EP1095779B1 - Nachfüllverfahren und -vorrichtung für Farbstoffbehälter - Google Patents

Nachfüllverfahren und -vorrichtung für Farbstoffbehälter Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1095779B1
EP1095779B1 EP20000309474 EP00309474A EP1095779B1 EP 1095779 B1 EP1095779 B1 EP 1095779B1 EP 20000309474 EP20000309474 EP 20000309474 EP 00309474 A EP00309474 A EP 00309474A EP 1095779 B1 EP1095779 B1 EP 1095779B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ink
ink container
container
storage member
replaceable
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP20000309474
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP1095779A3 (de
EP1095779A2 (de
Inventor
Winthrop D. Childers
David Olsen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
HP Inc
Original Assignee
Hewlett Packard Co
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US09/430,400 external-priority patent/US6460985B1/en
Priority claimed from US09/627,958 external-priority patent/US6402306B1/en
Application filed by Hewlett Packard Co filed Critical Hewlett Packard Co
Publication of EP1095779A2 publication Critical patent/EP1095779A2/de
Publication of EP1095779A3 publication Critical patent/EP1095779A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1095779B1 publication Critical patent/EP1095779B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B41J2/17506—Refilling of the cartridge
    • B41J2/17509—Whilst mounted in the printer

Definitions

  • US-A-5367328 describes ink refill systems for disposable inkjet cartridges, in which ink is stored in a container which is vented to atmosphere and which contains a capillary foam. Ink is supplied to the container until a level sensor arrangement at the top of the container senses the presence of ink.
  • One aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for refilling a replaceable ink container or derived in claim 1.
  • Fig. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of an inkjet printer that incorporates the ink container that is suitable for refilling using the method and apparatus of the present invention.
  • Fig. 4B is a greatly enlarged perspective view taken across lines 4B-4Bof the network of fused fibers shown in Fig. 4A that are inserted into the ink reservoir shown in Fig. 3.
  • Fig. 5B is an alternative embodiment of a fiber shown in Fig. 4 having a cross-shaped or x-shaped core portion.
  • Fig. 6 is a cross section of a pair of fibers that are fused at a contact point taken across lines 6-6 shown in Fig. 4.
  • Fig. 8 is a simplified representation of the method of the present invention for filling the ink container.
  • Fig. 10 is a schematic representation of a method of the present invention for determining an amount of ink required to fill the ink container.
  • Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of a printing system 10, shown with its cover open, that includes at least one ink container 12 that is suitable for refilling using the method and apparatus of the present invention.
  • the printing system 10 further includes at least one inkjet printhead (not shown) installed in the printer portion 14.
  • the inkjet printhead is responsive to activation signal from the printer portion 14 to eject ink.
  • the inkjet printhead is replenished with ink by the ink container 12.
  • the printing system 10 shown in Fig. 1 is shown with two replaceable ink containers 12 representing an ink container 12 for black ink and a three-color partitioned ink container 12 containing cyan, magenta, and yellow inks, allowing for printing with four colorants.
  • the ink container 12 is suitable for printing systems 10 that make use of fewer or greater numbers of ink colors such as printing systems that use greater or less than 4-ink colors, such as in high fidelity printing which typically uses 6 or more colors.
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the printing system 10 which includes the ink supply or ink container 12, an inkjet printhead 24, and a fluid interconnect 26 for fluidically interconnecting the ink container 12 and the printhead 24.
  • the printhead 24 includes a housing 28 and an ink ejection portion 30.
  • the ink ejection portion 30 is responsive to activation signals by the printer portion 14 for ejecting ink to accomplish printing.
  • the housing 28 defines a small ink reservoir for containing ink 32 that is used by the ejection portion 30 for ejecting ink.
  • the ink container 12 replenishes the printhead 24.
  • a volume of ink contained in the ink supply 12 is typically significantly larger than a volume of ink container within the housing 28. Therefore the ink container 12 is a primary supply of ink for the printhead 24.
  • the ink container 12 includes a reservoir 34 having a fluid outlet 36 and an air inlet 38. Disposed within the reservoir 34 is a network of fibers that are heat fused at points of contact to define a capillary storage member 40.
  • the capillary storage member 40 performs several important functions within the inkjet printing system 10.
  • the capillary storage member 40 must have sufficient capillarity to retain ink to prevent ink leakage from the reservoir 34 during insertion and removal of the ink container 12 from the printing system 10. This capillary force must be sufficiently great to prevent ink leakage from the ink reservoir 34 over a wide variety of environmental conditions such as temperature and pressure changes.
  • the capillary should be sufficient to retain ink within the ink container 12 for all orientations of the reservoir 34 as well as undergoing shock and vibration that the ink container 12 may undergo during handling.
  • the capillary storage member 40 should allow ink to flow from the ink container 12 to the inkjet printhead 24.
  • a negative gauge pressure sometimes referred to as a backpressure, is created in the printhead 24.
  • This negative gauge pressure within the printhead 24 should be sufficient to overcome the capillary force retaining ink within the capillary member 40, thereby allowing ink to flow from the ink container 12 into the printhead 24 until equilibrium is reached.
  • the gauge pressure within the printhead 24 will generally depend on the rate of ink ejection from the ink ejection portion 30. As the printing rate or ink ejection rate increases, the gauge pressure within the printhead will become more negative causing ink to flow at a higher rate to the printhead 24 from the ink container 12. In one preferred inkjet printing system 10 the printhead 24 produces a maximum backpressure that is equal to 10 inches of water or a negative gauge pressure that is equal to 10 inches of water.
  • the printhead 24 can have a regulation device included therein for compensation for environmental changes such as temperature and pressure variations. If these variations are not compensated for, then uncontrolled leaking of ink from the printhead ejection portion 30 can occur.
  • the printhead 24 does not include a regulation device, instead the capillary member 40 is used to maintain a negative backpressure in the printhead 24 over normal pressure and temperature excursions.
  • the capillary force of the capillary member 40 tends to pull ink back to the capillary member, thereby creating a slight negative backpressure within the printhead 24. This slightly negative backpressure tends to prevent ink from leaking or drooling from the ejection portion 30 during changes in atmospheric conditions such as pressure changes and temperature changes.
  • the capillary member 40 should provide sufficient backpressure or negative gauge pressure in the printhead 24 to prevent drooling during normal storage and operating conditions.
  • the embodiment in Fig. 2 depicts an ink container 12 and a printhead 24 that are each separately replaceable.
  • the ink container 12 is replaced when exhausted and the printhead 24 is replaced at end of life.
  • the method and apparatus of the present invention is applicable to inkjet printing systems 10 having other configurations than those shown in Fig. 2.
  • the ink container 12 and the printhead 24 can be integrated into a single print cartridge.
  • the print cartridge which includes the ink container 12 and the printhead 24 is then replaced when ink within the cartridge is exhausted.
  • the ink container 12 and printhead 24 shown in Fig. 2 contain a single color ink.
  • the ink container 12 can be partitioned into three separate chambers with each chamber containing a different color ink.
  • three printheads 24 are required with each printhead in fluid communication with a different chamber within the ink container 12.
  • Other configurations are also possible, such as more or less chambers associated with the ink container 12 as well as partitioning the printhead and providing separate ink colors to different partitions of the printhead or ejection portion 30.
  • Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the ink container 12 shown in Fig. 2.
  • the ink container 12 includes an ink reservoir portion 34, the capillary member 40 and a lid 42 having an air inlet 38 for allowing entry of air into the ink reservoir 34.
  • the capillary member 40 is inserted into the ink reservoir 34.
  • the reservoir 34 is filled with ink as will be discussed in more detail with respect to Fig. 7.
  • each of the height, width, and length dimensions indicated by H, W, and L, respectively are all greater than one inch to provide a high capacity ink container 12.
  • the capillary member 40 is formed from a network of fibers that are heat fused at points of contact. These fibers are preferably formed of a bi-component fiber having a sheath formed of polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or a co-polymer thereof and a core material that is formed of a low cost, low shrinkage, high strength thermoplastic polymer, preferably polypropylene or polybutylene terephthalate.
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • core material that is formed of a low cost, low shrinkage, high strength thermoplastic polymer, preferably polypropylene or polybutylene terephthalate.
  • the network of fibers are preferably formed using a melt blown fiber process.
  • a melt blow fiber process it may be desirable to select a core material of a melt index similar to the melt index of the sheath polymer.
  • the main requirement of the core material is that it is crystallized when extruded or crystallizable during the melt blowing process. Therefore, other highly crystalline thermoplastic polymers such as high density polyethylene terephthalate, as well as polyamides such as nylon and nylon 66 can also be used.
  • Polypropylene is a preferred core material due to its low price and ease of processibility.
  • the use of a polypropylene core material provides core strength allowing the production of fine fibers using various melt blowing techniques.
  • the core material should be capable of forming a bond to the sheath material as well.
  • Fig. 4B is a greatly simplified representation of the network of fibers which form the capillary member 40, shown greatly enlarged in break away taken across lines 4A-4A of the capillary member 40 shown in Fig 4A.
  • the capillary member 40 is made up of a network of fibers with each individual fiber 46 being heat bonded or heat fused to other fibers at points of contact.
  • the network of fibers 46 which make up the capillary member 40 can be formed of a single fiber 46 that is wrapped back upon itself, or formed of a plurality of fibers 46.
  • the network of fibers form a self-sustaining structure having a general fiber orientation represented by arrow 44.
  • the self-sustaining structure defined by the network of fibers 46 defines spacings or gaps between the fibers 46 which form a tortuous interstitial path. This interstitial path is formed to have excellent capillary properties for retaining ink within the capillary member 40.
  • the capillary member 40 is formed using a melt blowing process whereby the individual fibers 46 are heat bonded or melt together to fuse at various points of contact throughout the network of fibers. This network of fibers, when fed through a die and cooled, hardens to form a self-sustaining three dimensional structure.
  • Fig. 5A represents a cross section taken across lines 5A-5A in Fig. 4 to illustrate a cross section of an individual fiber 46.
  • Each individual fiber 46 is a bi-component fiber, having a core 50 and a sheath 52. The size of the fiber 46 and relative portion of the sheath 52 and core 50 have been greatly exaggerated for illustrative clarity.
  • the core material preferably comprises at least 30 percent and up to 90 percent by weight of the overall fiber content. In the preferred embodiment, each individual fiber 46 has, on average, a diameter of 12 microns or less.
  • Fig. 5B represents an alternative fiber 46 that is similar to the fiber 46 shown in Fig. 5A, except fiber 46 in Fig. 5B has a cross or x-shaped cross section instead of a circular cross section.
  • the fiber 46 shown in Fig. 5B has a non-round or cross-shaped core 50 and a sheath 52 that completely covers the core material 50.
  • Various other alternative cross sections can also be used such as a tri-lobal or y-shaped fiber, or an h-shaped cross-section fiber, just to name a few.
  • the use of non-round fibers results in an increased surface area at the fibrous surface.
  • the capillary pressure and absorbency of the network of fibers 40 is increased in direct proportion to the wettable fiber surface. Therefore, the use of nonround fibers tends to improve the capillary pressure and absorbency of the capillary member 40.
  • Fig. 7 is a schematic illustration of the filling apparatus 54 of the present invention for filling ink into the ink container 12.
  • the filling apparatus 54 of the present invention includes a source of ink 56, a pressurizing device 58 coupled to the source of ink 56 and a fluid interconnect 60 for coupling pressurized ink to the ink container 12.
  • the pressurizing device 58 provides sufficient pressurization to provide ink from the source of ink 56 to the ink container 12.
  • the pressurization required will in general be related to an ink column height or ink head that must be overcome to provide ink to the fluid outlet 36 of the ink container 12.
  • the pressurization device 58 can be a wide variety of devices sufficient to deliver a controlled amount of ink to the fluid outlet 36 of the ink container 12.
  • the pressurization device 58 can be a pump or can make us of the positioning of the source of ink 56 above the ink container 12 such that the ink head is sufficient to deliver ink to the fluid outlet 36 of the ink container 12
  • Ink is delivered to the fluid outlet 36 of the ink container 12 by the filling apparatus 54 of the present invention.
  • ink is delivered to the fluid outlet 36 ink is provided to a portion of the capillary storage member or network of fibers 40 adjacent the fluid outlet 36.
  • This delivered ink is drawn into the interstitial spaces 48 between fibers 46 of the network of fibers 40 by the capillarity of this network of fibers.
  • ink is drawn into the interstitial spaces 48 of the network of fibers 40 air within the interstitial spaces is displaced defining an ink front 62.
  • this ink front 62 expands outwardly into the capillary material 40 as represented by ink front 64.
  • This expanding ink front 62, 64 tends to expand from the region proximate the fluid outlet 36 into filling interstitial spaces 48 displacing air from the network of fibers 40 in a region surrounding the fluid outlet 36. As air is displaced from the network of fibers 40 and vented through the air inlet 38 to atmosphere to prevent pressurization of the ink container 12 as ink is added. Once the proper amount of ink required to fill the ink container 12 is delivered the flow of ink from the ink container 56 is ceased.
  • the fluid interconnect 60 at least slightly compress the network of fibers 40 to create a region of increased capillary to aid in drawing ink into the capillary material 40.
  • the fluid interconnect 60 is a hollow ink conduit that is inserted into the fluid outlet 36 sufficiently to compress the network of fibers 40.
  • the capillary material 40 is formed from at least one bi-component fiber having polypropylene core and a polyethylene terephthalate sheath to greatly simplify the process of filling the ink container 12.
  • This capillary material 40 is more hydrophilic than the polyurethane foam that has been used previously as an absorbent material in thermal inkjet pens such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,771,295, to Baker, et al., entitled "Thermal Inkjet Pen Body Construction Having Improved Ink Storage and Feed. Capability" issued September 13, 1988, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
  • Polyurethane foam in its untreated state, has a large ink contact angle, therefore making it difficult to fill ink containers having polyurethane foam contained therein without using expensive and time consuming steps such as vacuum filling in order to wet the foam.
  • Polyurethane foam can be treated to improve or reduce the ink contact angle; however, this treatment, in addition to increasing manufacturing cost and complexity, tends to add impurities into the ink which tend to reduce printhead life or reduce printhead quality.
  • the use of the capillary member 40 provides a relatively low ink contact angle, allowing ink to be readily absorbed into the capillary member 40 without requiring treatment of the capillary member 40.
  • Fig. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method of the present invention for refilling the replaceable ink container 12.
  • the method begins by determining an amount of ink required to properly fill the replaceable ink container 12 as represented by step 66. Fluid connection is than made to the replaceable ink container 12 so that ink can be provided to the ink container as represented by step 68. In the preferred embodiment, fluid connection is accomplished by inserting a fluid interconnect 60 into the fluid outlet 36 of the replaceable ink connector 12. The amount of ink required to fill the replaceable ink container 12 is then provided to the replaceable ink container as represented by step 70.
  • the amount required to properly fill the replaceable ink container 12 is determined and then delivered to the ink container 12. It is critical that the proper amount of ink be provided to the replaceable ink container 12. If too much ink is provided to the replaceable ink container 12 and the capillary storage member 40 will have insufficient capillarity to retain this ink. If the ink container 12 cannot retain the ink, ink can leak from the reservoir 34 during handling of the ink container 12 such as during insertion and removable of the ink container 12 from the printing system 10. Furthermore, too much ink placed in the ink container 12 can result in ink leakage during changes in environmental conditions such as temperature and pressure changes. Therefore, it is critical that the ink container 12 is not overfilled during the refilling process.
  • the printing system 10 is capable of tracking ink usage for the replaceable ink container 12 it is important that the ink container 12 is not underfilled during the refilling process. Underfilling of the replaceable ink container 12 can result in the printing system 10 inferring that ink is remaining in the ink container 12 when, in fact, the ink container 12 is exhausted of ink. The printing system 10 in this case may continue to print even when the ink container is exhausted. If the ink container 12 is sufficiently underfilled during the refilling process, the printhead can be operated without ink sometimes referred to as "dry firing" which can result in catastrophic damage to the printhead. In addition, operation of the printhead once the ink container 12 is exhausted can result in air injestion into the printhead 24.
  • the printhead 24 maybe incapable of properly maintaining proper backpressure within the printhead 24 which can result in ink uncontrollably leaking from the printhead 24. This ink leakage from the printhead 24 not only can reduce print quality but also damage the printing system 10.
  • each ink compartment typically contains a different ink color.
  • a tri-color ink container 12 has three separate compartments contained therein. Each compartment contains a different ink color such as one of cyan, magenta, and yellow inks.
  • the printing system 10 may have previously indicated that one of the three inks is exhausted, however, the remaining two inks may have varying ink levels depending on the particular items printed.
  • To properly refill a tri-color replaceable ink container 12 is necessary to determine an amount of ink necessary to fill each of the compartments in the replaceable ink container 12. In the case of a tri-color replaceable ink container, it is necessary to determine an amount of each of cyan, magenta, and yellow inks that are necessary for filling their respective compartments.
  • Weighing the ink container to determine residual ink stranded in the capillary storage member 40 is suitable for determining an amount of ink required to fill a monochrome ink container 12 based on the weight of the ink container 12.
  • weighing the ink container 12 is not well suited for an ink container that has more than two compartments for storing ink. Even if one were to infer one of the ink compartments were exhausted, there is no way to determine how much ink is stranded in each of the remaining two compartments.
  • the method and apparatus of the present invention as will be discussed with respect to Figs.
  • Fig: 10 is a flow diagram depicting the method of a preferred embodiment of the present invention for determining an amount of ink to fill an ink container 12.
  • a conduit or fluidic interconnect 78 is first inserted into the ink container 12 to engage the capillary storage member 40 as represented by step. 80.
  • Ink is then drawn from the capillary storage member 40 by the vacuum device 76 as represented by step 82.
  • the static backpressure of the ink container 12 is then measured by the backpressure measurement device 74 as represented by step 84.
  • an amount of ink stranded in the capillary storage member 40 can be inferred.
  • the stranded ink is inferred based on the measured static backpressure and stranded ink versus backpressure of characteristics of the capillary storage member 40. Once the amount of stranded ink is inferred then an amount of ink required to fill the ink container 12 is equal to the difference between an amount of ink in a filled ink container 12 contains minus the amount of ink stranded in the capillary storage member 40.
  • Fig. 11 shows inkjet printing system 10 in operation.
  • fluidic coupling is established between the ink container 12 and the inkjet printhead 24 by way of a fluid conduit 26.
  • the selective activation of the drop ejection portion 30 to eject ink produces a negative gauge pressure within the inkjet printhead 24.
  • This negative gauge pressure draws ink retained in the interstitial spaces between fibers 46 within the capillary storage member 40.
  • Ink that is provided by the ink container 12 to the inkjet printhead 24 replenishes the inkjet printhead 24.
  • the method and apparatus of the present invention provide a technique for refilling a wide variety of ink containers 12 without over or under filling the ink container which can lead to a variety of problems previously discussed that can result in one or more of the following problems: reduced print quality, damage or reduction in reliability of the printhead 24, damage or reduction in reliability of the printing system 10.
  • the method and apparatus of the present invention preferably fill the ink container 12 from the fluid outlet 36 thereby providing a uniform ink front 62, 64 that expands into the capillary storage member 40 displacing air from the fluid outlet 36.

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  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Pens And Brushes (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Eine Vorrichtung (54) zum Nachfüllen eines austauschbaren Tintenbehälters (12), in dem ein Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) angeordnet ist, wobei die Vorrichtung (54) folgende Merkmale aufweist:
    eine Gegendruckmessvorrichtung (74) zum Messen eines Gegendrucks, der dazu neigt, Tinte in Richtung des Kapillarspeichermaterials (40) zu ziehen; und
    eine Einrichtung zum Bestimmen einer Tintenmenge, die nachfolgend an den austauschbaren Tintenbehälter (12) geliefert werden soll, basierend auf einem durch die Gegendruckmessvorrichtung (74) bestimmten Gegendruck.
  2. Die Vorrichtung (54) gemäß Anspruch 1, die ferner eine Fluidzwischenverbindung (78) zum Komprimieren des Kapillarspeicherbauteils (40) aufweist.
  3. Die Vorrichtung (54) gemäß Anspruch 2, bei der die Fluidzwischenverbindung (78) ein Hohlkanal ist, der in den austauschbaren Tintenbehälter (12) eingeführt ist, um das Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) zu komprimieren.
  4. Die Vorrichtung (54) gemäß einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, die ferner eine Tintenzuführvorrichtung (56) zum Liefern der bestimmten Tintenmenge durch einen Fluidauslass (36) in einem unteren Abschnitt des Tintenbehälters (12) an den austauschbaren Tintenbehälter (12) umfasst, wobei die Tintenzuführvorrichtung konfiguriert ist, um Tinte zu dem Tintenbehälter (12) zuzuführen, der in einer Unterseite-Unten-Ausrichtung relativ zu dem Gravitationsreferenzrahmen positioniert ist, um Tinte an das Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) nahe dem Fluidauslass (36) zu liefern.
  5. Die Vorrichtung (54) gemäß Anspruch 1, bei der der Tintenbehälter (12) einen oberen und einen unteren Abschnitt relativ zu einem Gravitationsreferenzrahmen aufweist, wobei der austauschbare Tintenbehälter (12) ferner einen Fluidauslass (36) aufweist, der an dem unteren Abschnitt angeordnet ist, wobei die Vorrichtung (54) folgende Merkmale aufweist:
    eine Fluidzwischenverbindung (78), die zur Einführung in den unteren Abschnitt konfiguriert ist, um das Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) zu komprimieren; und
    eine Tintenzuführvorrichtung (56) zum Liefern der bestimmten Tintenmenge durch die Fluidzwischenverbindung (78) an den austauschbaren Tintenbehälter (12), wobei die Tintenzuführvorrichtung (56) konfiguriert ist, um Tinte zu dem Tintenbehälter (12) zuzuführen, der in einer Unterseite-Unten-Ausrichtung relativ zu dem Gravitationsreferenzrahmen positioniert ist, um Tinte an das Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) nahe dem Fluidauslass (36) zu liefern.
  6. Die Vorrichtung (54) gemäß Anspruch 5, bei der die Tintenzuführvorrichtung (56) konfiguriert ist, um Tinte an den Tintenbehälter (12) zu liefern, so dass Luft aus dem Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) in einer Region nahe dem Fluidauslass (36) verschoben wird.
  7. Ein Verfahren zum Nachfüllen eines austauschbaren Tintenbehälters (12), in dem ein Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) angeordnet ist, zum Enthalten von Tinte, wobei das Verfahren folgende Schritte aufweist:
    Messen des Gegendrucks, der dazu neigt, Tinte innerhalb des Kapillarspeicherbauteils (40) zu behalten, und, ansprechend darauf,
    Bestimmen einer Tintenmenge zum Wiederauffüllen des austauschbaren Tintenbehälters (12) basierend auf dem gemessenen Gegendruck; und
    nachfolgendes Liefern der vorbestimmten Tintemenge an den austauschbaren Tintenbehälter (12), so dass das Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) wieder mit Tinte aufgefüllt wird.
  8. Das Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 7, das vor dem Bestimmen einer Tintenmenge zum Wiederauffüllen des austauschbaren Tintenbehälters (12) den Schritt eines Ziehens von Tinte aus dem Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) aufweist.
  9. Das Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 7 oder Anspruch 8, bei dem der Schritt des Lieferns der vorbestimmten Tintenmenge an den austauschbaren Tintenbehälter (12) durch einen Fluidauslass (36) an einem unteren Abschnitt des austauschbaren Tintenbehälters (12) durchgeführt wird, wobei der Tintenbehälter (12) in einer Unterseite-Unten-Ausrichtung relativ zu dem Gravitationsreferenzrahmen positioniert ist, um Tinte an das Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) nahe dem Fluidauslass (36) zu liefern.
  10. Das Verfahren gemäß einem der Ansprüche 7 bis 9, bei dem der Schritt des Lieferns der vorbestimmten Tintenmenge an den austauschbaren Tintenbehälter (12) durchgeführt wird, um eine Tintenfront (62, 64) bereitzustellen, die sich von einer Region nahe dem Fluidauslass (36) nach außen in das Kapillarspeicherbauteil (40) ausbreitet.
EP20000309474 1999-10-29 2000-10-27 Nachfüllverfahren und -vorrichtung für Farbstoffbehälter Expired - Lifetime EP1095779B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US627958 1984-07-05
US09/430,400 US6460985B1 (en) 1999-10-29 1999-10-29 Ink reservoir for an inkjet printer
US430400 1999-10-29
US09/627,958 US6402306B1 (en) 2000-07-28 2000-07-28 Method and apparatus for refilling an ink container

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1095779A2 EP1095779A2 (de) 2001-05-02
EP1095779A3 EP1095779A3 (de) 2001-06-13
EP1095779B1 true EP1095779B1 (de) 2006-04-12

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JP (1) JP3434497B2 (de)
DE (1) DE60027250T2 (de)

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WO2006000048A1 (en) 2004-06-25 2006-01-05 Sensitive Flow Systems Pty Ltd Irrigation apparatus
JP4105135B2 (ja) 2004-08-30 2008-06-25 シャープ株式会社 インクジェットヘッド装置、インクジェット装置、及びインクジェットヘッド装置のインク供給方法
US7802859B2 (en) 2006-10-30 2010-09-28 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Refilling a used ink cartridge
KR101361417B1 (ko) 2012-07-25 2014-02-11 허철 잉크카트리지의 잉크 충전장치

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JP3450643B2 (ja) * 1996-04-25 2003-09-29 キヤノン株式会社 液体収容容器への液体補充方法、該補充方法を用いる液体吐出記録装置、液体補充容器、液体収容容器およびヘッドカートリッジ
TW445214B (en) * 1998-04-30 2001-07-11 Hewlett Packard Co Inkjet ink level detection

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JP3434497B2 (ja) 2003-08-11
EP1095779A3 (de) 2001-06-13
JP2001130024A (ja) 2001-05-15
DE60027250T2 (de) 2007-01-18
EP1095779A2 (de) 2001-05-02
DE60027250D1 (de) 2006-05-24

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