HP Inc awarded a cartridge patent 9,618,898 that would enable HP Inc to expand their Instant Ink programme to include toner cartridges.
HP Inc has been awarded patent 9,618,898 and the invention to increase the toner supply capacity in some electrophotographic printers without also increasing the size of the printer, reducing the need for the user to purchase replacement toner supply cartridges over the expected useful life of the printer. In some examples, a new toner supply container is sufficiently enlarged to eliminate the need for the user to replace the original toner container without also increasing the size of the printer. In such examples, the toner container may be configured as a non-removable component that simplifies printer
The patent description states that in some examples, a new toner supply container could be sufficiently enlarged to eliminate the need for the user to replace the original toner container without also increasing the size of the printer, or may be configured as a non-removable component that simplifies printer construction, and simplifies user operation by eliminating the need to remove a spent toner cartridge and replace it with a new toner cartridge. Also, as a non-removable component, the toner container may be integrated into the printer structure as a load bearing member and/or as part of the printer exterior, thus replacing
The invention would also enable users to purchase printing capacity incrementally, or used for both fixed page count printers in which only the amount of toner needed to satisfy the fixed page count is supplied with the printer, or for variable page count printers in which the user may purchase access to additional printing capacity using toner originally supplied with the printer.
This means that users will not have to replace toner cartridges “over the expected useful life of the printer” there is then no need to remove the cartridge and replace it instead the toner container remains as part of the printer exterior.
The Recycler reported on how this technology works November 2015 when Thom Brown explained that the device within the cartridge notifies HP and that this is based on “on a low ink threshold and a certain time period, among other elements” that make up the seven algorithms that calculate the procedure.
HP Inc’s Toner Cartridge patent was issued by USPTO as Patent No 9,618,898 assigned to HP Development Company, L.P, Houston Texas.
