INK CARTRIDGE HAVING CONNECTABLE-DISCONNECTABLE HOUSING AND INK SUPPLY BAG

Abstract

An ink cartridge comprising an ink supply bag, a housing for the bag, and a fitting attached to the bag and which has an ink egress snout for discharging an ink supply from the bag. The housing and the fitting are mutually configured to permit the bag to be connected to the housing when an ink supply is to be discharged from the snout and to be disconnected from the housing in order to dispose of the bag when emptied.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention relates generally to ink cartridges for ink jet printers, and in particular to an ink cartridge that has a connectable-disconnectable housing and ink supply bag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The cross-referenced applications filed Aug. 16, 2001 disclose an ink cartridge that has a connectable-disconnectable housing and ink supply bag.

[0006] The disclosed cartridge includes an ink bag containing an ink supply, an ink egress snout attached to the ink bag and from which the ink supply is discharged from the ink bag, and a split collar that receives or mates with the snout via an annular rib on the collar and an annular groove on the snout. The collar when mated with the snout can be rotated about the snout to any one of a number of allowable orientations. The particular orientation of the collar that is selected serves to identify the ink supply in the ink bag.

[0007] A pair of housing halves for the ink bag when connected together form a bottom opening for the collar. The bottom opening is bounded by multi-sided edges of the housing halves. The collar has a peripheral recess with a multi-sided floor that complements the multi-sided edges. This permits the collar when arranged in any one of the orientations to be trapped in the bottom opening to prevent rotation of the collar relative to the snout. Moreover, it serves to secure the bag to the housing halves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] According to one aspect of the invention, an ink cartridge comprising an ink supply bag, a housing for the bag, and a fitting attached to the bag and having an ink egress snout for discharging an ink supply from the bag, is characterized in that:

[0009] the housing and the fitting are mutually configured to permit the bag to be connected to the housing when an ink supply is to be discharged from the snout.

[0010] According to another aspect of the invention, a method of partially assembling an ink cartridge including an ink supply bag, a fitting for the bag which has an integral ink egress snout, and a pair of housing halves that are to contain the bag and at respective wall portions have opening halves that form a bottom opening for the snout when the housing halves are connected together, comprises:

[0011] attaching the fitting to the bag; and

[0012] connecting mutually engageable members of the fitting and only one of the wall portions to secure the bag to the housing half that includes the one wall portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an ink cartridge including an ink supply bag, a housing for the bag, and a fitting attached to the bag and which has an ink egress snout for discharging an ink supply from the bag, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0014] FIGS. 2 and 3 are exploded perspective views of the ink supply bag, the ink egress snout, and the fitting, as shown from opposite views; and

[0015] FIG. 4 is an enlargement of a bottom portion of the ink cartridge as shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 show an ink cartridge 10 for an ink jet printer (not shown). The cartridge includes the following components:

[0017] a pair of mating plastic housing halves 12 and 14;

[0018] a disposable flexible ink supply bag 16;

[0019] a plastic connector-fitting or fitment 18 having an integral ink egress snout 20 for discharging an ink supply from the bag 16;

[0020] a plastic single-part collar 22 for the snout 20, which functions as an ink identifier to identify the ink supply in the bag 16 such as by color or type; and

[0021] a memory chip 24.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fitting 18 is attached via a thermal seal to the bag 16, within an elongate opening 26 in the bag. During the thermal seal of the bag 16 to the fitting 18, a small amount of melted material from the bag flows between parallel ribs 28 along opposite longitudinal sides of the fitting 18 to provide an essentially leak-proof seal between the bag and the fitting. A rubber septum 30 is tightly inserted into an ink egress opening 32 in the snout 20 to plug the opening. Then, an aluminum cap 34 is press-fitted on the snout 20. The cap 34 partially overlaps the septum 30 to capture the septum, and has a center opening 36 which allows a hollow needle (not shown) to pierce the septum in order to discharge an ink supply from the bag 16 when the cartridge 10 is used in an ink jet printer.

[0023] The snout 20 has eight identical outer peripheral surfaces or facets 38 that project perpendicular from a longitudinal planar face 40 of the fitting 18 to form an octagon. See FIGS. 2 and 3. In a similar sense, the collar 22 has a center opening 42 that is circumscribed by eight identical inner peripheral surfaces or facets 44 that form an octagon. This mutual or complementary configuration allows the snout 20 to be received in the center opening 42 only when the collar 22 is in any one of eight allowable angular orientations 0° or 360°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, and 315°. Preferably, the eight surfaces 44 of the collar 22 are aligned with the eight surfaces 38 of the snout 20 to position the collar relative to the snout in a selected one of the eight orientations. Then, the collar 22 is mated with the snout 20 in the selected orientation. Respective contact between the eight surfaces 38 and the eight surfaces 44 prevents the collar 22 from being rotated about the snout 22 and thus serves to fix the collar in the selected orientation. The selected orientation provides a visible indication that serves to identify the ink supply in the bag 16 such as by color or type.

[0024] As described in the cross-referenced applications filed Aug. 16, 2001 and incorporated into this application, the collar 22 has a key slot or keyway 46 that is positioned in accordance with the selected orientation of the collar. The hollow needle (not shown) for piercing the septum in order to discharge an ink supply from the bag 16 when the cartridge 10 is used in an ink jet printer is mounted on a key assembly (not shown) having a key tab intended to be received in the key slot 46. The particular orientation of the key assembly must match the selected orientation of the collar 22 in order for the key tab to be received in the key slot 46.

[0025] The number of the surfaces 38 of the snout 20 and the number of the surfaces 44 of the collar 22, need not each be eight (although they must be the same number). Preferably, the number of the surfaces 38 of the snout 20 and the number of the surfaces 44 of the collar 22 fall within the range 4-12. All that is necessary is that the number of the surfaces 38 of the snout 20 and the number of the surfaces 44 of the collar 22 form similar complementary polygons.

[0026] The housing halves 12 and 14 at respective bottom wall portions 48 and 50 have opening halves 52 and 54 that form a bottom opening when the housing halves are connected together. See FIGS. 1 and 4. The fitting 18 has a pair of L-shaped engageable members or tabs 56 and 58 that project from respective areas of the face 40 (of the fitting) which are spaced from the snout 20. In a similar sense, a pair of L-shaped engageable members or tabs 60 and 62 project from an inner side 64 of the wall portion 50 and are spaced from the opening half 52. The L-shaped engageable members 56 and 58 extend in opposite directions as do the L-shaped engageable members 60 and 62. This complementary arrangement or mutual configuration permits the L-shaped member 56 to engage the L-shaped member 60 and the L-shaped member 58 to engage the L-shaped member 62 when the bag 16 is placed on the housing half 14. The bag 16 is thus secured in place. At the same time as shown in FIG. 4 an edge 65 of the opening half 54 is received in an outer peripheral groove 66 in the collar 22 to support the collar. Then, when the housing half 12 is connected to the housing half 14, an edge 68 of the opening half 52 is received in the groove 66.

[0027] When the bag 16 is emptied, it can be removed from the cartridge 10 and disposed of. All that is required is that the housing half 12 be disconnected from the housing half 14 and the L-shaped engageable members 56 and 58 be disengaged from the L-shaped engageable members 60 and 62. The collar 22 can be removed from the snout 20 if it is to be reused.

[0028] Other L-shaped engageable members can be provided on the fitting 18 and the housing half 14 in addition to the L-shaped engageable members 56 and 58 and the L-shaped engageable members 60 and 62. Also, it is not necessary that these engageable members be L-shaped. A number of known engagements or interlocks can be used instead, such as pins in holes, etc.

[0029] When the housing halves 12 and 14 are connected together, the memory chip 24 resides in respective opposite pockets 70 and 72 in the housing halves. See FIGS. 1 and 4.

[0030] The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge comprising an ink supply bag, a housing for said bag, and a fitting attached to said bag and which has an ink egress snout for discharging ink supply from said bag, is characterized in that: said housing and said fitting are mutually configured to permit said bag to be connected to said housing when an ink supply is to be discharged from said snout.

2. An ink cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein a collar mates with said snout when said collar is in a selected orientation to fix said collar in that orientation in order to provide an identification of an ink supply in said bag.

3. An ink cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing and said fitting have respective tabs that mutually engage and disengage to connect and disconnect said bag to and from said housing.

4. An ink cartridge comprising an ink supply bag, a fitting attached to said bag and which has an ink egress snout, and a housing for said bag including a wall with an opening for said snout, is characterized in that: said wall and said fitting have mutually engageable members that engage to connect said bag to said wall in order to secure said bag within said housing and that disengage to disconnect said bag from said wall in order to permit said bag to be removed from said housing.

5. An ink cartridge as recited in claim 4, wherein said engageable members of said wall and said fitting are respective projecting tabs that can engage and disengage.

6. An ink cartridge as recited in claim 3, wherein said engageable members of said wall and said fitting project from said wall and said fitting and are complementary shaped to permit them to engage and disengage.

7. An ink cartridge as recited in claim 3, wherein said engageable members of said wall and said fitting are provided on an inner side of said wall and on an area of said fitting spaced from said snout.

8. An ink cartridge as recited in claim 3, wherein said engageable members of said wall and said fitting constitute a quantity of at least two on said wall and at least two on said fitting.

9. An ink cartridge as recited in claim 3, wherein a collar mates with said snout when said collar is in a selected orientation to fix said collar in that orientation in order to provide an identification of an ink supply in said bag.

10. An ink cartridge comprising an ink supply bag, a housing for said bag, and a fitting attached to said bag and which has an ink egress snout for discharging an ink supply from said bag, is characterized in that: said housing and said fitting have mutually engageable means for permitting said bag to be connected to said housing when an ink supply is to be discharged from said snout and to be disconnected from said housing in order to dispose of said bag when emptied.

11. An ink cartridge comprising an ink supply bag, a fitting attached to said bag and which has an integral ink egress snout, and a pair of housing halves that contain said bag and at respective wall portions have opening halves that form a bottom opening for said snout when said housing halves are connected together, is characterized in that: said fitting and only one of said wall portions each have mutually engageable members that permit said bag to be connected to the one wall portion in order to secure said bag to the housing half that includes the one wall portion and to be disconnected from the one wall portion in order to discard said bag when emptied.

12. An ink cartridge as recited in claim 11, wherein said engageable members of the one wall portion are spaced from said opening half in that wall portion and said engageable members of said fitting are spaced from said snout.

13. A method of partially assembling an ink cartridge including an ink supply bag, a fitting for the bag which has an integral ink egress snout, and a pair of housing halves that are to contain the bag and at respective wall portions have opening halves that form a bottom opening for the snout when the housing halves are connected together, said method comprising: attaching the fitting to the bag; and connecting mutually engageable members of the fitting and only one of the wall portions to secure the bag to the housing half that includes the one wall portion.