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WO1996034758A1 - Dispositif de cryptage d'une source d'encre, destine a un systeme d'apport d'encre - Google Patents

Dispositif de cryptage d'une source d'encre, destine a un systeme d'apport d'encre Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1996034758A1
WO1996034758A1 PCT/US1996/005665 US9605665W WO9634758A1 WO 1996034758 A1 WO1996034758 A1 WO 1996034758A1 US 9605665 W US9605665 W US 9605665W WO 9634758 A1 WO9634758 A1 WO 9634758A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
ink
encryption device
information
controller
coupled
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1996/005665
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
August D. Coby
Richard A. Hahs
Original Assignee
Calcomp Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Calcomp Inc. filed Critical Calcomp Inc.
Publication of WO1996034758A1 publication Critical patent/WO1996034758A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the field of ink jet printers and, in particular, to an ink source information encryption device for an ink delivery system for printers.
  • a further problem is the determination as to how much ink remains in a used ink supply taken from storage. While prior art devices, such as electrical contacts on the ink supply, have been used to indicate the presence or absence of the ink supply, these techniques are not able provide a solution to all of the above problems. While certain information could be provided by the use of bar codes or magnetic strips, they are not able to accept and store data input on a real time basis and in a covert manner.
  • An ink source information encryption device for an ink delivery system for a printer having a print carriage and a controller therein is provided comprising an ink source and an encryption device coupled to the ink source.
  • a controller is coupled to the encryption device and responsive to the encryption device for selectively enabling and disenabling the print carriage.
  • the encryption device has storage therein for storing information programmed therein by the controller and the information can be stored in a coded format and also on a real time basis.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plotter illustrating the environment of use of the present invention along with various elements thereof.
  • Figure 2 is a simplified diagrammatic view of various elements used in the present invention.
  • Figure 3 is a perspective view of a manifold and print head used in conjunction with the present invention.
  • Figure 4 is a top plan view, partially broken away, of the manifold and print head of Figure 3.
  • Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the manifold and print head taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4.
  • Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a sensor used in conjunction with the present invention taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5.
  • Figure 7 is a top plan view, partially broken away, of an ink source, an ink source container, an ink source holder and an encryption device used in the present invention.
  • Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 7.
  • Figures 9 and 10 illustrate an ' ink source container used in conjunction with the present invention.
  • Figure 11 is a broken-away exploded view of the container of Figures 9 and 10 illustrating the placement within the ink source container of the ink source and an encryption device used in the present invention.
  • Figure 12 illustrates a reservoir and valve system used in conjunction with the present invention.
  • Figure 13 is a system block diagram of the information encryption device of the present invention.
  • a plotter or printer 10 is shown under command of a controller 12.
  • the controller 12 is coupled to a drive 14 which drives a print carriage 16 transversely across a print medium 18 supported by a platen 20 in the plotter 10.
  • the carriage 16 is supported by support rods 22,24 and is driven by belt 26.
  • the carriage 16 supports a plurality of print heads 28 of the ink jet variety and a manifold 30 coupled to the print heads 28.
  • the manifold 30 is coupled to flexible tubes 32, only one of which is shown in Figure 2 for simplicity, and has sensors 34 therein to detect voids in the ink flow.
  • the flexible tubes 32 are coupled to check valves 36 and T- coupler ⁇ 38 which divide each tube 32 into two tubes 40,42 to even out the ink flow and which are afterwards merged by Y-couplers 44 and coupled by flexible tubes 32' to sensors 46 and ink sources 48 enclosed in differentiating structures 50 and supported by ink source holder 52.
  • the controller 12 is also coupled to the print heads 28, sensors 34 and encryption devices 54 coupled to the ink sources 48 for enabling and disenabling the carriage 16 upon certain operational circumstances, as explained further hereinafter.
  • the plotter 10 also includes a service station 56 where the print heads 28 are moved by the carriage 16 under command of the controller 12 to purge the ink heads 28.
  • the service station 56 is coupled to a reservoir 58 by a drain line 60 and valves 62,62' for collecting ink purged from the print heads 28.
  • ink source 48 is coupled by flexible tube 32' to sensor 46 and then to Y-coupler 44 where tube 32' divides into tubes 40,42 of equal length and diameter which are later joined by T-coupler 38 to provide a balanced system in which the flow of ink in the tube 32' is equal to the sum of the flow of ink in the tubes 40,42, T-coupler 38 being coupled by tube 32 to manifold 30 via check valve 36.
  • This configuration is used to solve the problem of peristaltic pumping causing flooding or starving of ink in the print head by providing tubes 40,42 and inserting, as is shown in Figure 2, Y-coupler 44 at the division point of tube 32' instead of the T-coupler commonly used in the prior art, the Y-coupler generally subtending a 60° angle.
  • any standing pressure waves are effectively stopped from forming in the loop created by the tubes 40,42, the T-coupler 38 and the Y- coupler 44 and that the independent pressure waves generated in the tubes 40,42 substantially cancel one another when combining at the junction point 64 of the T-coupler 38 where the two tubes become one tube, and thus at T-coupler 38 the net effect of the peristaltic pumping is negligible.
  • check valve 36 has been provided to suppress any back siphoning due to tubing imbalance, thus further preventing any ink flow problems to the print head 28, and to hold ink from backing out of the tubing when the ink source 48 is removed for replacement.
  • sensor 46 may be positioned in the ink delivery system at the beginning of and encircling tube 32'
  • a manifold 30 is coupled to the print heads 28 and the tubes 32 and is supported and moved by the carriage 16 under command of the controller 12. While a manifold customarily refers to a multiported mixing chamber, in the present case the manifold 30 has individual separate chambers coupled to individual separate heads and joined in or formed from a unitary block, each chamber being identically designed for purposes of this invention and also referred to as manifold 30.
  • the manifold 30 acts to couple the flow of ink in the tubes 32 to the print heads 28 and to ensure that a steady, reliable and uninterrupted flow of ink is provided to the print medium 18 by preventing small voids in the ink from coalescing into large voids.
  • Chamber 68 includes an upper portion 70 and a lower portion 72 and has an upwardly-stepped portion 74 therein in the path of the flow of ink for causing small voids in the ink to rise and individually exit from the print head 28.
  • any small voids in the ink flow which enter the lower portion 72 of the chamber 68 are caused by the turbulence therein to rise into the upper portion 70 and flow into the tube 76 before they have the chance to coalesce.
  • the tube 76 also slopes downward so that voids will continue to flow along the top portion 78 thereof and not coalesce before entering the print head 28.
  • the manifold 30 consists of a valve body 30a which couples to the tube 32 and includes the chamber 38 and a coupling portion 30b which includes the tube 76.
  • the coupling portion 30b is bonded to the valve body 30a, generally made of plastic, and has inserted therein a tube 75 which is bonded or integral with the valve body 30a and forms a portion or extension of the tube 76.
  • the coupling portion 30b is attached to the head 28, generally made of plastic, and has inserted therein a fitting 77 which is bonded or integral with the head 28 and also forms a portion or extension of the tube 76.
  • the coupling portion 30b is molded of an elastomeric material, such as a rubber having a 25 Shore A durometer.
  • the coupling portion 30b because of its flexibility, stretches to allow the tooling for the tube 76 and its juncture portions with the tube 75 and the fitting 77 to be removed from it and the tube 75 and the fitting 77 to be inserted into it, forming an airtight and integral compression bond, and flexes when the head 28 accelerates pulling the tube 32 along with it.
  • an anaerobic cement such as Locktite can be used to bond the valve body 30a to the coupling portion 30b.
  • the manifold 30 also has sensor 36 therein, generally an optical sensor, supported by arm 80.
  • sensor 36 is coupled to tube 32, which is generally transparent, and controller 12 and acts to detect large voids in the ink flow and to send a signal to controller 12 upon such detection.
  • sensor 46 is coupled to tube 32' and controller 12, as shown in Figures 1 and 8, and acts to detect large voids in the ink flow and to send a signal to controller 12 upon such detection.
  • the controller 12 causes a message to be displayed on a control panel to check the ink source 48.
  • the carriage 16 is directed by the controller 12 to the service station 56 where a purge/prime is conducted on the print head 28 and then the system resumes normal operation. Finally, the controller 12 is programmed to stop the carriage 16 and display an out of ink condition upon simultaneous detection of voids at both sensors 36 and 46 as this condition generally indicates a total lack of ink flow due to a cartridge runout rather than an occasional air bubble in the ink supply. Sensors 36 and 46 could also be capacitance or doppler type sensors which could detect voids in the ink supply without the tubes having to be transparent.
  • the plotter 10 has a service station 56 to which the carriage 16 and the printing heads 20 are directed by the controller 12 when the printing heads need to be primed and/or purged at, for example, replacement of an ink source 48, start-up after a long delay or clearing out of voids in the ink supply.
  • this service station generally consists of a vacuum pump to draw ink from the heads and one or more felt pads to absorb the withdrawn ink.
  • felt pads are insufficient and provision has to be made for upwards of 120 ml of fluid.
  • a separate reservoir 58 is provided coupled to the service station by a drain line 60.
  • One or more shut-off valves 62,62' are provided so that the reservoir 58 can be connected and disconnected from the drain line 60 without leakage from the drain line 60 and without leakage from the reservoir 58 itself.
  • the reservoir 58 has a sufficient volume to contain all the ink purged during the depletion of the ink source 48.
  • the reservoir 58 has a container 120 having a vent hole 122 with a porous plug 124 therein which allows air in the container 120 to exit when the ink is accumulated therein but will not allow ink to escape from the container 120.
  • the container 120 has a coupling 126 connected thereto which enables the container 120 to be supported by insertion through a flange 128.
  • the coupling 126 has a lower portion 130 which contains a valve 132 therein and an upper portion 134 which contains a valve 136 therein. When the upper and lower portions 130,134 are coupled through the flange 128, valves 132,136 are automatically opened to allow ink to collect in the container 120.
  • valves 132,136 are automatically closed to prevent ink from exiting from both the tube 60 and the reservoir 58.
  • a plunger type sensor 138 is also coupled to the flange 128 and is depressed by the container 120. When the reservoir 58 is removed, the sensor 138 is no longer depressed and send a signal to the controller 12 which commands the printer 10 to stop. When the reservoir 58 is replaced and the sensor is again depressed, the controller 12 reactivates the printer 10 and operation is resumed. While a plunger type sensor has been shown, other types of recognition sensors, such as optical, could be used. In addition, if minor leakage can be tolerated, valve 132 could be dispensed with.
  • the ink source 48 consists of a sealed, airtight, flexible bag 82 which is enclosed in a container 50. As shown in the Figures, four ink sources 48 are provided enclosed in four containers 50 to accommodate the colors black, cyan, magenta and yellow used in multicolor plotters. Each of the containers 50 has a differentiating structure 84 thereon, shown as a pair of differently located and/or spaced slots 86, keyed to a particular color.
  • the ink source holder 52 has a corresponding plurality of differentiating structures 88 therein, such as depressed bars 89, for accepting and positioning a particular one of the plurality of containers 50 and ink sources 48 for coupling to a corresponding particular one of the plurality of print heads 28.
  • the slots 86 afford a visual inspection of the amount of ink remaining in the flexible bag 82 in the event the printer 10 is to be left unattended for a long period of time.
  • the position of the depressed bars 89 not only functions to totally prevent the insertion of an incorrect container 50 but also acts as a safety feature to prevent or inhibit the insertion of foreign objects, such as fingers, which could be damaged or punctured by the hollow needles 91 discussed below or which could damage the needles 91 themselves.
  • a plurality of holders 90 for hollow needles 91 which puncture each ink source 48 and properly couple the ink therein via tube 32' to a corresponding print head 28.
  • the containers 50 have apertures 92 through which the holders 90 can be inserted and hold-down mechanisms 94 for securing the necks 96 of the bags 82 so that the septums 97 covering the necks 96 can be punctured by the needles 91. While a plurality of print heads 28 are shown corresponding to the plurality of ink sources 48, only one print head 28 could be used and the tubes 32' could be switched, manually or otherwise, to provide various colors to the single print head 28, with the print head 28 being purged each time a tube 32' is switched.
  • the flexible bag 82 is also designed to contain, m addition to a selected volume of ink, a selected volume of gas, such as air to provide both an air space and a dead space.
  • a selected volume of gas such as air to provide both an air space and a dead space.
  • the dead space is provided so that there is pressure relief in the event of temperature and atmospheric changes which would cause expansion of the ink and air and thus cause an undesired pressure to force the ink into the system when it is not called for.
  • the air space is provided so that when the bag 82 is empty of ink the tube 32' can also be drained of ink by the introduction of air from the air space into the tube 32' and to prevent negative pressure therein.
  • the dead space needed would be 18-20 ml.
  • the air space needed depends, for example, on the length of lines used and the inner diameter of the lines and is of the order of 18-20 ml.
  • the dead space thus generally occupies 9-9.5% of the bag 82 and the air space generally occupies 4-5% of the bag 82.
  • the dead space could even be eliminated.
  • the support 52 is also designed to hold the container 50 at an acute angle, generally 10°, in order to cover the hollow needle 91, at least up to the portion where the ink flows into it, so that the bag 82 can be completely emptied and to prevent air from prematurely entering the tube 32'.
  • information encryption devices 54 such as so-called smart chips made by Dallas Semiconductor, DS1982, are shown coupled to the ink sources 48 and the controller 12 for enabling and disenabling the carriage 16.
  • the encryption devices 54 are positioned in apertures 98 of the containers 50 and are electrically coupled to the controller 12 by contact with springs 100 through apertures 98 in the containers 50.
  • the encryption devices 54 may have coded therein, and provide to the controller 12, for example, information as to the source and color of the ink in the bag 82 and the amount of ink originally in the bag 82.
  • the presence or absence of the container 50 can also be sensed by the controller 12 from the presence or absence of an encryption device 54.
  • the controller 12 can then act upon this information to enable and disenable the carriage 16. Since the controller 12 is also coupled to and controls the print heads 28, the controller 12 can determine the amount of ink used from the corresponding ink source 48 by counting the number of dots generated by the print head 28 for a particular color and disenable the carriage 16 when the ink source 48 is substantially used up. In addition, the encryption devices 54 can also be used to store on a real time basis data concerning the ink supply, such as the amount of ink remaining in the bag 82.
  • the information encryption devices 54a-d are mounted on the individual containers 50a-d within the ink source 50.
  • the devices 54a-d are serially connected to interface 102 via signal line 104 and program line 106 and the interface 102 is connected to a microcomputer 108 via lines 110,112. Both the interface 102 and the microprocessor 108 are located within the controller 12.
  • Line 110 is a bidirectional data line and carries data between the microcomputer 108 and the devices 54a-d.
  • Line 112 is a unidirectional programming line and is used to carry information which is to be written into the EPROM section of devices 54a-d by the microprocessor 108.
  • the interface 102 contains circuitry to apply a 12 volt level to signal line 104 when a high program signal is generated by the microprocessor 108 to indicate a data writing mode and also isolates the microprocessor 108 from the 12 volt level. When the program signal is not high, interface 102 simply allows data to pass in both directions.
  • the devices 54a-d each contain a unique identification number to allow them to be addressed uniquely and to be connected to a single serial communications bus, the devices 54a-d also containing circuitry which allows them to communicate serially with the microprocessor 108.
  • the microprocessor 108 provides timing reference pulses to synchronize the communications.

Landscapes

  • Ink Jet (AREA)

Abstract

Ce dispositif de cryptage d'informations pour une source d'encre, destiné à un système d'apport d'encre d'une imprimante pourvue d'un chariot ainsi que d'un module de commande, comprend une source d'encre (50a-50d) ainsi qu'un dispositif (54a-54d) de cryptage couplé à celle-ci. Le module de commande (108) est couplé au dispositif de cryptage et est sensible à celui-ci, afin de mettre en marche ou arrêter de manière sélective le chariot d'impression. Le dispositif de cryptage comporte une mémoire destinée à conserver les informations programmées dans celle-ci par le module de commande, ces informations pouvant être conservées dans un format codé ainsi qu'également sur une base en temps réel.
PCT/US1996/005665 1995-05-04 1996-05-01 Dispositif de cryptage d'une source d'encre, destine a un systeme d'apport d'encre WO1996034758A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US43464295A 1995-05-04 1995-05-04
US08/434,642 1995-05-04

Publications (1)

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WO1996034758A1 true WO1996034758A1 (fr) 1996-11-07

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000044569A3 (fr) * 1999-01-29 2000-12-07 Kimberly Clark Co Procede et appareil d'impression numerique
US6717699B1 (en) 1999-01-29 2004-04-06 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Method for hybrid printing

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3405164A1 (de) * 1984-02-14 1985-08-22 Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven Tintenvorratsbehaelter fuer tintenschreibeinrichtungen
US5049898A (en) * 1989-03-20 1991-09-17 Hewlett-Packard Company Printhead having memory element
US5138344A (en) * 1990-02-02 1992-08-11 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet apparatus and ink jet cartridge therefor
US5265315A (en) * 1990-11-20 1993-11-30 Spectra, Inc. Method of making a thin-film transducer ink jet head

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3405164A1 (de) * 1984-02-14 1985-08-22 Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven Tintenvorratsbehaelter fuer tintenschreibeinrichtungen
US5049898A (en) * 1989-03-20 1991-09-17 Hewlett-Packard Company Printhead having memory element
US5138344A (en) * 1990-02-02 1992-08-11 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet apparatus and ink jet cartridge therefor
US5265315A (en) * 1990-11-20 1993-11-30 Spectra, Inc. Method of making a thin-film transducer ink jet head

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000044569A3 (fr) * 1999-01-29 2000-12-07 Kimberly Clark Co Procede et appareil d'impression numerique
US6665095B1 (en) 1999-01-29 2003-12-16 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Apparatus for hybrid printing
US6717699B1 (en) 1999-01-29 2004-04-06 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Method for hybrid printing

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