Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Filling or refilling of dispensers
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-09
2001-08-14
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Filling or refilling of dispensers
C141S002000, C141S067000, C347S085000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273151
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink cartridge refilling system for refilling a conventional printer ink cartridge, and to a method of refilling an ink cartridge.
2. The Prior Art
It is common to refill a conventional printer ink cartridge by drilling an aperture in a wall of the ink cartridge and forcing ink through the aperture and into the cartridge with a syringe. Once the desired quantity of ink has been transferred to the cartridge, a plug is placed into the aperture to cover it and thereby prevent ink from escaping from the cartridge.
While this method is satisfactory for refilling an ink cartridge, it is cumbersome and messy because it is likely to result in spillage of ink. In addition, because it is often necessary to carry out several filling operations with the syringe before the ink cartridge is full, these disadvantages are repeated with each filling operation. Also, carrying out repeated filling operations is time consuming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ink cartridge refilling system that overcomes at least some of the above mentioned disadvantages.
This and other objects are accomplished according to the invention by an ink cartridge refilling system comprising a fluid urging device, a receiving portion adapted to receive an ink cartridge to be refilled with ink and engage in fluid communication with the ink cartridge, and connectors for connecting the fluid urging device with the receiving portion and thereby with an ink cartridge to be refilled with ink. Operation of the fluid urging device causes ink to flow through the connectors and into an ink cartridge received in the receiving portion.
The invention also includes a method of refilling an ink cartridge, comprising the steps of providing a fluid urging device, connectors and a receiving portion adapted to receive an ink cartridge to be refilled with ink, and connecting the fluid urging means via the connectors with an ink cartridge received in the receiving portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5495877 (1996-03-01), Schwenk et al.
patent: 5581287 (1996-12-01), Baezner et al.
patent: 5877793 (1999-03-01), Erickson
patent: 6120138 (2000-09-01), Xiao et al.
Collard & Roe P.C.
Douglas Steven O.
Kong Keng Wah
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