Hewlett-Packard Company

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.p.

Ronald W Hall

Bruce Cowger

John A Barinaga

David Ridgway Otis, Jr

Norman E Pawlowski

Alan Shibata

Daniel D Dowell

Paul David Gast

Mark J Hauck

Glen E Schmidt

Donald B Ouchida

Mark Joseph Green

Truman Kenneth Jones

A reservoir for an ink supply for an ink-jet printer is provided with a refill port through which it can be refilled. The reservoir may be coupled to a variable volume chamber via a check valve which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber and limits the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir. The chamber is coupled to a fluid outlet which is normally closed to prevent the flow of ink. However, when the ink supply is installed in a printer, the fluid outlet establishes a fluid connection between the chamber and the printer. The chamber is part of a pump provided with the ink supply that can be actuated to supply ink from the reservoir to the printer. Alternatively, the reservoir may be coupled directly to the fluid outlet and an alternative method of transferring the ink to the printer provided.

Method and apparatus for providing ink to an ink jet printing system

A replaceable pump module for an ink-jet printer is configured to receive a replaceable ink supply including a reservoir having a fluid outlet. The replaceable pump module includes a variable volume chamber having a fluid inlet adapted to form a fluid connection with the fluid outlet of the ink supply reservoir. The variable volume chamber has a check valve which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber and limits the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir. The replaceable pump module chamber also includes a fluid outlet. When the replaceable pump module is installed in a printer, the pump module fluid outlet establishes a fluid connection between the chamber and a fluid inlet of the printer. The chamber is part of a pump provided with the replaceable pump module that can be actuated to supply ink from the reservoir to the printer.

Replaceable pump module for receiving replaceable ink supplies to provide ink to an ink jet printing system

An apparatus and method for removing air or other gases from a free-ink ink-jet pen is provided in a manner that does not waste ink or require disposal of purged ink. A gas separation and purge mechanism is incorporated into a pen body construct having an ink containment chamber such that gases will rise toward the mechanism. A vacuum is cyclically applied to the gas separation and purge mechanism to remove the gas and to allow the ink containment chamber to refill from a remote reservoir as needed.

Method for separating and purging gases from a free-ink ink-jet pen

An ink delivery system for an ink-jet pen having a print head with ink nozzles and a cartridge with an internal reservoir divided into a capillary material filled volume and a free standpipe volume. The print head is mounted on the cartridge adjacent the standpipe volume. The ink delivery system further includes a circulation conduit removably connected to the standpipe volume and the capillary material filled volume to permit fluid flow from the standpipe volume to the capillary material filled volume. A supply conduit connects an ink supply to the circulation conduit. A pump connected to the circulation conduit pumps ink from the ink supply through the circulation conduit to the capillary material filled volume. The pump further operates to pump fluid from the standpipe volume through the circulation conduit and to the capillary material-filled volume thereby filling the cartridge with ink, removing gas bubbles from the cartridge, priming the print head nozzles, and dissipating heat generated by the print head.

Ink delivery system for ink-jet pens

Ink-jet pen gas separator and purge system

The present invention relates to free-ink type ink-jet pens and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for purging air from an on-axis ink accumulator. A biased regulator mechanism is provided within the pen to allow ink from a pressurized ink reservoir to be fed to the pen while maintaining a predetermined set point back-pressure at the printhead as needed for appropriate pen operation. A mechanism in communication with the ambient atmosphere is used in conjunction with a substantially constant force biasing mechanism to maintain the balance between the countervailing forces. Back-pressure is maintained substantially constant regardless of the ink flow rate from the ink reservoir into the accumulator. By application of a positive pressure to the ambient atmosphere mechanism, the biased regulator mechanism is forced open and any gas bubbles trapped within the accumulator is forced out through the reservoir ink feed.

Air purging of a pressure regulated free-ink ink-jet pen

In a method and system for delivering ink within a printer, a reservoir and a portion of a tube are accelerated so as to generate an inertial flow of ink in the tube, where the tube is connected to the reservoir and in fluid communication with an ink supply. A valve is provided between the tube and the reservoir. The valve is closed to retain an amount of the inertial flow of ink in the reservoir when the inertial flow of ink is away from the reservoir. The tube is primed by moving the printer so as to elevate the ink supply relative to the reservoir in the printer. Foam may be provided within the reservoir which restricts the rate of flow by not allowing ink to be conducted from the reservoir when the foam is unsaturated.

Ink delivery system for a printer

An ink supply container for an ink-jet printer is provided with a main reservoir, which is typically maintained at ambient pressure. The main reservoir is coupled to a variable volume chamber via a one-way valve which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber and prevents the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir. The chamber is coupled to a fluid outlet which is normally closed to prevent the flow of ink. A fill port is provided for directing ink into the reservoir to fill the reservoir. The apparatus and method for filling the ink container includes a nozzle that seals around the fill port and that has valved fluid lines connected thereto for evacuating the container prior to filling and for directing ink into the evacuated reservoir. The nozzle surrounds a plug that is moved to seal the port while the nozzle is still sealed around the port immediately after the container is filled.

Filling ink supply containers

A fail-safe, stop valve for an ink-jet print head in a pressurized ink delivery system. The stop valve is actuated by a back pressure regulator if the operating pressure of the print head approaches atmospheric pressure during operation.

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Corvallis, OR, United States of America

Ronald W Hall