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US 7,744,202 B2Granted
Printing-fluid container
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsCharlie Steinmetz, Curt Gonzales, Peter G. Hwang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printing-fluid container includes a printing-fluid reservoir configured to hold printing fluid. A printing-fluid interface is configured to output printing fluid from the printing-fluid reservoir and an air-interface is configured to regulate an operating pressure within the printing-fluid reservoir.
Claims30
A method of supplying printing fluid, comprising:
- storing a free volume of printing fluid and air mixed together in a reservoir having an air-interface configured to provide bi-directional flow and a printing-fluid interface configured to provide bi-directional flow;
- establishing one bi-directional connection with the air-interface and one bi-directional connection with the printing-fluid interface;
- allowing printing fluid to exit the reservoir through the printing-fluid interface and allowing air to enter the reservoir through the air-interface as printing fluid is moved out of the reservoir through the printing-fluid interface during a first mode of operation;
- and
- allowing printing fluid to return to the reservoir through the printing-fluid interface and allowing air to exit the reservoir through the air-interface as the printing fluid is returned to the reservoir through the printing-fluid interface during a second mode of operation.
2 more elements
A printing-fluid container, comprising:
- an off-axis printing-fluid reservoir configured to hold a free volume of printing fluid and air mixed together therein, the printing-fluid reservoir having a leading surface configured for lateral insertion into a printing system;
- a printing-fluid interface on the leading surface of the printing-fluid reservoir and extending into the reservoir, wherein the printing-fluid interface is configured to provide bi-directional flow and output printing fluid from the printing-fluid reservoir during a first mode of operation and return printing fluid to the printing-fluid reservoir during a second mode of operation;
- and
- an air-interface on the leading surface of the printing-fluid reservoir and extending into the reservoir, wherein the air-interface is configured to provide bi-directional flow and regulate pressure within the printing-fluid reservoir by inputting air into the printing-fluid reservoir as printing fluid is moved out of the printing-fluid reservoir through the printing-fluid interface during the first mode of operation and by outputting air from the printing-fluid reservoir as printing fluid is returned to the printing-fluid reservoir through the printing-fluid interface during the second mode of operation,
- wherein the printing-fluid interface and the air-interface are both configured to provide bi-directional flow while the printing-fluid container is installed in the printing system.
2 more elements
A printing-fluid container, comprising:
- an off-axis printing-fluid reservoir configured to hold a free volume of printing fluid and air mixed together therein;
- a ball and septum printing-fluid interface on a leading surface of the printing-fluid reservoir, wherein the printing-fluid interface is configured to provide bi-directional flow and output printing fluid from the printing-fluid reservoir during a first mode of operation and return printing fluid to the printing-fluid reservoir during a second mode of operation;
- and
- a ball and septum air-interface vertically aligned above the printing-fluid interface on the leading surface of the printing-fluid reservoir, wherein the air-interface is configured to provide bi-directional flow and regulate pressure within the printing-fluid reservoir by inputting air into the printing-fluid reservoir as printing fluid is moved out of the printing-fluid reservoir through the printing-fluid interface during the first mode of operation and by outputting air from the printing-fluid reservoir as printing fluid is returned to the printing-fluid reservoir through the printing-fluid interface during the second mode of operation;
- wherein the printing-fluid interface and the air-interface are configured to block input and output of printing fluid and air until the printing-fluid container is laterally installed into a printing system and a first fluid connector engages the printing-fluid interface and a second fluid connector engages the air-interface,
- wherein the printing-fluid interface and the air-interface are both configured to provide bi-directional flow while the printing-fluid container is installed in a printing system.
3 more elements
A method of supplying printing fluid, comprising:
- storing a free volume of printing fluid and air mixed together in a reservoir having an air-interface configured to provide bi-directional flow and a printing-fluid interface configured to provide bi-directional flow;
- allowing printing fluid to exit the reservoir through the printing-fluid interface and allowing air to enter the reservoir through the air-interface as printing fluid is moved out of the reservoir through the printing-fluid interface during a first mode of operation;
- and
- allowing printing fluid to return to the reservoir through the printing-fluid interface and allowing air to exit the reservoir through the air-interface as the printing fluid is returned to the reservoir through the printing-fluid interface during a second mode of operation,
- wherein the printing-fluid interface and the air-interface are both configured to provide bi-directional flow while the reservoir is installed in a printing system.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.