WO2006093472A1

WO2006093472A1 - Ink reservoir

Info

Publication number: WO2006093472A1
Application number: PCT/SG2005/000263
Authority: WO
Inventors: Swee Siong Tan; Kong Cheok Tan; Zaw Aye Tin; Yih Sheng Chua; Swee Heng Lau; Yin Hoe Kong; Chin Peng Tan
Original assignee: Inke Pte Ltd
Current assignee: Inke Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2005-03-03
Filing date: 2005-08-03
Publication date: 2006-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 2007-09-03
Also published as: TWI262137B; TW200631803A

Abstract

An ink reservoir for an ink cartridge refilling machine has features which allow it to be located in a rotational direction and also features which allow precise mating of the fluid exit and entry points.

Description

INK RESERVOJR

Technical Field

The invention generally relates to ink cartridge refillers.

More particularly the invention relates to refillers which accept an ink reservoir and to the ink reservoirs for the refiller.

Background Art

InkJet printers use a liquid ink projected on to a page via nozzles from an internal ink reservoir. A cartridge normally travels with a print head and can carry only a limited amount of ink, with the result that the cartridge needs replacing. Cartridges can be refilled, thus reducing the expense of providing a new cartridge each time the ink in an existing cartridge is depleted. Typically a cartridge is refilled by injecting ink into it, normally through the original manufacturing filler seals.

The ink for refilling is normally supplied in bottles or bulk containers and may be used to fill a reservoir in a filling machine. This is messy, slow and inefficient. In some cases the containers are adapted to fit a particular refilling machine, but the containers are hard to correctly locate and may be required to be installed inverted, which adds to the difficulty.

The present invention provides a solution to this and other problems which offers advantages over the prior art or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Summary Of The Invention

In one exemplification the invention consists in a printer cartridge refilling machine ink reservoir, the reservoir having a face in which at least one entry or exit seal is located, the reservoir having projections or apertures which cooperate with apertures or projections in the filling machine and serve to firstly locate the reservoir rotationally about an axis normal to the face and secondly to locate the reservoir in the plane of the face. Preferably the reservoir is located rotationally prior to its location in the plane of the face.

Preferably the rotational location is by the cooperation of a depressed slot on the side of the reservoir with a pin in the side of the refilling machine reservoir receiver. Preferably the location in the plane of the face is by at least one dowel projection in the refilling machine reservoir receiver cooperating with corresponding apertures in the ink reservoir, the apertures being in or coplanar with the plane of the seal or seals.

Preferably there are two dowel projections locating in two apertures.

Preferably the ink reservoir is located in the ink cartridge refilling machine by locating the ink reservoir with the seal plane horizontal, inserting the reservoir horizontally into the refilling machine to locate the pin in the depressed slot, and lowering seal piercing fluid connections in a unitary structure with dowel projections received in apertures in the horizontal face of the reservoir.

Preferably the ink reservoir has three entry seals for ink supply, ink recirculation and air bleed but is sealed if these seals are intact.

In an alternative embodiment the invention lies in a method of locating an ink reservoir within a cartridge filling machine by placing the reservoir within a cavity in the machine, rotating the reservoir to align it with a rotation key within the cavity, lowering at least an ink extraction connection to connect with the reservoir, the ink extraction connection keying in to the top of the reservoir to locate the connection in the plane of the tank top.

These and other features of as well as advantages which characterise the present invention will be apparent upon reading of the following detailed description and review of the associated drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of an ink reservoir for insertion into a printer cartridge refiller.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the reservoir of FIG. 1 inserted into the ink reservoir receiver of a filling machine prior to locating the flow needles into the reservoir seals. FIG. 3 is a perspective view as in FIG 2 with the needles located and inserted.

FIG. 4 is a broken perspective view of the rear of the reservoir receptacle showing the rotation location mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cartridge filler showing an ink reservoir such as is shown in FIG lin place but with the needles not yet inserted.

Description of the Invention

Referring now to FIG. 1 a cylindrically tapered ink reservoir 100 is shown containing ink of the required colour and makeup for the ink cartridges it is intended to refill. The reservoir has an upper face 102 in which are located sealed apertures 101 through which ink may be extracted for supply to the cartridge to be refilled and re-circulated as necessary. Typically there will be one aperture for ink extraction, one for ink return, since the ink is recirculated for consistency, and one to act as a vent and equalize the reservoir internal air pressure with the ambient air pressure.

The reservoir additionally has a depression 103 which serves to mate with a projection in the printer cartridge recycling machine. Two apertures 104 in the top face are provided to precisely locate the seal apertures in relation to the recycling machine.

FIG 2 shows a partially cut away view of one end of the recycling machine showing a cavity 206 which receives the ink reservoir 100. Preferably the cavity has a shelving entry at point 203 so that the reservoir assisted into the correct position. Once in position projections 202 which are integral with ink transfer needles 201 are lowered into apertures 204. This action both precisely locates the needles with respect to the seals and also positively retains the ink reservoir in place. FIG 3 shows projections 302 and needles 301 engaged with the ink reservoir.

FIG 4 shows a cut away view of the inner end of the ink reservoir retainer 400 in which slot 403 can be seen to mate with a projection 405 so that the reservoir 402 is rotationally located in the machine. Projection 403 may be flexibly mounted to allow a limited degree of variation in rotation and may form an interlock with the refilling machine cover which, in use, covers the entrance to cavity 206 of FIG 2. Similarly putting the machine cover in place can be the action which brings the projections and ink needles into place. While the ink reservoir shown has two locating apertures in the top face in some instances a single aperture may suffice, or more than two may be necessary or desirable.

While the version illustrated has a rotational key on the side of the ink reservoir the key may be replaced by projection and aperture keys on top of the reservoir capable of mating at only one rotational position.

FIG 5 show an ink cartridge filler 501 in which controls 502 are set for the particular cartridge which is inserted at end 503. An ink reservoir 504 is shown having been inserted, but prior to closure 505 being lowered to insert the needles through the seals and lock the reservoir in place.

It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the various embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and functioning of various embodiments of the invention, this disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail so long as the functioning of the invention is not adversely affected. For example the particular elements of the ink reservoir may vary dependent on the particular application for which it is used without variation in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In addition, although the preferred embodiments described herein are directed to reservoirs for use in an ink cartridge refilling system, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the teachings of the present invention can be applied to other systems requiring rotational and vertical location of mating components, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A printer cartridge refilling machine ink reservoir, the reservoir having a face in which at least one entry or exit seal is located, the reservoir having projections or apertures which cooperate with apertures or projections in the filling machine and serve to firstly locate the reservoir rotationally about an axis normal to the face and secondly to locate the reservoir in the plane of the face.

2. The reservoir as claimed in claim 1 in which the reservoir is located rotationally prior to its location in the plane of the face.

3. The reservoir as claimed in claim 2 in which the rotational location is by the cooperation of a depressed slot on the side of the reservoir with a pin in the side of the refilling machine reservoir receiver.

4. The reservoir as claimed in claim 3 in which the location in the plane of the face is by at least one dowel projection in the refilling machine reservoir receiver cooperating with corresponding apertures in the ink reservoir, the apertures being in or coplanar with the plane of the seal or seals.

5. The reservoir as claimed in claim 4 in which there are two dowel projections locating in two apertures.

6. The reservoir as claimed in claim 1 in which the ink reservoir is located in the ink cartridge refilling machine by locating the ink reservoir with the seal plane horizontal, inserting the reservoir horizontally into the refilling machine to locate the pin in the depressed slot, and lowering seal piercing fluid connections in a unitary structure with dowel projections received in apertures in the horizontal face of the reservoir.

7. The reservoir as claimed in claim 1 the ink reservoir has three entry seals for ink supply, ink recirculation and air bleed but is sealed if these seals are intact.

8. A method of locating an ink reservoir within a cartridge filling machine comprising placing the reservoir within a cavity in the machine, rotating the reservoir to align it with a rotation key within the cavity, lowering at least an ink extraction connection to connect with the reservoir, the ink extraction connection keying in to the top of the reservoir to locate the connection in the plane of the tank top.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein ink is extracted from the reservoir through an ink extraction exit, returned to the reservoir through an ink return i entrance, and is open to ambient pressure through an air bleed entrance, all three openings being sealed when the reservoir is not located in a cartridge filling machine.