Ink compartment refill unit with inlet valve acutator, outlet valve, actuator, and constrictor mechanism actuator
View Patent ↗A refill unit for refilling an ink storage compartment that supplies ink to a printhead assembly, the ink storage compartment having an ink interface for receiving the refill unit. The refill unit comprises a body containing a quantity of ink; an inlet valve actuator for opening an inlet valve of the ink storage compartment when the refill unit is docked therewith; an outlet valve actuator for closing an outlet valve of the ink storage compartment when the refill unit is docked therewith; and a constrictor actuator adapted to be received into an aperture of the ink storage compartment when the refill unit is docked therewith, the constrictor actuator operable to engage a bag constrictor of the ink storage compartment through the aperture to cause a volume of the bag to be decreased.
1. A refill unit for refilling an ink storage compartment that supplies ink to a printhead assembly, the ink storage compartment having an ink interface for receiving the refill unit, the refill unit comprising:
a body containing a quantity of ink;
an inlet valve actuator for opening an inlet valve of the ink storage compartment when the refill unit is docked therewith;
an outlet valve actuator for closing an outlet valve of the ink storage compartment when the refill unit is docked therewith; and
a constrictor actuator adapted to be received into an aperture of the ink storage compartment when the refill unit is docked therewith, the constrictor actuator operable to engage a bag constrictor of the ink storage compartment through the aperture to cause a volume of the bag to be decreased, wherein
the refill unit comprises a plurality of constrictor actuators.
2. The refill unit according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of constrictor actuators are equally spaced apart on one side of the refill unit.
3. The refill unit according to claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of constrictor actuators are provided at each corner of one side of the refill unit.