INK-JET PRINT CARTRIDGE HAVING A LOW PROFILE

Abstract: An ink-jet print cartridge having a low profile. The print cartridge includes a print cartridge body (12), a lid (31) securely affixed to the body, and a latch (50) located on the lid. The print cartridge further includes two elongate supporting lips (29) located along the side walls (25, 26) of the body for supporting the print cartridge during loading. Loading is effected with a plurality of gripping surfaces remotely located from the latch.

Description: INK-JET PRINT CARTRIDGE HAVING A LOW PROFILE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present invention generally relates to ink-jet print cartridges and, more particularly, to their construction. This application is related to the following copending utility patent applications, each filed concurrently on January 5, 2000: Serial No.: by Ram Santhanam et al., entitled "Vent For An Ink- Jet Print Cartridge", attorney docket number 10992263-1; Serial No.: by Ram Santhanam et al., entitled "Ink- Jet Print Cartridge Having A Low Profile", attorney docket number 10992259-1; Serial No.: by Juηji Yamamoto et al., entitled "Horizontally Loadable Carriage For An Ink- Jet Printer", attorney docket number 10992261-1; Serial No.: by Junji Yamamoto et al., entitled "Method And Apparatus For Horizontally Loading And Unloading An Ink- Jet Print Cartridge From A Carriage", attorney docket number 10992264-1 ; Serial No.: by Richard A. Becker et al., entitled "Techniques For Providing Ink- Jet Cartridges With A Universal Body Structure", attorney docket number 10992320-1; Serial No.: by Ram Santhanam et al., entitled "Techniques For Adapting A Small Form Factor Ink- Jet Cartridge For Use In A Carriage Sized For A Large Form Factor Cartridge", attorney docket number 10992260-1; Serial No.: by James M. Osmus, entitled "Printer With A Two Roller, Two Motor Paper Delivery System", attorney docket number 10001157-1; Serial No.: by Keng Leong Ng, entitled "Low Height Inkjet Service Station", attorney docket number 10001167-1 ; Serial No.: by Matt Shepherd et al., entitled "New Method Of Propelling An Inkjet Printer Carriage", attorney docket number 10001164-1; Serial No.: by Ram Santhanam et al., entitled "Ink Jet Print Cartridge", attorney docket number 10001462-1; and Serial No.: by Ram Santhanam et al., entitled "Multiple Bit Matrix Configuration For Key-Latched Printheads", attorney docket number 10991277-1, all of which are incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The general construction and operation of an ink-jet print cartridge using reticulated polyurethane foam is disclosed in US Patent 4,771,295 entitled "Thermal Ink Jet Pen Body Construction Having Improved Ink Storage and Feed Capacity" by Baker et al. issued 13 September 1988. Prior print cartridges have been designed to be loaded into and removed from ink-jet printers either vertically or with an inclined arcuate motion. Such a procedure has proven to be satisfactory as long as vertical access to the printer is provided. This has meant, however, that nothing could be permanently stacked on top of the printer. Further, previous top loading ink-jet printer designs have fostered an increasing growth in printer height so that with each new printer design the profile of the product grew and grew. Finally, there is a constant need to reduce the cost and the development time for new printer products. This has caused product designers to leverage existing designs and use parts from current products when developing new products for the market place. This desire to reduce start-up costs also has lead product designers to utilize existing tooling and manufacturing lines as well. Thus, it is apparent from the foregoing that although there are many satisfactory ink-jet print cartridge designs, there is a need for an approach that permits the front loading of print cartridges into printers, reduces the profile of the cartridge itself, uses parts from products currently in production, and utilizes existing manufacturing lines. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly and in general terms, an ink-jet print cartridge according to the invention includes a print cartridge body, a lid securely affixed to the body, and a latch located on the lid and displaced away from the margin of the lid and the body. An other aspect of the invention includes an ink-jet print cartridge having an elongate lip located on a side wall of the cartridge for supporting the cartridge during loading. Still a further aspect of the invention includes a gripping surface remotely located from the latch for aiding the user when loading and unloading the print cartridge from the printer. Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view, of an ink-jet print cartridge embodying the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 is a right side elevational view of the print cartridge of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a back side elevational view of the print cartridge of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front side elevational view of the print cartridge of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a left side elevational view of the print cartridge of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the print cartridge of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the print cartridge of Fig. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings for the purposes of illustration, the invention is embodied in an ink-jet print cartridge having a low profile for front loading into a printer. The print cartridge also includes gripping surfaces and physical features that suggest to the user how to insert and remove the cartridge from a printer. The print cartridge offers a simple solution and easy operation, incorporates many currently manufactured components, and is produced on existing manufacturing lines with minimal start-up tooling costs. Referring to Figs. 1- 7, reference numeral 11 generally indicates an ink-jet print cartridge for a printer. The print cartridge includes a print cartridge body 12 that is generally rectangular in shape with a front wall 24, a left side wall 25, a right side wall 26, and a back wall 27. The print cartridge body houses three ink chambers for holding inks of the various hues, cyan, magenta, and yellow. The ink chambers are filled with reticulated polyurethane foam. The foam is compressed to maintain the back pressure of the ink at the print head 15, Fig. 6. In the bottom of each chamber is a stand pipe and filter of conventional construction to insure that particles do not clog the nozzles. The print cartridge body 12 also includes a nose piece 14 that is ultrasonically welded to the body. The nose piece contains three channels that each connect to a stand pipe in one of the ink chambers. The channels direct the ink from the chambers to one of three series of nozzles 16, Fig. 6, on the print head 15. Located on the nose piece 14, Figs. 2 and 5, are an X axis datum 18 and an Z axis datum 20. These datums are holding points. The Y axis datum 19, Fig. 1, is the front wall 24 of the print cartridge and is a stop point. These datums mate with corresponding features on the carriage of the printer and locate the print cartridge in the printer during operation. Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 5, reference numeral 22 generally indicates tv/o ribs that serve as gripping surfaces when the print cartridge 11 is removed from the printer. Each rib is located vertically on one of the side walls 25, 26, along the common margins between the side walls 25 and 26 and the back wall 27 of the print cartridge body 12. Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, reference numeral 29 generally indicates an elongate supporting lip located on the two side walls 25, 26 and the back wall 27 of the print cartridge body 12. The lip is located along the margin between the print cartridge body 12 and the lid 31, described in detail below. The portions of the lip 29 located on the side walls 25, 26, Figs. 3 and 4, support and guide the print cartridge during loading and unloading from a printer. These portions of the lip engage a pair of corresponding guide rails or loading ramps on the carriage of the printer. Also located on the print cartridge body 12, Figs. 1 and 4, is a flex circuit 33 of conventional construction. The flex circuit provides the electrical inter-connection between the printer and the print head 15, Fig. 6, and routes electrical energy to the appropriate firing resistors during printing. Referring to Figs. 1 and 7, reference numeral 35 indicates a plurality of gripping groves located along the margin between the lid 31 , described in detail below, and the side walls 25, 26 of the print cartridge body 12. The gripping groves serve as a gripping surface on the print cartridge 11 from removing the print cartridge from a printer once the print cartridge has been released from the carriage. The gripping groves also serve as a visual indication with respect to any adjacent print cartridges that the associated print cartridge has been released from the carriage. Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, reference numeral 31 generally indicates a lid having a planer outside surface. The plane of the outside surface of the lid is also parallel to the supporting lip 29. The lid 31 is ultrasonically welded to the print cartridge body 12 along the margin of the side walls 25 and 26, the front wall 24, and the back wall 27. The lid seals the ink in the ink reservoir chambers within the print cartridge body 12. The lid also contains three vents 40, Figs. 1 and 7 that allow air at atmospheric pressure to enter each of the reservoir chambers. Located on the lid 31, Figs. 1 and 7, proximate to the margin between the back wall 27 and the lid is a button-like structure 42. In the top plan view of the print cartridge 11, Fig. 7, this structure has an elliptical shape. In the back side elevational view, Fig. 3 , this structure has an outward opening, circular shape. In the side elevational views, Figs. 2 and 5, this structure has the shape of a chord of a circle. The middle of this structure is flush with the outside surface of the lid 31 and contains a plurality of groves 44. The groves act as a gripping surface for the user. This structure has this unique shape to indicate to the user where to push the print cartridge down to eject the cartridge from the carriage of a printer. Such downward motion releases the print cartridge from the latch spring on the carriage. Referring to Figs. 1 and 7, reference numeral 48 generally indicates an island located on the top surface of the lid 31 and displaced away from the margin between the lid 31 and the front wall 24 of the print cartridge body 12. The island 48 includes a latch 50 for securing the print cartridge 11 within a printer carriage. Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the latch 50 is located on the lid 31 and not on the front wall 24 so that the print cartridge can be manufactured with existing equipment and without requiring new tooling. As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the latch has a triangular cross section formed by a latch ramp 51 and a latch wall 52. The latch ramp 51 has three functions: to gradually increase the installing or latching force that must be exerted by the user when installing the print cartridge 11 in a printer; to ease the opening of the latch spring during installation; and to continuously force the print cartridge 11 out of the printer until the print cartridge is precisely seated in the carriage. This latter feature prevents "false latching" of the print cartridge. The latch wall 52 is located perpendicular to the outside surface of the lid 31 and is the surface engaged by the latch spring when the print cartridge is precisely seated in the carriage of the printer. The island 48, Fig. 7, further includes a latch well 54 located behind the latch wall 52. The latch well is a relieved area in the lid 31 that permits the latch spring to travel below the outside surface of the lid as necessary to maintain a constant latching force during the life of the printer. The island 48 also has two sets of keys 56 located on either side of the latch 50 that identify the print cartridge 1 1 to the printer. While the print cartridge described above contains three ink reservoirs and three vents 40, Figs. 1 and 7, it is contemplated that one or more reservoirs with one or more vents can also be used. In the printer that is planned for this print cartridge, one print cartridge having one reservoir containing only black ink will be installed adjacent to a second print cartridge having three reservoirs containing the three primary hues. Further, it is contemplated that a print cartridge can be used that does not require a lid 31 as described above. Such a cartridge would need only a top wall with the appropriate vent(s) that seals the one or more reservoirs. Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts so described and illustrated. The invention is limited only by the claims.

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. An ink-jet print cartridge, comprising: a) a print cartridge body; b) a top wall securely affixed to the body along a margin; and c) a latch located on the top wall and displaced away from the margin of the top wall and the body. 2. The print cartridge of Claim 1 wherein the top wall has a planer outside surface and further including a latch ramp leading to a latch wall located perpendicular to the outside surface of the top wall. 3. The print cartridge of Claim 1 further including a supporting lip located along the margin of the top wall. 4. An ink-jet print cartridge, comprising: a) a generally rectangular print cartridge body having two side walls, a front wall, and a back wall; b) a top wall having a planer outside surface, said top wall being affixed to the body; and c) an elongate supporting lip located on a first side wall of the body, said lip being parallel to the planer outside surface of the top wall. 5. The ink-jet print cartridge of Claim 4 further including a second elongate supporting lip located on a second side wall of the body, said second lip likewise being parallel to the planer outside surface of the top wall. 6. An ink-jet print cartridge, comprising: a) a generally rectangular print cartridge body having two side walls, a front wall, and a back wall; b) a top wall affixed to the body along a margin; c) a latch located on the top wall and displaced away from the margin of the top wall and the body; and d) a gripping surface on the print cartridge, remotely located from the latch. 7. The ink-jet print cartridge of Claim 6 wherein each of the two side walls has a common margin with the back wall and wherein the gripping surface is a rib located along one of the common margins. 8. The ink-jet print cartridge of Claim 6 wherein the gripping surface is a plurality of groves located along the margin between the top wall and the body. 9. The ink-jet print cartridge of Claim 6 wherein the top wall has a planer outside surface and the gripping surface is a plurality of groves located on the planer outside surface of the top wall.

Inventors: KLINE DANIEL S, SANTHANAM RAM, SCHOLZ MARCUS, YAMAMOTO JUNJI, KLINE, DANIEL, S., SANTHANAM, RAM, SCHOLZ, MARCUS, YAMAMOTO, JUNJI
Applicants: HEWLETT PACKARD CO, HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B41J2
IPC codes: B41J2