1. A refrigerator for cooling and humidifying at least a portion of the refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising
a main supply fluid tank;
a secondary reservoir supplied with fluid from the main supply fluid tank, the secondary reservoir having a maximum, controlled height of fluid;
an atomizer provided with fluid from the secondary reservoir, the atomizer discharging the fluid provided from the secondary reservoir in an atomized spray to at least a portion of the refrigerator; and
a flexible wick providing fluid transfer from the secondary reservoir to a location proximate to the atomizer.
2. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the maximum, controlled height of fluid in the secondary reservoir is not greater than approximately three inches.
3. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the atomizer comprises a piezo element, and the flexible wick is securely attached to the piezo element.
4. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the atomizer comprises a piezo element located in a piezo reservoir adapted to hold fluid proximate to the piezo element, and the flexible wick is in fluid communication with the piezo reservoir, wherein the piezo reservoir is provided with fluid from the secondary reservoir via the flexible wick.
5. The refrigerator of claim 1 comprising an atomizer housing and a wick guide, the atomizer housing configured for mounting the atomizer and the wick guide, the wick guide configured for positioning the flexible wick proximate to the atomizer.
6. The refrigerator of claim 1 comprising a secondary reservoir supply valve, the secondary reservoir supply valve operable to control the supply of fluid from the main supply tank.
7. The refrigerator of claim 6 wherein a feature located proximate the secondary reservoir actuates the secondary reservoir supply valve.
8. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the atomizer is located at a greater height than the secondary reservoir.
9. The refrigerator of claim 1 comprising a plurality of atomized compartments, each atomized compartment comprising a compartment atomizer, and each compartment having a compartment wick for providing fluid to that compartment.
10. The refrigerator of claim 9 comprising a main wick leading from the secondary reservoir, and an auxiliary wick leading from the main wick to one of the compartments.
11. The refrigerator of claim 1 comprising a docking station for accepting the main tank, the secondary reservoir being integrated into the docking station.
12. The refrigerator of claim 1 comprising a modular atomization unit, the modular atomization unit comprising the main tank, the secondary reservoir, the atomizer, and the flexible wick, and the modular atomization unit being removable from the refrigerator as a unit.
13. The refrigerator of claim 12 further comprising an atomization compartment, and wherein the modular atomization unit is located proximate to an upper surface of the atomization compartment.
14. The refrigerator of claim 12 wherein the modular atomization unit is located proximate to a side wall of the refrigerator.
15. A removable, modular atomization unit for a refrigerator for humidifying at least a portion of the refrigerator, the modular atomization unit comprising
a secondary reservoir adapted to accept fluid from a main supply tank, the secondary reservoir having a maximum, controlled height of fluid;
an atomizer provided with fluid from the secondary reservoir, the atomizer adapted to discharge the fluid provided from the secondary reservoir in an atomized spray to at least a portion of the refrigerator when the modular atomization unit is deployed in the refrigerator;
a flexible wick providing fluid transfer from the secondary reservoir to a location proximate to the atomizer; and
wherein the modular atomization unit is adapted to be added to or removed from the refrigerator as a unit.
16. The modular atomization unit of claim 15 wherein the maximum, controlled height of fluid in the secondary reservoir is not greater than approximately three inches.
17. The modular atomization unit of claim 15 wherein the atomizer comprises a piezo element, and the flexible wick is securely attached to the piezo element.
18. The modular atomization unit of claim 15 wherein the atomizer comprises a piezo element located in a piezo reservoir adapted to hold fluid proximate to the piezo element, and the flexible wick is in fluid communication with the piezo reservoir, wherein the piezo reservoir is provided with fluid from the secondary reservoir via the flexible wick.
19. The modular atomization unit of claim 15 comprising an atomizer housing and a wick guide, the atomizer housing configured for mounting the atomizer and the wick guide, the wick guide configured for positioning the flexible wick proximate to the atomizer.
20. The modular atomization unit of claim 15 comprising a secondary reservoir supply valve, the secondary reservoir supply valve operable to control the supply of fluid from the main supply tank.
21. The modular atomization unit of claim 16 wherein a feature located proximate the secondary reservoir actuates the secondary reservoir supply valve.
22. The modular atomization unit of claim 15 wherein the atomizer is located at a greater height than the secondary reservoir when the secondary reservoir is deployed in the refrigerator.
23. The modular atomization unit of claim 15 further comprising the main supply tank that provides fluid to the secondary reservoir.
24. A removable, modular atomization unit for a refrigerator for humidifying at least a portion of the refrigerator, the modular atomization unit comprising
a main supply tank;
a docking station that receives the main supply tank, the docking station comprising an integral secondary reservoir adapted to accept fluid from a main supply tank, the secondary reservoir having a maximum, controlled height of fluid;
an atomizer unit accepted by the docking station, the atomizer unit comprising an atomizer provided with fluid from the secondary reservoir, the atomizer adapted to discharge the fluid provided from the secondary reservoir in an atomized spray to at least a portion of the refrigerator when the modular atomization unit is deployed in the refrigerator;
a flexible wick providing fluid transfer from the secondary reservoir to a location proximate to the atomizer; and
wherein the modular atomization unit is adapted to be added to or removed from a refrigerator as a unit.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An inkjet pen, comprising:
an internal ink supply; and
at least one datum feature configured to engage and slide over a guide track in a pen carriage during installation of said pen in said carriage;
said at least one datum feature being configured to interact with corresponding datum features of said guide track to prevent improper installation of said pen in said carriage;
wherein said at least one datum feature further comprises a color keying member corresponding to a color of ink in said ink supply;
wherein said color keying member is configured to slide over said guide track during installation of said pen in said carriage.
2. The inkjet pen of claim 1, wherein said at least one datum feature comprises a backward insertion datum, said backward insertion datum resisting movement of said inkjet pen along said guide track if said inkjet pen is being inserted backwards into said carriage.
3. The inkjet pen of claim 2, wherein said backward insertion datum comprises a backward insertion member configured to slide over said guide track.
4. The inkjet pen of claim 3, wherein said backward insertion datum further comprises a backward insertion stop establishing a backwards datum height from a bottom of said backward insertion member to a top of said backward insertion stop, said backward datum height being sufficiently large to prevent further movement of said inkjet pen along said guide track if said inkjet pen is being inserted backwards into said carriage.
5. The inkjet pen of claim 1, wherein said ink supply comprises either colored or black ink.
6. The inkjet pen of claim 1, further comprising a color keying stop extending above said color keying member, wherein said color keying stop is configured to interfere with a datum of said guide track and prevent further movement of said pen along said guide track if a color of said ink in said ink supply does not correspond to a color to be provided using said carriage.
7. The inkjet pen of claim 1, wherein said color keying member is configured to be engaged in a color keying depression of said guide track if a color of said ink in said ink supply corresponds to a color to be provided using said carriage.
8. The inkjet pen of claim 1, further comprising a datum feature configured to slide over and then engage an inclined carriage datum feature of said carriage to prevent further movement of said inkjet pen in an insertion direction.
9. An inkjet pen, comprising:
an internal ink supply; and
a plurality of datum features formed on said inkjet pen;
wherein said datum features are configured to interfere with corresponding datum features on a carriage of a printing device so as to prevent an attempt to install said pen backwards into said carriage of said printing device;
wherein said datum features comprise a backward insertion datum, said backward insertion datum resisting movement of said inkjet pen along a guide track of said carriage if said inkjet pen is being inserted backwards into said carriage.
10. The inkjet pen of claim 9, wherein said backward insertion datum comprises a backward insertion member configured to slide over said guide track.
11. The inkjet pen of claim 10, wherein said backward insertion datum further comprises a backward insertion stop establishing a backwards datum height from a bottom of said backward insertion member to a top of said backward insertion stop, said backward datum height being sufficiently large to prevent further movement of said inkjet pen along said guide track if said inkjet pen is being inserted backwards into said carriage.
12. An inkjet pen, comprising:
an internal ink supply; and
a plurality of datum features formed on said inkjet pen;
wherein said datum features comprise a color keying member corresponding to a color of ink in said ink supply;
wherein said color keying member is configured to slide over a guide track in a carriage of a printing device during installation of said pen in said carriage.
13. The inkjet pen of claim 12, wherein said ink supply comprises either colored or black ink.
14. The inkjet pen of claim 12, wherein said datum features further comprise a color keying stop extending above said color keying member, wherein said color keying stop is configured to interfere with a datum of said guide track and prevent further movement of said pen along said guide track if a color of said ink in said ink supply does not correspond to a color to be provided using said carriage.
15. The inkjet pen of claim 12, wherein said color keying member is configured to be engaged in a color keying depression of said guide track if a color of said ink in said ink supply corresponds to a color to be provided using said carriage.
16. The inkjet pen of claim 12, further comprising a datum feature configured to slide over and then engage an inclined carriage datum feature of said carriage to prevent further movement of said inkjet pen in an insertion direction.