公开(公告)号：US6409302B2

公开(公告)日：2002-06-25

申请号：US79298001

申请日：2001-02-26

Applicant: XEROX CORP

Inventor： ALTFATHER KENNETH W ,  CARLOTTA MICHAEL ,  DIETL STEVEN J ,  STEVENS DONALD M ,  HUBBLE III FRED F

IPC: B41J2/125 ,  B41J2/175 ,  G01F23/28 ,  G01F23/292 ,  B41J2/01

CPC classification number: B41J2/17553 ,  B41J2/17513 ,  B41J2/17546 ,  B41J2/17566 ,  B41J2002/17569 ,  B41J2002/17573 ,  G01F23/2922 ,  G01F23/2927

Abstract: A low ink sensing system is combined with an ink cartridge detection system to enable a more efficient ink jet printer. An ink container which supplies ink to an associated printhead is modified by the incorporation of two light directing elements, in the preferred embodiment, a faceted prism and a roof mirror, into a transparent wall of the container housing. The cartridge, comprising the ink container and associated printhead, is mounted on a scan carriage. Periodically, the carriage is conveyed to a sensing station comprising a pair of light sources and a commonly used photosensor. A first light source is energized and a beam of light is directed to a location where the roof mirror, would be positioned if the cartridge is present. If the cartridge is absent, lack of a reflected return signal is sensed, indicating a cartridge has not been inserted. Print operation is halted until a cartridge is inserted. If a cartridge is properly inserted, the roof mirror returns most of the incident light to the photosensor which generates a signal indicating the presence of the cartridge. A second light source is then energized and directed towards the faceted prism, which is either immersed in ink or exposed to air within the interior of the container. If the latter, light is internally reflected by the prism facets back to the photosensor. If a print operation has been in progress, and the ink level has fallen, the common photosensor detects either a strong or weak redirected light component and initiates a status check and generates appropriate displays of low ink level or out of ink warnings.

Abstract translation: 低墨水感测系统与墨盒检测系统组合以实现更有效的喷墨打印机。 通过将两个光引导元件（在优选实施例中）将多面棱镜和屋顶反射镜结合到容器壳体的透明壁中来修改向相关联的打印头供应墨水的墨水容器。 包括墨水容器和相关联的打印头的墨盒安装在扫描托架上。 定期地，托架被传送到包括一对光源和常用光传感器的感测站。 第一光源被激励，并且光束被引导到如果存在盒时定位的屋顶反射镜的位置。 如果墨盒不存在，则感测不到反射的返回信号，表示墨盒未被插入。 打印操作停止，直到插入墨盒。 如果墨盒正确插入，则屋顶镜将大部分入射光返回到光电传感器，该光电传感器产生指示墨盒存在的信号。 然后将第二光源通电并且指向朝向容器内部的空气中浸入油墨中的小面棱镜。 如果后者，光被棱镜面内部反射回光传感器。 如果正在进行打印操作，并且墨水量下降，则常见的光电传感器会检测到强或弱的重定向光分量，并启动状态检查，并生成低墨水量或墨水警告的适当显示。

公开(公告)号：BR0102404A

公开(公告)日：2002-02-13

申请号：BR0102404

申请日：2001-06-18

Applicant: XEROX CORP

Inventor： CARRESE EDWARD M ,  HILTON BRIAN S ,  MERZ ERIC A ,  BROWN JAMES R ,  MOORE STEVEN R ,  SOBON ARTHUR J ,  NGUYEN HIEP H ,  ALTFATHER KENNETH W

IPC: B41J2/175

Abstract: An ink tank and ink tank support structure which contains structural elements which are designed to permit proper installation of the ink in the ink tank support structure while minimizing the chances of improper installation of the ink tank in the ink tank structure. A primary ink tank seal is provided in the ink tank, and a relatively low compressive force seal is provided between the ink tank support structure and the ink tank to reduce leakage of fluid from tank and limit evaporation of fluid from the tank despite repeated insertions and removals of the ink tank from the ink tank support structure. A variable capacity ink tank and an ink tank with staggered height walls are disclosed, as well as a code reader for determining characteristics of ink tanks.

公开(公告)号：BR0102882A

公开(公告)日：2002-02-26

申请号：BR0102882

申请日：2001-07-13

Applicant: XEROX CORP

Inventor： MERZ ERIC A ,  NGUYEN HIEP H ,  CARRESE EDWARD M ,  ALTFATHER KENNETH W ,  BAXENDELL DOUGLAS J

IPC: B41J2/175 ,  B41J2/20

公开(公告)号：MX9306484A

公开(公告)日：1994-06-30

申请号：MX9306484

申请日：1993-10-19

Applicant: XEROX CORP

Inventor： CARLOTTA MICHAEL ,  ALTFATHER KENNETH W ,  PREMNATH KARAI P

IPC: B41J2/165 ,  B41J2/18 ,  B41J2/185 ,  B41L27/00

Abstract: A maintenance station for an ink jet printer (10) in which a printhead (12) with nozzles (22) in a nozzle face (23) and an ink supply cartridge (14) is mounted on a translatable carriage (16) for concurrent movement therewith. When the printer is in a non-printing mode, the carriage is translated to the maintenance station (28) located outside and to one side of a printing zone (24), where various maintenance functions are provided depending upon the location of the carriage mounted printhead within the maintenance station. The printhead nozzle face is cleaned by at least one wiper blade (30) as the printhead enters and leaves the maintenance station. Adjacent the wiper blade is a location (32) for collecting nozzle-clearing ink droplets, followed by a capping location where a carriage-actuatable cap (46) moves into sealing engagement with the printhead nozzle face and surrounds the nozzle to provide a controllable environment therefor. A vacuum pump (58) is connected to the cap by flexible hose (62,63) with an ink separator (64) therebetween. Priming is conducted when continued movement of the carriage-mounted printhead actuates a pinch valve (66) to isolate the separator from the cap and enable a predetermined vacuum to be produced therein by energizing the vacuum pump. Once the carriage-mounted printhead returns to the capping location, the pinch valve is opened subjecting the printhead to the separator vacuum and ink is drawn from the printhead nozzle to the separator. Movement of the carriage-mounted printhead past the wiper blade uncaps the nozzle face to stop the prime, enable ink to be removed from the cap to the separator and cleans the nozzle. The vacuum pump is de-energized and the printhead is returned to the capping location to await the printing mode of the printer.

公开(公告)号：BR9304695A

公开(公告)日：1994-05-17

申请号：BR9304695

申请日：1993-11-11

Applicant: XEROX CORP

Inventor： CARLOTTA MICHAEL ,  ALTFATHER KENNETH W ,  PREMNATH KARAI P

IPC: B41J2/165 ,  B41J2/18 ,  B41J2/185 ,  B41F31/18

Abstract: A maintenance station for an ink jet printer (10) in which a printhead (12) with nozzles (22) in a nozzle face (23) and an ink supply cartridge (14) is mounted on a translatable carriage (16) for concurrent movement therewith. When the printer is in a non-printing mode, the carriage is translated to the maintenance station (28) located outside and to one side of a printing zone (24), where various maintenance functions are provided depending upon the location of the carriage mounted printhead within the maintenance station. The printhead nozzle face is cleaned by at least one wiper blade (30) as the printhead enters and leaves the maintenance station. Adjacent the wiper blade is a location (32) for collecting nozzle-clearing ink droplets, followed by a capping location where a carriage-actuatable cap (46) moves into sealing engagement with the printhead nozzle face and surrounds the nozzle to provide a controllable environment therefor. A vacuum pump (58) is connected to the cap by flexible hose (62,63) with an ink separator (64) therebetween. Priming is conducted when continued movement of the carriage-mounted printhead actuates a pinch valve (66) to isolate the separator from the cap and enable a predetermined vacuum to be produced therein by energizing the vacuum pump. Once the carriage-mounted printhead returns to the capping location, the pinch valve is opened subjecting the printhead to the separator vacuum and ink is drawn from the printhead nozzle to the separator. Movement of the carriage-mounted printhead past the wiper blade uncaps the nozzle face to stop the prime, enable ink to be removed from the cap to the separator and cleans the nozzle. The vacuum pump is de-energized and the printhead is returned to the capping location to await the printing mode of the printer.

公开(公告)号：DE69615323T2

公开(公告)日：2002-04-18

申请号：DE69615323

申请日：1996-12-11

Applicant: XEROX CORP

Inventor： ALTFATHER KENNETH W ,  CARLOTTA MICHAEL ,  DIETL STEVEN J ,  STEVENS DONALD M ,  HUBBLE III FRED F

IPC: B41J2/125 ,  B41J2/175 ,  G01F23/28 ,  G01F23/292

Abstract: A low ink sensing system (30) is combined with an ink cartridge detection system to enable a more efficient ink jet printer. An ink container (16) which supplies ink to an associated printhead (18) is modified by the incorporation of two light directing elements (21,22), in the preferred embodiment, a faceted prism (22A,22B) and a roof mirror (21A,21B), into a transparent wall of the container housing. The cartridge (10), comprising the ink container (16) and associated printhead (18), is mounted on a scan carriage. Periodically, the carriage (12) is conveyed to a sensing station (30) comprising a pair of light sources (34,36) and a commonly used photosensor (38). A first light source (34) is energized and a beam of light is directed to a location where the roof mirror (21), would be positioned if the cartridge (10) is present. If the cartridge (10) is absent, lack of a reflected return signal is sensed, indicating a cartridge (10) has not been inserted. Print operation is halted until a cartridge (10) is inserted. If a cartridge (10) is properly inserted, the roof mirror (21) returns most of the incident light to the photosensor (38) which generates a signal indicating the presence of the cartridge (10). A second light source (22) is then energized and directed towards the faceted prism (22A,22B), which is either immersed in ink or exposed to air within the interior of the container (16). If the latter, light is internally reflected by the prism facets (22A,22B) back to the photosensor (38). If a print operation has been in progress, and the ink level has fallen, the common photosensor (38) detects either a strong or weak redirected light component and initiates a status check and generates appropriate displays of low ink level or out of ink warnings.

公开(公告)号：DE69318513D1

公开(公告)日：1998-06-18

申请号：DE69318513

申请日：1993-11-09

Applicant: XEROX CORP

Inventor： CARLOTTA MICHAEL ,  ALTFATHER KENNETH W ,  PREMNATH KARAI P

IPC: B41J2/165 ,  B41J2/18 ,  B41J2/185

Abstract: A maintenance station for an ink jet printer (10) in which a printhead (12) with nozzles (22) in a nozzle face (23) and an ink supply cartridge (14) is mounted on a translatable carriage (16) for concurrent movement therewith. When the printer is in a non-printing mode, the carriage is translated to the maintenance station (28) located outside and to one side of a printing zone (24), where various maintenance functions are provided depending upon the location of the carriage mounted printhead within the maintenance station. The printhead nozzle face is cleaned by at least one wiper blade (30) as the printhead enters and leaves the maintenance station. Adjacent the wiper blade is a location (32) for collecting nozzle-clearing ink droplets, followed by a capping location where a carriage-actuatable cap (46) moves into sealing engagement with the printhead nozzle face and surrounds the nozzle to provide a controllable environment therefor. A vacuum pump (58) is connected to the cap by flexible hose (62,63) with an ink separator (64) therebetween. Priming is conducted when continued movement of the carriage-mounted printhead actuates a pinch valve (66) to isolate the separator from the cap and enable a predetermined vacuum to be produced therein by energizing the vacuum pump. Once the carriage-mounted printhead returns to the capping location, the pinch valve is opened subjecting the printhead to the separator vacuum and ink is drawn from the printhead nozzle to the separator. Movement of the carriage-mounted printhead past the wiper blade uncaps the nozzle face to stop the prime, enable ink to be removed from the cap to the separator and cleans the nozzle. The vacuum pump is de-energized and the printhead is returned to the capping location to await the printing mode of the printer.

公开(公告)号：CA2185602A1

公开(公告)日：1997-06-15

申请号：CA2185602

申请日：1996-09-16

Applicant: XEROX CORP

Inventor： ALTFATHER KENNETH W ,  CARLOTTA MICHAEL ,  DIETL STEVEN J ,  STEVENS DONALD M ,  HUBBLE FRED F III

IPC: B41J2/125 ,  B41J2/175 ,  G01F23/28 ,  G01F23/292 ,  B41F31/08 ,  B41M5/34 ,  B41L27/04

Abstract: A low ink sensing system (30) is combined with an ink cartridge detection system to enable a more efficient ink jet printer. An ink container (16) which supplies ink to an associated printhead (18) is modified by the incorporation of two light directing elements (21,22), in the preferred embodiment, a faceted prism (22A,22B) and a roof mirror (21A,21B), into a transparent wall of the container housing. The cartridge (10), comprising the ink container (16) and associated printhead (18), is mounted on a scan carriage. Periodically, the carriage (12) is conveyed to a sensing station (30) comprising a pair of light sources (34,36) and a commonly used photosensor (38). A first light source (34) is energized and a beam of light is directed to a location where the roof mirror (21), would be positioned if the cartridge (10) is present. If the cartridge (10) is absent, lack of a reflected return signal is sensed, indicating a cartridge (10) has not been inserted. Print operation is halted until a cartridge (10) is inserted. If a cartridge (10) is properly inserted, the roof mirror (21) returns most of the incident light to the photosensor (38) which generates a signal indicating the presence of the cartridge (10). A second light source (22) is then energized and directed towards the faceted prism (22A,22B), which is either immersed in ink or exposed to air within the interior of the container (16). If the latter, light is internally reflected by the prism facets (22A,22B) back to the photosensor (38). If a print operation has been in progress, and the ink level has fallen, the common photosensor (38) detects either a strong or weak redirected light component and initiates a status check and generates appropriate displays of low ink level or out of ink warnings.

公开(公告)号：DE69615323D1

公开(公告)日：2001-10-25

申请号：DE69615323

申请日：1996-12-11

Applicant: XEROX CORP

Inventor： ALTFATHER KENNETH W ,  CARLOTTA MICHAEL ,  DIETL STEVEN J ,  STEVENS DONALD M ,  HUBBLE III FRED F

IPC: B41J2/125 ,  B41J2/175 ,  G01F23/28 ,  G01F23/292

Abstract: A low ink sensing system (30) is combined with an ink cartridge detection system to enable a more efficient ink jet printer. An ink container (16) which supplies ink to an associated printhead (18) is modified by the incorporation of two light directing elements (21,22), in the preferred embodiment, a faceted prism (22A,22B) and a roof mirror (21A,21B), into a transparent wall of the container housing. The cartridge (10), comprising the ink container (16) and associated printhead (18), is mounted on a scan carriage. Periodically, the carriage (12) is conveyed to a sensing station (30) comprising a pair of light sources (34,36) and a commonly used photosensor (38). A first light source (34) is energized and a beam of light is directed to a location where the roof mirror (21), would be positioned if the cartridge (10) is present. If the cartridge (10) is absent, lack of a reflected return signal is sensed, indicating a cartridge (10) has not been inserted. Print operation is halted until a cartridge (10) is inserted. If a cartridge (10) is properly inserted, the roof mirror (21) returns most of the incident light to the photosensor (38) which generates a signal indicating the presence of the cartridge (10). A second light source (22) is then energized and directed towards the faceted prism (22A,22B), which is either immersed in ink or exposed to air within the interior of the container (16). If the latter, light is internally reflected by the prism facets (22A,22B) back to the photosensor (38). If a print operation has been in progress, and the ink level has fallen, the common photosensor (38) detects either a strong or weak redirected light component and initiates a status check and generates appropriate displays of low ink level or out of ink warnings.

公开(公告)号：BR9605958A

公开(公告)日：1998-08-18

申请号：BR9605958

申请日：1996-12-11

Applicant: XEROX CORP

Inventor： CARLOTTA MICHAEL ,  HUBBLE FRED F III ,  ALTFATHER KENNETH W ,  STEVENS DONALD M ,  DIETL STEVEN J

IPC: B41J2/125 ,  B41J2/175 ,  G01F23/28 ,  G01F23/292

Abstract: A low ink sensing system (30) is combined with an ink cartridge detection system to enable a more efficient ink jet printer. An ink container (16) which supplies ink to an associated printhead (18) is modified by the incorporation of two light directing elements (21,22), in the preferred embodiment, a faceted prism (22A,22B) and a roof mirror (21A,21B), into a transparent wall of the container housing. The cartridge (10), comprising the ink container (16) and associated printhead (18), is mounted on a scan carriage. Periodically, the carriage (12) is conveyed to a sensing station (30) comprising a pair of light sources (34,36) and a commonly used photosensor (38). A first light source (34) is energized and a beam of light is directed to a location where the roof mirror (21), would be positioned if the cartridge (10) is present. If the cartridge (10) is absent, lack of a reflected return signal is sensed, indicating a cartridge (10) has not been inserted. Print operation is halted until a cartridge (10) is inserted. If a cartridge (10) is properly inserted, the roof mirror (21) returns most of the incident light to the photosensor (38) which generates a signal indicating the presence of the cartridge (10). A second light source (22) is then energized and directed towards the faceted prism (22A,22B), which is either immersed in ink or exposed to air within the interior of the container (16). If the latter, light is internally reflected by the prism facets (22A,22B) back to the photosensor (38). If a print operation has been in progress, and the ink level has fallen, the common photosensor (38) detects either a strong or weak redirected light component and initiates a status check and generates appropriate displays of low ink level or out of ink warnings.