Abstract:
An uninterrupted ink supply system is provided, including a main cartridge connected to a printer, a connection device having an automatic airflow control structure and installed on said main cartridge, and a replenishment cartridge for connecting to the connection device. The replenishment cartridge is connected to the connection device, and is able to refill the ink into the main cartridge, and automatically stop refilling when the ink level reaching a specific height and start refilling again when ink level below a specific height. When the replenishment cartridge is removed for refilling when the ink is used up, the main cartridge still contains ink so that the printing will not be suspended.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to an ink supply system of inkjet printer or related electronic inkjet printing device. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The inkjet printing technology has been used in many years. As the printers become popular, the amount of cartridge usage also increases. The environmental impact and the related recycling issues of disposable cartridge also becomes a problem. 
         [0003]    In general, a cartridge is disposable when the cartridge stops supplying ink to the printer. Usually, at this point, there remains a small amount of ink inside the cartridge, which is both a waste and a pollution. A refillable cartridge is developed to decrease the waste and the pollution caused by a conventional disposable cartridge. A refillable cartridge can be refilled with ink using a funnel. However, the design is prone to causing spill or overflow of ink during the refilling. In addition, the user must watch for the ink level to prevent from using up the ink. During the refilling, the printing must be stopped. An alternative is to use a pump to replace the manual refilling. Unfortunately, the cost of the plural pumps and supporting frame, the time-consuming assembly and disassembly of frame, bulky size and high power-consumption are some of the disadvantages of the pump refilling approach. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The primary object of the present invention is to overcome the resource waste and the environmental pollution problems caused by conventional disposable cartridge. 
         [0005]    Another object of the present invention is to overcome the problems of manual refillable cartridge, including possible spill, inconvenient printing suspension, and so on. 
         [0006]    Yet another object is to overcome the problems of the pump refillable cartridge, including the cost of the plural pumps and supporting frame, the time-consuming assembly and disassembly of frame, bulky size and high power-consumption. 
         [0007]    To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an uninterrupted ink supply system, including a main cartridge, a connection device and a replenishment cartridge. The replenishment cartridge is connected to the connection device, which in turn is connected to the main cartridge to supply the ink to the printer. When the replenishment cartridge is removed for refilling when the ink is used up, the main cartridge still contains ink so that the printing will not be suspended. Therefore, the problems of waste, spill and power consumption of the conventional disposable and refillable cartridge are avoided. 
         [0008]    The embodiment of the main cartridge of the present invention is similar to the conventional cartridge, for storing the ink and being able to be installed on a printer to provide the ink. 
         [0009]    The embodiment of the replenishment cartridge of the present invention is a container for storing ink and includes a structure for connecting to the connection device. 
         [0010]    The embodiment of the connection device of the present invention is for fixing to the inlet of the main cartridge so that the inside and the outside of the main cartridge can communicate through the connection device. The connection device includes a structure able to automatically control airflow without the electrical power. The main cartridge is connected to the replenishment cartridge through the connection device so that the ink inside the replenishment cartridge can flow into the cavity of the main cartridge through the connection device. The automatic airflow control structure of the connection device can automatically stop flowing the ink from the replenishment cartridge into the main cartridge when the ink level in the main cartridge is above a specific threshold, and automatically start flowing the ink from the replenishment cartridge into the main cartridge again when the ink level in the main cartridge is below a specific threshold. When the ink in the replenishment cartridge is used up, the replenishment cartridge can be removed for refilling. The ink inside the main cartridge can continue to supply the printing job so that the printing will not be interrupted for the refilling. 
         [0011]    In comparison with the conventional manual refillable or pump refillable cartridge, the uninterrupted ink supply system of the present invention is smaller in size and more convenient to operate, as well as capable of uninterrupted ink supply without suspending printing job during refilling. 
         [0012]    The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood from a careful reading of a detailed description provided herein below with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The present invention can be understood in more detail by reading the subsequent detailed description in conjunction with the examples and references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic exploded view of the components of the connection device and the assembly relation with the cartridges according to the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic view of the components of the replenishment cartridge according to the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3A  shows across-section view of the replenishment cartridge assembled to main cartridge according to the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3B  shows a partial enlarged view of  FIG. 3A , with ink level inside cavity of main cartridge lower than lower end of liquid air interface tube according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3C  shows a view of  FIG. 3A , with ink level inside cavity of main cartridge contacting and sealing lower end of liquid air interface tube according to the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4A  shows a schematic view of the lower end of ink channel lower than the lower end of liquid air interface tube of the connection device, and ink level inside cavity of main cartridge lower than lower end of liquid air interface tube according to the present invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 4B  shows a view of  FIG. 4A , with ink level inside cavity of main cartridge contacting and sealing lower end of liquid air interface tube according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  show an uninterrupted ink supply system of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an uninterrupted ink supply system of the present invention includes a main cartridge  1  and a connection device  2  of  FIG. 1 , and a replenishment cartridge  4  of  FIG. 2 . Connection device  2  is installed on main cartridge  1  as a connection interface between main cartridge  1  and replenishment cartridge  4 . The assembled main cartridge  1 , connection device  2  and replenishment cartridge are shown in  FIG. 3A . 
         [0022]    Refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3B . The preferred embodiment of main cartridge  1  of the present invention is a container made of suitable material with a cavity, and having an ink inlet  11  for injecting ink into. Also, an ink outlet  12  is included on the side or other suitable location on main cartridge  1  to provide the installation of main cartridge  1  in printer or other printing device. An output interface (not shown) is included an ink outlet  12  so that the ink stored inside the cavity can be delivered to the inkjet system. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3B  show a preferred embodiment of connection device  2  of the present invention, including a connection base  21 , a tube base  22  and a fix base  23 . Connection base  21  includes a tube body  211  at the top and a liquid air interface tube  215  at the bottom, separated by a base plate  210 . Connection base  21  also includes a central column  212  extending along the axis inside tube body  211  and liquid air interface tube  215 . The lower end of liquid air interface tube  215  is lower than the lower end of central column  212 . The internal of central column  212  includes an independent ink channel  213  and an independent air channel  214 . Both ink channel  213  and air channel  214  flow through central column  212 . In a preferred embodiment, the upper end of central column  212  forms a needle tip so as to penetrate replenishment cartridge  4 . The lower end of central column  212  connection base  21  enters the cavity of main cartridge  1  through ink inlet  11 , base plate  210  contacts the surface of main cartridge  1 , and fastening elements are used to fasten base plate  210  to main cartridge  1 . After assembly, liquid air interface tube  215  and central column  212  extending inside liquid air interface tube  215  are both inside the cavity of main cartridge  1 , as shown in  FIG. 3B . 
         [0024]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B , the outlets of the lower ends of both ink channel  213  and air channel  214  of central column  212  are located at the same place. Hence, an extending tube  3  of no specific length can be attached to the outlet of the lower end of ink channel so that the lower end of extending tube  3  is lower than outlet  2141  of the lower end of air channel  214 , and the outlet of the lower end of extending tube  3  is lower than the lower end of liquid air interface tube  215 .  FIG. 4A  shows another embodiment where the lower end outlet of ink channel  213  is lower than the lower end outlets of air channel  214  and liquid air interface tube  215 . Therefore, no extending tube is needed to connect to the lower end of ink channel  215 . 
         [0025]    Tube base  22  and fix base  23  are for assembly and attachment to connection base  21  as to provide connection to replenishment cartridge  4 . Tube base  22  of the present embodiment is a round tube body. The lower end of tube base  22  includes an outer rim  222  on the outside, and the upper end of tube base  22  includes two opposite inner rims  221 . The inner diameter of tube base  22  is equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of tube body  211  of connection base  21  so that tube body  211  can be placed inside tube base  22 . Fix base  23  is an element for fixing tube base  22  to main cartridge  1 . Fix base  23  includes a ring  231 , with inner diameter larger than or equal to the outer diameter of tube base  22  and smaller than the outer diameter of outer rim  222 . The inner wall of ring  231  includes a trench  2311 , and the vertical side wall of tube base  22  includes a protruding column  223 . A gap exists between protruding column  223  and outer rim  222 , and the thickness of the gap is about the thickness of ring  231 . The lower edge of ring  231  includes inner rim trench  232  (shown in  FIG. 3B ). When tube base  22  is placed outside of tube body  211 , fix base  23  is placed from top down. Protruding column  223  passes trench  2311  and finally ring  231  sheathes on the outside of outer rim  222  of tube base  22  so that outer rim  222  is restricted inside inner rim trench  232 . In this manner, the position of tube base  22  is restricted, and yet completely fixed. In other words, tube base  22  can rotate within a restricted range. Fix base  23  is fixed to main cartridge  1  by fasteners to form a connection device  2  located main cartridge  1 . 
         [0026]    The preferred embodiment of replenishment cartridge  4  of the present invention can be any container made of any material capable for storing ink. Replenishment cartridge  4  includes a mouth part  41 . The outside of mouth part  41  includes blocks for engaging inner rim  221  of tube base  22 . Mouth part  41  further includes a mouth plug  43 , fastened by a fix ring  44 . To connect replenishment cartridge  4  and main cartridge  1 , blocks  42  are passed between tube base  22  and two inner rims  221 , and then tube base  22  is rotated so that inner rims  221  shift to above blocks  42  to fasten replenishment cartridge  4 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3B  and  FIG. 3C  show the operation of uninterrupted ink supply system of the present invention. In  FIG. 3B , the ink inside the cavity of main cartridge  1  is below the level of the lower end outlet of liquid air interface tube. At this point, replenishment cartridge  4  is connected to connection device  2 , the ink inside replenishment cartridge  4  will flow through ink channel  213  and extending tube  3  into the cavity of main cartridge  1 , while the air inside the cavity will flow through air channel  214  into replenishment cartridge  4 . With the cyclic flow, the ink in replenish  4  can flow into main cartridge  1  until the ink level in the cavity of main cartridge  1  rises to contact and seal the lower end outlet of liquid air interface tube  214 , as shown in  FIG. 3C . At this point, the air inside the cavity of main cartridge  1  can no longer flow through air channel  214  into replenishment cartridge  4 , and the cyclic flow stops. Hence, the ink inside replenishment cartridge  4  stops refill main cartridge automatically. In other words, even when the ink inside the cavity of main cartridge is used a little, the lowering of ink level will facilitate replenishment cartridge  4  to refill main cartridge  1  automatically. When the user decides to remove replenish cartridge  4  for refilling, there still exists inside main cartridge  4  for printing so that the printing will not be interrupted. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4A  shows the operation of another embodiment of the present invention, where the lower end outlet of ink channel  213  is lower than lower end outlet  2141  of air channel  214  and is not connected to extending tube. Therefore, the ink in replenishment cartridge  4  will flow directly from ink channel  213  into the cavity of main cartridge  1 . The air inside the cavity will flow through air channel into replenishment cartridge  4  until the ink level in the cavity of main cartridge  1  rises to contact and seal the lower end outlet of liquid air interface tube  214 , as shown in  FIG. 4B . At this point, replenishment cartridge  4  will stop refilling ink into main cartridge  1  automatically. 
         [0029]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.