CN107379774B

CN107379774B - Liquid box

Info

Publication number: CN107379774B
Application number: CN201710727173.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 郭洪剑; 陈达飞
Original assignee: Zhongshan Kingway Image Tech Co ltd
Current assignee: Zhongshan Kingway Image Tech Co ltd
Priority date: 2017-08-23
Filing date: 2017-08-23
Publication date: 2023-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2037-08-23
Also published as: CN107379774A

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid box, which comprises a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall, a fourth side wall, a fifth side wall and a sixth side wall, wherein the first side wall is opposite to the second side wall, the third side wall is opposite to the fourth side wall, the fifth side wall is opposite to the sixth side wall, the first side wall and the sixth side wall are enclosed to form a liquid containing cavity, a liquid outlet is arranged on the sixth side wall, the liquid containing cavity is at least divided into a plurality of cavities which are communicated with each other and used for containing liquid, and the first cavity is communicated with the liquid outlet; as described above, the liquid containing chamber of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention is partitioned into a plurality of chambers, in which the first chamber communicates with the liquid outlet, the first chamber having a smaller volume than the liquid containing chamber, and the tumbling of the liquid in the first chamber causes less pressure change to the liquid outlet, thereby facilitating improvement of the imaging quality of the imaging apparatus.

Description

Liquid box

Technical Field

The invention relates to the field of liquid imaging, in particular to a liquid box.

Background

In the imaging field, liquid imaging is a common one, and a liquid cartridge containing liquid is placed on a carriage in an imaging apparatus; in operation, according to the imaging requirements, the liquid box reciprocates in the imaging device along with the carrier, and meanwhile, the printing head arranged in the imaging device sucks out the liquid contained in the liquid box through the liquid outlet on the liquid box and sprays the liquid on the imaging medium by using the spray head, so that the imaging process is completed.

When the liquid in the liquid box with one color is consumed, the end user needs to replace the liquid box with the same color; with the increasing pace of life and work of people in modern society, end users do not want to consume much time in changing liquid cartridges, and thus, increasing the volume of liquid cartridges is one of the common solutions for imaging device manufacturers.

As described above, when the image forming apparatus is operated, the liquid cartridge may reciprocate in the image forming apparatus along with the carriage, if the volume of the liquid cartridge is large and the liquid in the liquid cartridge has been partially consumed, the remaining liquid may continuously roll over the liquid outlet during the reciprocation of the liquid cartridge, reflected on the liquid outlet, and the pressure of the rolled liquid to the liquid outlet may continuously vary, thereby seriously affecting the image forming quality of the image forming apparatus.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a liquid box, which can ensure the imaging quality of imaging equipment by improving the internal structure of the liquid box and not changing the pressure of a liquid outlet due to rolling liquid even if the volume of the liquid box is further increased by imaging equipment manufacturers.

In order to achieve the above purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical scheme:

the liquid box comprises a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall, a fourth side wall, a fifth side wall and a sixth side wall, wherein the first side wall is opposite to the second side wall, the third side wall is opposite to the fourth side wall, the fifth side wall is opposite to the sixth side wall, the first side wall and the sixth side wall are enclosed to form a liquid containing cavity, a liquid outlet is arranged on the sixth side wall, the liquid containing cavity is at least divided into a plurality of cavities which are communicated with each other and used for containing liquid, and the first cavity is communicated with the liquid outlet; when replenishing the liquid in the liquid cartridge, the liquid cartridge is placed such that the other passages than the passage communicating with the first chamber are located above the first chamber, and the liquid is injected from the liquid outlet into the liquid containing chamber; and stopping supplementing the liquid to the liquid box after the liquid amount injected into the liquid accommodating cavity reaches a preset value.

The fifth side wall is detachably combined with the adjacent side wall; the first cavity is communicated with other cavities of the liquid containing cavity through a first channel.

The first end of the first channel and the second end of the first channel are respectively communicated with the first cavity and any at least one cavity except the first cavity in the liquid accommodating cavity, the first end of the first channel is positioned slightly lower than the end of the first cavity along the +Z direction of the liquid box, and the second end of the first channel is positioned at the most upstream of the cavity communicated with the first end of the first channel.

The first end of the first channel is located upstream of the first cavity in the +x direction of the liquid cartridge.

The first channel includes a rising channel and a horizontal channel that are communicated with each other, the rising channel extends in the vertical direction of the liquid cartridge, and the horizontal channel is provided on the sixth side wall.

The rising channel is a columnar channel arranged in the first cavity and comprises a rising channel first end and a rising channel second end which are respectively positioned at two ends of the columnar channel.

The first end of the first channel is located furthest downstream from the rising channel in the +z direction of the liquid cartridge.

The horizontal channel comprises a horizontal channel first end and a horizontal channel second end which are respectively positioned at two ends of the horizontal channel, wherein the horizontal channel first end is communicated with any at least one cavity except the first cavity in the liquid containing cavity, and the horizontal channel second end is communicated with the rising channel second end.

The first end of the horizontal channel is located furthest upstream in the +Z direction of the liquid cartridge from the chamber in communication therewith.

As described above, the liquid containing chamber of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention is partitioned into a plurality of chambers, in which the first chamber communicates with the liquid outlet, the first chamber having a smaller volume than the liquid containing chamber, and the tumbling of the liquid in the first chamber causes less pressure change to the liquid outlet, thereby facilitating improvement of the imaging quality of the imaging apparatus.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the overall structure of a liquid cartridge according to the present invention.

Fig. 2A is a partially exploded schematic view of a liquid cartridge according to the present invention.

Fig. 2B is a schematic structural view of a top cover of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing the internal structure of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention with the top cover removed.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the bottom structure of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention.

Fig. 5A is a schematic overall structure of a second embodiment of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention.

Fig. 5B is a schematic internal structure of a second embodiment of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention.

Fig. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention along the longitudinal direction thereof.

Fig. 6B is a schematic view of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention in a state of being filled with liquid.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[ integral Structure of liquid Cartridge C ]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the overall structure of a liquid cartridge according to the present invention; FIG. 2A is a partially exploded view of a liquid cartridge according to the present invention; fig. 2B is a schematic structural view of a top cover of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention.

As shown, the liquid cartridge C includes a first sidewall 10, a second sidewall 20, a third sidewall 30, a fourth sidewall 40, a fifth sidewall 50, and a sixth sidewall 60, wherein the first sidewall 10 is opposite the second sidewall 20, the third sidewall 30 is opposite the fourth sidewall 40, and the fifth sidewall 50 is opposite the sixth sidewall 60; for a clearer description of an embodiment of the present invention, first, the liquid cartridge C is defined as follows: defining a direction vertically connecting the first side wall 10 and the second side wall 20 as a longitudinal direction X of the liquid cartridge C, and a direction pointing from the second side wall 20 to the first side wall 10 as a +x direction; the direction connecting the third side wall 30 and the fourth side wall 40 vertically is the lateral direction Y of the liquid cartridge C, and the direction from the third side wall 30 to the fourth side wall 40 is the +y direction; the direction connecting the fifth side wall 50 and the sixth side wall 60 vertically is vertical Z, and the direction from the sixth side wall 60 to the fifth side wall 50 is +z direction.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2A, the first side wall 10 is provided with an elastic arm 11 and a chip mounting portion 12, and when the liquid cartridge C is mounted to the image forming apparatus, the elastic arm 11 is combined with the image forming apparatus to fix the liquid cartridge in the image forming apparatus, and at the same time, the chip mounted on the chip mounting portion 12 is in electrical contact with the chip contact pin of the image forming apparatus to realize information transmission between the liquid cartridge C and the image forming apparatus.

In the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C, the fifth side wall 50 is located furthest downstream, and the sixth side wall 60 is located furthest upstream, so that when the liquid cartridge C is in the state shown in fig. 1 and 2A, the fifth side wall 50 is located as a top wall at the top end of the liquid cartridge C, and the sixth side wall 60 is located as a bottom wall at the bottom end of the liquid cartridge C. As shown in fig. 2A, in the embodiment of the present invention, the top wall 50 may be separated from the adjacent side wall, and the top wall 50 is provided with an air vent 51 and a first seal member f1 for sealing the air vent 51; the bottom wall 60 is provided with a liquid outlet 61 and a second sealing member f2 for sealing the liquid outlet 61, and preferably, the first sealing member f1 and the second sealing member f2 are sealing films.

As shown in fig. 2B, the air vent hole 51 penetrates through the top wall 50, and an air guide column 52 is formed on the inner side of the top wall 50, and the air guide column 52 is in communication with the air vent hole 51, in other words, the air guide column 52 extends from the inner side of the top wall 50 to a certain height, when the liquid cartridge C is in a state opposite to the state shown in fig. 1, that is, when the liquid cartridge C is placed upside down, the top surface of the liquid will not reach the height to which the air guide column 52 extends, so that the liquid in the liquid cartridge C in this state can be effectively prevented from leaking from the air vent hole 51.

[ Structure inside liquid Cartridge C ]

Example 1

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the internal structure of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention with the top cover removed; fig. 4 is a schematic view of the bottom structure of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the first to sixth side walls 10 to 60 of the liquid cartridge C enclose a liquid containing chamber M, and in the embodiment of the present invention, the liquid containing chamber M is divided into at least a plurality of chambers communicating with each other for containing liquid, wherein one of the chambers communicates with the liquid outlet 61; as shown in fig. 3, the liquid containing chamber M includes a first chamber M1, a second chamber M2, a third chamber M3, a fourth chamber M4 and a fifth chamber M5 which are mutually communicated, the first chamber M1 is communicated with the liquid outlet 61, and the fifth chamber M5 is communicated with the air guide hole 51; the first cavity M1 is communicated with the second cavity M2 through a first channel L1, the second cavity M2 is communicated with the third cavity M3 through a second channel L2, the third cavity M3 is communicated with the fourth cavity M4 through a third channel L3, and the fourth cavity M4 is communicated with the fifth cavity M5 through a fourth channel L4; when the gas enters from the gas-guide hole 51, it flows from the fifth chamber M5 to the first chamber M1 in the direction indicated by the arrow d in the figure.

Since the liquid accommodating chamber M is divided into at least a plurality of first to fifth chambers M1 to M5 which are communicated with each other, and the first chamber M1 is communicated with the liquid outlet 61, the volume of the first chamber M1 is necessarily smaller than that of the liquid accommodating chamber M, and when the same volume of liquid is filled into the first chamber M1 and the liquid accommodating chamber M, the rolling amplitude of the liquid in the first chamber M1 is necessarily small, and thus the pressure variation generated to the liquid outlet is also small.

Further, when the first chamber M1 is always filled with the liquid, even if the liquid cartridge C reciprocates in the image forming apparatus, the liquid in the first chamber M1 does not tumble, and the liquid pressure variation received by the liquid outlet communicating with the first chamber M1 through the liquid outlet 61 is almost zero, and thus, good image forming quality is ensured.

The structure for maintaining the first chamber M1 to be always filled with the liquid is described in detail below with reference to fig. 3 and 4. As described above, the first and second chambers M1 and M2 communicate through the first passage L1, that is, the first end L1a of the first passage L1 and the second end L1b of the first passage L1 communicate with the first and second chambers M1 and M2, respectively. A filter screen is welded on the second end L1b, and is used for filtering bubbles in the liquid and limiting the flow rate of the liquid. In the embodiment of the present invention, the first channel L1 includes a rising channel L11 and a horizontal channel L12 that are mutually communicated, as shown in fig. 3, the rising channel L11 is a columnar channel disposed in the first cavity M1, and includes a rising channel first end L11a and a rising channel second end L11b that are respectively located at two ends thereof; the rising channel L11 extends vertically along the liquid box C, the first end L11a of the rising channel is the first end L1a of the first channel L1, which are overlapped, and in the +z direction of the liquid box C, the first end L1a of the first channel is located at the most downstream of the rising channel L11, preferably in the +z direction of the liquid box C, the first end L1a of the first channel is slightly lower than the end of the first cavity M1.

When the liquid in the first cavity M1 is consumed, the first channel L1 can timely supplement the liquid to the first cavity M1, and as described above, since the first end L1a of the first channel is slightly lower than the end of the first cavity M1 in the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C, the first cavity M1 can be ensured to be always filled with the liquid.

As shown in fig. 4, the horizontal channel L12 is disposed on the bottom wall 60, and includes a horizontal channel first end L12a and a horizontal channel second end L12b respectively located at two ends thereof, where the horizontal channel first end L12a is communicated with the second cavity M2, the horizontal channel second end L12b is communicated with the rising channel second end L11b, and preferably, the horizontal channel second end L12b coincides with the rising channel second end L11b, and the horizontal channel first end L12a is located at the uppermost stream of the second cavity M2 along the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C, so that the design can effectively ensure that the liquid in the second cavity M2 can be fully utilized without waste.

Further, as shown in fig. 4, to ensure that the liquid in the other cavities except the first cavity M1 in the liquid containing cavity M can enter the first cavity M1 through the first channel L1, the second cavity M2 communicating with the first end L12a of the horizontal channel is divided into a sedimentation portion M21 and a horizontal portion M22 communicating with each other, wherein the first end L12a of the horizontal channel communicates with the sedimentation portion M21, and the horizontal portion M22 communicates with the third cavity M3 through the second channel L2. In the vertical direction of the liquid cartridge C, the sedimentation portion M21 has a height difference h from the horizontal portion M22, specifically, in the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C, the sedimentation portion M21 is located upstream of the horizontal portion M22, and thus, the liquid in the other chambers except the first chamber M1 in the liquid accommodating chamber M will flow to the sedimentation portion M21 due to its own gravity.

As described above, the second chamber M2 is communicated with the third chamber M3 through the second channel L2, as shown in fig. 3, the second channel L2 is formed on the dividing wall of the second chamber M2 and the third chamber M3, in order to prevent the liquid from flooding the second channel L2 entirely, so that the liquid cannot be sucked out by the liquid outlet, in the embodiment of the present invention, the second channel L2 includes a bottom channel L21 and a top channel L22 which are disposed at intervals, and the bottom channel L21 is located upstream of the top channel L22 in the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C, and even if the liquid completely floods the bottom channel L21, the liquid can still be sucked out smoothly by the liquid outlet due to the presence of the top channel L22.

Continuing as shown in fig. 3, the third cavity M3 is communicated with the fourth cavity M4 through a third channel L3, so as to ensure that a certain negative pressure can be formed in the cavity M when the liquid cartridge C is in operation, the liquid cartridge C further comprises a sponge 71 arranged in the fourth cavity M4, the sponge 71 is adjacent to the third channel L3, and the third channel L3 is a round hole arranged at the most upstream of the dividing wall of the third cavity M3 and the fourth cavity M4 along the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C. The fourth cavity M4 is communicated with the fifth cavity M5 through a fourth channel L4, and the fourth channel L4 is disposed at the most downstream of the dividing wall between the fourth cavity M4 and the fifth cavity M5 along the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C.

Considering that the liquid of different colors is consumed at different speeds, the volumes of the liquid of different colors contained in the same liquid cartridge C are different, and the liquid containing chamber M of the liquid cartridge C is relatively large for the liquid of smaller consumption, at this time, it is necessary to partition a partition groove in the liquid containing chamber M to reduce the overall volume of the liquid containing chamber M.

As shown in fig. 3 and 4, the liquid cartridge C further includes at least one isolation groove partitioned from the liquid containing chamber M, the isolation groove does not contain liquid therein, and the isolation groove does not communicate with the liquid containing chamber. In the embodiment of the present invention, the isolation groove includes a sixth cavity M6, a second isolation groove M7, and a third isolation groove M8, the sixth cavity M6 is adjacent to at least one of the first cavity M1 to the fifth cavity M5 containing the liquid, the second isolation groove M7 and the third isolation groove M8 are in communication with each other, but neither the second isolation groove M7 nor the third isolation groove M8 is in communication with any of the first cavity M1 to the fifth cavity M5 containing the liquid. As described above, the height difference h between the sedimentation portion M21 and the horizontal portion M22 is equal to the height difference h between the sedimentation portion M21 and the horizontal portion M22 in the vertical direction of the liquid cartridge C, and the horizontal portion M22 is recessed with respect to the sedimentation portion M21, and the second isolation groove M7 is formed by the recess; alternatively, the second and third isolation grooves M7 and M8 are recessed from the sixth side wall 60 toward the fifth side wall 50 in the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C.

Of course, the second cavity M2 may not be in communication with the first end L12a of the horizontal channel in this embodiment, and in fact, the first end L12a of the horizontal channel may be in communication with any one of the liquid containing cavities M other than the first cavity M1, and the first end L12a of the horizontal channel is located at the most upstream of the cavity in communication therewith in the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C; since the second end L1b of the first channel coincides with the second end L12a of the horizontal channel, that is, the second end L1b of the first channel may communicate with any one of the liquid containing chambers M other than the first chamber M1.

As shown in fig. 4, the bottom wall 60 is divided into adjacent first and second bottom walls 64 and 65, the first bottom wall 64 is located downstream of the second bottom wall 65 in the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C, and the horizontal passage L12 is provided on the second bottom wall 65.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the liquid cartridge C further includes a light detecting portion 63 disposed on the bottom wall (sixth side wall) 60, as shown in fig. 4, the light detecting portion 63 is disposed in the second isolation groove M7, and the light detecting portion 63 does not exceed the range of the liquid cartridge C in the vertical direction Z of the liquid cartridge C, so as to prevent the light detecting portion 63 from being damaged; the range not exceeding the liquid cartridge C means that the light detection portion 63 is not observed in the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction Z of the liquid cartridge C.

The light detecting part is welded to the bottom wall 60 but is not communicated with the liquid accommodating cavity M of the liquid cartridge C, so that no liquid flows through the light detecting part 63 during operation of the liquid cartridge C, and in actual detection, the imaging device still timely emits detection light to the light detecting part 63 according to the remaining liquid recorded in the chip, and since the light detecting part 63 is not communicated with the liquid accommodating cavity M, even if the light detecting part 63 is welded to the bottom wall 60, a gap appears between the light detecting part and the light detecting part, the liquid in the liquid cartridge C is not leaked from the gap. Of course, the combination of the light detecting portion 63 and the bottom wall 60 may be achieved by snap-fit, gluing, or the like.

In addition, in the image forming apparatus, a protrusion is provided near the chip contact pin corresponding to the chip for defining the position of the liquid cartridge C, and in order to ensure that the liquid cartridge C can be positioned in the image forming apparatus more precisely, the liquid cartridge C further includes a relief groove 62 provided adjacent to the chip mounting portion 12, as shown in fig. 4, the relief groove 62 extends from the bottom wall 60 toward the top wall 50 in the vertical direction of the liquid cartridge C, and the relief groove 62 is combined with the protrusion in the image forming apparatus when the liquid cartridge C is mounted to the image forming apparatus.

Example two

FIG. 5A is a schematic view showing the overall structure of a second embodiment of a liquid cartridge according to the present invention; fig. 5B is a schematic view showing an internal structure of a second embodiment of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention; the same reference numerals are used for the same components in this embodiment as those in the above embodiment.

The difference between this embodiment and the above embodiment is that the position of the first channel L1 is different, as shown in fig. 5A, the first channel L1 is not provided with the horizontal channel L12 and the rising channel L11 in the first embodiment, but the first channel L1 still communicates with the first cavity M1 and other cavities except the first cavity M1 in the liquid containing cavity M, in this embodiment, the sixth cavity M6 communicates with the third cavity M3, two ends of the first channel L1 communicate with the first cavity M1 and the sixth cavity M6, respectively, as shown in fig. 5A, the first end L1a of the first channel communicates with the first cavity M1, and the second end L1b of the first channel communicates with the sixth cavity M6.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the third chamber M3 and the sixth chamber M6 may not be in communication with each other, and the second end L1b of the first channel may be in communication with the third chamber M3. However, regardless of which cavity the second end L1B of the first channel communicates with, it is preferable that, as shown in fig. 5B, referring to the enlarged schematic view of the portion R, the second end L1B of the first channel is located at the most upstream of the corresponding cavity communicating therewith in the +z direction of the liquid cartridge C, and the first end L1a of the first channel is located at a position slightly lower than the end of the first cavity M1.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the "most upstream" refers to the bottom surface of the chamber or the side edge near the bottom surface of the chamber when the liquid cartridge C is placed in the state shown in fig. 1; the term "slightly lower" means that the outflow of the liquid from the first end L1a of the first channel to the first cavity M1 is not affected, but the first end L1a of the first channel is close to the end of the first cavity M1.

In summary, the liquid accommodating chamber M of the liquid cartridge C according to the present invention is divided into a plurality of chambers M1-M5, wherein the first chamber M1 is communicated with the liquid outlet 61, the volume of the first chamber M1 is smaller than that of the liquid accommodating chamber M, and the pressure change generated by the tumbling of the liquid in the first chamber M1 to the liquid outlet is smaller, so that the imaging quality of the imaging apparatus is improved; in other words, in the embodiment of the present invention, the method for reducing the pressure variation of the liquid outlet caused by the liquid tumbling is as follows: reducing the volume of the first chamber M1 in communication with the liquid outlet 61, reducing the amplitude of the liquid tumbling in the first chamber M1; the smaller the volume of the first chamber M1 communicating with the liquid outlet 61, the less liquid is located in the first chamber M1, and the liquid rolling amplitude in the first chamber M1 will be greatly reduced when the liquid cartridge C reciprocates in the image forming apparatus; meanwhile, the liquid containing chamber M of the liquid cartridge C is partitioned into a plurality of chambers, which may serve to support the top wall 50 when the top wall 50 is welded to be connected with the first, second, third and fourth side walls 10, 20, 30 and 40, which may also be advantageous in improving the overall strength of the liquid cartridge C.

In order to further reduce the liquid rolling amplitude in the first cavity M1 in communication with the liquid outlet 61, it is preferable to keep the first cavity M1 as full as possible with liquid during operation of the liquid cartridge C, and the solution provided by the present invention is that: the first channel L1 is arranged, two tail ends L1a and L1b of the first channel L1 are respectively communicated with the first cavity M1 and other cavities except the first cavity M1 in the liquid accommodating cavity M, the first tail end L1a of the first channel is located at a position slightly lower than the tail end of the first cavity M1 along the +Z direction of the liquid box C, the second tail end L1b of the first channel is located at the most upstream of the cavity communicated with the first tail end L1b of the first channel, and the first tail end L1a of the first channel is located at the upstream of the first cavity along the +X direction of the liquid box C, so that when liquid in the first cavity M1 is consumed, the liquid can be timely supplemented to the first cavity M1 through the first channel L1, and the first cavity M1 is ensured to be always full of liquid.

[ method of filling liquid into liquid Cartridge C ]

Fig. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention along a longitudinal direction thereof; fig. 6B is a schematic view of the liquid cartridge according to the present invention in a state of being filled with liquid.

In the longitudinal direction of the liquid cartridge C in fig. 3, and the schematic view of the liquid cartridge C cut through the top channel L22 is shown in fig. 6A, when the liquid cartridge C in the prior art is replenished with liquid, the liquid cartridge C is placed as shown in fig. 6A, and the liquid is injected from the liquid outlet 61 through the dedicated device, for the liquid cartridge C in the present invention, the liquid injected from the liquid outlet 61 flows into the second cavity M2 through the first channel L1, flows into the third cavity M3 through the second channel L2, flows into the fourth cavity M4 through the third channel L3, and is absorbed by the sponge 71 (shown in fig. 3) disposed in the fourth cavity M4, after the set liquid injection amount is reached, the liquid amount in the first cavity M1 is less, which is unfavorable for reducing the rolling amplitude of the liquid, and the liquid amount in other cavities of the liquid accommodating cavity M is less, which is unfavorable for improving the imaging quality.

To this end, the inventors of the present invention proposed a method of replenishing a liquid with respect to the structure of the liquid cartridge C, as shown in fig. 6B, the method of replenishing a liquid comprising the steps of:

s1, placing and fixing the liquid cartridge C along the longitudinal direction X of the liquid cartridge C, wherein the first cavity M1 is positioned below other channels except the first channel L1;

s2, injecting liquid from the liquid outlet 61 into the liquid accommodating cavity M;

and S3, stopping supplementing the liquid to the liquid box C when the liquid amount injected into the liquid accommodating cavity M reaches a preset value.

To prevent the injected liquid from leaking from the liquid cartridge C, the first seal f1 covering the air vent 51 needs to be welded to the fifth side wall 50 at a position corresponding to the air vent 51. When liquid is injected into the liquid cartridge C welded with the first seal f1, the liquid is selectively injected with negative pressure; when the liquid is injected into the liquid cartridge C to which the first seal f1 has not been welded, the positive pressure injection liquid is selected, and therefore, before the step S1, the method of replenishing the liquid further includes a step of selecting whether the liquid cartridge C has been injected with the positive pressure or with the negative pressure, depending on whether the first seal f1 has been welded.

Since the first channel L1 is used for communicating the first cavity M1 with other cavities except the first cavity M1 in the liquid containing cavity M, the step S1 can be further described as: along the longitudinal direction X of the liquid cartridge C, the liquid cartridge C is placed such that the other channels than the channel communicating with the first chamber M1 are located above the first chamber M1, and the liquid cartridge C is fixed.

For the liquid cartridge C according to the present invention, when the liquid cartridge C is replenished, the channels except the channel communicating with the first cavity M1 are located above the first cavity M1 along the longitudinal direction X of the liquid cartridge C, as shown in fig. 6B, at this time, the first cavity M1 is located at the lowest part of the whole liquid cartridge C, because the first cavity M1 is communicated with the liquid outlet 61, when the liquid cartridge C is filled from the liquid outlet 61, the first cavity M1 is filled with the injected liquid first, as described above, along the +x direction of the liquid cartridge C, the first end L1a of the first channel is located upstream of the first cavity, and only when the first cavity M1 is filled with the liquid, the refilled liquid enters into the other cavity through the first channel L1, so that the first cavity M1 is always filled with the liquid during the whole replenishing liquid and after the replenishing of the liquid is completed, when the liquid cartridge C is mounted to the imaging device, the first cavity M1 is not in rolling communication with the liquid is not affected by the first cavity M when the image forming device is mounted.

Claims

1. The liquid box comprises a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall, a fourth side wall, a fifth side wall and a sixth side wall, wherein the first side wall is opposite to the second side wall, the third side wall is opposite to the fourth side wall, the fifth side wall is opposite to the sixth side wall, the first side wall to the sixth side wall are enclosed to form a liquid accommodating cavity, the sixth side wall is provided with a liquid outlet, the liquid box is characterized in that,

the liquid containing cavity is at least divided into a plurality of cavities which are communicated with each other and used for containing liquid, wherein the first cavity is communicated with the liquid outlet;

when replenishing the liquid in the liquid cartridge, the liquid cartridge is placed such that the other passages than the passage communicating with the first chamber are located above the first chamber, and the liquid is injected from the liquid outlet into the liquid containing chamber;

and stopping supplementing the liquid to the liquid box after the liquid amount injected into the liquid accommodating cavity reaches a preset value.

2. A liquid cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the fifth side wall is detachably joined to its adjacent side wall.

3. A liquid cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the first chamber communicates with the other chambers of the liquid containing chamber through the first passage.

4. A liquid cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the first end of the first channel and the second end of the first channel are respectively in communication with the first cavity and any at least one of the liquid containing cavities other than the first cavity, the first end of the first channel being located slightly below the first cavity end along the +z direction of the liquid cartridge, and the second end of the first channel being located upstream of the cavity with which it communicates.

5. A fluid cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the first end of the first channel is upstream of the first chamber in the +x direction of the fluid cartridge.

6. A liquid cartridge according to claim 5, wherein the first passage includes a rising passage and a horizontal passage which are communicated with each other, the rising passage extending in a vertical direction of the process cartridge, the horizontal passage being provided on the sixth side wall.

7. A liquid cartridge according to claim 6, wherein the rising channel is a columnar channel provided in the first chamber, and includes rising channel first ends and rising channel second ends at both ends thereof, respectively.

8. A liquid cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the first end of the first channel is located furthest downstream from the rising channel in the +z direction of the liquid cartridge.

9. A liquid cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the horizontal channel includes a horizontal channel first end and a horizontal channel second end at both ends thereof, respectively, wherein the horizontal channel first end communicates with any one of the liquid containing chambers except the first chamber, and the horizontal channel second end communicates with the rising channel second end.

10. A fluid cartridge according to claim 9, wherein the first end of the horizontal channel is located furthest upstream of the chamber in communication therewith in the +z direction of the fluid cartridge.