# US 11,305,525 B2 · Print substance reservoirs

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- Number: US 11,305,525 B2
- Document ID: US11305525B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/049,139
- Filed: 2018-07-13
- Published: 2021-08-19
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-13
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Howard G Wong; Wesley R Schalk; Kris R Livingston; Duane A Koehler; Kenneth Williams; Tyler Kapp
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305525B2

## CPC

- B41F 31/02: Ducts, containers, supply or metering devices
- B41J 2/17506: {Refilling of the cartridge}
- B41J 2/17509: {Whilst mounted in the printer}
- B41J 2/17523: {Ink connection}
- B41J 2/17546: {electronically}
- B41F: PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES (manifolding devices or office printing machines B41L)
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

An example printing device may comprise an indicator to convey information to a user, a print substance reservoir to house a print substance, where the print substance reservoir is communicatively coupled to a fill port, a sensor to determine when a refill container is connected to the fill port, a processing resource, and a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions executable by the processing resource to transmit signals to the indicator responsive to an indication that the sensor has detected the refill container connected to the fill port, where the signals correspond to the information to be conveyed by the indicator, and authenticate the refill container.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printing device comprising:
a print substance reservoir to house a print substance, wherein the print substance reservoir is communicatively coupled to a fill port;
an indicator to convey information to a user;
a sensor to determine when a refill container is connected to the fill port;
a processing resource; and
a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions executable by the processing resource to:
transmit signals to the indicator responsive to an indication that the sensor has detected the refill container connected to the fill port, wherein the signals correspond to the information to be conveyed by the indicator; and
authenticate the refill container.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The printing device of claim 1, wherein the indicator is to convey information to the user through haptic feedback and user instructions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The printing device of claim 1, wherein a memory device included in the refill container is used to authenticate the refill container and the print substance inside the refill container.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The printing device of claim 3, further comprising the medium to receive a refill container information from the memory device included in the refill container responsive to the refill container connecting to the fill port.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The printing device of claim 4, wherein the refill container information comprises information about the print substance in the refill container.

### Claim 6

A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processing resource to:
provide user instructions responsive to a refill container connecting to a fill port, wherein the user instructions include haptic feedback;
determine if an approved refill container is connected to a correct fill port; and
refill a print substance reservoir responsive to a determination that the approved refill container is connected to the correct fill port.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The medium of claim 6, storing instructions to detect when a seal is in an open position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The medium of claim 6, storing instructions to determine when the refill container is properly connected to the fill port; and
provide feedback responsive to a determination that the refill container is properly connected to the fill port.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The medium of claim 6, storing instructions to provide audio feedback, visual feedback, and a combination thereof responsive to the refill container connecting to the fill port.

### Claim 10

A method comprising:
detecting, by a processing resource, when a refill container is connected to a fill port;
receiving, by the processing resource, a refill container information from a memory device included in the refill container;
determining, by the processing resource, if a refill process should initiate;
refilling, by the processing resource, a print substance reservoir responsive to a determination that the refill process should initiate;
providing, by the processing resource, haptic feedback to convey information to a user responsive to initiation of the refill process.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising providing feedback to convey information to the user via an audio mechanism, a visual mechanism, and a combination thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising providing written feedback, graphic feedback, and a combination thereof via a display screen.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying instructions to refill the print substance reservoir during the refill process via the display screen.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising connecting to a network to compare the refill container information with a network information responsive to a received refill container information.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising updating the refill container information after the transfer of print substance is completed.