Abstract: An ink delivery system of an inkjet printer includes a scanning carriage having an ink interconnect coupled, via a flexible tube, to an ink output of a stationary pressure regulator. An ink input of the pressure regulator is connected, via a tube, to a stationary ink supply having replaceable ink cartridges. A relatively small semi-permanent, but replaceable, or permanent print cartridge contains one or more printheads and one or more ink interconnects, one interconnect for each color ink which is printable by the print cartridge. The print cartridge is inserted in the scanning carriage so as to create a fluid coupling between the printhead and the flexible tube leading to the scanning carriage. In the preferred embodiment, the ink pressure regulator is located proximate to the rest position of the carriage to prevent drooling from the printhead should the printer be tipped to a non-level orientation.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment, an inkjet printer includes a replaceable print cartridge which is inserted into a scanning carriage. The print cartridge contains a regulator valve. An ink tube extends from the scanning carriage to a separate, disposable ink supply cartridge located within the printer. A second valve connected between the ink tube and the ink supply cartridge is automatically actuated when it is determined that the printer is not being used. The valve seal is more reliable than the inexpensive one-way valve seal in the disposable ink supply cartridge. The reliable valve seal prevents any air bubbles in the tube from expanding toward the ink supply cartridge, enabling the use of more flexible tubes which have less stringent air diffusion characteristics. In another embodiment, instead of a valve, a pressure source is connected to the ink tube to maintain the partial air pressure within the tube at approximately ambient pressure.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment, an inkjet printer includes a replaceable print cartridge which is inserted into a scanning carriage. An ink tube extends from the scanning carriage to a separate ink supply located within the printer. A fluid interconnect on the print cartridge connects to a fluid interconnect on the carriage when the print cartridge is inserted into the carriage to complete the fluid connection between the external ink supply and the print cartridge. In one embodiment, the fluid interconnection is made between the print cartridge and the ink tube simply by placing the print cartridge into a stall in the scanning carriage. A flexible ink conduit is connected to the fluid interconnect on the carriage to enable the fluid interconnect to have a degree of movement to allow precise alignment with the fluid interconnect on the print cartridge. A pressure regulator, which may be internal or external to the print cartridge, regulates the flow of ink from the external ink supply to the print cartridge.

Abstract: A free-ink inkjet pen is adapted to be fluidically coupled to a positive pressure, off-axis ink reservoir. The pen includes a pressure regulator mechanism in an ink accumulation chamber fluidically coupled to a print head mechanism maintained at a predetermined back pressure by the pressure regulator. A flexible bag is maintained at atmospheric pressure within the accumulator and acts as an actuator against a pressure regulator bias. In the preferred embodiment, the pressure regulator mechanism includes an actuation lever and a pressure regulation lever biased toward each other. The flexible bag is mounted between the levers where by expanding and contracting both levers are actuated appropriately. A variety of bag fabrication configurations, bag materials, and valve seat materials are disclosed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an air purge apparatus includes a first station and a second station. The print cartridge is mounted in the first station with its nozzles facing downward. The first station includes a bellows, or any other pump, for pressurizing a diaphragm internal to a regulator-based inkjet print cartridge. This opens a regulator valve which allows air to be purged out of the print cartridge body. The print cartridge is then positioned in the second station with its nozzles facing upwards. The second station includes a pump for supplying a negative pressure to the nozzles of the print cartridge so as to purge air from the manifold of the print cartridge. In another embodiment, the stations are deleted, and the print cartridge is held in place manually. A syringe may be used for the pressure source. In another embodiment, ink at a high pressure is supplied to an ink inlet port of the print cartridge to open the regulator valve and to purge air through the nozzles.

Abstract: Described is a printing system including a first array of ink ejection elements formed on a first substrate surface for ejecting droplets of a first ink, a second array of ink ejection elements formed on a second substrate surface for ejecting droplets of a second ink, a memory element associated with the first and second arrays of ink ejection elements contains parameters that relate droplet ejection characteristics of the first and second array of ink ejection elements. The droplet ejection characteristics may contain ink ejection alignment data that enables the calculation of the relative alignment between the first and second arrays of ink ejection elements such that droplets of the first ink can be effectively aligned with droplets of the second ink. Also, ink droplet volume data enables the calculation of the relative drop volume between the first and second arrays of ink ejection elements such that the printing system can provide hue control.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment, an inkjet printer includes a replaceable print cartridge which is inserted into a scanning carriage. An ink tube extends from the scanning carriage to a separate ink supply located within the printer. A fluid interconnect on the print cartridge connects to a fluid interconnect on the carriage when the print cartridge is inserted into the carriage to complete the fluid connection between the external ink supply and the print cartridge. In one embodiment, the fluid interconnection is made between the print cartridge and the ink tube simply by placing the print cartridge into a stall in the scanning carriage. A pressure regulator, which may be internal or external to the print cartridge, regulates the flow of ink from the external ink supply to the print cartridge. The external ink supply may be pressurized or non-pressurized.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment, an inkjet printer includes a replaceable print cartridge which is inserted into a scanning carriage. An ink tube extends from the scanning carriage to a separate ink supply located within the printer. A fluid interconnect on the print cartridge connects to a fluid interconnect on the carriage when the print cartridge is inserted into the carriage to complete the fluid connection between the external ink supply and the print cartridge. In one embodiment, the fluid interconnection is made between the print cartridge and the ink tube simply by placing the print cartridge into a stall in the scanning carriage. A pressure regulator, which may be internal or external to the print cartridge, regulates the flow of ink from the external ink supply to the print cartridge. The external ink supply may be pressurized or non-pressurized.

Abstract: A fail-safe, backup valve for an ink-jet print head in a pressurized ink delivery system. The backup valve is in series with and is actuated by a back pressure regulator if the operating pressure of the print head approaches atmospheric pressure during operation.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing ink to an ink-jet print head in a print cartridge at substantially constant pressure and for compensating for air within the print cartridge. A flexible bag is maintained at atmospheric pressure within the print cartridge and actuates a pressure regulator also within the print cartridge. By expanding and contracting, the bag compensates for changes in pressure and temperature that occur while the pressure regulator is shut and that affect air entrapped within the print cartridge.

Abstract: An ink supply for an ink-jet printer is provided with a main reservoir, which is typically maintained at ambient pressure. The main reservoir is coupled to a variable volume chamber via a one-way valve which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber and prevents the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir. The chamber is coupled to a fluid outlet which is normally closed to prevent the flow of ink. However, when the ink supply is installed in a printer, the fluid outlet establishes a fluid connection between the chamber and the printer. The chamber is part of a pump provided with the ink supply that can be actuated to supply ink from the reservoir to the printer.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment, an inkjet printer includes a replaceable print cartridge which is inserted into a scanning carriage. An ink tube extends from the scanning carriage to a separate ink supply located within the printer. A fluid interconnect on the print cartridge connects to a fluid interconnect on the carriage when the print cartridge is inserted into the carriage to complete the fluid connection between the external ink supply and the print cartridge. In one embodiment, the fluid interconnection is made between the print cartridge and the ink tube simply by placing the print cartridge into a stall in the scanning carriage. A pressure regulator internal to the print cartridge regulates the flow of ink from the external ink supply to the print cartridge. The external ink supply may be pressurized or non-pressurized.

Abstract: An ink jet printer having an air purge feature that eliminates air from an ink delivery pathway. The printer includes an ink jet pen body housing having a containment chamber for holding ink, and a printhead that draws ink by capillary action from the containment chamber into a firing chamber and expels ink droplets through orifices. A remote supply of ink provides ink directly to the containment chamber through a supply line that directly communicates with the containment chamber and pulls ink from the remote supply as ink in the pen is used during printing. The pen is initialized by introducing ink under pressure from the remote supply into the supply line until ink fills the supply line and entire containment chamber with ink. Air is vented out of the supply tube and containment chamber as ink fills them.

Abstract: The present invention relates to free-ink type ink-jet pens. A spring-loaded regulator mechanism is provided within the pen to allow ink from a pressurized ink reservoir to be fed to the pen while maintaining a predetermined set point back-pressure at the printhead as needed for appropriate pen operation. A mechanism in communication with the ambient atmosphere is used in conjunction with a substantially constant force biasing mechanism to maintain the balance between the countervailing forces. Back-pressure is maintained substantially constant regardless of the ink flow rate from the ink reservoir into the pen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to free-ink type ink-jet pens and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for purging air from an on-axis ink accumulator. A biased regulator mechanism is provided within the pen to allow ink from a pressurized ink reservoir to be fed to the pen while maintaining a predetermined set point back-pressure at the printhead as needed for appropriate pen operation. A mechanism in communication with the ambient atmosphere is used in conjunction with a substantially constant force biasing mechanism to maintain the balance between the countervailing forces. Back-pressure is maintained substantially constant regardless of the ink flow rate from the ink reservoir into the accumulator. By application of a positive pressure to the ambient atmosphere mechanism, the biased regulator mechanism is forced open and any gas bubbles trapped within the accumulator is forced out through the reservoir ink feed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to free-ink type ink-jet pens. A spring-loaded regulator mechanism is provided within the pen to allow ink from a pressurized ink reservoir to be fed to the pen while maintaining a predetermined set point back-pressure at the printhead as needed for appropriate pen operation. A mechanism in communication with the ambient atmosphere is used in conjunction with a substantially constant force biasing mechanism to maintain the balance between the countervailing forces. Back-pressure is maintained substantially constant regardless of the ink flow rate from the ink reservoir into the pen.

Abstract: An ink supply for an ink-jet printer is provided with a main reservoir, which is typically maintained at ambient pressure. The main reservoir is coupled to a variable volume chamber via a one-way valve which allows the flow of ink from the reservoir to the chamber and prevents the flow of ink from the chamber to the reservoir. The chamber is coupled to a fluid outlet which is normally closed to prevent the flow of ink. However, when the ink supply is installed in a printer, the fluid outlet establishes a fluid connection between the chamber and the printer. The chamber is part of a pump provided with the ink supply that can be actuated to supply ink from the reservoir to the printer.

Abstract: An ink cartridge has a body comprised of a plurality of wall panels that are resiliently hinged to adjacent wall panels. The wall panels define a cavity within the body for storing ink when the body is in a full configuration. The body collapses from the full configuration to an empty configuration as ink is removed from the body. The wall panels collapse inwardly about the hinges to lie flat against one another to reduce the cavity volume. A frame frames the plurality of wall panels of the body. The frame resiliently expands as the wall panels collapse flat together within the frame. The resilient expansion of the frame and the panel collapse about the hinges biases the body toward the full configuration.

Abstract: The valving assembly includes an ink container, a valve body, a rotatable valve having a conduit, a receptacle configured to mate with the conduit and a rotatable valve actuator. The ink container is mounted to the valve body that receives the rotatable valve therein. The valve is rotatable into a position that permits ink to flow from the container. The valve is firmly held against the valve body to prevent leaks from the closed valve. The container, valve and valve body are all formed of the same plastic material, thereby to facilitate recycling of the ink container with its valve.

Abstract: The connector assembly provides leak protection to enable the disconnection of a filled or partially filled ink cartridge from an ink-jet printer without leaking ink. The connector assembly includes a valve assembly having a fitment and a valve attached thereto. The valve is movable to close a passageway formed through the fitment when the ink cartridge is disconnected from a coupler connected to the printer. The coupler may be used to open the valve to permit ink flow from the ink cartridge to the printer.