Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7967415?dq=5708422
Timestamp: 2013-12-05 02:03:50
Document Index: 709244188

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2002', 'Application No. 2002', 'Application No. 2002', 'Application No. 2003', 'Application No. 2006', 'Application No. 2006']

Patent US7967415 - Printing material container - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Advanced Patent Search | Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsInk cartridge 70 is attached to cartridge holder 62 of printing apparatus 20 by being inserted in a predetermined insertion direction R until it is touching locating member. Ink cartridge 70 includes a plurality of low voltage circuit terminals 111-113 and a plurality of high voltage circuit terminals...http://www.google.com/patents/US7967415?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7967415 - Printing material containerPublication numberUS7967415 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/572,880Publication dateJun 28, 2011Filing dateAug 30, 2005Priority dateSep 1, 2004Also published asCA2576934A1, CA2576934C, CN1972805A, CN1972805B, CN101954793A, DE202005021707U1, EP1792733A1, EP1792733A4, EP1792733B1, EP1792733B8, US20080259135, WO2006025578A1Publication number11572880, 572880, US 7967415 B2, US 7967415B2, US-B2-7967415, US7967415 B2, US7967415B2InventorsNoboru Asauchi, Akihisa WanibeOriginal AssigneeSeiko Epson CorporationPatent Citations (49), Non-Patent Citations (16), Referenced by (4), Classifications (12), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPrinting material containerUS 7967415 B2Abstract Ink cartridge 70 is attached to cartridge holder 62 of printing apparatus 20 by being inserted in a predetermined insertion direction R until it is touching locating member. Ink cartridge 70 includes a plurality of low voltage circuit terminals 111-113 and a plurality of high voltage circuit terminals 114, 115 on body 71. Low voltage circuit terminals 111-113 are arranged so as to form row A2 orthogonal to insertion direction R. High voltage circuit terminals 114, 115 are arranged so as to form row B2 orthogonal to insertion direction R. Row B2 is arranged further towards the insertion direction R side than row A2. Images(8) Claims(11)
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a printing material container, and specifically relates to the technique to prevent the accidental contacts between terminals disposed on a printing material container.
BACKGROUND ART A ink cartridge attachable to a printing apparatus, for example, ink jet printer may have various functions, for example, ink information holding function or remaining ink level detection function. In this case, the ink cartridge may have to have electrical interconnection with the printing apparatus. For example, there is a case that terminals are disposed on both ink cartridge side and printing apparatus side, and when the ink cartridge is attached to the printing apparatus, terminals of both sides contact each other. And the structure of ink cartridge to prevent damage by shorting to data storage medium mounted on the ink cartridge is known, wherein the shorting is caused by adhesion of ink droplet to terminals to connect the data storage medium to the printing apparatus.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention, which is intended to address the problem noted above, is to prevent the shorting between the terminals to which different voltages are applied in printing material container on which at least two kinds of terminals to which different voltages are respectively applied are disposed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the construction of a printing apparatus 20 as a first embodiment.
BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Following, the image processing device of the present invention is described based on the embodiments with reference to drawings.
A. First Embodiment Construction of Printing Apparatus and Ink Cartridge 70:
In the specification hereof, the terminology �lower voltage circuit� and �higher voltage circuit� do not imply the absolute values of voltages but represent one circuit actuated at a preset voltage and another circuit actuated at a higher voltage relative to the preset voltage, like the cartridge detection circuit 611 and the sensor driving circuit 612 described above.
A length �h� of the higher voltage circuit terminals 114 and 115 in the insertion direction R on the circuit board 110 a (see FIG. 3( b-1) is shorter than an inter-terminal distance �t� (see FIG. 3( a)) between the corresponding sensor driving circuit terminals 104 and 105 and the cartridge detection circuit terminals 101 to 103 (located on the upper line in the insertion direction R) on the terminal board 100. For example, the length �h� may be about ⅓ to � of the inter-terminal distance �t�.
The length �h� of the higher voltage circuit terminals 114 and 115 in the insertion direction R of the ink cartridge 70 is shorter than the inter-terminal distance �t� between the corresponding sensor driving circuit terminals 104 and 105 and the cartridge detection circuit terminals 101 to 103 (located on the upper line in the insertion direction R) of the printing apparatus 20. While the position of the ink cartridge 70 is deviated from the proper attachment position in the direction opposite to the insertion direction R, for example, in the course of attachment, in the course of detachment, or in the event of improper attachment, the sensor driving circuit (higher voltage circuit) terminals 104 and 105 and the cartridge detection circuit (lower voltage circuit) terminals 101 to 103 of the printing apparatus 20 are not interconnected (bridged) to cause a short circuit by the higher voltage circuit terminals 114 and 115 of the ink cartridge 70. This arrangement ensures effective prevention of a short circuit between the terminals of different voltages.
Modification of First Embodiment FIG. 5 shows another applicable structure of the circuit board 110 on the ink cartridge 70 in one modified example of the embodiment. The primary difference from the circuit board 110 of the embodiment is that multiple lower voltage circuit terminals are integrated to one flat plate terminal. The three lower voltage circuit terminals 111 to 113 on the circuit board 110 a are replaced by one flat plate terminal 116. The two lower voltage circuit terminals 112 and 113 on the circuit board 110 b and the two lower voltage circuit terminals 111 and 112 on the circuit board 110 c are respectively replaced by one flat plate terminal 117 and by one flat plate terminal 118. The flat plate terminal may be made of SUS (stainless steel) or plated SUS.
B. Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 schematically illustrates the arrangement of terminals on the terminal board 100 of the cartridge holder 62 and the circuit board 110 of the ink cartridge 70 in the second embodiment.
FIG. 6( c) shows the ink cartridge 70 set in the proper attachment position in the second embodiment. In the proper attachment position of FIG. 6( c), an inter-terminal distance �v� in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction R between the lower voltage circuit terminals 111 and 113 on the circuit board 110 and the sensor driving circuit terminals 104 and 105 on the terminal board 100 is longer than a clearance (allowance) �u� between the ink cartridge 70 and the guide 65 for guiding the insertion of the ink cartridge 70. For example, the clearance �u� is about 0.5 to 3 mm, whereas the inter-terminal distance �v� is about 4 to 10 mm.
C. Third Embodiment A third embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the arrangement of terminals on the terminal board 100 of the cartridge holder 62 and the circuit board 110 of the ink cartridge 70 in the third embodiment. FIG. 8 schematically shows the electrical structure of the ink cartridge 70 and the cartridge processing circuit 61 in the third embodiment.
D. Fourth Embodiment A fourth embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 schematically illustrates the arrangement of terminals on the terminal board 100 of the cartridge holder 62 and the circuit board 110 of the ink cartridge 70 in the fourth embodiment.
FIG. 9( c) shows the positional relation between the terminal board 100 and the circuit board 110 in the event of deviation of the ink cartridge 70 from the proper attachment position in the direction opposite to the insertion direction R in the fourth embodiment. In this illustrated example, the higher-voltage ground terminal 115 of the ink cartridge 70 is accidentally in contact with the cartridge detection circuit terminal 101 of the printing apparatus 20. The sensor input-output terminal 104 of the printing apparatus 20 that may have application of a high voltage of 45 V at the maximum is accidentally in contact with the sensor input-output terminal 119 of the ink cartridge 70. When the sensor driving circuit 612 applies a high voltage to the sensor input-output terminal 104, the high voltage is applied to the cartridge detection circuit terminal 101 via the path of the sensor input-output terminal 104�the sensor input-output terminal 119�the higher-voltage ground terminal 115�the cartridge detection circuit terminal 101.
E. Modifications The positions of the higher voltage circuit terminals or the positions of the lower voltage circuit terminals may be exchanged arbitrarily, except the positions of the higher-voltage ground terminals 105 and 115 in the fourth embodiment and the positions of the lower-voltage ground terminals 102 and 112 in the first embodiment. Such positional exchange does not affect the functions and the effects of the present invention described above.
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No. GB0625839.6 (Apr. 20, 2007).Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS8167399 *Mar 22, 2010May 1, 2012Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInk supply devicesUS8215754 *Oct 1, 2009Jul 10, 2012Riso Kagaku CorporationDetachable structure for ink cartridge, and control method for attaching/detaching ink cartridgeUS20100085404 *Oct 1, 2009Apr 8, 2010Riso Kagaku CorporationDetachable structure for ink cartridge, and control method for attaching/detaching ink cartridgeUS20100245456 *Mar 22, 2010Sep 30, 2010Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInk supply devices* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification347/50, 347/86, 347/7International ClassificationB41J2/175, B41J2/14, B41J2/195Cooperative ClassificationB41J2/17546, B41J2/1752, B41J2/1753European ClassificationB41J2/175C3, B41J2/175C7E, B41J2/175C4ALegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJun 25, 2008ASAssignmentOwner name: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:ASAUCHI, NOBORU;WANIBE, AKIHISA;REEL/FRAME:021151/0581Effective date: 20080618RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google