Printers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035352-B2
Application number	US-201615276542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2016
Priority date	Apr 18, 2012
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

Fluid couplings examples are disclosed in examples herein. An example printer includes a housing; and a fluid reservoir permanently fixed within the housing, the fluid reservoir having a capacity sufficient to store enough ink to print a number of pages that corresponds to an expected useful life of the printer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printer, comprising:
a first fluid reservoir and a second fluid reservoir;
a printhead to image a substrate, the printhead to receive ink from the first fluid reservoir;
a first fluid regulator and a second fluid regulator, the first fluid reservoir to supply ink to the first regulator during a printing operation and the second fluid reservoir to supply ink to the second regulator during the printing operation, the first regulator to regulate a flow of ink between the first fluid reservoir and the printhead;
a feature to guide the first fluid reservoir into fluid communication with the first regulator and to guide the second fluid reservoir into fluid communication with the second regulator, the feature to deter the first fluid reservoir from being in fluid communication with the second regulator and to deter the second fluid reservoir from being in fluid communication with the first regulator; and
a tray including a channel, the channel to guide a first tube between the first fluid reservoir and the first regulator, and the channel to guide a second tube between the second fluid reservoir and the second regulator.

2. The printer of claim 1 , further including:
a housing, wherein the first
fluid reservoir is permanently fixed within the housing so as not to move during a printing operation.

3. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the first regulator is coupled to the first fluid reservoir via a snap-fit connection.

4. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the first and second tubes are disposed on a first side of the tray and the first and second regulators are disposed on a second side of the tray.

5. The printer of claim 1 , further including a receptacle to receive one of the first regulator, the second regulator, or an exchangeable ink cartridge.

6. The printer of claim 5 , wherein, when the exchangeable ink cartridge is received within the receptacle, the exchangeable ink cartridge does not receive ink from the fluid reservoir.

7. The printer of claim 5 , wherein, when the first regulator is received within the receptacle, the first regulator to receive ink from the first fluid reservoir.

8. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the fluid reservoir is an off-axis fluid reservoir.

9. A method for delivering an ink to a printhead comprising steps of:
performing a first printing operation with a printer using ink from within an exchangeable ink cartridge disposed within a receptacle;
removing the exchangeable ink cartridge from the receptacle;
locating a regulator within the receptacle;
coupling the regulator to a fluid reservoir, the regulator to control a flow of ink between the fluid reservoir and a printhead, the regulator coupled to the fluid reservoir via a tube guided in a channel of a tray; and
performing a second printing operation using ink from within the fluid reservoir, the fluid reservoir permanently fixed within a housing of the printer to not move relative to the housing during the first printing operation and the second printing operation.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fluid reservoir is an off-axis fluid reservoir.

11. A printer retrofit assembly, comprising:
a regulator;
a fluid reservoir, the regulator to be coupled between the fluid reservoir and a printhead to regulate a flow of ink between the fluid reservoir and the printhead; and
a tray including a channel and a retainer, the retainer extending into the channel to retain a tube within the channel, the tube to couple the fluid reservoir and the regulator.

12. The printer retrofit assembly of claim 11 , wherein the tray defines a first aperture and the regulator defines a second aperture, and further including a lock to couple the tray and the regulator, the lock to extend through the first and second apertures when the first and second apertures are aligned.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Studer Anthony D
• Mcfadden Bruce A
• Shibata Alan

Classifications

• B41J2/17553

  Outer structure · CPC title

• B41J2/175

  Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor} · CPC title

• B41J2/17509

  Whilst mounted in the printer · CPC title

• B41J2/1752 Primary

  Mounting within the printer · CPC title

• F16L17/00

  Joints with packing adapted to sealing by fluid pressure · CPC title