Ink cartridge

Details Ink cartridge Ink cartridge

1997-06-24

2001-10-16

Le, N. (Department: 2861)

Incremental printing of symbolic information

Ink jet

Fluid or fluid source handling means

Reexamination Certificate

active

06302530

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an ink cartridge and more particularly to an ink cartridge for use with a color ink jet printer.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
An ink cartridge including a plurality of ink chambers formed integrally with each other is utilized to conduct a printing operation in a color printer. The color printer typically uses inks of yellow, magenta, cyan and black. Such an ink cartridge is particularly used in a color ink jet printer.
This type of ink cartridge, which uses inks of more than one color, typically including yellow, magenta, cyan and black, frequently employs a multi-level density printing method. In cartridges utilizing this multi-level density printing method, two types of ink of each color, including one light and one deep color, must be used. In designing an ink cartridge of a multi-level density printing type, if the ink chambers containing the inks are arranged in a line, there is a problem in that the size of the tank cannot be reduced beyond a certain point because of the size of the ink supply ports required for each ink chamber. Thus, each of the chambers cannot be reduced beyond a certain width. As a result, the ink cartridge is required to be constructed with extremely large length. Additionally, it is difficult to mount the ink cartridge on the carriage when it is so long. When loading such an ink cartridge, the ink cartridge may be shifted or skewed from its proper position, and in an extreme case, it is possible that the ink supply needles may be broken.
One way to increase the volumes of the ink chambers within the ink cartridge without increasing the overall size is to reduce the thickness of the partitioning walls between the ink chambers, for example. However, this approach may result in the problem of a reduced mechanical strength of the ink cartridge.
For any number of particular types of printer, the included carriages may be uniform in size, as a result of the manufacturing requirements and parts management requirements. Thus, the outside dimensions of various ink cartridges may be uniform, and thus it is possible that improper ink cartridges may be loaded onto a particular printer.
If the outside dimension of an ink cartridge is reduced, thus resulting in a reduction in the size of each the ink chambers, and an ink chamber has had a lot of ink used from it, or is an ink chamber having a small volume, even if a slight amount of ink evaporates from the ink chamber, the viscosity of the ink retained therein will change greatly, and thus will be different than the other inks.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide an ink cartridge for use with a color ink jet printer which overcomes the problem of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, an ink cartridge is provided with a plurality of ink supply ports communicating with a plurality of associated ink chambers. The chambers and ink supply ports are arrayed in at least two linear arrays on one surface of the ink cartridge. The ink supply ports of adjacent linear arrays may be provided in a zig-zag or offset manner. With this novel and unique construction, the ink chambers may be reduced in size independent of the size of the ink supply ports.
In an ink cartridge including a plurality of small and large ink chambers, constructed in accordance with another aspect of the invention, air passages are formed in a cover member for covering the open end of the ink cartridge. The air passages communicate at first ends thereof with the plurality of large and small ink chambers and are placed in fluid communication with ambient air at the second ends thereof. The air passages communicating with the smaller of the plurality of ink chambers have a larger resistance to the flow of fluid than the air passages communicating with the larger of the plurality of ink chambers. With this novel and unique construction, the viscosities of inks in the various sized ink chambers may be kept uniform irrespective of the amount of ink contained in the chambers, thus compensating for evaporating and flow rates.
In an ink cartridge including a plurality of ink chambers, constructed in accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a reinforcing rib is formed on the ink cartridge. The lengthwise dimension of the reinforcing rib is formed larger than the widthwise dimension. A second reinforcing rib is also positioned protruding from each side wall of the ink cartridge while extending there along. Thus, the required mechanical strength of the ink cartridge can be insured, even if the thickness of the walls are reduced.
In an ink cartridge constructed in accordance with an additional aspect of the invention, at least one groove for preventing the incorrect mounting of the ink tank is formed in one of the side walls of ink cartridge. In each different type of ink cartridge the position of the groove is changed. Since each printer can be designed to accept an ink tank having only one particular groove, this unique construction eliminates the possibility of loading a wrong ink cartridge onto a printer.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention is to provide a novel ink cartridge which contains the proper amount of each color ink in proportion to the amount of ink that is used in an ink cartridge having a standard exterior shape.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel ink cartridge which is satisfactorily rigid without reducing the volumes of the ink chambers, and which cannot be improperly loaded onto a printer.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel ink cartridge which can retain the uniformity of viscosities of inks contained therein.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.


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French Search Report FR 9901612, p1, Sep. 9, 1999.
French Search Report FR 9901611, pp 1-3, Sep. 8, 1999.
French Search Report FR 9901610, p1, Sep. 8, 1999.

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