Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~HP: 1093627-1 2 1 916 3 S PATENT
INTERLOCKING CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY
F~F.~ n OF THF. I~VF.~ION
This invention relates to an interlocking conr-~~'or that can be used to connect an ink
supply cont~inçr to an inkjet printer.
BACKGROUNT) A~D SUMMA~Y OF THF T~VENTION
10Inkjet printers typically have pens that traverse a sheet of paper or other material.
The pen has a print head that selectively ejects tiny droplets of ink to form desired
characters or images. In some inkjet printers, a supply of ink is contained in a reservoir
at the pen. This type of ink supply allows for the simple delivery of ink from the
reservoir to the print head. The size and weight of the reservoir, however, may
15 adversely affect printer speed because the entire ink supply is moved with the print head.
In other inkjet printers, the ink supply is conhine~ and located elsewhere on the printer,
allowing the pen to traverse the paper at a greater speed. A flexible ink delivery tube
connects the pen and a supply container.
In this latter type of printer, the supply container is occasionally replaced. To
20 facilitate the repl~cem.ont, inkjet printers are generally provided with docking stations.
The docking station houses the supply container. The supply container can be easily
plugged into and uncoupled from the docking station. The docking station includes a
fluid interconnect to connect the supply container to the delivery tube.
A well-sealed fluid interconnect between the docking station and the supply container
25 is neces~ry. Otherwise, ink may leak from the supply container and damage the printer.
In addition, the fluid interconnect should prevent ink from escaping when the supply
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HP: 1093627-1 PATENT
container is uncoupled from the doc~ing station so no ink comes in contact with the user.
It is also prefe.1~d that the cG!.Ipone~ls of an ink supply system be as easy to recycle
as possible.
S A p1efe~1~,d enlbo~lim~nt of the invention provides an interlocking connector assembly
for a well-sealed fluid interconne~t between an ink supply container and an ink delivery
tube. The connector assembly includes an outlet valve carried on the ink supply container
and an inlet valve carried on the docking station. The outlet and inlet valves resist being
opened while they are uncoupled. The outlet and inlet valves are simultaneously movable
into an open position once coupled. The outlet and inlet valves cannot be uncoupled until
the outlet and inlet valves are simultaneously closed, so that ink cannot escape from the
ink supply container or the station.
As another aspect of this invention, the connector assembly ink supply container has
few parts, and the parts are made from similar materials, thus making the ink supply easy
to recycle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a connector assembly of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a pe~ ive view of the connector assembly of Fig. 1 in an open, coupledposition.
Fig. 3 is a section view of the connector assembly of Fig. 1 in an closed, uncoupled
position.
Fig. 4 is a section view of the connector assembly of Fig. 1 in a open, coupled
position.
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DFT~TT Fn DF-~CRIPTION OF THF INVF~IlON
An interlocking conn~tQr assembly 10 in accordance with the present invention isillustrated in Fig. 1. The connector assembly 10 connee~ an ink supply container 16 to a
do~ing station 33 on an inlcjet printer (not shown). The illustrated c~nne~l~r assembly
S 10 has an outlet assembly 12 on the ink cont~ er 16 and an inlet assembly 14 connf~~t~1
to the doc~ing station 33.
In the illustrated embodiment, the supply container 16 has a container base 54, a
flexible ink bag 52, and a hard shell 50. The conhiner base 54 is rectangular with
rounded corners and has a thickened mid-section 112, as seen in Fig. 3. The ~hi. l~Pne~
mid-section 112 has a frustum-shaped indentation 62. A bore 42 extends between the
wall of the frustum-shaped indentation 62 and the inner edge 120 of the thickened mid-
section 112 to open into the bag 52 that is ~tt~.hed at one end to the mid-section 112. In
the p~fe..~d embodiment, the container base 54 is made from polyethylene.
The edge 114 of the cont~iner base 54 has an inwardly protruding skirt 110 over
which snap-fits the open end 118 of the shell 50.
The hard shell 50 is made from a low-cost material such as polyethylene and has an
inwardly facing annular groove 116. The shell 50 is snapped onto the container base 54
such that a ridge on the skirt 110 fits snugly into the groove 116 on the shell 50. The
shell S0 protects the ink bag 52.
The ink bag 52 is attached to the thickened mid-section 112 of the container base 54
by, for example, heat-staking. Fluid can flow from the interior of the ink bag 52 through
the bore 42 in the mid-section 112. The ink bag 52 is otherwise enclosed.
The outlet assembly 12 includes a valve holder 36, an outlet valve 20, and a keeper
member 18. The valve holder 36 is a projecting tube that is either integrally formed with
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HP: 1093627- 1 PATENT
or ~t -h~d to the container base 54 by, for example, heat-staking or ultrasonic welding.
The valve holder 36 is preferably made from polyethylene.
The outlet valve 20 is cylindrical with a frustum-shaped protrusion 56 at the center of
the inward end 64. The outlet valve 20 has an ~L" shaped passageway 44 e~t~n~ling from
the outward end 66 of the outlet valve 20, along the axis of the outlet valve 20, and
radially to the side of the frustum-shaped protrusion 56. The outward end of thepassageway 44 is countersunk, and the passageway 44 tapers slightly before extending
radially. Preferably, the outlet valve 20 is injection molded from polyethylene and
forrned with a void 126 therein to facilitate even cooling of the polyethylene and to
reduce material.
The outlet valve 20 fits tightly within the valve holder 36 and is reces~d therein so
as to resist rotation by hand. The frustum-shaped protrusion 56 of the outlet valve 20 fits
tightly within the frustum-shaped indentation 62 in the container base 54.
When the outlet assembly 12 is not coupled to the inlet assembly 14, the outlet valve
20 is in a closed position, in which the passageway 44 is not aligned with or intersecting
the bore 42. Thus, the walls of the frustum-shaped protrusion 56 block fluid flow from
the bore 42 of the supply container 16, as shown in Fig. 3.
The outlet valve 20 is rotatable into an open position, in which the passageway 44 is
aligned with the bore 42 to allow fluid flow from the supply container 16, as shown in
Fig. 4 and as will be described in greater detail below.
The outlet valve 20 also has keyways 28, of which there are three in the preferred
embodiment (Fig. 1). Each keyway 28 is a "V"-shaped notch that extends axially along
the edge of the outlet valve 20. The keyways 28 are equally spaced around the perimeter
of the outlet valve 20.
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HP: 1093627- I PATENT
The outlet valve 20 is held in the valve holder 36 by the stationary keeper member
18. The keeper rnPmber 18 is ring-shaped and its inner di~met~Pr fits snugly around the
outer ~i~meter of the valve holder 36. The keeper rnember 18 has legs 68, as best seen
in Fig. 1, el~tentlin~ from the outward edge 72 of the keeper n~ember 18 inwardly to the
5 interior of the ring. The legs 68 have feet 70 e ~q-1in~ radially inward and perpen~i~Ul~r
to the legs 68. The undersides of the feet 70 abut the outward end 66 of the outlet valve
20, thereby to hold the outlet valve 20 tightly against the frustum-shaped indentation 62 in
the container base 54.
The keeper member 18 also has two hooks 24. The hooks 24 extend radially outward
10 from dia~ t~ically opposed parts of the outer walls 122 and form a right angle before
ex~nl1ing tangential to the keeper member 18. When the outlet and inlet assemblies 12
and 14 are coupled and the outlet and inlet valves 20 and 22 are rotated into the open
position, the hooks 24 latch onto the inlet assembly 14 to prevent the outlet assembly 12
from being uncoupled from the inlet assembly 14, as will become clear below.
lS The inlet assembly 14 has an inlet valve 22 and a valve retainer 94. The inlet valve
22 is cylindrical with an outward flange 74 and an inward flange 76. The inward flange
76 has a frustum-shaped projection 82 centered about the axis of the inlet valve 22. The
outward flange 74 has three keys 30 extending outward therefrom and evenly spaced
about the center of the inlet valve 22. In the preferred embodiment the keys 30 are
20 hexagonal-shaped, although any shape that fits within the keyways 28 could be used.
When the outlet and inlet assemblies 12 and 14 are coupled, the keys 30 fit into the
keyways 28 on the outlet valve 20. Rotating the inlet valve 22 causes the keys 30 to
press on the walls of the keyways 28, thereby to rotate the outlet valve 20. Thus, the
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HP: 1093627-1 PATENT
outlet and inlet valves 20 and 22 can be simultaneously rotated into their open positions,
as will be di~cussed in greater detail below.
The inlet valve 22 also has a tapered nozzle 80 estending outwardly from the outward
flange 74 along the axis of the inlet valve 22. The tip 84 of the nozzle 80 is rounded.
S The inlet valve 22 also has a ch~nnel 48 e~ten~in~ from the tip 84 of the nozzle 80
along the axis of the inlet valve 22 to the inward flange 76 as best seen in Fig. 4. The
ch~nnel 48 widens at the outward edge 86 of the outward flange 76 and tapers until near
the end 88 of the frustum-shaped projection 82. At which point, the c~ nçl 48 forms a
right angle and extends perpendicular to the axis of the inlet valve 22 and opens through
the side of the frustum-shaped projection 82.
As shown in Fig. 1, two elongated latches 26 extend from diametrically opposed
sides 124 of the outward flange 74, parallel to the axis of the inlet valve 22. The
outerrnost ends of the latches 26 forrn a right angle to extend radially from the inlet valve
22. The latches 26 engage the hooks 24 when the inlet valve 22 and outlet valve 20 are
rotated into the open position and prevent the outlet and inlet assemblies 12 and 14 from
being uncoupled while the outlet and inlet valves 20 and 22 are open.
The inlet valve 22 also has an arm 78 extending radially from the exterior wall 90 of
the inlet valve 22 as shown in Fig. 2. The perimeter 92 of the arm 78 has teeth 38
formed therein. The teeth 38 mesh with a gear 40 that is mounted to the docking station
33. The gear 40 is driven to rotate the teeth 38, which rotate the inlet valve 22. When
the inlet valve 22 is coupled with the outlet valve 20 (Fig. 4), as the inlet valve 22
rotates, the keys 30 push against the walls of the keyways 28 to rotate the outlet valve 20
simultaneously.
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~ ~ HP: 1093627- l PATENT
In inlcjet printers having multiple ink containers, a rack of teeth could be used
instead of the gear 40 to rotate the inlet and outlet valves on all the ink containers at the
same time. Alternatively, a bar linkage could do the same.
The inlet valve 22 is mounted to the d~Lin~ station 33, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
S The docltin~ station 33 includes the valve ~t~iner 94 and an ink delivery tube 34. The
valve retainer 94 is rectangular with a semi-circular protuberance 100. A frustum-shaped
valve seat 96 protrudes from near the center of the semi-circular protuberance 100. The
valve seat 96 has a protruding duct 98 ~t~ched thereto that extends outwardly, parallel to
the axis of the valve seat 96. As shown in Fig. 3, the duct 98 is hollow and extends from
an opening 46 on the interior surface 102 of the valve seat 96 to a distal end 104. The
distal end 104 of the duct 98 is conne~ted to the ink delivery tube 34.
The inlet valve 22 is rotatable relative to the valve seat 96 from a closed position, in
which the ch~nnel 48 is not aligned with the opening 46 of the duct 98, as shown in Fig.
3, to an open position, in which the ch~nn~l 48 is aligned with the opening 46 to allow
lS fluid flow through the inlet assembly 14, as shown in Fig. 4.
In the p~fe,led embodiment, the inlet assembly 14 is recessed within the d~king
station 33 so that a user cannot reach the inlet valve 22 and thus cannot manually turn the
inlet valve 22 from the closed to the open position. Preferably, the ink container 16
protrudes only approximately one inch beyond the docking station when coupled into the
20 inlet assembly 14.
Additionally, it is contemplated tha~ the co--ne~tor assembly 10 could include an
electrical or mechanical switch at the docking station 33 that is triggered upon full
insertion of the supply container 16 to actuate a motor (not shown) to drive the gear 40 to
rotate the inlet and outlet valves 22 and 20 into the open position.
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HP: 1093627-1 PATENT
The interlocking conne~tQr assembly 10 could be made suitable for use in inkjet
printers using various colors or types of ink by keying the latches 26 and hool~s 24 to
allow insertion only of an ink cont~inpr with the appç~p.iate color or ink.
When the outlet and inlet assemblies 12 and 14 are uncoupled, both the outlet and
inlet valves 20 and 22 are in the closed position to occlude fluid flow through the outlet
and inlet valves 20 and 22 as shown in Fig. 3. As noted, the tight fit and recession of the
outlet valve 20 in the valve body 36 prevent the outlet valve 20 from being rotated by
hand into the open position. Similarly, the rec~ssiQn of the inlet valve 22 in the docking
station 33 prevents the inlet valve 22 from being rotated by hand into the open position.
The~fole, neither the outlet valve 20 nor the inlet valve 22 can be rotated inadvertently
into the open position when the outlet and inlet assemblies 12 and 14 are uncoupled.
As the outlet assembly 12 is coupled with the inlet assembly 14, the nozzle 80
extends into the passageway 44 in the outlet valve 20, creating a path through the ch~nn~o,l
48 for fluid flow between the outlet and inlet valves 20 and 22, but not between the
supply container 16 and the tube 34 because the outlet and inlet valves 20 and 22 are still
in the closed position. Also, as the outlet assembly 12 is inserted into the inlet assembly
14, the keys 30 on the inlet valve 22 engage the keyways 28 on the outlet valve 20. The
tapered outer walls of the nozzle 80 form a seal with the passageway 44 to prevent fluid
leakage.
Once the seal is made, the outlet and inlet valves 20 and 22 are rotated into the open
positions, as shown in Fig. 4. This is accomplished by rotating the gear 40, which
engages the teeth 38 on the arm 78 to thereby rotate the inlet valve 22 into the open
position. The rotation of the inlet valve 22, and lhereby the keys 30, causes the
simultaneous rotation of the outlet valve 20 into the open position.
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HP: 1093627-1 PATENT
Also, ~ the inlet valve 22 rotates, the latch 26 rotates through the same angle. The
keeper m~rnber 18 on the outlet assembly 12, and thereby the hooks 24, remains
st~ationq~y. Thus, when the inlet valve 22 is rotated into the open position, the latches 2
engage the hooks 24 so that the inside edges 106 of the latches 26 abut the side edges 108
of the hooks 24, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. With the hooks 24 and the latches 26
en~q~ged, the outlet assembly 12 cannot be uncoupled from the inlet assembly 14. Rather,
the outlet and inlet valves 20 and 22 must be rotated to disengage the hooks 24 and
latches 26. Rotating the outlet and inlet valves 20 and 22 through an angle sufficient to
~li~ng~ge them will close the outlet and inlet valves 20 and 22.
Thus, the hooks 24 and latches 26 prevent the outlet and inlet assemblies 12 and 14
from being uncoupled whenever the outlet and inlet valves 20 and 22 are in the open
position. This ensures that ink is not released from the ink container 16 or from the tube
34 during uncoupling and thus prevents ink from conPcting the user. This also prevents
a user from carelessly extracting the ink container 16 when either the ink container 16 or
the tube 34 has a path open for fluid flow.
Also, this invention provides an ink container that is easy to recycle. This invention
also prevents the ink from drying out because the inlet and outlet valves are always closed
when the inlet and outlet valves are uncoupled, and thus the ink is never exposed to
ambient air. This invention allows multiple couplings and uncouplings.
This descnption illustrates various embodiments of the present invention and should
not be construed to limit the scope thereof in any way. Other modifications and
variations may be made to the assembly described without departing from the invention as
defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
