Fluid containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9630420-B2
Application number	US-201615077750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2016
Priority date	Jan 7, 2011
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

An example apparatus includes a housing including a first chamber and a second chamber, the housing defining a first port to fluidly couple the first chamber to a printer, the housing including a second port to fluidly couple the first chamber and the second chamber; a bladder disposed in the first chamber, the bladder being inflatable to increase a pressure within the first chamber; and a regulator to regulate fluid flow from the second chamber to the first chamber and to deter fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a housing including a first chamber and a second chamber, the housing defining a first port to fluidly couple the first chamber to a printer, the housing including a second port to fluidly couple the first chamber and the second chamber;
a bladder disposed in the first chamber, the bladder being inflatable to increase a pressure within the first chamber;
a regulator to regulate fluid flow from the second chamber to the first chamber and to deter fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber; and
a valve including a first seat, a second seat, and a third seat, the first seat to enable fluid flow to the first chamber, the second seat to enable fluid flow to the second chamber, and the third seat to enable fluid flow between atmosphere and at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the regulator is a check valve.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a spring to bias the bladder to a deflated position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a pump to inflate the bladder.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first seat surrounds the second seat and the third seat.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a plug to control the fluid flow through the first seat, the second seat, and the third seat.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein when the plug engages the first seat and is spaced from the second seat and the third seat, the plug enables the fluid flow between the atmosphere and the second chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the regulator is a first regulator, further including a second regulator coupled to the first chamber to regulate the pressure within the first chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second regulator is coupled to atmosphere.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a housing including a first chamber and a second chamber, the housing defining a first port to fluidly couple the first chamber to a printer, the housing including a second port to fluidly couple the first chamber and the second chamber, the housing is an ink supply including a valve including a first seat, a second seat, and a third seat, the first seat to enable fluid flow to the first chamber, the second seat to enable fluid flow to the second chamber, the third seat to enable fluid flow between atmosphere and at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber, the first seat surrounding the second seat and the third seat;
a bladder disposed in the first chamber, the bladder being inflatable to increase a pressure within the first chamber; and
a regulator to regulate fluid flow from the second chamber to the first chamber and to deter fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further including a plug to control the fluid flow.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein when the plug engages the first seat and is spaced from the second seat and the third seat, the plug enables the fluid flow between the atmosphere and the second chamber.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the regulator is a check valve.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the printer includes a receptacle to removably receive the ink supply.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , further including a spring and a pump, the spring to bias the bladder to a deflated position, the pump to inflate the bladder.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , further including a spring to bias the bladder to a deflated position.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , further including a pump to inflate the bladder.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the regulator is a first regulator, further including a second regulator coupled to the first chamber to regulate the pressure within the first chamber.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the second regulator is coupled to atmosphere.

20. A method of using an apparatus, wherein the apparatus includes a housing including a first chamber and a second chamber, the housing defining a first port to fluidly couple the first chamber to a printer, the housing including a second port to fluidly couple the first chamber and the second chamber, a bladder disposed in the first chamber, the bladder being inflatable to increase a pressure within the first chamber, and a regulator to regulate fluid flow from the second chamber to the first chamber and to deter fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber the method comprising:
obtaining a notice that an ink level within a reservoir of the printer is below a threshold;
urging ink from the first chamber to the reservoir by increasing a pressure within the first chamber of the housing, the increasing of the pressure within the first chamber to close the regulator between the first chamber and the second chamber; and
decreasing the pressure in the first chamber to draw air from the reservoir.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co Lp

Inventors

• Boyd Patrick V
• Olsen David N
• Kellar Patricia A

Classifications

• B65D83/771

  for dispensing fluent contents by means of a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm · CPC title

• B41J2/17596 Primary

  Ink pumps, ink valves · CPC title

• B41J2/17513 Primary

  Inner structure · CPC title

• B41J2/175 Primary

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

• B65D83/0055

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic