Ink cartridge with color discrimination structure

Details Ink cartridge with color discrimination structure Ink cartridge with color discrimination structure

2001-08-16

2003-04-29

Nghiem, Michael (Department: 2863)

Incremental printing of symbolic information

Ink jet

Ejector mechanism

C347S086000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06554402

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the following applications filed on even date herewith in the name of Trafton et al.:
1. U.S. application Ser. No. 09/931,420 field on Aug. 16, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,166, and entitled “INK CARTRIDGE WITH ALIGNMENT FEATURES AN METHOD OF INSERTING CARTRIDGE INTO A PRINTER RECEPTACLE”;
2. U.S. application Ser. No. 09/931,521 filed on Aug. 16, 2001, now allowed, and entitled “INK CARTRIDGE WITH MEMORY CHIP AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING” and
3. U.S. application Ser. No. 09/931,313 filed on Aug. 16, 2001, now allowed, and entitled “INK CARTRIDGE WITH INTERNAL INK BAG AND METHOD OF FILLING”.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to ink jet printing systems that make use of replaceable ink cartridges. More particularly, the present invention relates to a replaceable ink cartridge that includes a feature that is oriented in a particular fashion as to identify it with a particular color of ink contained within it.
With ink jet printers using a remotely located ink cartridge comes the ability to increase the volume of the ink cartridge without impacting the ability of the print bead carriage to perform its function during the printing process. Typically the mass of the carriage supporting the print heads needs to be reduced so as to minimize the inertial load on it during acceleration. The ink is supplied to the print heads using flexible tubing. The remotely located ink cartridge is usually joined with the printer using a receiver which guides and aligns the ink cartridge to interface components such as an ink access point and electrical contacts. Care must be taken to prevent the insertion of a specific color of ink contained within the ink cartridge into a receiver slot intended for another color. If this were to occur, cross contamination of the two color inks would result requiring an extensive clean and purge process.
One concept (U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,146) preventing the inadvertent insertion of the wrong color ink cartridge into a receiver includes using tabs protruding from the sides of the ink cartridge that engage a track formed in the sheet metal or plastic receiver housing. The tab location or number of tabs is varied from color to color preventing insertion of the wrong color in the wrong receiver. This adds cost to the ink cartridge due to the need to mold unique ink cartridge housings for each color ink.
Another known concept uses uniquely shaped cartridge housings for each color preventing the insertion of the wrong color into the receiver slot. This also adds cost to the product by requiring unique tooling for each of the specific color housing.
Still another concept (U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,344) involves creating a tab like feature of a particular shape and varying the size of it from color to color. This, too, requires unique tooling for the manufacture of each color ink cartridge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an ink cartridge with an improved structure for providing color identification or discrimination so the same parts can be used in ink cartridges containing different colors of ink and yet maintain the discrimination function. This and other objects of the invention are accomplished with the novel features of a cartridge structure and methods as set forth in the independent claims appended hereto.
The invention, and its objects and advantages, will become more apparent in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments presented below when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4853708 (1989-08-01), Walters
patent: 4907019 (1990-03-01), Stephens
patent: 5138344 (1992-08-01), Ujita
patent: D341157 (1993-11-01), Kitahara et al.
patent: 5293913 (1994-03-01), Preszler
patent: 5406320 (1995-04-01), Durst et al.
patent: 5408746 (1995-04-01), Thoman et al.
patent: 5519422 (1996-05-01), Thoman et al.
patent: 5530531 (1996-06-01), Girard
patent: 5666146 (1997-09-01), Mochizuki et al.
patent: 5710579 (1998-01-01), Hahs et al.
patent: 5920333 (1999-07-01), Bates
patent: 5959647 (1999-09-01), Claramunt et al.
patent: 6183077 (2001-02-01), Hmelar et al.
patent: 6203147 (2001-03-01), Battey et al.
patent: 6416166 (2002-07-01), Robinson et al.
patent: 3405 164 (1985-08-01), None
patent: 359214656 (1984-12-01), None
patent: 363004953 (1988-01-01), None
patent: 5-345423 (1993-12-01), None
USSN 29/146,820 filed Aug. 16, 2001, Ink Cartridge, R. Winfield Trafton et al.
USSN 29/146,821 filed Aug. 16, 2001, Ink Cartridge With Integral Handle, R. Winfield Trafton, et al.
USSN 29/146,819 filed Aug. 16, 2001, Ink Cartridge With Ink Color Discrimination Structure, R. Winfield Trafton, et al.
USSN 09/931,521 filed Aug. 16, 2001, Ink Cartridge With Memory Chip and Method of Assembling, R. Winfield Trafton, et al.
USSN 09/931,420 filed Aug. 16, 2001, Ink Cartridge With Alignment Features and Method of Inserting Cartridge Into a Printer Receptacle, Scott C. Robinson et al.
USSN 09/931,313 filed Aug. 16, 2001, Ink Cartridge With Internal Ink Bag and Method of Filling, R. Winfield Trafton, et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Ink cartridge with color discrimination structure does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Ink cartridge with color discrimination structure, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ink cartridge with color discrimination structure will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3001200