JP2954225B2 - Ink tank - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to an inkjet head for discharging ink.
In particular, the present invention relates to an ink tank detachable from an ink jet head.

[Prior Art] There are the following three types of conventional ink jet recording apparatuses.

A fixed inkjet head body that does not require replacement, that is, a print head body and an ink tank that are separately provided and connected via an ink supply tube, and a fixed print head body that does not require replacement A cartridge type ink tank is separately provided, and these are connected via an ink supply tube. An ink tank integrated type ink jet head, that is, a recording head is provided, and the recording head is a disposable type. thing.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the above-described ink jet recording apparatus has the following problems.

First, in the case of (1), ink is supplied from the ink tank to the recording head main body via the ink supply tube, so that there are the following problems.

(1) It is necessary to increase the life and reliability of the recording head, but this increases the manufacturing cost.

(2) Since the ink supply tube is required, the cost increases accordingly, and the ink supply tube is dragged for scanning the carriage, so that an extra scanning space is required.

(3) Air bubbles and the like easily enter the ink supply tube, and the air bubbles and the like cause non-ejection of ink in the recording head. In addition, when air bubbles or the like are mixed, the ink may be forcibly ejected from the ejection openings of the recording head to perform a recovery operation, but the pressing force or suction force for that purpose must be increased. You have to discard a considerable amount of ink. This results in wasteful consumption of ink, which leads to an increase in running cost.

Next, in the case of, there is the same problem as in the case of,
Further, when the ink cartridge is replaced, bubbles may be mixed into the ink supply tube, so that the above-mentioned problem (3) becomes more remarkable.

In the case of (1), a trade-off between the capacity of the ink tank and the range of the scanning space becomes a problem. That is, (1) If the tank capacity is increased to reduce the running cost, the space for the print head to scan increases because the tank is large. In this case, furthermore, the head carriage is required to be robust and the drive system (motor) is required to have high performance, so that it is difficult to reduce the size and cost of the apparatus.

(2) If the tank capacity is reduced in order to narrow the scanning space, the frequency of replacing the recording head increases, and the running cost increases. Further, since the recording head and the ink tank are integrated, when the ink runs out, the recording head must be discarded at the same time as the ink tank, resulting in an increase in cost.

The present invention has been proposed in order to improve the problems in the above-described conventional ink jet recording apparatus. In addition to ensuring the mounting of the ink jet head and the ink tank, the used ink tank can be easily removed from the ink jet head. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink tank which can be detached and which can perform the replacement work extremely easily and reliably.

[Means for solving the problem]

The ink tank according to the present invention is an ink tank that stores ink supplied to an ink jet head that ejects ink, is detachable from the ink jet head, and engages with an engaging portion provided on the ink jet head. And a movable release member capable of releasing the engagement state between the engagement portion and the engagement portion of the inkjet head to release the connection state with the inkjet head. It is a feature.

Here, it is preferable that an ink absorber that is pressed in contact with an ink supply pipe for ink introduction provided in the ink jet head in a connected state with the ink jet head is provided.

(Operation)

According to the present invention, when the ink tank is removed from the inkjet head, the ink tank can be replaced simply by operating the release member to release the engagement between the engagement portion of the inkjet head and the engagement portion of the ink tank. Becomes possible.

Further, when the ink jet head and the ink tank are connected, the ink supply pipe of the ink jet head presses against the ink absorber in the ink tank, and the capillary force of the ink absorber in this portion increases, and the ink supply pipe separates from the ink supply pipe. The ink of the ink absorber at the location is collected here.

Examples Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIGS. 1A and 1B show an ink-jet-integrated ink jet head cartridge, that is, a recording head cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. This recording head cartridge is an integrated recording cartridge in which an ink tank as an ink supply source and an ink jet head chip, that is, a recording head chip, are detachably attached. It is as a disposable type.

In FIG. 1A, reference numeral 1 denotes an ink-jet head main body, that is, a recording head chip serving as a recording head main body. 2 of the head chip 1 is an ink discharge section for discharging ink, and has an ink discharge port and an energy generating element for generating energy for discharging ink droplets. Similarly, reference numeral 3 denotes an ink chamber, that is, a liquid chamber, which communicates with an ink path in which the energy generating element of the ink discharge unit 2 is provided, that is, a liquid path. Here, as the ink discharge unit 2, a device having an electrothermal converter or a device having an electromechanical converter as a discharge energy generating element is used. However, the manufacturing cost is low and the discharge ports are arranged at a high density. Since the former is possible, the former is preferably used. Reference numeral 4 denotes a flow path for sending ink directly from the ink tank 7 to the liquid chamber 3.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a filter formed of a fine mesh, which removes air bubbles, dust, and the like mixed in the ink when the ink is sent from the ink tank 7 side, which is a recording liquid storage section, to the recording head chip 1 side.

Reference numeral 6 denotes an ink absorber, which is made of a material such as a porous material, a fibrous material, or a continuous porous material. The ink absorber 6 is housed in an ink tank 7. In the ink tank 7,
The remaining amount detection electrode 8A for detecting the remaining amount of ink and
8B is provided to detect the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank 7. Reference numeral 10 denotes a hook provided on the head chip 1, which hooks on a predetermined portion of the ink tank 7 and is connected thereto.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a release button which constitutes a part of the release member of the present invention. When the release button 9 is depressed, the hook 10 bends inward, and as a result, as shown in FIG. 7 can be easily separated and removed. For this reason, it is difficult for the ink to scatter from the ink tank 7 and the recording head chip 1, and a safe removal operation can be realized for a person who performs this operation. On the other hand, when newly installing the ink tank 7,
When the ink tank 7 is pressed in accordance with the recording head chip 1, the hook 10 bends toward the predetermined portion of the ink tank 7 while bending inward, and then returns to the original state by the spring force when reaching the predetermined portion. And hang here,
The recording head chip 1 and the ink tank 7 are connected.

In this manner, the ink jet head chip 1 can be easily and reliably mounted on the ink tank 7 by utilizing the elastic deformation of the hook 10.

At this time, since the portion of the ink absorber 6 indicated by the symbol A is compressed, the ink absorber 6 and the mesh filter 5 are brought into close contact with each other. Since the part A has a function of a pump by being compressed, it is possible to supply the ink absorbed by the ink absorber 6 to the recording head 1 without leaving it. Reference numeral 11 denotes an air communication hole for guiding air to the ink tank 7.

Next, a case where the ink tank 7 is replaced will be described. When the amount of ink in the ink tank 7 decreases, air is taken in from the atmosphere communication hole 11 provided in the ink tank 7, and bubbles gradually enter the absorber 6. When the ink in the ink tank 7 is almost exhausted, bubbles enter the portion A of the absorber 6 which is the highest density portion.

On the other hand, the remaining amount of the ink is detected by applying a voltage to the remaining amount detecting electrodes 8A and 8B and measuring the electric resistance of the ink. , The electric resistance increases rapidly. Therefore, in order to detect this increase and prompt the user to replace the ink tank 7, for example, a lighting lamp provided in the recording apparatus main body can be turned on.

Even after the message prompting the user to replace the ink tank 7 is displayed, there is a case where recording can be performed using the ink remaining inside for a while. However, although the ink is consumed in any case, since the mesh filter 5 does not allow air bubbles to pass through, if the air bubbles fill the portion A of the absorber 6, printing cannot be suddenly performed. At this time, the recording head chip 1 is filled with ink. However, ink cannot leak from the ink discharge unit 2 because bubbles cannot be taken in from the filter 5 and the meniscus is maintained by the surface tension of the ink at the discharge ports constituting the ink discharge unit 2. Even when the ink tank 7 is removed, the ink does not leak out of the recording cartridge due to the pumping action of the ink absorber 6.

FIG. 2 shows a recording apparatus for performing recording using the recording cartridge shown in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B).
In this recording apparatus, since the cartridge is small, the scanning space of the recording head is narrowed, so that the entire apparatus can be downsized.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 14 denotes an ink jet cartridge in which the recording head chip 1 and the ink tank 7 are combined. The ink jet cartridge 14 is fixed on the carriage 15 by a pressing member 41.

The carriage 15 is driven by a motor 17 configured by a stepping motor or the like, and is capable of reciprocating in a longitudinal direction along a shaft 21. The carriage 15 and a line for sending a signal and a power supply voltage to the recording head chip 1 are connected via a flat cable 16.

A wire 22 transmits the driving force of the motor 17 to the carriage 15. Reference numeral 20 denotes a recording medium 18 which is coupled to a platen roller 19.
Is a feed motor for transporting the paper.

When the ink in the ink tank 7 is depleted and the lamp indicating that there is no remaining ink is lit, the pressing member 41 is released, and the inkjet cartridge 14 is moved to the carriage 15.
And the print head chip 1 and the ink tank 7 are separated. By replacing the ink tank 7 with a new one and connecting it to the print head chip 1, it is easy to supply ink to the print head chip 1 again.

After replacing the ink tank 7, the recording head chip 1
Since the side is full of ink, and no air bubbles are taken in by the filter 5, there is no problem even if the recording operation is started immediately.

However, it is conceivable that air bubbles are accumulated in the portion A (see FIG. 1) of the ink absorber 6 housed in the new ink tank 7, and in such a case, a recovery operation is performed by suction with a constant force or the like. Thus, it is desirable to supply ink to the portion A. It should be noted that the remaining amount detection lamp may be lit when air bubbles are accumulated in the portion A. Therefore, it is desirable to detect the remaining amount of ink when replacing the ink tank 7.

If the remaining amount detection lamp is not turned on, that is, if the ink ejection becomes defective despite the ink remaining in the ink tank 7 and the ejection failure does not recover even after performing the recovery operation, the recording head chip 1 Of the recording head chip 1
Exchange.

In this embodiment, the recording head chip mainly includes the ink discharge section 2 and the liquid chamber 3, and the ink is supplied directly from the ink tank 7 into the liquid chamber 3, so that the sub tank normally provided in the head chip is used. As a result, the configuration is small and simple, and the ingress of air bubbles into the head chip 1 according to the present embodiment is reliably prevented by the filter 5.

Further, the used ink tank 7 can be easily removed from the recording head chip 1 simply by pressing the release button 9 while being mounted on the carriage 15 of the recording apparatus and moving the release member of the ink tank 7. Thus, a safe replacement operation can be achieved without causing the ink to scatter.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the ink tank of the present invention, an engagement portion that can be engaged with an engagement portion provided on the inkjet head, and an engagement state between the engagement portion and the engagement portion of the inkjet head is released. And a movable release member that can release the connection state with the ink jet head, so that the connection state between the ink jet head and the ink tank can be easily operated only by operating the release member without applying unnecessary external force. The ink tank can be released, and the ink tank can be safely removed from the ink jet head without causing the ink to scatter.

The operation of attaching and detaching the ink tank can be performed while the ink jet head is mounted on the carriage of the ink jet device, so that the operation of replacing the ink tank is extremely simple.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing (A) and (B) an ink jet print head cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a printing apparatus provided with the ink jet print head cartridge shown in FIG. is there. 1 ... print head chip, 2 ... ink ejection section, 5 ... mesh filter, 6 ... ink absorber, 7 ... ink tank, 8, 8A, 8B ... remaining amount detection electrode, 9 ... release Button, 10… Hook, 14… Inkjet cartridge, 15… Carriage.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Atsushi Arai 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Hiroshi Taka 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Masami Ikeda 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (56) References JP-A-63-22653 (JP, A)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ink tank that stores ink supplied to an ink jet head that discharges ink and is detachable from the ink jet head, the ink tank being capable of engaging with an engaging portion provided on the ink jet head. An engagement portion, and a movable release member capable of releasing the engagement between the engagement portion and the engagement portion of the inkjet head to release the connection with the inkjet head. Ink tank. 2. An ink absorber which is pressed in contact with an ink supply pipe for introducing ink provided in the ink jet head when the ink jet head is connected to the ink jet head. 2. The ink tank according to 1.