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| What is a printer ink cartridge? |
An printer ink cartridge is a replaceable component of an ink-jet printer that
contains the ink and sometimes the print-head itself that is spread on paper
during printing. Two printer ink cartridges docked into a printer
Each printer ink cartridge contains one or more partitioned ink reservoirs,
electronic contacts and a chip that comillimetresunicates with the printer.
What is contained inside a printer ink cartridge?
Inside each partition of the printer ink reservoir is a tiny metal plate. In
response to a signal given by the printer, a tiny current flows through the
metal causing it to warm up.
The printer ink imillimetresediately surrounding the heated plate is vapourised. As a
consequence, the total volume of the printer ink exceeds that of the cartridge.
An ink droplet falls out of the cartridge onto the paper. This process takes
place in a matter of milliseconds.
Typically, two separate printer ink cartridges are inserted into a printer: one
containing black ink and one with each of the three primary colors.
Alternatively, each primary color may have a dedicated printer ink cartridge.
Some printer ink cartridges are specifically designed for printing photographs.
All printer suppliers produce their own type of printer ink cartridges. Printer
ink cartridges for different printers may be incompatible - either physically or
electrically.
Since replacement printer ink cartridges from the original manufacturer of the
printer are often very expensive, some other manufacturers produce "compatible"
printer ink cartridges as cheaper alternatives.
Some printer ink cartridge have incorporated the printer's head (most HP
printers use this system). Usually, they are more expensive, but the printers
are cheaper. Others don't include the printer head, but they are more economic
and the printers are more expensive (for example, most Epson printers)
Typically, printer ink cartridges are very expensive. Many people, therefore,
use compatible printer ink cartridges (those made by a company other than the
printer manufacturer) that give comparable quality, but with considerable
savings. Another alternative involves modifications that allow the use of
continuous ink systems that use external ink tanks. Some people choose to use
inexpensive ink, knowing that, in the long term, it may damage the printer.
However, the cost savings of 4 or 5 refilled cartridges may well be sufficient
to pay for a new printer. If the printer lasts more than that, they have
obtained the same result (economically speaking) at a lower cost than using
original supplies.
Consumers are often surprised at the price of replacing their printer ink
cartridges, especially when compared with that of purchasing a brand new
printer. The major printer manufacturers, Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, Dell, Canon,
Epson and Brother, often break even or lose money selling printers and expect to
recoup their losses by selling printer ink cartridges over the life span of the
printer.
Since much of the printer manufacturers' profits are made up of printer ink and
toner cartridge sales, these companies have taken various actions to limit the
options of consumers in using aftermarket cartridges.
However, many consumers have opted to have their printer ink cartridges refilled
or purchased remanufactured cartridges from alternative companies to save money
over buying new cartridges. This is a much better use of resources, much cheaper
(as you need only buy the printer ink and some other small raw materials), and a
whole industry has grown up around this idea. The legality of this industry was
brought to the Supreme Court of the United States in the case Lexmark v. Static
Control. The Court ruled that reverse-engineering the handshaking procedure to
enable compatibility did not violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
There are several qualities and types of refilling, some of them being safe and
successful, while other types can ruin the printer and/or give bad quality
prints. Some printer ink cartridges sold as "new and compatible" are actually
used and refilled by companies that buy used cartridges. The same applies to
toner cartridges.
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