Patent Publication Number: US-7213489-B2

Title: Ink container opener with multiple inserts for different container types

Description:
The invention relates to an ink container opener. More particularly, it relates to an ink container opener which has multiple adapters to be used to remove caps from several types of ink containers, used in ink jet printing. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   An ink container typically includes a container body and a container cap. The cap is usually ultrasonically welded, glued or heat staked to the body after the container has been filled with ink during initial manufacturing. Once the ink has been depleted from the container, the container can be reused by refilling it with ink. Refilling ink containers with ink is a two step process. First, access must be provided such as by breaking open and removing the cap from the cartridge. Second, the reservoir must be refilled. To assist in refilling the ink container, and as an alternative to removing the cap, the user usually drills holes through the cap to provide access into the interior of the container so that ink can be added. At times the ink container cap may be fabricated of a rigid plastic material that is difficult to penetrate using a hand-held drill bit which is typically supplied with ink refill kits. Thus, drilling holes into the cap can be difficult for the user, especially for a color ink container where three holes are required. 
   Accordingly, there is a need for a way to easily remove the cap from an ink supply container to enable the addition of more ink, thereby extending the useful life of the container. Thus, there is a need for an ink container opener that allows the consumer or user to remove the container cap without drilling holes into the cap. 
   One drawback of prior ink container openers is the lack of a firm grip for the container during a somewhat delicate procedure of separating the top and bottom portions of the container. Furthermore, another drawback of some of the openers is they can be used to only open one type of ink container. While these openers have been effective apparatus for opening containers, there is a need for an improved ink container opener having enhanced gripping and stability features. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a cap removal tool which can be used with more than one type of ink container. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to an ink cartridge opener for removing a cap from the ink supply container to enable the addition of more ink, thereby extending the useful life of the container. More particularly, the present invention includes a container opener which enables the consumer to remove the container cap from different types of ink containers using a multi-piece opener. A variety of different caps can be removed using a single base unit onto which various inserts can be placed. Each of the inserts is intended for use with one of various types of ink containers. Further in this respect, ink containers have caps with different shapes and sizes. By including multiple inserts with various shaped openings that have different configurations to grip a specific cap type, a number of different container designs can have caps removed using a single device. 
   A user first selects an appropriate insert for a particular ink container. The insert is placed into the base unit and slid into position within an opening of the base unit. A mating interconnection between edges on the insert and grooves in the opening of the base unit secures the insert to the base unit. The weight of the insert assists in holding the insert in place. 
   The container is then placed into an opening of the insert which positions and holds the cap. Thus, the insert or holder member holds the cap of the container and the second member or base member provides for the container to be supported in cantilever fashion when force is applied to the container body. The user pushes down and exerts force onto an end of the container body spaced from the holder with the palm of his or her hand. This downward force then enables the cap to be disconnected or separated from the body. Thus, the opener enables a consumer to remove a cartridge cap using an opener design which securely holds the cap of the cartridge while the consumer pushes down on the cartridge body with the palm of his or her hand. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the base member has a first portion and a second portion approximately perpendicular to each other. The first portion has a substantially U-shaped opening formed with a groove extending along the walls of the opening. The inserts have openings which are substantially rectangular in shape and of different sizes and/or edge profiles for accommodating the caps of the different containers. The opening can, for example, comprise a plurality of ridges extending along at least one side of the opening. The opening can also, for example, be small or large and have linear edges. 
   One advantage of the invention is that multiple container types can have caps removed using a multiple-insert opener. 
   Another advantage is the fact that the opener can be used with more than one type of ink container by having several openings for receiving various ink container caps. This results in the opener requiring less storage space than several openers for different size cartridges. The opener also requires less inventory to accommodate different ink container manufacturers. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that the user&#39;s weight can be used in addition to hand and arm muscles to apply force to the container to open the container. In this respect, the opener can rest on the top of a work surface to absorb the applied force, thereby enabling operation with one hand. Alternatively, a consumer can apply force to the opener on the floor by the ball of a foot. 
   Another advantage of the invention is achieved by the use of serrated edges along an opening to provide a more secure grip on the container cap. 
   Yet another advantage is that additional inserts can be provided as new ink containers enter the marketplace. 
   Still other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may take form in certain components and structures, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIGS. 1A–1D  are perspective views of an ink container opener, a base unit and several inserts in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 2A–2D  are front elevational views of the base and inserts of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the ink container opener of  FIG. 1  showing an ink container installed in the opener in phantom. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments of this invention only and not for purposes of limiting same,  FIGS. 1D and 2D  show an ink container opener A having a base unit or member  10  with a first member or wall  12  and a second member or wall  14  substantially perpendicular to each other. Each of the walls is substantially rectangular in shape and has flat surfaces. Wall  14  is shown to be shorter along a longitudinal axis than wall  12 . However, wall  14  could be of the same length or longer than wall  12  in alternate embodiments. First wall or member  12  has an opening  16  adapted to receive a first portion or a cap of an associated ink container B (see  FIG. 3 ). Opening  16  is shown to be substantially U-shaped in configuration; however, other shapes are also contemplated by the invention. A plurality of substantially C-shaped grooves or channels  18 ,  19 ,  20  extend along edges  21 ,  22 ,  23  of opening  16 . 
   The first and second walls  12 ,  14  are formed of a unitary construction from metal, or another suitable material, and are oriented approximately perpendicular to each other to form an L-shaped configuration. Reinforcement members (not shown) can be provided and interposed between the two walls to provide additional strength and rigidity to the opener. 
   Wall  12  has a first end  24  and a second end  26 , and opening  16  extends into wall  12  from the first end, and second wall  14  is positioned adjacent to the second end which is below bottom edge  22  of the opening. Wall  14  has a first end  27  and a second end  28  where the first end  27  is positioned adjacent the second end  26  of wall  12 . The dimension of wall  12  is longer between first end  24  and second end  26  than the dimension of wall  14  between first end  27  and second end  28 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1A–1C  and  2 A– 2 C, several types of inserts for the container are shown. Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 2A , a first insert  30  has a substantially rectangular top wall or ledge  32 . A second wall  34  extends from the ledge and is substantially rectangular in configuration. Wall  34  has edges  36 ,  38 ,  40 . Wall  32  has edges  41 ,  42  which extend beyond edges  36 ,  40  as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 2A . Wall  34  has a raised portion  44  which extends beyond the surfaces of edges  36 ,  38 ,  40  in a transverse direction as shown in  FIG. 1A . Positioned approximately in the center of wall  34  is a rectangular opening or cut-out  46 . Opening  46 , which has substantially linear edges, is adapted to receive a container cap of the particular rectangular dimension. 
   During usage, insert  30  is installed into opening  16  of base  10  such that edges  36 ,  38 ,  40  are matingly received by channels  18 ,  19 ,  20  of the base. The insert is slid into the opening until wall  32  abuts the first end  24  of wall  12 . The weight of the insert holds it into place within opening  16 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1B  and  FIG. 2B , a second insert  60  which can be used is shown. Insert  60  also has a top wall or ledge  62 . A second wall  64  extends from the ledge and is substantially rectangular in configuration. Wall  64  has outer edges  66 ,  68 ,  70  and wall  62  has edges  71 ,  72  which extend beyond edges  66 ,  70  as shown in  FIG. 2B . Wall  64  has a raised portion  74  which extends beyond the surfaces of edges  66 ,  68 ,  70  in a transverse direction as shown in  FIG. 1B . 
   A substantially rectangular opening  76  is positioned in the center of wall  64 . Opening  76  has a plurality of ridges  78  which extend along edges  79 ,  80  of the opening. As can be seen clearly in  FIG. 2B , the ridges are parallel to each other and are equally spaced apart. The ridges are also shown to be on edges which are opposite one another in the opening. However, ridges could also be provided on opposing edges  81 ,  82 . The ridges are shown to be rectangular bars; however, the ridges could be formed with sharp or serrated edges to provide a grip for engaging the outer surface of an ink cartridge cap member. The insert  60  is used with the base in much of the same manner as described for insert  30 . In this respect, edges  66 ,  68 ,  70  are slidably received in grooves  18 ,  19 ,  20  in the base. A notable difference between the inserts  60  and  30  is that opening  76  has ridges which engage a cap and provide an additional grip to assist in the separation of the cap from a container. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1C  and  FIG. 2C , a third type of insert  110  is provided. The insert has a top wall or ledge  112  and a second wall  114  which extends from the ledge and is substantially rectangular in configuration. Wall  114  has edges  115 ,  116 ,  117  and wall  112  has edges  118 ,  119  which extend beyond edges  115 , and  117 . 
   Wall  114  has a raised portion which extends beyond the surfaces of edges  115 ,  116 ,  117  in a transverse direction as shown in  FIG. 1C . A substantially rectangular opening  122  is positioned centrally within wall  114 . The opening could also be positioned offset or in other configuration without departing from the scope of the invention. 
   Opening  122  has linear edges and is configured to be larger than opening  46  in insert  30 . The opening extends from edge  115  to edge  117 . Insert  110  is also used in much the same manner as the other inserts described with respect to being slidably engaged with the base. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3  and  FIGS. 1C and 2C , usage of the opener to separate a cap from an ink container will now be described. An ink container B is positioned within the ink container opener by inserting cap  50  of the container within opening  122 . A lip or ridge on the bottom edge of the container cap abuts a peripheral portion  122   a  of the bottom edge of opening  122 . As will be appreciated from  FIG. 3 , the container body is supported in cantilever fashion and a user&#39;s hand then applies a downward force C to the ink container thereby engaging the cap with the edges of opening  122  and applying force to a second portion or main body  52  of the container until the cap is disconnected from or separated from the container body. Wall  14  acts as a support member that rests on a support surface such as a table or floor. The ink container is positioned is substantially parallel to wall  14 . The support member  14  extends along a longitudinal axis of the container. The user&#39;s weight can be used in addition to hand and arm muscles. The opener can be placed on a work surface such as a desk or table to absorb the applied force of the user. This would enable a one-handed application of force to the ink container. Alternatively, for a user with weak hands or arms, or when the cap is too secure to achieve separation by hand, the opener can be placed on a floor surface and the ball or heel of the user&#39;s foot can apply the force directly to the ink container body. As seen in  FIG. 3 , the force to disconnect the cap from a container is applied in a downwardly direction such as by the palm of a user&#39;s hand. Alternatively, the force can be applied in a horizontal or other direction based on the orientation of the ink container opener. 
   The base member first wall is shown to be shorter between first and second ends than the base member second wall; however, other dimensions for the wall can also be used. As previously mentioned, the opener is formed with a substantially L-shaped configuration. The L-shape of the opener allows for space efficiency within a refill kit container. That is, the opener can be placed into a corner of a refill kit container along with a plurality of ink supply bottles and requires only a small increase in the refill kit container volume. 
   The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Obviously, alterations and modifications will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. The invention is intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.