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US 5,329,294 AGranted
User refillable ink jet cartridge and method for making said cartridge
AssigneeRepeat-O-Type Mfg. Co., Inc.
InventorsSusan P. Ontawar, Fred Keen
Life of this patent
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AssigneeRepeat-O-Type Mfg. Co., Inc.
InventorsSusan P. Ontawar, Fred Keen
Estimating the term…
A non-refillable ink jet cartridge is rendered user refillable in a convenient manner. Hewlett-Packard ink jet cartridge #51626A is modified by sealing the vent hole at the base of the cartridge with a pressure sensitive adhesive tape, and removing the air tight ink fill plug at the top of the cartridge. After refilling with ink, a bellows type inflator bottle is used to inflate bladders within the cartridge making use of an opening in the cartridge. The ink fill opening is re-sealed either immediately before or just after the bladders are inflated, and bile inflator bobble is then removed which releases the air pressure in the bladders causing the bladders to deflate. The deflated bladders cause an area of reduced air pressure to develop over the ink fill level, which prevents the ink from leaking out of the cartridge when the pressure sensitive adhesive tape covering the vent hole at the base of the cartridge is removed.
A method for making a user refillable ink jet cartridge, said cartridge having a top portion and a base portion, said top portion having a first hole and a second hole, said first hole in said top portion being sealed in a first configuration with a plug, said base portion having a vent hole, said cartridge containing at least one bladder for being inflated with air to above atmospheric pressure, said bladder having an opening which is confluent with said second hole in said top portion, said method comprising the steps of:
A user refillable ink jet cartridge assembly having a top portion and a base portion, said top portion having a first hole and a second hole, said first hole being sealed with a plug, said cartridge containing ink for dispensing ink in accordance with electronic commands, said cartridge additionally containing at least one bladder for being inflated with air to above atmospheric pressure, said bladder having an opening confluent with said second hole in said top portion, said base portion having a vent hole, said cartridge assembly including means for removing said plug from said first hole;
A kit for refilling an ink jet cartridge with ink, said cartridge having a top portion and a base portion, said top portion having a first hole and a second hole, said first hole being sealed with a plug, said base portion having a vent hole, said cartridge having an interior portion for holding ink and for retaining a bladder, said bladder for being inflated with air to above atmospheric pressure, said bladder having an opening confluent with said second hole in said top portion, said kit comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.