Claims
- 1. An ink level detection system, comprising:
- a collapsible ink reservoir having first a side and a second side that are opposing;
- a first inductive coil attached to said first side, said first inductive coil having a first coil area, and first and second terminals; and
- a second inductive coil attached to said second side, said second inductive coil having a second coil area, and having first and second terminals;
- transverse to said first side and said second side such that said second coil area completely overlaps said first coil area.
- 2. The ink level detecting system of claim 1 wherein said first side includes a first region of increased stiffness adjacent said first inductive coil, and wherein said second side includes a second region of increased stiffness adjacent said second inductive coil.
- 3. The ink level detecting system of claim 2 wherein said first region of increased stiffness has an area that is larger than said first coil area, and wherein said second region of increased stiffness has an area that is larger than said first coil area.
- 4. The ink level detection system of claim 2 wherein said first region of increased stiffness includes a first stiffening element, and wherein said second region of increased stiffness includes a second stiffening element.
- 5. The ink level detection system of claim 1 wherein said first and second terminals of said first inductive coil receive an input signal, and wherein said first and second terminals of said second inductive coil provide an output signal.
- 6. The ink level detection system of claim 5 wherein said first inductive coil includes a first number of turns and said second inductive coil includes a second number of turns, and wherein said second number of turns is greater than said first number of turns.
- 7. The ink level detection system of claim 1 wherein said first inductive coil and said second inductive coil comprise conductive traces on a flexible substrate.
- 8. The ink level detection system of claim 1 further including:
- a first ink leakage detection pad electrically connected to one of said first and second terminals of said first inductive coil; and
- a second ink leakage detection pad electrically connected to one of said first and second terminals of said second inductive coil.
- 9. The ink level detection system of claim 1 further including a pressurizable vessel enclosing said collapsible ink reservoir.
- 10. An ink level detection system, comprising:
- a collapsible ink reservoir having a first side and a second side that are opposing;
- a first inductive coil attached to said first side, said first inductive coil having a first coil area, and first and second terminals;
- a second inductive coil attached to said second side, said second inductive coil having a second coil area, and first and second terminals;
- said first side including a first region of increased stiffness adjacent said first inductive coil; and
- said second side including a second region of increased stiffness adjacent said second inductive coil.
- 11. The ink level detection system of claim 10 wherein said first region of increased stiffness has an area that is greater than said first coil area, and wherein said second region of increased stiffness has an area that is greater than said second coil area.
- 12. The ink level detection system of claim 11 wherein said first region of increased stiffness includes a first stiffening element, and wherein said second region of increased stiffness includes a second stiffening element.
- 13. The ink level detection system of claim 10 wherein said first inductive coil includes a first number of turns and receives an input signal at first and second terminals of said first inductive coil, and wherein said second inductive coil includes a second number of turns that is greater than said first number of turns and provides an output signal at first and second terminals of said second inductive coil.
- 14. The ink level detection system of claim 13 wherein said second coil area is greater than said first coil area and completely contains said first coil area.
- 15. The ink level detection system of claim 13 wherein said first inductive coil and said second inductive coil comprise conductive traces on a flexible substrate.
- 16. The ink level detection system of claim 10 further including:
- a first ink leakage detection pad electrically connected to one of said first and second terminals of said first inductive coil; and
- a second ink leakage detection pad electrically connected to one of said first and second terminals of said second inductive coil.
- 17. The ink level detection system of claim 10 further including a pressurizable vessel enclosing said collapsible ink reservoir.
- 18. An ink level detection system, comprising:
- a collapsible ink reservoir having a first side and a second side that are opposing;
- a first inductive coil attached to said first side, said first inductive coil having a first coil area and a first number of turns; and
- a second inductive coil attached to said second side, said second inductive coil having a second coil area and a second number of turns;
- said second number of turns being greater than said first number of turns.
- 19. The ink level detecting system of claim 18 wherein said first side includes a first region of increased stiffness adjacent said first inductive coil, and wherein said second side includes a second region of increased stiffness adjacent said second inductive coil.
- 20. The ink level detecting system of claim 19 wherein said first region of increased stiffness has an area that is larger than said first coil area, and wherein said second region of increased stiffness has an area that is larger than said second coil area.
- 21. The ink level detection system of claim 19 wherein said first region of increased stiffness includes a first stiffening element, and wherein said second region of increased stiffness includes a second stiffening element.
- 22. The ink level detection system of claim 18 wherein said first inductive coil and said second inductive coil comprise conductive traces on a flexible substrate.
- 23. The ink level detection system of claim 18 further including:
- a first ink leakage detection pad electrically connected to one of said first and second terminals of said first inductive coil; and
- a second ink leakage detection pad electrically connected to one of said first and second terminals of said second inductive coil.
- 24. The ink level detection system of claim 18 further including a pressurizable vessel enclosing said collapsible ink reservoir.
- 25. An ink level detection system, comprising:
- a collapsible ink reservoir having a first side and a second side that are opposing;
- a first inductive coil attached to said first side, said first inductive coil having a first coil area, and first and second terminals;
- a second inductive coil attached to said second side, said second inductive coil having a second coil area, and first and second terminals;
- said first side including a first region of increased stiffness adjacent said first inductive coil and having an area that is larger than said first coil area;
- said second side including a second region of increased stiffness adjacent said second inductive coil and having an area that is larger than said second coil area; and
- a pressure vessel enclosing said collapsible ink reservoir.
- 26. The ink level detection system of claim 25 wherein said first region of increased stiffness includes a first stiffening element, and wherein said second region of increased stiffness includes a second stiffening element.
- 27. The ink level detection system of claim 25 wherein said first inductive coil and said second inductive coil comprise conductive traces on a flexible substrate.
- 28. The ink level detection system of claim 25 further including:
- a first ink leakage detection pad electrically connected to one of said first and second terminals of said first inductive coil; and
- a second ink leakage detection pad electrically connected to one of said first and second terminals of said second inductive coil.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/633,613, filed Apr. 17, 1996, entitled "Inductive Ink Level Detection Mechanism For Ink Supplies", incorporated herein by reference.
This application is also related to commonly assigned co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 08/869,038, filed herewith, entitled "Electrical Interconnect for Replaceable Ink Containers", incorporated herein by reference; commonly assigned co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 08/869,150, filed herewith, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Securing an Ink Container", incorporated herein by reference; commonly assigned co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 08/871,566, filed herewith, entitled "Replaceable Ink Container Adapted To Form Reliable Fluid, Air And Electrical Connection To A Printing System", incorporated herein by reference; commonly assigned co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 08/869,122, filed herewith, entitled "Ink Level Estimation Using Drop Count and Ink Level Sense", incorporated herein by reference; commonly assigned co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 08/867,773, filed herewith, entitled "Ink Container Providing Pressurized Ink With Ink Level Sensor", incorporated herein by reference; commonly assigned co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 08/868,927, filed herewith, entitled "An Ink Container Having a Multiple Function Chassis", incorporated herein by reference; commonly assigned co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 08/869,023, filed herewith, entitled "High Performance Ink Container with Efficient Construction", incorporated herein by reference; and commonly assigned co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 08/785,580, filed Jan. 21, 1997, entitled "Apparatus Controlled by Data from Consumable Parts with Incorporated Memory Devices", incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
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3043810A |
Jun 1982 |
DEX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
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Parent |
633613 |
Apr 1996 |
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