Patent Publication Number: US-7222951-B2

Title: Ink cartridges

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. BP-2005-284646, which was filed on Sep. 29, 2005, Japanese Patent Application No. BP-2005-342697, which was filed on Nov. 28, 2005, Japanese Patent Application No. BP-2005-377987, which was filed on Dec. 28, 2005, Japanese Patent Application No. BP-2006-064972, which was filed on Mar. 9, 2006, Japanese Patent Application No. BP-2006-081806, which was filed on Mar. 23, 2006, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/826,254, which was filed on Sep. 20, 2006, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to ink cartridges. In particular, the present invention is directed towards ink cartridges which may be used in combination with ink jet printers. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Ink cartridges which are configured to be used in combination with ink jet printers are known in the art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to an embodiment of the present invention, an ink cartridge system comprises at least three ink cartridges comprising a first ink cartridge, a second ink cartridge, and a third ink cartridge. A size of the first ink cartridge is not equal to a size of the second ink cartridge, the size of the first ink cartridge is not equal to a size of the third ink cartridge, and the size of the second ink cartridge is not equal to the size of the third ink cartridge. Each of the at least three ink cartridges comprises a case comprising a first case member, and a second case member connected to the first case member. Each of the first case member and the second case member comprises a first wall, and at least one second wall. Moreover, an area of the first wall is greater than an area of the at least one second wall, and the at least one second wall is perpendicular to the first wall. In addition, an area of the at least one second wall of the first case member of the first ink cartridge is the same as an area of the at least one second wall of the first case member of the second ink cartridge, and an area of the at least one second wall of the second case member of the second ink cartridge is the same as an area of the at least one second wall of the second case member of the third ink cartridge. 
   According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing an ink cartridge system comprises the steps of using a first mold to make a first case member a first ink cartridge, using a second mold to make a second case member of the first ink cartridge, using the first mold to make a first case member of a second ink cartridge, using a third mold to make a second case member of the second ink cartridge, using a fourth mold to make a first case member of a third ink cartridge, and using the third mold to make the second case member of the third ink cartridge. Moreover, a size of the first ink cartridge is not equal to a size of the second ink cartridge, the size of the first ink cartridge is not equal to a size of the third ink cartridge, and the size of the second ink cartridge is not equal to the size of the third ink cartridge. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the needs satisfied thereby, and the features and technical advantages thereof, reference now is made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an ink cartridge, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an expanded, perspective view showing an interior of the ink cartridge of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an ink cartridge showing a process for attaching a protective cap to the ink cartridge, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of a plurality of different sized ink cartridges of an ink cartridge system, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an interior of a case member, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of a plurality of different sized ink cartridges of an ink cartridge system, according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an interior of a case member, according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
   Embodiments of the present invention and their features and technical advantages may be understood by referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , like numerals being used for like corresponding portions in the various drawings. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , an ink cartridge  14  may comprise an ink reservoir element  100  which is configured to store ink, a case  200  which may substantially cover the entire body of ink reservoir element  100 , and a protector  300  which may be attached to case  200  and protects ink reservoir element  100  when ink cartridge  14  is in transit. Case  200  may have a substantially rectangular, parallelepiped shape. In an embodiment of the present invention, ink reservoir element  100 , case  200 , protector  300 , and all of the members contained in ink cartridge  14  may comprise non-metal materials, e.g., may comprise resin materials, such that they may be burned at the time of disposal. For example, nylon, polyester, or polypropylene may be used as resin materials. 
   Ink reservoir element  100  may comprise a frame portion  110  which forms an ink chamber  111  which is configured to store ink, an ink supply portion  120  which is configured to supply ink stored in ink chamber  111  to a multifunctional device (not shown), such as a printer, and an ambient air intake portion  130  which is configured to introduce ambient air into frame portion  110 . Ink reservoir element  100  also may comprise a translucent portion  140  which may allow for the detection of the amount of ink stored in ink chamber  111 . 
   Case  200  may comprise a first case member  210  and a second case member  220  which are configured to sandwich ink reservoir element  100 . First case member  210  may be a member which covers the bottom side surface of ink reservoir element  100 , and second case element  220  may be a member which covers the top side surface of ink reservoir element  100 . First and second case members  210  and  220  may comprise at least one resin material, and may be manufactured using injection molding. First and second case members  210  and  220  each may comprise a first wall We and a second wall We which is substantially perpendicular to first wall We. The area of first wall We may be greater than the surface area of second wall We. 
   A pair of case cutout portions  211  and  212  may be provided through second wall We of first case member  210  for exposing ink supply portion  120  and ambient air intake portion  130 , respectively, to the outside of case  200 . Case cutout portions  211  and  212  may be substantially semicircular. A case cutout portion  213  also may be provided through second wall We of first case member  210  between case cutout portion  211  and case cutout portion  212 , and case cutout portion  213  may be for receiving a sensor (not shown) of the multifunctional device at a position where the sensor sandwiches translucent portion  140 . For example, case cutout portion  213  may have a substantially square or rectangular shape. Similarly, second case member  220  may comprise case cutout portions  221 ,  222 ,  223 , which may correspond to case cutout portions  211 ,  212 , and  213 , respectively. When first case member  210  is connected to second case member  220  to form case  200 , case cutout portions  211  and  221  may form a first opening, case cutout portions  212  and  222  may form a second opening, and case cutout portions  213  and  223  may form a third opening. Moreover, when ink reservoir element  100  is positioned within case  200 , ink supply portion  120  may protrude from the first opening, ambient air intake portion  130  may protrude from the second opening, and a portion of translucent portion  140  may be aligned substantially flush with the third opening. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , in an embodiment of the present invention, an ink cartridge system  400  may comprise a plurality of separate ink cartridges  14 , e.g., at least three separate ink cartridges  14 . For example, ink cartridge system  400  may comprise a first ink cartridge  14   a , a second ink cartridge  14   b , and a third ink cartridge  14   c . First ink cartridge  14   a  may correspond to a large capacity black ink cartridge, second ink cartridge  14   b  may correspond to a small capacity black ink cartridge, and third ink cartridge  14   c  may correspond to a color ink cartridge, i.e., a non-black ink cartridge. First ink cartridge  14   a  may comprise a first case member  210   a  having a length L 2  and an area A 2  and a second case member  220   a  having a length L 1  and an area A 1 , second ink cartridge  14   b  may comprise a first case member  210   b  having a length L 3  and an area A 3  and second ink case member  220   a , and third ink cartridge  14   c  may comprise first case member  210   b  and a second case member  220   b  having a length L 4  and an area A 4 . As such, the second case member of first ink cartridge  14   a  may have substantially the same length and area as the second case member of second ink cartridge  14   b , and the first case member of second ink cartridge  14   b  may have the same length and area as the first case member of third ink cartridge  14   c . Moreover, the first case member of first ink cartridge  14   a  may be longer than the second case member of third ink cartridge  14   c , e.g., may be about twice as long, and may have a larger area than the second case member of third ink cartridge  14 , such that the size of first ink cartridge  14   a  may be greater than the size of second ink cartridge  14   b , and the size of second ink cartridge  14   b  may be greater than the size of third ink cartridge  14   c.    
   In an embodiment of the present invention, a case member having the same dimensions may be used for the second case member of first ink cartridge  14   a  and the second case member of second ink cartridge  14   b , such that the same mold may be used to manufacture the second case member of first ink cartridge  14   a  and second ink cartridge  14   b . Similarly, the same case member may be used for the first case member of second ink cartridge  14   b  and the first case member of third ink cartridge  14   c , such that the same mold may be used to manufacture the first case member of second ink cartridge  14   b  and third ink cartridge  14   c . As such, when ink cartridge system  400  comprises three ink cartridges  14 , the case members of case  200  may be manufactured using four different case member molds instead of six different case member molds, which reduces manufacturing costs and manufacturing time. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , a rib  1218  may be provided on substantially the entire inside surface of first case member  210   a , and rib  1218  protrudes in the Z-direction towards the side of ink reservoir element  100 . Because rib  1218  may be provided, the space provided between ink reservoir element  100  and first case member  210   a  may be filled. It therefore may be possible to maintain the strength of case  200  against pressure from the outside. For example, the length of rib  1218  in the Z-direction may be about equal to a difference between the length of the first case member of first ink cartridge  14   a  and the length of the first case member of third ink cartridge  14   c.    
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , in another embodiment of the present invention, an ink cartridge system  4400  may comprise a plurality of separate ink cartridges  14 . For example, ink cartridge system  4400  may comprise a first ink cartridge  14   e , a second ink cartridge  14   f , a third ink cartridge  14   d  and a fourth ink cartridge  14   g . First ink cartridge  14   e  may comprise a first case member  210   d  having a length L 4  and an area A 4  and a second case member  220   d  having a length L 4  and an area A 4 . Third ink cartridge  14   d  may comprise a first case member  210   c  having a length Le and an area Ea and a second case member  220   c  having a length L 3  and an area A 3 . Second ink cartridge  14   f  may comprise first case member  210   d  and second ink case member  220   c . Fourth ink cartridge  14   g  may comprise first case member  210   c  and second case member  220   d . L 4  may be about twice as long as L 3 , and A 4  may be about twice as large as A 3 . As such, first case member of second ink cartridge  14   f  may have substantially the same length and area as the first case member of first ink cartridge  14   e , and second case member of second ink cartridge  14   f  may have substantially the same length and area as the second case member of third ink cartridge  14   d . Similarly, first case member of fourth ink cartridge  14   g  may have substantially the same length and area as the first case member of third ink cartridge  14   d , and second case member of fourth ink cartridge  14   g  may have substantially the same length and area as the second case member of first ink cartridge  14   e . The size of third ink cartridge  14   d  may be less than the size of second ink cartridge  14   f  and the size of the forth ink cartridge  14   g . The size of second ink cartridge  14   f  and the size of the forth ink cartridge  14   g  may be less than the size of the first ink cartridge  14   e.    
   In an embodiment of the present invention, when ink cartridge system  4400  comprises four ink cartridges  14 , the case members of case  200  may be manufactured using four different case member molds instead of eight different case member molds, which reduces manufacturing costs and manufacturing time. 
   Referring to  FIG. 7 , a rib  4218  may be provided on substantially the entire inside surface of first case member  210   d , and rib  4218  protrudes in the Z-direction towards the side of ink reservoir element  100 . Because rib  4218  may be provided, the space provided between ink reservoir element  100  and first case member  210   d  may be filled. The length of rib  4218  in the Z-direction may be about equal to a difference between L 3  and L 4 . Therefore, same size of ink reservoir element  100  may fit into second ink cartridge  14   f  and third ink cartridge  14   d  and thereby two ink cartridges, which are different in outer shapes, but has same ink reservoir element therein, may be provided. 
   While the invention has been described in connection with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other variations and modifications of the exemplary embodiments described above may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and the described examples are considered merely as exemplary of the invention, with the true scope of the invention being indicated by the flowing claims.