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An ink refill device and method for refilling an ink reservoir(s) of a printer ink cartridge. The ink refill device includes an ink container that defines an internal ink tank(s) containing ink, drain and vent members that are adapted and arranged to replenish the ink reservoir(s) with ink from the

An ink refill device and method for refilling an ink reservoir(s) of a printer ink cartridge. The ink refill device includes an ink container that defines an internal ink tank(s) containing ink, drain and vent members that are adapted and arranged to replenish the ink reservoir(s) with ink from the ink tank(s). The drain and vent member are arranged to provide an elongate conduit profile. The drain and vent member may be arranged coaxially, bisectionally, or in some other orientation relative to each other to provide the single elongate conduit profile.

대표청구항 ▼

I claimed: 1. An ink cartridge refill system configured to refill an ink chamber of an printer ink cartridge with ink, the system comprising: an ink container configured to be coupled to the ink cartridge, the ink container defining at least one internal ink tank; a drain conduit in fluid communica

I claimed: 1. An ink cartridge refill system configured to refill an ink chamber of an printer ink cartridge with ink, the system comprising: an ink container configured to be coupled to the ink cartridge, the ink container defining at least one internal ink tank; a drain conduit in fluid communication with the at least one internal ink tank and projecting outwardly from the ink container; and a vent member extending coaxially with the drain conduit. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vent member has a length and the drain conduit has a length greater than the length of the vent member. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the vent member has a cross-sectional flow area less than a cross-sectional flow area of the drain conduit. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the drain conduit and vent member each including opposing ends that are open. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vent member defines an aperture in a side wall thereof, the aperture positioned at a location between opposing ends of the vent member. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the ink container includes a bottom interior wall, a top interior wall, and at least one side interior wall, and the drain conduit includes a first opening positioned near the bottom interior wall and a second opening located externally of the ink container. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the drain conduit and vent member each include a first opening in fluid communication with the internal ink tank and a second opening located externally of the ink container, the second opening of the vent member being positioned closer to the internal ink tank than a position of the second end of the drain conduit. 8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sealing member coupled between the vent and drain conduits and the ink container to provide a fluid seal there between. 9. The system of claim 8, further comprising an attachment member configured for attachment of the drain and vent conduits to the ink container. 10. An ink cartridge refilling system configured to refill a housing interior of a printer ink cartridge, the system comprising: an ink container having at least one ink reservoir and configured to be connected to the printer ink cartridge housing; at least one ink communication path in fluid communication with the at least one ink reservoir; at least one vent communication path in fluid communication with the at least one ink reservoir; wherein a combination of the at least one ink communication path and the at least one vent communication path is defined within a single elongate conduit profile by a coaxial arrangement of the at least one ink communication path and the at least one vent communication path. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one ink communication path is oriented at least partially within an interior space defined by the at least one vent communication path. 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one vent communication path includes an opening defined therein between first and second ends of the at least one vent communication path. 13. The system of claim 10, wherein the ink container includes a bottom internal wall, a top internal wall, and at least one side internal wall that define the at least one ink reservoir, and one end of the at least one ink communication path terminates near the bottom internal wall and another end of the at least one ink communication path is positioned outside of the ink container. 14. A method of assembling an ink refill system, the method comprising steps of: providing an ink container, a drain conduit, and a vent member, the drain conduit and vent member together defining an elongate member having a generally cylindrical circumferential cross-section; coupling the elongate member to the ink container, wherein a first end of each of the drain conduit and the vent member is exposed within the ink container and a second end of each of the drain conduit and vent member is exposed outside of the ink container; and arranging the drain conduit and vent member in a coaxial arrangement. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the drain conduit is positioned at least partially within the vent member. 16. An ink cartridge refill kit, comprising: a package; and an ink refill system positioned in the package, the ink refill system including an ink tank, a drain conduit, and a vent conduit, the drain conduit being in ink flow communication with the internal ink tank, the vent conduit being in air flow communication with the internal ink tank, and the drain conduit and air conduit extending coaxially from a position exposed to the ink tank to a position exterior of the ink tank. 17. The refill kit of claim 16, wherein the ink refill system further comprises a cap configured to cover ends of the drain and air conduits positioned outside of the ink tank. 18. A method of refilling an ink cartridge with an ink refill system, the ink refill system including a drain conduit, a vent member, and an ink container filled with ink, the method comprising the steps of: forming an aperture in a wall of the ink container; defining the drain conduit and vent member within a single elongate conduit profile, wherein the drain conduit and vent member extend coaxially; inserting the drain conduit and vent member into the aperture; and draining ink out of the ink container through the drain conduit and filling the ink container with air through the vent member to fill the ink cartridge. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising automatically stopping the draining of ink out of the ink container when an ink level in the ink cartridge covers an exposed opening into the vent member. 20. An ink cartridge refill system configured to refill an ink chamber of an printer ink cartridge with ink, the system comprising: an ink container configured for coupling in ink flow communication with the ink cartridge, the ink container defining at least one internal ink tank, the ink tank including a bottom wall having a conduit aperture form therein; a drain conduit in fluid communication with the at least one internal ink tank through the conduit aperture and projecting outwardly from the ink container; a vent member extending coaxially with the drain conduit and in fluid communication with the at least one internal ink tank; and a sealing member positioned between the ink container and at least one of the drain and vent conduits to provide a fluid seal there between. 21. The system of claim 20, further comprising an attachment member configured to secure the at least one of the drain and vent conduits to the ink container. 22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a recess formed in the bottom wall, wherein the sealing member and the attachment member are positioned in the recess.