Patent Application
20080151012
This invention relates to a data-providing-component securing mechanism for a printing apparatus' image-formation-material reservoir. In particular, the present invention pertains to a drawer-style support feature of a securing mechanism configured to retain a data-providing component on or in an image-formation-material reservoir.
Conventional ink jet printing technologies use printheads that have nozzles that eject ink onto a substrate. The ink is provided from one or more ink tanks communicatively connected to the printhead. A challenge in the ink jet printing industry has been to accurately determine when ink has been depleted or is about to be depleted from an ink tank. One conventional solution to this problem has been to attach a data storage device, such as a computer-accessible memory, commonly referred to as a “smartchip,” to the ink tanks. The smartchip stores information relating to an amount of ink remaining in the ink tank. As ink droplets are transferred from the ink tank to the printhead and expelled onto the substrate (or are consumed by maintenance operations), a number stored in the smartchip representing the remaining amount of ink is decreased. Alternatively, a number stored in the smartchip representing the amount of ink that has been used (starting from a known initial amount) is increased. In either case, the information is related to an amount of ink remaining in the ink tank. In this way, the information stored by the smartchip may be used to predict when the ink tank will run out of ink.
A smartchip may consist of an integrated circuit chip which is encapsulated such that electrical contacts are provided on one surface. These smartchips have conventionally been manufactured as stand-alone devices without any independent means for attaching them to other devices. Accordingly, some conventional techniques for securing a smartchip to an ink tank 102 have involved the use of adhesives, as shown in
Shortcomings of these conventional techniques include the use of too little adhesive, which causes poor adhesion. In this case, a risk exists that the smartchip 106, 108 may become dislodged from the ink tank 102, 104 respectively. Alternatively, especially in the case of epoxy dot adhesion 110, too much adhesive may be used. In this case, a risk exists that the adhesive 110 may cover contacts 107 on the smartchip 106. An additional shortcoming of these conventional techniques is that the adhesive may permanently attach the smartchip 106, 108 to the ink tank 102, 104, respectively, especially in the case of too much adhesive or solder being used. In this case, the smartchip 106, 108 may be damaged if detached from the ink tank 102, 104, respectively. This case may be troublesome when ink tanks 102, 104 are recycled and the smartchip 106, 108 is desired to be reused for another device. An additional shortcoming, especially in the case of the pressure backed adhesive 112, is that pressure must be applied to the smartchip 108 in order to attach it to the ink tank 104. In this case, a risk exists that such pressure may damage the smartchip 108.
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for a solution to attaching a smartchip to an ink tank that reduces one or more of the shortcomings described above.
The above-described problems are addressed and a technical solution is achieved in the art by a data-providing-component securing mechanism for a printing apparatus reservoir, according to embodiments of the present invention. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a securing mechanism with a drawer-style support feature is provided for the printing apparatus reservoir. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the printing apparatus reservoir is an image-formation-material (“IFM”) reservoir, such as an ink reservoir or a toner reservoir. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the securing mechanism has a retention feature at an opening end of the drawer-style support feature. The drawer-style support feature of the securing mechanism is configured to receive a data-providing component, such as a data storage device (e.g., a smartchip) or an RFID, that is communicatively connected to a data processing system and facilitates at least monitoring of an operation of the reservoir. Consequently, according to embodiments of the present invention, the data-providing component may be securely attached to the reservoir without the use of an external bonding agent. However, external bonding agents could be used in conjunction with the securing mechanisms of embodiments of the present invention. Further, a low risk of damage to the data-providing component exists, according to embodiments of the present invention, because the data-providing component is slid into the drawer-style support feature of the securing mechanism with pressure applied to a side of the data-providing component, as opposed to a top surface thereof. Additionally, according to embodiments of the present invention where re-use of the data-providing component is desired, the data-providing component may easily be removed from the securing mechanism without damage because no adhesive or no permanent adhesive is used.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the retention feature at the opening end of the drawer-style support feature of the securing mechanism is an engaging retention feature, such as a lip or a hook. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the retention feature includes more than one lip or hook, such as two staked ends molded to wrap around an end of the data-providing component installed in the drawer-style support feature of the securing mechanism.
In addition to the embodiments described above, further embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed description.
The present invention will be more readily understood from the detailed description of exemplary embodiments presented below considered in conjunction with the attached drawings, of which:
It is to be understood that the attached drawings are for purposes of illustrating the concepts of the invention and may not be to scale.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a printing apparatus reservoir, such as an image-formation-material (“IFM”) reservoir, with a securing mechanism having a drawer-style support feature. The drawer-style support feature, according to an embodiment of the present invention, includes two guiding regions that interact with opposing sides of a data-providing component when such data-providing component is slid into the drawer-style support feature. Upon installation of the data-providing component, a retention feature is located at an opening end of the drawer-style support feature that retains the data-providing component in its engaged position. Accordingly, the data-providing component may be secured to the IFM reservoir without the use of an external bonding agent, such as solder or adhesive. In addition, little or no risk of damage to the data-providing component exists by the installation techniques according to various embodiments of the present invention. Consequently, the data-providing components can be removed from the drawer-style support and reused for subsequent applications. Since such data-providing components often are a substantial cost associated with manufacturing printing apparatuses, significant cost savings may be obtained by reusing such data-providing components upon expiration of an IFM reservoir.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the IFM reservoir is an single color ink tank or a multi-color ink tank for use in an ink jet printing apparatus. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the techniques used herein may be applicable to securing a data-providing component to other types of printing apparatuses and even other types of apparatuses generally. So long as a data-providing component needs to be easily and reliably secured to a component, the techniques described herein may be advantageous.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the data-providing component is a smartchip, such as a data storage device integrated circuit. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of components may be used, such as radio-frequency ID (“RFID”) chips.
In the case of the IFM reservoir 4 being an ink tank, the printing apparatus 2 may be an ink jet printer. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the printing apparatus 2 may be another type of printing apparatus, such as an electrophotographic printing apparatus, and the IFM reservoir 4 may include other image-formation-materials besides ink, such as toner for an electrophotographic printing apparatus.
According to the embodiment of
According to the embodiment of
Upon complete installation of the data-providing component 6 into the drawer-style support feature 16, stop datums 36 contact an end of the data-providing component 6 and prevent it from moving any further into the securing mechanism 10. In this position, a retention feature 18 located at an opening end 20 of the drawer-style support feature 16 hooks around an end of the data-providing component 6 to lock such component 6 into its engaged position. According to this embodiment, the retention feature 18 is an engaging retention feature, such as a lip or hook 30.
As shown in the embodiment of
The securing mechanism 10, illustrated in the embodiment of
According to the embodiment of
It is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and that many variations of the above-described embodiments can be devised by one skilled in art without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that all such variations be included within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.
