JP4246787B1 - Ink storage container - Google Patents

Abstract

An ink storage container having a simply configured ink exchange function is provided, whereby the amount of stored ink is increased. An air flow control unit for controlling the flow of air between the inside and outside is disposed in an ink storage unit for storing ink. The air flow control unit includes: a valve element that is formed of an interconnected porous material and allows air to be exchanged between the inside and outside of the ink storage unit according to positive and negative changes in the internal pressure of the ink storage unit; and a liquid repellent membrane that has air permeability and liquid repellency and is disposed on an ink side of the valve element.

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink storage container.

  Examples of ink storage containers include ink tanks for writing instruments and ink (tank) cartridges for inkjet printers. In response to the amount of ink consumed for writing and printing to form letters and images, outside air is taken into the tank and the air is exchanged so that changes in pressure in the tank do not adversely affect ink consumption. Examples of the mechanism include a mechanism in which a simple hole is formed as an outside air intake port, and a mechanism in which an air passage with a valve mechanism that vents air as necessary is formed.

  However, if a simple hole is provided as an outside air intake, ink from this hole may leak. In both writing instruments and ink jet printers, the ink ejection means such as the pen tip and the printer head have a water head pressure due to the weight of the ink (a liquid column that stands up to the liquid surface with the horizontal unit area at a height above the liquid surface as the bottom surface. Therefore, if the outside air intake port is simply a perforated one or a membrane that allows gas to pass but does not allow liquid to pass through, the ink tank or ink cartridge Since the inside becomes the same as the atmospheric pressure, there is a possibility that the ink may blow out from the ejection port due to the water head pressure described above. Therefore, it is necessary to hold the ink by disposing an ink occlusion body such as a sponge in at least a part of the ink storage part on the ink discharge port.

  However, when ink is held by an ink storage body such as a sponge as described above, the amount of ink retained is smaller than that of an empty ink storage section that does not have an ink storage body, and printing is performed by reducing the amount of ink in the same volume. The number decreases. Customers often have to change ink reservoirs. Further, in the commercial product, the amount of ink in the black ink storage container is usually larger than that of other colors, but this is realized simply by increasing the size of the storage container. This has led to an increase in printer size. As described above, the conventional ink storage container causes various wastes, and many improvement techniques have been proposed under the idea that a small valve element should be used.

  For example, an ink storage container has been proposed in which a vent path with a valve mechanism for venting air as needed is formed so as to be substantially incorporated in the upper lid portion of the storage container. The ink storage container can prevent the ink holding amount from being reduced as compared with the ink storage body disposed inside the container, and can prevent the ink from being blown out.

  Conventionally, as a technique having a vent passage with a valve mechanism for venting the air, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1, for example. The one described in Patent Document 1 relates to an ink cartridge, and a concave valve mounting portion formed on the lid mounting portion is provided with a valve body which is a communicating porous body, and a lid having an air passage hole is provided thereon. While storing, the protrusion part which has a slit-shaped opening is provided under the hole. Further, the valve body is enclosed in the valve mounting portion by bonding and fixing the lid to the lid mounting portion by ultrasonic welding.

  As a valve body with a plurality of valve lids, a communicating hole is basically formed using an elastic material, and the communicating hole is apparently blocked by compression. Therefore, it is possible to perform ink ejection control appropriate for both a minute pressure conversion and a large pressure conversion.

In the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, although there is air permeability, a gas permeable film having a liquid repellent treatment on the surface of the ink liquid surface is provided at the lower part of the one-way valve so as to prevent or prevent the passage of ink. An ink tank having an installed configuration is disclosed. Such a gas permeable film prevents ink from entering upward and adhering to the one-way valve.
JP 2001-277777 A JP-A-8-187874

  However, the valve body used in the ink reservoir described in Patent Document 1 has a slit-like opening formed in the side wall of the protruding portion, thereby suppressing ink from adhering to the valve body. For this reason, since the valve body is always in communication with the ink liquid surface side, even if a protrusion is present, the ink may contact the valve body depending on the reciprocating motion during printing or the posture of carrying the ink storage container. Or it will stick. When the ink comes into contact or the like, the communicating pore that vents is blocked by the ink, and the air permeability is reduced. If the ink comes into contact with the valve body in this way, it will hinder proper ink ejection control over a region from a slight pressure change to a large pressure change. If the air flow cannot be controlled properly due to this trouble, for example, when the ink storage container is used as a cartridge for an ink jet printer, factors such as ink running out and scumming due to lack of ink, and vice versa. This may cause leakage and excessive ink ejection.

  Further, when the lid is ultrasonically welded to the lid mounting portion, the valve body is hardened under the influence of heat, and the valve body itself is likely to be deformed due to stress caused by thermal deformation. As a result, there is also a problem that the air flow control function that should be inherently deteriorated, that the communication pores of the ultrafine structure of the valve body must be elastically deformed according to the pressure difference between the inside and outside air. Further, even if the valve body itself does not transmit ink, there is a problem that if the valve body is not properly held, ink leaks from the periphery of the valve body.

By the way, the valve body disclosed in Patent Document 1 is basically very excellent. Compact and bi-directional pressure control is possible, and there is no valve malfunction caused by dust adhesion like a plate valve or rubber bell-shaped valve. However, the only drawback is the variation in effective area due to liquid adhesion. Therefore, Patent Document 1 also provides some countermeasures against this . For example, the valve itself is manufactured with a liquid repellent material, or when it is not manufactured with a liquid repellent material, it is manufactured as a valve body having liquid repellency by performing a liquid repellent treatment after the manufacture. This prevents the ink from blocking the communication hole through which the valve body passes. However, this is difficult for the following reasons. That is, it is difficult to manufacture a continuous porous body or a compressed porous body having excellent elasticity in order to manufacture the valve body itself from a liquid repellent material such as a fluorine-based material. Also, when not manufactured with a liquid repellent material, and manufactured as a liquid repellent valve after the liquid repellent treatment, various environmental changes (for example, environmental changes such as temperature change, pressure change, impact, vibration, aging, etc.) However, it is difficult to process with a high degree of adhesion, and it is difficult to produce a continuous porous body or a compressed porous body with a liquid repellent film that is difficult to peel off.

  Further, although not known at the time of this application, the present inventors in the case of performing a liquid repellent treatment on the valve body and providing a protrusion having a slit-like opening on the side wall in accordance with the description in Patent Document 1. The initial test results show that a small amount of liquid adheres to a very shallow part of the valve, and then the liquid penetrates into the valve as the valve is repeatedly opened and closed, eventually inhibiting the opening and closing of the valve. It has been clarified that this causes performance variation and degradation. Further, when the temperature inside the ink storage container rises and the internal pressure rises with a slight amount of liquid adhering to a very shallow portion of the valve, the liquid also enters the valve due to the internal pressure. Even in intermittent use with a long interval, liquid invades into the valve, which eventually inhibits the opening and closing of the valve. As a result, the liquid repellent treatment and the intrusion suppression mechanism such as protrusions that have been considered to be sufficient in the past can prevent liquid intrusion into the valve, but long-term environment such as temperature change and pressure change. In response to changes, it has been found that it is difficult to completely prevent liquid from entering the valve or to maintain the function of the valve in the long term. By this test, the present inventors are not enough with the idea of “suppressing liquid intrusion into the valve” as in Patent Document 1, and need a new idea of “complete prevention of liquid intrusion into the valve”. Have also found.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and maximizes the utilization efficiency of the ink storage space in the ink storage container. In addition, the ink adheres to or contacts the valve body. While reliably blocking, the valve body itself is not exposed to thermal effects in the process of assembling the valve body, and damage to the air flow control function (air flow control function) of the valve body can be caused by incorporating it into the ink storage container. An ink storage container is provided that can maintain and improve the controllability of ventilation through the valve body, and can reliably perform appropriate ink discharge control over a range from a slight pressure change to a large pressure change. That is its main purpose.

  The present invention solves the above problems by the following means.

The present invention that achieves the above object is an ink storage container comprising an ink storage unit that stores ink and an air flow rate control unit that controls an air flow rate between the inside and outside of the ink storage unit, wherein the air flow rate control unit includes: By being made elastically deformable , a communicating porous valve body that exchanges air in both positive and negative directions according to changes in the internal pressure of the ink storage section, and an ink side of the valve body A pressure ring having a through-hole formed in the center thereof, and a liquid repellent film body that is disposed to contact the ink side of the pressure ring and has air permeability and liquid repellency. A gap for elastic deformation of the valve body is formed on both outer sides in the air passage direction of the valve body, and the liquid repellent film body, the pressing ring, and the valve body are held under pressure. An ink storage container.

  According to the present invention, since the air exchange function of the valve body and the liquid repellent function of the liquid repellent film body are separated and independent, both functions can be synergistically sustained over a long period of time. . Specifically, the valve body itself can maintain the air exchange function by avoiding adhesion of ink or the like to the valve body by the liquid repellent function of the liquid repellent film body. On the other hand, since the air exchange function according to the internal pressure change by the valve body leads to suppressing a sudden change in internal pressure, it can suppress deformation and damage of the liquid repellent film body due to air passing through the liquid repellent film body. And the liquid repellent function can be maintained. Also, if a liquid repellent is applied to the valve body itself, the air exchange function of the valve body may become unstable or the function of the valve body may change over time. The liquid repellent function may also deteriorate due to elastic deformation of the valve body. Therefore, by independently separating the valve body and the liquid repellent film body as in the present invention, it is possible to stabilize the quality of each of them at a high level for a long time.

  The liquid repellent film body, the pressure ring, and the valve body, which are components as the air flow rate control unit, are in a three-layered state. Thereby, the liquid repellent film body is flattened by the contact surface between the pressing ring and the liquid repellent film body, and it is possible to suppress the leakage of ink. On the other hand, since the peripheral edge of the valve body is held in an annular shape by the pressing ring, the air exchange function can be stably exhibited. In other words, by simply interposing the pressure ring between the valve body and the liquid repellent film body, it is possible to avoid the unevenness of the valve body from affecting the airtightness of the liquid repellent film body, while maintaining the valve body and elasticity. It is possible to easily ensure the deformation gap. Further, by holding the liquid repellent film body, the pressure ring, and the valve body under pressure, a uniform surface pressure is applied to the contact surfaces between the upper and lower surfaces of the liquid repellent film body with the counterpart member. In particular, since the valve body becomes an elastic body and the pressing ring is pressed against the liquid repellent film body side, it becomes possible to absorb the dimensional error of each member and the storage space, and the liquid repellent film body and the pressing ring are in close contact with each other. The degree is maintained at a very high level.

Further, according to the present invention, the valve body can spontaneously control the air exchange amount by detecting the change in internal pressure based on the amount of elastic deformation.

Furthermore, according to the present invention , this gap allows the valve body to be elastically deformed without receiving external contact. Of course, the liquid repellent film body is also arranged away from the valve body. When the internal pressure of the ink storage unit is higher than the external pressure, the valve body is elastically deformed toward the outside of the ink storage unit. When the internal pressure of the ink storage unit is lower than the external pressure, the valve body is elastically deformed toward the inside of the ink storage unit. As a result, the change in the internal pressure can be accurately detected by the valve body, and the air exchange control can be appropriately performed.

For example, if a part of the valve body is locally sandwiched, natural elastic deformation of the valve body is hindered, and it becomes difficult to accurately detect a change in internal pressure. In the present invention, the valve body can be appropriately deformed according to a change in internal pressure by holding the entire periphery of the valve body in a well-balanced manner by the annular pressing ring .

  An ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that, in the above invention, the valve body is a sheet material having a thickness of 0.5 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less.

If it is 0.5 mm or more, the rigidity of the portion that holds the valve body made of communicating porous material increases, so that the amount of air movement (leakage) from there can be reduced. Also, when the valve body is 0.5 mm or more, it becomes easy to produce a valve body that exhibits an air exchange function according to a change in pressure by utilizing its thickness, and in particular, air exchange control at a low pressure is also possible. It becomes. On the other hand, if it is 5.0 mm or less, the air flow path is prevented from becoming excessively complicated, and an appropriate air passage length is obtained, so that the response of air exchange is quick. As a result, it is possible to quickly supply ink and reduce printing blur.

  An ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that, in the above invention, the outer dimension of the valve body is 4 mm or more and 20 mm or less.

  In the case of 4 mm or more, since the area of the air exchange part in the center of the valve body can be increased, the influence of regulation from the surrounding holding part is reduced, and appropriate elastic deformation according to the pressure change becomes possible. Thereby, the responsiveness of air exchange improves with respect to the micro pressure change in the ink storage container. On the other hand, if it is 20 mm or less, it can suppress that the area of the air exchange part of the center of a valve body becomes large too much. This prevents the entire air exchange area of the valve body from being bent or deformed with respect to a slight pressure change in the ink storage container, so that the valve body is appropriate for the slight pressure change. It becomes possible to improve the responsiveness of air exchange by elastically deforming. Moreover, by doing in this way, it becomes possible to install a valve body in the narrow space of an upper cover.

  The ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that, in the above invention, the liquid repellent film body is made of fluororesin or fluororubber.

  In the ink storage container that achieves the above object, in the above invention, the liquid repellent film body has a plurality of micropores having a pore diameter of 5 μm or less and 0.01 μm or more, and the liquid repellent film body has a critical surface tension of 25 dym. / Cm or less.

  When the hole diameter is 5 μm or less, it is possible to suppress ink from entering the inside of the hole due to an impact such as dropping or vibration, and to stably exhibit the air exchange function. On the other hand, when the thickness is 0.01 μm or more, air exchange response is improved, ink is supplied smoothly, and printing blur can be reduced.

The ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that, in the above invention, the area of the through hole of the pressure ring is set to be smaller than the area of the release region on the side opposite to the ink of the valve body.

The pressure ring that increases the confidentiality of the liquid-repellent film body can be used effectively to make the amount of elastic deformation of the valve body asymmetrical inside and outside, as with the lower support ring described later. It becomes possible.

  The pressing ring is preferably made of metal. This is because the smoothness of the upper and lower surfaces of the pressing ring can be increased by using a metal material.

The present invention that achieves the above object is an ink storage container comprising an ink storage unit that stores ink and an air flow rate control unit that controls an air flow rate between the inside and outside of the ink storage unit, wherein the air flow rate control unit includes: A communicating porous valve body that allows positive and negative air exchange with the outside in response to a change in the internal pressure of the ink reservoir, and an ink side of the valve body relative to the ink body. And a liquid repellent film body having air permeability and liquid repellency, and on both outer sides in the air passage direction of the valve body, a gap for elastic deformation of the valve body is formed, The air flow rate control unit includes an annular lower support ring that is in contact with the ink side of the valve body and has a release hole formed in the center, and the area of the release hole of the lower support ring is the valve It is set narrower than the area of the release area on the anti-ink side of the body An ink reservoir, wherein the door.

  If it does in this way, the release hole which is the release area inside the valve body becomes narrower than the open area outside the valve body. The valve body is hardly elastically deformed on the ink side (inner side of the container), and is easily elastically deformed on the non-ink side (outside of the container). By making the amount of elastic deformation asymmetric in this way, it is possible to facilitate ventilation from the inside of the container to the outside of the container, to suppress ventilation from the outside of the container to the inside of the container, and to lower the pressure inside the ink storage unit. Is possible.

  The ink storage container that achieves the above object is the liquid repellent according to the above invention, wherein an object container is provided on the upper surface of the ink reservoir that stores ink, and the liquid repellent film is seated in the object container. A film body seating portion is formed, a vent is formed in a bottom portion of the object accommodating portion, and the air flow rate control portion is loaded in the object accommodating portion.

  According to such a configuration, since the air flow rate control unit is accommodated in a compact manner on the upper surface of the ink storage unit, the amount of ink that can be stored in the ink storage unit can be significantly increased.

  The ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that, in the above invention, an annular smooth surface that is in close contact with the liquid repellent film body is formed on the liquid repellent film body seating portion.

  According to such a configuration, the liquid repellent film body seating portion also forms a smooth surface, and therefore, the degree of adhesion of each contact surface between the upper and lower surfaces of the liquid repellent film body with the counterpart member is extremely high. For this reason, even if ink adheres to the liquid repellent film body, it becomes difficult for the ink to enter each of the contact surfaces. In particular, since the liquid repellent film body has low wettability, a high sealing function can be obtained when it adheres to a smooth surface, and ink can be prevented from entering. That is, by using this liquid repellent film body, air permeability and liquid repellency can be ensured by the central portion, and sealing characteristics can be secured around the periphery. Note that Teflon (registered trademark) is suitable as a material for the liquid repellent film body. Since the Teflon film body also has flexibility, adhesion with a smooth surface is increased, and both sealing properties and liquid repellency can be achieved at a high level.

  The ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that the liquid repellent film body seating portion is formed of an annular recess and is made of an olefin resin.

  According to such a configuration, since the olefin resin itself has low wettability, it is possible to suppress ink from entering the smooth surface of the liquid repellent film body seating portion. In addition, since the liquid repellent film body is received by the liquid repellent film body seating portion formed by the annular recess without being displaced, the work of incorporating the air flow rate control unit can be performed efficiently.

  The ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that, in the above invention, a cap is mounted on the upper surface side of the object container.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the air flow rate control unit from falling off by incorporating the air flow rate control unit into the object housing unit and finally covering with the cap. Also, the work of assembling the air flow rate control unit is extremely easy.

  In the ink storage container that achieves the above object, in the above invention, a plurality of vent holes are provided in a ceiling portion of the cap, and an annular recess for supporting the valve element is formed on a lower surface of the ceiling portion. A valve seat is provided.

  According to this configuration, since the valve body is supported by the valve body seating portion, the air flow control unit can be smoothly loaded and stored between the cap and the bottom of the object storage unit. Work can be done efficiently. In addition, since a plurality of vent holes are provided in the ceiling of the cap, when the ink storage container is replaced and replaced with the carriage in the printer recording device, ink that has accidentally adhered to the hand of the ceiling of the cap Even if it adheres to one vent hole provided in the valve seat, or any water droplets adhere to a part of the vent hole, the remaining vent hole can ensure the ventilation performance of the inside and outside air. The flow rate control function of the air flow rate control unit can be maintained satisfactorily. Further, since the valve body seating portion is formed of an annular recess, the valve body is received without being displaced from the valve body seating portion, so that it is possible to improve the assembling accuracy.

The present invention that achieves the above object is an ink storage container comprising an ink storage unit that stores ink and an air flow rate control unit that controls an air flow rate between the inside and outside of the ink storage unit, wherein the air flow rate control unit includes: A communicating porous valve body that exchanges air in both positive and negative directions according to a change in the internal pressure of the ink storage section, and is placed closer to the ink side than the valve body, A liquid repellent film body having liquid repellency, and an object storage portion is provided on an upper surface portion of the ink storage section, and the liquid repellent film body seats the liquid repellent film body in the object storage portion. A seat is formed, a vent is formed in the bottom of the object container, the air flow control unit is loaded in the object container, a cap is mounted on the upper surface side of the object container, A cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction from the periphery of the ceiling Has a peripheral surface portion, when mounting the cap on the object receiving portion, the ink lower end of the peripheral surface portion, characterized in that it functions as a contact with the stopper on the bottom of the object holding unit storage It is a container.

  According to such a configuration, since the lower end of the peripheral surface portion of the cap is formed so as to contact the bottom portion, when the cap is pushed in and the air flow control unit is loaded, the lower end serves as a stopper even if the pushing force is too strong. Function. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the valve body from being unnecessarily compressed or pulled by the cap, so that the valve body does not undergo distorted elastic deformation and the air flow control function of the valve body is impaired. It will be possible to prevent it.

  An ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that, in the above invention, an elastic hinge formed of an annular thin structure is provided at the base of the inner surface side of the peripheral surface portion of the cap, and the outer surface of the peripheral surface portion of the cap is engaged. An engagement portion is formed, and an engaged portion that can be fitted to the engagement portion is formed on the inner peripheral wall of the object housing portion.

  According to such a configuration, the elastic hinge formed on the inner side of the ceiling portion makes it easier for the peripheral surface portion to bend and deform with the base as a base. For this reason, when the cap is pushed into the recess and fitted, it can be pushed in smoothly without applying a force at the time of pushing into the valve body through the cap. In addition, since the deformation of the valve body seating portion (ceiling) that holds the valve body can be reduced, the valve body does not distort elastically, in other words, the elastic deformation that the valve body receives is minimized. Can be suppressed. In other words, the valve body can be loaded without impairing the air flow rate control function that should be inherently provided, and unnecessary ink leakage can be avoided.

  Further, since the engaging portion on the cap side is fitted to the engaged portion of the inner peripheral wall on the concave side, the cap does not slip out in the axial direction with respect to the concave portion, and is also prevented from rotating. As a result, since the cap is fitted into the recess without play in the recess, the cap is stably held without exerting external force on the air flow rate control unit formed by the valve body, the pressing ring, and the liquid repellent film body, It becomes possible to avoid impairing the air flow control function of the valve body.

The ink storage container that achieves the above object is the ink storage container according to the above invention, wherein the engaging portion formed by the engaging portion and the engaged portion is formed in a plurality of stages in the axial direction of the peripheral surface portion, and the plurality of fittings are formed. Among the joint portions, one fitting portion is prevented from coming off in the axial direction, and the other fitting portion is prevented from rotating in the circumferential direction.

  According to such a configuration, out of the fitting portions formed by the plurality of engaging portions and the engaged portion, one fitting portion functions to prevent axial disconnection, and another fitting portion. Since the section functions to prevent circumferential rotation, the air flow rate control section can be held more stably.

  In the ink storage container that achieves the above object, in the above invention, a tapered surface that is widened toward the bottom is formed on an inner edge of the vent hole formed in the bottom portion of the object container. It is characterized by that.

  According to such a configuration, even if ink adheres to the lower surface or the tapered surface of the liquid repellent film body, the ink is likely to be dripped into the container through the tapered surface, and the amount of ink adhering to the liquid repellent film body can always be suppressed. It becomes like this.

  The ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that, in the above invention, at least the tapered surface is subjected to a liquid repellent treatment.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to further reduce ink remaining on the tapered surface, and it is possible to suppress adhesion of ink to the liquid repellent film body.

  In the ink storage container that achieves the above object, in the above invention, a disk-shaped buffer portion that inhibits movement of ink toward the vent is disposed below the vent that is perforated in the bottom. A conical surface whose center protrudes toward the vent hole is formed on the vent hole side of the buffer portion.

  According to such a configuration, the buffer portion suppresses ink from flowing directly into the air flow rate control portion. Further, even when the ink adhering to the lower surface of the Teflon film is dropped on the buffer portion, it is easy to return to the inside of the container through this conical surface, and the ink can be prevented from staying.

  In addition, it is preferable that the said object accommodating part of an ink storage container is a recessed part formed in the upper surface part in the said ink storage part. If it does in this way, it becomes possible to assemble while dropping each member in order from the upper surface part side in the ink storage part, so that the work of assembling the air flow rate control part can be performed efficiently.

  The ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that, in the above invention, the distance from the upper surface of the valve body to the lower surface of the liquid repellent film body is 20 mm or less and 1.5 mm or more.

  According to this configuration, since the air flow rate control unit is configured to be small, the internal space of the ink storage unit can be expanded.

  An ink storage container that achieves the above object is characterized in that, in the above invention, the valve body is a compression body formed by compression-molding a continuous porous elastic material.

  In the ink storage container that achieves the above object, in the above invention, the minimum outer dimension of the area of the valve body that is released to the ink side is set to be twice or more the thickness of the valve body. It is characterized by.

  If it does in this way, it will become possible to elastically deform a valve body flexibly toward an air passage direction, and it will respond sensitively to a small internal pressure change, and it will become possible to exchange air. Specifically, the valve body slightly extends due to a small change in internal pressure, thereby expanding the porosity of the valve body and opening the air exchange path for ventilation.

  In the ink storage container that achieves the above object, in the above invention, a minimum outer dimension of an area of the valve body that is open inside the ink storage portion is set to 15 times or less of the thickness of the valve body. It is characterized by being.

  If it does in this way, it will become possible to elastically deform a valve body more flexibly toward an air passage direction, and it becomes possible to improve the responsiveness with respect to an internal pressure change.

  In the above invention, an ink storage container that achieves the above object is an ink cartridge for an ink jet printer.

  According to such a configuration, an ink cartridge for an ink jet printer can be manufactured at low cost.

Ink reservoir to achieve the above objects, in the invention, the internal pressure at the time of discharging the ink to the ink jet _printer, characterized in that it is set to -20mmH ₂ O~-350mmH 2 O.

  According to such a configuration, the inside of the cartridge can be maintained at an appropriate negative pressure during printing in the ink jet printer.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively utilize the internal space of the ink storage container. For example, the entire internal volume of the ink storage container can be used for ink storage without placing an ink occlusion body or other organs in the ink storage container. As a result, it is possible to reduce the replacement frequency of the ink cartridge as compared with a commercially available conventional product. Similarly, a smaller ink storage container can be used to achieve the same number of prints.

  In addition, according to the present invention, by providing a liquid repellent film having liquid repellency separately from the valve body, the valve body can be completely shielded from ink, and a stable air exchange function over a long period of time. Can be demonstrated.

In addition, the present invention prevents ink and the like from obstructing the ventilation control of the valve body, ensures a stable air flow control function, and is suitable for both small and large pressure changes. In addition, there is an advantage that the ink storage container can be manufactured at a low cost.

Hereinafter, an ink storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the case where the ink storage container in each of the following embodiments is applied to an ink cartridge for an ink jet printer will be described as an example.
(Ink storage container)

  FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an ink storage container 100 as an ink cartridge for an ink jet printer according to the first embodiment. The ink storage container 100 according to the first embodiment stores ink in an interior 11, and is installed on an upper surface portion 12 and a casing portion including a bottom surface 16, and is installed on the upper surface. An air flow rate control unit 20 that controls the air flow rate at the air vent 14 to the inside of the ink storage unit 10, and the ink stored in the inside 11 of the ink storage unit 10 is ejected from the ink ejection port 18. And an ink discharge section 30 that controls the above.

In the first embodiment, the air flow rate control unit 20 and the ink discharge unit 30 are arranged as a suitable example so as to face the ink storage container 100 via the ink storage unit 10, but this is not limitative. The arrangement of the air flow rate control unit 20 and the ink discharge unit 30 is determined. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, since the ink cartridge is for an ink jet printer, the ink discharge unit 30 is necessary. However, if the ink discharge unit 30 is used for other purposes, the ink discharge unit 30 may not be necessary. . In FIG. 1, the air flow rate control unit 20 is illustrated including a portion protruding from the upper surface of the ink storage unit 10, but the air flow rate control unit 20 is buried in the upper surface portion 12 of the ink storage unit 10. Alternatively, it is preferable from the viewpoint of space and the like that it is completely buried and the portion protruding from the upper surface portion 12 of the ink storage portion 10 is eliminated.
(Ink storage)

  An interior 11 of the ink storage unit 10 includes a vent 14 on the top surface 12 that is a casing, and an ink discharge port 18 on the bottom surface 16. A container other than the vent 14 and the ink discharge unit 18 is sealed by a casing. . The air vent 14 is provided with an air flow rate control unit 20 that controls the air flow rate of the air vent 14, and the ink discharge port 18 is provided with an ink discharge unit 30 that controls the ink discharge amount.

In the first embodiment, since it is preferable not to include an ink reservoir that causes a decrease in the amount of ink retained, the ink is stored in an empty space. However, the present invention is not limited to this. An ink occlusion body may be used for a part or all of the ink storage unit 10.
(Air flow control unit)

  FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the air flow rate control unit 20 and its surroundings. 2A to 2F are a schematic top view of members constituting the air flow rate control unit 20 described later, and a schematic cross-sectional view taken along a dotted line in the schematic top view.

  The air flow rate control unit 20 is made of an elastic material in which a plurality of micropores communicate with each other, and the amount of air passing through the plurality of micropores changes according to the pressure difference between the outside and the ink storage unit 10. A valve 22 having a function of controlling the air flow rate from the outside to the ink storage unit 10 by a change, and an ink-proof film 24 provided between the valve 22 and the ink storage unit 10 to prevent ink from reaching the valve 22. And a structure including Further, in the first embodiment, the air flow rate control unit 20 includes a flat plate (pressing ring) 26 having a hollow portion as an air layer forming member between the ink-proof film 24 and the valve 22, and the flat plate 26 is an ink-proof film. The structure is sandwiched between the valve 24 and the valve 22. Furthermore, a waterproof membrane 28 is provided between the valve 22 and the outside, and is a flat plate having a hollow portion and prevents moisture from reaching the valve 22. In the first embodiment, the waterproof membrane 28 and the flat plate 26 function as a fixing member that presses and fixes the valve 22, and the waterproof membrane 28 and the flat plate 26 include the upper lid (cap) 21 and the pedestal portion 23 (the vent hole). The structure is pressed by the end 25). The upper lid 21 is fastened with bolts via the base portion 23 and the upper surface portion 12 of the ink storage portion and the bolt holes 27, and the pressing force from the upper lid 21 and the reaction from the end portion 25 due to the fastening by the bolts are waterproof membranes. The valve 22 is pressed uniformly through the flat plate 26 and the flat plate 26.

  The valve 22 is made of an elastic material in which a plurality of micropores communicate with each other, and the amount of air passing through the plurality of micropores changes according to the pressure difference between the outside and the ink storage unit. Although it has a function of controlling the air flow rate to the ink storage unit, its material, structure, etc. are not particularly limited, and a valve having this function is disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 or commercially available. Can be obtained at The shape of the valve 22 is a substantially disc-shaped flat plate. Further, the valve 22 is set to have a thickness of 0.5 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less. When the thickness of the valve 22 is 0.5 mm or more, the rigidity of the outer peripheral portion that holds the valve 22 is increased, so that the amount of air movement (leakage) from there can be reduced. Further, when the valve 22 is 0.5 mm or more, it becomes easy to produce a valve body that exhibits an air exchange function according to a change in pressure by utilizing the thickness, and in particular, air exchange control at a low pressure is also possible. It becomes. On the other hand, when the thickness is 5.0 mm or less, the air flow passage in the valve 22 is prevented from becoming complicated in a transient manner, and the air passage response becomes quick because the air passage has an appropriate length. As a result, it is possible to quickly supply ink and reduce printing blur. Moreover, the outer dimension (diameter of a disc) of the valve 22 is set to 4 mm or more and 20 mm or less. When the outer dimension is 4 mm or more, the area of the air exchange part at the center of the valve 22 can be increased, so that the influence of regulation from the surrounding holding part is reduced, and appropriate elastic deformation according to the pressure change becomes possible. Thereby, the responsiveness of air exchange improves with respect to the micro pressure change in the ink storage part 10. On the other hand, when the outer dimension is 20 mm or less, it is possible to suppress the air exchange area at the center of the valve 22 from becoming too large. This prevents the entire air exchange area of the valve 22 from being bent or deformed with respect to a slight pressure change in the ink storage unit 10, and the valve 22 against the slight pressure change. By appropriately elastically deforming, it becomes possible to improve the responsiveness of air exchange. Moreover, by doing in this way, it becomes possible to accommodate the valve 22 in the narrow space of the upper lid.

  In the first embodiment, the valve 22 is a compression body so as not to have air permeability when compressed. In other words, the communicating porous body made of an elastic material is compressed until air permeability is lost, and the compressed porous body is made so that the air flow rate control function can be further exerted. In such a compressed porous body, a large number of irregular spaces formed by smashing and folding the elastic body constituting the communicating porous body are formed inside, but in the compressed state, the air permeability is lost. . However, since a large number of irregular spaces formed in the compressed porous body communicate with each other, when a pressure difference between the inside and the outside occurs, the compressed pores from the outside are generated due to a pressure difference greater than a predetermined pressure generated by the valve 22 extending. Air is pushed into the inside of the body, and the air deforms the valve while expanding the air holes connecting the networked space in the compressed porous body, so that the opposite side of the compressed porous body, that is, the ink storage unit 10 side. Produces breathability by moving to. This air flow rate (air flow rate) is determined by the ease of passage of the space networked in the compressed porous body. Therefore, when the pressure difference is large, the valve 22 expands greatly, and air passes through the space networked in the compressed porous body. It becomes easy to pass and the air flow becomes large. On the other hand, when the pressure difference is equal to or larger than the predetermined pressure difference and the pressure difference is small, the valve 22 extends small, the amount of air passing through the space networked in the compressed porous body is small, and the ventilation amount is small. When the pressure difference decreases due to ventilation by the valve 22, the valve 22 also contracts, and the ventilation amount decreases. Further, when the pressure difference is less than the predetermined pressure difference, the valve 22 is compressed again, and the air permeability of the valve 22 is lost. In this way, since the amount of air flow also depends on the magnitude of the pressure difference, it is possible to quickly and appropriately adjust the pressure to make the pressure in the ink storage unit 10 constant.

  In order to sufficiently exhibit this elastic deformation function, the minimum outer dimension W of the region of the valve 22 that is open to the ink side of the valve 22 is set to be twice or more the thickness T of the valve 22. . Specifically, the minimum outer dimension W is set to 15 times or less with respect to the thickness T. In this way, the valve 22 can be elastically deformed flexibly in the air passing direction, and air can be exchanged in response to a small change in internal pressure. For example, when the internal pressure decreases slightly, the valve 22 extends slightly inward, thereby expanding the porosity of the valve 22 and opening the air exchange path to vent inward.

The degree of the pressure difference between the outside (atmosphere) and the ink storage unit 10 may be determined by appropriately selecting the degree of communication porosity, the degree of compression, etc. When the pressure difference is less than 20 mmH ₂ O, there is no air permeability, and when the pressure difference is 20 mmH ₂ O or more, it is preferable to compress so as to have air permeability. Regarding the air exchange feature, the internal pressure at the ink reservoir 100 with respect to the ink-jet printer for discharging _ink, it is preferably set to -20mmH ₂ O~-350mmH 2 O. This is because the inside of the cartridge can be maintained at an appropriate negative pressure during printing in the ink jet printer.

  The elastic material constituting the valve 22 is sufficient if it has a plurality of micropores and passes through the micropores in a stretched state, and examples thereof include polypropylene, various rubbers, and various elastomers. In the case of a continuous porous body, a rubber and / or plastic raw material is mixed with an inert gas, a decomposable foaming agent, and a volatile organic liquid, and foam is formed by forming bubbles inside to form a continuous pore. And a rubber / plastic raw material in which inorganic particles such as calcium carbonate are kneaded and formed into a plate shape, and then the inorganic particles are eluted to form continuous pores. As raw materials, elastic materials such as natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, neoprene rubber, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene, polystyrene, polyamide, polyurethane, silicone resin, epoxy resin, phenol resin , Urea resin, fluorine resin, etc. It is. Among these, ether-based polyurethane resins and the like are preferable in view of durability against liquids, ease of formation of a continuous porous body, productivity, and the like.

  The elastic material constituting the valve 22 expands when a pressure difference is applied, and the pressure difference decreases when vented, and finally returns to its original state, and there is no ventilation. It is preferred that it be maintained. For this purpose, the compression set is preferably excellent in compression set characteristics. As another characteristic, it is preferable that the Young's modulus of the valve 22 is 1 MPa or more and 5000 MPa or less. The valve 22 preferably has a hardness of 30 or more and less than 100 as measured by an Asker F-type hardness meter.

  The valve 22 has a number of holes per unit length before compression of 4 / cm or more and 1000 / cm or less, so that the internal pressure can be easily adjusted. Furthermore, it is desirable that the molded article obtained by applying heat generated by heating or high frequency has a hardness of 20 or more and less than 100 when a disk-shaped body having a thickness of 8 mm is used as a specimen. . This compression tends to be surely blocked when the pressure difference is less than a predetermined value by setting the compression ratio to 5% to 40% of the thickness of the material before compression.

  The method of installing the valve 22 in the air control unit 20 is fixed by placing the valve 22 on a flat plate 26 and placing a waterproof membrane 28 as a hollow flat plate on the valve 22. It becomes possible to install simply by fixing in this way. In the first embodiment, the flat plate waterproof film 28 presses the valve 22 over a wide area as in the flat plate 26, so that the valve 22 can be pressed uniformly, the degree of elongation of the valve 22 becomes excessive, and the air flow becomes excessive. This can be prevented.

  Since the ink-proof film 24 is suitable in the first embodiment, a breathable liquid-repellent material is used. However, the ink-proof film 24 is not limited to this, and the ink component contacts the waterproof material and the valve 22. It is sufficient if it is a film that prevents the material, and a material having a large critical surface tension may be used. Breathability may not be necessary when the membrane does not block the entire vent 14 and at least partially penetrates it.

  The liquid repellent material used in the first embodiment may be a material that itself has air permeability. In particular, a liquid repellent material having a critical surface tension of 25 dyn / cm or less is preferable. As such a material, various resin films and inorganic films are used, and fluororesin, fluororubber and the like can be preferably used, and polytetrafluoroethylene is more preferable.

  The ink-proof film 24 has a plurality of fine holes communicating in consideration of air permeability, and the diameter of the plurality of fine holes is preferably 5 μm or less and 0.01 μm or more, more preferably 0.1 μm or less. is there. When the hole diameter is 5 μm or less, the ink can be prevented from entering the hole due to an impact such as dropping or vibration, and the air exchange function can be stably exhibited. On the other hand, when the thickness is 0.01 μm or more, the air exchange responsiveness is improved, the ink supply becomes smooth, and the printing blur can be reduced.

  The method of installing the ink-proof film 24 on the air flow rate control unit 20 is fixed by placing the flat plate 26 on the pedestal 25 so as to cover the vent hole 14. With such a fixing method, there is no environmental change such as temperature change, pressure change, impact, vibration, aging, etc., and there is no need to bond with an adhesive, and it is only necessary to place it. It is easy.

  The flat plate 26 is a substantially disc shape and the hollow portion is a substantially cylindrical through hole, and is a so-called donut-shaped flat plate. The flat plate 26 forms an air layer 29 between the ink-proof film 24 and the valve 22. This air layer is preferable because the air layer 29 is present even if it passes through the ink-preventing film 24, so that the ink stored in the ink storage unit 10 can be prevented from reaching the valve 22. In the first embodiment, a so-called donut-shaped flat plate is illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plate having a structure capable of forming the air layer 29 can be used instead. That is, any member shape and arrangement capable of forming an air layer between the ink-proof film 24 and the valve 22 can be substituted. In the first embodiment, as described above, a hollow substantially disk-shaped flat plate is used because the valve 22 is pressed uniformly.

  The waterproof film 28 is not particularly limited as long as it is a waterproof material that can ensure air permeability. Of course, even with liquid repellent materials such as fluororesin. In the first embodiment, a hollow, substantially disk-shaped flat plate (O-ring) is used, and the waterproof property is improved by forming an air layer, but this is not restrictive. The waterproof film 28 is placed on the flat plate 26 and fixed by being pressed by the upper lid 21.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the air flow rate control unit 20 is arranged in the order of the ink-proof film 24 / the flat plate 26 / the valve 22 / the waterproof film 28 / the upper lid 21 on the end portion 25 of the vent hole 14 in the base part 23. A simple fixing method of fixing the aggregate of the ink-proof film 24 / the flat plate 26 / the valve 22 / the waterproof film 28 by fixing the upper lid with a bolt hole 27 is possible. As described above, by adopting a simplified structure, the distance from the upper surface (anti-ink side surface) of the valve 22 to the lower surface (ink side surface) of the waterproof film 28 in the air flow control unit 20 is set to 20 mm or less and 1.5 mm or more. Is done. As a result, since the air flow rate control unit 20 is configured to be small, it is possible to widen the internal space of the ink storage unit 10 and it is necessary to place an ink occlusion body and other organs in the ink storage unit 10. Therefore, the entire internal volume of the ink storage unit 10 can be used for ink storage.

According to the first embodiment, ink can be prevented from reaching the valve 22 by the ink layer 24 and further by the air layer formed by the flat plate 26, and the air flow rate can be controlled with higher accuracy. Further, the waterproof film 28 can prevent moisture from the outside air from reaching the valve 22 and can control the air flow rate with higher accuracy. Further, since the valve 22 is pressed uniformly by a flat plate from both sides over a wide area, the expansion / contraction change amount can be controlled with higher accuracy, and the air flow rate can be controlled with higher accuracy.
(Ink ejection part)

  FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the ink discharge unit 30 and its periphery.

  The ink discharge unit 30 is provided at the ink discharge port 18 of the ink storage unit 10, and is a pressure contact body 32 that is press-contacted when ink is supplied to the ink-jet printer, and a movable valve that is joined and integrated with the pressure contact body 32. 34 mainly. The ink discharge port 18 is provided with protrusions 19a, 19b, 19c protruding from the bottom surface 16 toward the center of the ink discharge port 18, and the joint body of the pressure contact body 32 and the moving valve 34 moves except when ink is supplied. The lower end 36 of the end portion of the valve 34 is in a state installed on the protruding portion 19c.

  The moving valve 34 is a waterproof member such as a metal that prevents ink leakage from the ink discharge port 18 via the pressure contact member 32. However, when the ink is not supplied, the movement valve 34 is located between the protrusions 19a and 19b. A through-hole 38 is provided at a portion in contact with the integrated pressure contact body 32. When ink is not supplied, the ink in the ink storage unit 10 is prevented from leaking from the ink discharge port 18 by the upper surface 39 and the protrusion 19a of the moving valve 34.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3A, the joint body of the pressure contact body 32 and the movable valve 34 is pushed up to the ink storage unit 10 internal method by the corresponding member 40 of the ink jet printer by installing it in the ink jet printer when supplying ink. Become. Then, at least a part of the through-hole 38 moves upward from the protruding portion 19a, and the ink is indicated by the arrow to the press contact body 32 through the portion of the through-hole 38 moved upward from the protruding portion 19a. Then, the ink flows into the pressure contact body 32, and ink is similarly supplied from the pressure contact body 32 to the corresponding member of the ink jet printer.

  When the joint body of the press contact body 32 and the moving valve 34 is removed from the ink jet printer, the lower end 36 returns to the state where it is placed on the protruding portion 19c, thereby preventing the ink from leaking again. Leakage from the end portion of the ink discharge port 18 is prevented not only by the protrusion 19a but also by 19b and 19c. In addition, the structure which prevents the ink leakage by not providing the protrusion parts 19a and 19b, and making the side surface of the movement valve 34 contact the side wall of the ink discharge port 18 may be sufficient.

  By providing such an ink discharge section 30, it is possible to prevent ink leakage from the ink discharge port 18 without using an ink occlusion body. In addition, when ink is supplied, the ink is promptly passed through the through-hole 38 and the pressure contact body 32. It can be supplied to an inkjet printer.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a modification of the ink discharge unit 30 and its periphery.

  The ink discharge unit 30 is provided at the ink discharge port 18 of the ink storage unit 10 and mainly includes a moving valve 34 that moves when ink is supplied to the ink jet printer. The ink discharge port 18 includes a protruding portion 19 c that protrudes from the bottom surface 16 toward the center of the ink discharge port 18.

The moving valve 34 includes a lower valve 33 and an upper surface 39, and the lower valve 33 and the upper surface 39 are connected by a spring 35 that is an elastic body. Ink is prevented from leaking out by the lower valve 33 except when ink is supplied.

The movement valve 34 is provided with a through hole 38 on a side surface. As shown in FIG. 4A, the lower valve 33 of the moving valve 34 is installed in the ink jet printer at the time of ink supply, so that the spring 35 is moved upward from the protruding portion 19c by the corresponding member 40 of the ink jet printer. Ink is ejected as shown by the arrow through the generated gap, and the ink is supplied to the corresponding member 40 of the inkjet printer.

  When the lower valve 33 is removed from the ink jet printer, the spring 35 extends to return to a position substantially the same as the protruding portion 19c, thereby preventing ink leakage again.

  As in the above modification, by providing the ink discharge portion 30, it is possible to prevent ink leakage from the ink discharge port 18 without using the ink occlusion body and the pressure contact body, and the ink penetrates promptly when ink is supplied. The ink can be supplied to the ink jet printer through the port 38 and the pressure contact body 32.

  Next, 2nd Embodiment of this invention is described based on FIGS. The same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment are assigned to the same or equivalent members as those in the first embodiment. As shown in the longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 5, the ink storage container 100 is formed of a main body portion 10a formed of an appropriate synthetic resin material and an upper surface portion 10b fitted with a lid on the main body portion 10a. , B parts are connected to each other. The ink storage container 100 is a rectangular parallelepiped having a small depth with respect to the vertical dimension, and two chambers 11a and 11b are provided in the inside 11 by a partition wall 10d having a through hole 10c at the bottom. Further, an air flow rate control unit 20 (to be described later) is provided in the A part, and an ink discharge part 30 is provided in the C part.

  Part A of FIG. 5 shows a part where the air flow rate control unit 20 is provided, and the outline of the configuration of the recess 10e in which the air flow rate control unit 20 is loaded will be described with reference to FIGS. That is, a recessed portion 10e having a circular cross section that is depressed is formed in the upper surface portion 10a, and the recessed portion 10e is covered with a cap 50. The bottom 10f of the recess 10e has a vent 14 communicating with the inside 11 of the container at the center thereof, and a buffer 10h is provided below the vent 14 via a slit 10g. In addition, the upper surface of the buffer part 10h is formed with a conical surface whose center protrudes toward the vent 14 and has a structure in which ink does not stay easily. The bottom 10f is provided with a Teflon film body seating portion 10i and a lower end receiving portion 10j. The Teflon film body seating portion 10 i is an annular recess (annular step) that positions and receives the Teflon film body 24 that is a component of the air flow rate control unit 20. The lower end receiving portion 10j is an annular groove provided concentrically on the outer periphery of the Teflon film body seating portion 10i, and has a structure for receiving the lower end of the peripheral surface portion 50a of the cap 50. Therefore, when the cap 50 is attached to the recess 10e, the lower end of the peripheral surface portion 50a temporarily functions as a stopper by coming into contact with the lower end receiving portion 10j. As a result, at the time of assembly, it is possible to suppress the overload from acting on the valve body 22 and the Teflon film body 24, and it is possible to suppress the function deterioration of the air flow rate control unit 20. After the assembly is completed, the cap 50 is biased upward by the restoring force of the air flow rate control unit 20, so that a minute gap is formed between the lower end of the peripheral surface portion 50a of the cap 50 and the lower end receiving portion 10j. Is done. In this way, the air flow rate control unit 20 is loaded in an internal space formed by attaching the cap 50 to the recess 10e. Hereinafter, the configuration around the air flow rate control unit 20 will be specifically described.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the air flow rate control unit 20 is placed on the Teflon membrane body seating portion 10 i, has air permeability, and is a disc-shaped Teflon membrane body subjected to a liquid repellent treatment. (Corresponding to the ink-proof film of the first embodiment) 24 and a through-hole mounted on the upper surface of the Teflon film body 24, having flat surfaces on both upper and lower surfaces, and having an inner diameter corresponding to the vent hole 14 An annular (washer-like) pressure ring (corresponding to the flat plate of the first embodiment) 26 provided at the center of 26a and an upper surface of the pressure ring 26, and air is not normally circulated, but the internal pressure of the interior 11 An elastically deformable communicating porous valve body (corresponding to the valve of the first embodiment) 22 that allows air exchange with the outside in accordance with changes. These three members 24, 26, and 22 are stacked in order from the bottom to form the air flow rate control unit 20.

  The valve body 22 has substantially the same configuration as the valve 22 of the first embodiment. That is, the valve body 22 is configured as a disk-like compressed porous body made of polyurethane or the like, for example, and in a normal time when there is no pressure difference between the inside 11 and the outside, the air permeability is blocked and air does not enter and exit. However, when a pressure difference of a predetermined value or more is generated, the valve element 22 is extended by a slight elastic deformation, and this causes the micropores to be expanded to cause air permeability, so that the pressure increases from the high pressure side to the low pressure side. The function of controlling the air flow rate is exhibited by the inflow of air.

  Further, unlike the flat plate 26 of the first embodiment, the pressing ring 26 is formed using a metal as a material. As a result, the smoothness of the upper and lower surfaces of the pressure ring 26 is increased, and a uniform surface pressure acts on the valve body 22 and the Teflon film body 24 to increase the close contact between the contact surfaces, thereby preventing the ink from leaking. I try to prevent it.

  Further, unlike the ink-proof film 24 of the first embodiment, the Teflon film body 24 is formed from a sheet-like material made of Teflon, and its liquid repellency makes it difficult to attach ink as much as possible. ing.

  The Teflon membrane body seating portion 10i is formed of an olefin resin material and is formed as a smooth surface with increased smoothness. When the Teflon membrane body 24 is seated on the seating portion 10i, the Teflon membrane body 24 is formed. Is set so as to prevent the ink from entering between the contact surfaces as much as possible. In addition, an annular protrusion 10k that is partitioned from the lower end receiving portion 10j is formed around the Teflon membrane seating portion 10i so that the Teflon membrane 24 is not displaced in the lateral direction, and a cap 50 described later. It is made to function also as a guide which makes the approach of the surrounding surface part smooth (refer FIG. 7). In particular, since the olefin resin material has low wettability, the liquid repellent effect is high. Therefore, the ink cannot enter the gap by being in close contact with the Teflon film body 24. In addition, although there exist various raw materials, such as a polypropylene and polyethylene, as an olefin resin, a polypropylene is employ | adopted in this embodiment.

  Next, the structure of the cap 50 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the cap 50 is formed of a resin material having an appropriate rigidity, and includes a circular ceiling portion 50 a and a cylindrical peripheral surface portion 50 b extending in the axial direction from the periphery thereof. Have. The ceiling 50a is formed with a valve body seating portion 50c having a flat surface at a position facing the Teflon membrane body seating portion 10i, and three vent holes 50d are provided in the valve body seating portion 50c. However, the number of the air holes is not limited to three, and a plurality of air holes may be used.

  Moreover, the elastic hinge P formed in thin wall is provided in the corner | angular part inside the ceiling part 50a and the surrounding surface part 50b, in other words, the periphery (base of the inner peripheral side of the surrounding surface part 50b) of the lower surface side of the ceiling part 50a. In this manner, the peripheral surface portion 50b is easily elastically deformed with the hinge P existing in the vicinity of the outside of the circular protrusion 50e forming the valve body seating portion 50c as a base point. Further, the lower end of the peripheral surface portion 50b is formed so as to be in contact with the lower end receiving portion 10j, and the pushing amount of the cap 50 is limited to be constant by the lower end being in contact with the lower end receiving portion 10j. 20 is prevented from being overcompressed.

  Next, the configuration of the mutual relationship between the cap 50 and the recess 10e in the D part of FIG. 7 will be described. That is, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in FIGS. 9 and 10 in which the portion D is enlarged, the outer surface of the peripheral surface portion 50b of the cap 50 is shelf-like in order from the top in the axial direction (cross-sectional wedge shape or cross-sectional sawtooth shape). An engaging portion is formed in the circumferential direction, which is composed of a first engaging portion 50f protruding in a straight line and a second engaging portion 50g protruding in a gentle mountain shape. The first engaging portion 50f is formed with an inclined surface 50f1, so that the cap 50 can be pushed in smoothly together with the second engaging portion 50g. On the inner peripheral wall of the recess 10e, engaged portions that engage with the engaging portion, that is, a first engaged portion 10l and a second engaged portion 10m are formed in the inner peripheral direction, thereby A fitting portion that engages with the first engaging portion 50f and the second engaging portion 50g is formed.

  In this way, when the cap 50 is pushed into the recess 10e to cover it, the peripheral surface portion 50b enters the recess 10e while being deformed with the elastic hinge P as the center, and is shown by the cross hatching portion of FIG. As described above, the first engaging portion 50f bites into the first engaged portion 10l and the second engaging portion 50g bites into the second engaged portion 10m. As a result, the fitting of the first engaging portion 50f and the first engaged portion 10l prevents the cap 50 from coming off in the axial direction due to the wedge effect, and the second engaging portion 50g and the second engaged portion are prevented. The fitting with the joint portion 10m prevents the cap from rotating in the circumferential direction due to the wideness of the contact surface property.

  6 and 7, the Teflon film body 24 is placed on the Teflon film body seating portion 10i, the pressing ring 26 is placed thereon, and the valve body 22 is placed thereon. The air flow rate control unit 20 stacked in three layers is loaded into the recess 10e. Thereafter, the valve body seating portion 50c is applied to the upper surface of the valve body 22, and the cap 50 is pushed in to close the lid, whereby the air flow rate control unit 20 is stored and held in a state of being pressed by the recess 10e.

  In the above description, the engaging portion, that is, the fitting portion is formed by the first engaging portion and the first engaged portion, and the second engaging portion and the second engaged portion. As long as the fitting portion has a function of preventing the 50 from coming off and rotating, the fitting portion may be formed by one engaging portion and one engaged portion that can be engaged therewith. Of course. In the above description, the first engagement portion 50f is set upward and the second engagement portion 50g is set downward. Needless to say, the vertical positional relationship can be reversed. Similarly, although the case where the engaging portion is formed on the peripheral surface portion 50b side and the engaged portion is formed on the concave portion 10e side is shown here, these relationships may be reversed.

  The upper surface part 10b into which the air flow rate control part 20 is incorporated is fitted and fixed to the main body part 10a as shown in part B of FIG. As shown in FIG. 11 in which the B portion is enlarged, the bulging portion 10b1 formed on the upper surface portion 10b side and the bulging portion 10a1 formed on the main body portion 10a side are fitted to the mating member. It is fixed by that. In addition, as shown in the crossed hatched portion, the protrusion 10b2 formed over the entire periphery of the upper surface portion 10b bites into the inclined portion formed over the entire periphery of the main body 10a, so that ink does not leak to the outside. Is sealed.

  Next, the ink discharge unit 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 12. In FIG. 12, the pressure contact body 32 is not shown. The ink discharge unit 30 is configured to have substantially the same function as the ink discharge unit 30 in the first embodiment. That is, a discharge port 18 having a circular cross section protrudes from the bottom surface 16, and a movable valve 34 that can move up and down is accommodated therein. The moving valve 34 is composed of a small-diameter lower valve portion 34a and a large-diameter upper valve portion 34b. The pressure contact body 32 is accommodated in the lower valve portion 34a so as to be integrated as shown by hatching in FIG. Yes. The pressure contact member 32 is made of a material known per se that allows ink to pass therethrough. A guide portion 16a having a slit is erected on the bottom surface 16 outside the upper valve portion 34b. Thereby, the movement valve 34 integral with the press contact body 32 can be moved up and down by being guided by the discharge port 18 and the guide portion 16a.

  A protrusion 18 a is provided on the inner periphery of the discharge port 18 and is in pressure contact with the moving valve 34. Further, the moving valve 34 is formed with an inclined surface 34d along the circumferential direction on the outer surface of the intermediate wall 34c, that is, the boundary between the lower valve portion 34a and the upper valve portion 34b, and is formed on the seal portion 18b on the discharge port 18 side. It comes to contact. Further, the lower valve portion 34a is provided with a through-hole port 38 so that the interior 11 and the press contact body 32 communicate with each other when the moving valve 34 is raised.

  On the other hand, the coil spring 60 is contracted between the intermediate wall 34c of the moving valve 34 and the upper surface portion 10b, and always urges the moving valve 34 downward.

  Thus, in the case where the ink storage container 100 is not set on the carriage on the ink jet printer (not shown), the moving valve 34 is pushed down in the axial direction (downward) by the spring reaction force of the coil spring 60, and the inclined surface 34d is formed. By contacting the seal portion 18b, the ink sealed in the inside 11 is prevented from leaking to the outside.

  When the ink storage container 100 is loaded in the carriage, a corresponding portion (not shown) in the carriage of the ink jet printer pushes the moving valve 34 upward against the spring reaction force of the coil spring 60 via the pressure contact body 32. As a result, the movement valve 34 integral with the press contact body 32 moves upward while being guided by the guide portion 16 a and the protruding portion 18 a, and the through-hole 38 communicates with the interior 11. In this way, the ink in the ink storage container 100 is supplied to the ink jet printer side via the pressure contact body 32.

  According to the second embodiment, the valve corresponding to the air flow rate control unit of the second embodiment is fixed by fixing the cap 50 to the recess 10e by ultrasonic welding as in the technique described in Patent Document 1. Unlike the technique of storing and fixing in the recess, the air flow rate control unit 20 can be stored in the recess 10e with a simple configuration by simply covering with the cap 50. As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the air flow control function that the air flow control unit 20 should originally have is impaired.

  Further, in the second embodiment, a Teflon film body 24 is provided at the lower portion of the pressing ring 26, thereby preventing the valve body 22 from being directly exposed to the ink side via the vent hole 14. Therefore, there is an advantage that ink adhesion to the valve body 22 can be effectively prevented.

  Moreover, in 2nd Embodiment, since it comprised so that the cap 50 could be pushed in using the structure which the surrounding surface part 50b bends and deforms on the basis of the elastic hinge P, without giving unnecessary external force to the valve body 22 The positioning and fixing can be performed in the recess 10e. Further, since the cap is mechanically fixed, it is not necessary to apply a thermal load due to ultrasonic welding or the like to the valve body 22. As a result, the air flow rate control function in the valve body 22 can be fixed without any loss, and as a result, the ink storage container 100 can be manufactured at low cost.

  In addition, once the air flow rate control unit 20 is fixed by the cap 50, the air flow rate control unit 20 is in a state of being pinched between the cap 50 and the bottom portion 10f. Even if there is distortion, the pressure applied to the Teflon film body 24 is made uniform by the pressing ring 26, so that the degree of adhesion is kept extremely high. Therefore, there is an advantage that ink can smoothly be prevented from entering the contact surface between the Teflon film body 24 and the bottom portion 10f and the contact surface between the Teflon film body 24 and the pressing ring 26.

  In the second embodiment, even if the ink enters through the contact surface between the Teflon film body 24 and the pressing ring 26, an air layer (gap layer) formed by the through hole 26a of the pressing ring 26 is used. The presence of 29 also has an advantage of preventing the ink from adhering to the lower surface of the valve body 22. For this reason, it is possible to avoid clogging of the ultrafine holes due to the ink adhesion of the valve body 22 and maintain the air flow rate control function of the air flow rate control unit 20 by the valve body 22.

  Further, since the pressing ring 26 is made of metal, the smoothness of the upper and lower surfaces is enhanced, and the smooth surface is also formed in the Teflon film body seating portion 10i. The contact surface between the mating member and the mating member has a high degree of adhesion, and there is an advantage that ink can be prevented from entering between the Teflon film body 24 and the Teflon film body seating portion 10i.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the Teflon membrane body seating portion 10i and the valve body seating portion 50c are arranged to face each other, and the both seating portions are formed by annular recesses, so that the air to the recess 10e Since the loading of the flow rate control unit (Teflon membrane body, pressing ring, and valve body) 20 can be incorporated without misalignment, there is a practical effect that the assembling work can be simplified.

  Further, the lower end portion of the peripheral surface portion 50b of the cap is formed so as to be able to contact the lower end receiving portion 10j, and thus functions as a stopper. For this reason, even if the cap 50 is pushed in excessively, it is possible to prevent the valve body 22 from being subjected to forced compression or tensile deformation by the stopper function, and it is possible to prevent the air flow rate control function of the valve body from being impaired.

  Furthermore, in the second embodiment, since the three vent holes 50d are provided in the valve seat 50c, for example, even if ink that has accidentally adhered to the hand adheres to the ceiling 50a, the remaining other holes The ventilation hole is advantageous because it can ensure the ventilation performance of the inside and outside air.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the fitting of the first engaging portion 50f and the first engaged portion 10l prevents the cap 50 from coming off in the axial direction, and the second engaging portion 50g. And the second engaged portion 10m are fitted to prevent the cap from rotating in the circumferential direction. For this reason, since the valve body 22 is housed without being displaced in the recess 10e by the cap 50, the valve body 22 can stably maintain the initial clamped loading state, and as a result, the air flow rate control function Can be prevented.

  Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the first and second embodiments, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and design changes and the like within a scope not departing from the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. It is included in the range.

  For example, as in the modification shown in FIG. 13, it is also possible to form a tapered surface 14 a that expands in a divergent shape (conical surface shape) in the vent hole 14 as it goes downward. In this case, an appropriate number of grooves along the circumferential direction or the generatrix direction may be provided on the tapered surface 14a. It is also preferable to perform a liquid repellent treatment on at least the tapered surface 14a. By setting it as such a structure, the ink adhering to the lower surface of the Teflon film body 24 or the taper surface 14a can be dripped efficiently.

  Further, in the second embodiment and the modification thereof, the concave portion 10e is formed so as to be recessed from the upper surface portion 10b, but instead of the upper surface portion as in another modification example shown in FIG. You may make it the aspect by which the air flow control part 20 is accommodated in the protrusion part 70 which protrudes upwards from 10b. Furthermore, although the case where the buffer part 10h was provided in the vicinity of the vent hole 14 was shown in the said 2nd Embodiment, this invention is not limited to it, Of course, it is also possible not to provide the buffer part 10h.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same or equivalent members as those in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those used in the second embodiment, and different points will be mainly described.

  The air flow rate control unit 20 has a disk-like Teflon film body 24 that has air permeability and has been subjected to a liquid repellent treatment, and is placed on the upper surface of the Teflon film body 24 and has flat surfaces on both upper and lower surfaces. And an annular (washer-like) pressing ring 26 having a through hole 26a as a center, and a valve body 22 mounted on the upper surface of the pressing ring 26. These three members 24, 26, and 22 are stacked in order from the bottom to form the air flow rate control unit 20.

  Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the pressing ring 26 is disposed so as to contact the ink side (lower surface side) of the valve body 22, and the area of the through hole 26 a of the pressing ring 26 is opposite to that of the valve body 22. The ink side (upper surface side) open area, that is, the total area of the three vent holes 50 d formed in the cap 50 is set to be narrower.

In this way, the through hole 26a , which is the release area on the lower side of the valve element 22, is narrower than the open area on the upper surface side of the valve element 22, so that the valve element 22 is closer to the ink side (inner side of the container). Is not easily elastically deformed, and is easily elastically deformed on the side opposite to the ink (outside the container). By making the elastic deformation amount asymmetric in this way, as a result, as shown in FIG. 16, ventilation (outflow) from the inside of the container to the outside of the container is facilitated, and ventilation (inflow) from the outside of the container to the inside of the container is facilitated. Can be suppressed, and the pressure inside the ink storage section can be further reduced.

Although the case where the pressure ring 26 is effectively used and the size of the through hole 26a is reduced to make the air exchange amount asymmetric with respect to the pressure difference between the inside and outside is shown here, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, an annular lower support ring 90 is inserted between the valve body 22 and the pressing ring 26, and an upper support ring 92 is inserted between the valve body 22 and the cap 50. May be. By reducing the area of the release hole 90a of the lower support ring 90 relative to the area of the release hole 92a of the upper support ring 92, the elastically deformable area of the valve element 22 becomes asymmetrical in the vertical direction. It becomes possible to make the inside of a storage part into a low pressure further.

  The present invention can be used as an ink storage container, particularly an ink cartridge for an ink jet printer.

It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the ink storage container which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. Similarly, it is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an air flow rate control unit and its periphery. Similarly, it is a schematic diagram of components in the air flow rate control unit. Similarly, it is a schematic diagram of components in the air flow rate control unit. Similarly, it is a schematic diagram of components in the air flow rate control unit. Similarly, it is a schematic diagram of components in the air flow rate control unit. Similarly, it is a schematic diagram of components in the air flow rate control unit. Similarly, it is a schematic diagram of components in the air flow rate control unit. Similarly, it is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an ink discharge part and its periphery. Similarly, it is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an ink discharge part and its periphery. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the ink discharge part which concerns on the modification of 1st Embodiment, and its periphery. Similarly, it is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an ink discharge part and its periphery. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the ink storage container which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view in the A section of FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view similar to FIG. 5, omitting the illustration of the air flow rate control unit in FIG. 6. Similarly, it is an assembly exploded external view of a cap and an air flow control part. It is the principal part expanded sectional view which decomposed | disassembled and showed the D section of FIG. It is a principal part expanded sectional view in the D section of FIG. It is a principal part expanded sectional view in the B section of FIG. It is a principal part expanded sectional view in the C section of FIG. It is sectional drawing in the modification of 2nd Embodiment. Similarly, it is sectional drawing in another modification of 2nd Embodiment. It is a partial expanded sectional view of the ink storage container which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the internal / external pressure difference of the ink storage container, and the air exchange amount. Similarly, it is sectional drawing in another modification of 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Ink storage container 10 Ink storage part 10a Main body part 10b Upper surface part 10e Recessed part 10f Bottom part 10h Buffer part 10i Teflon film body seating part 10j Lower end receiving part
10l 1st engaged part 10m 2nd engaged part 11 Inside 12 Upper surface 14 Ventilation hole 16 Bottom surface 16a Guide part with slit 18 Discharge port 20 Air flow rate control part 22 Valve body 24 Teflon film body 26 Press ring 26a Through hole 29 Air layer 30 Ink discharge part 32 Pressure contact body 34 Movement valve 34a Lower valve part 34b Upper valve part 50 Cap 50a Ceiling part 50b Peripheral surface part 50c Valve body seating part 50d Ventilation hole
50f 1st engaging part 50g 2nd engaging part 60 Coil spring P Elastic hinge

Claims (24)

An ink storage container comprising an air flow rate control unit that controls an air flow rate between the inside and outside of the ink storage unit in an ink storage unit that stores ink,
The air flow rate control unit
By being elastically deformable, a communicating porous valve element that performs both positive and negative air exchange with the outside in accordance with a change in the internal pressure of the ink storage unit,
A pressure ring that is disposed so as to contact the ink side of the valve body and that has a through-hole formed in the center;
A liquid repellent film body that is disposed so as to contact the ink side of the pressing ring and has air permeability and liquid repellency ;
On the both outer sides in the air passage direction of the valve body, a gap for elastic deformation of the valve body is formed,
An ink storage container , wherein the liquid repellent film body, the pressing ring, and the valve body are held under pressure . The ink storage container according to claim 1 , wherein the valve body is a sheet material having a thickness of 0.5 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less. The ink storage container according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein an outer dimension of the valve body is 4 mm or more and 20 mm or less. The ink storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the liquid repellent film body is made of a fluororesin or a fluororubber. The liquid repellent membrane body is claims, characterized in that a plurality of micropores or 0.01μm in pore size 5μm or less, and the critical surface tension of the liquid repellent membrane body formed below 25dym / cm The ink storage container according to any one of 1 to 4 . The ink storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an area of the through hole of the pressing ring is set to be narrower than an area of the release region on the side opposite to the ink of the valve body. An ink storage container comprising an air flow rate control unit that controls an air flow rate between the inside and outside of the ink storage unit in an ink storage unit that stores ink,
The air flow rate control unit
By being elastically deformable, a communicating porous valve element that performs both positive and negative air exchange with the outside in accordance with a change in the internal pressure of the ink storage unit,
A liquid-repellent film body that is placed on the ink side of the valve body and has air permeability and liquid repellency;
On the both outer sides in the air passage direction of the valve body, a gap for elastic deformation of the valve body is formed,
The air flow rate control unit includes an annular lower support ring that is in contact with the ink side of the valve body and has an opening formed in the center.
Area of the opening hole of the lower support ring, an ink storage container, characterized in that it is set smaller than the area of the release region of the anti-ink side of the valve body. An object storage section is provided on the upper surface of the ink storage section for storing ink,
A liquid repellent film seating portion for seating the liquid repellent film body is formed in the object housing portion,
A vent is formed at the bottom of the object container,
The ink storage container according to claim 1 , wherein the air flow rate control unit is loaded in the object storage unit. 9. The ink storage container according to claim 8 , wherein the liquid repellent film body seating portion is formed with an annular smooth surface in close contact with the liquid repellent film body. The ink storage container according to claim 8 or 9 , wherein the liquid-repellent film body seating portion is formed of an annular recess and is made of an olefin-based resin. The ink storage container according to claim 8, 9 or 10 , wherein a cap is attached to an upper surface side of the object container. A plurality of vents are provided in the ceiling of the cap,
The ink storage container according to claim 11 , wherein a valve body seating portion serving as an annular recess for supporting the valve body is provided on a lower surface of the ceiling portion. An ink storage container comprising an air flow rate control unit that controls an air flow rate between the inside and outside of the ink storage unit in an ink storage unit that stores ink,
The air flow rate control unit
A communicating porous valve body that performs positive and negative air exchange with the outside in accordance with a change in internal pressure of the ink reservoir;
A liquid-repellent film body that is placed on the ink side of the valve body and has air permeability and liquid repellency;
An object container is provided on the upper surface of the ink reservoir,
A liquid repellent film seating portion for seating the liquid repellent film body is formed in the object housing portion,
A vent is formed at the bottom of the object container,
The object storage unit is loaded with the air flow rate control unit,
A cap is attached to the upper surface side of the object container,
The cap has a cylindrical peripheral surface portion extending in the axial direction from the periphery of the ceiling portion,
An ink storage container, wherein when the cap is attached to the object accommodating portion, the lower end of the peripheral surface portion abuts on the bottom portion of the object accommodating portion and functions as a stopper. An elastic hinge formed of an annular thin structure is provided at the base on the inner surface side of the peripheral surface portion of the cap,
Forming an engaging portion on the outer surface of the peripheral surface portion of the cap;
The ink storage container according to claim 13 , wherein an engagement portion that can be fitted to the engagement portion is formed on an inner peripheral wall of the object storage portion. The engaging portion formed by the engaging portion and the engaged portion is formed in a plurality of stages in the axial direction of the peripheral surface portion,
The ink according to claim 14 , wherein among the plurality of fitting portions, one fitting portion is prevented from coming off in the axial direction, and the other fitting portion is prevented from rotating in the circumferential direction. Storage container. 16. The taper surface which expands in a divergent shape as it goes downward is formed on the inner edge of the vent hole bored in the bottom of the object accommodating portion. The ink storage container according to 1. The ink storage container according to claim 16 , wherein at least the tapered surface is subjected to a liquid repellent treatment. A disc-shaped buffer portion that inhibits movement of ink toward the vent is disposed below the vent that is bored in the bottom.
The ink storage container according to any one of claims 8 to 17 , wherein a conical surface whose center protrudes toward the vent port is formed on the vent port side of the buffer portion. The ink storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 18 , wherein a distance from an upper surface of the valve body to a lower surface of the liquid repellent film body is 20 mm or less and 1.5 mm or more. The ink storage container according to claim 1 , wherein the valve body is a compression body obtained by compression-molding a continuous porous elastic material. With respect to the thickness of the valve body, of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the smallest outside dimension of the area is released inside the ink reservoir in the valve body is set to more than double The ink storage container according to any one of the above. With respect to the thickness of the valve body, according to claim 21, the minimum outside dimension of the area is released inside the ink reservoir in the valve body is characterized in that it is set to 15 times or less Ink storage container. The ink storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 22 , wherein the ink storage container is an ink cartridge for an inkjet printer. The internal pressure at the time of discharging the ink to the ink jet _printer, the ink reservoir of claim 23, wherein it is set to -20mmH ₂ O~-350mmH 2 O.

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