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
  • B41J2/1752—Mounting within the printer
• • 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
  • B41J2/17543—Cartridge presence detection or type identification
  • B41J2/17546—Cartridge presence detection or type identification electronically

Definitions

• This invention relates to a data-providing-component securing mechanism for a printing apparatus' image-formation-material reservoir.
• the present invention pertains to a drawer-style support feature of a securing mechanism configured to retain a data-providing component on or in an image-formation-material reservoir.
• ink jet printing technologies use printheads that have nozzles that eject ink onto a substrate.
• the ink is provided from one or more ink tanks communicatively connected to the printhead.
• a challenge in the ink jet printing industry has been to accurately determine when ink has been depleted or is about to be depleted from an ink tank.
• One conventional solution to this problem has been to attach a data storage device, such as a computer-accessible memory, commonly referred to as a "smartchip,” to the ink tanks.
• the smartchip stores information relating to an amount of ink remaining in the ink tank.
• a number stored in the smartchip representing the remaining amount of ink is decreased.
• a number stored in the smartchip representing the amount of ink that has been used is increased.
• the information is related to an amount of ink remaining in the ink tank. In this way, the information stored by the smartchip may be used to predict when the ink tank will run out of ink.
• a smartchip may consist of an integrated circuit chip which is encapsulated such that electrical contacts are provided on one surface. These smartchips have conventionally been manufactured as stand-alone devices without any independent means for attaching them to other devices. Accordingly, some conventional techniques for securing a smartchip to an ink tank 102 have involved the use of adhesives, as shown in FIG. 1.
• an ink tank 102 has a smartchip 106 attached thereto with an epoxy-dot adhesive 110.
• a machine applies dots of an epoxy adhesive 1 10 to seams between the smartchip 106 and the ink tank 102 in order to bond the smartchip 106 to the ink tank 102.
• Shortcomings of these conventional techniques include the use of too little adhesive, which causes poor adhesion. In this case, a risk exists that the smartchip 106, 108 may become dislodged from the ink tank 102, 104 respectively. Alternatively, especially in the case of epoxy dot adhesion 110, too much adhesive may be used. In this case, a risk exists that the adhesive 110 may cover contacts 107 on the smartchip 106.
• An additional shortcoming of these conventional techniques is that the adhesive may permanently attach the smartchip 106, 108 to the ink tank 102, 104, respectively, especially in the case of too much adhesive or solder being used. In this case, the smartchip 106, 108 may be damaged if detached from the ink tank 102, 104, respectively.
• a data-providing-component securing mechanism for a printing apparatus reservoir according to embodiments of the present invention.
• a securing mechanism with a drawer-style support feature is provided for the printing apparatus reservoir.
• the printing apparatus reservoir is an image-formation-material ("IFM") reservoir, such as an ink reservoir or a toner reservoir.
• the securing mechanism has a retention feature at an opening end of the drawer-style support feature.
• the drawer-style support feature of the securing mechanism is configured to receive a data-providing component, such as a data storage device (e.g., a smartchip) or an RFID, that is communicatively connected to a data processing system and facilitates at least monitoring of an operation of the reservoir. Consequently, according to embodiments of the present invention, the data-providing component may be securely attached to the reservoir without the use of an external bonding agent.
• a data-providing component such as a data storage device (e.g., a smartchip) or an RFID
• the data-providing component may be securely attached to the reservoir without the use of an external bonding agent.
• external bonding agents could be used in conjunction with the securing mechanisms of embodiments of the present invention.
• the data-providing component is slid into the drawer-style support feature of the securing mechanism with pressure applied to a side of the data-providing component, as opposed to a top surface thereof.
• the data-providing component may easily be removed from the securing mechanism without damage because no adhesive or no permanent adhesive is used.
• FIG. 1 illustrates conventional smartchip adhesion techniques
• FIG. 2 illustrates a printing apparatus utilizing a securing mechanism, according to an embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 3 illustrates an engaging retention feature at an opening end of a drawer-style support feature of a securing mechanism prior to data-providing- component installation, according to an embodiment of the present invention
• Embodiments of the present invention provide a printing apparatus reservoir, such as an image-formation-material ("IFM”) reservoir, with a securing mechanism having a drawer-style support feature.
• the drawer-style support feature includes two guiding regions that interact with opposing sides of a data-providing component when such data-providing component is slid into the drawer-style support feature.
• a retention feature is located at an opening end of the drawer-style support feature that retains the data-providing component in its engaged position. Accordingly, the data-providing component may be secured to the IFM reservoir without the use of an external bonding agent, such as solder or adhesive.
• FIG. 2 illustrates a printing apparatus 2 having an image- formation-material (“IFM”) reservoir 4 installed therein, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• the IFM reservoir 4 may be an ink tank formed of polypropylene used in an ink jet printing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention. While polypropylene is an advantageous material for forming an IFM reservoir 4 because of its cleanliness and compatibility with inks, one skilled in the art will appreciate that many other injection-moldable materials may be used to form the IFM reservoir 4.
• the printing apparatus 2 may be an ink jet printer.
• the printing apparatus 2 may be another type of printing apparatus, such as an electrophotographic printing apparatus, and the IFM reservoir 4 may include other image-formation-materials besides ink, such as toner for an electrophotographic printing apparatus.
• the IFM reservoir 4 is supported by a printhead chassis 5.
• the printhead chassis 5 and the IFM reservoir 4 are mounted on a carriage assembly 8 which moves in a lateral direction as image-forming-material is ejected to form an image on a substrate.
• a component, such as a data-providing component 6 is retained by a securing mechanism 10.
• the securing mechanism 10 includes a drawer-style support feature 16.
• the drawer-style support feature 16 includes a base surface 38 that supports an underneath of the data-providing component 6 (shown in FIG. 4).
• the drawer-style support feature 16 also includes two guiding regions 22 that interact with sides 42 of the data processing component 6 when such component 6 is inserted into the securing mechanism 10 in a direction 17.
• the guiding regions 22 include a fixed wall 24 and a spring wall 26.
• the spring wall 26 biases the data-providing component 6 against the fixed wall 24.
• the spring wall 26 has a dove tail shape.
• FIG. 4 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 3 with the data-providing component 6 installed into the securing mechanism 10.
• the data-providing component has data contact pads 40 thereon that are used to form a communicative connection between the data providing component 6 and the data processing system 12 (not shown in FIG. 4).
• the sides 42 of the data-providing component 6 that interact with the guiding regions 22 of the securing mechanism 10.
• an end 44 of the data providing component 6 interacts with the stop datums 36.
• the securing mechanism 10 includes a release mechanism 34 that, upon application of a depression force, releases the data-providing component 6 from the securing mechanism 10 unharmed. Consequently, the data-providing component 6 may be reused upon removal from the securing mechanism 10.
• the securing mechanism 10, illustrated in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 may be used without an external bonding agent.
• the securing mechanism 10 can retain the data-providing component 6 in a mechanical manner, without external bonding agents, such as adhesive or solder.
• the securing mechanism 10 may include a release mechanism 34 that, upon application of a depression force, releases the data-providing component 6 from the securing mechanism 10 unharmed. Consequently, the data- providing component 6 may be reused upon removal from the securing mechanism 10.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a drawer-style support feature 16 of a securing mechanism 10 integrally formed with the IFM reservoir 4, according to another embodiment of the present invention.
• the securing mechanism 10 is integrally formed with the IFM reservoir 4 in FIG. 5, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the securing mechanism 10 may instead be its own separate part attached to the IFM reservoir 4.
• the retention feature 18 at an opening end 20 of the drawer-style support feature 16 includes staked ends 32.
• the staked ends 32 form lips or hooks that wrap around the end of the data providing component 6 (not shown in FIG. 5).
• the staked ends may be molded into their staked position by heat and/or pressure after the data-providing component is inserted therein.
• the securing mechanism 10 may be formed of a material that is moldable at a low temperature, such as polypropylene.
• the staked ends 32 may be reheated and opened to allow the data-providing component 6 to be removed from the drawer-style support feature 16 unharmed.
• heating is referred to as a mechanism for molding the staked ends 32, one skilled in the art will appreciate that other techniques, such as cold staking or merely the application of pressure for molding a material, may be used.
• Printing apparatus Image-formation-material ("IFM") reservoir
• Carriage assembly S ecuring mechani sm Data processing system Communicative connection between processing system and data storage device
• Two guiding regions of securing mechanism Fixed wall of securing mechanism
• Spring wall of securing mechanism Hook at end of securing mechanism Lip at end of securing mechanism Release mechanism of securing mechanism Stop datum Base surface Data contact pads Sides of component, interact with securing mechanism End of component , 104 Ink tank , 108 Smartchip Epoxy dot adhesive Adhesive tape backing

Landscapes

• Ink Jet (AREA)
• Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39431062

Family Applications (1)

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Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2006
  • 2006-12-21 US US11/614,107 patent/US7976138B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2007
  • 2007-12-05 JP JP2009542784A patent/JP2010513093A/ja active Pending
  • 2007-12-05 EP EP07862528.2A patent/EP2091744B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2007-12-05 WO PCT/US2007/024887 patent/WO2008088486A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2007-12-05 CN CN2007800475047A patent/CN101622135B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (5)

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