Abstract:
A container assembly may include a regulated tank to contain a fluid, a free tank to replenish the fluid in the regulated tank, a first expandable member between an interior of the regulated tank and ambient atmospheric pressure, a second expandable member between the interior of the regulated tank and an inflation port, a first valve to selectively connect the free tank to the regulated tank based upon a pressure differential between the interior of the regulated tank and an interior of the free tank and a second valve actuatable between an open state permitting an interior of the free tank to be pressurized and a closed state. The second valve is actuatable between the open state and the closed state based upon a position of the first expandable member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present continuation application claims priority under 35 USC §120 from co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/307,462 filed on Oct. 28, 2016 by Boyd et al. and entitled CONTAINER ASSEMBLY, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    End users appreciate reliable components for their printing devices. They also appreciate cost-effective solutions for their printing needs. Designers and manufacturers may, therefore, endeavor to create and provide printing device components directed toward at least some of these objectives. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    The following detailed description references the drawings, wherein: 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is an example of a diagram of a container assembly. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is an example of a perspective view of a container assembly. 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is an example of a partially exploded perspective view of the container assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an example of a view of the container assembly of  FIG. 3  along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is an example of a view of the container assembly of  FIG. 3  along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 6A  is an example of a view of the container assembly of  FIG. 4  taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 6B  is an example of another view of the container assembly of  FIG. 4  taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is an example of a view of the container assembly of  FIG. 4  taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Printing devices deposit printing composition onto media. Printing devices may utilize printheads to deposit the printing composition onto the media. The printing composition for these printheads may be stored in and supplied by container assemblies. 
         [0013]    A container assembly may utilize a regulator assembly for the function of controlling flow of printing composition within a body of the container assembly as the container assembly supplies printing composition to a printing device. The regulator assembly may also be utilized to accommodate changes in ambient pressure which might otherwise cause printing composition to leak from an unregulated container assembly. A container assembly may also utilize an inflation assembly for the function of priming the body of the container assembly to supply printing composition to a printing device. 
         [0014]    The operations of the regulator assembly may be isolated from the operation of the inflation assembly. Additionally, the operations of the regulator assembly may also be isolated from each other. Providing such isolation may help to enhance the reliability of a container assembly. In some examples, this isolation should not unnecessarily increase the cost or complexity associated with the design and manufacture of a container assembly. Examples directed to achieving the foregoing are shown in  FIGS. 1-7 . 
         [0015]    As used herein the term “printing device” represents a printer, plotter, press and/or device that uses any of the following marking technologies or a combination thereof: ink jet, dye sublimation, thermal transfer, 3D, laser, extrusion, off-set printing, dot matrix, or other suitable marking technologies. As used herein the terms “media” and “medium” are interchangeable and represent any type of paper or other printing medium (e.g., cloth, cardboard, canvas, transparency, substrate, powder, etc.), having any type of finish on either or both sides (e.g., glossy, matte, plain, textured, etc.), in any size, shape, color, or form (e.g., sheet, roll (cut or uncut), folded, etc.) on which printing composition (e.g., ink, toner, colorant, wax, dye, powder, latex, printing fluid or solid, etc.) is placed, jetted, deposited, dropped, ejected, formed, or laid to create text or items (e.g., text, images, graphics, pictures, formulas, charts, two-dimensional objects, three-dimensional objects, etc.). As used herein, the terms “printhead” and “printheads” represent a mechanism or device that implements any of the above-described marking technologies. A print head or print heads can be a single device or mechanism, or arranged in a module or array such as, for example, a print bar or page-wide array. 
         [0016]    An example of a diagram of a container assembly  1  is shown in  FIG. 1 . As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , container assembly  1  includes a regulated tank  2  to supply printing composition and a free tank  3  to supply reserve printing composition to regulated tank  2 . Container assembly  1  also includes a regulator assembly  4  to control flow of the reserve printing composition from free tank  3  to regulated tank  2  and an inflation assembly  5  to prime regulated tank  2  to supply the printing composition. Container assembly  1  additionally includes a labyrinth  6  to fluidically isolate the flow of ambient air into and out of regulator assembly  4 , as generally indicated by line  7 , from the flow of a supply of air into the inflation assembly  5 , as generally indicated by line  8 . 
         [0017]    A perspective view of an example of a container assembly  10  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , container assembly  10  includes a body  12  to supply printing composition to a printing device (not shown). As can also be seen in  FIG. 2 , body  12  includes a regulated tank  14  to connect to a printing device via a printer supply port  16  on side  18  of body  12  to supply the printing composition from regulated tank  14  to the printing device. Body  12  also includes free tank  20  to store reserve printing composition that is supplied to regulated tank  12  on an as needed basis, as discussed more fully below. 
         [0018]    As can also be seen in  FIG. 2 , regulated tank  14  also includes an ambient port  22  located on side  18  of body  12  to help regulate the flow of printing composition from free tank  20  to regulated tank  14 . Regulated tank  14  additionally includes an inflation port  24  located on side  18  of body  12  that connects to a supply of air (not shown) to help prime regulated tank  14  of body  12  so that it supplies printing composition to a printing device. Regulated tank  14  further includes an ambient port  26  located on side  18  of body  12  that allows a regulator bag of a regulator assembly (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) in regulated tank  14  to expand by drawing in air via ambient port  26  and collapse by forcing air out of ambient port  26 . As will be discussed more fully below, the regulating assembly in conjunction with ambient port  22  helps to regulate the flow of printing composition from free tank  20  to regulated tank  14 . 
         [0019]    As can additionally be seen in  FIG. 2 , body  12  includes a memory  28  on a top surface  30  of body  12  that stores information that can be retrieved from memory  28  and utilized by a printing device. Information may also be written to memory  28  by a printing device. Body  12  also includes datums  32 ,  34 , and  36  that are used to help properly position body  12  during its connection to a printing device. As can further be seen in  FIG. 2 , body  12  includes a pair of lids  38  and  40  that help to seal regulated tank  14  and free tank  20 . 
         [0020]    An example of a partially exploded perspective view of container assembly  10  is shown in  FIG. 3 . As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , regulated tank  14  of container assembly  10  includes a biased connector  42  adjacent printer supply port  16  to connect to a printing device (not shown). As can also be seen in  FIG. 3 , regulated tank  14  additionally includes a regulator assembly  44  to control flow of the supply of reserve printing composition from free tank  20  to regulated tank  14  via valve assembly  46  of container assembly  10 . Regulator assembly  44  includes a regulator valve  48 , a regulator bag  50  adjacent wall  52  of regulated tank  12 , and a lever  54  to couple regulator valve  48  to regulator bag  50 . As discussed more fully below, flow of ambient air into regulator bag  50  via ambient port  26  expands regulator bag  50  of regulator assembly  44  to actuate regulator valve  48  via lever  54  to allow ambient air to flow into free tank  20  via regulator valve  48  and ambient port  22  which displaces reserve printing composition in free tank  20  into regulated tank  14  via valve assembly  46 . 
         [0021]    As can additionally be seen in  FIG. 3 , regulated tank  14  of container assembly  10  also includes an inflation assembly  56  in regulated tank  14  to prime regulated tank  14  to supply printing composition to a printing device via printer supply port  16 . Inflation assembly  56  includes an inflation bag  58  adjacent wall  52  of regulated tank  14 . As discussed more fully below, flow of air into inflation bag  58  via inflation port  24  by, for example, an external pump (not shown), expands inflation bag  58  of inflation assembly  56  which displaces printing composition out of regulated tank  20  and into a printing device via printer supply port  16 . Although not shown in  FIG. 3 , it is to be understood that regulator assembly  44  may include a biasing member adjacent regulator bag  50  to help collapse regulator bag  50  by displacing air from regulator bag  50  out of ambient port  26 . Also, although not shown in  FIG. 3 , it is to be understood that inflation assembly  56  may additionally or alternatively include a biasing member adjacent inflation bag  58  to help collapse inflation bag  58  by displacing air from inflation bag  58  out of inflation port  24 . 
         [0022]    An example of a view of container assembly  10  along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3  is shown in  FIG. 4 . As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , container assembly  10  additionally includes a labyrinth  60  to fluidically isolate flow of ambient air into and out of regulator assembly  44  from flow of a supply of air into inflation assembly  56 . Labyrinth  60  additionally fluidically isolates flow of ambient air into free tank  20  via regulator valve  48  of regulator assembly  44  from flow of ambient air into and out of regulator bag  50 . 
         [0023]    As can also be seen in  FIG. 4 , labyrinth  60  includes a first channel  62  between regulator assembly  44  and ambient air supplied via ambient port  22  to allow regulator assembly  44  to selectively connect the ambient air to regulator port  64  of free tank  20 . Labyrinth  60  also includes a second channel  66  fluidically isolated from first channel  62  and coupled to inflation port  24  of regulated tank  12 . Second channel  66  is also connected to inflation bag  58  of inflation assembly  56  via inflation assembly port  68 . Labyrinth  60  also includes a third channel  70  fluidically isolated from both first channel  62  and second channel  66  to couple ambient port  26  to regulator bag  50  of regulator assembly  44  via regulator bag port  72 . 
         [0024]    An example of a view of container assembly  10  along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3  is shown in  FIG. 5 . As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , first channel  62  of labyrinth  60  is defined by the combination of groove  74  in wall  52  and film  80  over groove  74  to seal groove  74 . Second channel  66  of labyrinth  60  is defined by the combination of groove  76  in wall  52  and film  80  over groove  76  to seal groove  76 . Third channel  70  of labyrinth  60  is defined by the combination of groove  78  in wall  52  and film  80  over groove  78  to seal groove  78 . As can also be seen in  FIG. 5 , free tank  20  includes a printing composition supply port  82  coupled to valve assembly  46 . 
         [0025]    An example of a view of container assembly  10  taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4  is shown in  FIG. 6A . As can be seen in  FIG. 6A , regulator valve  48  of regulator assembly  44  includes a ball  84  coupled to lever  54  to actuate ball  84 . Regulator valve  48  also includes a seal member  86  that includes a flexible disk  88  and a seat  90 . Ball  84  is positioned adjacent seal member  86  to actuate seal member  86 . As can also be seen in  FIG. 6A , seal member  86  is actuated by ball  84  to deform flexible disk  88  which positions flexible disk  88  against seat  90  to seal regulator port  64  from first channel  62  of labyrinth  60 . As can additionally be seen in  FIG. 6A , regulator bag  50  of regulator assembly  44  is in a substantially deflated state. 
         [0026]    An example of another view of container assembly  10  taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4  is shown in  FIG. 6B . As can be seen in  FIG. 6B , regulator bag  50  of regulator assembly  44  is in a substantially inflated state. Regulator bag  50  inflates due to air entering regulator bag  50  via ambient port  26  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ), third channel  70  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ), and regulator bag port  72  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ). Regulator bag  50  may inflate, as shown in  FIG. 6B , because sufficient printing composition has left regulated tank  14  via printer supply port  16  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ) to create a negative pressure in regulated tank  14 . 
         [0027]    As can also be seen in  FIG. 6B , inflated regulator bag  50  pushes against lever  54  which actuates ball  84  of regulator valve  48  to move ball  84  in the direction of arrow  92 . Movement of ball  84  of regulator valve  48  in the direction of arrow  92  allows flexible disk  88  of seal member  86  to move away from seat  90  to unseal regulator valve  48  so that regulator port  64  fluidly communicates with first channel  62  of labyrinth  60 . This allows air to enter ambient port  22  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ), travel through first channel  62  of labyrinth  60  to regulator port  64 , and enter free tank  20  through hole  94  in film  80 , as generally indicated by arrow  96 . This movement of air into free tank  20  displaces reserve printing composition in free tank  20  forcing the reserve printing composition from free tank  20  into regulated tank  14  via an open valve assembly  46  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ), as discussed more fully below in connection with  FIG. 7 . 
         [0028]    As reserve printing composition enters regulated tank  14  from free tank  20  via valve assembly  46 , the pressure in regulated tank  14  increases. This increasing pressure in regulated tank  14  causes regulator bag  50  to deflate by forcing air therein through regulator bag port  72  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ) to ambient port  26  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ) via third channel  70  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ) of labyrinth  60 . Eventually, the increased pressure in regulated tank  12  causes regulator bag  50  to deflate back to the condition shown in  FIG. 6A . Deflation of regulator bag  50  allows lever  54  of regulator assembly  44  to actuate ball  84  of regulator valve  48 , in a direction generally opposite of arrow  92  (see  FIG. 6B ), so that ball  84  forces flexible disk  88  of seal member  86  against seat  90  to seal regulator port  64  from first channel  62  of labyrinth  60 . 
         [0029]    An example of a view of container assembly  10  taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4  is shown in  FIG. 7 . As can be seen in  FIG. 7 , regulated tank  14  of container assembly  10  includes a printing composition replenishment port  98 . As can also be seen in  FIG. 7 , valve assembly  46  of container assembly  10  is positioned between printing composition supply port  82  and printing composition replenishment port  98 . Valve assembly  46  additionally includes a ball  100  positioned against a seat  102  to close valve assembly  46 , blocking the flow of reserve printing composition from printing composition supply port  82  of free tank  20  to printing composition replenishment port  98  of regulated tank  14  via valve assembly  46 . 
         [0030]    As can additionally be seen in  FIG. 7 , movement of ball  100  of valve assembly  46  away from seat  102  in the direction generally indicated by arrow  104 , would open valve assembly  46 , allowing reserve printing composition to flow from free tank  20  via printing composition supply port  82  through valve assembly  46  to regulated tank  14  via printing composition replenishment port  98 . Ball  100  assumes the position shown in  FIG. 7  against seat  102  to closed valve assembly  46  when the pressure in regulated tank  14  is greater than the pressure in free tank  20 . Ball  100  moves in the direction generally indicated by arrow  104  away from seat  102  to open valve assembly  46  when the pressure in free tank  20  is greater than the pressure in regulated tank  14 . 
         [0031]    Although several drawings have been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be understood that the same are intended by way of illustration and example. These examples are not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed. Modifications, additions, and variations may well be apparent. For example, regulator assembly  44  of container assembly  10  may also be utilized for the function of accommodating changes in ambient pressure which might otherwise cause printing composition to leak from printer supply port  16  if container assembly  10  is unregulated. As another example printer supply port  16 , ambient port  22 , inflation port  24  and/or ambient port  26  may be in a different location on container assembly  10  than as shown and described above. 
         [0032]    Additionally, reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean one, unless explicitly so stated, but rather means at least one. Furthermore, unless specifically stated, any method elements are not limited to the sequence or order described and illustrated. Moreover, no element or component is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element or component is explicitly recited in the following claims.