Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Fluid or fluid source handling means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-22
2001-04-03
Le, N. (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Fluid or fluid source handling means
C347S086000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209995
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to devices for refilling image forming apparatuses with ink, and particularly to an ink reservoir which is designed to be easily refillable and a container for refilling the ink reservoir. The invention also provides an advantageous ink refill process.
2. Discussion of the Background
Image forming apparatuses, such as printers, photocopiers, facsimiles, and other wet- and dry-ink printing devices discharge ink in order to form images on paper. Typically, laser printers, photocopiers and facsimiles apply a thermosetting image forming substance such as “dry ink” or what is commonly referred to as “toner” so as to generate images on paper. As image forming processes are performed, the ink used by the device is eventually depleted and therefore, must be refilled. Certain image forming apparatuses are provided with removable ink reservoirs that are not refillable and must be entirely replaced when the supply of ink in the ink reservoir has been depleted.
Alternatively, it has been known to provide ink reservoirs or hoppers of image forming apparatuses with hinged lids that may be opened by hand, thereby allowing ink to be poured into the reservoir from a toner refilling container such as a bottle. However, the average office worker who is assigned the task of refilling image forming apparatuses is typically between the ages of late teens and early thirties and wears at least some white clothing. Toner hoppers which must be refilled by pouring toner from a conventionally-shaped bottle into an open hopper have fallen into disfavor due to the likelihood that ink will splash and/or toner particles may become airborne thereby increasing the risk of inhalation or soiling of the clothing of the user. Therefore, it is important that refilling devices for image forming apparatuses be easy to use and prevent inadvertent spillage or dispersal of ink. As used hereinafter, “ink” is intended to include “dry ink,” such as toner, as well as wet ink.
In order to reduce the likelihood that toner is spilled during a refilling operation, it has been known to provide toner refilling containers with specialized engagement surfaces which correspond to engagement surfaces provided on toner hoppers. However, it has been found that these specialized containers are expensive to manufacture and require complicated procedures for refilling a toner hopper. Therefore, in order to avoid complicated refilling procedures that must be performed by end users and avoid any risk of spillage of ink, certain image forming apparatuses are designed to receive non-refillable ink reservoirs which, after having been depleted of ink, must be replaced with an identical reservoir.
FIGS. 1 through 4
depict an example of a conventional toner hopper or reservoir
10
. As shown in the figures, the toner hopper or reservoir
10
is formed of a generally trough-shaped body
12
having a discharge
14
for feeding toner contained in the body
12
into an image forming apparatus. The outer contours of a typical toner reservoir such as toner reservoir
10
may include numerous contours, notches, or other engagement surfaces which are specifically designed to fit within a particular receptacle for a particular image forming apparatus. For example, toner reservoir
10
includes a curved portion
16
, notches
18
and inclined portion
20
. Additionally, the receptacle for receiving toner reservoir
10
may be shaped such that a particular length of discharge tube
22
must be provided to toner reservoir
10
in order for the discharge tube
22
to properly fit within the receptacle. As shown in
FIG. 1
, toner reservoir
10
typically includes a cap
24
that has been permanently sealed after toner reservoir
10
has been filled with toner.
Since the toner reservoir, such as toner reservoir
10
, includes numerous unusual contours, shapes and notches, the manufacturing cost of such a container is significantly greater than that of an ordinary bottle. Once this reservoir is depleted, it is removed and replaced with another reservoir. In addition to the problem of having to replace such a relatively expensive reservoir each time it is depleted, the user is additionally inconvenienced if they maintain several different models of image forming apparatuses, since the user must stock toner reservoirs for each different type of image forming apparatus. Therefore, such conventional toner reservoirs have burdened end users with stocking numerous types of expensive, complex shaped toner reservoirs that must be completely replaced each time the respective image forming apparatuses becomes depleted.
Accordingly, an improved reservoir, reservoir refill container and refilling system/process is needed which would eliminate the need for replacement of expensive and complex toner reservoirs and the requirement to stock various types of reservoirs for different image forming apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink reservoir which reduces the complexity and costs associated with replenishing image forming apparatuses with ink. It is a further object of the invention to provide an ink refilling system or process which allows an image forming apparatus which had previously required the replacement of non-refillable toner reservoirs, to utilize a refillable toner reservoir, while preventing accidental or inadvertent spillage of ink during a refilling operation. While the present invention is described in terms of the overall system or process for refilling a reservoir of an image forming apparatus, it is to be understood that various aspects of the invention could be utilized separately. Thus, certain components of the system or process have utility in combination and also separate from other components as will be apparent from the following brief summary of the invention.
In accordance with the present invention, a reservoir which previously had been replaced upon depletion is initially replaced with a reusable reservoir constructed in accordance with the invention. Once this replacement reservoir is depleted, it need not be replaced again (unless, for example, it should suffer from a mechanical failure). In addition, the refill kit/process of the invention provides a refill bottle or container which is utilized to replenish the replacement toner reservoir so that the replacement reservoir need not require further replacement. This refill bottle preferably includes a closure which is openable when it mates with the toner reservoir to avoid spillage of the toner as it is being transferred from the bottle to the reservoir. Of course, this closure also prevents spillage of the toner when the bottle is being stored or transported. As used herein, the terms “bottle” and “container” are intended in their broadest sense and contemplate various types of containers, jugs, cartons, tubes etc. One of the advantages of the invention is that the refill bottle can be non-descript or generic. In particular, the form of the bottle need not conform to the particular idiosyncracies of a given image forming apparatus. Once the reusable replacement reservoir is installed in an image forming apparatus, the non-descript (and thus relatively inexpensive) bottle is used for subsequent replenishment of the reservoir. Although the reusable replacement reservoir is compatible with the image forming apparatus, the bottle need only be compatible with the refill port of the reusable replacement reservoir. Thus, even if a user has plural types of image forming apparatus, once each has had a reusable replacement reservoir installed, the different reservoirs can be replenished with the same type of bottle simply by including a common refill port for the various reservoirs so that they can each mate with the same type of refill bottle.
In accordance with the invention, when the user desires to replace a toner reservoir which previously was a one-use only reservoir, the user replaces that reservoir with a reusable reservoir having a resealable opening. This rese
Grune Guerry L.
Stow, II Richard Irving
Wachter Heidi
Le N.
Mitsubishi Chemical America, Inc.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Vo Anh T. N.
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