Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids – Apparatus – With means to treat gas or vapor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-28
2001-04-24
Barlow, John (Department: 2853)
Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids
Apparatus
With means to treat gas or vapor
C347S085000, C347S086000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219933
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a bag-in-carton type container which comprises a carton and a flexible inner bag bonded to the inner surface of the carton for storing a fluid inside, and also a fluid level detector for detecting the fluid quantity remained in the container.
A bag-in-carton used as a container for a liquid is usually in the shape of approximately rectangular parallelepiped. The inner bag is bonded to four side surfaces of the carton. The bag-in-carton is generally used as a container for a low-viscosity liquid such as juice or liqueur.
An ink cartridge disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 93/16968 is for use in storing a high-viscosity liquid like an ink and so on. While the high-viscosity liquid is taken out of the cartridge by sucking with a pump and so on, an inner bag deforms according to the sucking.
When the inner bag deforms, the bag pulls a display tape that covers an opening of the cartridge. As the tape is pulled and separated from the opening, an area of the opening that is not covered by the tape changes, so that the amount of the ink contained in the inner bag can be confirmed visually.
Further, a light-emitting device and a light-detecting device electrically detect the state in which the tape covers the opening. When the amount of the ink is below a certain level, this fact is displayed on a display panel.
However, according to the conventional way of detecting the amount of ink, it is required that the opening stated above is formed on the ink cartridge to confirm the amount of the ink.
In the case where the opening is thus formed on the cartridge, the carton may deteriorate in rigidity and be damaged by shocks caused in conveyance and so on.
Further, the electrical detecting of the amount can be conducted only when the ink is below the certain level. Therefore, in such a case where a large amount of printing is conducted by a printer and the printer is controlled by a remote computer, there is some fear that printing stops on complete consumption of the ink. Hence, if the detecting is not conducted before starting of printing, printing duly starts and continues. Further, if the detecting is conducted during printing, the ink may be consumed before completion of printing. This may waste time if an operator is not aware of the situation.
Further, according to the constitution thus stated, the ink cartridge can not be precisely detected to be empty. Since the cartridge emptiness is detected by judging the separation state of the display tape, a display of emptiness can be possible on the printer side when the ink is actually consumed. This deteriorates efficiency in operating the printer.
A generalized printing apparatus does not detect the amount of ink stored in a cartridge. The apparatus detects the diameter of ink-whirl inside the apparatus by measuring the capacitance thereof. When the amount of the ink is not sufficient, supplementary ink is sucked and supplied. When ink-shortage continues for some ten seconds, the apparatus judges that the ink is empty and this is then displayed.
Therefore, even in the case where an operator sets an empty ink cartridge inside the apparatus by mistake, time of some ten seconds is required until the apparatus detects this fault. Consequently, if the apparatus starts to operate in this condition, spoilage sheets may be sent out due to an ink shortage.
Further, type of ink used for printing has been increased recently and also many types of ink cartridge are provided according to the types of the ink. However, said ink cartridges can not detect the types of the ink.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made to solve the above described various problems. It is the object of the present invention to provide a fluid level detector using a fluid container of a bag-in-carton type. The detector can detect the fluid level in the carton without deteriorating the rigidity of the carton and also can detect an error setting of consumed cartridge and the like, so that efficiency in operating the printing apparatus is not deteriorated.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for a fluid comprising a hollow carton having an inner surface, an flexible inner bag attached to the inner surface of the carton for containing the fluid therein, the inner bag having a discharge port for discharging the fluid and capable of being separated in a certain separating direction from the inner surface of the carton according to the discharging of the fluid through the discharge port, separation detecting means disposed along the separating direction which is separated from the inner surface according to the discharging.
A container for a fluid as defined in the second aspect of the present invention is of such a constitution that, in the first aspect of the present invention, the carton is in a cylindrical shape having an opening on one end thereof, the discharge port of the inner bag is disposed at the opening of the carton, and the separating direction is parallel to the axis of the carton.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for a fluid comprising a substantially box shaped carton consisting of plane surfaces, a discharge port disposed on a surface of the carton, a flexible inner bag disposed inside the carton for containing the fluid therein, the inner bag being connected to the discharge port, the inner bag being attached to the carton in a substantially whole area of a pair of side surfaces which are facing each other and adjacent to a surface where the discharge port is disposed, and capable of being separated from the side surfaces in a certain separating direction according to the discharging, and separation detecting means disposed along the separating direction.
A container for a fluid defined in the fourth aspect of the present invention is of such a constitution that, in the third aspect of the present invention, the separation detecting means includes printed circuit patterns which have certain resistances respectively and terminal portions commonly, the printed circuit patterns being disposed in a parallel-connected manner on one of the side surfaces so that the printed circuit patterns are disconnected successively according to the separation of the inner bag.
A container for a fluid defined in the fifth aspect of the present invention is of such a constitution that, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, the printed circuit patterns include an end-detecting pattern which is disconnected when approximately all of the fluid is discharged from the inner bag.
A container for a fluid defined in the sixth aspect of the present invention is of such a constitution that, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, the printed circuit patterns include a type-detecting pattern which has a predetermined resistance according to the type of the fluid and is disposed on a non-separating area where the inner bag is not separated from the surface.
A container for a fluid defined in the seventh aspect of the present invention is of such a constitution that, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, the carton has a protruding flap portion on which the terminal portions are extended and formed.
A container for a fluid defined in the eighth aspect of the present invention further comprises, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, a terminal device connected to the terminal portions for leading the terminal portions to an outer surface of the carton.
A container for a fluid defined in the ninth aspect of the present invention is of such a constitution that, in the third aspect of the present invention, the separation detecting means includes a magnetic medium of a certain length, the magnetic medium being disposed on a surface of the inner bag facing one of the side surfaces so that the magnetic medium leaves the inner surface of the carton gradually according to the separation of the inner bag.
In order
Taniguchi Naoyuki
Wakayama Takahiro
Barlow John
Kanesaka & Takeuchi
Riso Kagaku Corporation
Stewart Charles W.
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