Abstract:
A transport protector is provided for an inkjet cartridge wherein the inkjet cartridge includes a cartridge body, an inkwell extending from the cartridge body and a nozzle on the inkwell. The protector includes a protector body having a recess shaped to receive an inkwell of an inkjet cartridge and cover a nozzle of the inkjet cartridge. The protector further including a lid hingedly connected to the body. The lid pivots between an opened condition and a closed condition and engages the inkjet cartridge to evenly urge the cartridge into the recess when in the closed condition. The lid also includes a lid lock for releasably engaging the protector body to maintain the protector in the closed condition.

Description:
The present invention relates to the art of packaging and, more particularly, to a transport protector for protecting an inkjet cartridge during shipping and/or handling. 
   INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
   The present invention relates to protecting inkjet cartridges. Scheffelin U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,216; Hattori U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,262; Denton U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,424; Cook U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,643; Baldwin U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,134; and Stathem U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,175 disclose inkjet cartridges and are incorporated by reference herein as background information for showing the same. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is particularly applicable for use in connection with inkjet cartridges and, therefore, the invention will be described with particular reference to an inkjet cartridge. However, the invention has broader applications and may be used in connection with other products. 
   It is, of course, well known that a cover or protector can be used in connection with product packaging for protecting a delicate portion of a product. Further, it is also well known that the cover can be molded into a desired configuration tailored to cover and protect a desired portion of the product and to help maintain its position relative to the portion to be protected. These devices can be made from a number of different materials which provide shock absorbing qualities that protect the delicate portion of the product during the shipping and/or handling of the product. By utilizing a cover having protective qualities, a lower percentage of products are damaged during shipping and/or handling. This is especially important in relation to electronics which are easily damaged. 
   The problem arises in creating a protector that is inexpensive to produce and easy to position relative to the desired zone of protection. Many product protectors require separate securing items such as tape or straps to maintain the cover in the desired zone of protection. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention, a transport protector which is easy to properly install is provided for protecting the nozzle on an inkjet printer cartridge and also for preventing ink seepage from the nozzle. In this respect, a transport protector in accordance with the present invention includes a protector body having a recess shaped to at least partially receive an inkwell of the inkjet cartridge and cover the nozzle of the inkjet cartridge. The protector can further include a lid that is hingedly connected to the body and which pivots between an opened condition and a closed condition. The lid can be configured to engage the inkjet cartridge to urge the cartridge into the recess when in the closed condition and can include locking arms to releasably engage the protector body to maintain the protector in the closed condition without taping, shrink wrapping or utilize other securing methods. 
   A transport protector in accordance with another aspect of the present invention can include pressure ribs on the lid to evenly engage the inkjet cartridge when in the closed condition such that the nozzle evenly engages a nozzle pad in the protector. 
   A transport protector in accordance with yet another aspect of the invention can include 
   a mechanism for partially ejecting the inkjet cartridge from the protector as the protector is actuated from the closed condition to the opened condition. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing features and more will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out more fully hereinafter in connection with a written description of preferred embodiments of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a transport protector for an inkjet cartridge in accordance with the present invention wherein the protector is in a closed condition; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the protector shown in  FIG. 1  wherein the protector is in an opened condition; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the protector shown in  FIG. 1  shown in the opened condition; 
       FIG. 4  is a right-side elevational view of the protector shown in  FIG. 1  shown in the opened condition; 
       FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the protector shown in  FIG. 1  shown in the opened condition; 
       FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of the protector shown in  FIG. 1  shown in the opened condition; 
       FIG. 7  is a rear elevational view of the protector shown in  FIG. 1  shown in the opened condition; 
       FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of the protector shown in  FIG. 1  shown in the opened condition; 
       FIG. 9  is a rear bottom perspective view of the protector shown in  FIG. 1  shown in the opened condition; 
       FIG. 10  is a rear perspective view of the protector shown in  FIG. 1  with an inkjet cartridge in place wherein the protector is shown in the opened condition; and, 
       FIG. 11  is a rear perspective view of the protector shown in  FIG. 10  wherein the protector is in the closed condition. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now in greater detail to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention,  FIGS. 1–11  illustrate a transport protector  10  having a transport or protector body  12  and a lid  14  hingedly connected to body  12 . In this respect, lid  14  is joined to body  12  at a hinge  20  wherein hinge  20 , preferably, is a live hinge. However, the hinge can be any hinge known in the art to allow pivoting or hinging movement of one component relative to another component. With respect to the invention of this application, hinge  20  allows lid  14  to pivot relative to body  12  about a hinge axis  22 . Furthermore, lid  14  includes a lid lock including locking arms  30  and  32  to maintain lid  14  relative to body  12  in a desired locked position or closed condition. By utilizing hinge  20  and locking arms  30  and  32 , lid  14  can pivoted from the opened condition shown in  FIG. 2  to the closed condition shown in  FIG. 1  by rotation about hinge axis  22 . Locking arms  30  and  32  maintain protector  10  in the closed condition shown in  FIG. 1  which will be discussed in greater detail below. However, it should be appreciated that modifications to this locking arrangement can be made to lock lid  14  relative to body  12  without detracting from the invention. Further, as will also be discussed in greater detail below, locking arms  30  and  32  can include a ratcheting mechanism to allow the lid to lock in any one of several locking positions. 
   Turning to body  12 , the body is configured to receive a portion of an inkjet cartridge (see  FIGS. 10 and 11 ) to retain the cartridge in a secured condition wherein the delicate components of the inkjet cartridge are protected. As can be appreciated, the shape of protector  10  is, in large part, dictated by the configuration of the particular inkjet cartridge to be protected. In the embodiment disclosed herein, the protector is configured to protect an inkjet cartridge IC. However, protector  10  can be shaped and configured differently to work in connection with other inkjet cartridges and/or multiple cartridges. 
   Body  12  includes a face plate  40  with side walls  42  and  44  extending rearwardly from the side edges of the face plate. Body  12  further includes a bottom  46  extending rearwardly from face plate  40 . Bottom  46  also extends between side walls  42  and  44 . As discussed above, face plate  40 , side wall  42 , side wall  44  and bottom  46  are sized and shaped in view of the configuration of inkjet cartridge IC, and further, these components are shaped to receive an ink well (not shown) of inkjet cartridge IC along with a front portion of the inkjet cartridge. Body  12  further includes a rear wall  48  extending between sides  42  and  44  to further protect the ink well components. 
   With special reference to  FIG. 11 , rear wall  48  is a partial wall to allow a portion of the inkjet cartridge to extend outwardly from protector  10 . As can be appreciated, certain portions of the inkjet cartridge require greater protection than other portions of the cartridge. In this respect, a nozzle and flex circuits (both not shown) are a part of the operating portions of the inkjet cartridge and are generally on the ink well. The reservoir portion R is merely needed to maintain an ink supply. Therefore, cost can be reduced and the manufacturing needed to produce protector  10  can be simplified by designing protector  10  such that it is configured to provide maximum protection for only a desired group of components instead of all components of the inkjet cartridge. Protector  10  can also be utilized to help prevent ink leakage from the nozzle of inkjet cartridge IC which will be discussed in greater detail below. 
   Protector  10  preferably further includes reinforcing and/or protecting ribs in body  12  and/or lid  14 . In this respect, side  42  includes side ribs  50 ,  52  and  53  and side  44  includes side ribs  54 ,  56  and  57 . By including these ribs, protector  10  can afford a greater degree of protection for the inkjet cartridge IC by spacing sides  42  and  44  from sides S 1  and S 2 , respectively, of inkjet cartridge IC. Further, these ribs can provide a frictional engagement with sides S 1  and S 2  of the inkjet cartridge IC to produce a snug fit between the protector and the inkjet cartridge without the tendency of the inkjet cartridge IC becoming wedged in body  12 . While not shown, face plate  40  and rear wall  48  can also include similar ribs. 
   Sides  42  and  44  further include a locking arrangement for locking arms  30  and  32  of lid  14 . In this respect, locking arms  30  and  32  extend toward body  12  and selectively engage a pair of locking notches  60  and  62 , respectively, that are formed in sides  42  and  44 . The engagement between the arms and the notches maintains lid  14  in the locked or closed condition. More particularly, lid  14  includes side edges  70  and  72  which extend from a lid base  74 . Sides  70  and  72  are essentially parallel to one another and extend to a lid outer edge  76 . Lid  14  further includes a bottom surface  80  and a top surface  82 . Arms  30  and  32  extend downwardly from bottom surface  80 . Arms  30  and  32  are at or near sides  70  and  72 , respectively, and include inwardly facing locking protrusions  90  and  92 , respectively, that are shaped to engage a respective one of notches  60  and  62  to create the selective locking engagement. In this embodiment, locking notches  60  and  62  are open slots having an upper opened portion  100  and  102 , respectively, with one or more locking bars  104  and  106  extending transversely across the slots. The locking protrusions of arms  30  and  32  are configured to engage the bars to maintain lid  14  in the locked condition. In this respect, locking bars  104  and  106  are be spaced from one another to allow locking protrusion  90  to at least partially penetrate the opening between the bars and/or the opening between locking bar  106  and a notch base  108 . In similar fashion, notch  62  includes two locking bars  110  and  112  which are spaced from one another and are spaced from a notch base  114 . As can be appreciated, while two locking bars are shown for each notch, more or less than two locking bars can be utilized. However, by using more than one locking bar, and/or locking engagement point, a ratcheting action can be created that produces multiple locking positions which are helpful to account for manufacturing variances and to allow the protector to be used in connection with more than one inkjet cartridge. As a modification of the locking arrangement, locking notches  60  and  62  recesses (not shown) in the respective sides of body  12  as opposed to having open upper ends. The recesses of the notches are shaped to receive the locking protrusions and selectively maintain lid  14  relative to body  12 . Further, the locking action between the locking protrusions and the notches in either case can be any known locking engagement in the art. 
   By utilizing notches which include open portions  100  and  102 , respectively, locking protrusions  90  and  92  can be configured to penetrate these openings and engage the side walls of the inkjet cartridge IC. This configuration allows locking arms  30  and  32  to at least partially eject the inkjet cartridge from protector body  12  as the lid is opened thereby helping the end user remove the inkjet cartridge from the protector. This feature can work in connection with friction ribs such as side ribs  50 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54 ,  56  and  57  to create a packaging device that allows the user to easily remove the inkjet cartridge IC therefrom. As is stated above, ribs  50 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54 ,  56  and  57  can provide frictional engagement with the sides of inkjet cartridge IC. As protector  10  is moved from the closed condition shown in  FIG. 11  to the opened condition shown in  FIG. 10 , locking protrusions  90  and  92  pass through upper portions  100  and  102 , respectively, engage the inkjet cartridge sidewalls and partially lift the inkjet cartridge from the recess in body  12 . The frictional engagement of ribs  50 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54 ,  56  and  56  can then maintain the inkjet cartridge IC in the lifted position even after protrusions  90  and  92  are released from the side walls. This feature allows the user time to grasp the inkjet cartridge IC. Further, the spacing between locking bars  104 ,  106 ,  110  and  112  discussed above along with the spacing between the bars and notch bases  108  and  114 , can be such that locking protrusions  90  and  92 , respectively, do not engage the sides of the inkjet cartridge IC while in the locked or closed condition. 
   The spacing between arms  30  and  32 , and locking protrusions  90  and  92  are dictated in part by the desired function of the locking arms. As can be appreciated, if the secondary function of the arms is to lift the cartridge, the spacing of the locking protrusions must be less than the width of the cartridge. Further, even if cartridge lifting is not desired, the spacing must be calculated to create the desired selective engagement with the locking notches and to allow the remaining portions of the arm to clear the side walls of body  12 . 
   Preferably, as shown, notches  60  and  62  are curved and arms  30  and  32  are similarly curved to improve the locking engagement therebetween. In this respect, locking arm  30  is attached to lid  14  at a base  120  that is at or near lid side  70 . Arm  30  extends from base  120  to an end  122  and is curved with a radius generally equal to the distance between the locking arm and hinge axis  22 . By having such a curved configuration, all portions of arm  30  are at an equal distance from the pivot point of lid  14  and are maintained at the equal distance as lid  14  pivots about axis  22 . Notch  60  has a similar curved configuration. As a result, locking protrusion  90  can be maintained in transverse alignment with notch  60  and will follow the notch as the lid is pivoted relative to the body. In similar fashion, locking arm  32  can be at or near lid side  72  and can extend from an arm base  130  to an arm end  132 . Locking arm  32  also includes the same curved configuration as locking arm  30  and notch  62  includes the same curved configuration as notch  60 . However, it should be appreciated that arm  30  and notch  60  do not need to be identical to arms  32  and notch  62 , respectively. For example, arm  30  and notch  60  can be spaced differently from axis  22  than arm  32  and notch  62  based on the configuration of the inkjet cartridge. 
   Preferably, lid  14  further includes downwardly extending pressure ribs  140  and  142  to create even downward pressure or force on cartridge IC to produce an even engagement between the printer nozzle and a nozzle pad  144  on bottom  46  as shown in  FIG. 3 . As can be appreciated, one of the functions of protector  10  is to prevent ink leakage or seepage from the nozzle during transporting and/or shipping. As can be further appreciated, leaking or seeping is better controlled if the nozzle pad fully engages the inkjet nozzle. Further, the pad will be more effective if the engagement between the pad and the nozzle is uniform. By utilizing ribs  140  and  142 , which are spaced on either side of bottom surface  80 , ribs  140  and  142  engage body top BT of the cartridge on either side. This produces an even or uniform downward engagement force between lid  14  and the inkjet cartridge when protector  10  is in the closed condition. This rib arrangement also prevents rocking of the cartridge relative to protector  10 . Pressure ribs  140  and  142  also include an arcuate engagement surface  150  and  152 , respectively, to produce precise point contact between the respective ribs and body top BT of the inkjet cartridge IC which also accounts for variations in the manufacturing processes of the inkjet cartridge and/or protector  10 . It should be appreciated that while the ribs are shown near lid sides  70  and  72 , these ribs can be spaced from the side edges of the lid. As can also be appreciated, while a wider spacing is preferred, the precise spacing may be dictated by the shape of the inkjet cartridge. 
   Preferably, lid  14  includes a finger grip extension  160  at or near lid outer edge  76  that at least partially extends away from inkjet cartridge IC when in the closed condition. As is best shown in  FIG. 11 , by including finger grip  160 , the user can easily grasp lid  14  and move it from the closed condition to the opened condition. As can be appreciated, the shape and configuration of the finger grip can take many forms which allow the lid to be easily engaged by the user of the inkjet cartridge. Further, finger grip  160  does not need to be adjacent or near outer edge  76 . In this respect, finger grip  160  can extend from any portion of the lid which allows the user to easily actuate the lid from the closed condition to the opened condition and vise-versa. 
   While considerable emphasis has been placed on the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principals of the invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.