Abstract: An ink cartridge carrying a supply of ink includes a base assembly forming an ink reservoir. A first ink tank is provided having a foam core for carrying the ink, the foam core being coupled in fluid communication with the ink reservoir. A second ink tank is provided having a bladder for carrying the ink, the bladder being coupled in fluid communication with the ink reservoir and coupled in fluid communication with the first ink tank via said ink reservoir.

Abstract: An ink cartridge carrying a supply of ink includes a base assembly forming an ink reservoir. A first ink tank is provided having a foam core for carrying the ink, the foam core being coupled in fluid communication with the ink reservoir. A second ink tank is provided having a bladder for carrying the ink, the bladder being coupled in fluid communication with the ink reservoir and coupled in fluid communication with the first ink tank via said ink reservoir.

Abstract: A refillable cartridge for inkjet printing devices having an ink cartridge carrier is characterized in that it is filled with an ink supply and tested prior to shipment, is open to ambient pressure during shipment and storage, requires no handling of the ink supply line during installation on, or removal from, a cartridge carrier, and permits simultaneous fluid and electrical connections to the cartridge as it is installed. Partitions divide the interior of the cartridge into a free ink reservoir, a foam-filled ink reservoir and an air buffer region. An ink passage permits ink flow in either direction between the ink reservoir and the foam-filled ink reservoir. A tab circuit is secured to one side wall of the cartridge and this wall is provided with an opening through which a hollow ink supply needle, mounted on the cartridge carrier, may extend so as to supply replenishment ink to the free ink reservoir during printing.

Abstract: A system for intermittently refilling the cartridge reservoir in an ink jet printer from an off-board ink supply tests the ink flow path prior to initiating a refill operation. Air at a pressure greater than the ink feed pressure is applied to the ink flow path to check the integrity of the system. After venting the system to the atmosphere, a slow leak check is made by closing the system, pressurizing it at the feed pressure, turning off the pressure source and, after a short interval, checking the pressure to see if the feed pressure is being maintained. If the integrity check or the slow leak test should fail, the refill operation is aborted and an indicator is set to alert an operator that intervention is required. During the interval the system is being raised from atmospheric to feed pressure, the air displacement is measured and saved as an indication of whether the amount of ink in the off-board supply exceeds a given level.

Abstract: A color ink jet printing device has an off-board ink reservoir for each color being printed. Each reservoir comprises at least two separately replaceable cartridges from which ink is supplied under positive pressure to refill replaceable printhead cartridges. A visual indicator is provided for each off-board cartridge to indicate when the cartridge is empty and this indicator is turned on if the ink supply in the cartridge is exhausted during a refill operation. Printing is not stopped until all off-board cartridges holding one color of ink are empty. At this time the empty cartridges that held any color ink, are replaced. After each operator intervention to replace empty cartridges, the volume of each color ink will be (N−1)/N of maximum reservoir capacity where N is an integer greater than one and represents the number of cartridges in the reservoir.

Abstract: An ink jet print cartridge is provided for use in an ink jet printer. The cartridge comprises a printhead including a heater chip. The printhead is adapted to generate ink droplets in response to the heater chip receiving energy pulses from a printer energy supply circuit. A peltier effect cooling cell is associated with the heater chip for cooling the heater chip. The cooling cell receives current from the printer energy supply circuit as a function of energy flow to the heater chip.

Abstract: An apparatus and method insures that the ink supply in a disposable on carrier secondary ink tank and the ink supply in a semi-permanent base cartridge are compatible before a refilling operation is allowed to occur for an ink jet printer cartridge. A first memory is located in the base cartridge assembly and a second memory is located in the secondary ink tank. Compatibility information concerning properties such as the type, color and formulation of the ink supplies in the base cartridge assembly and secondary ink tank is saved in the first and second memories. Before a refilling operation is commenced, the compatibility information is examined to determine if the ink supplies in the secondary ink tank and base cartridge assembly are compatible. If the ink supplies are compatible, a flow control device is activated to allow the refilling operation to begin.

Abstract: The invention ensures the proper operation of an inkjet printer by determining whether ink contained within a remote ink cartridge is compatible with ink contained within a printhead cartridge, and controlling the printer accordingly. The invention determines compatibility by comparing information related to characteristics of the ink contained in each cartridge. The printhead cartridge memory device stores information relating to characteristics of the printhead and the ink stored in a printhead cartridge reservoir. The remote ink cartridge memory device stores information relating to characteristics of the ink stored in a remote ink cartridge reservoir. Since the number of characteristics that can be stored is determined by the capacity of the memory devices, the present invention overcomes the limitations of prior devices which forced compatibility by mechanical devices.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating the loading, transportation, and modulation of toner particles on a print head, as well as the transfer of toner particles onto a print medium. These methods and apparatus relate to the optimization of various elements on the print head to improve the speed and control of toner particles on the print head, as well as to the alteration of the electric field in the vicinity of the end of the print head, and to the use of a scanning print head.

Abstract: A container having a fixed volume sealed from the atmosphere by an elastic septum is filled with liquid via a needle inserted through the septum, the needle providing a path for liquid flow into the fixed volume from an external source through the septum and a path for air flow from the fixed volume to atmosphere through the septum. The needle includes a stem having a hollow tube with a non-cylindrical section and a cover element cooperating with the non-cylindrical section of the tube to form an air passage and give the stem a cylindrical configuration even in the region of the non-cylindrical section of the tube. The configuration of the stem minimizes damage to the septum as the stem is inserted through or withdrawn from a septum, while the air passage permits air to exit from the container through the stem as liquid enters the container through the tube.

Abstract: A refillable cartridge for inkjet printing devices having an ink supply off-board the cartridge carrier is characterized in that it is filled with an ink supply prior to shipment and the refill opening through which replenishment ink is supplied during printing is left open during shipment and storage. The interior of the cartridge is partitioned into a free ink reservoir, a foam-filled ink reservoir and an air buffer region. The foam-filled ink reservoir is filled with a foam material saturated with ink prior to shipment. A portion of the foam material extends into the air buffer region and is left dry. As long as the refill opening is not closed, ambient pressure is applied to the ink supply in the cartridge via the refill opening and the air buffer region. An ink passage permits ink flow in either direction between the free ink reservoir and the foam-filled ink reservoir. Either reservoir may be connected to ink capillaries in a conventional heater chip.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating the loading, transportation, and modulation of toner particles on a print head, as well as the transfer of toner particles onto a print medium. These methods and apparatus relate to the optimization of various elements on the print head to improve the speed and control of toner particles on the print head, as well as to the alteration of the electric field in the vicinity of the end of the print head, and the transfer of toner particles vertically from the print head.

Abstract: A semiconductor on fiber optic substrate is composed of a thin layer of electronic grade semiconductor material which is bonded to a substrate which is a fiber optic plate. The fiber optic plate acts as a continuous sheet of optical waveguides to transport light between semiconductor layers with high efficiency and with little defocusing. Integrated circuits are constructed on the semiconductor layer. Chips of this combination can then be stacked and optically interconnected via the optical fibers compromising the fiber optic plate using light emitting and light receiving devices mounted on said semiconductor layers.

Abstract: A stepper motor damping control system. Damping is performed by switching the power supply connection(s) of energized motor phase windings alternatively ON and OFF at a predetermined relatively high fixed rate. Said switching is performed using a clock signal information for switching one way and an information denoting equality between a voltage substantially proportional to the current flowing through said motor phase windings with a predetermined sawtooth sloped reference signal synchronized with said clock signal for switching the other way.

Abstract: Apparatus for attaching a nose section to the main body of a hand-held optical reader (Wand) is provided to accommodate the replacement of internal lamps illuminating a field of information. A nose attachment having a centrally located aperture encompassed by an integral and externally threaded cylindrical extension is secured to the nose section. The aperture and cylindrical extension are aligned and concentric with the optical image path of the Wand. In attaching the nose section to the Wand main body, the cylindrical extension is passed through an aperture in a partitioning frame of the Wand into which the lamps are seated. A screw-on cap, having a centrally located aperture with internal helical threads complementing the external threads of the nose attachment extension, is screwed onto the extension to secure the nose section to the partitioning frame. An outwardly extending flange integrally formed on the cap extends through opposing apertures of the Wand outer covers to accommodate access by hand.