Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.p.

Theodore J Conley

Keith Jariabka

John James Cantrell

William Scott Osborne

William S Osbome

An ink tank includes a cap assembly attached to the ink tank by a preloaded hinge that defines a rotational axis of the cap assembly when the cap assembly is opened and closed. The preloaded hinge biases the cap assembly to an opened position when the cap assembly is unlatched. The cap assembly includes a cap housing, a bung retained within the cap housing, a spring disposed between the cap housing and the bung, a latch to hold the cap assembly in a closed position, where in the closed position the spring applies a force to provide a seal between the bung and the ink tank. The cap assembly also includes an effector that is operative when the cap assembly is unlatched, to sequence a closing of an internal valve of the ink tank and a breaking of the seal between the bung and the ink tank thereafter.

Cap seal and valve sequencing

An example ink tank includes a cap with a preloaded hinge that biases the cap to a fully opened position when the cap is unlatched. The cap in the fully opened position interferes with and prevents the closure of a door that provides access to the ink tank. The door includes a sensor that locks out the print function when the door is open, effecting a printer lockout when the cap of the ink tank is opened for filling.

Ink cartridge caps

An example ink tank includes an ink tank and a cap assembly attached to the ink tank with a preloaded hinge. The hinge rotates the cap assembly from a closed position to an open position when the cap assembly is unlatched. The cap assembly includes a bung to seal the ink tank during a partial rotation of the cap assembly when the cap assembly is unlatched. The ink tank also includes spring-loaded linkage connected to a valve in the ink tank. An effector extending from the cap assembly engages the spring-loaded linkage when the cap assembly is latched and disengages from the spring-loaded linkage after the cap assembly is unlatched. The spring-loaded linkage opens the valve when engaged with the effector, and closes the valve when disengaged from the effector, while the bung maintains a tank seal until the internal valve is closed.

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Vancouver, WA, United States of America

Theodore J Conley