JP2001347681A - Ink jet recording device and ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] To determine the suitability of various types of ink cartridges while maintaining the external shape substantially constant without causing a significant change in the shape of the ink cartridge or a change in the ink supply characteristics. . SOLUTION: A guide rib 6 is formed around an ink supply port 5 of an ink cartridge, a concave portion 5 is provided in the rib, and a convex portion 2 which engages with the concave portion 5 of the rib 6 on a carriage.
4 and the cartridge can be mounted only when the concave portion 5 and the convex portion 24 are engaged.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus for supplying ink to a recording head by mounting an ink cartridge on a carriage provided with a recording head for discharging ink droplets.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ink cartridge mounted on a carriage provided with a recording head for ejecting ink droplets is typically provided with a recording apparatus on one side as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-132635. An ink supply port into which the ink supply needle on the side is inserted is formed, is configured as a container in which the opposite opening surface is sealed with a lid, and accommodates a porous body impregnated with ink in a container made of a polymer resin. It is configured. Recording heads and inks have been improved with the aim of improving print quality,
A manufacturer specifies ink suitable for the recording head. On the other hand, since the ink cartridge is configured as a rectangular parallelepiped container in view of the structure of the recording apparatus, there is a problem that it is not easy to identify an ink cartridge suitable for the recording apparatus and a selection error occurs. In order to solve such a problem, a convex portion is formed in the ink cartridge holder of the recording apparatus, and a concave portion is formed in the ink cartridge so as to engage with the convex portion. The supply needle is configured to penetrate the ink supply port.

[0003]

However, in order to enable high-speed printing, the weight of the ink cartridge must be reduced.
In other words, when the capacity is reduced, the concave portion for preventing erroneous insertion formed in the ink cartridge will change the shape of the bottom portion that governs the ink supply characteristics relatively largely, and furthermore, the concave portion that can be formed on the narrow bottom portion. There is a problem that the number of types is limited. The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to increase the number of types of shapes for determining compatibility without affecting ink supply characteristics. It is to provide a recording device. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge suitable for the recording apparatus.

[0004]

According to the present invention, to solve such a problem, a carriage provided with a recording head communicating with an ink supply needle is connected to the ink supply needle via an ink supply port. In an ink jet recording apparatus which detachably mounts an ink cartridge to be mounted and performs printing while supplying ink of the ink cartridge to the recording head, a rib for guide is formed around an ink supply port of the ink cartridge; A projection is formed on the carriage to engage with the recess of the rib.

[0005]

The cartridge can be mounted only when the position of the concave portion of the rib of the ink supply port and the convex portion of the carriage are engaged irrespective of the outer shape of the container constituting the ink cartridge.

[0006]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a color ink cartridge suitable for an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention. A cartridge body comprises a substantially rectangular parallelepiped container 1 formed of a plurality of ink chambers 3 by walls 2 and 2. , 3 and 3. Bottom 4 of container 1
Are formed with ink supply ports 5, 5, 5 communicating with each ink chamber 3, and a rib 6 is integrally formed therearound.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the rib 6 is formed with a concave portion 7 which engages with a convex portion 24 of a carriage 20 described later.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a black ink cartridge suitable for an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention. The cartridge body has an ink storage chamber 12 formed by a substantially rectangular parallelepiped container 11. The ink supply port 14 communicating with the ink storage chamber 12 is provided on the bottom
Are formed, and a rib 15 is integrally formed therearound.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the rib 15 is formed with a concave portion 16 which engages with the convex portion 28 of the carriage 20.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the carriage 20 for holding the above-described ink cartridge. In the mounting area of the color ink cartridge, the ink supply needles 21 are aligned with the ink supply ports 5. Is implanted, and a wall 23 is formed around the wall with a substantially rectangular recess 22 so as to accommodate the outer surface of the rib 6.

On the wall 23, convex portions 24, 24 projecting toward the ink supply needles at positions facing the concave portions 7 of the ribs 6 formed on the ink cartridge are symmetric with respect to the arrangement line of the ink supply needles 21. It is formed as follows.

In the mounting area of the black ink cartridge, an ink supply needle 25 is implanted so as to coincide with the ink supply port 14, and a recess 26 is provided so as to surround the periphery of the rib 15, and a wall 27 is provided. Are formed. In the wall 27, the concave portion 1 of the rib 15 in which the ink cartridge is formed is provided.
A hook-shaped projection 28 projecting toward the ink supply needle is formed symmetrically with respect to the ink supply needle 25 at a position facing the ink supply needle 25.

In this embodiment, when an appropriate ink cartridge is mounted on the carriage, the ink supply ports 5, 1
The ribs 6, 15 formed around the periphery 4 are guided by the walls 23, 27 of the recesses 22, 26 and the projections 2 of the walls 23, 27
4 and 28 are engaged with the recesses 7 and 16 of the ribs 6 and 15 and descend as shown in FIGS. 2 (b) and 4 (b). As a result, the ink supply needles 21 and 25 are
14, the ink can be supplied to a recording head (not shown).

On the other hand, when an incompatible ink cartridge having the same outer shape but the same recording medium is inserted into the recording apparatus, the wall 2 formed around the ink supply needles 21 and 25 is formed.
The protrusions 24 and 28 of the cartridges 3 and 27 correspond to the ribs 6 and
As a result, the ink supply ports 5 and 14 are prevented from entering the ink supply needles 21 and 25.

Needless to say, the concave portions 7 and 16 and the convex portions 24 and 28 for judging the suitability of the ink cartridge can be formed at arbitrary positions on the ribs 6 and 15 and the walls 23 and 27 of the carriage. It is possible to configure so that various types of ink cartridges can be accurately identified without being affected by the area of the bottom surface of the ink cartridge.

Since the ribs 6 and 15 can be formed in the vicinity of the ink supply port which is not directly influenced by the shape of the containers 1 and 11, the ribs 6 and 15 of the ink supply ports 5 and 14 can be formed with the same shape of the container body. Since the shapes of the ribs 6 and 15 serving as guide portions need only be changed, mold data can be shared between different cartridges, contributing to a reduction in mold development costs.

Furthermore, since the consistency is determined mechanically as close as possible to the members constituting the ink supply path to the recording head, there is a problem in comparison with the case where determination is made by other means or parts. It is possible to reliably prevent a cartridge from being mounted.

In the above embodiment, the convex portions are arranged symmetrically. However, it is apparent that the same effect can be obtained even if the convex portions are arranged asymmetrically.

[0019]

As described above, in the present invention,
An ink cartridge that detachably mounts an ink cartridge that communicates with the ink supply needle via an ink supply port on a carriage provided with a recording head that communicates with the ink supply needle, and performs printing while supplying ink from the ink cartridge to the recording head. In the recording apparatus, a guide rib is formed around the ink supply port of the ink cartridge, and a convex portion that engages with the concave portion of the rib is formed on the carriage, so that the ink supply port of the ink cartridge is formed. A concave portion for judging compatibility can be formed without causing irregularities on the bottom surface, and a concave portion of a rib, which is a guide portion of an ink supply port, while keeping the shape of the container body of the ink cartridge the same. You only have to change the position,
Mold data can be shared between different cartridges, and mold development costs can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing an embodiment of a color ink cartridge used in a recording apparatus of the present invention, showing a top structure and a bottom structure with a lid removed. .

FIGS. 2A and 2B are top views showing the vicinity of an ink supply port of the same ink cartridge in an enlarged manner before and after the carriage is mounted. FIGS.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are perspective views showing an embodiment of a black ink cartridge used in the recording apparatus of the present invention, showing a top structure and a bottom structure with a lid removed. .

FIGS. 4A and 4B are top views showing the vicinity of an ink supply port of the same ink cartridge in an enlarged manner before and after the carriage is mounted, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing one embodiment of a cartridge holder suitable for the ink cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 11 container 3, 12 ink storage chamber 5, 14 ink supply port 6, 15 rib 7, 16 concave portion 20 carriage 22, 26 concave portion 24, 28 convex portion

Claims (3)

[Claims] An ink cartridge communicating with the ink supply needle through an ink supply port is removably mounted on a carriage provided with a recording head communicating with the ink supply needle, and the ink of the ink cartridge is recorded on the carriage. An ink jet recording apparatus for printing while supplying ink to a head, comprising: a guide rib formed around an ink supply port of the ink cartridge; and a projection formed on the carriage to engage with a recess of the rib. Recording device. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion of the carriage is formed so as to protrude toward the ink supply needle. 3. A carriage provided with a recording head communicating with an ink supply needle, removably mounts an ink cartridge communicating with the ink supply needle via an ink supply port, and records the ink of the ink cartridge in the recording. An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus that performs printing while supplying the ink to a head, wherein a guide rib provided around the ink supply port is provided with a concave portion that engages with a convex portion of the carriage. ink cartridge.