US Patent 8371682 Ink replenishing system for ink jet printers

An ink replenishing system that automatically activates the replenishment of modified ink cartridges to receive a refilling volume of ink from a larger, bulk ink source. The use of one modified tricolor cartridge and one modified black ink cartridge function as the distributors for the proper dispersion of ink. The cartridges are modified to incorporate access orifices to communicate with ink injectors when the cartridges park (or when the printer is turned off). A micro switch is tripped which, in turn, energizes an isolation relay which powers up the ink replenishing system. When the modified cartridges become low, sensing metal plates imbedded in the matrix of the modified cartridges sense little or no current flowing from one plate to the other; thus, there is insufficient current to energize an opposing coil of an electric motor pump relay and the pumping actions is continued until the cartridge is filled to capacity.