ink from the bag.

Variable rate spring ink pressure regulator for a thermal ink jet printer

An electrostatic discharge structure protection structure formed on an interconnect circuit (20) that includes elongated interconnect lines (13) and interconnect contact pads (17) formed on a dielectric substrate (11) wherein portions of the interconnect circuit are subject to physical contact by a person. The electrostatic discharge protection structure includes an interconnected conductive grounding metallization ground pattern that includes a ground ring pattern (19) adjacent selected edges of the perimeter of the substrate and conductive metallization traces (29) adjacent selected edges of openings in the substrate. The electrostatic discharge protection structure further includes spark gaps (23a, 23b) formed between the interconnect pads and the conductive grounding pattern, and grounding pads (25') exposed by openings in the substrate.

Ground ring/spark gap ESD protection of tab circuits

The invention relates generally to refillable ink cartridges for computer controlled ink jet printers and more specifically to apparatus for refilling collapsible ink bags which are maintained at sub-atmospheric pressure within such equipment. A mass of porous capillary material disposed in an ink supply passageway provides a capillary valve which prevents flow of ink when one side of the valve is unwetted.

Method and apparatus for replenishing an ink cartridge

A conical vent (14) for a cartridge (10) is located on an inner surface (20) of the cartridge. The conical vent includes a conical-shaped member (26) having a base (28) and an apex (30). An opening (32) extends through the center of the conical-shaped member (26) to provide an air passage for a cartridge (10). The opening (32) is adapted to create a capillary force on a small amount of liquid (59) that might enter the opening to prevent any remaining liquid from leaking through the opening. The vent also includes a groove or capillary trap (34) that encircles the base of the conical-shaped member. Also, a pair of upright walls (36) and (38) surround the conical-shaped member and cooperate with the capillary trap to divert liquid to the base of the conical-shaped member and away from its apex. A second conical-shaped member (52) integral with an outer surface (22) of the cartridge can be positioned directly opposite the first-mentioned conical-shaped member to help create and maintain the capillary force created in the opening (32). Another capillary trap (56), extending around the second conical-shaped member, traps any liquid that might escape through the opening.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Jon J Fong