JP2001130024A - Method and apparatus for refilling ink container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for refilling a replaceable ink container. SOLUTION: This ink container comprises an upper section and a bottom section disposed in a gravity coordinate system. In addition, the replaceable ink container is equipped with a capillary storage member disposed therein and an outlet disposed on the bottom section. A refilling apparatus includes a fluid interconnect which is so constituted that it is inserted into the bottom section to compress the capillary storage member.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink container for supplying ink to an ink jet printer, and more particularly, to an exchangeable ink container having a capillary storage member for holding ink in the ink container and controlling the release of ink. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for refilling an ink container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ink jet printers often utilize an ink jet print head mounted within a carriage, which moves from end to end across a print medium such as paper. As the printhead moves across the print media, the control system activates the printhead to deposit or eject ink drops onto the print media to form images and characters. Ink is supplied to the printhead by a supply of ink provided in a printing system that is moved by the carriage or does not move with the carriage.

When the ink supply does not move with the carriage, the ink supply is continuously coupled to the printhead using a tube for continuously refilling the printhead. Alternatively, the printhead may be intermittently coupled to the ink supply by positioning the printhead near a refill station that facilitates coupling of the printhead to the ink supply.

When the ink supply moves with the carriage, the ink supply may be integral with the printer head, and the printer head and the ink supply are replaced when the entire ink supply runs out. Alternatively, the ink supply may move with the carriage and be replaceable separately from the printhead. If the ink supply is separately replaceable, the ink supply is replaced when the ink runs out and the printhead is replaced at the end of the printhead life. Regardless of where the ink supply is located in the printing system, it is important that the ink supply reliably supply ink to the inkjet printhead.

[0005] In addition to supplying ink to an ink jet printhead, ink supplies often add some functionality to the printing system. For example,
Maintaining a negative gauge pressure (often called back pressure) in the ink supply and the inkjet printhead, and so on. Gauge pressure is the pressure in an ink jet print head based on atmospheric pressure. This negative gauge pressure keeps the head pressure associated with the ink supply below atmospheric pressure, causing ink leakage from the ink supply or the ink jet printhead (often drooling).
g) must be enough to prevent). The ink supply is required to provide negative gauge or back pressure at the wide range of temperatures and atmospheric pressures encountered by ink jet printers during storage and operation.

[0006]

There is always a need for an ink container that reliably supplies ink to an ink jet printhead. These ink containers must provide sufficient back pressure to prevent ink leakage during normal handling and during temperature and pressure changes encountered during normal use and storage of the ink containers. In addition, these ink containers need to be manufactured at relatively low cost to reduce printing costs per page.

[0007]

One aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for refilling replaceable ink containers. The ink container has a top and a bottom with respect to a gravitational coordinate system. The replaceable ink container further has a capillary storage member disposed therein and an outlet disposed at the bottom.
The refilling device includes a fluid connection configured to be inserted into the bottom to press the capillary storage member, and further includes means for determining an amount of ink to fill the replaceable ink container. Also included is an ink delivery device that supplies a determined amount of ink to a replaceable ink container via the fluid connection. The ink delivery device is configured to deliver ink to an ink container positioned bottom-down with respect to the gravitational coordinate system to supply ink to the capillary storage member near the outlet.

[0008] In one embodiment, the means for determining the amount of ink is a back pressure measuring device for measuring a back pressure for drawing ink toward the capillary storage member.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of a printing system 10 with a cover open. The printing system 10 includes at least one ink container 12 suitable for replenishment using the method and apparatus according to the present invention.
including. The printing system 10 further includes a printer unit 14
And at least one inkjet printhead (not shown) installed in the printer. The inkjet print head ejects ink in response to a start signal from the printer unit 14. The ink jet print head is supplied with ink by the ink container 12.

Before describing the details of the method and apparatus of the present invention for refilling ink container 12, it will be helpful to first describe ink container 12 in more detail. The method and apparatus of the present invention will be discussed with reference to FIGS.

The ink jet printhead is preferably mounted on a scanning carriage 18 and moves relative to the print medium as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the inkjet printhead is stationary and the print media passes through the printhead to perform printing. Inkjet printer section 14 includes a media tray 20 that receives print media 22. When the print medium 22 advances to the print zone,
The scanning carriage moves the print head with respect to the print medium 22. The printer unit 14 selectively operates a print head to execute printing by attaching ink to a print medium.

The printing system 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes two replaceable ink containers 12, an ink container 12 for black ink and an ink container 12 divided into three colors including cyan, magenta, and yellow inks. , Which enables four-color printing. The ink container 12 is also suitable for printing systems 10 that use more or less ink colors, such as printing systems that use more or less than four ink colors. For example, a printing system in high fidelity printing that typically uses six or more colors.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a printing system 10 including an ink supply or ink container 12, an ink jet printhead 24, and a fluid connection 26 that fluidly interconnects the ink container 12 and the printhead 24. Things.

The print head 24 includes a housing 28 and an ink ejection section 30. The ink ejection unit 30 ejects ink to execute printing in response to a start signal from the printer unit 14. Housing 28 forms a small ink reservoir that contains ink 32 used by ejection section 30 that ejects ink. When the ink jet print head 24 ejects or runs out of the ink 32 stored in the housing 28, the ink container 12
Replenishes the print head 24. The amount of ink stored in ink container 12 is typically much larger than the amount of ink container in housing 28. Therefore, the ink container 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes a main supply of ink for the print head 24.

The ink container 12 includes a reservoir 34 having an outlet 36 and an inlet 38. Within the reservoir 34, a network of fibers fused together at the points of contact is arranged to form a capillary storage member 40. Capillary storage member 40 performs several important functions in inkjet printing system 10. The capillary storage member 40 includes the printing system 1.
It must have sufficient capillary action to hold the ink so that it does not leak from the reservoir 34 while the ink container 12 is being inserted and removed from zero. This capillary force must be strong enough to prevent ink leakage from the ink reservoir 34 over a wide range of environmental conditions, such as changes in temperature and pressure. Capillarity should be sufficient to keep ink in the ink container 12 in all directions of the reservoir 34, as well as any shock or vibration that the ink container 12 may experience during handling.

When the ink container 12 is attached to the printing system 10 and fluidly connected to the printhead through the fluid connection 26, the capillary storage member 40 allows ink to flow from the ink container 12 to the ink jet printhead 24. Should be. When the inkjet print head 24 ejects ink from the ejection unit 30, a negative gauge pressure (back pressure) is generated in the print head 24. The negative gauge pressure in the printhead 24 must be sufficient to overcome the capillary forces holding the ink in the capillary member 40 so that ink flows from the ink container 12 to the printhead 24 until equilibrium is reached. . Once equilibrium is reached and the gauge pressure in printhead 24 equals the capillary force holding the ink in ink container 12, ink no longer flows from ink container 12 into printhead 24. The gauge pressure in the print head 24 generally depends on the ink ejection speed from the ink ejection unit 30. As the printing speed, or ejection speed, increases, the gauge pressure in the printhead becomes more negative and ink flows from the ink container 12 into the printhead 24 at a faster rate. In one preferred ink jet printing system 10, the printhead 24 creates a maximum back pressure equal to 10 inches of water or a negative gauge pressure equal to 10 inches of water.

The print head 24 can include an adjustment device to compensate for environmental changes such as temperature and pressure changes. If these changes are not compensated for, uncontrolled ink leakage from the printhead ejector 30 may occur. In some configurations of the printing system 10, the printhead 24 does not include a conditioning device, instead the capillary member 40 maintains a negative back pressure in the printhead 24 for normal pressure and temperature transitions. Sometimes used for. The capillary force of the capillary member 40 helps draw ink back into the capillary member, thereby creating a slight negative back pressure in the printhead 24. This slight negative pressure helps to prevent the ink from leaking (drawing) from the ejection unit 30 during a change in atmospheric conditions such as a pressure change or a temperature change. Capillary member 40 should provide sufficient back pressure or negative gauge pressure within printhead 24 to prevent draw during normal storage and operating conditions.

The embodiment of FIG. 2 shows an ink container 12 and a printhead 24, each of which is separately replaceable. The ink container 12 is replaced when the ink is exhausted, and the print head 24 is replaced when the life is expired. The method and apparatus of the present invention are also applicable to an inkjet printing system 10 having a configuration other than that shown in FIG. For example, the ink container 12 and the printhead 24 can be combined into a single print carriage. The print carriage, including ink reservoir 12 and printhead 24, is replaced when the carriage runs out of ink.

The ink container 12 and printhead 24 shown in FIG. 2 contain a single color ink. Alternatively, the ink container 12 may be partitioned into three separate chambers, each containing a different color ink. In this case, each of the three print heads 24 is
It is necessary to fluidly connect to the different compartments in 2. Other configurations are also possible. For example, ink container 1
Configuration with more or less chambers associated with 2,
In addition, the print head is divided and each ink color is supplied to a different small chamber of the print head or the ejection unit 30.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the ink container 12 shown in FIG. The ink container 12 includes an ink reservoir portion 34, a capillary member 40, and a lid 42 having an air port 38 for sucking air into the ink reservoir 34. The capillary member 40 is inserted into the ink reservoir 34. The reservoir 34 is filled with ink as described below with reference to FIG. In a preferred embodiment, the height, width, and length dimensions, denoted by h, w, and l, respectively, are
Are all larger than one inch so that they have enough capacity.

In a preferred embodiment, the capillary member 4
0 is formed from a network of fibers that fuse with heat at the point of contact.
These fibers are preferably formed of two-component fibers and comprise a polyester (such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or copolymer thereof) and a low cost, low shrinkage, high strength thermoplastic polymer (preferably It has a core material formed of polypropylene or polybutylene terephthalate).

[0022] The reticulated fibers are preferably formed using a melt blown fiber process. In such a meltblown fiber process, it is desirable to select a core material with a melt index similar to that of the coated polymer. Using such a meltblown fiber process, the main requirement of the core material is that it can crystallize when extruded or be crystallizable during the meltblown process. Thus, other highly crystalline thermoplastic polymers such as high density polyethylene terephthalate can be used, as well as polyamides such as nylon and nylon 66. Polypropylene is a preferred core material because it is inexpensive and easy to mold. In addition, the use of a polypropylene core material provides a core strength that allows for the production of fine fibers using various meltblown techniques. The core material should be capable of bonding to the coating material as well.

FIG. 4B is a simplified view of the net-like fiber forming the capillary member 40. FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of a portion of the capillary member 40 cut along line 4B-4B shown in FIG. Is shown. Capillary member 40 includes individual fibers 46.
Is composed of a network of fibers that are thermally bonded or fused at the point of contact with other fibers. The mesh fibers 46 constituting the capillary member 40 may be formed from a single folded fiber 46, or a plurality of fibers 4.
6 may be formed. The reticulated fibers form a self-supporting structure that generally has the fiber direction represented by arrow 44. The self-supporting structure formed by the reticulated fibers 46 creates a space or gap between the fibers 46 that forms a path between the bent gratings. This bent path is the capillary member 40
It is formed to have excellent capillary properties to retain the ink within.

In one embodiment, the capillary member 46
Is formed using a melt blowing process in which individual fibers 46 are thermally bonded or fused and fused at several points of contact throughout the network of fibers. The net fibers, when cooled through the mold, harden to form a self-supporting three-dimensional structure.

FIG. 5 (a) shows a cross-section through line 5A-5A of FIG. Each of the individual fibers 46 is a two-component fiber, having a core 50 and a coating 52. The size of the fibers 46 and corresponding portions of the coating 52 and the core 50 are exaggerated for clarity. The core material is at least 30% of the total weight of the fiber components
From 90% to 90%. In a preferred embodiment, each individual fiber 46 averages 12
It has a diameter of less than a micron.

FIG. 5 (b) shows an alternative fiber 46 similar to the fiber 46 shown in FIG. 5 (a), except that the fiber of FIG. Is different. The fiber 46 shown in FIG. 5 (b) has a non-round, cross-shaped core 50 and a coating 52 that completely covers the core material 50. A variety of other alternative cross-sections can be used, such as tri-extruded or y-shaped fibers, or fibers with an h-shaped cross section, just to name a few. The use of non-round fibers increases the surface area of the fibers. Reticulated fiber 40
The capillary pressure and absorbency increase in direct proportion to the hygroscopic fiber surface. Thus, the use of non-round fibers tends to increase capillary pressure and the absorbency of the capillary member 40.

Another way to improve capillary pressure and absorption is to reduce the diameter of the fibers 46. When the density and weight of the fibers are fixed, small fibers 4
Use of 6 increases the surface area of the fiber. Smaller fibers 46 provide more uniform retention. Therefore, the fibers 46
Changing the diameter of the fibers 46, as well as changing the shape of the fibers, can provide the desired capillary pressure for the printing system 10.

FIG. 6 illustrates the thermal bonding or fusion of the individual fibers 46. FIG. 6 is a cross-section taken along line 6-6 at the point of contact between two individual fibers. Each individual fiber 46 includes a core 50 and a coating 52.
At the point of contact between the two fibers 46, the coating 52 is fused or fused with the coating of the adjacent fibers 46. The fusion of the individual fibers is achieved without the use of adhesives or glues. Further, the individual fibers 46 remain adherent without the need for a retaining means, thereby forming a self-supporting structure.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a replenishing device 54 according to the present invention, which fills the ink container 12 with ink. The refill device 54 according to the present invention includes an ink source 56, a compression device 58 that couples the ink source 56 to the fluid connection 60, and a fluid connection 60 that sends the compressed ink to the ink container 12. Compressor 58 applies sufficient pressure to the ink to deliver ink from ink source 56 to ink container 12. The pressure is generally related to the ink column height or ink head that must be overcome to supply ink to the outlet 36 of the ink container 12. Compression device 58
Supplies a controlled amount of ink to the outlet 3 of the ink container 12.
6 can be a wide range of equipment, enough to send. For example,
The compression device 58 may be a pump or the ink source 56 may be positioned above the ink container 12 such that there is sufficient ink head to send ink to the outlet 36 of the ink container 12.

The ink is conveyed to the outlet 36 of the ink container 12 by the supply device 54 of the present invention. As the ink is conveyed to the outlet 36, the ink is supplied to a portion of the capillary storage member, i.e., the mesh fiber 40, adjacent the outlet 36. This carried ink is sucked into the interstitial space 48 between the fibers 46 of the mesh fibers 40 by the capillary action of the mesh fibers. As ink is drawn into the interstitial space of the mesh fibers 40, the air in the interstitial space is displaced, creating an ink front 62. Ink is further stored in the ink container 12
The ink front 62 expands forward and enters the capillary member 40 as shown by the ink front 64.
This expansion of the ink fronts 62, 64 expands from a region near the outlet 36, filling the interstitial space 48 and driving air out of the mesh fibers 40 in the region surrounding the outlet 36. The ink is added when air is expelled from the mesh fibers 40 and released into the atmosphere through the air port 38 to prevent pressure on the ink container 12. Ink container 1
Once the appropriate amount of ink needed to fill 2 has been added, ink flow from ink supply 56 is stopped.

To create a space with increased capillary force which helps to draw ink into the capillary member 40, the fluid connection 6
0 preferably presses at least a slightly reticulated fiber 60. In one preferred embodiment, the fluid connection 60 is a hollow ink tube that is inserted into the outflow inlet 36 to sufficiently press the braided fibers 40.

To greatly simplify the process of filling the ink container 12, the capillary member 40 is preferably formed from at least one two-component fiber having a polypropylene core and a polyethylene terephthalate coating.
This capillary member 40 was issued on September 13, 1998 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
dy Construction Having Improved Ink Storage and Fe
U.S. Pat.No. 4,771,29 to Baker et al. entitled "ed Capability"
It is even more hydrophilic than previously used polyurethane foams, such as the absorbent material in thermal ink jet pens as disclosed in US Pat. Polyurethane foam, when untreated, has a large ink contact angle, and therefore requires the use of expensive and time-consuming steps, such as vacuum filling, to wet the foam. Is difficult to meet. Polyurethane foam is treated to improve or reduce the ink contact angle, which adds to the cost and complexity of manufacturing and adds impurities to the ink that can reduce printhead life and quality. Add. By using the capillary member 40 of the present invention, the ink contact angle is relatively reduced, and the capillary member 40 can quickly absorb the ink without processing the capillary member 40.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the method of the present invention for refilling the replaceable ink container 12. The method begins with determining the amount of ink required to properly fill the replaceable ink container 12, as shown in step 66. As shown in step 68, a fluid connection is made to the replaceable ink container 12 and ink can be provided to the ink container. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid connection is terminated by inserting the fluid connection 60 into the outlet 36 of the replaceable ink container 12.
As shown in step 70, the replaceable ink container 12
Is supplied to the replaceable ink container.

The method and apparatus of the present invention determines the amount needed to properly fill the replaceable ink container 12 and conveys this amount to the ink container 12. It is important that an appropriate amount of ink be supplied to the replaceable ink container 12. If too much ink is supplied to the replaceable ink container 12, the capillary storage member 40 may not have enough capillary force to hold the ink. If the ink container 12 cannot hold the ink, the ink may leak from the reservoir 34 during handling, such as insertion and removal of the ink container 12 from the printing system 10. Furthermore, if too much ink is stored in the ink container 12, ink leakage may occur during changes in environmental conditions such as changes in temperature and pressure. Therefore, it is important that the ink container 12 not be overfilled during the refill process.

When the printing system 10 is able to detect the use of ink in the replaceable ink container 12, it is important that the ink container 12 not be underfilled during the refilling process. Underfilling the replaceable ink container 12 can cause the printing system 10 to infer that ink remains in the ink container 12 when the ink container 12 is running out of ink. In this case, the printing system 10 continues printing even if the ink container is exhausted. If the ink container 12 becomes underfilled during the refilling process, the printhead may operate without ink (called "dry firing") and cause catastrophic damage to the printhead. In addition, moving the printhead when the ink container 12 is depleted causes air to be trapped in the printhead 24. If a sufficient amount of air is trapped in the print head 24, the print head 24 cannot properly maintain the back pressure in the print head 24, and ink leaks from the print head 24 without control. Can result. This ink leakage from the print head 24 not only degrades the print quality but may damage the printing system 10.

Determining the amount of ink needed to fill the replaceable ink container 12 has several problems. One problem is that it is difficult to determine the amount of ink remaining in the capillary storage member 40. The rest of the ink in the capillary storage member 40 is held in the interstitial space of the mesh fibers. Therefore, it is difficult to measure the amount of the remaining ink.

Another problem in determining the amount of ink required to fill the replaceable ink container 12 is that the replaceable ink container 12 often has more than one ink compartment. That's what it means. Each ink compartment typically contains a different ink color. For example, 3
The color ink container 12 has three separate compartments for containing ink. Each compartment contains, for example, one different color ink of cyan, magenta, and yellow inks. Even if the printing system 10 is instructed that one of the three inks has been exhausted, the ink levels of the remaining two inks may be different depending on what is printed. To properly refill the replaceable three-color ink container 12, it is necessary to determine the amount of ink required to fill each compartment of the replaceable ink container 12.
For replaceable three color ink containers, cyan, magenta,
It is necessary to determine the amount of each yellow ink required to fill the corresponding compartment.

Weighing the ink container to determine the amount of ink remaining in the capillary storage member 40 depends on the amount of ink required to fill the single color ink container 12 based on the weight of the ink container 12. Suitable for determining. However, weighing the ink container 12 is not suitable for an ink container having three or more compartments for storing ink. Even if it is assumed that one of the ink containers has been exhausted, there is no way to determine how much ink remains in each of the remaining two compartments. As described with respect to FIGS. 9 and 10, the method and apparatus of the present invention includes a replaceable ink container 1 having three or more separate compartments, each containing a different amount of ink.
A method is provided for determining the amount of ink required to satisfy 2. Ink container 1 having less than three ink compartments
In the case of 2, the above-described method of weighing is suitable.

FIG. 9 shows an apparatus 72 for determining the amount of ink filling the ink container 12. The device 72 includes a back pressure measuring device 74, a negative pressure or vacuum device 76, and a fluid connection 78 connecting the back pressure measuring device 74 and the capillary storage member 40 in the ink container 12. Vacuum device 76 creates a negative pressure or vacuum sufficient to overcome the capillary forces that hold the ink in capillary storage member 40. The back pressure measuring device 74 determines the back pressure, that is, the holding force for holding the ink in the capillary storage member 40. Estimating the amount of ink remaining in the capillary storage member 40 for a given measured back pressure by characterizing the relationship between the amount of ink in the capillary storage member 40 and the back pressure or retention force of the capillary member 40 Can be.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the method of the present invention for determining the amount of ink that fills the ink container 12. The conduit or fluid connection 78 is first inserted into the ink container 12 and engages the capillary storage member 40 as shown at step 80. As shown at step 82, ink flows out of capillary storage member 40 by vacuum device 76. As shown in step 84, the static back pressure of the ink container 12 is measured by the back pressure measuring device 74. Finally, based on the measured static back pressure of the ink container 12, the capillary storage member 4
The amount of ink remaining at zero can be estimated. The residual ink is estimated based on the measured static back pressure and the characteristic comparing the residual ink of the capillary storage member 40 with the back pressure. Once the amount of residual ink has been estimated, the amount of ink required to fill the ink container 12 will be
Is equal to the difference between the amount of ink to be stored and the amount of ink remaining in the capillary storage member 40.

FIG. 11 shows the inkjet printing system 10 in operation. With the ink container 12 refilled using the method and apparatus of the present invention and properly mounted on the ink jet printing system 10, a fluid connection is provided between the ink container 12 and the ink jet print head 24 via a flow tube 26. You. A negative gauge pressure is generated in the inkjet print head 24 by selectively moving the drop ejecting unit 30 for ejecting ink. The ink held in the interstitial space between the fibers 46 in the capillary storage member 40 is drawn out by the negative gauge pressure. The ink supplied from the ink container 12 to the inkjet print head 24 replenishes the inkjet print head 24. As ink leaves the reservoir through the outlet 36, air enters through the air port 38 and is present in the reservoir 34 instead of ink, thereby preventing negative pressure or gauge pressure from being generated in the reservoir 34. .

[0042]

The method and apparatus of the present invention eliminates one or more of the following problems: reduced print quality, reduced or reduced printhead reliability, and reduced or reduced printing system 10 reliability. A method is provided for replenishing a wide variety of ink containers without causing excessive or inadequate replenishment of the ink containers, which leads to the above-mentioned problems. In addition, the method and apparatus of the present invention provides a uniform ink front 62, 64 that fills the ink container 12 from the outlet 36 and expands into the capillary storage member 40 while displacing air from the outlet 36. When the ink container 12 is mounted on the printing system 10, the capillary member 4
The ink drawn from 0 contains little, if any, air bubbles flowing from the capillary storage member 40. Filling the ink container 12 in this manner reduces the inflow of air into the printing system 10 and improves the reliability of the printing system 10.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of one exemplary embodiment of an ink jet printer incorporating an ink container suitable for refilling using the method and apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an ink container and an ink jet print head that receives ink from the ink container and executes printing.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an ink container showing an ink reservoir, a network of fused fibers inserted into the reservoir, and a reservoir cover enclosing the reservoir.

FIG. 4 (a) is a view showing a mesh-like fused fiber shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 4B is an enlarged perspective view of the mesh-like fused fiber inserted into the ink reservoir shown in FIG.

5A is a cross-sectional view of a single fiber taken along line 5A-5A of FIG. 4, and FIG. 5B is a cross-section of the fiber of FIG. 4 having a cross or X-shaped core. FIG. 7 is a diagram of an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a set of fibers fused at a contact point taken along line 6-6 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a simplified view of the device according to the invention for filling the ink container shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a method according to the invention for filling an ink container.

FIG. 9 is a simplified diagram of an apparatus according to the present invention for determining the amount of ink required to fill an ink container.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method according to the present invention for determining the amount of ink required to fill an ink container.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of an ink jet printing system including an ink container to be refilled using the apparatus and method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 Ink Container 24 Inkjet Printhead 36 Outflow Inlet 38 Air Port 40 Capillary Storage Member 78 Fluid Connection

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor David Olsen, United States 97330 Northwest Charmea Vista, Corvallis, Oregon 3118 (72) Inventor David Sea Johnson United States 97212 North, Portland, Oregon East 36 Avenue 3902 (72) Inventor Jeffrey K. Pew U.S.A. 9734 Lake Oswego, Oregon, Maryle Creek Drive 17754

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A device for refilling ink into a replaceable ink container having a capillary storage member therein, comprising: a fluid connection for pressing said capillary storage member; and a back pressure for sucking ink into said capillary storage member. A back pressure measuring device for measuring, based on the back pressure determined by the back pressure measuring device, a certain amount of ink is supplied to the replaceable ink container via the fluid connection portion. apparatus. 2. The refilling device according to claim 1, wherein said fluid connection is a hollow tube inserted into said replaceable ink container and pressing said capillary storage member. 3. An ink delivery device for supplying ink to said replaceable ink container via an outlet at the bottom of said ink container, said ink delivery device being bottom-down with respect to a gravitational coordinate system. The refill device of claim 1, wherein the refill device is configured to deliver ink to the positioned ink reservoir and supplies ink to the capillary storage member proximate the outlet. 4. An apparatus for refilling ink into a replaceable ink container, said ink container having an upper portion and a bottom portion based on a gravitational coordinate system, further having a capillary storage member therein and an outlet port at the bottom portion. A fluid connection configured to be inserted into the bottom to press the capillary storage member; a means for determining an amount of ink to fill the replaceable ink container; and An ink delivery device for supplying said determined amount of ink to a replaceable ink container, said ink delivery device being positioned bottom-down with respect to a gravitational coordinate system to supply ink to a capillary storage member near said outlet. An ink delivery device configured to deliver ink to the ink container. 5. The refilling device of claim 4, wherein the ink delivery device is configured to supply ink to the ink container to expel air from the capillary storage member in a region near the outlet. 6. The replenishing device according to claim 4, wherein said means for determining the amount of ink is a back pressure measuring device for measuring a back pressure for sucking ink into said capillary storage member. 7. A method for refilling a replaceable ink container having a capillary storage member for holding ink therein, the replaceable ink container being based on back pressure for holding ink in the capillary storage member. Determining the amount of ink to refill; and supplying the determined amount of ink to the replaceable ink container to replenish the capillary storage member with ink. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of drawing ink from said capillary storage member prior to determining the amount of ink to refill said replaceable ink container. 9. The supply of said determined amount of ink to said replaceable ink container comprises providing said ink container positioned bottom-down with respect to said gravitational coordinate system to a bottom of said replaceable ink container. Done through the outlet of the
The method of claim 7, wherein ink is supplied to the capillary storage member proximate the outlet. 10. The supply of the determined amount of ink to the replaceable ink container is performed to supply a forwardly expanding ink front from the area near the outlet to the capillary storage member. The method of claim 7.