Secure method of refilling an inkjet printer cartridge
View Patent ↗A method for refilling a removable inkjet cartridge including the steps of: mating the removable inkjet cartridge to a complementary inkjet cradle, mating a refill cartridge to the removable inkjet cartridge, verifying the authenticity of the removable inkjet cartridge, verifying the authenticity of the refill cartridge; and subsequently operating the cradle on the basis of the verification steps.
1. A method for refilling a removable inkjet cartridge including the steps of:
mating the removable inkjet cartridge to a complementary inkjet cradle, the inkjet cartridge being one of a range of cartridges configured to operate at more than one print speed, the inkjet cradle having a media feed system for feeding media past a printhead in the cartridge at a media feed speed corresponding to the print speed of the cartridge;
mating a refill cartridge to the removable inkjet cartridge;
verifying the authenticity of the removable inkjet cartridge;
verifying the authenticity of the refill cartridge; and
subsequently operating the cradle on the basis of the verification steps to indicate that the refill or the cartridge are not authentic; or,
operate the media feed system at the media feed speed that corresponds to the print speed of the cartridge.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of mating the removable inkjet cartridge to a complementary inkjet cradle includes facilitating electrical communication between an authentication device of said inkjet cartridge and a controller of said cradle.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of mating the refill cartridge to the removable inkjet cartridge includes facilitating electrical communication between an authentication device of said refill cartridge and a controller of said cradle.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of subsequently operating the cradle on the basis of the verification steps includes indicating to a user a failure to authenticate either the refill cartridge or the removable inkjet cartridge.
5. An inkjet printer including:
a controller arranged to verify authenticity devices of a removable inkjet printer cartridge of said printer and a refill cartridge coupled to the removable inkjet printer cartridge, the inkjet cartridge being one of a range of cartridges configured to operate at more than one print speed; and,
a media feed system for feeding media past a printhead in the cartridge at a media feed speed corresponding to the print speed of the cartridge; such that,
the controller indicates that the refill or the cartridge are not authentic; or,
operates the media feed system at the media feed speed that corresponds to the print speed of the cartridge.
6. An inkjet printer according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is located within a cradle of said printer and coupled to electrical contacts mounted on a body of the cradle at positions to establish electrical communication with said authenticity devices.
7. An inkjet printer according to claim 5 , wherein the authenticity devices comprise integrated circuits.