JPH08108543A - Ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To miniaturize an ink cartridge while achieving recording high in reliability by providing an ink communication port so as to continuously connect a plurality of divided chambers and arranging an ink supply port and an open air communication port to the chambers positioned at both ends and providing an ink residual amt. detection means to the chamber to which the ink supply port is provided. CONSTITUTION: An ink cartridge 22 is divided into chambers 23-27 almost same in vol. with respect to the scanning direction of a recording head l by partition walls 28, 30 so as to allow the chambers cross each other at a right in the directions right-angled and parallel to the scanning direction of the recording head 1. Communication holes 33 are bored in the lower end parts of the partition walls within the ink cartridge 22 and an ink supply member 39 composed of a continuous porous member is passed through the communication holes 33. An open air communication port 34 is provided to the chamber 23 and a residual amt. detection sensor 21 is fixed to a recording apparatus main body at a position capable of detecting the residual amt. of the ink in the ink cartridge 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink cartridge mounted on a carriage together with a recording head for ejecting ink droplets for recording. In particular, the inside of an ink storage section is divided into a plurality of chambers, and one of the divided chambers is divided. The present invention relates to an ink cartridge having an ink supply port and an ink remaining amount detecting means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art U is an example of an ink jet cartridge which is mounted on a carriage and is integrated with a recording head, and the inside of an ink storage section is divided into a plurality of chambers.
SP4, 920 and 362 are examples. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-152859 can be cited as an example of the remaining ink amount detecting method.

An example of an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink jet cartridge to which these techniques are applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

FIG. 9 shows a plurality of recording heads 1a to 1d inside the movable table 2 shown in FIG. 10, one of the ink cartridges 22a to 22d having inks of different colors, the periphery thereof, and the recording apparatus. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a representative of the ink remaining amount detection sensor 21 fixed to the main body side.

In FIG. 10, the recording head 1 is a movable table 2
Further, the movable table 2 is provided with a roller 2a at one end thereof and is supported by a guide rail 3 to be guided and scanned.

The motor 4 is directly connected to the pulley 6 and the pulley 6
The movable table 2 is driven via the driven pulley 5 and the belt 7 which face each other.

A recording medium 9 made of paper or the like is supported on a platen 8 in a plane and has a small pulley 11 directly connected to a paper feed motor 10 and a large pulley 1 facing the small pulley 11.
2. It is driven via the belt 13 and the rollers 14 and 16 which transmit the driving force of the small pulley 11 to the large pulley 12.

Denoted at 15 and 17 are pressing rollers for pressing the recording medium 9 against the rollers 14 and 16 by urging means (not shown).

The recording heads 1a to 1d are protected by a cap 18 having a seal rubber 19 for maintaining airtightness for protecting the ejection nozzles from drying during standby.
Reference numeral 20 denotes a tube that connects a suction means (not shown) and the inside of the cap 18, and when necessary, depressurizes the inside of the cap 18 and sucks the ink inside the recording head 1.

The remaining amount detection sensor 21 is fixed to the main body of the recording apparatus and is installed at a position where the remaining ink amount of the ink cartridges 22a to 22d can be detected. 22h
Is a handle that is operated when the ink cartridge 22 is replaced.

In FIG. 9, the recording head 1 includes a nozzle row 1n provided with a plurality of fine nozzles for ejecting ink,
The ink remaining amount detection sensor 21 includes a light emitting element 21a that emits infrared light and a light receiving element 21b that can receive light from the light emitting element 21a (not shown in FIG. 10).

The ink cartridge 22 has partitions 28, 29.
The inside is divided into chambers 23, 26, 27, which are arranged linearly in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the recording head 1, and communication holes 33 are formed to connect these chambers, respectively.

Reference numeral 27 is an atmosphere communication port for communicating each room with the atmosphere. The chamber 23 is a buffer for preventing the ink overflow to the outside of the ink cartridge 22 caused by the temperature increase when the air is present in any of the other chambers 26 and 27 or the volume expansion of the air due to the decrease of the atmospheric pressure. It is a room.

On the other hand, as a structure for detecting the remaining amount, a float (floating member) 31 made of a material such as resin polypropylene or polyethylene, which has a lower specific gravity than ink, colored in black, is adjacent to the recording head 1 and an ink supply port. It is provided in a room 27 having 36. The lower end of the float can block the light from the light emitting element 21a near the bottom dead center of its movable range, and the upper limit of the float 31 is regulated by the upper wall of the ink tank in the vertical direction. Move up and down according to the amount of ink.

When recording in such an apparatus,
The recording head 1 whose ejection nozzles are protected by the cap 18 is separated from the cap 18, and the power from the motor 4 is transmitted by the belt 7 wound around the pulley 5 and the driven pulley 6, and the recording medium 9 together with the movable table 2 is conveyed. The scanning is performed in the direction, the recording medium 9 is moved in the vicinity of the recording medium 9 by a predetermined length, and then the recording medium 9 is inverted toward the cap 18.

The recording heads 1a to 1d repeat the reciprocating operation, and while being supplied with ink from the corresponding ink cartridges 22a to 22d, eject ink droplets to predetermined positions to perform recording.

Further, the recording medium 9 is fed in a prescribed direction by the paper feed motor 10 and the roller 14 for a prescribed length each time one scan of the recording heads 1a to 1d is completed, and recording can be performed by repeating these. Has become.

In recording, the ink inside the ink cartridge 22 is first consumed together with recording from the chamber 26, sucks in the same amount of ink as the amount of ink consumed from the atmosphere communication port 27, passes through the communication hole 33, and forms air bubbles into the chamber 24. invade.

At this time, the communication hole 33 has a resistance when the ink is consumed and generates an appropriate negative pressure.

Over time, ink will be consumed in the order of the chambers 26 and 27 as the recording progresses.

The float (floating member) 31 begins to descend when the remaining amount of ink falls below a predetermined amount, and when the lower end of the float 31 reaches near the bottom dead center of its movable range, the light emitting element 21.
Since the light from a is blocked and the infrared light does not reach the light receiving element 21b, it is possible to detect that the amount of ink is less than or equal to a predetermined amount.

[0022]

However, the above conventional configuration example has the following problems.

The ink cartridges 22a to 22d are housed in the moving table 2 and have a relatively thin width so that the scanning direction of the moving table 2 does not become large.
The chambers 24, 29, and 30 are almost evenly divided inside,
Since 26 is arranged in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the recording heads 1a to 1d (the horizontal direction in the drawing), the individual internal dimensions thereof are small and the float (floating member) 31, the ink remaining amount detection sensor 21, and the recording head 1a. Since they are arranged relatively close to each other, there was a problem in their arrangement.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the ink cartridge 2
Since it is necessary to extend a part of the second chamber 27 in the direction away from the recording head 1a, the shape of the ink cartridge 22 becomes unnatural and increases in size.

Further, since the distance between the recording head 1 and the ink cartridge 22 is large, the moving table 2 is said to be large.

Further, when the number of chambers is reduced and the size of one chamber is increased, the volume of the buffer chamber 23 is increased by the temperature increase in the presence of air in any of the other chambers or the air volume expansion due to the decrease in atmospheric pressure. Ink cartridge 22a generated in the case of
In order to prevent the ink from overflowing to the outside, the size must be increased.

It is also conceivable to replace the positions of the recording head and the ink remaining amount detecting sensor, but in that case, since the distance between the ink cartridge and the recording head is increased, the ink flow path becomes long and unnecessary flow paths are formed. It will also increase the resistance.

[0028]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is an ink cartridge that is detachably attached to a recording head and is mounted on a carriage together with the recording head. A chamber formed by dividing the inside of the storage unit for storing the ink of the ink cartridge with a plurality of partition walls in a direction parallel to and a direction parallel to the scanning direction of the carriage,
An ink communicating portion provided on a partition wall so that a plurality of chambers are connected in series from a chamber provided with an atmosphere communication port toward a chamber to which the recording head is connected; and a chamber divided by the partition wall, And an ink remaining amount detecting means arranged in a chamber connected to the recording head. An ink remaining amount detecting sensor can be provided with a sufficient distance between the ink remaining amount detecting means and the ink supply port, without increasing the ink flow path of the recording head and thus increasing unnecessary ink flow resistance. It is possible to arrange the recording head and the ink cartridge in a space-saving manner.

[0029]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic views showing an ink cartridge to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge 22, showing the configuration of the ink cartridge 22 as viewed from above.
In FIG. 2, the recording head 1 includes a nozzle row 1n provided with a plurality of fine nozzles for ejecting ink, and the ink flow path 3
The ink is supplied by means of 5, and a seal rubber for preventing leakage is provided at the ink supply port 36 provided between the ink cartridge 22 and the recording head 1. The ink remaining amount detection sensor 21 includes a light emitting element 21a that emits infrared light and a light receiving element 21b that can receive light from the light emitting element 21a.

The ink cartridge 22 is orthogonal to the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the recording head 1 in the direction parallel to the partition wall 28.
The inside of the ink cartridge 22 is divided into chambers 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 in substantially the same volume in the scanning direction of the recording head 1a by 29 and 30.
3 is open, and the ink supply member 39 made of a continuous porous body passes through. Reference numeral 34 is an atmosphere communication port provided in the chamber 23. The chamber 23 is a buffer for preventing an ink overflow to the outside of the ink cartridge 22 which occurs when the temperature rises in the presence of air in any of the other chambers 24 to 27 or the air volume expands due to the decrease in atmospheric pressure. The chamber is substantially the same in volume as each of the other chambers 24 to 27. A float (floating member) 31 made of a material such as resin polypropylene or polyethylene having a lower specific gravity than ink is colored black is provided in a chamber 27 adjacent to the recording head 1 and having an ink supply port 36, and the lower end portion thereof is It is possible to block light from the light emitting element 21a near the bottom dead center of the movable range, and the upper limit of the float 31 in the vertical direction is regulated by the regulation portion 32.

The ink supply port 36 is arranged near the left end of the chamber 27 in the drawing, and the float 31 is arranged near the right end of the chamber 27 in the drawing.

The portion that holds the float 31 and projects from the lower surface of the ink cartridge 22 is formed integrally with the ink cartridge 22 by a material close to transparent such as polypropylene, and allows the light from the light emitting element 21a to pass therethrough and the light receiving element 21b.
Can be reached.

The remaining amount detection sensor 21 is fixed to the recording apparatus main body side, and is installed at a position where the ink remaining amount of the ink cartridge 22 can be detected. Reference numeral 22h is a handle operated when the ink cartridge 22 is replaced.

Since the partitions 28 to 30 for dividing the inside of the ink storage portion of the ink cartridge 22 into a plurality of partitions are arranged so as to be divided into two in the scanning direction of the recording head, compared with the conventional example, in the scanning direction of the recording heads 1a to 1d. On the other hand, the internal dimension in the right-angled direction (horizontal direction in the drawing) is almost twice, and it becomes possible to secure a sufficient distance between the float 31, the ink remaining amount detection sensor 21, and the ink supply port 36. As a result, the recording head 1 It is possible to dispose the ink remaining amount detection sensor 21 and the ink cartridge 22 without lengthening the ink flow path, and thus without increasing unnecessary ink flow resistance.

When recording, the ink in the ink cartridge 22 is first consumed from the chamber 24 together with recording, and the same amount of ink as the amount of ink consumed is sucked in from the atmosphere communication port 27 and passes through the ink supply member 39 in the communication hole 33 to generate bubbles. And enters the chamber 24. At this time, the ink supply member 39 made of a porous material has resistance when the ink is consumed, and generates an appropriate negative pressure. Room 25, as the recording progressed,
Ink will be consumed in the order of 26 and 27. The float (floating member) 31 separates from the regulating portion 32 and starts descending when the remaining amount of ink becomes less than or equal to a predetermined amount, and when the lower end portion reaches a predetermined position within the movable range, the float (floating member) 31 moves from the light emitting element 21a. Since the light is blocked and the infrared light does not reach the light receiving element 21b, it is possible to detect that the ink remaining amount is a predetermined amount.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing another embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge 22, showing a configuration in which the shape of the partition wall is different.

The ink cartridge 22 is divided into chambers 26 and 27 in the same volume in the scanning direction of the recording head 1 by a partition wall 29 having a surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the recording head 1, and the other chambers. 25, 24, 23
Are partitioned by a partition wall 30 having a plane parallel to the scanning direction of the recording head 1. A communication hole 33 at the lower end of the inside of the ink cartridge 22 is opened, and an ink supply member 39 made of a continuous porous body is passed through the buffer chamber 23 and the chamber 2.
Passed in the order of 4, 25, 26, 27. In this embodiment, the shape of the ink supply member 39 can be simplified.

The other structure and operation are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge 22, showing a configuration in which the shape of the partition wall is different.

The ink cartridge 22 has chambers 26 and 27, a chamber 24, and a buffer chamber 23 which are substantially the same in the interior of the ink cartridge 22 in the scanning direction of the recording head 1 by a partition wall 29 having a surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the recording head 1. The other chamber 25 is divided into volumes, and is partitioned by a partition wall 30 having a plane parallel to the scanning direction of the recording head 1.

A communication hole 33 at the lower end of the inside of the ink cartridge 22 is opened, and an ink supply member 39 made of a continuous porous body passes through the buffer chamber 23 and the chamber 2.
4, 25, 26, 27 are passed in this order, and using this configuration, the right end portion of the chamber 26, the left end portion of the chamber 24, and the left end portion of the buffer chamber 23 are close to each other as shown in the figure, so that the ink supply member 39 The length can be shortened. The other configurations and operations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof will be omitted.

(Embodiment 4) FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic views showing another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the ink cartridge 22. This embodiment eliminates the float 31 and shows a different sensing configuration.

In FIG. 5, the ink remaining amount detecting sensor 2
Reference numeral 1 includes a light emitting element 21a that emits infrared light, and a light receiving element 21b that can receive light from the light emitting element 21a.

The light reflecting prism 21c is formed integrally with the ink cartridge 22 by a material such as polypropylene which is almost transparent, and reflects the light from the light emitting element 21a when there is no ink on the head slope of the light reflecting prism 21c. The amount of light that reaches the light receiving element 21b decreases due to a decrease in the reflection of light from the light emitting element 21a when ink is filled around the head slope of the light reflecting prism 21c. Since the amount of ink is small, it is possible to detect the presence or absence of ink.

The light reflecting prism 21c is used for the recording head 1.
Is arranged near the right end portion of the chamber 27 adjacent to the above and having the ink supply port 36.

The rest of the configuration and operation are the same as in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted.

(Embodiment 5) FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic views showing another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the ink cartridge 22. This embodiment shows a detection structure using magnetic force.

In FIG. 8, the float 21d has a magnetic force, and a space 21d 'is provided therein to obtain buoyancy. The magnetic sensor 21 is fixed to the main body of the recording apparatus and can detect the magnetism when the float 21 approaches within a predetermined distance. The magnetic sensor 21 is located at the right end of the chamber 27 adjacent to the recording head 1a and having the ink supply port 36. It is located near the section. The upper limit of the float 31 in the vertical direction is regulated by the regulation section 32. Magnetic sensor 21
Is fixed to the main body of the recording apparatus, and is installed at a position where the ink cartridge 22 can detect the remaining amount of ink.

As the recording progresses, ink is consumed in the order of the chambers 25, 26 and 27, and when the remaining amount of ink in the chamber 27 becomes less than a predetermined amount, the float 21a has its regulating portion 3a.
It is possible to detect that the remaining amount of ink is a predetermined amount by detecting magnetism when the lower end portion of the ink cartridge 2 starts descending from 2 and reaches a predetermined position in its movable range. In this embodiment, there is no problem even if the bottom surface of the ink cartridge is made of a material that does not allow light rays to pass therethrough or is a colored material.

The rest of the configuration and operation are the same as in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted.

In the above embodiment, only the structure in which the ink supply port 36 and a part of the ink remaining amount detecting means are provided in one chamber is shown, but both are separately provided as continuous chambers. Needless to say, it may be provided in the room. In this case, since the ink consumption is detected in a state where a predetermined amount of ink remains in the chamber where the ink supply port 36 is provided, it is possible to perform recording simultaneously with the notification of the remaining amount, which is practically preferable. .

[0057]

As described above, according to the present invention, the partition wall that divides the inside of the ink storage portion for each color of the ink cartridge into a plurality of partitions is divided into at least two in the recording head scanning direction, and the partition wall forms the recording head. By providing the ink supply port and the ink remaining amount detecting means in one of the chambers adjacent to the recording head among the chambers divided in the scanning direction,
An ink remaining amount detecting sensor can be provided with a sufficient distance between the ink remaining amount detecting means and the ink supply port, without increasing the ink flow path of the recording head and thus increasing unnecessary ink flow resistance. It is possible to arrange the recording head and the ink cartridge.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an ink cartridge to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an ink cartridge to which the present invention is applied in a state in which a recording device is mounted.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of another ink cartridge to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of still another ink cartridge to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another ink cartridge to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a mounting state of an ink cartridge to which the invention is applied to an inkjet recording device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of another ink cartridge to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a mounting state of the ink cartridge of FIG. 7 in an inkjet recording device.

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional inkjet cartridge.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a conventional inkjet recording device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 recording head 21 detection sensor 22 ink cartridge 24 chamber 25 chamber 26 chamber 27 chamber 33 communication hole 34 atmosphere communication port

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. In an ink cartridge which is detachably attached to a recording head and is mounted on a carriage together with the recording head, a direction intersecting a scanning direction of the carriage inside a storage unit for storing ink of the ink cartridge. A chamber formed by being divided by a plurality of partition walls in a direction parallel to the chamber, and a plurality of chambers connected in series from the chamber provided with the atmosphere communication port to the chamber to which the recording head is connected. An ink cartridge comprising: an ink communicating portion provided on a partition wall; and an ink remaining amount detecting means disposed in a chamber to which the recording head is connected, among the chambers divided by the partition wall. 2. The chamber according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of chambers is connected by a continuous liquid supply member from a chamber provided with an atmosphere communication port toward a chamber to which a recording head is connected. Ink cartridge. 3. The chamber divided by the partition wall, wherein the chamber to which the recording head is connected and the chamber provided with the ink remaining amount detecting means are different chambers connected to each other. ink cartridge. 4. The ink remaining amount detecting means is composed of a light emitting element and a light receiving element fixed to the recording apparatus main body, and a material capable of blocking light from the light emitting element inside the ink cartridge, and has a buoyancy force in the ink. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a floating member that moves its position according to the amount of ink. 5. The ink remaining amount detection means changes a light emitting element and a light receiving element fixed to the main body of the recording apparatus, and an amount of light from the light emitting element reaching the light receiving element inside the ink cartridge, depending on presence or absence of ink. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a possible light reflecting member. 6. The ink remaining amount detecting means has a magnetic force detecting element fixed to the recording apparatus main body, a magnetic force detectable by the magnetic force detecting element inside the ink cartridge, and a buoyancy in the ink, The ink cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a floating member that moves its position.