EP1652144A1 - Method of providing inkjet cartridge refill services - Google Patents

Method of providing inkjet cartridge refill services

Info

Publication number
EP1652144A1
EP1652144A1 EP04779296A EP04779296A EP1652144A1 EP 1652144 A1 EP1652144 A1 EP 1652144A1 EP 04779296 A EP04779296 A EP 04779296A EP 04779296 A EP04779296 A EP 04779296A EP 1652144 A1 EP1652144 A1 EP 1652144A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ink jet
cartridges
ink
depleted
distribution infrastructure
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP04779296A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Marc M. Gibeley
Francis B Linnane
Steven D Doctor
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.)
Eastman Kodak Co
Original Assignee
Eastman Kodak Co
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Eastman Kodak Co filed Critical Eastman Kodak Co
Publication of EP1652144A1 publication Critical patent/EP1652144A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
    • G06Q10/08—Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
    • 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

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of providing ink jet cartridge refilling services and more specifically, a method of providing refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer, and for collecting reuseable ink-depleted cartridges and delivering the collected cartridges to a commercial refiller using a single designated distribution infrastructure.
  • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Over the past few years, consumer use of desktop ink jet printers has increased. Many of these printers use replacable ink jet cartridges to provide an assortment of ink solutions. The cost of these ink jet cartridges is typically high and often far exceed the cost of the actual ink solution they are supplying. Therefore, consumers have increasingly sought to repair cartridges by refilling them once the initial ink supply is exhausted.
  • Refill kits are commercially available for this purpose. However, such kits are somewhat difficult to use, and may be messy.
  • Commercial ref ⁇ llers have stepped into the market and have greatly enhanced the process by using large-scale techniques to refill reusable ink- depleted cartridges for resale.
  • Such commercial refillers receive reusable ink- depleted cartridges from several sources, including directly from consumers, from collection sites, and from professional cartridge brokers.
  • Refilled cartridges are resold to consumers either directly or through retail establishments. If the latter, the refiller supplies the retail establishment either directly, or more commonly through a network of distributors.
  • Such commercial refillers face a number of supply and distribution problems.
  • the present invention provides an efficient method for collecting reuseable ink-depleted cartridges from a retail establishment that deals in ink jet cartridges and delivering the collected cartridges to a commercial refiller using the same single designated distribution channel as is used for providing refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer via the retail establishment.
  • This inventive method provides a steady supply to the refiller of ink-depleted cartridges in numbers corresponding to the demand. A high percentage of ink-depleted cartridges are useable because of minimization of third-party handling.
  • commercial refillers have access to already-established distribution infrastructure to reach retailers and ultimately consumers.
  • At least one ink jet cartridge depleted of ink is received by a designated distribution infrastructure and is transported and delivered by said designated distribution infrastructure to a commercial refiller.
  • the designated distribution infrastructure receives an outer container having at least one processed ink jet cartridge therein from the commercial refiller; and transports the processed ink jet cartridge to the retail outlet for sale to consumers.
  • the method is carried out by a distribution infrastructure which is a total service provider who follows ink jet cartridges through its entire distribution process between the retail outlet and the commercial refiller, both as a depleted cartridge to be refilled and as a processed cartridge for sale.
  • a method for using a designated distribution infrastructure to collect reuseable ink-depleted cartridges, deliver the collected cartridges to a commercial refiller, and provide refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer includes receiving from a retail establishment, by a designated distribution infrastructure, an ink jet cartridge which has been depleted of ink.
  • the received ink jet cartridge is transported and delivered, by the designated distribution infrastructure, to a commercial refiller.
  • the processed ink jet cartridge is received, by the designated distribution infrastructure, from the commercial refiller and transported and delivered, by the designated distribution infrastructure, to the retail outlet for sale to consumers.
  • the drawing shows a method for collecting reuseable ink-depleted cartridges from a retail establishment, delivering the collected cartridges to a commercial refiller using the same single designated distribution channel as is used for providing refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer via the retail establishment.
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, the present invention provides for a system or method for collecting and delivering reuseable ink-depleted cartridges to a commercial refiller and for providing refilled ink jet cartridges to a retail establishment, using a single designated distribution infrastructure. As shown in the drawing, a consumer 10 is presumed to have enjoyed the use of an ink jet printer, copier, etc.
  • consumer 10 delivers, via path 12, the ink-depleted cartridge to a retail establishment 14 which deals in ink jet cartridges.
  • the retail establishment may be a conventional store, a mail order business, an internet business, or other similar outlet dealing in ink jet cartridges.
  • the consumer may, as illustrated by dotted path 16, purchase a new cartridge or a refilled cartridge, or the consumer may agree to take delivery of the same cartridge as he or she delivered to the retail establishment etc., after refilling, as explained herein below.
  • Retail establishments are often supplied by companies having distribution infrastructures; either owned by the supplier or by way of designated distributors. Other forms of distribution include public and private package delivery concerns.
  • the present invention relates to those suppliers who distribute products to retail establishments byway of designated distribution infrastructures.
  • reuseable ink- depleted cartridges are collected via path 20 from consumers by retail establishments 14.
  • the collected cartridges are picked up from the retail establishment by a designated distributor 18 while making deliveries of various commodities to the retail establishment.
  • distributor 18 is in the business of distribution imaging supplies such as for example ink jet paper, photographic film, cameras, etc.
  • the distributor may also pick up imaged photographic film for delivery to and from photographic processing labs.
  • Distributor 18 has an infrastructure for reliably interfacing between one or more suppliers and various retail establishments, preferably on a regular schedule.
  • One such supplier includes one or more companies 22 that refill reuseable ink-depleted cartridges.
  • Company 22 processes the cartridges such as by filling, testing, packaging, etc. Cartridges that do not pass quality tests are discarded, as illustrated at 23.
  • Distributor 18 may receive additional reuseable ink-depleted cartridges from collection sites, brokers, etc., as represented at 24, and delivers the collected cartridges to refiller company 22 via a path 26. While at the refiller company, distributor 18 may pick up already refilled in cartridges, as represented by path 28, for transportation and delivery to retail establishments 14 (path 30).
  • the consumer does not necessarily purchase the same cartridge as he or she delivers to the retail establishment; but rather would be expected to buy a refilled cartridge at the same time that the reuseable ink-depleted cartridge was left at the retail establishment.
  • the consumer delivers a reuseable ink-depleted cartridge to retail establishment 14 and returns later to receive the same cartridge after it has been refilled by company 22.

Landscapes

  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Economics (AREA)
  • Quality & Reliability (AREA)
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
  • Human Resources & Organizations (AREA)
  • Marketing (AREA)
  • Operations Research (AREA)
  • Development Economics (AREA)
  • Strategic Management (AREA)
  • Tourism & Hospitality (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Ink Jet (AREA)

Description

METHOD OF PROVIDING INKJET CARTRIDGE REFILL SERVICES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of providing ink jet cartridge refilling services and more specifically, a method of providing refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer, and for collecting reuseable ink-depleted cartridges and delivering the collected cartridges to a commercial refiller using a single designated distribution infrastructure. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Over the past few years, consumer use of desktop ink jet printers has increased. Many of these printers use replacable ink jet cartridges to provide an assortment of ink solutions. The cost of these ink jet cartridges is typically high and often far exceed the cost of the actual ink solution they are supplying. Therefore, consumers have increasingly sought to repair cartridges by refilling them once the initial ink supply is exhausted. Refill kits are commercially available for this purpose. However, such kits are somewhat difficult to use, and may be messy. Commercial refϊllers have stepped into the market and have greatly enhanced the process by using large-scale techniques to refill reusable ink- depleted cartridges for resale. Such commercial refillers receive reusable ink- depleted cartridges from several sources, including directly from consumers, from collection sites, and from professional cartridge brokers. Refilled cartridges are resold to consumers either directly or through retail establishments. If the latter, the refiller supplies the retail establishment either directly, or more commonly through a network of distributors. Such commercial refillers face a number of supply and distribution problems. The supply of reusable ink-depleted cartridges can be non-steady, increasing the effective cost of each ink-depleted cartridge. Loss of control over the cartridges during collection presents increased opportunities for the cartridges to be mis-handled, and increases the unit manufacturing cost of refills by increasing the amount of labor to inspect, and reject, unusable incoming ink- depleted cartridges. Refillers must supply a certain amount of expensive infrastructure if they are to deal directly with consumers, collection sites, brokers, and retail establishments. Thus, there remains a need for a method for collecting and delivering reuseable ink-depleted cartridges to a commercial refiller and for providing refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer using a single designated distribution infrastructure. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an efficient method for collecting reuseable ink-depleted cartridges from a retail establishment that deals in ink jet cartridges and delivering the collected cartridges to a commercial refiller using the same single designated distribution channel as is used for providing refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer via the retail establishment. This inventive method provides a steady supply to the refiller of ink-depleted cartridges in numbers corresponding to the demand. A high percentage of ink-depleted cartridges are useable because of minimization of third-party handling. For the first time, commercial refillers have access to already-established distribution infrastructure to reach retailers and ultimately consumers. According to a feature of the present invention, at least one ink jet cartridge depleted of ink is received by a designated distribution infrastructure and is transported and delivered by said designated distribution infrastructure to a commercial refiller. The designated distribution infrastructure receives an outer container having at least one processed ink jet cartridge therein from the commercial refiller; and transports the processed ink jet cartridge to the retail outlet for sale to consumers. The method is carried out by a distribution infrastructure which is a total service provider who follows ink jet cartridges through its entire distribution process between the retail outlet and the commercial refiller, both as a depleted cartridge to be refilled and as a processed cartridge for sale. According to another feature of the present invention, a method for using a designated distribution infrastructure to collect reuseable ink-depleted cartridges, deliver the collected cartridges to a commercial refiller, and provide refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer includes receiving from a retail establishment, by a designated distribution infrastructure, an ink jet cartridge which has been depleted of ink. The received ink jet cartridge is transported and delivered, by the designated distribution infrastructure, to a commercial refiller. After filling, the processed ink jet cartridge is received, by the designated distribution infrastructure, from the commercial refiller and transported and delivered, by the designated distribution infrastructure, to the retail outlet for sale to consumers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing shows a method for collecting reuseable ink-depleted cartridges from a retail establishment, delivering the collected cartridges to a commercial refiller using the same single designated distribution channel as is used for providing refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer via the retail establishment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, the present invention provides for a system or method for collecting and delivering reuseable ink-depleted cartridges to a commercial refiller and for providing refilled ink jet cartridges to a retail establishment, using a single designated distribution infrastructure. As shown in the drawing, a consumer 10 is presumed to have enjoyed the use of an ink jet printer, copier, etc. and to have depleted the ink in one or more ink jet cartridges. The term "depleted", as used herein is meant to include emptied and/ near- emptied, as it is generally recommended that ink jet cartridges be refilled before they are totally empty. Consumer 10 delivers, via path 12, the ink-depleted cartridge to a retail establishment 14 which deals in ink jet cartridges. The retail establishment may be a conventional store, a mail order business, an internet business, or other similar outlet dealing in ink jet cartridges. The consumer may, as illustrated by dotted path 16, purchase a new cartridge or a refilled cartridge, or the consumer may agree to take delivery of the same cartridge as he or she delivered to the retail establishment etc., after refilling, as explained herein below. Retail establishments are often supplied by companies having distribution infrastructures; either owned by the supplier or by way of designated distributors. Other forms of distribution include public and private package delivery concerns. The present invention relates to those suppliers who distribute products to retail establishments byway of designated distribution infrastructures. According to a feature of the present invention, reuseable ink- depleted cartridges are collected via path 20 from consumers by retail establishments 14. The collected cartridges are picked up from the retail establishment by a designated distributor 18 while making deliveries of various commodities to the retail establishment. Preferably, distributor 18 is in the business of distribution imaging supplies such as for example ink jet paper, photographic film, cameras, etc. The distributor may also pick up imaged photographic film for delivery to and from photographic processing labs. Distributor 18 has an infrastructure for reliably interfacing between one or more suppliers and various retail establishments, preferably on a regular schedule. One such supplier includes one or more companies 22 that refill reuseable ink-depleted cartridges. Company 22 processes the cartridges such as by filling, testing, packaging, etc. Cartridges that do not pass quality tests are discarded, as illustrated at 23. Distributor 18 may receive additional reuseable ink-depleted cartridges from collection sites, brokers, etc., as represented at 24, and delivers the collected cartridges to refiller company 22 via a path 26. While at the refiller company, distributor 18 may pick up already refilled in cartridges, as represented by path 28, for transportation and delivery to retail establishments 14 (path 30). In the prior example, the consumer does not necessarily purchase the same cartridge as he or she delivers to the retail establishment; but rather would be expected to buy a refilled cartridge at the same time that the reuseable ink-depleted cartridge was left at the retail establishment. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the consumer delivers a reuseable ink-depleted cartridge to retail establishment 14 and returns later to receive the same cartridge after it has been refilled by company 22.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A method for using a designated distribution infrastructure to collect reuseable ink-depleted cartridges, deliver the collected cartridges to a commercial refiller, and provide refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer; said method comprising the steps of: receiving from a retail establishment, by a designated distribution infrastructure, at least one ink jet cartridge which has been depleted of ink; transporting and delivering, by said designated distribution infrastructure, the received at least one ink jet cartridge to a commercial refiller; receiving, by said designated distribution infrastructure, at least one processed ink jet cartridge from the commercial refiller; and transporting and delivering, by said designated distribution infrastructure, the at least one processed ink jet cartridge to the retail outlet for sale to consumers. 2. A method as set forth in Claim 1 further comprising the step of transporting imaging supplies to the retail outlet along with the at least one processed ink jet cartridge. 3. A method as set forth in Claim 2 wherein the imaging supplies includes photographic film. 4. A method as set forth in Claim 2 wherein the imaging supplies includes ink j et paper. 5. A method as set forth in Claim 2 wherein the imaging supplies includes photographic cameras. 6. A method for using a designated distribution infrastructure to collect reuseable ink-depleted cartridges, refill the collected cartridges, and provide refilled ink jet cartridges to a consumer; said method comprising the steps of: receiving from a retail establishment, by a designated distribution infrastructure, at least one ink jet cartridge which has been depleted of ink; transporting and delivering, by said designated distribution infrastructure, the received at least one ink jet cartridge to a refill station; preparing the at least one processed ink jet cartridge for reuse, including refilling the at least one processed ink jet cartridge; and transporting and delivering, by said designated distribution infrastructure, the at least one processed ink jet cartridge to the retail outlet for sale to consumers.
EP04779296A 2003-08-07 2004-07-26 Method of providing inkjet cartridge refill services Withdrawn EP1652144A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/636,411 US20050029157A1 (en) 2003-08-07 2003-08-07 Method of providing ink jet cartridge refill services
PCT/US2004/024170 WO2005017800A2 (en) 2003-08-07 2004-07-26 Method of providing inkjet cartridge refill services

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1652144A1 true EP1652144A1 (en) 2006-05-03

Family

ID=34116423

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP04779296A Withdrawn EP1652144A1 (en) 2003-08-07 2004-07-26 Method of providing inkjet cartridge refill services

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20050029157A1 (en)
EP (1) EP1652144A1 (en)
JP (1) JP2007501978A (en)
WO (1) WO2005017800A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7344215B2 (en) 2004-09-28 2008-03-18 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Inkjet cartridge refilling machine and method
CA2601061A1 (en) * 2005-03-11 2006-09-21 Tonerhead, Inc. Method and apparatus for a printer cartridge tester
US7665819B2 (en) * 2005-04-21 2010-02-23 Tonerhead, Inc. Method and apparatus for a printer cartridge tester
US8956308B2 (en) 2008-09-29 2015-02-17 Bayer Healthcare Llc Integrated-testing system

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6247803B1 (en) * 1983-10-13 2001-06-19 Seiko Epson Corporation Ink jet recording apparatus and method for replenishing ink in the tank cartridge
US7249831B2 (en) * 1995-04-27 2007-07-31 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Ink container refurbishment system
WO2001059638A1 (en) * 2000-02-14 2001-08-16 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Collecting method by information processor, and ordering method or sale method
WO2001066442A1 (en) * 2000-03-07 2001-09-13 Seiko Epson Corporation Expendable supply managing system
JP3890204B2 (en) * 2000-04-28 2007-03-07 キヤノン株式会社 Data processing apparatus, method thereof, and program thereof
US7343298B2 (en) * 2000-10-20 2008-03-11 Seiko Epson Corporation Method and system for supply of expendables
JP2002269178A (en) * 2001-03-12 2002-09-20 Canon Inc Product management system, server, terminal, product management method, product management program, and computer-readable recording medium storing product management program
US6520693B2 (en) * 2001-03-30 2003-02-18 Eastman Kodak Company Method of providing photoprocessing services
US7418404B2 (en) * 2001-12-20 2008-08-26 Ricoh Company, Ltd. Commodity order acceptance and transportation system, method, and recording medium
US6729360B2 (en) * 2002-09-04 2004-05-04 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Ink cartridge refilling station
US7207667B2 (en) * 2003-06-24 2007-04-24 Tonerhead, Inc. Apparatus and method for refurbishing used cartridges for ink jet type imaging devices

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2007501978A (en) 2007-02-01
WO2005017800A2 (en) 2005-02-24
US20050029157A1 (en) 2005-02-10

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Inventor name: GIBELEY, MARC M.

Inventor name: DOCTOR, STEVEN D

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