Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Trimble Inc.

Steven N Miller

David N Olsen

William E Lewey

Curt G Gonzales

Patrick J Therien

Isaac Farr

Kevin D Almen

Gerald W Steiger

Michael George Sanders

Gareth Todd Gibson

Steve H Zhang

Geoffrey James Mentink

David A Sheehan

Robert Barnwell Elliott Puckette

An assembly including a host device and an add-on module, in which the host device and the add-on module include features to provide a rugged electro-mechanical interface or connection between the host device and the add-on module. The host device includes a body that has an open or non-enclosed docking bay on a side, and the module is placed into the docking bay such that a top side of its body mates with the inner surfaces and features of the docking bay. The interface is rugged so that the assembly is useful in the field, and the interface provides a secure attachment that can withstand dropping. A hook is provided on the top side of the body of the module, and the hook feature's shape, when combined with the location of fasteners on the module body that mate with threaded holes in the docking bay, is designed to withstand dropping.

Host device and add-on module assembly with a rugged module connection

A device is disclosed. In one example embodiment, the device includes a fluid ejection mechanism, a reservoir, and a pump configured to pump fluid between the fluid ejection mechanism and the reservoir. A vent chamber is fluidly coupled to the reservoir.

Vent chamber

In accordance with one embodiment, a method of establishing fluidic communication between a liquid supply and a vessel includes drawing a given volume of fluid from the vessel into a chamber, and establishing fluidic communication between the liquid supply and the vessel after drawing the given volume of fluid.

Liquid supply means

A fluid pathway is configured to selectively fluidically couple a printing fluid supply container to a printhead. The pathway includes a fail safe valve that that is configured to open as a result of movement of a moveable carriage and to thereafter remain open based on the availability of an electrical power signal.

Printing fluid control in printing device

An apparatus for use in a fluid delivery system includes a housing configurable to separate a first volume of gas from a second volume of gas and an interface arranged within the housing. The interface includes a bubbler member that is fluidically wetted with a fluid via capillary action. The interface is configured to allow a gas from the first volume of gas to pass through the fluid into the second volume of gas when a pressure difference between the first and second volumes of gas reaches a first threshold level. The interface is also configured to allow a gas from the second volume of gas to pass through the fluid into the first volume of gas when the pressure difference between the first and second volumes of gas reaches a second threshold level.

Fluid delivery system for printing device

A fluid ejection cartridge includes an ejector head having at least one nozzle and a fluid reservoir containing an ejectable fluid, fluidically coupled with the at least one nozzle. The fluid ejection cartridge has a tape that includes a thermoplastic polymer film in contact with and releasably bonded to the nozzles.

Growing community of inventors

Albany, OR, United States of America

Steven N Miller