Method of manufacturing an ink cartridge for use in ink jet recorder

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6224199
  • Patent Number
    6,224,199
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, May 6, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 1, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A method of refilling an ink bag of an ink cartridge for use in an ink-jet recorder. The method includes first removing the ink cartridge and ink bag from the ink-jet recorder. The ink bag may then be refilled by positioning the ink bag on a surface, inserting an ink needle into a port of the ink bag, and by discharging ink from the ink bag and charging the ink bag with a specified quantity of ink.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to an ink cartridge which is removably attached to an enclosure of an ink-jet recorder and supplies ink to a recording head, and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing an ink cartridge comprising a flexible ink bag housed in a hard case.




A conventional ink jet printer includes an ink container carried by a carriage equipped with an ink jet recording head. Ink droplets are produced by supplying to the recorder head ink that has been pressurized within a pressure generation chamber located within the ink container via a tube. However, when the carriage is pivoted, shaken or caused to travel during printing, the movement can cause the ink to become frothy or foamy. This, in turn, may result in a change in head pressure or cause print failures. Specifically, if ink contains gas bubbles, the pressure at which the ink is under drops, thereby decreasing the ability to eject ink droplets. For this reason, dissolved air must be eliminated from the ink.




Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a method for manufacturing an ink jet cartridge for use in an ink jet recorder, that overcomes disadvantages and limitations of existing methods. The present invention has been contrived in view of drawbacks in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method that enables efficient and more simple manufacture of an ink cartridge for use in an ink jet recorder.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a method of manufacturing an ink cartridge for use in an ink jet recorder, is provided. An ink bag, having a top end, and a bottom end below the top end, the top end being open and the bottom end having an ink feed port, can be hung from a first position near a top edge thereof and positioned in a vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber can be depressurized, upon which a selected quantity of ink can be charged into the ink bag. The open end of the ink bag can be sealed at a second position below the first position, and the sealed portion of the ink bag pressed to a selected thickness with press plates. The ink bag can be sealed at a third position below the second position, and thereafter cut between the second and third positions.




Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing an ink cartridge which permits efficient filling of degassed ink into an ink bag of an ink cartridge used in an ink-jet recorder that can withstand handling during distribution and use, as well as recycling.




Another object of the present invention is to propose a method of recycling a comparatively expensive ink container.




Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.




The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:





FIG. 1

is a perspective exploded view showing ink cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 1A

is a cross-sectional view showing an ink bag of the ink cartridge depicted in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 2

is a block diagram showing one embodiment of an ink filling apparatus in accordance with the ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention;





FIG. 3

is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of an ink filling apparatus in accordance with the ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention;





FIG. 4

is a front elevational view showing one embodiment of an ink bag prior to being charged with ink;





FIGS. 5A and 5B

are schematic representations showing a step of hanging the ink bag in accordance with an ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention;





FIGS. 6A and 6B

are schematic representations showing preliminary steps of filling ink into the ink bag in accordance with an ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention;





FIGS. 7A and 7B

are schematic representations showing the initial steps of filling ink into the ink bag in accordance with an ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention;





FIGS. 8A and 8B

are schematic representations showing the final steps of filling ink into the ink bag in accordance with an ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention;





FIG. 9

is a schematic representation showing the ink bag in its final sealed condition in accordance with an ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention;





FIG. 10

is a schematic block diagram showing a third embodiment of an ink filling apparatus in accordance with the ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention;





FIGS. 11A and 11B

are schematic representations showing a step of positioning an ink bag and, of charging the ink bag in accordance with an ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention;





FIGS. 12A and 12B

are schematic representations showing a step of sealing the ink bag in accordance with an ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention.





FIG. 13

is a schematic block diagram showing a fourth embodiment of an ink filling apparatus in accordance with the ink cartridge manufacturing method of the present invention;





FIG. 14

is a schematic block diagram showing a refilling apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;





FIGS. 15A and 15B

are schematic representations showing the initial steps of a process for refilling an ink bag in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and





FIGS. 16A and 16B

are schematic representations showing the final steps of a process for refilling the ink bag in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Reference is made to

FIG. 1

, which shows an ink cartridge


70


manufactured by a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Ink cartridge


70


includes a case body


2


, an elastic ink bag


1


, having ink sealed therein, designed to be accommodated within case body


2


, and a cover


3


for covering case body


2


. An ink detection plate


4


is provided preferably between ink bag


1


and cover


3


, and includes a detector (not shown) for detecting when ink bag


1


no longer contains a sufficient quantity of ink and for activating an indicator (not shown) that indicates that ink bag


1


is empty.




As shown in

FIG. 4

, ink bag


1


is preferably formed in a rectangular shape, having a width W and an ink level length L when charged. As such, referring to

FIG. 1

, ink bag


1


includes two longitudinal sides


1




b,


and an inlet side


1




c


and an outlet side


1




a


positioned between longitudinal sides


1




b.


Longitudinal sides


1




b


are preferably the same length, and are preferably longer than inlet side


1




c


and outlet side


1




a.






In a preferred embodiment, ink bag


1


is formed by overlaying superimposing two outer films


100


,


101


, one on top of the other. Each outer film


100


,


101


is formed of an aluminum laminate, and includes two layers, preferably, an outer nylon layer and an inner polyethylene layer. Inner films


102


, preferably formed of aluminum foil, are interposed adjacent to the inner surface of the outer films


100


,


101


, and create an air-tight seal when heat-welded. Referring to

FIG. 1A

, films


100


,


101


,


102


are layered, for example, such that layer


100


is superimposed on inner films


102


, which are superimposed on outer layer


102


. Ink bag


1


is preferably formed by thermally welding films


100


,


101


and


102


at longitudinal sides


1




b.


Ink bag


1


includes a port


5


, preferably formed of a plastic, which is thermally welded to ink bag


1


at a base


6


of outlet side


1




a.


Base


6


functions to impart rigidity to ink bag


1


. Port


5


is sealed at its free end with a septum


7


, which is formed from a resilient material, such as rubber, and is inserted into port


5


. Port


5


elastically engages an ink feed needle (not shown) during the printing process.




A method of manufacturing ink cartridge


70


will now be described. Referring to

FIG. 2

, an ink filling apparatus


200


constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, is shown. Ink filling apparatus


200


includes a vacuum chamber


10


having one side that can be opened or closed by a door


11


. Vacuum chamber


10


is in fluid communication via a channel


12


to a vacuum pump


13


, which upon activation depressurizes vacuum chamber


10


to a predetermined vacuum pressure. Vacuum chamber


10


includes two support rods


14


, which extend horizontally from an inner surface


10




a


of vacuum chamber


10


. Ink filling apparatus


200


also includes heat welders


15


,


15


′ and press plates


16


,


16


′ positioned below support rods


14


within chamber


10


.




A through hole


10




b


is formed in a top wall


10




c


of vacuum chamber


10


. A manifold


10




d


includes a channel


10




e


and a channel


10




f.


A needle inserter


19


is disposed within channel


10




e


and is connected at one end to an ink feed needle


18


. Ink feed needle


18


is disposed within vacuum chamber


10


, and is vertically positioned by needle inserter


19


in a direction indicated by double arrow A. Needle inserter


19


is in fluid communication with a branch pipe


21


via a tube


20


.




Ink filling apparatus


200


also includes a gas-liquid separation unit


22


. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, gas-liquid separation unit


22


includes a hollow yarn bundle


23


, which is preferably connected fluid-tight at both longitudinal ends to a cylinder


24


so as to permit fluid to flow therethrough. Cylinder


24


is connected to a vacuum pump


25


so as to produce negative pressure around the outer periphery of yarn bundle


23


. Cylinder


24


includes an inlet


24




a,


which is connected to an ink tank


27


having ink


37


therein, via a tube


26


, and an outlet


24




b,


which is connected to branch pipe


21


via a stop valve


28


. Ink


37


is pumped to gas-liquid separator unit


22


by a pump


35


.




Branch pipe


21


is also connected to a measuring tube


30


via a tube


33


. Measuring tube


30


includes a cylinder


31


and a piston


32


, and is preferably connected to branch pipe


21


at the center of one end of cylinder


31


.




Referring now to

FIG. 3

, a second embodiment of an ink filling apparatus


500


constructed in accordance with the invention, is shown where like elements are indicated by like reference numerals. Ink filling apparatus


500


includes a dispenser


36


for metering the quantity of ink


37


to be filled into ink bag


1


. Dispenser


36


is disposed between stop valve


34


of tube


20


and stop valve


28


provided downstream of outlet


24




b.


A valve


137


is in fluid communication with dispenser


36


via a tube


37




a.


Valve


137


is opened to ambient air when dispenser


36


has metered a specified quantity of ink. Ink is fed into ink bag


1


from dispenser


36


by means of the pressure differential between the ambient pressure and the pressure in vacuum chamber


10


.




Referring to

FIG. 2

,


1


method of filling ink into ink bag


1


in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to ink filling apparatus


200


. Referring now to

FIG. 4

, port


5


includes a free end


5




a


and a fixed end


5




b,


and is attached to outlet side


1




a


of ink bag


1


by heat-welding base


6


of outlet side


1




a


about fixed end


5




b


of port


5


. At the same time, the remainder of outlet side


1




a


is heat-welded. Free end


5




a


is fitted with septum


7


to form a seal. Next, inlet side


1




c


of ink bag


1


is opened, and a plurality of through holes


1




f


are formed in the vicinity of opening


1




e.






As shown in

FIG. 5A

, ink bag


1


is hung from support rods


14


by sliding through holes


1




f


over support rods


14


such that opening


1




e


of ink bag


1


is in a spread position. Subsequently, door


11


is closed to form a vacuum chamber


10


, stop valve


28


connected to gas-liquid separation unit


22


is closed, and stop valve


34


is opened as is shown in FIG.


5


B. Vacuum pump


13


, which is connected via channel


12


to chamber


10


, is then activated to depressurize chamber


10


, tubes


20


and


33


, and measuring tube


30


to a predetermined pressure.




Referring to

FIG. 6A

, when vacuum chamber


10


and tubes


20


,


30


and


33


have been evacuated to a predetermined pressure, stop valve


34


is closed. Thereafter, measuring tube


30


is placed in fluid communication with gas-liquid separation unit


22


by opening stop valve


28


, and a predetermined quantity of ink


37


is filled into measuring tube


30


. Since gas-liquid separation unit


22


is connected close to measuring tube


30


, ink flows into measuring tube


30


immediately after having been degassed by gas-liquid separation unit


22


. In conjunction with this operation, as is shown in

FIG. 6B

, needle inserter


19


is lowered such that injection needle


18


is in part disposed within ink bag


1


.




Next, as shown in

FIG. 6B

, stop valve


28


is closed to isolate gas-liquid separation unit


22


, stop valve


34


is opened, and piston


32


of measuring tube


30


is pressed to discharge the predetermined quantity of ink


37


into ink bag


1


via tube


33


, tube


20


and needle inserter


19


. After ink bag


1


has been filled with ink


37


, needle inserter


19


is activated to withdraw ink feed needle


18


from ink bag


1


to an upper position recessed within channel


10




e.


Press plates


16


,


16


′ are then moved by a presser (not shown) to compress ink bag


1


from a thickness shown as X in

FIG. 6B

to a predetermined thickness X′ as shown in FIG.


7


A. Accordingly, the level of ink


37


contained in ink bag


1


rises from a level Z as shown in

FIG. 6B

to a level Z′ as shown in FIG.


7


A. At level Z′, the quantity of ink


37


contained within ink bag


1


is slightly more than that contained in a completed product.




At this point, as shown in

FIG. 7B

, an upper portion of ink bag


1


is pinched at a first seal position


1




g


by heat welders


15


,


15


′ which are moved in a direction indicated by arrows B and C, respectively, thereby sealing ink bag


1


at first seal location


1




g.


If, at this stage of the ink-filling process, ink bag


1


was permanently sealed, a small amount of air would be sealed together with ink


37


. Accordingly, further steps are taken to prevent air from being trapped in a sealed ink bag


1


.




After the initial sealing operation, as is shown in

FIG. 8A

, press plates


16


,


16


′ and heat welders


15


,


15


′ are moved back to their original positions to permit air bubbles to aggregate just below first seal position


1




g


of ink bag


1


. When press plates


16


,


16


′ are retracted, ink bag


1


assumes a more rounded form, having a thickness X″. At this point, as is shown in

FIG. 8B

, ink bag


1


is again pressed to a predetermined thickness by moving press plates


16


,


16


′ in directions indicated by arrows F and G, respectively, by a presser (not shown) to compress ink bag


1


to a predetermined thickness X″′.




Next, as is shown in

FIG. 9

, heat welders


15


,


15


′ pinch ink bag


1


at a second seal position


1




j,


located below first seal position


1




g,


and permanently seal ink bag


1


by heat welding at position


1




j


over a width V that is wider than the width of the seal at first seal position


1




g.


In this manner, ink bag


1


remains sealed even after second seal position


1




j


has been cut.




As a result of these additional steps, ink


37


is sealed within ink bag


1


having substantially eliminated air bubbles. Furthermore, ink bag


1


is sealed while it is shaped to a given thickness by means of press plates


16


,


16


′. As a result, ink


37


can be sealed at a given ink level, thereby making it possible to accurately charge ink bag


1


with a predetermined quantity of ink


37


.




After ink bag


1


has been sealed, ink bag


1


is transported out of ink filling apparatus


200


, where upon second seal position


1




j


is cut along its center line


1




h.


While section


1




j


is cut, a cup portion


1




k


is held in position such that, upon cutting section


1




j,


ink


37


is not spilled, because ink


37


is captured in cup portion


1




k


and a small bag


1




m,


formed between first seal position and second seal position


1




j.






In the previously described embodiment, ink bag


1


is pressed to a width X′ by press plates


16


,


16


′ whereupon ink bag


1


is temporarily sealed below the ink level. Alternatively, ink bag


1


may also be temporarily welded at a position above ink level Z′ without shaping ink bag


1


.




Where an ink jet recorder is used for commercial printing or the like, a large quantity of ink is consumed. Hence, the volume of ink bag


1


is at times increased to a volume greater than three times that of an typical ink bag


1


. In such a case, great water-head pressures act on a lower portion of ink bag


1


during the ink-filling step, thereby expanding the lower portion. As a result, great tensile forces act on the sealed area, thereby causing ink bag


1


to rupture under certain circumstances.




Referring now to

FIG. 10

, a third embodiment of an ink filling apparatus


300


constructed in accordance with the invention is shown, where like elements are indicated by like reference numerals. Press plates


38


having a length L′, which is at least half of length L of an ink-filled ink bag


1


, are spaced apart from each other by an interval D which is less than one-third of width W of outlet side


1




a


of ink bag


1


shown in FIG.


4


. Lower ends


38




a


of press plates


38


are positioned slightly lower than the outlet side


1




a


of ink bag


1


. Press plates


38


are movable in a horizontal direction, designated by double arrow K in FIG.


10


.




Referring to

FIGS. 10-12

, a method of filling ink into ink bag


1


′ in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to ink filling apparatus


300


. As shown in

FIG. 10

, ink bag


1


′ is hung from support rods


14


by sliding through holes


1




f


over support rods


14


such that opening


1




e


of ink bag


1


′ is in a spread position. Subsequently, door


11


is closed forming chamber


10


, stop valve


28


connected to gas-liquid separation unit


22


is closed, and stop valve


34


is opened as is shown in FIG.


10


. Vacuum pump


13


, which is connected via channel


12


to chamber


10


, is then activated to depressurize chamber


10


, tubes


20


and


33


, and measuring tube


30


to a predetermined pressure.




Referring to

FIG. 11A

, when vacuum chamber


10


and tubes


20


,


30


and


33


have been evacuated to a predetermined pressure, stop valve


34


is closed. Thereafter, measuring tube


30


is placed in fluid communication with gas-liquid separation unit


22


by opening stop valve


28


, and a predetermined quantity of ink


37


is filled into measuring tube


30


. Since gas-liquid separation unit


22


is connected close to measuring tube


30


, ink flows into measuring tube


30


immediately after having been degassed by gas-liquid separation unit


22


. In conjunction with this operation, as is shown in

FIG. 11B

, needle inserter


19


is lowered such that injection needle


18


is disposed within ink bag


1


′.




Next, as shown in

FIG. 11B

, stop valve


28


is closed to isolate gas-liquid separation unit


22


, stop valve


34


is opened, and piston


32


of measuring tube


30


is pressed to discharge the predetermined quantity of ink


37


into ink bag


1


′ via tube


33


and


20


, and injection needle


18


.




Press plates


38


are spaced apart by approximately one-third the width of outlet side


1




a


to restrict the amount of ink


37


that enters into a lower portion


99


of ink bag


1


′. Accordingly, as ink bag


1


′ is filled with ink, the area of ink bag


1


′ just above restricted lower portion


99


bulges under the weight of ink


37


.




As ink bag


1


′ is filled with ink


37


, until the level of ink


37


is below heat welders


15


,


15


′ press plates


38


are continuously moved back and forth in the direction indicated by double arrows N in

FIG. 12A

at an amplitude that permits press plates


38


to remain in contact with ink bag


1


′. As a result, the water head pressure exerted on each portion of ink bag


1


′ is continuously changing, thereby preventing the formation of stress concentrations at particular points in ink bag


1


′. Under the force provided by press plates


38


, air bubbles escape to an upper portion of ink bag


1


′.




Next, as shown in

FIG. 12B

, needle inserter


19


is activated to withdraw ink feed needle


18


from ink bag


1


′ to an upper position, recessed within manifold


10




d.


Press plates


38


are then positioned to limit the lower portion of ink bag


1


′ to a width R, and ink bag


1


′ is pinched at a position slightly lower than the ink level by heat welders


15


,


15


′ to seal ink bag


1


′ by heat-welding.




In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, ink bag


1


′ is directly and permanently sealed at a position slightly lower than the ink level. However, as in the first embodiment, the same advantageous result may be accomplished when ink bag


1


′ is permanently sealed at a position lower than the ink level after having been temporarily sealed at a position slightly above the ink level.




In another embodiment, when ink


37


is filled into ink bag


1


″, the thickness of ink bag


1


″ is limited by ink press plates


38


whose spacing was previously set to a predetermined distance. As shown in

FIG. 13

, if a tensile force is imparted to the lower portion of ink bag


1


″ through the use of a spring


39


, for example, ink bag


1


″ can be prevented from bulging. Thus, where positioning ink press plates


38


hinders the heat welding of opening


1




e


of ink bag


1


, the welding operation will be facilitated by applying a tensile force to ink bag


1


to limit the thickness of ink bag


1


.




Next, a method of recycling an ink cartridge


70


will be described. Referring now to

FIG. 14

, a refilling apparatus


400


constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, is shown. Ink refilling apparatus


400


includes a vacuum chamber


40


having one side that can be opened or closed by a door


41


. Vacuum chamber


40


is in fluid communication via a channel


42


to a vacuum pump


43


, which upon activation evacuates vacuum chamber


40


to a predetermined vacuum pressure.




A press plate


46


, having a lower surface


46




a


to which an elastic member


45


is affixed, is disposed within vacuum chamber


40


. Press plate


46


is constructed so as to be capable of moving vertically in a direction indicated as double arrow S. A through hole


40




a


is formed in a side wall


40




b


of vacuum chamber


40


. Ink filling needle


44


projects from through hole


40




a,


and is disposed within vacuum chamber


40


. Ink filling needle


44


is in fluid communication with a suction pump


49


via a tube


48


and a branch pipe


47


, and as well as with a branch pipe


51


via a tube


50


.




Ink refilling apparatus


400


also includes a gas-liquid separation unit


52


. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, gas-liquid separation unit


52


includes a hollow yarn bundle


53


, which is preferably connected fluid-tight at both longitudinal ends to a cylinder


54


so as to permit fluid to flow therethrough. Cylinder


54


is connected to a vacuum pump


55


so as to produce negative pressure around the outer periphery of yarn bundle


53


. Cylinder


54


includes an inlet


54




a,


which is connected to an ink tank


57


having ink


37


therein, via a tube


56


, and an outlet


54




b,


which is connected to branch pipe


51


via a stop valve


58


. Ink


37


is pumped to gas-liquid separator unit


52


by a pump


66


.




Branch pipe


51


is also connected to a measuring tube


60


via a tube


63


. Measuring tube


60


includes a cylinder


61


and a piston


62


, and is preferably connected to branch pipe


51


at the center of one end of cylinder


61


. Stop valves


64


,


65


are positioned on either side of branch pipe


47


. A waste ink tank


67


is connected to suction pump


49


, which provides suction to tube


48


.




Referring to

FIG. 1

, when used ink cartridges are depleted of ink and collected by a user, ink bag


1


may be removed from case body


2


and cleaned, as required. Because the amount of dissolved air remaining in recovered ink bag


1


is unknown, mixing degassed ink with recovered ink bag


1


may cause the degassed state of the ink to become unstable, thereby adversely affecting print quality. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to fill ink bag


1


that contains an unmeasured quantity of ink, the weight of the extra ink may cause ink bag


1


to rupture or an overflow condition may occur, thereby interrupting the ink filling process.




To prevent such a problem, as shown in

FIG. 15A

, ink filling needle


44


is inserted into septum


7


of port


5


of ink bag


1


, while ink bag


1


is positioned on a surface


40




c.


Subsequently, as is shown in

FIG. 15B

, stop valve


64


is closed, and stop valve


65


is opened. Press plate


45


is then lowered from an upper position in a direction indicated by arrow T so as to apply a predetermined pressure on ink bag


1


, and thereby bring ink bag


1


into a pressed state. In this state, the residual ink in ink bag


1


is discharged to wasted ink tank


67


through ink filling needle


44


either by operation of suction pump


49


or by compression of ink bag


1


.




In one embodiment, the residual ink in ink bag


1


may immediately be reduced by applying suction to ink bag


1


while ink bag


1


is being pressed by press plate


45


. In this way, ink bag


1


can be prevented from being deformed, which would occur if the residual ink is discharged solely by applying suction by suction pump


67


.




After the discharge of the residual ink from ink bag


1


is complete, stop valve


65


is closed, and valve


58


is opened, thereby dispensing a given amount of ink to measuring tube


60


from ink tank


57


. Because gas-liquid separation unit


52


is connected close to measuring tube


60


, ink


68


flows into gas-liquid separation unit


52


immediately after having been degassed, as shown in FIG.


16


A.




As shown in

FIG. 16B

, if ink


68


is pressed out of measuring tube


60


by piston


62


while press plate


45


is returned to its original position and ink bag


1


is in an open state, a measured quantity of ink


68


flows into ink bag


1


. After ink bag


1


is filled with ink


68


, vacuum chamber


40


is returned to ambient pressure, and ink filling needle


44


is removed from septum


7


. Ink bag


1


is then removed from vacuum chamber


40


.




At this stage, septum


7


, which is preferably formed of an elastic member, remains seated in port


5


. Accordingly, when ink filling needle


44


is removed from port


5


, the hole formed in septum


7


as a result of the insertion of ink filling needle


44


, is closed thereby preventing leakage of ink


68


. Next, the refilled ink bag


1


is housed in its original body


2


, and ink-empty detection plate


4


is re-attached to ink bag


1


. Body


2


is then sealed with cover


3


, thereby completing the recycling of the ink cartridge.




Although the residual ink is discharged by pressing ink bag


1


in the previous embodiment, the ink can be sufficiently discharged solely by pressing ink bag


1


to such that ink bag


1


is prevented from being deformed, which would occur if suction alone was used to discharge the ink.




Although the discharge of ink from ink bag


1


and the refilling of ink


68


into ink bag


1


are performed in a vacuum in the previous embodiment, these steps may be carried out under ambient pressure if septum


7


maintains an air-tight seal of ink bag


1


.




It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, and those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, because certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.




It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be the to fall therebetween.



Claims
  • 1. A method of refilling an ink bag of an ink cartridge for use in an ink-jet recorder comprising the steps of:removing the ink cartridge from the ink-jet recorder; removing the ink bag from the cartridge; positioning the ink bag on a surface; inserting an ink needle into a port of the ink bag; discharging ink from the ink bag through the port by compressing the ink bag with press plates and applying a negative pressure via the ink needle while compressing the ink bag with the press plates; and charging the ink bag through the port with a specified quantity of ink.
  • 2. The method as recited by claim 1, wherein said charging step comprises charging the ink bag in a vacuum.
Priority Claims (2)
Number Date Country Kind
8-318695 Nov 1996 JP
9-132918 May 1997 JP
Parent Case Info

This application is a divisional of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/969,326, filed Nov. 13, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,403 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

US Referenced Citations (4)
Number Name Date Kind
5396268 Mader et al. Mar 1995
5732751 Schmidt et al. Mar 1998
5745137 Scheffelin et al. Apr 1998
5754207 Gragg et al. May 1998