Multipurpose bottle apparatus and bottle loading mechanism and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9975345-B2
Application number	US-201615280082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2016
Priority date	Aug 20, 2015
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A spill proof, user-friendly dispensing system that protects users from exposure to toxic fluids (e.g., Ethylene Glycol used in MICR ink) includes a bottle loading mechanism for feeding ink or other fluids to a respective supply tank of an image forming device, and a quick connect gravity feed multipurpose bottle apparatus. Ink replenishing bottles can be inserted upright into holder of the bottle loading mechanism, connected to a supply tank, and folded back out-of-the-way in a dispensing position. The bottle may be rotated from a gravity feed position to a rotated position for removal and installation while the bottle remains in the holder. The bottle when empty may be used to collect waste from the image forming device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method supplying a liquid useful in printing, the method comprising:
a) selecting a closure having a first port and a second port separate from the first port, the closure configured to sealingly cover an opening of a printer liquid replenishing bottle configured to supply liquid to a liquid supply tank of an image forming device to maintain a predetermined level of the liquid contained in the liquid supply tank, the printer liquid replenishing bottle having a reservoir configured to house the liquid and sealable by the closure when the closure is coupled to the reservoir, the reservoir having a bottom wall opposite the closure;
b) attaching a first quick connect fitting to the first port of the closure to form a sealing connection there between with the first quick connect fitting extending through the closure and being secured to the exterior side and interior side of the closure, the first quick connect fitting configured for liquid communication with the liquid supply tank of the image forming device to allow egress of the liquid from the printer liquid replenishing bottle to the liquid supply tank;
c) attaching a second quick connect fitting to the second port of the closure to form a sealing connection there between with the second quick connect fitting extending through the closure and being secured to the exterior side and interior side of the closure, the second quick connect fitting configured to allow fluid ingress only into the printer liquid replenishing bottle without fluid flow through liquid housed in the printer liquid replenishing bottle;
d) moving the printer liquid replenishing bottle to a position with the closure at the bottom of the printer liquid replenishing bottle, the liquid stored in the printer liquid replenishing bottle having a body and a top layer in direct contact with the air in the printer liquid replenishing bottle;
e) transferring liquid from the printer liquid replenishing bottle via the closure and the first quick connect fitting to the liquid supply tank; and
f) replacing the liquid transferred from the printer liquid replenishing bottle by introducing ambient air to the air in the printer liquid replenishing bottle via the second quick connect fitting without direct contact of the ambient air into the body of liquid in the printer liquid replenishing bottle,
the second conduit further comprising a vent tube attached to the second quick connect fitting and extending into the printer liquid replenishing bottle via the second port, the vent tube having an aperture adjacent the bottom wall of the enclosed reservoir, the vent tube coupled to a one-way valve configured for fluid ingress only into the printer liquid replenishing bottle, wherein the step of replacing the liquid transferred from the printer liquid replenishing bottle further includes introducing ambient air into the printer liquid replenishing bottle via the vent tube without introducing air bubbles into the liquid remaining in the printer liquid replenishing bottle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
g) moving the printer liquid replenishing bottle to a position upright with the closure at the top of the printer liquid replenishing bottle; and
h) transferring waste different than the liquid from a waste collect of the inkjet image forming device to the printer liquid replenishing bottle via the vent tube, the transferring of waste reversing the direction of fluid flow through the first quick connect fitting and the second quick connect fitting.

3. The method of claim 1 , the step of transferring liquid further comprises transferring the liquid as toxic fume emitting liquid from the printer liquid replenishing bottle via the closure to the liquid supply tank.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before step d), securing the printer liquid replenishing bottle to a bottle holder of a bottle loading mechanism having a support frame and a rack attached to the support frame, the rack including the bottle holder rotatably coupled to the support frame, and the step d) includes rotating the bottle holder about a pivotal mount rotatably coupling the bottle holder to the support frame to move the printer liquid replenishing bottle from a first position upright with the closure of the printer liquid replenishing bottle at the top of the printer liquid replenishing bottle to a second position upside down with the closure at the bottom of the printer liquid replenishing bottle.

5. The method of claim 2 , the printer liquid replenishing bottle having an enclosed reservoir configured to house the liquid with the closure sealingly coupled to the reservoir, the second port being separate from the first port, the step of transferring liquid from the printer liquid replenishing bottle to the supply tank including transferring the liquid via the first quick connect fitting, the step of replacing the liquid transferred from the printer liquid replenishing bottle including introducing ambient air to the air in the printer liquid replenishing bottle via the second quick connect fitting, and the step of transferring waste from a waste collect of the image forming device to the printer liquid replenishing bottle including transferring the waste via the second quick connect fitting and venting air out of the printer liquid replenishing bottle via the first quick connect fitting.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, before step h), decoupling the one-way valve from the vent tube.

7. The method of claim 4 , the step of rotating the bottle holder about the pivotal mount to move the printer liquid replenishing bottle from the first position to the second position automatically pivots a bottle retainer pivotally attached to the bottle holder to contact the printer liquid replenishing bottle and secure the printer liquid replenishing bottle to the bottle holder.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
g) rotating the bottle holder from the second position back to the first position upright with the closure at the top of the printer liquid replenishing bottle; and
h) transferring waste different than the liquid from a waste collect of the inkjet image forming device to the printer liquid replenishing bottle via the vent tube, the transferring of waste reversing the direction of fluid flow through the first quick connect fitting and the second quick connect fitting.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, before step h), decoupling the one-way valve from the vent tube.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step g) automatically pivots a bottle retainer pivotally attached to the bottle holder away from contact with the printer liquid replenishing bottle for removal of the printer liquid replenishing bottle from the bottle holder.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Tamarez Gomez Frank B
• Foley Timothy P
• Adiletta Mark A

Classifications

• B41J2002/1728

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B41J2/1752 Primary

  Mounting within the printer · CPC title

• B41J2/175 Primary

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

• B41J2002/1856

  waste ink containers · CPC title

• B41J2/17523

  Ink connection · CPC title