WO1997015449A1

WO1997015449A1 - Holder for refilling and preserving an ink jet printhead

Info

Publication number: WO1997015449A1
Application number: PCT/IT1996/000192
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giorgio Solero
Original assignee: Olivetti Lexikon S.P.A.
Priority date: 1995-10-23
Filing date: 1996-10-17
Publication date: 1997-05-01
Also published as: AU7332196A; EP0958142A1

Abstract

A holer (10) for refilling an ink jet printhead (11) comprises a box (21) and two covers (22, 23), pivoted upwardly on the box (21) for being rotatable reciprocally and with respect to the box (21). A first cover (22) is provided for positioning and locking the printhead (11) into the box (21). A second cover (23) is superimposable to the first cover (22) and is provided with a seat (30) for being coupled with a refill cartridge (34) so as to refill the printhead (11). A short tube (31) is mounted in the second cover (23) inside the seat (30) to allow ink to pass from the cartridge (34) to the printhead (11) for refilling the latter. Pivoting of the two covers (22 and 23) allows simple and exact positioning of the same covers with respect to the printhead (11), first to lock it into the box (21) and then to fill the printhead (11) with ink. According to another embodiment (20), an upper cover (123) provides sliding support for a sliding member (60) bearing a short tube (131). When the upper cover (123) is rotated and closed on a box (121), one end (133) of the tube (131) is brought into contact, without forcing it, with a sealing element (65) which seals a refill hole (18) in the printhead. Subsequently the cartridge (34) is pushed against another end (132) of the tube (131), resulting both in the tube (131) perforating the cartridge (34) and also expelling the sealing element (65) from the refill hole (18), thus allowing ink to be transferred from the cartridge (34) to the head (11) through the tube (131).

Description

HOLDER FOR REFILLING AND PRESERVING AN INK JET PRINTHEAD

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a holder for refilling an ink jet printhead

by means of a refill cartridge, comprising a box for removably housing the

printhead.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Ink jet printheads are commonly used in various printing devices, in

which the ink jet printheads are generally mounted on a print carriage that is

movable with respect to a print line. An example of these printheads is described in the US Patent No. 5,119,115. In particular, each printhead is

provided with a tank which is filled with ink and which becomes empty in

consequence of emission of droplets of ink from nozzles of the printhead.

In order to increase the operative life of printheads, the latter are

refilled several times by filling up their tank with fresh ink. Normally refilling is

performed by means of a cartridge containing ink and by transferring the ink from the cartridge into the tank of the printhead through a refill hole which is

generally disposed on an outer surface of the printhead, usually opposite the

side on which the nozzles are provided.

It is known a holder adapted for facilitating refilling of ink jet printheads,

which comprises a box in which the printhead is housed and a cover which is

removably mounted on a top of the box. The cover is provided with a tube

which, when the cover is mounted on the top of the box, is positioned with

respect to the printhead housed into the box, so that an end of the tube enters

into the refill hole of the printhead and another end of the tube is disposed towards the outside of the holder for being coupled with the cartridge and so reaching the ink contained in the same cartridge. In this manner, the tank of the printhead is put in communication with the ink contained in the cartridge, for causing the ink to pass through the tube from the cartridge to the tank, so as to refill the printhead.

In this known holder the cover is separate from the box and, therefore, the cover is completely removed from the box each time the printhead has to be housed inside the holder for being refilled.

Consequently, this holder is uncomfortable to use and requires a certain manual skill in mounting and correctly positioning the cover on the box for precisely positioning the tube with respect to the refill hole of the printhead housed in the box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The purpose of this invention is to obtain a holder for refilling an ink jet printhead that is easier and more practical to use than those known in the state of the art described above.

This purpose is reached by a holder according the present invention, which comprises a first cover suitable of assuming a locking position on the box for positioning and locking the printhead into the box, a second cover, and a tube mounted on the second cover and having a first end for entering into the refill cartridge for allowing the passage of ink from the latter to the

printhead and a second end for entering into the printhead, wherein the tube is exactly positioned with respect to a predetermined part of the printhead lodged in said box, when the first cover is in the locking position and the second cover is superimposed to the first cover, and is characterized in that

the first cover is pivotably mounted on the box and is rotatable from a rest

position to its locking position; and in that the second cover is pivotable with respect to the box for being superimposed to the first cover.

A first preferred embodiment of the holder having the above identified

features will be described later.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a holder for refilling an ink

jet printhead which is adapted not only for refilling the printhead, but also for

housing and preserving the latter during the periods in which the printhead is

not used for printing, so as to be able to maintain its level of performance between one printing job and the next.

A second preferred embodiment of the holder directed specifically to reach this further purpose will be described later, wherein the holder is

adapted for retaining, during such periods, the printhead with its nozzles and

tank remaining perfectly sealed, to avoid drying of the ink in the vicinity of the

nozzles and evaporation of the ink contained in the tank inside, and in the

same time keeps the printhead inside a substantially enclosed environment,

isolating and protecting it from the surrounding environment.

In particular, the second embodiment is provided for avoiding some drawbacks of the first embodiment which render the latter not adapted for

preserving the printhead. These drawbacks of the first embodiment consist, for

example, in that the closure of the cover on which the tube is fitted results in

the latter penetrating the head housed inside the holder, whereby sealing of

the tank in the head is no longer assured, and moreover in that if, in an attempt to avoid the tube penetrating the head, the cover is not fully closed on

the box, whereby, because of this imperfect closure, a closed protective

volume is no longer created around the printhead and the printhead is not

isolated from the surrounding atmosphere.

According to the second embodiment, the holder is characterized by a

sliding element rigidly attached to the tube and fitted in sliding manner on the

second cover, wherein the sliding element is being suitable for assuming,

when the printhead is housed in the box, the first cover is in the locking position and the second cover is superimposed to the first cover, a first rest

position in which the second end of the tube is seated upon a sealing member of the refill hole of the printhead, and of assuming, when the refill cartridge is

pressed with a given force against the first end of the tube, a second working position in which the first end perforates a membrane of the cartridge and the

second end expels the sealing element from the refill hole and passes through

the latter, thereby allowing transfer through the tube of the ink contained in the

refill cartridge from the latter to the printhead.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics and advantages of the present

invention will be clear from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention which are given by way of a non-limiting

example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

Fig. 1 is a lateral cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a holder

for ink jet printheads in accordance with the present invention, in a rest

position; Fig. 2 is the holder of Fig. 1 in an operating position.

Fig. 3 is a partial, lateral cross-sectional view and in an enlarged scale

with respect to the first embodiment, of a second embodiment of the holder for an inkjet printhead according to the invention, when it is in a first rest position;

and

Fig. 4 is the holder of Fig. 3, when it is in a second working position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

First embodiment

With reference to Fig. 1, a holder 10 for an ink jet printhead 11 ,

according to the present invention, has a substantially parallelepipedal shape

and comprises a box 21 and an upper part, which is constituted by two covers

22 and 23, respectively named first cover and second cover. The box 21 has a

base 52 and four sides 53 which extend upwardly from the base 52 and which

define a cavity 50. The sides 53 have an upper edge which define an aperture for entering the cavity 50. The covers 22 and 23 are pivoted, by means of a

hinge 24, on parts 51 projecting upwardly from two sides 53. The hinge 24 defines a pivoting axis which is the same for the covers 22 and 23.

The first cover 22 can be selectively rotated with respect to the box 21

from a rest position, in which it does not close the aperture of the cavity 50

and permits the printhead 11 to be introduced 11 into the box 21 , and a

locking position in which it closes the aperture of the cavity 50 for locking the

printhead 11 into the box 21. The second cover 23 is rotatable independently from the first cover 22 with respect to the box 21 and can be superimposed to the first cover 22, in

particular when the latter is in the locking position shown in Fig. 2

The printhead 11 is shown schematically with a broken, dotted line and

has a body 12, an internal tank for containing ink, a lower face bearing nozzles 14 for emission of the ink and an upper face in which a hole 17 is

normally provided for putting in communication the interior of the printhead 11

with the outside. The hole 17 has the scope of maintaining the ink contained in the tank at a predetermined pressure with respect to the external atmospheric

pressure. Moreover a refill hole 18 normally is provided on the upper face, which refill hole 18 is in communication with the tank inside the printhead 11 for allowing the refilling of the tank with fresh ink, as will be described later.

One side 53 of the box 21 is provided with a vertically-oriented aperture

44 which, when the printhead 11 is housed into the box 21 , can allows

observation of the ink inside, for example through transparent areas in the

body 12 of the print head 11 or by some other means. This aperture makes it

possible to visually control refilling of the head 11 with ink during the refill

process.

The first cover 22 has a lower edge having a shape which substantially

follows the profile of the of the upper edge of the box 21. The first cover 22 is

also provided along its sides and adjacently to its lower edge with two ribs 54

for cooperating with the upper face of the printhead 11 , when the latter is into

the box 21. Only one of the ribs 54 is shown in the drawings since these ribs are located symmetrically with respect to the cross plane defining the sectional views of Fig. 1 and 2.

Moreover the two covers 22 and 23 are each provided, at their ends

opposite to the hinge 24, with a tab 25 which can be manually operated to

selectively rotate them. For hooking the covers 22 and 23 with respect to the box 21 , both first cover 22 and second cover 23 are provided with a tooth 26

which is engageable with a single shoulder 56 in the box 21.

When the covers 22 and 23 are hooked to the box 21 , the respective

tabs 25 are perfectly aligned and permit a quick, easy and selective unhooking

of the covers 22 and 23 from the box 21 for rotation in a clockwise direction

(Fig. 1 and Fig. 2).

Similarly, hooking of the covers 22 and 23 to the box 21 is also very

easy and fast, and does not require complex manipulations of the covers 22

and 23 as in the known art.

Arranged on the cover 22 is a rubber element 27 which, when the

printhead 11 is housed in the box 21 and the cover 22 is rotated in its locking

position, urges against the same printhead 11 in correspondence of its

communication hole 17. In this way the rubber element 27 is able to close the

communication hole 17 of the printhead 11 for controlling the pressure of the

ink inside the tank, so as to prevent undesirable leakage of ink during and

after ink refilling.

The second cover 23 is shaped as a dome having upwardly a seat 30

for receiving a tip 35 of a cartridge 34 which is filled with ink and which is

employed for supplying this ink to the printhead 11 housed in the box 21. Similarly to the printhead 11, the cartridge 34 is represented schematically with a broken, dotted line.

A straight and short tube 31 is fixly mounted to the cover 23 and passes through the latter for extending outwards from opposite sides of the cover 23.

The tube 31 has two ends 32 and 33, which protrude respectively into the seat

30 and towards the cavity 50 of the holder 10, when the cover 23 is hooked to the box 21 (Fig. 2).

The seat 30 is open towards the outside of the holder 10 to receive the tip 35 of the cartridge 34. The end 33 of tube 31 has a flat shape and is operable for removing a closing element which obstructs the refill hole 18, so allowing the end 33 itself to pass through the hole 18 and to enter the tank of the printhead.

The end 32 of tube 31 is tapered so as to be able to perforate the tip 35 which is of a resilient material. In this way the ink inside the cartridge 34 is put in communication with the tank in the printhead 11. The ink in the cartridge 34 can thus pass through the tube 31 and refill the tank into the printhead 11, either for the effect of gravity and/or of a slight depressure inside the tank.

The box 21 has in its cavity 50 a bottom 40 in which two rubber caps 41

and 42 are elastically mounted. A first rubber cap 41 has substantially the scope of abutting against the nozzles 14 so as to seal them during refilling of the printhead 11, while the second rubber cap 42 is provided for operating as a further, resilient support of the lower face of the printhead 11 , when the latter

is housed in the holder 10. The rubber caps 41 and 42 are supported by corresponding springs 43, which are arranged between the same rubber caps 41 and 42 and the bottom 40. The springs 43 are subject to yield when the

printhead 11 is pushed towards the bottom 40 by the ribs 54 of the first cover

22 for locking and positioning exactly the printhead 11 into the box 21. This

yielding happens in correspondence of the final portion of the rotation of the first cover 22 for reaching its locking position and is activated by the entering

into contact between the printhead 11 and the ribs 54.

It is clear that the distance which extends between the rubber caps 41

and 42 and the first cover 22, when no printhead is housed into the box 21

and the first cover 22 is hooked to the box 21 , is slightly less than the distance

between the upper and lower faces of the printhead 11 which have to be

engaged by the rubber caps 41 and 42 and the cover 22 respectively.

Consequently, when the cover 22 is rotated in its locking position above the printhead 11 housed in the box 21 , the rubber caps 41 and 42 yield opposing

the action of the spring 43 and, advantageously, the same rubber caps 41 and

42 seal the nozzles 14 through a force having an exact value defined by the

yielding of the springs 43.

In a variant of the first embodiment which is not shown in the drawings

as being obviously deducible from them, the rubber cap 41 and the

corresponding spring 43 are not provided, and the nozzles 14 are sealed

during the ink refilling by a cap supported by the printhead.

In the first embodiment of the holder 10 described above, both the covers

22 and 23 are pivoted on the box 21. However it is evident that the same

inventive concept applied by this first embodiment, can serve to define other embodiments of the holder 10. As a non-exhaustive example, one only of the covers 22 and 23 may be pivoted on the box 21 , whilst the other cover may be

pivotally supported by that one only. Otherwise, the other cover may be linked to that one only cover in a way different from pivoting, for example, the other cover may be detachable for being completely removed from the box 21 each

time that the printhead 11 has to be lodged inside.

Second embodiment

In the description of the second embodiment, the parts also present in

the first embodiment will be indicated with the same numbers as used therein

increased by 100.

With reference to Fig. 3, the holder of the second embodiment is indicated with 20 and comprises, similarly to the first embodiment, a box 121

open at the top and two covers, respectively a lower cover 122 and an upper cover 123, fulcrum-mounted with respect to the box 121 by means of a hinge 124 in such a way as to be rotated and laid one on top of the other.

The covers 122 and 123 are capable of being selectively rotated with

respect to the box 121 from an open position, in which they do not obstruct the

aperture of the bottom part 21 and allow introduction of the head 11 in the box

121 , to a closed position in which they are disposed over the said aperture.

The front face of the printhead on which there are provided the nozzles

for expelling the ink is not shown on Figs. 3 and 4, which represent only the

rear face of the printhead 11 with the refill hole 18. The latter, as already

described, is provided to grant access to a tank inside the head for the

purpose of refilling it with ink, and is normally sealed by a sealing element 65,

except during the refilling operations. The cover 123 is dome-shaped and thus, when closed on the box 121 , creates a volume around the printhead seated in the holder, substantially

isolated from the external environment. This volume is designed to guarantee

preservation of the printhead 11 for even lengthy periods, so that their is no

impairment of its characteristics, for example following evaporation of the ink it contains.

According to one characteristic of the second embodiment, fitted on the

upper cover 123 is a sliding element 60, which slides on the cover 123 and attached to which is a tube 131 having a first end 132 and a second end 133.

The sliding element 60 is provided with a seat 130 for receiving the

cartridge 34. The seat 130 has guide elements 66 and is adapted for receiving

and guiding the tip or membrane 35 of the refill cartridge 34 intended for refilling with ink the head 11 seated in the holder 20.

The sliding element 60 is suitable for sliding on a guide 61 of the cover

123 and is provided with three resilient teeth 62, of which only one is shown

on the drawings, suitable for bending to allow the sliding element 60 to fit into

the corresponding guide 61. Each tooth 62 is so shaped as to form an

abutment which prevents the sliding element 60 from disengaging from the

upper cover 123 and which is adapted for engaging with a corresponding abutment of the cover 123 to restrict sliding movement in one direction of the

sliding element 60 with respect to the upper cover 23.

The method of operation of the device is as follows. Firstly, after the

printhead 11 has been placed in the box 121 , the covers 122 and 123 are

rotated with respect to the box 121 by serving of tabs 125 (only one is shown) and are closed and locked on the box 121 by means of tooth 126. In the same

time, a rubber element 127 fixed on the lower cover 123 seals the

communication hole 17 provided on the printhead 1 1 for controlling the ink

pressure inside the latter during refilling.

Following this operation as represented in Fig. 3, the end 133 of the tube

131 is placed precisely against the sealing element 65, without exerting any

appreciable force on the latter. In fact, the sliding engagement of the sliding

element 60 on the upper cover 123, causes the tube 131 to slide with respect

to the cover 123, should the end 133 come into contact with the sealing

element 65 before the cover 123 has been fully rotated and closed on the box

121.

Following this, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the membrane 35 of the cartridge

34 is inserted in the seat 130, where it is pushed against the end 132 of the

tube 131 . This results in perforation of the membrane 35 and penetration of

the hole 18 by the end 133. In other words, the sealing element 65 is expelled

from the refill hole and pushed towards the inside of the head 1 1 and the tube

131 passes through the refill hole 18.

In this way, the ink in the cartridge 34 is put in condition to be transferred

through the tube 131 from the cartridge 34 to the head 1 1.

Subsequently the refill cartridge 34 is removed from the seat 130 and the

cover 123 is rotated upwards, so that the tube 131 comes out of the printhead

11 , liberating the refill hole 18. Immediately afterwards, the latter is sealed

again with a new sealing element 65. At this point the head 11 is refilled with ink and may be removed from the

box 121 for use immediately in printing, or may be left in the holder 20 for preservation purposes, in which case the cover 123 is again closed over the

box 21. It is evident that various changes and/or improvements may be made to the holder for refilling the ink jet printhead corresponding to the preferred

embodiments described in the foregoing without departing from the scope of

the present invention.

Claims

1 -A holder (10; 20) for refilling an ink jet printhead (11) by means of a refill

cartridge (34), comprising a box (21; 121) for removably lodging said

printhead (11),

a first cover (22; 122) suitable of assuming a locking position on said

box (21; 121) for positioning and locking said printhead (11) into said box (21;

121),

a second cover (23; 123); and

a tube (31; 131) mounted on said second cover (23; 123) and having a

first end (132) for entering into said refill cartridge (34) for allowing the

passage of ink from said refill cartridge to said printhead (11) and a second

end (33; 133) for entering into said printhead (11), said tube (31; 131) being

exactly positioned with respect to a predetermined part of said printhead (11)

lodged in said box (21; 121), when said first cover (22; 122) is in said locking

position and said second cover (23; 123) is superimposed to said first cover

(22; 122),

characterized in that said first cover (22; 122) is pivotably mounted on

said box (21; 121) and is rotatable from a rest position to said locking position;

and

in that said second cover (23; 123) is pivotable with respect to said box

(21 ; 121 ) for being superimposed to said first cover (22; 122).

2 - A holder (20) according to claim 1, wherein said ink jet printhead (11) is

provided with a refill hole (18) sealed by a sealing member (65) and said refill

cartridge (34) is provided with a sealing membrane (35), characterized by a sliding element (60) rigidly attached to said tube (131 ) and fitted in sliding

manner on said second cover (123), said sliding element (60) being suitable for assuming, when said

printhead (11 ) is housed in said box (121 ), said first cover (122) is in said

locking position and said second cover (123) is superimposed to said first

cover (122), a first rest position in which said second end (133) of the tube (131 ) is seated upon said sealing member (65), and of assuming, when said

refill cartridge (34) is pressed with a given force against said first end (132) of

the tube (131 ), a second working position in which said first end (132)

perforates said membrane (35) of said cartridge (34) and said second end

(133) expels said sealing element (65) from said refill hole (18) and passes

through the latter, thereby allowing transfer through said tube (131 ) of the ink

contained in said refill cartridge (34) from the latter to said printhead(11).

3 - A holder (10) according to claim 1 , characterized by a seat (30) provided in

said second cover (23) for removably housing said refill cartridge (34) and so

positioning the latter with respect to said tube (31 ).

4 - A holder (20) according to claim 2, characterized by a seat (130) provided

in said sliding element (60) for removably housing said refill cartridge (34) and

so positioning the latter with respect to said tube (131 ).

5 - A holder (10; 20) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said first

end (32; 132) of said tube (31 ; 131 ) is lodged within said seat (30; 130).

6 - A holder (10; 20) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said first (22;

122) and second (23; 123) covers are both pivoted about a same axis on two

lateral projections (51 ) of said box (21 ; 121 ). 7 - A holder (10; 20) according to claim 1 , wherein said printhead (11 ) has an internal tank and a refill hole (18) communicating with said tank, characterized

in that said first end (33; 133) of said tube (31 ; 131 ) is provided for entering

into said tank through said refill hole (18). 8 - A holder (10; 20) according to claim 7, characterized in that said printhead

(11 ) has another hole (17) for maintaining the pressure of the ink into said

tank at a predetermined value, said first cover (22; 122) having means (27;

127) for sealing said another hole (17) when said printhead (11 ) is lodged into

said box (21 ) and said first cover (22; 122) is in said locking position.

9 - A holder (10; 20) according to claim 1 , characterized in that each of said

covers is provided with a manually actionable tab (25; 125), and in that the tab of said first cover (22; 122) is substantially aligned with the tab of said second

cover (23; 123) when said first cover is in said locking position and said

second cover (23; 123) is superimposed to said first cover (22; 122).

10 - A holder (10; 20) according to claim 9, characterized in that said box (21 ; 121 ) is provided with a locking shoulder (56) and wherein each (22, 23; 122,

123) of said covers is provided with a tooth (26, 126) engageable with said

locking shoulder (56).

11 - A holder (10; 20) according to claim 1 , wherein said printhead (11) is

provided with a plurality of nozzles (14), characterized in that at least one

elastic member (41 ,43) is mounted on an intemal bottom (40) of said box (21 ;

121 ) for supporting said printhead in correspondence of said nozzles (14) and

for sealing the latter, said first cover (22; 122) urging said printhead (11 ) lodged in said box (21 ) against the action of said elastic member (41 ,43) when

said first cover (22) is in its locking position.

12 - A holder (10; 20) according to claim 1 , characterized in that an aperture

(44) is provided on one side (53) of said box (21 ; 121 ) to allow observation of

said printhead when said printhead (11 ) is lodged into said box (21 ; 121 ).

13 - A holder (20) according to claim 2, in which said second cover (123),

when in said closed position and said printhead (11 ) is housed in said box

(121 ), defines in conjunction with the latter a substantially enclosed space

around the printhead (11 ) housed in the box (121 ) to protect it from the

surrounding environment during preservation in the holder (20).

14 - A holder (20) according to claim 2, characterized in that said sliding

element (60) is fitted on said second cover (123) by fastening means

comprising resilient teeth (62) suitable for bending when said sliding element

is fitted on said second cover (123), and in that said resilient teeth possess an

abutment adapted for engaging with a corresponding abutment of said second

cover (123) to restrict the extent of travel of said sliding element (60) with

respect to said second cover (123).

15 - A holder (20) for refilling and preserving an ink jet printhead (1 1 ) provided

with a refill hole (18) sealed by a sealing member (65), comprising

a box (121 ) suitable for housing said printhead (11 ),

at least one cover (123) suitable for disposition in an open position

permitting said printhead (11 ) to be housed in said box (121 ), and in a closed

position in which said at least one cover (123) is closed on said box (121 ), and a tube (131) for the passage of ink contained in a refill cartridge (34) closed by a membrane (35) from said refill cartridge (34) to said printhead

(11), said tube (131) having a first end (132) adapted for engaging with said membrane (35) and a second end (133) adapted for engaging with said refill hole (18) of said printhead (11 ), characterized by a sliding element (60) rigidly attached to said tube (131) and fitted in sliding manner on said cover (123), suitable for assuming, when said printhead (11) is housed in said box and said at least one cover (123) is in said closed position, a first rest position in which said second end (133) of the tube (131) is seated upon said sealing member (65), and of assuming, when said refill cartridge (34) is pressed with a given force against said first end (132) of the tube (131), a second working position in which said first end (132) perforates said membrane (35) and said second end (133) expels said sealing element (65) from said refill hole (18) and passes through the latter, thereby allowing transfer through said tube (131 ) of the ink contained in said refill cartridge (34) from the latter to said printhead.

16 - A method for refilling an ink jet printhead (11) by means of a refill cartridge (34), using a holder (10) according to claim 1, said method comprising an initial step of lodging said printhead (11) into said box (21) and being characterized by the following steps:

- rotating said first cover (22) to lock said first cover (22) against said box (21 ) for urging said printhead (11) so that the latter is positioned and

locked into said box (21); - rotating said second cover (23) with respect to said first cover (22) for

causing said second end (33) of said tube (31 ) to enter into said printhead

(11), and

- coupling said refill cartridge (34) with said first end (32) of said tube

(31 ) to connect the latter with the ink contained in the cartridge (34) and so

causing the passage of said ink from the cartridge to the printhead (1 1 )

through said tube (31 ).

17 - A method for refilling an ink jet printhead (1 1 ) provided with a refill hole

(18) sealed by a sealing element (65), by means of a holder (20) comprising

a box (121 ),

at least one cover (123) suitable for being separated from said box (121 )

to permit housing in the latter of said printhead (1 1 ), and for being closed on

said box (121 ),

a tube (131 ) for the passage of ink from a refill cartridge (34) closed by a

membrane (35) to said printhead, said tube (131 ) having a first end (132)

suitable for engaging with said membrane (35) and a second end (133)

suitable for engaging with said refill hole (18) of said printhead (1 1 ), and

a sliding element (60) suitable for sliding on said at least one cover (123)

and rigidly attached to said tube (131 ),

said method being characterized by the following steps:

housing said printhead in said box (121 ),

closing said at least one cover (123) on said box (121 ) in such a way as

to seat said second end (133) of said tube (131 ) on said sealing element (65)

and place said sliding element (60) in a first rest position, and pressing said refill cartridge (34) with a given force against said first end (132) of the tube (131) to make said sliding element (60) slide from said first rest position to a second working position with respect to said at least one cover (123), so as to have said first end (132) perforate said membrane (35) and said second end (133) expel said sealing element (65) from said refill hole (18), so that said second end (133) passes through the latter and transfer is permitted, through said tube (131), of the ink contained in said refill cartridge (34) from the latter to said printhead (11).