CN217803949U - Ink box - Google Patents

Abstract

An ink cartridge detachably provided in an image forming apparatus provided with an ink supply mechanism and a lock mechanism therein, the ink cartridge comprising: the ink box comprises an upper end surface and a lower end surface which are opposite along a first direction, and a left end surface and a right end surface which are opposite along a second direction, wherein the first direction is intersected with the second direction, the left end surface is provided with an ink outlet, and the ink outlet can be inserted into the ink supply mechanism; the light-transmitting piece is arranged on the upper end face; the locking piece is movably arranged on the upper end face and is provided with a first position and a second position; when the locking piece is at the first position, the locking piece is separated from the locking mechanism, and the distance between the locking piece and the ink outlet along the first direction is smaller than the distance between the light-transmitting piece and the ink outlet along the first direction; when the locking piece is at the second position, the locking piece is in contact with the locking mechanism, so that the installation or the disassembly of the ink box is facilitated, and the damage of the ink box or the imaging device due to the interference of the ink box and the imaging device is avoided.

Description

Ink box

[ technical field ] A method for producing a semiconductor device

The utility model relates to a printing device technical field especially relates to an ink horn.

[ background of the invention ]

With the rapid development of socioeconomic, demand for printers is increasing in daily offices, and in many existing inkjet printers, a replaceable ink cartridge is generally used as an ink container to supply ink to the printer. The existing ink cartridge is generally provided with an ink exhaustion detection mechanism and a locking mechanism, the surface of the cartridge body close to and facing the locking mechanism in the existing ink cartridge is generally provided with an ink exhaustion detection part and a locking part, when the ink cartridge is installed in the printer, the locking part can be matched with the locking mechanism to fix the position of the ink cartridge in the printer, and the ink exhaustion detection part can be matched with the ink exhaustion detection mechanism to detect the capacity of ink stored in the cartridge body.

However, in the conventional ink cartridge, the locking member is usually fixedly disposed on a surface of the cartridge body close to and facing the locking mechanism, so that during the process of mounting or dismounting the ink cartridge in or from the printer, the locking member easily interferes with other components disposed in the printer, which is not favorable for mounting or dismounting the ink cartridge, and easily causes damage to the ink cartridge or the printer.

[ Utility model ] content

The present application provides an ink cartridge to solve the problem that the locking member of the existing ink cartridge is easily interfered with the printer during the installation or disassembly process.

The embodiment of the application provides an ink horn, detachably sets up in imaging device, is provided with in the imaging device and supplies ink mechanism and locking mechanical system, and the ink horn includes: the ink box comprises an upper end surface and a lower end surface which are opposite along a first direction, and a left end surface and a right end surface which are opposite along a second direction, wherein the first direction is intersected with the second direction, the left end surface is provided with an ink outlet, and the ink outlet can be inserted into the ink supply mechanism; the light-transmitting piece is arranged on the upper end face; the locking piece is movably arranged on the upper end face and is provided with a first position and a second position; when the locking piece is at the first position, the locking piece is separated from the locking mechanism, and the distance between the locking piece and the ink outlet along the first direction is smaller than the distance between the light-transmitting piece and the ink outlet along the first direction; when the locking member is in the second position, the locking member is in contact with the locking mechanism.

Optionally, an installation cavity is arranged in the box body, the locking piece is rotatably arranged in the installation cavity, a first opening communicated with the installation cavity is formed in the upper end face of the locking piece, and a second opening communicated with the installation cavity is formed in the right end face of the locking piece; the locking piece comprises an operation part, a connecting part and a locking part, wherein the connecting part is connected between the operation part and the locking part and is rotatably connected with the box body; when the locking piece is positioned at the first position, the operating part extends out of the mounting cavity from the second opening, and the locking part extends into the mounting cavity from the first opening; when the locking piece is at the second position, the operating part extends into the mounting cavity from the second opening, and the locking part extends out of the mounting cavity from the first opening to be in contact with the locking mechanism.

Optionally, the locking portion has an abutment surface and the locking mechanism is in contact with the abutment surface when the locking member is in the second position; the locking member further includes an inclined portion having an inclined surface continuously connected to the abutting surface, and the inclined surface is not parallel to the abutting surface.

Optionally, the box body is provided with a positioning portion near the second opening, and when the locking member is in the second position, the operating portion is in contact with the positioning portion.

Optionally, the locking member further comprises a handle portion connected with the connecting portion; when the locking piece is located at the second position, at least part of the handle part extends out of the mounting cavity from the first opening, and the handle part receives external force to drive the locking part to rotate towards the direction close to the mounting cavity.

Optionally, the locking member comprises a mounting portion and a locking portion, the locking portion is arranged on a surface of the mounting portion opposite to the upper end face; the ink box also comprises a moving part, the moving part is movably arranged on the upper end face, and the moving part receives external force to move along the second direction so as to drive the locking part to move towards the direction far away from the upper end face.

Optionally, the box body further comprises a front end surface and a rear end surface opposite to each other along a third direction, and the mounting portion comprises a front surface and a rear surface opposite to each other along the third direction, wherein the third direction intersects with the first direction and the second direction; the slope is provided with first spout on the preceding terminal surface, and the slope is provided with the second spout on the rear end face, and the front surface is provided with first arch, and the rear end face is provided with the second arch, and wherein, first arch is pegged graft in first spout, and the second arch is pegged graft in the second spout.

Optionally, the moveable member comprises a first front side wall and a first rear side wall opposite in a third direction; the front end face is provided with a third sliding groove extending along the second direction, the rear end face is provided with a fourth sliding groove extending along the second direction, a third bulge is arranged on the outer side of the first front side wall, and a fourth bulge is arranged on the outer side of the first rear side wall, wherein the third bulge is inserted into the third sliding groove, and the fourth bulge is inserted into the fourth sliding groove; and/or the inner side of the front end face is provided with a third protrusion, the inner side of the rear end face is provided with a fourth protrusion, the first front side wall is provided with a third sliding groove extending along the second direction, the first rear side wall is provided with a fourth sliding groove extending along the second direction, the third protrusion is inserted into the third sliding groove, and the fourth protrusion is inserted into the fourth sliding groove.

Optionally, the light-transmissive member includes a second front sidewall and a second rear sidewall opposite in the third direction; a fifth bulge is arranged on the inner side of the first front side wall, a sixth bulge is arranged on the inner side of the second rear side wall, a fifth sliding groove extending along the second direction is arranged on the second front side wall, a sixth sliding groove extending along the second direction is arranged on the second rear side wall, the fifth bulge is inserted into the fifth sliding groove, and the sixth bulge is inserted into the sixth sliding groove; and/or the first front side wall is provided with a fifth sliding groove extending along the second direction, the first rear side wall is provided with a sixth sliding groove extending along the second direction, the second front side wall is provided with a fifth bulge, the second rear side wall is provided with a sixth bulge, the fifth bulge is inserted into the fifth sliding groove, and the sixth bulge is inserted into the sixth sliding groove.

Optionally, the ink cartridge further includes an elastic member disposed between the movable member and the cartridge body.

After adopting above-mentioned technical scheme, beneficial effect is:

compared with the prior art, in the ink box provided by the utility model, when the ink box is not installed in the imaging device, the locking piece is in the first position, the distance between the locking piece and the ink outlet along the first direction is smaller than the distance between the light-transmitting piece and the ink outlet along the first direction, so that the locking piece can not interfere with other parts arranged in the imaging device when the ink box is installed in the imaging device, the installation or the disassembly of the ink box is facilitated, and the damage of the ink box or the imaging device caused by the interference of the ink box and the imaging device is avoided; after the ink cartridge is installed in the imaging device, the locking piece receives external force and moves to the second position, and the locking piece contacts with the locking mechanism at the moment to fix the position of the ink cartridge in the imaging device, so that the ink cartridge is prevented from shaking in the imaging device, and stable electric communication between the ink cartridge and the imaging device is realized.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the application.

[ description of the drawings ]

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required to be used in the embodiments will be briefly described below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious for those skilled in the art that other drawings can be obtained according to these drawings without inventive labor.

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an ink cartridge provided in embodiment 1 of the present application.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 1 at another angle.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a partial structural schematic view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing the structure of an ink exhaustion detecting member in the ink cartridge shown in fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing the structure of the locking member in the ink cartridge shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 1 in a state.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 1 in another state.

Fig. 9 is a schematic structural view of a locking member in an ink cartridge according to embodiment 2 of the present application.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an ink cartridge provided in example 2 of the present application.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged partial schematic view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 10 at a.

Fig. 12 is a schematic view of a structure of a locking member in an ink cartridge according to embodiment 3 of the present application.

Fig. 13 is a schematic structural view of an ink cartridge provided in embodiment 3 of the present application.

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 13 in one state.

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 13 in another state.

Fig. 16 is a schematic structural view of an ink cartridge provided in embodiment 4 of the present application.

Fig. 17 is an exploded view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a partial schematic view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 16.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged partial schematic view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 18 at B.

FIG. 20 is a schematic view of another angular configuration of the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 18.

Fig. 21 is an enlarged partial schematic view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 20 at C.

FIG. 22 is a schematic view of the structure of the locking member in the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 17.

Fig. 23 is a schematic view of another angle of the locking element shown in fig. 22.

FIG. 24 is a schematic view of the structure of the movable member of the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 17.

FIG. 25 is another angular configuration of the moveable member of FIG. 24.

Fig. 26 is a schematic view of the ink cartridge shown in fig. 16 in another state.

Reference numerals:

100-ink cartridge;

1-box body;

10 a-upper end face; 10 b-lower end face; 10 c-left end face; 10 d-right end face; 10 e-front end face; 10 f-rear end face; 11-an ink outlet; 12 a-a first opening; 12 b-a second opening; 13-an ink reservoir; 14-a support column; 15-mounting a cavity; 16-a positioning section; 17 a-a first runner; 17 b-a second runner; 18 a-a third projection; 18 b-a fourth bump;

2-a locking element;

21-an operating part; 211-a limiting surface; 22-a connecting part; 221-support holes; 23-a locking portion; 231-an abutment surface; 24-an inclined portion; 241-inclined plane; 25-a handle portion; 26-a mounting portion; 260 a-front surface; 260 b-rear surface; 261-a first avoidance slot; 262-a first inclined plane; 27 a-a first projection; 27 b-a second projection;

3-a light-transmitting member;

31-a second front side wall; 32-a second rear sidewall; 33 a-a fifth runner; 33 b-a sixth chute;

4-a light-shielding member;

5-chip;

6-ink exhaustion detecting member;

61-a float; 62-a spindle part; 621-mounting holes; 63-a linker arm; 64-a shield;

7-a movable part;

70 a-a first front sidewall; 70 b-a first rear sidewall; 71 a-a third runner; 71 b-a fourth runner; 72 a-a fifth projection; 72 b-a sixth projection; 73-a second avoidance slot; 74-a support portion; 75-a second bevel;

8-an elastic member;

200-locking mechanism.

[ detailed description ] embodiments

For better understanding of the technical solutions of the present application, the following detailed descriptions of the embodiments of the present application are provided with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It should be understood that the embodiments described are only a few embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

The terminology used in the embodiments of the present application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. As used in the examples of this application and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

It should be understood that the term "and/or" as used herein is merely one type of association that describes an associated object, meaning that three relationships may exist, e.g., a and/or B may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character "/" herein generally indicates that the former and latter associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

The existing ink cartridge is generally provided with an ink exhaustion detection mechanism, a locking mechanism and a contact mechanism, the surface of the cartridge body close to and facing the locking mechanism in the existing ink cartridge is generally provided with an ink exhaustion detection part, a locking piece and a chip, when the ink cartridge is installed in the printer, the locking piece can be matched with the locking mechanism to fix the position of the ink cartridge in the printer, the ink exhaustion detection part can be matched with the ink exhaustion detection mechanism to detect the capacity of ink stored in the cartridge body, and the chip can be abutted against the contact mechanism to realize the electrical communication between the ink cartridge and the printer.

However, in the conventional ink cartridge, the locking member is usually fixedly disposed on a surface of the cartridge body close to and facing the locking mechanism, so that during the process of mounting or dismounting the ink cartridge in or from the printer, the locking member easily interferes with other components disposed in the printer, which is not favorable for mounting or dismounting the ink cartridge, and easily causes damage to the ink cartridge or the printer.

In order to solve the above technical problem, an embodiment of the present application provides an ink cartridge detachably disposed in an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus being provided with an ink supply mechanism and a locking mechanism, the ink cartridge including: the ink box comprises an upper end surface and a lower end surface which are opposite along a first direction, and a left end surface and a right end surface which are opposite along a second direction, wherein the first direction is intersected with the second direction, the left end surface is provided with an ink outlet, and the ink outlet can be inserted into the ink supply mechanism; the light-transmitting piece is arranged on the upper end face; the locking piece is movably arranged on the upper end face and is provided with a first position and a second position; when the locking piece is at the first position, the locking piece is separated from the locking mechanism, and the distance between the locking piece and the ink outlet along the first direction is smaller than the distance between the light-transmitting piece and the ink outlet along the first direction; when the locking member is in the second position, the locking member is in contact with the locking mechanism.

Example 1

Referring to fig. 1 to 5, an ink cartridge 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure at least includes a cartridge body 1, a light-transmitting member 3, a light-shielding member 4, a chip 5, and an ink-out detection member 6, wherein the light-transmitting member 3, the light-shielding member 4, and the chip 5 are disposed on an outer sidewall of the cartridge body 1, and the ink-out detection member 6 is disposed in the cartridge body 1.

The ink cartridge 100 is detachably provided in an image forming apparatus provided with an ink exhaustion detecting mechanism (not shown), a position detecting mechanism (not shown), a contact mechanism (not shown), and an ink supply mechanism (not shown). When the ink cartridge 100 is mounted in the image forming apparatus, the ink exhaustion detecting mechanism may cooperate with the light-transmitting member 3 and the ink exhaustion detecting member 6 to detect the capacity of the ink stored in the cartridge body 1, the position detecting mechanism may cooperate with the light shielding member 4 to detect whether the ink cartridge 100 is mounted in place, and the contact mechanism may contact the chip 5 to enable electrical communication between the ink cartridge 100 and the image forming apparatus.

Referring to fig. 1 to 4, the cartridge body 1 includes an upper end surface 10a and a lower end surface 10b opposite to each other in a first direction, a left end surface 10c and a right end surface 10d opposite to each other in a second direction, and a front end surface 10e and a rear end surface 10f opposite to each other in a third direction, wherein the upper end surface 10a is close to and faces the contact mechanism and the locking mechanism 200, the left end surface 10c is close to and faces the ink supply mechanism, and the first direction, the second direction and the third direction intersect with each other. Preferably, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

Specifically, the chip 5, the light shielding member 4, and the light transmitting member 3 are sequentially disposed on the upper end surface 10a along the second direction, an ink storage chamber 13 for storing ink is disposed in the box body 1, and the left end surface 10c is provided with an ink outlet 11 communicating with the ink storage chamber 13.

After the ink cartridge 100 is installed in the imaging device, the ink outlet 11 may be inserted into the ink supply mechanism, so that the ink in the ink storage chamber 13 may flow to the imaging device through the ink outlet 11 and the ink supply mechanism, the light shielding member 4 may block or reflect the detection light emitted by the position detection mechanism, and a control system (not shown in the figure) installed in the imaging device receives a signal indicating that the detection light is blocked or reflected, and then determines whether the ink cartridge 100 is installed in place, that is, whether the ink cartridge 100 is stably connected with the imaging device.

Referring to fig. 4 and 5, the ink exhaustion detecting member 6 includes a floating portion 61, a rotating shaft portion 62, a connecting arm 63, and a shielding portion 64, wherein the floating portion 61 is connected to the rotating shaft portion 62, the connecting arm 63 is connected between the shielding portion 64 and the rotating shaft portion 62, and the rotating shaft portion 62 is provided with a mounting hole 621 through.

Specifically, a supporting column 14 is arranged in the box body 1, and the supporting column 14 is inserted into the mounting hole 621, so that the floating portion 61, the connecting arm 63 and the shielding portion 64 can rotate around the supporting column 14. An accommodating chamber (not shown) communicating with the ink storage chamber 13 is provided in the light-transmitting member 3, and the blocking portion 64 can be rotated into or removed from the accommodating chamber.

The light-transmitting member 3 includes a second front sidewall 31 and a second rear sidewall 32 opposite to each other in the third direction, and the second front sidewall 31 and the second rear sidewall 32 are configured to allow the probe light to pass therethrough, for example, both the second front sidewall 31 and the second rear sidewall 32 may be made of a transparent material.

The ink exhaustion detecting mechanism includes an emitter (not shown) and a sensor (not shown), the emitter is located on the side of the second front sidewall 31, and the sensor is located on the side of the second rear sidewall 32; alternatively, the emitter is located on the side of the second rear sidewall 32 and the sensor is located on the side of the second front sidewall 31.

When the ink storage cavity 13 is filled with ink, the floating piece rotates counterclockwise around the support column 14 after receiving buoyancy, so that the shielding portion 64 extends into the accommodating cavity, the shielding portion 64 can block or reflect the detection light, the sensing portion cannot sense the detection light, and the control system judges that the ink storage cavity 13 is filled with ink; or, the blocking portion 64 only allows a small amount of detection light to pass through, the sensing portion senses that the intensity of the detection light is low, and the control system determines that the ink storage chamber 13 is full of ink.

When the ink in the ink storage cavity 13 is continuously consumed, the buoyancy force applied to the floating piece is gradually reduced, the floating piece rotates clockwise around the supporting column 14 under the self gravity, the blocking portion 64 gradually moves out of the accommodating cavity, in the process, the sensing portion senses the strength of the detection light to be gradually increased, and the control system can calculate the ink capacity corresponding to the strength of the detection light according to the preset corresponding relation.

Any one or more of the light-transmitting member 3, the light-shielding member 4, or the chip 5 may be disposed on the upper end surface 10a by way of screw-fitting, plug-fitting, adhesion, magnetic attraction, welding, integral molding, and the like, which is not limited herein. The chip 5 may be provided on the upper end surface 10a by a support (not shown).

Referring to fig. 2, 3, 6 to 8, a mounting cavity 15 is disposed in the box body 1, the locking member 2 is rotatably disposed in the mounting cavity 15, the upper end surface 10a is provided with a first opening 12a communicated with the mounting cavity 15, and the right end surface 10d is provided with a second opening 12b communicated with the mounting cavity 15.

Specifically, the locking member 2 includes an operation portion 21, a connection portion 22 and a locking portion 23, wherein the connection portion 22 is connected between the operation portion 21 and the locking portion 23, and the connection portion 22 is rotatably connected with the case 1, so that the locking member 2 is substantially in a zigzag shape. The locking member 2 has a first position where the locking member 2 is positioned to disengage the locking member 2 from the locking mechanism 200 when the ink cartridge 100 is not mounted in the image forming apparatus, and a second position where the locking member 2 receives an external force to move to bring the locking member 2 into contact with the locking mechanism 200 after the ink cartridge 100 is mounted in the image forming apparatus, thereby achieving fixing of the position of the ink cartridge 100 in the image forming apparatus.

In some embodiments, the mounting cavity 15 includes a first inner wall (not shown) and a second inner wall (not shown) opposite to each other along the third direction, the first inner wall is protruded to form a first supporting protrusion (not shown), the second inner wall is protruded to form a second supporting protrusion (not shown), the connecting portion 22 is penetrated along the third direction to form a supporting hole 221, and the first supporting protrusion and the second supporting protrusion are respectively inserted into the supporting hole 221.

In other embodiments, the mounting cavity 15 includes a first inner wall (not shown) and a second inner wall (not shown) opposite to each other along the third direction, and the connecting portion 22 includes a first side wall (not shown) and a second side wall (not shown) opposite to each other along the third direction. The first inner wall is provided with a first supporting protrusion (not shown in the figure), the second inner wall is provided with a second supporting protrusion (not shown in the figure), the first side wall is provided with a first shaft hole (not shown in the figure) in a concave manner, the second side wall is provided with a second shaft hole (not shown in the figure) in a concave manner, wherein the first supporting protrusion is inserted into the first shaft hole, the second supporting protrusion is inserted into the second shaft hole, and the first shaft hole and the second shaft hole can be blind holes so that the first supporting protrusion and the second supporting protrusion are not communicated with each other.

In other embodiments, the mounting cavity 15 includes a first inner wall (not shown) and a second inner wall (not shown) opposite to each other along the third direction, and the connecting portion 22 includes a first side wall (not shown) and a second side wall (not shown) opposite to each other along the third direction. The first inner wall is concave to form a first shaft hole (not shown in the figure), the second inner wall is concave to form a second shaft hole (not shown in the figure), wherein the first supporting bulge is inserted in the first shaft hole, and the second supporting bulge is inserted in the second shaft hole.

In order to avoid interference between the light-transmissive member 3 and the locking mechanism 200 during the mounting of the ink cartridge 100 in the image forming apparatus, the distance between the locking mechanism 200 and the upper end surface 10a in the first direction needs to be greater than the distance between the light-transmissive member 3 and the upper end surface 10a in the first direction, i.e., the locking mechanism 200 is located above the light-transmissive member 3.

When the locking member 2 is at the first position, the operating portion 21 extends out of the mounting cavity 15 from the second opening 12b, and the locking portion 23 extends into the mounting cavity 15 from the first opening 12a, so that the height of the locking member 2 in the first direction is smaller than the height of the light-transmitting member 3 in the first direction, that is, the distance between the locking member 2 and the ink outlet 11 in the first direction is smaller than the distance between the light-transmitting member 3 and the ink outlet 11 in the first direction, as shown in fig. 7.

In this application, the light-transmitting member 3 in the existing ink cartridge 100 is generally designed not to interfere with any component disposed in the image forming apparatus, and since the height of the locking member 2 in the first direction is smaller than the height of the light-transmitting member 3 in the first direction, the locking member 2 does not interfere with any component disposed in the image forming apparatus when the ink cartridge 100 is mounted in the image forming apparatus, which is beneficial to mounting or dismounting the ink cartridge 100, and avoids the damage of the ink cartridge 100 or the image forming apparatus caused by the interference between the two components.

It should be noted that when the locking member 2 is in the first position, at least a portion of the locking portion 23 may also protrude out of the mounting cavity 15 from the first opening 12a, as long as the height of the portion of the locking portion 23 protruding out of the mounting cavity 15 in the first direction is smaller than the height of the light-transmitting member 3 in the first direction.

When the locking member 2 is at the second position, the operating portion 21 can extend into the mounting cavity 15 from the second opening 12b after receiving an external force, and the locking portion 23 extends out of the mounting cavity 15 from the first opening 12a to contact with the locking mechanism 200, at this time, the height of the locking member 2 in the first direction is greater than the height of the light-transmitting member 3 in the first direction, that is, the distance between the locking member 2 and the ink outlet 11 in the first direction is greater than the distance between the light-transmitting member 3 and the ink outlet 11 in the first direction, as shown in fig. 8.

Referring to fig. 8, in some embodiments, the locking mechanism 200 includes a locking rod (not shown), the locking portion 23 has an abutting surface 231, and when the locking member 2 is in the second position, the abutting surface 231 can contact with the locking rod to prevent the ink cartridge 100 from moving in the second direction in the image forming apparatus, so as to prevent the chip 5 from contacting the contact mechanism due to the movement of the ink cartridge 100, thereby facilitating the stable electrical communication between the ink cartridge 100 and the image forming apparatus.

When the ink cartridge 100 needs to be removed from the image forming apparatus, the external force applied to the operation portion 21 is released, the locking member 2 rotates under the action of its own weight, at this time, the locking portion 23 extends into the mounting cavity 15 from the first opening 12a, the operation portion 21 extends out of the mounting cavity 15 from the second opening 12b, the locking portion 23 is out of contact with the locking mechanism 200, that is, the abutting surface 231 is out of contact with the locking lever, and the ink cartridge 100 can be removed from the image forming apparatus in the second direction.

Example 2

Referring to fig. 9 to 11, the structure of the ink cartridge 100 of embodiment 1 is basically the same, except that the locking member 2 further includes an inclined portion 24 connected to the locking portion 23.

Specifically, the inclined portion 24 is provided at one end of the locking portion 23 away from the connecting portion 22, the inclined portion 24 has an inclined surface 241 continuously connected to the abutment surface 231, and the inclined surface 241 is not parallel to the abutment surface 231.

When the locking member 2 is in the second position, the locking mechanism 200 can simultaneously contact the abutment surface 231 and the inclined surface 241, that is, the outer surface of the locking lever can simultaneously abut the abutment surface 231 and the inclined surface 241, the movement of the ink cartridge 100 in the second direction can be restricted by the engagement of the abutment surface 231 with the locking lever, and the movement of the ink cartridge 100 in the reverse direction of the first direction can be restricted by the engagement of the inclined surface 241 with the locking lever.

Example 3

Referring to fig. 12 to 15, the structure of the ink cartridge 100 in embodiment 1 or 2 is basically the same, except that the case 1 is provided with a positioning portion 16 near the second opening 12b, and the operating portion 21 is in contact with the positioning portion 16 when the locking member 2 is in the second position.

Specifically, the positioning portion 16 extends from the position where the right end surface 10d is close to the second opening 12b in the opposite direction of the first direction, one end of the operating portion 21 away from the connecting portion 22 is recessed to form a limiting surface 211, when the locking member 2 is located at the second position, the limiting surface 211 can abut against the surface of the positioning portion 16 facing the installation cavity 15, and after the ink cartridge 100 is installed in the image forming apparatus, the locking member 2 can be limited to rotate by the cooperation of the limiting surface 211 and the positioning portion 16, so that the abutting surface 231 can be stably contacted with the locking rod, and the position of the ink cartridge 100 in the image forming apparatus can be fixed.

In some embodiments, referring to fig. 12, 14 and 15, the locking member 2 further comprises a handle portion 25, the handle portion 25 is connected to the connecting portion 22, and at least a portion of the handle portion 25 extends out of the mounting cavity 15 from the first opening 12a when the locking member 2 is in the second position.

Specifically, when the ink cartridge 100 needs to be removed from the image forming apparatus, the external force applied to the operating portion 21 is released, then the external force is applied to the handle portion 25, the handle portion 25 receives the external force to drive the locking portion 23 to rotate in a direction close to the mounting cavity 15 and extend into the mounting cavity 15, and the limiting surface 211 is separated from the positioning portion 16 so that the operating portion 21 extends out of the mounting cavity 15 from the second opening 12b.

Note that, with respect to the ink cartridge 100 in the foregoing embodiment 1 or 2, the cartridge body 1 may not be provided with the positioning portion 16, and the locking member 2 may include the handle portion 25; alternatively, the case 1 may be provided with the positioning portion 16, and the locking member 2 may not include the handle portion 25; alternatively, the case 1 may be provided with the positioning portion 16, and the locking member 2 may include the handle portion 25.

Example 4

Referring to fig. 16 to 26, the structure of the ink cartridge 100 according to any one of embodiments 1 to 3 is basically the same, but the difference is that the ink cartridge 100 includes a movable element 7, and the movable element 7 drives the movable element 7 to move in a direction away from the upper end surface 10a after receiving an external force.

Referring to fig. 16 and 17, the ink cartridge 100 further includes a movable element 7, the movable element 7 is movably disposed on the upper end surface 10a, and the movable element 7 receives an external force to move along the second direction, so as to drive the locking element 2 to move in a direction away from the upper end surface 10a.

Referring to fig. 22 and 23, the locking member 2 includes a mounting portion 26 and a locking portion 23, the locking portion 23 is provided on a surface of the mounting portion 26 facing away from the upper end face 10a, and the mounting portion 26 includes a front surface 260a and a rear surface 260b opposite to each other in the third direction.

Specifically, a first sliding groove 17a is obliquely arranged on the front end surface 10e, a second sliding groove 17b is obliquely arranged on the rear end surface 10f, a first protrusion 27a is arranged on the front surface 260a, and a second protrusion 27b is arranged on the rear end surface 10f, wherein the first protrusion 27a is inserted into the first sliding groove 17a, and the second protrusion 27b is inserted into the second sliding groove 17 b. In the second direction, the distance between first slide groove 17a and upper end surface 10a in the first direction increases, and the distance between second slide groove 17b and upper end surface 10a in the first direction increases.

The locking member 2 has a first position and a second position, and when the ink cartridge 100 is not installed in the image forming apparatus, the locking member 2 is in the first position, at which the locking portion 23 is out of contact with the locking mechanism 200, and when the ink cartridge 100 is installed in the image forming apparatus, the movable member 7 receives an external force to drive the locking member 2 to move in a direction away from the upper end surface 10a, so that the locking portion 23 is in contact with the locking mechanism 200.

Specifically, when the locking member 2 is at the first position, the first protrusion 27a is located at the bottom end of the first sliding groove 17a, the second protrusion 27b is located at the bottom end of the second sliding groove 17b, and the height of the locking member 2 in the first direction is smaller than the height of the light-transmitting member 3 in the first direction, that is, the distance between the locking member 2 and the ink outlet 11 in the first direction is smaller than the distance between the light-transmitting member 3 and the ink outlet 11 in the first direction.

When the locking member 2 is at the second position, the first protrusion 27a is located at the top end of the first sliding groove 17a, the second protrusion 27b is located at the top end of the second sliding groove 17b, and the height of the locking member 2 in the first direction is greater than the height of the light-transmitting member 3 in the first direction, that is, the distance between the locking member 2 and the ink outlet 11 in the first direction is greater than the distance between the light-transmitting member 3 and the ink outlet 11 in the first direction.

Referring to fig. 24 and 25, the movable member 7 includes a first front sidewall 70a and a first rear sidewall 70b opposite to each other along the third direction, and the movable member 7 is provided with a second avoiding groove 73, so that the movable member 7 is sleeved on the periphery of the light transmissive member 3 through the second avoiding groove 73, that is, the light transmissive member 3 is inserted into the second avoiding groove 73, and a guiding mechanism (not shown in the drawings) is disposed between the movable member 7 and the case 1 to provide a guiding function for the movement of the movable member 7.

In some embodiments, referring to fig. 19, fig. 24 and fig. 25, a third protrusion 18a is disposed on an inner side of the front end surface 10e, a fourth protrusion 18b is disposed on an inner side of the rear end surface 10f, the first front side wall 70a is provided with a third sliding slot 71a extending along the second direction, and the first rear side wall 70b is provided with a fourth sliding slot 71b extending along the second direction, wherein the third protrusion 18a is inserted into the third sliding slot 71a, and the fourth protrusion 18b is inserted into the fourth sliding slot 71b, so as to play a guiding role and enable the movable element 7 to move only along the second direction, thereby effectively preventing the movable element 7 from deflecting after being stressed.

In other embodiments, the front end surface 10e is provided with a third sliding groove 71a extending along the second direction, the rear end surface 10f is provided with a fourth sliding groove 71b extending along the second direction, the outer side of the first front side wall 70a is provided with a third protrusion 18a, and the outer side of the first rear side wall 70b is provided with a fourth protrusion 18b, wherein the third protrusion 18a is inserted into the third sliding groove 71a, and the fourth protrusion 18b is inserted into the fourth sliding groove 71b, so as to play a guiding role and enable the movable member 7 to move only along the second direction, thereby effectively preventing the movable member 7 from deflecting after being stressed.

It is understood that the inner side of the front end face 10e may be provided with a third protrusion 18a, the first front side wall 70a may be correspondingly provided with a third sliding slot 71a, the rear end face 10f may be provided with a fourth sliding slot 71b, and the outer side of the first rear side wall 70b may be correspondingly provided with a fourth protrusion 18b; alternatively, the front end surface 10e may be provided with a third sliding groove 71a, the outer side of the first front side wall 70a may be correspondingly provided with a third protrusion 18a, the inner side of the rear end surface 10f may be provided with a fourth protrusion 18b, and the first rear side wall 70b may be correspondingly provided with a fourth sliding groove 71b.

In still other embodiments, the front end face 10e may be provided with the third protrusion 18a and the third sliding groove 71a at the same time, the first front side wall 70a may be provided with the third sliding groove 71a and the third protrusion 18a at the same time, the rear end face 10f may be provided with the fourth protrusion 18b and/or the fourth sliding groove 71b, the first rear side wall 70b may be provided with the fourth sliding groove 71b and/or the fourth protrusion 18b, respectively, or the front end face 10e may be provided with the third protrusion 18a and/or the third sliding groove 71a, the first front side wall 70a may be provided with the third sliding groove 71a and/or the third protrusion 18a at the same time, the rear end face 10f may be provided with the fourth protrusion 18b and the fourth sliding groove 71b at the same time, and the first rear side wall 70b may be provided with the fourth sliding groove 71b and the fourth protrusion 18b at the same time, respectively.

In still other embodiments, only the front end surface 10e is provided with the third protrusion 18a and/or the third sliding groove 71a, the first front side wall 70a is correspondingly provided with the third sliding groove 71a and/or the third protrusion 18a, and the rear end surface 10f and the first rear side wall 70b are not provided with the fourth protrusion 18b and the fourth sliding groove 71b; alternatively, only the rear end surface 10f is provided with the fourth protrusion 18b and/or the fourth sliding slot 71b, the first rear side wall 70b is provided with the fourth sliding slot 71b and/or the fourth protrusion 18b, and the front end surface 10e and the first front side wall 70a are not provided with the third protrusion 18a and the third sliding slot 71a.

Referring to fig. 19, 21, 24 and 25, the light-transmitting member 3 includes a second front sidewall 31 and a second rear sidewall 32 opposite to each other along the third direction, and a guiding mechanism (not shown) may also be disposed between the light-transmitting member 3 and the movable member 7, so as to not only provide a guiding function for the movement of the movable member 7, but also prevent the movable member 7 from falling off from the upper end surface 10a.

In some embodiments, the inner side of the first front sidewall 70a is provided with a fifth protrusion 72a, the inner side of the second rear sidewall 32 is provided with a sixth protrusion 72b, the second front sidewall 31 is provided with a fifth sliding slot 33a extending along the second direction, and the second rear sidewall 32 is provided with a sixth sliding slot 33b extending along the second direction, wherein the fifth protrusion 72a is inserted into the fifth sliding slot 33a, and the sixth protrusion 72b is inserted into the sixth sliding slot 33b.

In other embodiments, the first front sidewall 70a is provided with a fifth sliding slot 33a extending along the second direction, the first rear sidewall 70b is provided with a sixth sliding slot 33b extending along the second direction, the second front sidewall 31 is provided with a fifth protrusion 72a, and the second rear sidewall 32 is provided with a sixth protrusion 72b, wherein the fifth protrusion 72a is inserted into the fifth sliding slot 33a, and the sixth protrusion 72b is inserted into the sixth sliding slot 33b.

It is understood that the inner side of the first front sidewall 70a may be provided with a fifth protrusion 72a, the second front sidewall 31 is correspondingly provided with a fifth slide slot 33a, while the first rear sidewall 70b may be provided with a sixth slide slot 33b, and the second rear sidewall 32 is correspondingly provided with a sixth protrusion 72b; alternatively, the first front sidewall 70a may be provided with a fifth slide groove 33a, the second front sidewall 31 may be provided with a fifth protrusion 72a, and the inner side of the second rear sidewall 32 may be provided with a sixth protrusion 72b, and the second rear sidewall 32 may be correspondingly provided with a sixth slide groove 33b.

In still other embodiments, the first front side wall 70a may be provided with both the fifth runner 33a and the fifth projection 72a, the second front side wall 31 may be provided with the fifth projection 72a and the fifth runner 33a, respectively, while the first rear side wall 70b may be provided with the sixth runner 33b and/or the sixth projection 72b, and the second rear side wall 32 may be provided with the sixth projection 72b and/or the sixth runner 33b, respectively; alternatively, the first rear side wall 70b may be provided with the sixth sliding groove 33b and the sixth protrusion 72b at the same time, the second rear side wall 32 may be provided with the sixth protrusion 72b and the sixth sliding groove 33b at the same time, respectively, while the first front side wall 70a may be provided with the fifth sliding groove 33a and/or the fifth protrusion 72a, and the second front side wall 31 may be provided with the fifth protrusion 72a and/or the fifth sliding groove 33a, respectively.

In still other embodiments, only the first front sidewall 70a is provided with the fifth runner 33a and/or the fifth protrusion 72a, the second front sidewall 31 is provided with the fifth protrusion 72a and/or the fifth runner 33a, respectively, and neither the first rear sidewall 70b nor the second rear sidewall 32 is provided with the sixth runner 33b and the sixth protrusion 72b; alternatively, only the first rear side wall 70b is provided with the sixth sliding slot 33b and/or the sixth protrusion 72b, the second rear side wall 32 is provided with the sixth protrusion 72b and/or the sixth sliding slot 33b correspondingly, and neither the first front side wall 70a nor the second front side wall 31 is provided with the fifth sliding slot 33a and the fifth protrusion 72a.

It should be noted that, when the guide mechanism is arranged between the moving member 7 and the light-transmitting member 3, the guide mechanism may not be arranged between the moving member 7 and the box body 1; or when a guide mechanism is arranged between the movable member 7 and the box body 1, the guide mechanism is not required to be arranged between the movable member 7 and the light-transmitting member 3.

Referring to fig. 22 to 25, the locking member 2 includes a first inclined surface 262 close to and facing the movable member 7, the movable member 7 includes a second inclined surface 75 close to and facing the locking member 2, and the first inclined surface 262 abuts against the second inclined surface 75.

Specifically, in the second direction, the distance between the first inclined surface 262 and the upper end surface 10a gradually decreases, and the distance between the second inclined surface 75 and the upper end surface 10a gradually decreases. This enables the movable member 7 to drive the locking member 2 to move away from the upper end surface 10a by the inclined surface contact structure when the movable member 7 moves in the second direction.

Referring to fig. 26, when the movable element 7 receives an external force and moves along the second direction, the movable element 7 can drive the locking element 2 to move along the tracks of the first sliding slot 17a and the second sliding slot 17b, so that the locking element 2 moves in a direction away from the upper end surface 10a, and the locking portion 23 contacts the locking mechanism 200, that is, the abutting surface 231 abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the locking rod.

It is understood that the locking member 2 may include the inclined portion 24, and the structure of the inclined portion 24 is substantially the same as that of the foregoing embodiment 2, and will not be described again.

Referring to fig. 17, 22 to 25, the ink cartridge 100 further includes an elastic member 8, and the elastic member 8 is disposed between the movable member 7 and the cartridge body 1. When the ink cartridge 100 needs to be removed from the image forming apparatus, the external force applied to the movable member is released, and the movable member 7 returns to the initial position under the elastic force of the elastic member 8, so that the locking member 2 returns to the first position.

Specifically, the elastic element 8 is connected between the movable element 7 and the box body 1 along the second direction, the locking element 2 is provided with a first avoiding groove 261, and at least a part of the elastic element 8 is inserted into the first avoiding groove 261.

In some embodiments, the movable member 7 is provided with a supporting portion 74, one end of the elastic member 8 is sleeved on the periphery of the supporting portion 74, and the other end of the elastic member 8 abuts against the case 1.

Specifically, the elastic member 8 may be a spring, a tension spring, a plate spring, a rubber block, or any other component having elasticity, and is not limited herein. In the embodiment of the present application, the elastic member 8 may be a spring.

It is understood that the elastic element 8 may also be connected to the movable element 7 and/or the box 1 by means of a plug fit, welding, integral molding, etc., without limitation.

Compared with the prior art, in the ink box provided by the utility model, when the ink box is not installed in the imaging device, the locking piece is in the first position, the distance between the locking piece and the ink outlet along the first direction is smaller than the distance between the light-transmitting piece and the ink outlet along the first direction, so that the locking piece can not interfere with other parts arranged in the imaging device when the ink box is installed in the imaging device, the installation or the disassembly of the ink box is facilitated, and the damage of the ink box or the imaging device caused by the interference of the ink box and the imaging device is avoided; after the ink cartridge is installed in the imaging device, the locking piece receives external force and moves to the second position, and the locking piece contacts with the locking mechanism at the moment to fix the position of the ink cartridge in the imaging device, so that the ink cartridge is prevented from shaking in the imaging device, and stable electric communication between the ink cartridge and the imaging device is realized.

The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and should not be taken as limiting the invention, and any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. An ink cartridge detachably provided in an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus being provided therein with an ink supply mechanism and a lock mechanism, the ink cartridge comprising:

the ink supply device comprises a box body, an ink outlet and an ink outlet, wherein the box body comprises an upper end surface and a lower end surface which are opposite along a first direction, and a left end surface and a right end surface which are opposite along a second direction, the first direction is intersected with the second direction, the left end surface is provided with the ink outlet, and the ink outlet can be inserted into the ink supply mechanism;

the light-transmitting piece is arranged on the upper end face;

the locking piece is movably arranged on the upper end face and is provided with a first position and a second position; when the locking piece is at the first position, the locking piece is separated from the locking mechanism, and the distance between the locking piece and the ink outlet along the first direction is smaller than the distance between the light-transmitting piece and the ink outlet along the first direction; the locking member is in contact with the locking mechanism when the locking member is in the second position.

2. The ink cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mounting chamber is provided in the cartridge body, the locking member is rotatably provided in the mounting chamber, and the upper end surface is provided with a first opening communicating with the mounting chamber, and the right end surface is provided with a second opening communicating with the mounting chamber;

the locking piece comprises an operation part, a connecting part and a locking part, wherein the connecting part is connected between the operation part and the locking part, and the connecting part is rotatably connected with the box body;

when the locking piece is located at the first position, the operating part extends out of the mounting cavity from the second opening, and the locking part extends into the mounting cavity from the first opening;

when the locking piece is located at the second position, the operating part extends into the mounting cavity from the second opening, and the locking part extends out of the mounting cavity from the first opening to be in contact with the locking mechanism.

3. The ink cartridge as claimed in claim 2, wherein the locking portion has an abutment surface, and the locking mechanism is in contact with the abutment surface when the locking member is in the second position;

the locking member further includes an inclined portion having an inclined surface continuously connected with the abutting surface, and the inclined surface is not parallel to the abutting surface.

4. The ink cartridge according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the cartridge body is provided with a positioning portion near the second opening, and the operation portion is in contact with the positioning portion when the lock member is in the second position.

5. The ink cartridge as claimed in claim 4, wherein the locking member further comprises a handle portion connected with the connecting portion;

when the locking piece is located at the second position, at least part of the handle portion extends out of the mounting cavity from the first opening, and the handle portion receives external force to drive the locking portion to rotate towards the direction close to the mounting cavity.

6. The ink cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking member comprises a mounting portion and a locking portion provided on a surface of the mounting portion facing away from the upper end surface;

the ink box further comprises a moving part, wherein the moving part is movably arranged on the upper end face, and the moving part receives external force and moves along the second direction to drive the locking part to move towards the direction far away from the upper end face.

7. The ink cartridge according to claim 6, wherein the cartridge body further includes a front end surface and a rear end surface that are opposed in a third direction, and the mounting portion includes a front surface and a rear surface that are opposed in the third direction, wherein the third direction intersects with the first direction and the second direction;

the front end face is provided with a first sliding groove in an inclined mode, the rear end face is provided with a second sliding groove in an inclined mode, the front surface is provided with a first protrusion, the rear end face is provided with a second protrusion, the first protrusion is inserted into the first sliding groove, and the second protrusion is inserted into the second sliding groove.

8. The ink cartridge as in claim 7, wherein said movable member includes a first front sidewall and a first rear sidewall opposed in said third direction;

the front end face is provided with a third sliding groove extending along the second direction, the rear end face is provided with a fourth sliding groove extending along the second direction, a third bulge is arranged on the outer side of the first front side wall, and a fourth bulge is arranged on the outer side of the first rear side wall, wherein the third bulge is inserted into the third sliding groove, and the fourth bulge is inserted into the fourth sliding groove;

and/or a third bulge is arranged on the inner side of the front end face, a fourth bulge is arranged on the inner side of the rear end face, a third sliding groove extending along the second direction is formed in the first front side wall, a fourth sliding groove extending along the second direction is formed in the first rear side wall, the third bulge is inserted into the third sliding groove, and the fourth bulge is inserted into the fourth sliding groove.

9. The ink cartridge according to claim 8, wherein the light-transmitting member includes a second front side wall and a second rear side wall that are opposite in the third direction;

a fifth bulge is arranged on the inner side of the first front side wall, a sixth bulge is arranged on the inner side of the second rear side wall, a fifth sliding groove extending along the second direction is arranged on the second front side wall, and a sixth sliding groove extending along the second direction is arranged on the second rear side wall, wherein the fifth bulge is inserted into the fifth sliding groove, and the sixth bulge is inserted into the sixth sliding groove;

and/or the first front side wall is provided with a fifth sliding groove extending along the second direction, the first rear side wall is provided with a sixth sliding groove extending along the second direction, the second front side wall is provided with a fifth bulge, the second rear side wall is provided with a sixth bulge, the fifth bulge is inserted into the fifth sliding groove, and the sixth bulge is inserted into the sixth sliding groove.

10. The ink cartridge as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, further comprising an elastic member disposed between the movable member and the cartridge body.

Images