US20140083999A1 - Expandable waste ink receptacle for micro-fluid supply item - Google Patents

Expandable waste ink receptacle for micro-fluid supply item Download PDF

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Publication number
US20140083999A1
US20140083999A1 US13/626,921 US201213626921A US2014083999A1 US 20140083999 A1 US20140083999 A1 US 20140083999A1 US 201213626921 A US201213626921 A US 201213626921A US 2014083999 A1 US2014083999 A1 US 2014083999A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
fluid
container
fresh
interior
receptacle
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.)
Abandoned
Application number
US13/626,921
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robin Ian Paran Vivas
Miguel A. Edombingo
Jeffrey G. Abanto
Sulpecio H. Escuña
Michael R. Larrobis
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.)
Funai Electric Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Funai Electric Co Ltd
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 Funai Electric Co Ltd filed Critical Funai Electric Co Ltd
Priority to US13/626,921 priority Critical patent/US20140083999A1/en
Assigned to LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC. reassignment LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ABANTO, JEFFREY G., EDOMBINGO, MIGUEL A., ESCUNA, SULPECIO H., LARROBIS, MICHAEL R., VIVAS, ROBIN IAN PARAN
Assigned to FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD reassignment FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: Lexmark International Technology, S.A., LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Priority to EP13818788.5A priority patent/EP2897807A1/en
Priority to TW102134858A priority patent/TW201429739A/zh
Priority to BR112015006462A priority patent/BR112015006462A2/pt
Priority to JP2015532527A priority patent/JP2015533693A/ja
Priority to CN201380050375.2A priority patent/CN104768765A/zh
Priority to PCT/IB2013/002750 priority patent/WO2014049441A1/en
Priority to AU2013322263A priority patent/AU2013322263A1/en
Publication of US20140083999A1 publication Critical patent/US20140083999A1/en
Abandoned 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
    • B41J2/17513—Inner structure
    • 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
    • B41J2/17513—Inner structure
    • B41J2002/17516—Inner structure comprising a collapsible ink holder, e.g. a flexible bag
    • 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
    • B41J2/18—Ink recirculation systems
    • B41J2/185—Ink-collectors; Ink-catchers
    • B41J2002/1856—Ink-collectors; Ink-catchers waste ink containers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to micro-fluid applications, such as inkjet printing. It relates particularly to supply item containers holding fresh fluid, but doubling as a receptacle for waste fluid as the fresh fluid depletes over time. Expandable fluid receptacles facilitate the embodiments.
  • a replaceable or (semi)permanent ejection head has access to a local or remote supply of fluid (e.g., ink).
  • fluid e.g., ink
  • the fluid ejects from an ejection zone to a print media in a pattern of pixels corresponding to images being printed.
  • the above-mentioned and other problems become solved with containers having expandable waste ink receptacles for micro-fluid applications.
  • the containers doubly serve as sources of fresh fluid for imaging devices and receptacles for waste fluid spent by the same imaging devices.
  • a consumable supply item for an imaging device holds an initial or refillable volume of fresh fluid for use in an imaging device.
  • a housing defines an interior having an expandable fluid receptacle to receive waste fluid from the imaging device. As the fresh fluid depletes in the interior over time, the fluid receptacle expands as it accommodates waste fluid. In this way, a single container supplies fresh fluid and retrieves waste fluid from an imaging device. When initially full of fresh fluid, the fluid receptacle is empty in a compressed state. Upon fresh fluid leaving the container for the imaging device, waste fluid is able to enter the receptacle. Upon depletion of fresh fluid, the container is full of waste fluid. The container is ready for disposal or recycling.
  • a hydrophobic membrane on the fluid receptacle that is permeable to air to equalize pressure inside the fluid receptacle as the fluid receptacle fills with waste fluid during use.
  • the receptacle is a polymer film or other structure that can be compressed initially and expanded later. The film is impermeable to fluid. Plastic films having been folded and elastomers having been deflated or crumpled typify initial states.
  • Other films contemplate polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride or polytetrafluoroethylene.
  • fluid ports reside on the housing to communicate the interior of the housing to fluid or air sources outside of the housing.
  • a first port is a fresh fluid exit port to supply the volume of fresh fluid to an imaging device.
  • a second port is an air vent port to vent the interior with air from outside the housing.
  • a third port is a waste fluid inlet port to receive waste fluid from the imaging device.
  • the ports are any of a variety but contemplate a ball biased shut with a spring.
  • FIG. 1A is a diagrammatic view of a container having fresh fluid with an expandable fluid receptacle for waste ink;
  • FIG. 1B is a view similar to FIG. 1A with a lower level of fresh fluid and a fluid receptacle partially filled with waste fluid;
  • FIG. 1C is a diagrammatic view of ports of the container interfacing with an imaging device
  • FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a hydrophobic membrane on an expandable fluid receptacle in a container;
  • FIGS. 3A and 3B are views showing an expandable fluid receptacle in compressed and expanded states.
  • FIGS. 4A and 4B are views of alternate embodiments similar to FIGS. 3A and 3B .
  • containers have expandable fluid receptacles to receive waste fluid from imaging devices for use in micro-fluid applications.
  • a supply item container 10 for use in an imaging device includes a housing 12 .
  • the housing defines an interior 14 that contains an initial or refillable supply of fresh fluid, e.g. ink 16 .
  • the fluid is any of a variety, but typifies aqueous inks such as those based on dye or pigmented formulations. It also represents varieties of color, such as cyan, magenta, yellow, black, etc.
  • the item is useful in many applications such as inkjet printing, but certainly can be useful with other fluids in medicinal delivery, forming circuit traces, food processing, chemical manufacturing, etc.
  • the volume of ink depletes downward toward a bottom surface 18 of the interior of the housing in a direction of gravity G.
  • the bottom surface is generally flat or inclined to funnel ink out of the interior.
  • the ink flows to an imaging device by way of a fresh fluid exit port 20 .
  • An air venting port 22 provides an intake of ambient, recycled or other air to overcome backpressure in the interior 14 that increases during imaging operations.
  • the ports are any of a variety but typify cylindrical tubes 24 biased shut with an internal ball 26 and spring 28 ( FIG. 1C ). They are mated with a septum needle 30 from the imaging device. The needle inserts into the ports to overcome the bias of the spring and the ball slides backward. Upon sufficient insertion, openings in the port and needle 32 , 34 are communicated so that a fluidic channel opens between the interior 14 of the housing and the needle.
  • the fluidic channel is either air or liquid.
  • an expandable fluid receptacle 50 receives waste fluid 52 from outside the housing and expands in size as the volume of fresh fluid 16 depletes in the interior over time.
  • the waste ink comes from the imaging device that accumulates during times of head maintenance or the like.
  • the waste ink is received by the housing at a waste fluid inlet port 40 connected to the expandable fluid receptacle.
  • the waste fluid inlet port is the same as the other ports ( FIG. 1C ).
  • the fluid receptacle 50 includes a hydrophobic membrane 54 that is permeable to air.
  • the membrane faces an air cavity 60 in the interior 14 to equalize pressure inside the expandable fluid receptacle as the fluid receptacle fills with the waste fluid.
  • the air cavity connects to the air vent port 22 and pressure inside the fluid receptacle is equalized to atmospheric conditions.
  • An undersurface 56 of the membrane can adhere to an exterior surface 58 of the fluid receptacle and cover/seal an otherwise open portion of the fluid receptacle 50 .
  • the membrane can alternatively weld to the receptacle.
  • the membrane is as thin as possible but may define a thickness of at least a few mils. Representative membranes contemplate the use of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or other materials. Membranes of this type are sometimes referred to as “breather” vents.
  • PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene
  • the receptacle itself is a polymer film or other structure that can be compressed initially and expanded later.
  • the film is impermeable to fluid.
  • the receptacle 50 is plastic film having been folded along fold lines 51 in its initial collapsed state ( 3 A), later expanded with waste ink 52 ( 3 B).
  • the receptacle 50 is an elastomer having been deflated or crumpled in its initial collapsed state ( 4 A), later expanded with waste ink 52 ( 4 B).
  • Representative films in either instance contemplate polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride or polytetrafluoroethylene films.
  • a polymer film in a container is used to separate the supply of fresh ink from waste ink.
  • the fresh ink occupies nearly all the volume of the container interior leaving little volume for the film which is otherwise empty of waste ink and compressed.
  • the container is 75% full of fresh ink, the volume of the interior is now able to accommodate expansion of the polymer film and waste ink up to 25%.
  • the container reaching 50% fresh fluid up to 50% of the container is available for expansion of the film and waste ink.
  • the container depletes itself of fresh ink, the container and its waste ink can be disposed, recycled, etc.
  • the housing is any of a variety of containers for holding fluid. It can typify plastic, glass, metal, etc. It can be recyclable or not. It can contemplate simplicity or complexity. Techniques for production are varied, but blow molding, injection molding, etc. are common considered herein. With blow molding, the housing 12 can be made of unitary construction to define the interior 14 . Welding, heat-staking, bonding, dies, etc. are also envisioned. The materials, construction, shipping, storage, use, etc. of the housing can also focus design criteria on items, such as cost, ease of manufacturing, durability, or other. Its shape is nearly infinite.
  • the housing is generally elongated from its back end 39 to its port end 41 .
  • the port end inserts forward into an imaging device as the back end is pushed upon by users.
  • the shape also contemplates seals and septums or the like which may find utility in the design at the interface joints between the ports and the imaging device.

Landscapes

  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
US13/626,921 2012-09-26 2012-09-26 Expandable waste ink receptacle for micro-fluid supply item Abandoned US20140083999A1 (en)

Priority Applications (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13/626,921 US20140083999A1 (en) 2012-09-26 2012-09-26 Expandable waste ink receptacle for micro-fluid supply item
AU2013322263A AU2013322263A1 (en) 2012-09-26 2013-09-26 Expandable waste ink receptacle for micro-fluid supply item
PCT/IB2013/002750 WO2014049441A1 (en) 2012-09-26 2013-09-26 Expandable waste ink receptacle for micro-fluid supply item
BR112015006462A BR112015006462A2 (pt) 2012-09-26 2013-09-26 receptáculo de tinta residual expansível para artigo de suprimento de microfluidos
TW102134858A TW201429739A (zh) 2012-09-26 2013-09-26 微流體供應單元之可擴張廢墨水容器
EP13818788.5A EP2897807A1 (en) 2012-09-26 2013-09-26 Expandable waste ink receptacle for micro-fluid supply item
JP2015532527A JP2015533693A (ja) 2012-09-26 2013-09-26 マイクロ流体供給物のための膨張可能な廃インク容器
CN201380050375.2A CN104768765A (zh) 2012-09-26 2013-09-26 用于微流体供应物的可扩展废弃油墨容具

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13/626,921 US20140083999A1 (en) 2012-09-26 2012-09-26 Expandable waste ink receptacle for micro-fluid supply item

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20140083999A1 true US20140083999A1 (en) 2014-03-27

Family

ID=49943407

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/626,921 Abandoned US20140083999A1 (en) 2012-09-26 2012-09-26 Expandable waste ink receptacle for micro-fluid supply item

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US20140083999A1 (ja)
EP (1) EP2897807A1 (ja)
JP (1) JP2015533693A (ja)
CN (1) CN104768765A (ja)
AU (1) AU2013322263A1 (ja)
BR (1) BR112015006462A2 (ja)
TW (1) TW201429739A (ja)
WO (1) WO2014049441A1 (ja)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3265316A4 (en) * 2015-03-06 2018-09-26 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Printing fluid container
US20190197343A1 (en) * 2015-12-18 2019-06-27 Ebay Inc. Product image generation system

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN109720100B (zh) * 2019-03-04 2023-12-01 珠海益捷科技有限公司 墨盒及其扩容方法

Family Cites Families (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS60198256A (ja) * 1984-03-21 1985-10-07 Konishiroku Photo Ind Co Ltd インク貯蔵装置
EP0364284B2 (en) * 1988-10-14 2000-08-23 Seiko Epson Corporation Ink cartridge for an ink jet printer
CA2270169C (en) * 1997-08-28 2007-04-17 Seiko Epson Corporation Ink cartridge with waste ink absorbing function
JP2002307705A (ja) * 2001-04-16 2002-10-23 Ricoh Co Ltd 廃液インク袋一体型インクカートリッジ
SG107613A1 (en) * 2002-09-11 2004-12-29 Inke Pte Ltd Ink tank (inkjet ink cartridge)
WO2006112208A1 (ja) * 2005-03-30 2006-10-26 Seiko Epson Corporation 液体容器
CN101618636A (zh) * 2005-03-30 2010-01-06 精工爱普生株式会社 液体容器
JP4769499B2 (ja) * 2005-07-08 2011-09-07 富士フイルム株式会社 インクカートリッジ、インクジェット記録装置、及び廃インクカートリッジ
DE102007061277A1 (de) * 2007-12-19 2009-06-25 Krones Ag Etikettiermaschine
JP2010064343A (ja) * 2008-09-10 2010-03-25 Canon Inc 液体収納容器及び液体吐出システム
JP2010143010A (ja) * 2008-12-17 2010-07-01 Canon Inc インクジェット記録装置
JP2010143069A (ja) * 2008-12-18 2010-07-01 Canon Inc インクジェット記録装置
US8544991B2 (en) * 2010-12-29 2013-10-01 Funai Electric Co., Ltd. Consumable supply item, fluid reservoir and recirculation system for micro-fluid applications
US8403457B2 (en) * 2011-02-04 2013-03-26 Xerox Corporation Waste ink reclamation apparatus for liquid ink recirculation system

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3265316A4 (en) * 2015-03-06 2018-09-26 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Printing fluid container
US20190197343A1 (en) * 2015-12-18 2019-06-27 Ebay Inc. Product image generation system
US11048963B2 (en) * 2015-12-18 2021-06-29 Ebay Inc. Product image generation system
US11972506B2 (en) 2015-12-18 2024-04-30 Ebay Inc. Product image generation system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2897807A1 (en) 2015-07-29
TW201429739A (zh) 2014-08-01
AU2013322263A1 (en) 2015-04-09
WO2014049441A1 (en) 2014-04-03
JP2015533693A (ja) 2015-11-26
CN104768765A (zh) 2015-07-08
BR112015006462A2 (pt) 2017-07-04

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC., KENTUCKY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:VIVAS, ROBIN IAN PARAN;EDOMBINGO, MIGUEL A.;ABANTO, JEFFREY G.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:029025/0439

Effective date: 20120925

AS Assignment

Owner name: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD, JAPAN

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.;LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, S.A.;REEL/FRAME:030416/0001

Effective date: 20130401

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION