JP3797430B2 - Ink cartridge for ink jet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink cartridge that supplies ink in an appropriate negative pressure state to a recording head that ejects ink droplets in response to a print signal.

  An ink jet recording apparatus usually includes an ink jet recording head that ejects ink droplets in response to a print signal on a carriage that reciprocates in the paper width direction of the recording paper, and supplies ink from an external ink tank to the recording head. It is configured. Such an ink storage container such as an ink tank is detachably mounted on a carriage in a small recording apparatus, and is installed in a box in a large recording apparatus via an ink supply tube. Connected to the recording head.

  The ink tank mounted on the carriage is usually constructed by containing a porous material such as sponge and impregnating it with ink in order to reduce the pressure change due to the ripple of ink caused by the reciprocating movement of the carriage as much as possible. Has been.

  In addition, when ink is supplied from a large-capacity ink bag installed in the box through the ink supply tube, the carriage is used to prevent ink pressure change due to bending of the tube due to reciprocation of the carriage. Ink is supplied to the recording head via a sub tank having a damping function for preventing a change in ink pressure due to the movement of the ink.

For this reason, there is a problem that the size and weight of the ink tank are larger than the amount of ink that can be accommodated in the former, and the amount of ink that can be accommodated in the latter. There is a problem that a mechanism for preventing a change in ink pressure due to movement is required and the structure becomes complicated.
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to supply ink to a recording head while maintaining a negative pressure suitable for printing regardless of movement of the carriage. It is to provide a cartridge.

In order to solve such problems, the ink cartridge of the present invention includes an ink chamber, an atmosphere communication connection port that communicates with the ink chamber and maintains a normally closed state, an ink supply connection port, and the ink chamber. The negative pressure generating mechanism that discharges the ink to the ink supply connection port while maintaining a predetermined negative pressure state, and the air communication connection port and the ink supply connection port are provided in each, and are not attached to the recording apparatus. A valve means that maintains a closed state in the state and opens when attached to the recording apparatus by a movement operation in one direction, and is provided at each of the atmosphere communication connection port and the ink supply connection port. The valve means includes a valve body and a spring that biases the valve body in a valve closing direction.

  When the ink cartridge is removed from the recording apparatus, the air communication connection port remains closed, so the ink chamber is shut off from the atmosphere, and the ink supply connection port is blocked by the negative pressure generating mechanism. Thus, the sealed state is maintained, and ink leakage and volatilization of the ink solvent are prevented. When mounted in the recording apparatus, the valve body opens and the ink chamber communicates with the atmosphere, and ink is supplied from the ink supply connection port to the recording head while maintaining a constant negative pressure by the negative pressure generating mechanism. To do.

Therefore, details of the present invention will be described below based on the illustrated embodiment.
1 to 3 show an embodiment of the ink cartridge of the present invention. The ink cartridge 1 has an ink chamber 2 extending vertically on one side and negative pressure generation described later on the other side. A mechanism 3 is formed, and an atmosphere communication connection port 4 and an ink supply connection port 5 are formed in the upper and lower portions of the ink chamber 2 respectively.

  Each of the connection ports 4 and 5 has communication windows 4a and 5a formed on the peripheral surface thereof, and the valve bodies 10 and 20 are accommodated therein so as to be movable in the axial direction. When the valve bodies 10 and 20 are in the closed state, the openings 12 and 22 communicating with the connection ports 4 and 5 are sealed on the other end side of the slide shafts 11 and 21 with one ends 11a and 21a protruding from the connection ports 4 and 5. The packings 13 and 23 (FIG. 2) made of an elastic body to be stopped are fitted and inserted into the connection ports 4 and 5 so that the packings 13 and 23 are elastically contacted with the openings 12 and 22 by the springs 14 and 24.

  With such a configuration, when the cartridge 1 is mounted in a connection unit 50 described later, both the atmosphere communication connection port 4 and the ink supply connection port 5 can maintain the valve open state and supply ink to the recording head. .

  As shown in FIG. 3, the negative pressure generating mechanism 3 is a flow that also functions as a membrane chamber 31 and a fixture that fixes the outer periphery of the membrane valve 31 to the valve chamber 30 formed of a concave section communicating with the ink chamber 2. The path forming member 32 is accommodated, and the region including the ink chamber 2 is configured to be sealed with films 33 and 33 ′ having airtightness. A convex portion 34 is formed in the center of the valve chamber 30, and a through hole 35 is formed in the membrane valve 31 at a position facing the convex portion 34.

  FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the ink flow paths formed in the negative pressure generating mechanism 3 separately on the front and back sides, and the flow (1) and flow through the ink chamber 2 into the filter 36 are shown. The flow (2) flowing into the through hole 39 of the valve chamber 30 from the hole 37 via the flow path 38, the flow (3) passing through the membrane valve 31, the through holes 40 and 41 of the valve chamber 30 and the through hole 41, The flow (4) passing through the flow path 43 connecting the flow path 42 and the flow (5) flowing through the flow path 45 connecting the through hole 44 and the through hole 42 communicating with the ink supply connection port 5 communicate with each other.

  FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional structure of the negative pressure generating mechanism 3, and the membrane valve 31 is formed as a diaphragm having a thick part around it, and the through hole 35 is elastically projected to the convex part 34 by a spring 47. It is touched. The spring 47 is set so that its elastic pressure can maintain the negative pressure of the ink to the recording head and supply ink following the recording operation.

  FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the connection unit 50 provided in the recording apparatus main body, and the ink cartridge 1 is provided in the main body 53 having walls 51 and 52 that match the shapes of the front surface and the bottom surface of the ink cartridge 1. The first air communication connection port 4 and the ink supply connection port 5 are accommodated, and recesses 54 and 55 are formed for retreating the valve bodies 10 and 20 respectively.

  The recess 54 that engages with the atmosphere communication connection port 4 is opened to the atmosphere via a capillary 57 formed on the surface of the main body, and the recess 55 is connected to the recording head 59 via a communication hole 58. .

  In such a configuration, when the ink cartridge filled with ink is inserted into the recesses 54 and 55 of the connection unit 50 as shown in FIG. The valve is opened by being pressed by the walls 54a and 55a of 55. Thereby, the ink chamber 2 of the ink cartridge 1 communicates with the atmosphere via the capillary 57, and the ink in the ink chamber 2 can be supplied to the recording head 59 from the communication hole 58.

When ink is consumed by the recording head 59 due to printing and the negative pressure at the ink supply connection port 5 increases, the pressure difference between the front and back of the membrane valve 31 increases, so the membrane valve 31 that has received the ink pressure in the ink chamber 2. Is separated from the convex portion 34 against the urging force of the spring 47. As a result, the through hole 35 of the membrane valve 31 is opened, the through hole 39 and the through hole 42 communicate with each other, and ink flows into the ink supply connection port 5.
When ink flows into the recording head 59 and the negative pressure of the ink supply connection port 5 becomes small, the membrane valve 31 is pressed against the convex portion 34 by the biasing force of the spring 47 and the through hole 35 is sealed by the convex portion 34. The Thereafter, the membrane valve 31 repeats contact and separation with the convex portion 34 so that the ink pressure at the ink supply connection port 5 becomes a constant negative pressure.

  On the other hand, when the ink cartridge is removed from the connection unit in order to change the print mode or the like, the valve bodies 10 and 20 of the respective connection ports 4 and 5 lose their support and are closed by the springs 14 and 24, and the ink chamber 2. Is blocked from the atmosphere, so that leakage of ink and volatilization of the ink solvent can be prevented even when the recording apparatus is removed from the recording apparatus during use, and long-term storage is possible.

It should be noted that the tip 11a of the slide shaft 11 of the atmosphere communication connection port 4 is long enough to be pressed by the wall of the recess 54 at a relatively earlier time than the tip 21a of the slide shaft 21 of the ink supply connection port 5. By forming a protrusion or the like on the wall 54a, it is possible to prevent inconvenience due to the pressure difference between the ink chamber and the atmosphere, that is, leakage of ink and air suction through the recording head 59. Can do.
That is, when the ink cartridge is mounted, the atmosphere communication connection port 4 is opened first, and then the ink supply connection port 5 is opened.
When the ink cartridge is removed, the ink supply connection port 5 is first closed, and then the atmosphere communication connection port is closed.

  FIGS. 8 and 9 show other embodiments of the ink cartridge 1 'of the present invention. In this embodiment, the ink supply connection port 5' is formed as a simple opening. Also in this embodiment, until the ink cartridge 1 is mounted in the connection unit 50 ′, the valve body 10 of the atmosphere communication connection port 4 is kept closed by the biasing force of the spring 14, and the negative pressure generating mechanism Since the third membrane valve 31 also maintains the closed state, the ink in the ink chamber 2 does not leak out from the ink supply connection port 5 ′.

  On the other hand, the connection unit 50 ′ is formed with a recess 60 having a flow path 58 communicating with the recording head 59 as shown in FIG. 10, and the ink cartridge 1 ′ is mounted as shown in FIG. Then, the valve body 10 is pressed by the wall 54a of the recess 54 to open the valve. Thereby, the ink chamber 2 of the ink cartridge 1 communicates with the atmosphere via the capillary 57, and the ink in the ink chamber 2 can be supplied to the recording head 59 from the communication hole 58.

  Also in this embodiment, the ink chamber 2 is shut off from the atmosphere by the valve body 10 of the connection port 4 and the negative pressure generating mechanism 3, so that even if the ink chamber 2 is removed from the recording apparatus during use, ink leakage or ink solvent Volatilization can be prevented and long-term storage becomes possible. More preferably, the ink supply connection port 5 ′ is sealed with a cap or the like to prevent the ink attached near the supply port 5 ′ from being dried.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the ink cartridge of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows one Example of an ink cartridge same as the above. It is an assembly exploded perspective view of an ink cartridge same as the above. FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the ink flow of the negative pressure generating mechanism of the ink cartridge, respectively. It is a figure which shows the cross-section of a negative pressure generation mechanism same as the above, and the flow of ink. It is a partial cross section figure which shows one Example of a connection unit. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a state where an ink cartridge is mounted on a connection unit. It is a figure which shows the other Example of the ink cartridge of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows one Example of an ink cartridge same as the above. It is a partial cross section figure which shows one Example of the connection unit suitable for an ink cartridge same as the above. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a state where an ink cartridge is mounted on a connection unit.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink cartridge 2 Ink chamber 3 Negative pressure generating mechanism 4 Atmospheric communication connection port 5 Ink supply connection port 10, 20 Valve body 11, 21 Slide shaft 13, 23 Packing 14, 24 Spring 31 Membrane valve 50 Connection unit

Claims (10)

  An ink chamber, an atmosphere communication connection port communicating with the ink chamber and maintaining a normally closed state, and an ink supply connection port; and for supplying the ink while maintaining the ink in the ink chamber at a predetermined negative pressure state A negative pressure generating mechanism that discharges to the connection port, and each of the connection port for atmospheric communication and the connection port for ink supply are maintained in a valve-closed state when not attached to the recording apparatus, and are moved in one direction. Valve means for opening the valve when mounted on the recording apparatus by the above-mentioned, and the valve means provided in each of the atmosphere communication connection port and the ink supply connection port closes the valve body and the valve body. An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus comprising a spring biased in the direction.   2. The ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the atmosphere communication connection port is in communication with the atmosphere through a capillary formed in the recording apparatus in a state where the connection port is attached to the recording apparatus.   3. The ink jet recording according to claim 1, wherein the valve means of the connection port for ink supply is opened after the valve means of the connection port for atmosphere communication is opened at the time of mounting on the recording apparatus. Ink cartridge for the device.   The valve means of the connection port for ink supply is closed at the time of removal from the recording apparatus, and then the valve means of the connection port for air communication is closed thereafter. An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus according to the description.   2. The ink jet recording according to claim 1, wherein the air communication connection port communicates independently with a space above the ink chamber, and the ink supply connection port communicates independently with an ink containing region at a lower portion of the ink chamber. Ink cartridge for the device.   The connection port for atmosphere communication and the connection port for ink supply are configured as a cylindrical body, and a part of a slide shaft that drives the valve means is protruded so that the slide shaft is accommodated in the cylindrical body. Item 2. An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus according to Item 1.   The negative pressure generating mechanism includes a valve chamber communicating with the ink chamber, a valve body having a through hole and housed in the valve chamber, and a convex formed at a position of the valve chamber facing the through hole. The ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink cartridge is constituted by a portion.   The ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the valve body is in contact with the convex portion by an elastic means.   The ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a flow path forming member that also serves as a fixture for fixing the outer periphery of the valve body is accommodated in the valve chamber in a state in which an outer surface thereof is sealed with a film. .   The negative pressure generating mechanism accommodates a membrane valve and a flow path forming member that also serves as a fixture for fixing the outer periphery of the membrane valve in a valve chamber formed of a recess having a circular cross section, and the outer surface is sealed with a membrane. The ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink cartridge is formed as described above.

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