A consumable chip and a consumable cartridge

Abstract

This application provides a consumable chip and a consumable box, including a connecting part and a functional module; the connecting part includes a first contact part, a second contact part, and a lead-out part; the first contact part receives a first signal, and the second contact part receives a second signal; the first signal is a power signal, and the second signal is a non-power signal; the lead-out part is used to output a superimposed signal of the first signal and the second signal to the power terminal of the functional module; wherein, the equivalent resistance between the first contact part and the lead-out part is greater than the equivalent resistance between the second contact part and the lead-out part; the consumable chip also includes a charging circuit, used for charging using the superimposed signal when the second signal is high level, and also used for discharging to the power terminal when the second signal is low level; the consumable chip and consumable box provided in this application, by discharging using the charging circuit when the second signal is low level, ensure that the functional module can obtain a more stable power supply, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the chip.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to the following Chinese patent application, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] 1. Application Date: October 25, 2024; Application Number: 202411508088.8; Application Title: A Consumable Chip and Consumable Box;

[0003] 2. Application date: October 29, 2024; Application number: 202411527293.9; Application title: A consumable chip and consumable box. Technical Field

[0004] This application relates to the field of electronic technology, and more specifically to a consumable chip and a consumable box. Background Technology

[0005] During the printing process, the printing equipment requires imaging assistance information from the consumable cartridge to complete the imaging process. When the consumable cartridge is installed on the printing equipment, the equipment often needs to authenticate the cartridge's origin. The consumable cartridge typically includes a chip for authentication, which stores authentication information. In addition, the chip also stores information such as the consumable cartridge's usage history or lifespan.

[0006] The printing device and the consumable chip are respectively equipped with corresponding pins and contacts. Specifically, the pins include data pins, chip select pins, clock pins, power pins, and ground pins. The contacts may include data contacts, chip select contacts, clock contacts, power contacts, and ground contacts. When the consumable cartridge is installed on the printing device, the data pins, chip select pins, clock pins, power contacts, and ground contacts on the printing device are electrically connected to the data contacts, chip select contacts, clock contacts, power contacts, and ground contacts on the chip, respectively, thereby enabling the transmission of data signals, chip select signals, clock signals, power signals, and ground signals.

[0007] In some applications, the current output from the power pins of the printer may not be able to drive the functional modules on the consumable chip, leading to printing malfunctions. To address this issue, one solution in the relevant technology is to connect the power terminals of the functional modules not only to the power pins of the printer but also to other pins of the printer.

[0008] Specifically, a connection portion is provided on the consumable chip. This connection portion simultaneously contacts multiple contacts, including power contacts, in the printing device. In other words, the connection portion is electrically connected to multiple power contacts simultaneously in the printing device. Furthermore, a point on the connection portion (referred to as the "lead-out portion" for ease of description) is electrically connected to the power supply terminal of the functional module. It can be understood that through this connection method, the multiple power contacts in the printing device can supply power to the functional module, thereby increasing the current input to the power supply terminal of the functional module.

[0009] However, if the position of the lead-out part in the connection part causes the voltage division ratio of the resistor on the power signal transmission path in the connection part to increase, and if the voltage of the non-power contact pin among the multiple contacts connected to the connection part is low, it may cause the power supply voltage of the functional module to be pulled down to less than the minimum operating voltage of the functional module, thereby causing the functional module to fail to work properly.

[0010] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section of this application is intended only to enhance the understanding of the general background of this application, and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0011] This application provides a consumable chip, a consumable box, and a printing device to solve the problem in the prior art where the voltage division ratio of the resistor on the power signal transmission path in the connection part increases due to the position setting of the lead in the connection part. If the voltage of the non-power contact pin among the multiple contacts connected to the connection part is low, the power supply voltage of the functional module may be pulled down to less than the minimum operating voltage of the functional module, affecting the stability and reliability of the consumable chip.

[0012] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a consumable chip, including a connector and a functional module, wherein the connector includes:

[0013] A first contact portion is used to receive a first signal, wherein the first signal is a power signal;

[0014] The second contact portion is used to receive a second signal, which is a non-power signal;

[0015] The lead-out portion is electrically connected to the power terminal, the first contact portion, and the second contact portion of the functional module; the lead-out portion is used to output a superimposed signal of the first signal and the second signal to the power terminal, and to control the functional module to achieve a function matching the first signal through the superimposed signal; wherein, the equivalent resistance between the first contact portion and the lead-out portion is greater than the equivalent resistance between the second contact portion and the lead-out portion;

[0016] The consumable chip also includes a charging circuit; the charging circuit is electrically connected to the lead-out portion and the power terminal, and is used to charge using the superimposed signal when the second signal is high level, and to discharge to the power terminal using the charged electrical energy when the second signal is low level.

[0017] As a specific implementation, the charging circuit includes:

[0018] A unidirectional conducting element includes an input terminal and an output terminal; the input terminal is electrically connected to the lead-out portion;

[0019] The energy storage element has one end electrically connected to the output terminal and the power supply terminal, and the other end grounded.

[0020] Furthermore, the functional module also includes a second terminal; the second terminal is a non-power supply terminal; the lead-out portion is electrically connected to the second terminal, and is used to output the superimposed signal to the second terminal, and control the functional module to achieve a function that matches the second signal through the superimposed signal.

[0021] In a specific implementation, the connecting portion includes a conductive region; the resistivity of the conductive region is uniform.

[0022] The first contact portion, the second contact portion, and the lead-out portion are located within the conductive area, and the distance between the first contact portion and the lead-out portion is greater than the distance between the second contact portion and the lead-out portion.

[0023] In a specific implementation, the connecting part includes:

[0024] A first conductive path, wherein the first contact portion is electrically connected to the lead-out portion through the first conductive path;

[0025] The second conductive path, wherein the second contact portion is electrically connected to the lead-out portion through the second conductive path;

[0026] Wherein, the length of the first conductive path is greater than the length of the second conductive path, and / or the resistivity of the first conductive path is greater than the resistivity of the second conductive path.

[0027] Furthermore, the connecting portion also includes:

[0028] An insulating region is provided surrounding the first conductive path and the second conductive path.

[0029] In a specific implementation, the second signal is a chip select signal.

[0030] In a specific implementation, the connecting part and the functional module are disposed on the same surface of the consumable chip, and the connecting part is electrically connected to the functional module through a wire.

[0031] In a specific implementation, the connecting part and the functional module are disposed on different surfaces of the consumable chip, and the connecting part is electrically connected to the functional module through a via.

[0032] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a consumable box, including the consumable chip described in any of the above claims.

[0033] The consumable chip and consumable box provided in this application discharge to the power terminal of the functional module through the charging circuit when the second signal becomes low, maintaining the voltage of the power terminal of the functional module and ensuring that the functional module can obtain a more stable power supply, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the chip. Furthermore, the charging circuit requires only at least two components, greatly simplifying the circuit compared to the multiple components in the prior art, which helps save costs and improves the circuit's anti-interference capability and stability. Furthermore, the superimposed signal in this application can be directly used as the second signal, eliminating the need for a relatively complex detection and identification circuit, thus reducing the complexity of the circuit. Meanwhile, in the prior art, the power terminal and non-power terminal are directly short-circuited. When the non-power terminal is low, the power terminal is essentially directly connected to ground, which may burn out the printer's drive circuit due to excessive discharge current. The resistance between the two contacts can prevent this from happening. In addition, by using a lead-out portion instead of two discrete resistors, the number of components on the circuit board can be reduced, and the chip area can be minimized. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0035] Figure 1 A structural block diagram of a printing system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a stylus holder for a printing device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 3 An enlarged view of a first stylus on a stylus holder provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a consumable chip provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a consumable box provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a first type of consumable chip provided in this application embodiment;

[0041] Figure 7 Another structural schematic diagram of the first type of consumable chip provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0042] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the first type of chip provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0043] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second type of chip provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another structure of the second type of chip provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the second type of chip provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To better understand the technical solution of this application, the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments in this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0048] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0049] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0050] Example 1

[0051] See Figure 1This is a structural block diagram of a printing system provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the printing system includes a printing device 1 and a consumable cartridge, with a consumable chip 21' mounted on the cartridge. The printing device 1 has a communication port 10 (i.e., a corresponding contact pin 10), and the consumable chip 21' has an interface module 20 (i.e., a corresponding contact portion 20). When the consumable cartridge is mounted on the printing device 1, the contact pin 10 of the printing device 1 and the contact portion 20 of the consumable chip 21' are electrically connected, establishing a communication link between the printing device 1 and the consumable chip 21'. Information can be transmitted between the printing device 1 and the consumable chip 21' through this communication link. Specifically, when the printing device 1 sends a signal to the consumable chip 21', the printing device 1 is the sender, and the consumable chip 21' is the receiver; when the consumable chip 21' sends a signal to the printing device 1, the consumable chip 21' is the sender, and the printing device 1 is the receiver.

[0052] In practice, the consumable chip 21' can store identity data, encrypted data, and remaining lifespan data. The printing device 1 can authenticate the consumable cartridge using the identity data, achieve encrypted communication between the printing device 1 and the consumable chip 21' using the encrypted data, and determine the remaining lifespan of the consumable cartridge using the remaining lifespan data. The remaining lifespan data represents the remaining consumable quantity. It can be understood that the initial value of the remaining consumable quantity is typically 100%. As the consumable cartridge is used, the recording material (e.g., toner or ink) in the cartridge gradually decreases until it reaches zero. When the remaining consumable quantity in the cartridge is zero, it means that the recording material in the cartridge has been exhausted, and the cartridge needs to be replaced so that the printing device can continue performing image forming operations.

[0053] In specific implementation, the pins 10 on the printing device 1 include data pins, chip select pins, clock pins, power pins, and ground pins. The contacts 20 on the consumable chip 21' include data contacts, chip select contacts, clock contacts, power contacts, and ground contacts. When the consumable cartridge is installed on the printing device 1, the data pins, chip select pins, clock pins, power pins, and ground contacts on the printing device 1 are connected one-to-one with the data contacts, chip select contacts, clock contacts, power contacts, and ground contacts on the consumable chip 21', thereby enabling the transmission of data signals, chip select signals, clock signals, power signals, and ground signals. Among them, the chip select signal is a key signal to ensure orderly communication in a multi-chip system, avoiding bus conflicts by selecting a specific chip; the clock signal is a periodic signal with alternating high and low levels; the power signal provides the operating voltage for the consumable chip 21'; and the ground signal provides a unified reference low level between the printing device 1 and the consumable chip 21', ensuring the correctness and stability of the communication process.

[0054] In practice, the stylus on the printing device 1 and the contact portion on the consumable chip 21' are electrically connected through physical contact. When the consumable cartridge is installed on the printing device 1, the stylus on the printing device 1 and the contact portion on the consumable chip 21' are physically contacted, thus achieving electrical connection between the stylus on the printing device 1 and the contact portion on the consumable chip 21'.

[0055] See Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a stylus holder 11 of a printing device provided in an embodiment of this application. For ease of description, in Figure 2 The X, Y, and Z directions are defined as mutually perpendicular. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the pin holder 11 includes an upper pin holder surface 111 in the Y-axis arrow direction, a front pin holder surface 112 in the X-axis arrow direction, and a first pin 1101, a second pin 1102, a third pin 1103, a fourth pin 1104, and a fifth pin 1105 staggered along the Z-axis direction. Specifically, the first pin 1101, the second pin 1102, the third pin 1103, the fourth pin 1104, and the fifth pin 1105 are respectively a data pin 1101, a chip select pin 1102, a clock pin 1103, a power pin 1104, and a ground pin 1105.

[0056] See Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of a first stylus provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 As shown, the first contact pin 1101 includes a first contact pin tip 11011, a first contact pin front end 11012, a first contact pin bevel end 11013, and a first contact pin tip 11014. In specific implementations, the first contact pin 1101 is typically connected to the data contact portion 21011 on the consumable chip 21 through the first contact pin tip 11014. Of course, those skilled in the art can also connect the first contact pin 1101 to the data contact portion SDA on the consumable chip 21 through the first contact pin tip 11011, the first contact pin front end 11012, or the first contact pin bevel end 11013, depending on actual needs. This application embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0057] Furthermore, the structure and working principle of the other contact pins (second contact pin 1102, third contact pin 1103, fourth contact pin 1104, and fifth contact pin 1105) in the printing device 1 are similar to those of the first contact pin 1101, and will not be described in detail here for the sake of brevity. The first contact pin 1101, second contact pin 1102, third contact pin 1103, fourth contact pin 1104, and fifth contact pin 1105 are electrically connected to the data contact SDA, chip select contact RST, clock contact SCL, power contact VCC, and ground contact GND on the consumable chip 21' via their respective contact tips. In this way, the consumable chip 21' of the consumable cartridge can communicate with the printing device 1 via contact pins.

[0058] It should be further noted that the type and number of the styluses on the printing device 1 and the contacts on the consumable chip 21' are related to the communication protocol adopted by the printing device 1 and the consumable chip 21'. Different communication protocols typically correspond to different types and numbers of styluses and contacts, and this application embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this. However, those skilled in the art should understand that in existing or future design communication protocols, at least two styluses and corresponding contacts should generally be included, and at least a power stylus and a corresponding power contact should be included.

[0059] See Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a consumable chip 21' provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 5 As shown, the consumable chip 21' includes a data contact SDA, a chip select contact RST, a clock contact SCL, a power contact VCC, and a ground contact GND. Additionally, the consumable chip 21 typically also includes a functional module (i.e., a first device) to perform data storage, processing, and other related functions. The data contact SDA, chip select contact RST, clock contact SCL, power contact VCC, and ground contact GND are respectively connected to the data pins, chip select pins, clock pins, power pins, and ground pins on the printing device 1, receiving data signals, chip select signals, clock signals, power signals, and ground signals from the printing device 1.

[0060] Specifically, the functional modules may include a control unit, a storage unit, etc. The control unit is used to control communication with the printing device 1, and can be a microcontroller (MCU), FPGA, ASIC, etc. The storage unit can use common non-volatile storage units (such as EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH, ferroelectric storage units, phase-change storage units, etc.), or it can use a volatile storage unit plus a power supply (e.g., SRAM plus a battery or capacitor, DRAM plus a battery or capacitor, etc.).

[0061] See Figure 4This is a structural schematic diagram of a consumable box 2 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 4 As shown, the consumable box 2 includes a consumable box body 201, and a consumable chip 21' is provided on the outer surface of the consumable box body 201. It should be noted that... Figure 4 The structure of the consumable box body 201 and the position of the consumable chip 21' on the consumable box body 201 shown in the consumable box 2 are merely illustrative examples of the embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as limitations on the scope of protection of this application.

[0062] When the consumable cartridge 2 is installed on the printing device 1, the first contact pin 1101, the second contact pin 1102, the third contact pin 1103, the fourth contact pin 1104, and the fifth contact pin 1105 of the printing device 1 are respectively connected to the data contact SDA, the chip select contact RST, the clock contact SCL, the power contact VCC, and the ground contact GND on the consumable chip 21 through contact electrical connection, thereby establishing a communication link between the printing device 1 and the consumable chip 21'.

[0063] In some applications, the current output from the power pins of the printing device 1 may not be able to drive the functional modules in the consumable chip 21', leading to printing abnormalities. To address this issue, one solution in the related technology is that the power terminals of the functional modules are electrically connected not only to the power pins of the printing device 1, but also to other pins of the printing device 1.

[0064] Specifically, a connection portion is provided on the consumable chip, which simultaneously contacts multiple contacts including power contacts in the printing device 1. That is, the connection portion is electrically connected to multiple contacts including power contacts in the printing device 1 simultaneously, and a point of the connection portion (referred to as the "lead-out portion" for ease of description) is electrically connected to the power terminal of the functional module in the consumable chip. It can be understood that through the above connection method, the multiple contacts including power contacts in the printing device 1 can supply power to the functional module, thereby increasing the current input to the power terminal of the functional module.

[0065] See Figure 6 and Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a consumable chip 21 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 As shown, the consumable chip 21 includes a substrate 210, and the substrate 210 includes a first plane 2101. A connection portion 21016 is provided on the first plane 2101. The connection portion 21016 includes a first contact portion 210161, a second contact portion 210162, and a lead-out portion 210163. The first contact portion 210161 and the second contact portion 210162 are electrically connected to the lead-out portion 210163, respectively.

[0066] In this embodiment, the first contact portion 210161 is electrically connected to the first contact pin of the printing device 1 via a contact connection to receive a first signal output by the first contact pin of the printing device 1; the second contact portion 210162 is electrically connected to the second contact pin of the printing device 1 via a contact connection to receive a second signal output by the second contact pin of the printing device 1. The first end of the lead-out portion 210163 is electrically connected to the first contact portion 210161 and the second contact portion 210162 respectively to obtain a superimposed signal composed of the first signal and the second signal. Specifically, the first contact pin is a power contact pin, and the second contact pin is a non-power contact pin; correspondingly, the first signal is a power signal, and the second signal is a non-power signal. That is to say, the superimposed signal is a signal composed of the superposition of the power signal and the non-power signal output by the printing device 1.

[0067] like Figure 6 and 7 As shown, the consumable chip 21 further includes a functional module 21021 to realize data storage, processing, and other related functions. Specifically, the functional module may include a control unit, a storage unit, etc. The lead-out portion 210163 is electrically connected to the first terminal of the functional module 21021, which is a power supply terminal VCC', so as to supply power to the power supply terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021 through a superimposed signal. Since the superimposed signal includes current from both power and non-power signals, the current of the superimposed signal is larger. By supplying power to the power supply terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021 through the superimposed signal, the input current to the power supply terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021 can be increased.

[0068] In one possible implementation, the connecting portion 21016 includes a conductive region; the first contact portion 210161, the second contact portion 210162, and the lead-out portion 210163 are located within the conductive region. It is understood that the conductive region enables the first contact portion 210161 and the second contact portion 210162 to be electrically connected to the lead-out portion 210163, respectively.

[0069] In specific implementations, the conductive region can be formed from carbon materials, specifically carbon film or carbon oil. Carbon film or carbon oil is a thin-film resistive material that can be prepared using processes such as physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD). It should be noted that, besides carbon materials, other conductive materials may also be used to prepare the conductive region; this application does not impose specific limitations on the materials used to prepare the conductive region.

[0070] In the prior art, the power terminal and the non-power terminal are directly short-circuited. When the non-power terminal is at a low level, the power terminal is equivalent to being directly connected to ground. This may burn out the printer's drive circuit due to excessive discharge current. The resistance between the two contacts can prevent this from happening. In addition, forming a conductive area with a carbon film instead of setting two discrete resistors can reduce the number of components on the circuit board and reduce the chip area.

[0071] See Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a consumable chip 21 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 8 As shown, the second contact is a chip select contact; the second contact portion 210162 is electrically connected to the chip select contact to receive the chip select signal; in the connection portion 21016, the equivalent resistance between the first contact portion 210161 and the lead-out portion 210163 is the first resistance R1, and the equivalent resistance between the second contact portion 210162 and the lead-out portion 210163 is the second resistance R2. The equivalent resistance between the lead-out portion 210162 and the first contact portion 210161 is greater than the equivalent resistance between the lead-out portion 210162 and the second contact portion 210161.

[0072] It is understandable that when the first signal is high and the second signal is low, the large voltage drop on the power signal transmission path will cause the voltage of the superimposed signal output by the lead-out section 210163 to be too low. If the voltage of the superimposed signal is less than the minimum operating voltage of the functional module 21021, the functional module 21021 may not work properly, resulting in poor stability and reliability of the functional module 21021.

[0073] For example, when the first pin of the printing device 1 outputs a high level (voltage V1) and the second port outputs a low level (voltage is a reference voltage lower than the high level, generally considered to be between 0V and 1.5V; in some embodiments, this voltage approaches 0V; for the convenience of subsequent superimposed voltage calculation, we take 0V for the low level calculation; those skilled in the art will understand that the voltage is considered to be 0V for the convenience of the embodiment in subsequent embodiments and should not be regarded as a limitation of this application), the voltage V of the superimposed signal output by the lead-out section 210163 is V = (R2 / (R1+R2)) × V1. If the voltage V of the lead-out section 210163 is lower than the minimum operating voltage of the functional module 21021, the functional module 21021 may not work properly.

[0074] To solve the above problems, such as Figure 8As shown, the consumable chip 21 provided in this embodiment of the application also includes a charging circuit. The charging circuit is connected to the lead-out portion 210163 and the first terminal of the functional module 21021, namely the power supply terminal VCC'. When the second signal, namely the chip select signal, is high, it charges the chip using the superimposed signal output by the lead-out portion 210163 to store electrical energy. When the second signal is low, it releases the stored electrical energy to the power supply terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021 to maintain the voltage of the power supply terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021. This reduces the probability that the voltage of the power supply terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021 will be lower than the minimum operating voltage of the functional module 21021 due to the second signal becoming low, ensuring that the functional module 21021 can obtain a more stable voltage supply, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the functional module 21021.

[0075] Understandably, when both the first and second signals are high, the output pin is high, providing a high level to the power supply terminal VCC'. Simultaneously, the charging circuit uses the superimposed signal output from the output pin to charge and store electrical energy.

[0076] In one specific implementation, the minimum operating voltage of the functional module 21021 of the consumable chip 21 is 2.1V. When both the first and second signals are high, for example, 3.3V, the voltage of the lead-out portion 210163 is 3.3V, providing a 3.3V voltage to the power supply terminal VCC'. The charging circuit uses the superimposed signal output from the lead-out portion 210163 to charge to 3.3V. When the second signal becomes low, for example, 0V, the charging circuit uses the stored electrical energy to release electrical energy to the power supply terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021 to maintain the voltage of the power supply terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021, without affecting the power supply of the functional module 21021.

[0077] like Figure 8 As shown, in a consumable chip 21 provided in this embodiment, the lead-out portion 210163 is also electrically connected to the second terminal of the functional module 21021, namely the chip select terminal RST'. When both the first signal and the second signal are high level, the lead-out portion 210163 is at a high level, and correspondingly, the chip select terminal RST' of the functional module 21021 receives a high level. When the first signal is high level and the second signal is low level, the lead-out portion 210163 is pulled low, and correspondingly, the chip select terminal RST' of the functional module 21021 receives a low level, ensuring that the functional module 21021 can obtain a chip select signal consistent with the printing device 1, thereby ensuring the normal printing of the printing device 1.

[0078] The consumable chip 21 provided in this embodiment supplies power to the power terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021 through the lead-out portion when both the first signal and the second signal are at a high level. When the second signal becomes low level, it releases electrical energy to the power terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021 through the charging circuit to maintain the voltage of the power terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021, ensuring that the power terminal VCC' can obtain a stable power supply through the lead-out portion 210163. At the same time, the first contact portion 210161 and the lead-out portion are provided. The equivalent resistance between 210163 (first resistor R1) is greater than the equivalent resistance between the second contact 210162 and the lead-out portion 210163 (second resistor R2). This increases the voltage division ratio of the resistors on the power signal transmission path, ensuring that the chip select terminal RST' can obtain the same chip select signal as the printing device 1 through the same lead-out portion 210163. There is no need to set up a separate circuit structure to parse the chip select signal, nor is there a need for additional wiring. Electrically connecting the chip select terminal RST' to the second contact portion 210162 saves costs.

[0079] Furthermore, the charging circuit provided in this application embodiment requires only two components, which greatly simplifies the circuit compared to the multiple components in the prior art, thus saving costs and improving the circuit's anti-interference capability and stability. Furthermore, the superimposed signal in this application can be directly used as a second signal, eliminating the need for a relatively complex detection and identification circuit, thereby reducing the complexity of the circuit.

[0080] like Figure 8 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the charging circuit 3 includes a unidirectional conducting element 31 and an energy storage element 32; the unidirectional conducting element 31 includes an input terminal and an output terminal, the input terminal of the unidirectional input terminal 31 is electrically connected to the lead-out portion 210163, and the output terminal is electrically connected to one end of the energy storage element 32 and the power supply terminal VCC' of the functional module 21021; the other end of the energy storage element 32 is grounded to GND.

[0081] The consumable chip 21 provided in this embodiment utilizes the unidirectional conduction characteristic of the unidirectional conduction element 31 to ensure that the charging circuit 3 can only be charged by the lead-out portion 210163. The charging circuit 3 will not release electrical energy to the lead-out portion 210163, thus preventing the charging circuit 3 from releasing the stored electrical energy to the lead-out portion 210163, which would cause the voltage of the lead-out portion to rise. This could potentially change the low level that the chip select terminal RST' should receive to a high level, which would be inconsistent with the low-level chip select signal sent by the printing device 1, affecting the normal printing of the printing device 1.

[0082] like Figure 8As shown, in the consumable chip 21 provided in this embodiment, the unidirectional conducting element 31 includes a diode D; in other specific embodiments, the unidirectional conducting element 31 can be a series structure of multiple diodes, a combination structure of diodes and MOSFETs, or a combination structure of MOSFETs, as long as it can achieve forward conduction when the second signal is high and reverse cutoff when the second signal is low. This application does not limit the specific type and structure of the unidirectional conducting element.

[0083] like Figure 8 As shown, in the consumable chip 21 provided in this embodiment, the energy storage element 32 includes a capacitor C1; in other specific embodiments, the energy storage element 32 can be other energy storage structures with charging and discharging functions, as long as it can achieve charging when the second signal is high and discharging when the second signal is low. This application does not limit the specific type and structure of the energy storage element.

[0084] As mentioned above, the contacts of printing device 1 include power contacts, chip select contacts, clock contacts, data contacts, and ground contacts, in addition to power contacts and chip select contacts. Figure 6 and 7 As shown, corresponding to the clock contact, data contact, and ground contact of the printing device 1, a first terminal 21011 (i.e., data contact 21011), a second terminal 21012 (i.e., clock contact 21012), and a fifth terminal 21015 (i.e., ground contact 21015) are also provided on the first plane 2101 of the consumable chip 21. The clock contact 21012, data contact 21011, and ground contact 21015 are respectively used for electrical connection with the data port, chip select port, and ground port of the printing device 1.

[0085] In some other possible implementations, the second contact pin can also be a clock contact pin, and correspondingly, the second signal is a clock signal. That is, by superimposing the power signal and the clock signal, the current input to the power port of the consumable chip 21 is increased. In some other possible implementations, the second contact pin can also be a data contact pin, and correspondingly, the second signal is a data signal. That is, by superimposing the power signal and the data signal, the current input to the power port of the consumable chip 21 is increased. For details regarding the embodiments of this application, please refer to the description above; for the sake of brevity, further elaboration will not be repeated here.

[0086] In some applications, the chip select signal is active high. That is, when the consumable chip 21 is operating, the chip select signal is always high, while the clock and data signals typically consist of high-to-low level signals. Therefore, superimposing the chip select signal and the power signal, compared to the clock and data signals, can produce a more stable superimposed signal when the consumable chip 21 is operating, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the consumable chip 21.

[0087] In practical applications, the consumable chip 21 includes multiple surfaces. The connecting portion 21016 and the functional module 21021 may be disposed on the same surface of the consumable chip 21, or they may be disposed on different surfaces of the consumable chip 21. For example, the connecting portion 21016 and the functional module 21021 may be disposed on two opposite surfaces of the consumable chip 21.

[0088] In one possible implementation, the connection portion 21016 and the functional module 21021 are disposed on the same surface of the consumable chip 21. In this case, the connection portion 21016 can be directly electrically connected to the functional module 21021 via a wire. Specifically, the lead-out portion 210163 of the connection portion 21016 is directly electrically connected to the functional module 21021 via a wire.

[0089] In another possible implementation, the connection portion 21016 and the functional module 21021 are respectively disposed on two opposite surfaces of the consumable chip 21. The connection portion 21016 can be electrically connected to the functional module 21021 via a via. Specifically, the lead-out portion 210163 of the connection portion 21016 is electrically connected to the functional module 21021 via a via. When the lead-out portion 210163 is electrically connected to the functional module 21021 via a via, the lead-out portion 210163 can be disposed on the back side of the connection portion 21016, i.e., on the side facing the substrate 210.

[0090] It is understood that each signal output by the printing device 1 has a specific function. Superimposing the first and second signals generally does not affect the functions that the first and second signals should perform. In other words, by superimposing the signals, the functional module 21021 in the consumable chip 21 can be controlled to perform functions matching the first and second signals.

[0091] Corresponding to the above embodiments, this application also provides a consumable box, which includes the consumable chip 21 as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0092] like Figure 7As shown, in one specific embodiment, the resistivity of the conductive region is uniform. Therefore, within the conductive region, the longer the distance between two points, the greater the equivalent resistance is generally. The distance between the first contact 210161 and the lead-out 210163 is greater than the distance between the second contact 210162 and the lead-out 210163, making the equivalent resistance between the lead-out 210162 and the first contact 210161 greater than the equivalent resistance between the lead-out 210162 and the second contact 210161. This increases the voltage division ratio of the resistors on the power signal transmission path, ensuring that the chip select terminal RST' can obtain the same chip select signal as the printing device 1 through the same lead-out 210163.

[0093] Specifically, the resistance values ​​of the first resistor R1 and the second resistor R2 can be obtained according to R = D * α, where α is the equivalent resistance per millimeter, which is determined by the material properties of the conductive area. For example, the first distance D1 between the lead-out portion 210163 and the first contact portion 210161 is 3 mm, the second distance D2 between the lead-out portion 210163 and the second contact portion 210162 is 1 mm, and α is 1 kΩ / mm. Therefore, the equivalent resistance values ​​of R1 and R2 are 3 kΩ and 1 kΩ, respectively, and the total resistance R' is 1 kΩ + 3 kΩ = 4 kΩ. When the power supply voltage received by the first contact portion 210161 is 3.3 V and the chip select voltage received by the second contact portion 210162 is 0 V, the proportion of R2 to the total resistance is 1 kΩ / 4 kΩ = 0.25. Therefore, the voltage received by the power supply terminal VCC' and the chip select terminal RST' is 3.3 V * 0.25, which is approximately 0.825 V.

[0094] Furthermore, to ensure that the lead-out portion 210162 is at a low level when the second signal is at a low level, the first distance D1 and the second distance D2 satisfy: D1 / D2≥3. Preferably, D1 / D2≥4.

[0095] In practical applications, the consumable cartridge 2 is typically installed or removed from the printing device 1 by sliding. During this sliding process, the relative positions of the stylus on the printing device 1 and the contacts on the chip may shift, potentially causing a shift in the positions of the first contact 210161 and the second contact 210162. It is understood that this shift in position will cause changes in the resistance values ​​of the first resistor R1 and the second resistor R2, which may in turn affect the voltage division ratio of the resistors along the power signal transmission path.

[0096] To reduce the impact of the positional shift of the first contact portion 210161 and the second contact portion 210162 on the voltage division ratio of the resistors on the power signal transmission path, embodiments of this application differentiate the resistivity of the first contact portion 210161 and / or the second contact portion 210162 itself, or the resistivity of the conductive region where the first contact portion 210161 and / or the second contact portion 210162 are located, so that the resistivity of the first contact portion 210161 and / or the second contact portion 210162 is less than the resistivity of the conductive region.

[0097] Since a smaller resistivity corresponds to a smaller resistance value per unit distance, configuring the first contact portion 210161 and / or the second contact portion 210162 with a smaller resistivity can reduce the resistance deviation of the first resistor R1 and / or the second resistor R2 caused by the positional offset of the first contact portion 210161 and / or the second contact portion 210162, thereby improving the stability of the voltage division ratio of the resistors on the power signal transmission path.

[0098] In a consumable chip provided in this application embodiment, the conductive region is divided into a first conductive region and a second conductive region. The first contact portion and the second contact portion are located within the first conductive region, and the lead-out portion is located within the second conductive region. The resistivity of the first conductive region is less than the resistivity of the second conductive region. In other words, the resistivity of the conductive region containing the first and second contact portions is less than the resistivity of the conductive region containing the lead-out portion.

[0099] Since a smaller resistivity corresponds to a smaller resistance value per unit distance, configuring the conductive areas where the first and second contact portions are located to have a smaller resistivity can reduce the resistance value deviation of the first and / or second resistors caused by the positional offset of the first and / or second contact portions, thereby improving the stability of the voltage division ratio of the resistors on the power signal transmission path.

[0100] Furthermore, this application provides another schematic diagram of a chip structure. The first conductive electronic region is further divided into a third conductive electronic region and a fourth conductive electronic region. The first contact portion is located within the third conductive electronic region, and the second contact portion is located within the fourth conductive electronic region. That is, the first contact portion and the second contact portion are located within different conductive electronic regions, thus allowing for more flexible configuration of the resistivity of the conductive regions containing the first and second contact portions to meet the resistivity configuration requirements of different application scenarios.

[0101] Specifically, the third and fourth conductive electron regions can be configured with different resistivities. For example, the resistivity of the third conductive electron region is greater than that of the fourth conductive electron region. In this embodiment, since the first contact portion is located within the third conductive electron region, configuring the resistivity of the third conductive electron region to be greater than that of the fourth conductive electron region can maximize the increase of the equivalent resistance (first resistance R1) between the first contact portion 210161 and the lead-out portion 210163, thereby facilitating an increase in the voltage division ratio of the resistance on the power signal transmission path.

[0102] Of course, those skilled in the art can also configure the resistivity of the third conductive region to be less than that of the fourth conductive region, or configure the third conductive region and the fourth conductive region to have the same resistivity, according to actual needs. This application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0103] It should be added that, for ease of description, in Figures 6-7 In the illustrated embodiment, a "rectangle" is used as an example to exemplify the shape of the conductive area, the first contact portion 210161, and the second contact portion 210162. Those skilled in the art should understand that, in addition to a "rectangle," the shape of the aforementioned area or contact portion can be set to other regular or irregular shapes, and this application embodiment does not impose specific limitations in this regard.

[0104] In another consumable chip provided in this application embodiment, the connection portion 21016 includes a first conductive path and a second conductive path. The first contact portion 210161 is electrically connected to the lead-out portion 210163 via the first conductive path; the second contact portion 210162 is electrically connected to the lead-out portion 210163 via the second conductive path. That is, the first contact portion 210161 and the second contact portion 210162 are electrically connected to the lead-out portion 210163 through the conductive paths. The equivalent resistance of the first conductive path is greater than the equivalent resistance of the second conductive path.

[0105] In one possible implementation, the first conductive path and the second conductive path have the same resistivity, and the length of the first conductive path is greater than the length of the second conductive path, so that the equivalent resistance of the first conductive path is greater than the equivalent resistance of the second conductive path.

[0106] In another possible implementation, where the resistivity of the first conductive path and the second conductive path are different, for example, the resistivity of the first conductive path is greater than that of the second conductive path, by setting the length of the first conductive path to be less than or equal to the length of the second conductive path, it is still possible to achieve an equivalent resistance between the first contact 210161 and the lead-out 210163 that is greater than the equivalent resistance between the second contact 210162 and the lead-out 210163. This application embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0107] In specific implementations, the first and second conductive paths can be formed from carbon materials, specifically carbon films or carbon oils. It should be noted that, besides carbon materials, the first and second conductive paths may also be prepared using other conductive materials; this application does not impose specific limitations on the materials used to prepare the first and second conductive paths.

[0108] Understandable, Figures 6-7 In the conductive region shown, the conductive path between the first contact portion 210161 and the lead-out portion 210163 is equivalent to a straight path between the first contact portion 210161 and the lead-out portion 210163; the conductive path between the second contact portion 210162 and the lead-out portion 210163 is equivalent to a straight path between the second contact portion 210162 and the lead-out portion 210163. In this embodiment, since the first and second conductive paths can be bent, a larger difference in conductive path length (the difference between the length of the first and second conductive paths) can be obtained within a limited area, which facilitates a greater increase in the voltage division ratio of the equivalent resistance between the first contact portion 210161 and the lead-out portion 210163. Of course, those skilled in the art can also set the first and second conductive paths as straight lines according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0109] Furthermore, compared to the conductive area, by achieving the connection between the first contact portion 210161 and the lead-out portion 210163 and the connection between the second contact portion 210162 and the lead-out portion 210163 through a conductive path, the use of conductive material in the connection portion 21016 can be reduced, i.e., conductive material is saved. For example, the use of carbon film or carbon oil can be reduced.

[0110] Furthermore, in a consumable chip provided in this application embodiment, the connection portion 21016 further includes an insulating region surrounding the first conductive path and an insulating region surrounding the second conductive path. The insulating regions can be insulating coatings. Through the insulating regions, mutual interference between the first and second conductive paths can be avoided, thereby obtaining a more stable superimposed signal and improving the stability and reliability of the consumable chip 21.

[0111] Furthermore, in order to prevent unauthorized individuals from stealing the design parameters of the connection part 21016, improve the security of the consumable chip 21, and make the connection part 21016 more aesthetically pleasing, the color and / or texture of the insulating area can be set to match the color and / or texture of the first conductive path and the second conductive path.

[0112] In specific implementations, the connection regions, connection sub-regions, and / or conductive paths in the connection portion 21016 can be directly deposited using processes such as physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition. Alternatively, the desired connection regions, connection sub-regions, and / or conductive paths can be obtained by cutting or trimming after deposition. It is understood that directly depositing the connection regions, connection sub-regions, and / or conductive paths through a deposition process simplifies the fabrication process of the consumable chip 21. Obtaining the desired connection regions, connection sub-regions, and / or conductive paths by cutting or trimming after deposition allows for flexible adjustment of the required resistance range. Those skilled in the art can select appropriate fabrication processes according to actual needs; this application embodiment does not impose specific limitations in this regard.

[0113] This application embodiment also provides a consumable box, which includes the aforementioned consumable chip 21.

[0114] Furthermore, the consumable chip 21 is detachably mounted on the consumable box, which is detachably mounted on the printing device 1.

[0115] Example 2

[0116] See Figure 9-11 The application embodiment provides another consumable chip 21; the second contact is a clock contact; the second contact portion 210162 is a clock contact portion; the second contact portion 210162 of the consumable chip 21 is electrically connected to the clock contact of the printing device 1 through contact to receive a clock signal; correspondingly, the second signal is a clock signal; the consumable chip 21 increases the current input to the power port of the functional module 21021 by superimposing the power signal and the clock signal.

[0117] like Figure 9 and 10 As shown, in the consumable chip 21 provided in this embodiment, corresponding to the data pin, chip select pin, and ground pin of the printing device 1, a first terminal 21011 (i.e., data contact 21011), a third terminal 21013 (i.e., chip select contact 21013), and a fifth terminal 21015 (i.e., ground contact 21015) are also provided on the first plane 2101 of the consumable chip 21. The data contact 21011, chip select contact 21013, and ground contact 21015 are respectively used for electrical connection with the data pin, chip select pin, and ground pin of the printing device 1.

[0118] like Figure 11As shown, in the consumable chip 21 provided in this embodiment, the second terminal of the functional module 21021 is a clock terminal CLK'; the lead-out portion 210163 is electrically connected to the clock terminal CLK' of the functional module 21021. When both the first signal and the second signal are high, the lead-out portion 210163 is high, and correspondingly, the clock terminal CLK' of the functional module 21021 receives a high level. When the first signal is high and the second signal is low, the lead-out portion 210163 is pulled low, and correspondingly, the clock terminal CLK' of the functional module 21021 receives a low level, ensuring that the functional module 21021 can obtain a clock signal consistent with the printing device 1, thereby ensuring the normal printing of the printing device 1.

[0119] This application embodiment also provides a consumable box, which includes the aforementioned consumable chip 21.

[0120] Furthermore, the consumable chip 21 is detachably mounted on the consumable box, which is detachably mounted on the printing device 1.

[0121] For details regarding the embodiments of this application, please refer to the description of the embodiments above. For the sake of brevity, these details will not be repeated here.

[0122] In this application embodiment, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more than one" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the existence of A alone, the simultaneous existence of A and B, or the existence of B alone. A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" and similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, and c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0123] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps described in the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented using electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of electronic hardware and software. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0124] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0125] In the several embodiments provided in this application, any function, if implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0126] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the protection scope of this application. The protection scope of this application should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A consumable chip, characterized in that, It includes a connecting part and a functional module, wherein the connecting part includes: A first contact portion is used to receive a first signal, wherein the first signal is a power signal; The second contact portion is used to receive a second signal, which is a non-power signal; The lead-out portion is electrically connected to the first contact portion, the second contact portion, and the power terminal of the functional module; the lead-out portion is used to output a superimposed signal of the first signal and the second signal to the power terminal; wherein, the equivalent resistance between the first contact portion and the lead-out portion is greater than the equivalent resistance between the second contact portion and the lead-out portion; The consumable chip also includes a charging circuit; the charging circuit is electrically connected to the lead-out portion and the power terminal, and is used to charge using the superimposed signal when the second signal is high level, and to discharge to the power terminal using the charged electrical energy when the second signal is low level.

2. The consumable chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, The charging circuit includes: A unidirectional conducting element includes an input terminal and an output terminal; the input terminal is electrically connected to the lead-out portion; The energy storage element has one end electrically connected to the output terminal and the power supply terminal, and the other end grounded.

3. The consumable chip according to claim 1, characterized in that, The functional module also includes a second terminal; the lead-out portion is electrically connected to the second terminal and is used to output the superimposed signal to the second terminal.

4. The consumable chip according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The connecting portion includes a conductive region; the resistivity of the conductive region is uniform. The first contact portion, the second contact portion, and the lead-out portion are located within the conductive area, and the distance between the first contact portion and the lead-out portion is greater than the distance between the second contact portion and the lead-out portion.

5. The consumable chip according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The connecting part includes: A first conductive path, wherein the first contact portion is electrically connected to the lead-out portion through the first conductive path; The second conductive path, wherein the second contact portion is electrically connected to the lead-out portion through the second conductive path; Wherein, the length of the first conductive path is greater than the length of the second conductive path, and / or the resistivity of the first conductive path is greater than the resistivity of the second conductive path.

6. The chip according to claim 5, characterized in that, The connecting part further includes: An insulating region is provided surrounding the first conductive path and the second conductive path.

7. The consumable chip according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The second signal is the chip select signal.

8. The consumable chip according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The connecting part and the functional module are disposed on the same surface of the consumable chip, and the connecting part is electrically connected to the functional module through a wire.

9. The consumable chip according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The connecting part and the functional module are disposed on different surfaces of the consumable chip, and the connecting part is electrically connected to the functional module through a via.

10. A consumable box, characterized in that, Includes the consumable chip as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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