Identifiable inkjet cartridge and method of preventing misplacing inkjet cartridge in an inkjet apparatus
AssigneeBenq Corporation
InventorChih-Ching Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An identifiable TAB for an inkjet cartridge. The identifiable tab contains a flexible substrate, a plurality of conductive traces formed on the flexible substrate, and a plurality of contacts formed on the flexible substrate and connected to the conductive traces. The contacts of the identifiable TAB are arranged into at least one identifiable area for aiding in identifying the inkjet cartridge.
Claims38
An identifiable TAB disposed on an inkjet cartridge, comprising:
- a flexible substrate;
- a plurality of conductive traces formed on the flexible substrate;
- and
- a plurality of contacts formed on the flexible substrate and connected to the conductive traces;
- wherein the contacts are arranged into at least one identifiable area.
An inkjet print cartridge, comprising:
- a casing having an ink reservoir for containing N types of ink, each type of ink having a different color, wherein N is an integer;
- and
- a TAB assembled to the casing, comprising:
- a flexible substrate;
- a plurality of conductive traces formed on the flexible substrate;
- and
- a plurality of contacts formed on the flexible substrate and connected to the conductive traces, wherein the contacts are arranged into N types of identifiable areas, wherein the identifiable areas are associated with the colors of ink in the ink reservoir.
A method of identifying the colors of ink contained in an inkjet cartridge by an identifiable TAB, comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one inkjet cartridge, the inkjet cartridge comprising:
- a casing having an ink reservoir for containing N types of ink with different colors, wherein N is an integer;
- and
- an identifiable TAB disposed to the casing, the TAB comprising:
- a flexible substrate;
- a plurality of conductive traces formed on the flexible substrate;
- and
- a plurality of contacts formed on the flexible substrate and connected to the conductive traces, wherein the contacts are arranged into N types of identifiable areas;
- and
- identifying at least N types of ink in the ink reservoir, wherein N types of ink have different colors, and the identifiable areas are associated with the colors of ink.
An identifiable TAB disposed to an inkjet cartridge containing N types of ink with different colors, wherein N is an integer, the TAB comprising:
- a flexible substrate;
- a plurality of conductive traces formed on the flexible substrate;
- and
- a plurality of contacts formed on the flexible substrate and connected to the conductive traces, wherein the contacts are arranged into N types of identifiable areas, wherein the identifiable areas are associated with the colors of ink in the inkjet cartridge.
An inkjet apparatus, comprising:
- a carriage equipped with a flexible circuit board (FCB);
- a first flexible TAB and a second flexible TAB respectively disposed in a first inkjet cartridge and a second inkjet cartridge electrically coupling to the FCB on the carriage, the first inkjet cartridge and the second inkjet cartridge respectively having a first plurality of contacts and a second plurality of contacts, wherein the first contacts and the second contacts are arranged into a first identifiable area and a second identifiable area, wherein the first identifiable area and the second identifiable area are associated with the colors of ink stored in the first inkjet cartridge and the second inkjet cartridge;
- a first sensor, disposed in the carriage for detecting the first identifiable area and sending a first signal;
- a second sensor, disposed in the carriage for detecting the second identifiable area and sending a second signal;
- and
- a control unit for receiving the first signal and the second signal, and determining whether the first inkjet cartridge and the second inkjet cartridge are correctly placed.
A method of preventing misplacing inkjet cartridge, adapted for an inkjet apparatus,
- the inkjet apparatus comprising:
- a carriage equipped with a first inkjet cartridge and a second inkjet cartridge;
- and
- the first inkjet cartridge and the second inkjet cartridge respectively having a first plurality of contacts and a second plurality of contacts, wherein the first contacts and the second contacts are arranged into a first identifiable area and a second identifiable area, and the first identifiable area and the second identifiable area are associated with the colors of ink stored in the first inkjet cartridge and the second inkjet cartridge;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting the first identifiable area and the second identifiable area;
- sending a first signal and a second signal;
- receiving the first signal and the second signal;
- and
- determining whether the first inkjet cartridge and the second inkjet cartridge are correctly placed.
An inkjet apparatus, having a carriage equipped with at least an inkjet cartridge, the inkjet cartridge having a plurality of contacts are arranged into an identifiable area, and the identifiable area is associated with the colors of ink stored in the inkjet cartridge, the inkjet apparatus comprising:
- a sensor for detecting the identifiable area and sending a signal;
- and
- a control unit for receiving the signal and determining whether the inkjet cartridge is correctly placed.
A method of preventing misplacing inkjet cartridge, adapted for an inkjet apparatus, the inkjet apparatus having a carriage equipped with an inkjet cartridge, the inkjet cartridge having a plurality of contacts are arranged into an identifiable area, wherein the identifiable area is associated with the colors of ink stored in the inkjet cartridge, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting the identifiable area;
- sending a signal;
- receiving the signal;
- and
- determining whether the inkjet cartridge is correctly placed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.