CN1025994C - Ink jet recording apparatus and ink cartridge used therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

An ink jet recording apparatus usable with an ink cartridge includes an ink cartridge mounting passage; a plate for closing the cartridge mounting passage; a stopper member has a slope portion connected to a front portion of the ink cartridge during mounting and an engagement portion for locking the plate when the ink cartridge is mounted. The stopper members are provided on the plate so that they are arranged in a chevron shape at a predetermined angle, and are supported by a joint with the front portion of the ink cartridge to be outwardly rotatable about an axis parallel to the mounting direction of the ink cartridge.

Description

The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus for efficient recording by depositing ink on a recording material and an ink cartridge usable for the recording apparatus, more precisely those apparatuses and inks suitable for color recording box.

At present, special attention has been given to one class of ink-jet recording printers, and many variants have been developed. In such ink-jet recording devices, ink is ejected or ejected from a recording assembly and deposited on a recording material in the form of an image. One of the recording devices, the ink is supplied by an ink tank, and the ink tank is separated from the recording assembly, and is detachably assembled on the recording device; and the other recording device, the ink is formed by a recording assembly. Integral ink tanks are supplied, and they are detachably assembled to the recording device. In the ink cartridge type device, it is possible to communicate with each other between the ink supply needle provided at the ink cartridge mounting position of the recording device and the ink supply portion of the ink cartridge to form an ink supply passage.

For the device of the separate ink tank, when the ink tank is to be reset, that is, when the ink tank is not installed in the device, if the operator's finger touches the installation position of the ink tank, the operator's finger may be pinched. stabbed. In order to avoid this problem, it is necessary to provide a protection element. Figure 1 shows an example of such a protective element. A protective plate is arranged on the installation portion for the ink tank to block the installation passage. It has a releasable locking mechanism. The protective plate whose serial number is 751 can swing around the supporting shaft 752 . The locking element 753 serves to prevent pivoting of the protective plate 751 . When the ink cartridge IC is inserted in the direction shown by arrow A, the lock release member 754 provided on each side of the ink cartridge will push the lock member 753 in the direction shown by arrow D, thereby releasing the lock member 753 . When the ink cartridge is further pushed in the manner of releasing the locking member 753, the protection plate 751 will be pushed up by the front side of the ink cartridge, thereby opening the installation channel. In this way, the ink tank can be installed. When the ink cartridge is pulled out, the released locking element 753 will engage with the protective plate 751 again, thereby forming a locked state again, so as to ensure that the installation channel is in a locked state.

Recently, a color ink jet recording apparatus has been released. In order to perform such color recording efficiently, a plurality of recording units and a plurality of ink tanks are required as many as required colors.

For each color, the installation system of the ink tank needs to have the above-mentioned protection mechanism. However, if the above-mentioned mechanism is used, since the ink tanks need to be arranged vertically or horizontally, and because of the presence of the latch release element on its lateral side, the mechanism will have a considerable width, so the overall mechanism will become very large.

In the case of a color recording apparatus, an operator may replace a plurality of ink tanks at the same time. If an ink tank is installed in the wrong position, that is, to a position for another color of ink, the different color inks will mix, resulting in undesired printing results.

When the ink tank is installed in the installed position, it is necessary to ensure reliable connection between the ink supply needle and the ink supply portion. If the installation does not guarantee this. Air may then enter the ink supply path, making it impossible to perform proper recording.

It has been proposed that the ink cartridge should provide information reflecting the characteristics of the ink or the like, and that the information should be read by the recording device to achieve the best quality recording. In this case, the information portion and the readout assembly must be properly aligned, otherwise, the information may not be read or may be read incorrectly.

When the ink in the ink tank is completely used up, it will cause the ink ejection to fail. Therefore, it is necessary to correctly detect the amount of ink held in the ink tank. For this, an indicator can be used, or a change in resistance can be sensed. It is also possible to detect the pressure of the ink. Although the pressure detection component is relatively reliable, its structure is relatively complicated and the cost is high.

For this reason, the main object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus which is safe in operation and simple in structure and an ink cartridge which can be used in the apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus whose ink tank can be reliably loaded into the recording installed ink tanks.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus and an ink cartridge usable for the same, wherein the ink cartridge can be securely incorporated into the recording apparatus so that ink can be reliably supplied to the recording apparatus.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus and an ink cartridge usable therefor which are suitable for color recording and wherein the ink cartridge can be fitted into the correct position in the recording apparatus.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording device that can use an ink cartridge, which includes: an ink cartridge installation passage; a plate for blocking the ink cartridge installation passage; a plate for blocking the ink cartridge installation passage; Limiting elements for the opening of the plate, wherein said limiting elements are arranged at each lateral end so that they are arranged in an upwardly inclined herringbone manner, and when the ink tank is inserted into the ink tank passage, said each limiting The member is in contact with the front side surface of the ink tank, and rotates outward to release the latch plate.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording device, which includes: several ink cartridges containing different ink materials, the ink cartridges include a corresponding to the ink material contained in the ink cartridge Said is its characteristic cutout portion, an ink supply portion and an information supply portion for providing information unique to it corresponding to the ink contained in said ink tank; an indication member; an ink connection assembly for connecting the ink supply part; a readout assembly for reading information provided by the information supply part; wherein between the cutout part and the indication member Engagement, the connection between the ink connection assembly and the ink supply part, the contact between the information supply part and the reading assembly, is installed with the ink cartridge into the device moves in sequence.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an ink pressure detecting device, which includes: a channel member having an ink channel and an opening communicating with the ink channel; a film provided on the channel member for covering the opening; at least two engaging elements, each having an engaging hook, said engaging element being fixed adjacent to the center of said membrane, a spring compression ring; one compressed between said spring compression ring and said membrane The compression spring between; the contacts that are electrically connected to each other by the membrane pushed by the spring.

According to the invention, the blocking element of the protective plate can be released from the front side of the ink tank, so that the structural size can be reduced.

According to another aspect of the present invention, different ink colors define different cutout portions, and the ink colors also determine corresponding identification elements different from each other, so that the ink cartridge can be definitely installed at the correct position.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the ink tank is provided with information indicative of recording head driving state conditions according to which the recording apparatus can be properly operated according to the color and characteristics of the ink material.

According to another object of the present invention, the pressure of ink can be properly detected.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer and easier to understand through the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ink tank mounting portion of a conventional recording apparatus.

Figures 2A, 2B and 2C are top plan, bottom plan and front views of an example of an ink cartridge in one embodiment of the present invention.

3A, 3B, and 3C are a side view, a front view, and a top plan view, respectively, of an ink jet cartridge mounting portion of an ink jet recording apparatus in one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the ink container assembly illustrating the ink container arrangement.

5A, 5B are top plan and longitudinal sectional views of an example of the ink pressure detecting device used in this embodiment.

6A, 6B are diagrams showing changes in pressure according to the operation of the ink cartridge.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the relative relationship between the degree of vacuum in the ink channel and the amount of ink held.

8A, 8B are a top plan view and a longitudinal sectional view, respectively, of a conventional ink pressure detecting device.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

10A, 10B are a side view and a top plan view, respectively, of a portion of the recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1 shown in section.

Fig. 11 is a block diagram of an information processing apparatus using the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the information processing device shown in FIG. 11 .

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the integrated information processing device.

14A, 14B, 14C are schematic diagrams showing another example of the ink cartridge.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention can be applied to monochrome or color inkjet recording devices, but it is particularly suitable for For printers that use different ink materials with different colors or with the same color but with different densities (light and dark). The following explanations are made using a color printer as an example.

2A, 2B, and 2C show an ink cartridge that can be used in a color printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the ink cartridge IC includes a casing 711 with a length (a) of 108 mm, a width (b) of 75 mm, and a height (c) of 22 mm. It contains an ink pouch (not shown) made of a flexible material that contains ink. The ink supply portion is plugged with a rubber plug (ink supply member) 712 . When the ink cartridge is inserted into the ink cartridge installation position on the main assembly of the recording device, the ink supply needle 714 on the main assembly will pierce the rubber plug 712, so that the ink in the bladder can be supplied to the recording head through the supply channel. As shown in Figure 2C, the rubber stopper 712 is exposed on the outer surface of the housing 711. For example, its center can be located at a position where its height (d) is 12.4 mm and the distance (e) from the lateral side is 37 mm. . In this embodiment, the rubber stopper 712 protrudes about 3 mm forward from the front surface of the ink tank. In this way, even if the surface of the rubber stopper 712 is polluted by ink, the operator's fingers will not be polluted.

A ring may be provided around the rubber plug 712 to maintain pressure on the rubber plug 712 . In this way, ink can be prevented from leaking out even when the needle is withdrawn. This rigid ring can be arranged flush with the front surface of the casing, and its edge can be folded inwardly. With this structure, a groove will be formed between the rubber plug 712 and the rigid ring. Therefore, even if ink leaks out, it is collected by the groove, thereby preventing leakage.

As shown in FIG. 2A, a resistor 715 having a predetermined resistance value is provided on the top of the ink cartridge IC. It consists of a pair of contacts, each with a height (h) of 12 mm and a width (i) of 6 mm, with a pitch (j) of 7 mm between the contacts. Its one corner is located at a distance (g) of 6 mm from one side on the ink tank top surface 901C and a distance (f) of 6 mm from the reading end. A readout component 718 on the device can know whether an electrical connection has been established between the contacts 715a, 715b of the resistor 715, or read the resistance between the contacts. Therefore, whether or not an ink tank is installed in the device or information about the ink (such as color, density, capacity, etc.) can be provided to the recording device to drive the recording head according to the characteristics of the ink.

Information elements can also be in other forms, such as optical or magnetic barcodes, semiconductor devices (electrically erasable semiconductor read-only memory matrix EEPROM, or read-only memory ROM, battery-backed random access memory RAM), concave-convex pattern patterns, etc. Wait to form. With a predetermined conversion table, the driving conditions or parameters of the recording head can be appropriately set for the ink used.

The driving conditions to be set include driving voltage, pulse width, driving frequency and one injection quantity, etc. Each parameter can be selected and set, or only one of them can be selected and set, for example, only the driving voltage, or the pulse width, or the driving frequency can be selected and set. It is also possible to select and set some parameters in combination.

The information on the ink tank can provide some or various condition parameters for preheating, so that the ink can be properly used by heating the recording head; it can also provide some or various condition parameters about ink ejection, so that it can be obtained during the recording process. Best inkjet effect. In the case of using a plurality of ink materials of different colors, this information material may also include the above-mentioned ejection condition parameters or other relevant parameters for each ink material.

On the bottom side of the ink cartridge, at a position corresponding to the resistor 715, as shown in FIG. 2B, a cutout portion 716 having a predetermined configuration is formed. The cutout portion 716 should be provided at a position inherent to the color of its ink. The correct loading of the ink tank can be ensured by the marking element 719 provided on the main assembly. The cutout portion 716 may be formed within a range from a point at a distance (k) of 9 mm from one side of the ink tank toward the ink supply portion 714 to a point before the ink supply portion 714. In this example, the cutout portion 716 has a width of 13.5 mm and a length of 9 mm. Four different cutout portions with an interval (m) of 2 mm can be formed within this range. For example, for the ink tank IC (901BK) containing black ink, its cutout portion can be formed at the position closest to the side of the ink tank; the cutout portion of the ink tank IC (901C) containing cyan ink, and The former is adjacent; the ink cartridge IC (901M) filled with magenta ink has a cutout portion adjacent to the cutout portion marked with cyan ink; and the ink cartridge IC (901Y) filled with yellow ink has a cutout portion 716 closest to Ink supply part. Corresponding marking elements 719 are arranged on the device, so that each ink cartridge IC can be installed in the correct position.

The structure for ensuring that the ink cartridge is installed in the correct position may also include a protrusion provided on the ink cartridge and a groove provided on the main assembly.

As for the cutout portion on the ink cartridge, if a cutter for forming the cutout portion is provided on the ink injection unit, the cutout portion can be formed using the ink injection unit. Therefore, the cutout portion can be formed simultaneously with the ink supply injection.

In another example, the cut-out portion may be formed before the ink supply is injected, and a marker matching the cut-out portion is provided on the ink supply device so that only ink of the correct color can be supplied and injected.

With these ink supply and injection methods, the relative relationship between the cutout portion and the color of the ink in the ink tank can be better secured, as compared with the case where the cutout portion is formed after the ink tank is filled with ink.

The ink cartridge can be provided with two guide rails 717, so that the ink cartridge can be installed into the device, and a gap can also be formed between the bottom surface of the mounting part of the device. Therefore, even if ink leaks in, it is difficult to contaminate the bottom surface of the ink tank. Also, even if the bottom surface of the device is contaminated, contamination does not spread.

The ink tank has a residual ink collecting port 720 to collect residual ink which cannot be used for recording. The collection port may be provided at a position adjacent to the ink supply part 712 . The collected ink is directed into a residual ink absorber located under the ink bladder in the ink tank. A thin layer of plastic resin may be placed between the remaining ink absorbing material and the bottom of the ink tank. Thus, due to capillary action between this laminar element and the ink container, residual ink collected will be effectively diffused from the peripheral area in the ink container throughout the absorbent material. Therefore, the absorbent that is not adjacent to the collecting port 720 can also accommodate these inks.

3A, 3B, and 3C respectively show the structural configuration of the ink tank mounting portion on the main assembly of the recording apparatus. In the ink tank installation channel of the ink tank installation part, there is a plate 721 and a limiting member 722 . The plate can be opened and closed, and its area is substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of the ink tank; the limiting element 722 is used to limit the opening of the plate 721 . The plate 721 is used as a protective member that prevents the operator's fingers from being hurt by the ink supply needle 714 when no ink tank is installed or a plurality of ink tanks are replaced at the same time.

When the ink cartridge is not installed, as shown in FIG. 3A, the plate 721 is not allowed to be opened because the cutout portion 723 of the stop member 722 and a part of the plate 721 are engaged with each other.

The plate 721 has a rectangular shape and is rotatable about a pivot 724 . Within its range of rotation, the plate 721 should be a non-interfering element, ie it should not come into contact with the ink supply needle 714 or the resistance sensing element 718 . To achieve this, one or some parts of the plate can be cut away so as not to have adverse interaction. By cutting off a part thereof in this way, the arrangement of the pivot shaft 724, the ink supply needle 714 and the reading element 718 can be arranged closer to each other, thereby reducing the size of the device. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3B, in order to avoid mutual interference between the plate 721 and the ink supply needle 714 and between the plate 721 and the resistance detecting element 718, cutout portions 725 and 726 are formed. In order to prevent the plate 721 from opening, two limiting elements 722 are arranged above the plate 721 . Each stop member 722 has a tapered portion 728 that can contact the upper edge portion 901b of the ink cartridge at its front surface 901a. It can be rotated outward about its pivot 727 by the insertion movement of the ink cartridge IC. It is inclined approximately 45° (θ ₁ ) relative to the vertical. In this embodiment, the inclination of the tapered surface 728 relative to the insertion direction is approximately 30° (θ ₂ ). These typical angles of the stop member 722 are very important to achieve smooth insertion of the ink cartridge. In order to convert the pushing force of the ink cartridge into the force pushing the limiting member 722 in the direction indicated by the arrow E (outward), an angle (θ ₁ ) must exist. However, the size of this angle can be arbitrary, as long as it can provide enough vector component force to push the limiting element 722 outward. If this angle is not less than about 45 DEG , then when a small force is applied to the ink cartridge for inserting the ink cartridge, it is certain that the stop member 722 will be pushed outward.

The angle (θ ₂ ) formed on the tapered portion 728 of the stop member 722 can be effectively coordinated with the angle (θ ₁ ) to convert the insertion force of the ink cartridge into an outward force on the stop member 722 . The size of the angle (θ ₂ ) can also be arbitrary, as long as the above purpose of coordination with the angle (θ ₁ ) can be achieved. However, (θ ₂ ) should practically not be greater than 45°, preferably around 30°.

As shown in FIG. 3B , the angle (θ ₁ ) of the limiting element 722 can be adjusted by a stopper 729 . The stop member 722 is normally held by a leaf spring 730 to properly hold the plate 721 when the ink cartridge is retracted.

The limiting element 722 having the above-mentioned angles is formed in a herringbone structure. When the ink cartridge is inserted, the front portion 901b of the ink cartridge will be in contact with the stop member 722 . As the ink cartridge is further inserted, the two limiting elements 722 will rotate outward about their respective pivots 727 substantially simultaneously, thereby releasing the plate 721 from the limiting state.

The restricting member 722 is preferably positioned such that it does not contact the resistor 715 on the top surface 901C of the ink cartridge.

The portions of the limiting member 722 before and after the cutout portion have substantially the same length. As shown in Figure 3A, when the ink tank is located at the position shown in (4), the front side portion 722a of the stop member 722 will be in contact with one edge 901b of the ink tank touch, and thereafter, when the ink cartridge is inserted further forward, the stop member 722 will be simultaneously pushed. Preferably, when the limiting member 722 is fully lifted (as shown in (5) in the figure), its rear portion 722b releases the plate 721 . By utilizing such a positional relationship. After the stop member 722 completely releases the plate 721 , the front surface 901 a of the ink tank comes into contact with the plate 721 at the position shown in ( 6 ). Then, the locking of the plate 721 is smoothly released. The positional deviation (p) between position (5) and position (6) can be very small, in this example, although it is limited, it is about 2-3mm.

When the ink cartridge is further inserted with the channel opened, the ink supply outlet 712 of the ink cartridge will communicate with the ink supply assembly 714 on the main assembly of the recording device, thereby enabling ink to be supplied to the recording head.

As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the periphery of the ink supply assembly 714 in the main assembly has a protrusion 719 which engages with a cutout portion 716 provided on the ink cartridge to prevent mis-insertion. It also has a sense element 718 for sensing a resistance to identify whether an ink cartridge has been installed in the device.

Between the marking element 719, the ink supply connection assembly 714 and the readout assembly 718 and the ink cartridge, the ink supply portion 712 and the resistor 715, which prevent thick mispacking, preferably have the following mutual positional relationship: The direction of cartridge insertion reaches the engagement start position (1) between the cutout portion 716 and the index member 719, the connection start position (2) between the ink supply portion 712 and the ink supply connection assembly 714, the resistor and the contact initiation position (3) between the readout assembly 718. According to this mutual positional relationship, when the operator inserts the ink tank IC, at position (1) (see FIG. 3A), contact or engagement between the cutout portion 716 of the ink tank front surface 901a and the index member 719 starts. The above-mentioned cutout portion is provided at a certain position which is inherent to the color of the ink. Then, it can be discriminated whether the ink tank is installed in its correct position. Since there is only a certain simple combined structural relationship between the cutout portion 716 of the ink cartridge and the projection 719 that can be engaged with the cutout portion 716, if the ink cartridge is installed in a wrong position, when it is pressed against the projection After 719, it will not be able to be inserted further. Only when the engaging relationship therebetween is formed, the ink cartridge can be further inserted. This is particularly effective when color recording is performed with a recording device. When performing color recording, each recording head corresponds to a different color. By discriminating whether or not the ink cartridge is installed in the correct position before communicating with the ink supply portion 712, undesired ink mixing can be prevented in advance.

When the cutout portion 716 is engaged with the marking member 719, communication between the ink connection assembly 714 in the main assembly and the ink supply portion 712 of the ink cartridge is established, so that the ink supply from the ink cartridge is allowed at position (2). After this is done, as the ink cartridge is further inserted, the ink supply needle 714 can be communicated with the ink in the ink cartridge. In this example, the ink supply needle 714 protrudes forward by about 12 mm, and the index member 719 protrudes forward by about 10 mm. However, since the ink supply portion in the ink cartridge is disposed about 3 mm away from the front surface 901 a (position g), even the ink supply needle 714 is longer than the index member 719 . The above-mentioned mutual contact relationship can still be maintained.

If the contact position between the ink supply needle 714 and the ink supply member 712 and the contact position between the cutout portion 716 and the indicator member 719 satisfy the above-mentioned mutual relationship, the wrong loading of the ink cartridge can be reliably prevented, thereby avoiding Possible ink mixing. However, if the ink supply needle 714 is not actually in contact with the ink in the ink tank, the ink supply needle 714 and the ink supply portion 712 may be communicated therebetween. The position (2) where the ink supply needle 714 communicates with the ink should lag behind the position where the contact between the cutout portion 716 and the index member 719 is initiated.

After ink communication is established, contact between the information providing element 715 and the readout element 718 begins to form. The information providing element 715 may be in the form of a resistor, providing information about the characteristics of the ink cartridge. A read assembly 718 in the form of a contact is used to discriminate whether or not an ink cartridge IC has been loaded. When contact is made between them, the ink supply connection assembly 714 of the recording device has communicated with the ink in the ink tank. If, after being in contact with the reading unit 718, the ink cartridge is further inserted until the front surface 901a of the ink cartridge abuts against the wall 731 of the ink cartridge mounting portion of the recording device, then the loading of the ink cartridge is completed. This abutment can be made at position (3) as shown in this figure. However, in order to ensure contact between the resistor 715 and the contact 718, they are preferably in frictional contact with each other after they start contact therebetween. By ensuring the relative positional relationship between the ink tank and the installation position of the ink tank, correct loading of the ink tank can be ensured, thereby enabling reliable ink supply.

When this positional relationship is not satisfied, normal ink supply or stable ink supply to the recording head cannot be ensured.

Referring to Figures 14A, 14B, and 14C, another structure for preventing wrong loading will be introduced. In this example, in the A small bump (protrusion) 721A is provided on the surface of the full cover 721 . A groove 750 is provided on the ink cartridge to allow the small protrusion to pass through.

The bump 721A is provided at a position unique to the color, for example, at a position at a distance of ₁₁ from one side of the cover plate. The groove 750 on the ink cartridge is also arranged at a unique position corresponding to the color, for example, at a distance of ₁₂ from one side of the ink cartridge. If the ink is the same color, the tabs on the safety cover and the grooves on the ink tank match each other (l ₁ = l ₂ ), so they engage properly and allow the ink tank to be installed. If the ink tank is installed in the wrong position, the protrusion on the safety cover and the groove on the ink tank will not match each other (l ₁ = l ₂ ), so the protrusion will abut against the outer case on its front side , to prevent further insertion of the ink tank. Thus, incorrect loading of the ink tank can be prevented. Also, if the ink cartridge is inserted into a wrong mounting position, the insertion is stopped midway, so that the operator can easily recognize the wrong position. Compared with the foregoing embodiments, it is possible to discriminate erroneous loading at a position considerably farther from the ink supply needle, thereby further ensuring its safety. In addition, the projection 721A can also effectively guide the insertion of the ink tank, thus having the advantage that the ink supply needle can be properly aligned, improving operability.

Referring to Fig. 4, the mechanism for detecting the amount of ink in the ink container will be described. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of an ink container. The ink container 701 (701BK, 701C, 701M, 701Y) is box-shaped, and has an ink retaining portion as an ink supply source and a residual ink receiving container. The ink tank is detachably attached to the main assembly of the recording device. The ink supply lines 703 ( 703BK, 703C, 703M, 703Y) are connected to the ink storage portion of the ink container. Residual ink lines 707 (707BK, 707C, 707M, 707Y) are used to make connections between the pump 440 and the residual ink receptacle in the ink container.

In this embodiment, special attention should be paid to the arrangement of the ink container described below.

If the colors are different, the curing characteristics and viscosity increasing characteristics of the inks are also different because of their different composition. For example, in the order of black, blue-green, magenta and yellow, the viscosity increases and the curing is easier in turn. If this viscosity increase and solidification occurs in the ink supply system, the ink supply system will become clogged. In this example, the supply lines consisted of polyethylene pipes. However, no matter what supply line material is used, there will always be a small amount of air entering through the tube wall, and there will always be evaporation of the ink solvent. Therefore, the amount of air introduced and the amount of ink solvent evaporated will increase as the length of the supply line increases.

Considering the above situation, if all the supply lines extend in the same direction (to the left in the figure), ink containers can be arranged sequentially from this side to the ink supply according to the viscosity increase and the ease of curing. In other words, the more viscous and solidifies the ink, the shorter the length of line it should use (in the diagram, the black, cyan, magenta, and yellow ink containers are arranged in English name order from left to right) . By adopting this arrangement, the introduction of air and the evaporation of the solvent are relatively small if the viscosity of the ink is raised and cured relatively easily. The same applies to the residual ink containment system.

The ink level detection device 800 is provided between the ink containing portion of the ink container 701 and the ink supply line 703 . Cable 707 contains various circuits for detecting device 800 and for detecting whether an ink container is loaded. Reference numeral 709 denotes a connector.

Fig. 5A is a top plan view of an ink pressure detecting device, and Fig. 5B is a longitudinal view thereof. The ink channel member 801 has an internal ink channel 803 and is composed of a top member 801 and a bottom member 801B. The top element 801A has a circular opening 805 . An annular membrane 807 is sandwiched at its periphery between the top element 801A and the closure element 809 , covering the peripheral area of the opening 805 . At the four corners of the top member 801A, fixed stop members (fastening members) 811 are provided, which vertically pass through formed through holes 813 at the four corners of the closure member 809 , respectively. In the upper outer portion of the hole 813, a step 813A is formed. The fastening member 811 has resilience, and is provided with an engaging hook 811A outside its end. The engaging hook 811A has an inclined top surface.

In the through hole 813 of the closure element 809 a fastening element 811 is arranged. The closing member 809 can be fixed on the top member 801A by the mutual engagement of the engaging hook 811A and the step 813A, so that the film 807 is sandwiched between the top member 801A and the closing member 809 . On the top peripheral surface of the top element 801A, there is a protruding portion 881, and on the bottom surface of the closing element 809, there is a cutout portion 883 whose position corresponds to the protruding portion 881, and by fitting between them, the closing element 809 will be positioned and fixed on the top element 801A.

In the central part of the membrane 807, a support element 815 is arranged to close its inner opening. The base of the engaging element 817 is fixed on the supporting element 815 with screws or the like, so that it fits with the protruding portion 815A (located in the center of the opening 805 ) on the top surface of the support member 815 . The engagement element 817 has two vertical engagement portions 819 with resilience. Each engaging portion 819 has an engaging hook 819A on the outside of its end. The top of the engaging hook 819A is also inclined. The two engaging portions 819 are respectively provided at opposite positions in the diametrical direction passing through the center of the opening 805 .

At the center of the closing member 809, a vertical through hole 821 is formed. Two engaging portions 819 are located in the through hole 821 . In the through hole 821, a coil spring 823 and a spring compression ring 825 are provided. The spring 823 is supported on the bottom annular protrusion portion (spring receiver) in the through hole 821 outside the two engaging portions 819 . The spring pressing ring 825 is fitted on the inner side thereof with the engaging hook 819A of the engaging portion. In this state, the top of spring 823 is depressed. Spring 823 is compressed by two components (annular raised portion 821A and spring restraint ring 825). Therefore, due to the rebound force of the spring (if the effect of the ink pressure in the ink channel 803 is neglected), the film 807 and the supporting member 815 will be pulled up, so that the top peripheral portion of the supporting member 815 can be connected with the annular protrusion 821A. contact with the bottom surface.

A cutout portion 827 is formed on one side of the closing member 809 up to the bottom of the cutout portion 827 . The central portion of a pair of conductive contacts 829 and 831 should be fixed. One end of the two contacts 829 and 831 passes through the hole 827A formed at the bottom of the notch portion 827, and contacts with the bottom surface of the annular protrusion 821A, and the other end of the two contacts is connected with the leads 835 and 837 drawn from the connector 833, In order to realize electrical connection with the ink reserve detection circuit. By the rebound force provided by the spring 823, the bottom surfaces of the two contacts 829 and 831 will be pushed towards the top peripheral portion (conductive) of the supporting member 815, so that the electrical connection between them can be realized.

The pressure detecting device described above can be conveniently assembled in the following manner. The film 807 is placed on the opening 805 of the channel element 801 and the closing element 80 is lowered from above the channel element 801 so that the fastening elements 811 are aligned with the four corner holes 813 . The top sloped surface of the engaging hooks 811A of the fastening elements 811 is lowered against the inside edge of the hole 813, and pressure is then applied to tilt each fastening element 811 inwardly so that it enters the hole 813 (i.e. the closure element 809 falls). While the closing member 809 is fastening the film 807 at its top, the engaging hook 811A of the fastening member 811 will act on the step 813A due to its repulsive force (restoring force), and form a fit. Thus, the closure element will be positioned fixedly on the top element 801A.

Then, the spring 823 is fed into the hole 821 and its bottom falls on the annular protrusion 821A. Place the spring compression ring 825 over the two engaging portions 819 and press it down. In this way, the inclined top surfaces of the engaging hooks 819A of the two engaging portions 819 will be pressed by the inner edge of the spring pressing ring 825 . Due to its elastic action, the two engaging parts 819 will tilt inwards, thereby causing the spring compression ring 825 to drop. Then, the two engaging portions 819 are again inclined outward due to their rebound force, so that the two engaging hooks 819A are fitted at the inner top surface of the spring pressing ring 825 . In this way, the spring compression ring 825 can be connected with the two engaging parts 819 . The spring 823 is compressed by the spring compression ring 825 and the annular protrusion 821A. The contacts 829 and 831 can be arranged on the closure element 809 beforehand.

With this construction, the distance between the spring pressing ring 825 and the annular protrusion 821A is constant, and therefore, the compression force (repulsion force) of the spring 823 can be kept within a predetermined range. Membrane 807 is responsive to the vacuum state in ink channel 803 within a predetermined range and causes support member 815 to release contact members 829 and 831 .

Therefore, if the ink pressure detection device in this embodiment is used, no adjustment is required, and the detected pressure is within the range where the ink level remains stable, as indicated by arrow A in FIG. 7 .

In general, such ink detectors can be used to sense the ink pressure in the ink channels when the carriage is at rest or moving (ie, not including during carriage return). This will be introduced below in conjunction with accompanying drawings 6A and 6B. When the carriage 851 returns to the left or right, the ink in the ink channel 853 will be subjected to the inertial force in the direction indicated by the arrow. Because during the return to the left, this inertial force will add to the vacuum pressure, and during the return to the right, it will also add a pressure, so this will have some effect. Therefore, the correct amount of ink remaining in the ink tank 857 can be detected by using this ink sensor 855 .

8A and 8B are a top plan view and a longitudinal sectional view of an ink pressure detecting device (ink sensor), which is not employed in the present invention. This detection means comprises a channel element 859 with an internal ink channel 861 and a closure element 863 . A film 865 is sandwiched between elements 859 and 863 . A central part 867A of the support element 867 arranged in the central part of the membrane 865 protrudes through a through hole 869 in the center of the closure element 863 . In the upper part of its central part 867A There is a ring adjuster 871 screwed in. The spring 873 is compressed by the annular protrusion 869A at the bottom of the hole 869 and the adjuster 871 . When the ink pressure in the ink channel 861 was higher than a certain predetermined negative pressure, the film 865 and the supporting element 867 would be lifted due to the rebound force of the spring 873, and the two contacts on the bottom surface of the annular protrusion 869A The ends of 875 and 877 will also be pressed against the top peripheral portion of support member 867, thereby making an electrical connection between them. With such a structure, when the ink pressure in the ink passage 861 is lower than the predetermined negative pressure P, the membrane 865 responds sensitively to this, and causes the supporting member 867 to drop. As a result, the supporting member is disengaged from the ends of the contacts 875 and 877, whereby the predetermined negative pressure can be detected. Therefore, the negative pressure detected by the contacts 875 and 877 corresponds to the rebound force of the spring 873 .

However, for this type of ink pressure detector, a very inconvenient adjustment operation is required to determine the level of the negative pressure to be detected. During assembly, simply compressing the spring 873 by rotating the regulator 871 cannot stabilize the detected negative pressure level. Fig. 7 shows an example of the relationship between the amount of ink held in the ink tank (grams) and the ink negative pressure in the ink passage. In order to obtain the detection negative pressure of 65±5 mm water column, the pressure of the spring 873 needs to be adjusted very finely by the regulator 871, which is very inconvenient.

Next, referring to Figs. 9, 10A and 10B, an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink cartridge mounting portion and using the ink cartridge having the above-mentioned structure will be described.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the appearance of an inkjet recording device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This recording device includes a main housing 2001 constituting a part of the device housing, the latter covering the opposite device end portions fixed on the chassis of the inkjet recording device, i.e. covering the recording material width except along the recording material conveying path. other than the part of the . On one of the end portions, there is provided a hole location for the recording head. During non-recording operations, the recording head is located there, and the main housing 2001 is covered along with the ejection recovery mechanism for capping the ejection side of the recording head. Therefore, when the opening portion on the device is maintained or used, the recording head and the ejection recovery mechanism may not be affected. Therefore, their positioning can be guaranteed.

The intermediate case 2003, which constitutes another part of the apparatus case, mainly covers the portion in which the recording head operates during the recording operation. The middle shell is easy to disassemble. It is provided with a pressing bar corresponding to the paper receiving roller which will be introduced below. The intermediate housing 2003 can effectively press the pressing rod to the paper receiving cylinder with appropriate pressure. A paper supply cover 2005 constituting another part of the apparatus casing can be opened. The cover plate 2005 is generally rectangular and is rotatably supported at the end opposite the front edge so that this cover plate can be opened toward the upper side as shown. When it is opened, it can be maintained at a predetermined angle. When the cover plate 2005 is maintained at this angle, it provides a substantially flat surface for the paper supply tray so that recording paper can be placed on the paper supply tray. The ink cover plate 2007 constitutes another part of the device housing adjacent to the front side of the device. The ink cover plate 2007 is rotatably supported on a shaft at the bottom of the front side of the device. If necessary, the cover plate 2007 can be opened forward so that the operator can install and remove the ink tank therefrom.

A paper receiving tray 2009 is installed on the device in a detachable manner. The paper receiving tray 2009 can be installed on the rear side of the device according to a predetermined angle, and the recording papers processed by recording will be stacked on the paper receiving tray in order. An operation panel 2011 is provided on one side of the front side of the main housing 2001 . The operation panel 2011 has a display 2011B for displaying the status of the device and keys 2011A for inputting instructions.

10A and 10B are a side sectional view and a top plan view, respectively, of the ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with the cover plate removed. In Fig. 10B, the carriage driving system for mounting the recording head is omitted.

In FIGS. 10A and 10B, the paper supply tray 601 and the opened paper supply cover plate 2005 as shown in FIG. 9 together constitute a paper supply table (the cover plate 2005 is not shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B). The paper feed tray 601 is supported on a rotary shaft 601A at the rear end in the paper feeding direction, and the shaft 601A is rotatably supported on a side plate 2017 on the apparatus frame. As shown in FIG. 10A , the front end of the paper feed tray 601 is pushed upward by a spring 602 . Recording paper (not shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B ) stacked on the paper supply tray 601 (recording paper means including various recording materials made of plastic or paper) is driven by the pick-up roller 604 at the reading end. In the above-mentioned paper feeding mechanism, the guide plate 601C is used to guide the paper according to the size of the paper. The guide plate 601C is movable along the groove 601D to conform to the size of the recording paper.

The pick roller assembly 604 includes a crescent roller 604A and a feed roller 604B. As shown in FIG. 10A, the crescent-shaped roller 604A has a cross-section whose part is circular, and the paper supply roller 604B has a circular shape. The diameter of the paper supply roller is slightly smaller than the diameter of the circular portion of the crescent-shaped roller 604 . Two pairs of pickup roller assemblies 604 are provided at positions adjacent to the front end of the paper feed tray 601 at predetermined intervals. The two pairs of pickup rollers 604 are fixed along the The pickup roller shaft 604C extends in a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction. One end of the pick-up roller shaft 604C is rotatably supported on the frame 2017 , and the other end is coupled to the clutch 619 . Therefore, the driving force from the motor (not shown) can be transmitted to the pick roller shaft 604C through the clutch 619 to drive the pick roller 604 to rotate. The recording paper stacked on the paper feed tray 601 can be driven by the pickup roller assembly 604 . When the pickup roller assembly 604 rotates, the recording paper is picked up by the connecting portion between the cut flat portion and the round portion, and by the cooperative action between the paper feed roller 604B and the separation plate 605, the recording paper is sent to the recording paper Channel, this point will also be described in detail with reference to FIG. 12 .

A paper feed roller 606 is disposed on the downstream side of the pickup roller assembly 604 in the recording paper transport path. As shown in FIG. 10B, four paper feed rollers 606 are sequentially arranged at predetermined intervals along the width direction of the recording paper. Four paper feed rollers are fixed on a paper feed roller shaft 606A (not shown in Fig. 10B). Therefore, the driving force supplied to the feed roller from a mechanism not shown in the figure is transmitted to the feed roller shaft 606A to drive the feed roller 606 to rotate.

Corresponding to each of the paper supply rollers 606, there are provided pinch rollers 607 whose peripheral surfaces can be brought into contact with the peripheral surfaces of the paper supply rollers 606. A clamping roller support 611 is provided for each clamping cylinder 607 . At its one end, it rotatably supports a pinch roller 607 . A carriage rail 613 extends within the movable range of the carriage. In this regard, the following will also give an introduction. The other end of the clamping roller support 611 is supported by a carriage rail 613, and is supported by a spring 614 between the carriage rail 613 and the clamping roller support 611, in a downwardly inclined direction as shown in FIG. Push the pinch roller support in the direction. Accordingly, the recording paper fed between the pinch roller 607 and the paper feed roller 606 can thereby be pressed toward the paper feed roller 606 . Using the frictional force generated by this pressing force, the paper feed roller 606 enables feeding of recording paper. The platen 608 effectively limits the extent of the recording surface of the recording paper. It is provided on the downstream side of the paper feed roller 606 or the like in the paper feed path, and faces a recording head to be described later. On the downstream side of the platen 608, nine paper receiving rollers 609 are provided. As shown in FIG. 10B, the paper receiving rollers 609 are sequentially arranged at predetermined intervals along the width direction of the recording paper, and they are fixed on the paper receiving roller shafts 609A. The paper receiving roller shaft 609A can be rotated by a motor not shown in the figure, and cooperates with the pressing rod supported on the main casing 2001 (see Figure 9), to discharge the paper to the paper receiving tray 2009 (see Figure 9) .

In the recording paper path described above, the recording paper stacked on the paper feed tray 601 is separated and fed one by one by the pickup roller assembly 604 and the separation plate 605 . The recording paper is guided by the paper guide member 608A and fed between the paper feed roller assembly 606 and the pinch roller 607 . During this conveying process, the recording paper will be in contact with one end of the paper end detection sensor lever 615, and the other end of the lever 615 controls the switch of the light sensor 617 accordingly, thereby the end of the recording paper can be detected. At the bottom of the carriage, which will be discussed later, there is provided a reflective paper end sensor 623 by which the width of the recording paper can be detected.

According to the recording operation of the recording head, the paper supply roller 606 can efficiently feed the recording paper line by line toward the platen 608, so that characters, images, etc. can be recorded on the recording paper. During this process, the recording paper is pressed against the platen 608 by the paper pressing spring 621, so that the flatness of the recording paper within the recording range can be ensured. The recording machine on which the recording process has been carried out can be output to the paper receiving tray by the paper receiving roller 609 .

As shown in FIG. 10A , from the paper supply tray 601 to the paper receiving roller 609 to the paper receiving tray 2009 shown in FIG. 9 , the recording paper conveying path is in a smooth "V" shape. Therefore, the recording paper can be brought into close contact with the platen 608 by utilizing the rigidity of the recording paper. This further ensures the flatness of the recording paper within the range of the recording area.

In Fig. 10A, reference numeral 1 denotes a recording head. As shown in Fig. 11, it includes four recording cores respectively corresponding to the colors of different ink materials. In order to facilitate disassembly, the recording head core is installed on the installation part 201 of the carriage 200 . The carriage includes a carriage cover 203 and a recording head cover 205 . These cover plates are also mounted on the carriage mounting portion 201, and thereby realize the electrical connection of the recording head cartridge and its positioning. The auxiliary ink tank 300 is provided at one portion of the carriage main assembly 201 . The auxiliary ink container 300 can effectively collect the air bubbles generated in the ink supply system, and can effectively buffer the pressure change in the supply system due to the movement of the carriage, so that the recording head can be protected from air bubbles and pressure. impact of change. The above-mentioned various elements mounted on the carriage main assembly 201, such as recording heads or the like, can be installed along with the carriage main assembly 201 and the guide shaft 213 (only a part is shown in FIG. 10A ). ) sliding engagement to move along the guide shaft 213 , and move along the guide shaft 213 . The carriage main assembly 201 is connected to a belt driven by a motor not shown in the figure. In FIG. 10A, there is a positioning lever 211 which can be operated by an operator. One end thereof is rotatably supported by a shaft 211C at one portion of the carriage main assembly 201 . The other end of the positioning rod 211 is formed with a partially spherical protruding portion 211B, which can be connected to the side of the carriage 200 The plate (not shown) fits in grooves formed at three locations. Therefore, the positioning rod 211 can provide three optional positions. As shown in Figure 10A, when the positioning rod 211 is at position I and position II, the carriage main assembly 201 and the recording head core on it can move relative to the guide shaft 213, so that the The contact between them is used for positioning. As shown in FIG. 10A , if the positioning rod 211 is located at position I, a part of the carriage main assembly 201 and the top surface of the carriage guide rail 613 can realize sliding contact. At this time, the recording head core is relatively close to the platen 608 . When the positioning rod 211 is at the position II, the fastening element 211 integrally formed with the positioning rod 211 will be in contact with the top surface of the carriage guide rail 613 . At this time, since the contact portion will move about the guide shaft 213 in the upward direction shown in FIG. 10A, the recording head core will be relatively far away from the platen 608. Referring to FIG.

When the ink used has relatively weak ink absorption, the position of the lever should be selected as position II, so that the recording head core is relatively far away from the platen 608, thereby preventing the fluctuation of the recording paper caused by the absorption of the recording ink. . If the fluctuation occurs, the recording paper will rub against the ejection side surface of the recording head core, and even damage it. When the ink has better absorbing properties, this need not be taken into account, therefore, the positioning rod 211 can be placed at position I.

The position III of the positioning rod 211 is used to prevent the carriage 200 from moving to the right that may occur when the carriage 200 is in the zero position. As shown in FIG. 10A, the end protrusion 211D of the positioning rod 211 can be engaged with a locking groove 613b formed at the left side of the adjacent carriage guide rail 613, thereby preventing the carriage 200 (not shown in FIG. 10B ) from ) to move right. The current position of the positioning rod 211 can be displayed, or it can make a sound when changing positions. As mentioned above, the positioning lever 211 can be manipulated by the operator. For example, when the carriage 200 is at the zero position, the operator may start the recording operation when the positioning rod 211 is at the position II. In this case, the generated display or sound will remind the operator to move the positioning rod.

All three positions of the positioning rod 211 should be displayed.

When moving the device or performing similar actions, if the device is likely to be subjected to vibrations exceeding the predetermined range, the position of the positioning rod should be detected, if it is not at position II, that is, it is not at the position for fixing the carriage , the device will give a signal such as sound.

With this structure for preventing movement of the carriage, the device can be protected from movement of the recording head and possible damage to this part or other parts when the recording device is moved can be prevented. In FIG. 10A, a cover plate 230 is fixed to the device frame so as to protect the ink supply lines and flexible cables and the like drawn from the carriage during movement.

In Figs. 10A and 10B, reference numerals 901BK, 901C, 901M, 901Y are ink tanks mounted on an ink supply unit to be described later. They hold black, turquoise, magenta, and yellow ink in their respective soft skin pouches. The respective ink tanks are also respectively provided with remaining ink bladders of respective colors to receive ink discharged due to ejection recovery operation or the like. Below the ink supply unit for mounting the ink cartridge, an ink absorber 911 is provided. The ink absorber 911 can be made of a material whose shape can be restored after the external force is removed. The ink absorber is compressed between the concave portion of the chassis 913 constituting the supply unit and the bottom plate 2015 of the apparatus chassis. Therefore, even if ink leaks from the ink tank 901, it will be absorbed by the absorbent material 911. The vibration caused by the driving motor and transmitted through the bottom plate 2015 and other parts can also be absorbed by means of the absorbing material 911, thereby reducing the impact of the vibration.

The absorbing material for absorbing the vibration does not necessarily have to be placed under the ink supply unit as described above, but it may be placed elsewhere where it is effective to reduce the noise of the device.

The present invention is particularly applicable to ink jet recording heads and recording devices of the type which use heat energy supplied from electrothermal transducers, laser beams or the like to change the state of ink to eject or discharge ink. This is because they can realize high density of pixels and high resolution of recording.

Preferably, the typical structures and operating principles disclosed in US Patent No. 4,723,129 and No. 4,740,796 are adopted. This principle and structure are applicable to so-called command type recording systems and continuous type recording systems. However, it is more suitable for command-type recording systems, because its working principle is such that at least one driving signal is applied to an electrothermal transducer arranged on a thin layer of liquid (ink) or called a liquid channel. The signal is sufficient to cause the temperature to rise rapidly above the nucleation loiling point. In this way, the thermal energy provided by the electrothermal transducer can cause thin layer boiling on the heating portion of the recording head, so that a bubble can be formed in the liquid (ink) corresponding to each driving signal. Through the formation, development, and contraction of bubbles, liquid (ink) may be ejected through the ejection outlet to generate at least one droplet. The driving signal is preferably in the form of a pulse, because in this way, the development and contraction of the bubble can be realized instantaneously, and the liquid (ink) can be quickly Jetting is realized in a quick-response manner. Preferably, the drive signal is in the form of pulses as disclosed in, for example, US Patent Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262. Preferably, the rate of temperature rise of the heated surface is used as disclosed in, for example, US Patent No. 4,313,124.

The structure of the recording head can be as shown in US Pat. No. 4,558,333 and No. 4,459,600, wherein the heating portion is arranged on a bent portion. And in above-mentioned patent, also disclose the combination structure form of ejection outlet, liquid channel and electrothermal transducer. Besides, the present invention can also be applied to the structure disclosed in Published Japanese Patent Application No. 123670/1984, in which a common elongated orifice is used as multiple The structure of the injection outlet of an electrothermal transducer. The present invention is also applicable to the structure disclosed in Published Japanese Patent Application No. 138461/1984, in which the pressure fluctuation caused by thermal energy is buffered corresponding to the injection position. open structure. This is because the present invention can perform an effective recording operation reliably and efficiently regardless of the type of recording head used.

The present invention can also be effectively applied to a so-called full-line type recording head whose length corresponds to the maximum recording width. Such a recording head may comprise a plurality of recording heads combined to cover the maximum recording width or a single recording head.

The present invention is also applicable to an assembly type recording head whose recording head is fixed on the main assembly; to a replaceable recording core type in which the recording head can be electrically connected to the main assembly and supplied with ink when the recording head is installed in the main assembly A recording head; and suitable for a carriage type recording head having an integrated ink container.

It is also preferable to provide recovery components and/or auxiliary components for preparatory operations, because they can help to further stabilize the effect of the present invention. Such assemblies include, cap assembly for the recording head, cleaning assembly for the recording head, compression suction assembly, preheat assembly which may be an electrothermal transducer, an additional heating element or a combination thereof, and the like. Also, a component for performing preliminary ejection (not ejection for recording operation) also contributes to stable recording operation.

As for the kind of recording heads that can be mounted, there may be a single recording head corresponding to a single color ink, or a plurality of recording heads corresponding to a plurality of inks having different recording colors or densities. The present invention can be effectively applied to devices having at least one recording head, which may be of a monochrome type having only one color, mainly black, or of a multi-color type and/or having ink materials of different colors. Or a full-color type recording head with mixed colors, it can also be formed as an integrated recording unit or a combination of several recording heads.

In the above embodiments, the ink is liquid. However, it could also be an ink material that is solid below room temperature and liquid at room temperature. In order to stabilize the viscosity of the ink so as to ensure stable ejection in this type of recording device, the ink needs to be controlled within a temperature range not lower than 30°C and not higher than 70°C. Therefore, the present invention is also applicable to other types of recording devices. As for the ink, it is only necessary that the ink is in a liquid state within the temperature range when there is a recording signal. One of them, the method of consuming thermal energy by converting the ink from solid to liquid, can reliably prevent the temperature rise due to this thermal energy. The other ink material is solid when left to prevent the ink from evaporating. In either case, when a recording signal instructing generation of heat energy is applied, the ink should be liquefied, and the liquefied ink should be ejectable. Another ink material that starts to solidify when it reaches the recording material. The present invention is also applicable to such an ink material which can be liquefied by applying heat energy. As disclosed in Published Japanese Patent Application No. 56847/1979 and Application No. 71260/1985, such an ink material can be used as a liquid or solid The holes or pockets in the layer. This thin layer faces the electrothermal transducer. For the above ink materials, the most efficient system is the thin layer boiling system.

This inkjet recording device can be used as an output terminal of an information processing device of a computer or the like; or combined with an image reader or the like to be used as a copying device; or used as a copying device with information sending and Fax machine with receive function.

Fig. 11 is a block diagram of the recording apparatus of the present invention when used as an information processing apparatus. The device has a word processor function, a personal computer function, a facsimile function and a copier function.

The control system 1801 for the entire device includes a microprocessor or another central processing unit CPU, and several input and output interfaces for supplying control signals and data signals to various parts and receiving control information and data signals from various parts . The display section 1802 is used to display various image data read by the image reader 1807, command menus, document information materials, and the like. The pressure-sensitive touch panel 1803 is mounted on the display portion 1802, and is made of a transparent material. When a certain part of its surface is pressed by a finger or the like, item selection can be performed on the display portion 1802, and coordinate position selection can also be performed.

An FM sound signal source 1804 is digitally stored in the peripheral storage device 1812 or memory 1810 by the music editor. Music information produced by a maker or the like. The signal is read from the memory and FM modulated. With the speaker 1805, the electrical signal obtained from the FM audio signal source 1804 can be converted into human sensitive sound. The printer 1806 provides an output terminal as a system having a word processor function, a personal computer function, a facsimile machine function, and a copier function.

The image reader 1807 is used to photoelectrically read out original data, and to process intermediate data of the original data. Its function of reading the original signal is used as part of the facsimile function and copier function. The facsimile transmitter-receiver 1808 is used to transmit the original data read by the image reader 1807 and receive and decode the facsimile signal transmitted thereto. It has an interface for communicating with peripheral devices. Telephony functions may be obtained from conventional auxiliary telephony equipment 1809.

The memory 1810 includes a read-only memory ROM for storing system programs, management programs, other application programs, alphabetic fonts, code dictionaries, etc., and an application program, file information, etc. for storing input from the peripheral storage device 1812. Random access memory RAM for audiovisual signals, etc.

The keyboard 1811 is used for inputting document information materials and various instructions or other similar information.

File information, music information, audio information, user programs, and the like are stored in the external storage device 1812 in the form of a floppy disk or a hard disk.

FIG. 12 is an outline view of the information processing device shown in FIG. 11 . A panel display portion 1901 constituted by liquid crystal or the like is used to display various command menus, graphic information, document information, and the like. On the display portion 1901, a contact pad 1803 is provided. When a part of the surface of the touch panel 1803 is pressed down with a finger or the like, a display item or a coordinate position can be selected. Handheld device 1902 may be used when the device is used as a telephone. The keyboard 1903 is detachably connected to the main assembly, and various file information and various data are input to it through cables. Various function keys 1904 are provided on the keyboard 1903 . Floppy disks can be loaded through entry 1905.

The image reader 1807 has an initial mounting portion 1906 . The original reader at the rear of the unit shall be removed. During the reception of the teletype signal, its information can be recorded with the ink jet printer 1907 proposed according to the present invention.

The display section 1802 may use a positive ray tube, but may also use a ferroelectric liquid crystal panel, because then its size, thickness, weight, etc. can be reduced.

When this information processing apparatus is used as a personal computer or a word processor, various information input by the keyboard 211 can be processed by the controller 1801 according to a predetermined program, and can be output in image form by the printer 1806.

When it is used as a copying machine, the original data can be read by the image reader 1807, and the read original data can be output as a copy image by the printer 1806 via the controller 1801. When it is used as a transmitter of a facsimile machine, the original image data is read by the image reader 1807, processed by the controller 1801 according to a predetermined program, and transmitted to the communication line through the facsimile transmitter-receiver 1808.

As shown in FIG. 13, this information processing device may also have an integrated inkjet printer. In this case, the device is easier to carry around. In this figure, elements with the same reference numerals as in FIG. 12 have corresponding functions.

Since it can perform high-quality recording at high speed and low noise, the function of the above-mentioned information processing device can be further enhanced when it is used in conjunction with the recording device of the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, the protective member thereof can be easily released from the front side portion of the ink tank. As mentioned above, the mutual positional relationship between the cutout part on the ink tank, the ink supply part, the information supply part of the ink tank and the corresponding position marking element on the main assembly, the ink supply connection assembly and the reading assembly can ensure that the ink The installation of the cartridge, so that the supply of ink can be ensured.

According to the difference of the color of the ink contained in the box, the cutout portion is also different; correspondingly, the marking elements formed on the recording device are also different according to the color of the ink. Thus, incorrect loading of the ink tank can be prevented.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the inkjet recording apparatus can select the driving conditions of the inkjet head by itself according to the characteristics and colors of the ink in the ink tank.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the amount of ink in the ink tank can be detected by using an ink pressure detection device that is easy to assemble and does not require cumbersome adjustment operations during the assembly process.

Here, the present invention has been described with reference to the structure disclosed in the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the various specific forms described, and the application also covers various forms obtained for improvement or within the scope of the claims. Modifications and variants.

Claims (22)

1. An inkjet recording device that can be used in conjunction with an ink cartridge, comprising: An ink tank installation channel; a plate (721) for blocking said ink tank installation channel; The limiting element (722) has a slope portion connected to the front of the ink tank during installation and an engaging portion (723) for locking the plate when the ink tank is installed, and is characterized in that: the element (722) is arranged on the On the above-mentioned plate, they are installed in a herringbone shape at a predetermined angle, and the stop member is supported by the connection with the front of the ink tank, and rotates outward around the axis (724) parallel to the installation direction of the ink tank. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said limiting member (722) is generally triangular at a predetermined angle relative to the insertion direction of said ink cartridge, and a part (723) of it is formed to accommodate said Cutout for locking plate. 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that after the stopper (722) is pressed by the ink tank and the lock plate (721) is released, the lock plate will be in contact with the ink tank and Swivels up as the ink tank is further inserted. 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle formed by the limiting member (722) relative to the vertical direction is not less than 45°C. 5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said locking plate (721) will be screwed up as the ink tank moves in the channel. 6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that there are a plurality of such ink tank installation passages, said plates and stoppers for installing ink tanks filled with inks of different colors. 7. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising a plurality of recording units for realizing color recording by depositing inks of different colors on a recording material; and also comprising a mounting portion for mounting ink containing ink to be supplied to the plurality of recording units cartridge, the inkjet recording device is characterized by: In each of said installation parts, a wrong installation protection element can be connected with a cut-out part (716) of the ink tank, the cut-out parts are fixed in different positions of the ink tank, dedicated to different colors of ink; the connection assembly is provided at a position for connecting with the ink supply part (721) of the ink tank after said wrong installation protection member and the cutout part are connected, so as to allow the ink in the ink tank to be supplied; and An information readout component (718), used for reading out the readout information provided in the ink tank. 8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises: a locking plate (712) arranged in the channel for ink tank installation and movement, the locking plate can be opened by said ink tank, so The locking plate has cutouts (725, 726) to avoid mutual interference with the connection component (714) and the readout component. 9. An ink tank containing the ink that will provide the recording assembly consisting of: a cutout portion (719) formed at a position specific to the ink material contained therein, the cutout portion being connected to a wrong installation protection member of the recording device; an ink supply part (712) for connecting with the connection unit of the recording device after the connection of the erroneous installation protection member and the cutout part; The information providing component (715) is used to provide information to the information reading component of the recording device. 10. The ink container of claim 9, wherein said cutout portion (716) is specific to the color of ink material in said ink container. 11. The ink cartridge according to claim 9, wherein said cutout portion is formed by cutting off a specific part of a part of the ink cartridge, which follows the ink material contained in said ink cartridge. Colors vary. 12. The ink cartridge according to claim 9, wherein said cutout portion is formed by a member mounted at a specific portion of said ink cartridge that follows the ink material contained in said ink cartridge. The colors vary. 13. The ink cartridge of claim 9, wherein said information providing member (715) provides information on the state of the operating condition of said recording means. 14. The ink cartridge according to claim 9, characterized in that said information providing member (715) provides information on the state of driving conditions of said recording means in non-ink ejection operation. 15. The ink cartridge according to claim 9, characterized in that said information providing element (715) contains information related to thermal energy generated by an electrothermal transducer which contributes to the formation of ink ejection bubbles. 16. The ink cartridge according to claim 9, characterized in that said information providing element (715) provides information related to at least one of voltage, pulse width and frequency. 17. The ink cartridge according to claim 9, characterized in that said information providing member (715) provides information on recording speed. 18. The ink cartridge according to claim 9, characterized in that said information providing member (715) stores information electrically. 19. The ink cartridge according to claim 9, characterized in that said information providing member (715) stores information electrostatically. 20. The ink cartridge of claim 9, wherein said information providing member (715) stores information magnetically. 21. The ink cartridge according to claim 9, characterized in that said information providing member (715) stores information optically. 22. The ink cartridge of claim 9, wherein said information providing member (715) is easily removable.

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