EP0661159B1 - Mit Schaumstoff gefüllte Behälter für wässrige Flüssigkeiten - Google Patents

Mit Schaumstoff gefüllte Behälter für wässrige Flüssigkeiten Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0661159B1
EP0661159B1 EP93310609A EP93310609A EP0661159B1 EP 0661159 B1 EP0661159 B1 EP 0661159B1 EP 93310609 A EP93310609 A EP 93310609A EP 93310609 A EP93310609 A EP 93310609A EP 0661159 B1 EP0661159 B1 EP 0661159B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
polyurethane foam
foam
ink
aqueous liquid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP93310609A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0661159A1 (de
Inventor
Kuniaki C/O Bridgestone Corp. Yasunaga
Hajime C/O Bridgestone Corp. Hasegawa
Isao Kimijima
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Bridgestone Corp
Original Assignee
Bridgestone Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to JP4199092A priority Critical patent/JPH0624491A/ja
Application filed by Bridgestone Corp filed Critical Bridgestone Corp
Priority to DE69317569T priority patent/DE69317569T2/de
Priority to EP93310609A priority patent/EP0661159B1/de
Publication of EP0661159A1 publication Critical patent/EP0661159A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0661159B1 publication Critical patent/EP0661159B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B41J2/17513—Inner structure

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a container for aqueous liquid, and more particularly, to a container having a liquid retainer received therein for storing an aqueous liquid, typically an ink retainer for storing an aqueous ink for providing an ink supply to a printing head.
  • the invention also relates to a method of making such a container.
  • liquid containers are stationary, but some are used in a movable state. As a container moves back and forth in a horizontal direction, or up and down in a vertical direction, waves in the liquid give rise to sloshing in the container. If liquid in the container is waving and sloshing it is difficult to discharge liquid from the container at a constant flow rate.
  • ink retainers used for feeding ink to printing heads.
  • the field of business machine printers now sees a switch from the wire dot and thermal transfer printing systems to the ink jet and laser beam printing systems.
  • aqueous ink is generally used and an ink retainer is typically inserted in a container in order to retain the ink uniformly in the container. Without such an ink retainer it is difficult to feed ink at a constant rate, because the feed rate can vary with the residual amount of ink in the container.
  • the ink In a printing system wherein the ink container moves with the printing head, the ink constantly waves and sloshes in the container, hindering constant ink supply.
  • ink retainers are essential and are generally made of flexible polyurethane foam.
  • Polyurethane foams as produced possess thin cell membranes; those polyurethane foams from which the cell membranes have been removed e.g. by heating are often used.
  • polyurethane foams are installed in the containers in a compressed state. As a result of compression, the foams have an increased density of cells which is advantageous for ink retention.
  • An example of such a container is described in EP-A-520695.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved liquid storing container having a flexible polyurethane foam received therein for not only retaining liquid, but also preventing liquid from sloshing when the container is moved so that liquid can be delivered from the container at a constant flow rate.
  • a container having an inner wall defining an interior volume.
  • a flexible polyurethane foam is received in the container for storing an aqueous liquid.
  • the polyurethane foam swells with the liquid. When swollen, the polyurethane foam makes close contact with the container inner wall.
  • the flexible polyurethane foam to be inserted into the container swells with an aqueous liquid to be charged.
  • the foam need not closely contact the container inner wall.
  • a gap may be left between the foam and the container inner wall, that is, the foam may have a volume slightly smaller than the container interior volume. This looseness facilitates insertion of the foam into the container.
  • the invention is not limited to such a foam of smaller dimensions and a foam which is compressed upon insertion into a container is also acceptable herein.
  • the foam When the aqueous liquid is introduced into the container, the foam is impregnated and swollen with the liquid so that the foam expands into close contact with the container inner wall.
  • the swollen foam fully occupies the container inner volume and remains uniform. No gap or empty space is left in the container.
  • the ink-swollen or impregnated foam is effective not only to retain liquid but also to prevent liquid from sloshing when the container is moved. It is then possible to deliver liquid from the container at a constant flow rate. Therefore, the container of the invention is particularly useful as an ink retainer container for providing a constant ink supply to a printing head.
  • the invention also provides a method of manufacturing a container as described above.
  • FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a container according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 1 A liquid storage container of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 as comprising a container casing 10 and a liquid retainer 20 placed therein for absorbing and retaining an aqueous liquid.
  • the material and shape of the container casing 10 may be selected in accordance with a particular purpose of the container.
  • the container is an ink container from which ink is supplied to the printing head
  • the container casing is of a box shape having an air vent 30 at the top and an ink exit port 32 at the bottom as shown in FIG. 1 and made of any plastic material such as polypropylene.
  • the liquid retainer 20 is made of flexible polyurethane foam which is swellable with an aqueous liquid to be contained in the container, for example, aqueous ink.
  • the swellable polyurethane foam may be a hydrophilic polyurethane foam if the liquid with which the container is to be charged is aqueous, typically aqueous ink.
  • Such a hydrophilic polyurethane foam is generally obtained by using a polyol including a higher proportion of ethylene oxide than of propylene oxide as one starting reactant for the manufacture of the polyurethane.
  • a desired swelling factor is obtained by properly selecting various parameters of the polyurethane foam manufacturing process.
  • At least one polyether polyol in which the average weight ratio of ethylene oxide (EO) to propylene oxide (PO) ranges from 20:80 to 50:50 is used as one starting reactant.
  • To 100 parts by weight of the polyether polyol is added 2 to 5 parts by weight of water as a blowing agent.
  • the resulting polyurethane foam will have a desired swelling factor.
  • the polyol component used is a mixture of a first polyether polyol which is obtained by ring-opening polymerization of propylene oxide with glycerin and a second polyether polyol which is obtained by ring-opening polymerization of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide in a weight ratio of 75:25 with glycerin, the first and second polyether polyols being mixed in a weight ratio of from 74:26 to 33:67.
  • the isocyanate component is preferably selected from tolylene diisocyanate and xylylene diisocyanate. To 100 parts by weight of the polyol component is added 20 to 60 parts by weight of the isocyanate component. A catalyst and a foam stabilizer are also added.
  • the catalysts used herein include amine catalysts such as triethylenediamine and pentamethyldiethylenetriamine and tin catalysts such as stannous octoate and dibutyltin dilaurate and are used in an amount of 0.01 to 1.0 parts by weight.
  • the foam stabilizers include silicone foam stabilizers such as dimethylpolysiloxane having polyether polyol added thereto and are used in an amount of 0.1 to 2.0 parts by weight. Water is added to this mixture as a foaming agent whereupon polyurethane reaction takes place to produce a flexible polyurethane foam.
  • the polyurethane foam should preferably have a swelling factor of 5 to 60% by volume, more preferably 10 to 40% by volume with the aqueous liquid. With a swelling factor of less than 5% by volume, the polyurethane foam must be shaped to closely conform to the container interior, causing difficulty in inserting the foam into the container. Furthermore after admission of aqueous liquid an empty space can be left unoccupied by the swollen foam. Polyurethane foam with a swelling factor of more than 60% by volume would take up too much aqueous liquid, so that the amount of aqueous liquid that can be taken out of the container is reduced and the container becomes an ineffective liquid supplier.
  • the polyurethane foam before insertion has a cell diameter sufficient to retain an aqueous liquid without the need for compression, its swelling factor may be relatively low. If the polyurethane foam has a relatively large cell diameter, the foam is preferably inserted into the container in a compressed state insofar as it is possible to take advantage of the swelling property.
  • the number of cells in the polyurethane foam may be appropriately selected; it is generally 30 to 200 cells/25 mm.
  • foams having 50 to 200 cells/25 mm, especially 70 to 200 cells/25 mm are preferable because such foams can be used as an ink retainer without compression.
  • polyurethane foam is an open-cell reticulated urethane foam having no cell membranes.
  • a polyurethane foam which must be compressed before it can be inserted into the container is acceptable in the present invention. Even when the foam is in improper state, for example, deformed or wrinkled at the time of insertion, the foam itself can cure such defects as it swells with aqueous ink, becoming a fully effective ink retainer.
  • a flexible polyurethane foam (A) was prepared using a polyether polyol formed from propylene oxide alone and having a molecular weight of 3,000 and another polyether polyol having an ethylene oxide/propylene oxide (EO/PO) weight ratio of 75/25 and a molecular weight of 3,000 and tolylene diisocyanate (TDI).
  • EO/PO ethylene oxide/propylene oxide
  • TDI tolylene diisocyanate
  • the polyurethane foam (A) had 60 cells/25 mm and a swelling factor of 15% by volume with water.
  • the container was visually observed from the outside, noting no empty space at the container inner wall. Ink was slowly discharged from an exit port at the bottom of the container under a constant negative pressure. A constant flow rate could be maintained. No air shortcut path, connecting a vent at the top and the exit port at the bottom, was created.
  • Comparative Example 1 used a flexible polyurethane foam (B) which had 60 cells/25 mm and was scarcely swellable with water. This polyurethane foam (B) was inserted into the same container as in Example 1. The polyurethane foam (B) was also shaped to conform to the container interior as in Example 1.
  • Containers had an interior of 30 mm ⁇ 40 mm ⁇ 50 mm as in Example 1.
  • a polyurethane foam block having a volume 4 times the container interior volume was compressed and inserted into each container.
  • the ink was discharged by suction from the exit port at the bottom at a constant flow rate of 10 ml/min.
  • the suction test was terminated at the point of time when ink delivery from the exit port ceased, that is, when air first came out. The amount of ink sucked up until then was measured.
  • the suction amount was 49 g and 45 g in Examples 2 and 3, respectively.
  • the suction amount was as small as 22 g despite a sufficient amount of ink left in the container because an air path was created between the vent and the exit port.
  • Comparative Example 3 performed better than Comparative Example 2, but a large amount of ink was taken up by the polyurethane foam and the suction amount was 32 g.
  • the polyurethane foam when used as an aqueous ink retainer, should have a volumetric swelling factor with water between 5% and 60%.
  • a container for storing an aqueous liquid typically aqueous ink in which a flexible polyurethane foam which is swellable with the aqueous liquid is received.
  • the foam need not closely conform to the container inner wall.
  • the polyurethane foam swells therewith to come in close contact with the container inner wall. The swollen foam completely occupies the container interior.
  • the foam In swollen state, the foam is not only effective for retaining the aqueous liquid against wavy motion, but also allows the aqueous liquid to be released therefrom if a suction force is applied. Even when the container is moved or swung, the liquid in the container is prevented from sloshing and can be discharged from the exit port at a constant flow rate.
  • the container of the invention is thus a useful ink reservoir for storing and supplying an aqueous ink to a printing head. It also finds application as tanks to be attached to vehicles.

Landscapes

  • Ink Jet (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Behälter (10) mit darin aufgenommenen flexiblem Polyurethanschaum (20) zum Speichern einer wäßrigen Flüssigkeit, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Polyurethanschaum (20) mit wäßriger Flüssigkeit aufquillt, so daß er die Innenwand des Behälters (10) eng berührt.
  2. Behälter (10) nach Anspruch 1, worin der Polyurethanschaum (20) eine hydrophile Gruppe enthält.
  3. Behälter (10) nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, worin der Polyurethanschaum (20) mit der wäßrigen Flüssigkeit einen Aufquellfaktor von 5 bis 60 Vol.-% aufweist.
  4. Behälter (10) nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, worin der Polyurethanschaum (20) mit der wäßrigen Flüssigkeit einen Aufquellfaktor von 10 bis 40 Vol.-% aufweist.
  5. Behälter (10) nach einem der vorangegangenen Ansprüche, worin der Polyurethanschaum (20) 70 bis 200 Zellen/25 mm aufweist.
  6. Behälter nach einem der vorangegangenen Ansprüche, bei dem das Polyurethan ein durch Umsetzen von Polyetherpolyol mit einem Isocyanat hergestelltes ist, wobei das Polyetherpolyol Ethylenoxid(EO)-reste und Propylenoxid(PO)-reste mit einem durchschnittlichen Gewichtsverhältnis EO:PO im Bereich von 20:80 bis 50:50 aufweist.
  7. Behälter (10) nach einem der vorangegangenen Ansprüche, worin der Behälter ein Tintenbehälter und die Flüssigkeit eine wäßrige Tinte ist.
  8. Behälter (10) nach einem der vorangegangenen Ansprüche, worin der Polyurethanschaum (20) in Abwesenheit wäßriger Flüssigkeit ein Volumen aufweist, das kleiner als das Innenvolumen des Behälters (10) ist.
  9. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Behälters nach einem der vorangegangenen Ansprüche, umfassend das Einsetzen eines Polyurethanschaumblocks in den Behälter und das Befüllen des Behälters mit einer wäßrigen Flüssigkeit, wodurch bewirkt wird, daß der Schaum aufquillt und in engen Kontakt mit der Innenwand des Behälters kommt.
  10. Verfahren nach Anspruch 8, worin der Polyurethanschaumblock beim Einsetzen in den Behälter ein Volumen aufweist, das kleiner als das Innenvolumen des Behälters ist, und sich in einem nichtzusammengedrückten Zustand befindet.
EP93310609A 1992-07-02 1993-12-29 Mit Schaumstoff gefüllte Behälter für wässrige Flüssigkeiten Expired - Lifetime EP0661159B1 (de)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP4199092A JPH0624491A (ja) 1992-07-02 1992-07-02 容 器
DE69317569T DE69317569T2 (de) 1993-12-29 1993-12-29 Mit Schaumstoff gefüllte Behälter für wässrige Flüssigkeiten
EP93310609A EP0661159B1 (de) 1992-07-02 1993-12-29 Mit Schaumstoff gefüllte Behälter für wässrige Flüssigkeiten

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP4199092A JPH0624491A (ja) 1992-07-02 1992-07-02 容 器
EP93310609A EP0661159B1 (de) 1992-07-02 1993-12-29 Mit Schaumstoff gefüllte Behälter für wässrige Flüssigkeiten

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0661159A1 EP0661159A1 (de) 1995-07-05
EP0661159B1 true EP0661159B1 (de) 1998-03-18

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93310609A Expired - Lifetime EP0661159B1 (de) 1992-07-02 1993-12-29 Mit Schaumstoff gefüllte Behälter für wässrige Flüssigkeiten

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EP (1) EP0661159B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH0624491A (de)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6371606B1 (en) * 2001-07-17 2002-04-16 Foamex L.P. Ink retaining foams
US6596785B2 (en) * 2001-07-17 2003-07-22 Foamex L.P. Ink retaining foam structure
DE10202365A1 (de) * 2002-01-17 2003-07-31 Pelikan Hardcopy Production Ag Tintenbehälter mit Schwamm und Verfahren zu dessen Herstellung

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4088132A (en) * 1975-05-07 1978-05-09 W. R. Grace & Co. Hydrophilic polyurethane foams for use in catamenial devices
JP2543970Y2 (ja) * 1991-06-24 1997-08-13 株式会社ブリヂストン ウレタンフォ−ム充填容器

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH0624491A (ja) 1994-02-01
EP0661159A1 (de) 1995-07-05

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