JP2000103080A - Liquid storage container and method for filling it with liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce cost of liquid storage container without decreasing the number of printable sheets. SOLUTION: The liquid storage container comprises a liquid chamber 139 kept at a negative pressure for storing liquid, and a liquid discharge opening 131 for supplying liquid in the liquid chamber 139 to an external unit. The liquid discharge opening 131 is applied liquidtightly with a packing 161 forming a liquid passage for introducing liquid from the liquid discharge opening to the outside. The packing 161 is provided with a seal film 161b for closing the liquid passage. The seal film 161b yields to a force being applied externally and opens the liquid passage to discharge the liquid. When an external force is not applied, the seal film 161b resists against negative pressure in the liquid chamber 139 to close the liquid passage thus holding the liquid in the container.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid storage container,
The present invention relates to a method for filling a liquid such as ink into the liquid storage container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an ink jet printer, an ink pressurizing chamber is formed in an ink jet head,
An orifice plate having an orifice is provided at the tip of the inkjet head. When printing,
By pressurizing the ink in the ink pressurizing chamber,
Printing is performed by ejecting ink droplets from the orifices and attaching the ink droplets to paper. Therefore, an ink storage container is provided in the ink jet head in a detachable manner, and the ink contained in the ink storage container is supplied to the ink pressurizing chamber via an ink flow path that connects the ink storage container and the ink jet head. You.

When the ink storage container is replaced, air tends to enter the ink flow path from the outside. If the ink jet is driven while the air stays in the ink flow path, the ink in the ink pressurizing chamber cannot be sufficiently pressurized, resulting in dot missing or the like, thereby deteriorating the image quality. Therefore, each time the ink storage container is replaced, a vacuum operation is performed on the printer side, and a negative pressure is applied to the orifice from the outside to suck out the air in the ink flow path.

As a structure for preventing air from entering the ink flow path when replacing the ink storage container, a tip of an ink discharge port of the ink storage container is sealed with a film,
In some cases, when the flow path member on the inkjet head side breaks the film and enters, the ink pressurizing chamber on the inkjet head side communicates with the inside of the ink storage container.

[0005]

In an ink jet printer having a structure in which a vacuum operation is performed to suck air inside the ink pressurizing chamber, when a large amount of air enters the ink flow path of the ink storage container, If air is to be reliably discharged, a large amount of ink will be sucked out together with the air. Therefore, the ink in the ink storage container is wasted accordingly. Therefore, the number of sheets that can be printed by one cartridge is reduced, which is uneconomical.

In a structure in which the tip of the ink outlet is sealed with a film, air cannot be removed from the tip of the ink outlet. Therefore, when filling the ink storage container with ink, sophisticated equipment for injecting ink while maintaining the internal pressure of the ink storage container at a negative pressure is required, and the cost of the ink storage container increases accordingly. .

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A liquid storage container according to the present invention has a liquid chamber for storing a liquid and maintained at a negative pressure, and an outlet for supplying the liquid in the liquid chamber to an external device. A packing is liquid-tightly coupled to the discharge port, and the packing forms a liquid passage for leading the liquid to the outside from the discharge port. The packing is provided with a seal film for closing the liquid passage. When an external force is applied, the seal film yields to the external force and opens a liquid passage to discharge the liquid inside. When no external force is applied, the liquid passage is closed against the negative pressure of the liquid chamber and the liquid is held inside.

[0008] A slit is provided in the sealing film, and the width of the slit is selected so that the liquid stays in the liquid passage due to its surface tension. The seal film may be configured to have elasticity. Further, the liquid chamber may have a liquid filling port for filling the liquid.

Fine irregularities are provided on the outer surface of the seal film and the outer surface of the packing which is flush with the outer surface, and a sealing tape is fixed on these outer surfaces in a liquid-tight manner to form a seal with the outer surface. A minute gap may be formed between the sealing tapes.

A filling method according to the present invention is directed to a liquid storage having a filling port for filling a liquid chamber with a liquid, a discharge port for discharging the liquid, and a closing member with a fine opening for closing a liquid passage following the discharge port. This is a method of filling a container with liquid. This filling method includes a step of injecting the liquid through the filling port, a step of closing the filling port in a liquid-tight manner after injecting the liquid, and a step of generating a negative pressure in the liquid chamber to thereby close the closing member. Sucking out the air and liquid inside the liquid chamber through the minute opening, and stopping the suction when the air is substantially removed from the liquid chamber and the liquid is filled in the liquid passage; Holding the liquid inside the liquid passage by surface tension of the liquid acting on the minute opening of the member.

Another filling method of the present invention comprises a step of injecting the liquid through the filling port, and after injecting the liquid,
Closing the filling port in a liquid-tight manner; sucking out air and liquid inside the liquid chamber through a minute opening of the closing member to generate a negative pressure in the liquid chamber; Attaching a sealing member to the outlet of the;
Leaving the liquid storage container in a low pressure environment for a required time to expand the air in the liquid passage and enter the liquid chamber; returning the liquid storage container to a normal pressure environment, Filling the passage.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a structure of an ink storage container according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the substantially rectangular frame 130 is
0 sidewalls are formed. The frame 130 has a pair of generally rectangular openings 137 and 138 facing each other. The frame 130 has an ink discharge port 131 and an ink filling port 13.
5 are drilled. When the ink storage container 100 is mounted on an ink jet head of an external printer (not shown), the ink outlet 180 is inserted into the ink outlet 180 of the ink passage 180 (see FIGS. 10 and 11). Thus, the ink passage 180 is formed at a position corresponding to the ink passage 180.

The cap 162 is fixed to the frame 130 by fusion or the like so that the ink discharge port 131 has a liquid-tight structure.
0 and the packing 161 are held. Filter 160
Filters the ink discharged to the inkjet head side. The space between the packing 161 and the cap 162 is sealed. Before opening the ink storage container 100, a sealing film 163 is fixed to the end surface of the packing 161 by fusing or the like, thereby sealing the ink in the ink storage container. Immediately before mounting the ink storage container 100 on the ink jet head, the sealing film 163 is peeled off, and then the inside of the ink storage container 100 is communicated with the ink flow path on the printer side. A claw 133 is formed on an outer peripheral portion of the frame 130. The claw 133 is engaged with a carriage frame to which the inkjet head is fixed, thereby fixing the ink storage container 100 to the inkjet head.

One of the pair of openings 138 is closed by a flexible side wall 120 formed of a flexible material. A cover 110 covers the flexible side wall 120 and protects the flexible side wall 120 from the outside. The other 137 of the pair of openings is closed by the fixed wall 150. The peripheral portion 121 of the flexible side wall 120 is fixed to the peripheral portion 132 of the frame 130 by fusion or the like, and the peripheral portion 110a of the cover 110 is fixed to the peripheral portion 121 by press fitting or fusion or the like. In addition, the fixed wall 150
Is fixed to the peripheral portion 132 of the frame 130 by fusion or the like so that the peripheral portion 150a has a liquid-tight structure. After the ink storage container 100 is mounted on the ink jet head, the flexible side wall 120 is gradually displaced toward the fixed wall 150 as the ink in the ink storage container 100 is gradually discharged. The size of the flexible side wall 120 is such that the flexible side wall 120 covers the entire inner surface of the ink storage container 100 when almost all of the ink is discharged. The frame 130 has a notch 134 formed at a predetermined position on the peripheral portion 132, and as the flexible side wall 120 is gradually displaced toward the fixed wall 150, the outside air is flexible through the notch 134. Side wall 120 and cover 11
Enter between 0.

A hole 14 is formed in a spring fixing portion 143 of the spring 140.
4 is provided, and the fixed wall 150 is provided with a post 152. The post 140 is fitted in the hole 144 to fix the spring 140 to the fixed wall 150. Further, the projection 1 is provided on the fixed wall 150.
51 are formed, and positioning is performed when the fixed wall 150 is fixed to the frame 130. As described above, the sealed liquid chamber 139 is formed in the ink storage container 100 by the frame 130, the flexible side wall 120, and the fixed wall 150.
Is formed. Since the liquid chamber 139 is at a negative pressure,
When the ink is discharged little by little, the flexible side wall 120 is pushed by the outside air and is displaced toward the fixed wall 150. Spring 14
0 keeps the negative pressure in the liquid chamber 139 almost constant by urging the flexible side wall 120 from the inside of the ink storage container 100 to the outside.

Next, the ink discharge port 131 of the ink storage container having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the ink discharge port according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a front view of an ink discharge port viewed from a direction of an arrow A in FIG. 2. The packing 161 is a molded product made of a flexible material such as rubber, and is molded by a molding die. Further, the packing 161 has a shape in which two truncated cones are arranged back to back as a whole, has a large diameter portion at both ends, and has a small diameter portion at the center. An annular sealing surface 161d is formed on the inner surface of the small diameter portion at the center, and the ink storage container 100 is
When mounted on the inkjet head, the ink flow path on the inkjet head side (not shown)
To keep the space between the outer surface of the ink flow path and the packing 161 liquid-tight. Further, the packing 161 is provided in the liquid chamber 13.
9 has a sealing surface 161e on the outer surface of the end closer to 9;
A seal film 161b is provided at an end remote from the liquid chamber 139. The space between the packing 161 and the cap 162 is liquid-tightly sealed by the sealing surface 161e. Seal film 16
1b is a slit 161 which is formed to be openable and closable by post-processing or post-processing by a cutter or the like after being formed by a forming die.
c.

The cap 162 has a cylindrical portion 162a and a flange portion 162d. A step 162b and a step 162e are provided on the inner side surface of the tubular part 162a, and the packing 161 is held by the steps 162b and 162e. The cap 162 has an annular filter holding portion 162.
c, and the filter 160 is sandwiched between the filter 160 and the frame 130.

Next, the ink storage container 100 having the above-described configuration will be described.
Next, a method of filling ink will be described. FIG.
2 shows the ink storage container 100 connected to the ink tank 170.

As shown in FIG.
Place the ink storage container 100 so that 5 faces upward,
The ink tank 170 and the ink storage container 100 are connected via an injection pipe 172. In the injection pipe 172,
A valve 171 is provided, and by opening the valve 171, a predetermined amount of ink 155 is injected from the ink tank 170 into the liquid chamber 139 of the ink storage container 100. In addition,
The injection is performed at atmospheric pressure.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ink storage container when the plug 136 is inserted into the ink filling port 135 after the ink has been injected. The ink filling port 135 is sealed with the sealing stopper 136.
Is sealed, a predetermined amount of ink 15 is stored in the liquid chamber 139.
5, and air remains at the top of the ink reservoir. FIG. 6 shows the ink storage container 100 connected to the suction tank 175. Attach the attachment 177 on the suction tank 175 side to the cap 16 of the ink storage container 100.
Attach to the tip of 2 so as to be airtight. This allows
Through the suction pipe 179, the ink storage container 100
And the suction tank 175 are connected. Suction tank 17
5 is connected to a vacuum pump 178 to reduce the pressure. A valve 176 is provided on the suction pipe 179,
When the valve 176 is opened, the negative pressure in the suction tank 175 causes the air and the ink 155 in the liquid chamber 139 to pack.
It is sucked out through 61 slits 161c. FIG.
Shows a cross section of the ink storage container 100 when almost all the air in the ink storage container is sucked out.

When almost all the air and a small amount of the ink 155 in the ink storage container 100 have been sucked out, the attachment 177 is removed from the cap 162. At this time, the inside of the packing 161 is
The ink is filled up to 1b. Air and ink 15
5 to provide a flexible side wall 120 (FIG. 3).
Is displaced and pushes the spring 140 from the outside, but the urging force of the leaf spring 140 pushes the flexible side wall 120 back, so that the liquid chamber 1
Negative pressure is generated in 39. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the slit 161c in the seal film 161b is effectively closed by the action of the surface tension of the ink 155, and the seal film 161b is sealed against the negative pressure in the liquid chamber 139. Holds the ink 155 therein. Thus, the ink storage container 100 is filled with the ink 155.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the sealing film 163 has been attached to the ink storage container 100 after the internal air has been sucked out. When the filling of the ink 155 into the ink storage container 100 is completed, as shown in FIG. 8, a sealing film 163 is attached to the tip of the cap 162 by fusing or the like, and the ink inside the ink storage container 100 is completely removed. It is kept liquid tight. In this state, the ink storage container 100 is packaged and stored until shipment. During the storage period, the ink 155 is always held in the packing 161.

Next, a procedure for mounting the ink storage container 100 having the above-described configuration on the ink jet head will be described. 9 and 11 show a procedure for mounting the ink storage container 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention on an inkjet head.

Immediately before mounting the ink storage container 100 on the ink jet head, the sealing film 163 is peeled off from the tip of the cap 162 as shown in FIG. At this time, the ink 155 is still held in the packing 161 by the surface tension.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 10, when the ink storage container 100 is pressed against the ink jet head, the tip of the ink flow path 180 of the ink jet head presses the seal film 161b. Since the seal film 161b has elasticity, the seal film 161b yields due to the external force applied by the ink flow path 180, deforms inward, and opens a slit. Therefore, the tip of the ink channel 180 penetrates through the seal film 161b and enters the packing 161. This slit 16
Since the surface tension of the ink 155 disappears as the ink 1 c is spread, the ink 155 held in the packing 161 is removed by the negative pressure in the liquid chamber 139.
It begins to be sucked back into 9.

Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the ink flow path 180 completely enters the packing 161 and reaches the sealing surface 161d, and the outer surface of the ink flow path 180 comes into contact with the sealing surface 161d of the packing 161 and the liquid. If you engage closely,
The mounting of the ink storage container 100 on the inkjet head is completed. At this time, since the fixing claws 133 (FIGS. 3 and 6) formed on the frame 130 need only be locked to the locking portions formed on the inkjet head side, the mounting is performed in a very short time.

Therefore, when the ink flow path 180 enters the state shown in FIG. 11, the amount of the ink 155 sucked back into the liquid chamber 139 can be extremely reduced. When the ink flow path 180 reaches the seal surface 161d, the ink in the ink flow path 180 and the packing 1 are removed.
Since the ink 155 in the nozzle 61 is in direct contact with the ink 155, the amount of air entering the ink flow path 180 is extremely small.

Further, the ink 155 can be injected into the liquid chamber 139 under the atmospheric pressure, and a relatively simple device can be used to create a negative pressure in the liquid chamber 139 and to reduce the air and ink 155. Suction can be performed. In addition, as in the prior art, before the air inside the ink discharge port 13
Since it is not necessary to seal the front end of the ink container 1 with a film (not shown), a facility for forming a high vacuum in the ink storage container 100 when the internal air is sucked out becomes unnecessary. Therefore, the cost of the ink storage container 100 can be reduced.

Since the packing 161 is hermetically sealed by the sealing film 163, when the ink storage container 100 is not stored in the ink jet head for a long period of time, the ink 155 in the liquid chamber 139 is evaporated or dried. Can be prevented. Further, even when the negative pressure in the liquid chamber 139 and the surface tension of the ink 155 in the slit 161c are imbalanced while the ink storage container 100 is stored for a long period of time, the sealing film 163 and the inside of the packing 161 can be used. Since the outsides are isolated from each other, no air enters the packing 161 from outside. When the ink storage container 100 is mounted on the ink jet head, the ink flow path 180 reaches the sealing surface 161d in a short time. Therefore, even if the sealing film 163 is peeled off from the tip of the cap 162, the inside of the packing 161 is immediately opened. No air can enter the air.

Second Embodiment In a second embodiment, a seal film 161b having a slit 161c is formed by a molding die. As in the first embodiment, the slit is formed in the seal film by post-processing or post-processing. Need not be formed. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the packing 290 according to the second embodiment. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a front view of the packing 290 viewed from the direction of arrow B of FIG. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the ink discharge port according to the second embodiment. FIG. 15 is a front view of the ink discharge port viewed from the direction of arrow C in FIG.

The packing 290 is a molded product made of a flexible material, for example, a rubber material, and is molded using a molding die. The packing 290 has a shape in which two truncated cones are arranged in a mirror image relationship as a whole, has a large diameter portion at both ends, and a small diameter portion at the center. The inner surface of the central small diameter portion has an annular sealing surface 290d. Ink storage container 2
00 is mounted on the inkjet head, the ink flow path on the inkjet head side (not shown) fits in,
Keep tightly closed. Ink channel 180 of inkjet head
Penetrates the seal film 290b and enters, the seal surface 290d is liquid-tightly engaged with the outer surface of the ink flow path 180. Further, the packing 290 has a sealing surface 290 e on the outer surface at the end closer to the liquid chamber 239, and has a sealing film 290 b at the end farther from the liquid chamber 239. Seal surface 2
90e seals between the packing 290 and the cap 262. When the seal film 290b is formed by a molding die, a slit 290c is formed.
The slit 290c is formed to be freely openable and closable, and functions as an ink passage portion. When the ink storage container 200 is stored, the slit 290c functions to hold the ink in the liquid chamber against the negative pressure inside.

Before the packing 290 is held by the cap 262, the slit 290c is set to 0.1-0.5.
It has a width of about mm. The outer diameter of the packing 290 around the seal film 290b is formed to be larger than the inner diameter of the cap 262, and when the packing 290 is held by the cap 262, the packing 290 is
Pressed by the inner diameter of. As a result, the sealing film 290b shrinks, so that the slit 290c becomes narrow and the slit 2
The wall surfaces 90c come into close contact with each other.

As described above, in the step of molding the packing 290, the slit 290c can be formed.
The manufacturing process of the packing 290 can be simplified.
Therefore, the cost of the ink storage container 200 can be reduced. In Embodiments 1 and 2, the ink outlet 1
Ink filling ports 135 and 235 separately from 31 and 231
Is formed and the ink is injected from the ink filling port. However, the inks 155 and 255 can be injected into the liquid chambers 139 and 239 through the ink discharge ports 131 and 231.

Third Embodiment FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing a structure near an ink discharge port 331 of an ink storage container according to a third embodiment. The other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. The packing 370 is retained inside the cap 380 by engaging with the support 382 of the cap 380 and the step 383 acting as a sealing surface. The cap 380 firmly supports the packing 370 when a flow path of the ink jet printer (not shown) enters the packing 370.

The ink outlet 33 of the ink storage container 300
1 is provided with a filter 360 having a large number of micropores. The surface tension at which ink is generated in the micropores of the filter 360 balances the negative pressure in the liquid chamber 339 to stably hold the ink in the ink storage container 300 and to release air into the ink storage container 300. Preventing intrusion. In this state, the inside of the packing 370 is not filled with ink, and air remains in the space inside the packing 370. The sealing tape 391 is applied to the outer end surface of the cap 380 from the direction D in FIG. 16 and is fixed by fusion or the like, thereby sealing the inside of the ink storage container 300.

Next, a method for filling the packing 370 with ink according to the present invention will be described. 17 to 20
FIG. 1 shows an example of a procedure for filling ink. First, the ink storage container 300 into which the ink is injected and the sealing tape 391 is fused is prepared. The ink storage container 300 is put into the decompression device 310, and the inside of the decompression device 310 is depressurized. As shown in FIG. 18, since the space around the ink storage container 300 is decompressed, the air in the cap 380 and the packing 370 expands, passes through the filter 360, and passes through the liquid chamber 339.
To enter. The air that has entered the liquid chamber 339 is a bubble 30
It becomes 5. The pressure reducing device is kept in a reduced pressure state (approximately 0.
1 atm to 0.2 atm) and the cap 38
0 and the air in the packing 370 expands sufficiently, and the air bubbles 30
5 is moved to the liquid chamber 339 side.
The inside of the pressure reducing device is kept in a reduced pressure state for a certain time. Thus, as shown in FIG. 18, the bubbles 305 are reliably moved into the liquid chamber 339. Thereafter, the pressure reducing device 310 is returned to the normal pressure state. As shown in FIG. 20, when the pressure returns to the normal pressure state, the air remaining in the cap 380 and the packing 370 contracts, and the ink 301 enters the cap 380 and the packing 370 from the liquid chamber 339 side.
0 is filled with the ink 301, and most of the gap between the packing 370 and the cap 380 is filled with the ink.
Residual air bubbles 306 in the gap between the packing 370 and the cap 380 are reduced as shown in FIG.
It remains in this gap.

The degree of pressure reduction should be set so that the residual bubbles 306 are small, and 0.1 to 0.2 atm.
It is good to set to about. Bubbles increase in inverse proportion to pressure reduction, and increase by about 10 times at 0.1 atm. By returning to atmospheric pressure, it contracts at the same rate as when expanded.

Ink storage container 300 that has used up ink
Is replaced with a new ink storage container 300,
The sealing tape 391 is peeled off and attached to the ink jet head, and the flow path on the ink jet head side and the ink storage container 300 side are communicated. Due to the minute gap of the slit 373 formed in the seal film 372 on the downstream side of the packing 370, the surface tension of the ink is generated. During a relatively short period of time until the sealing tape 391 is peeled off and communicates with the flow path, the ink is held in the packing 370 due to the balance between the surface tension and the negative pressure in the ink storage container. It does not enter the inside of the 370. Thereby, the ink in the ink storage container 300 and the ink in the flow path on the side of the inkjet head come into immediate contact, so that air does not enter the flow path. According to the third embodiment, the inside of the packing 370 can be filled with ink at the same time by putting many ink storage containers 300 into the decompression device at once. Further, since no special filling device is required, the manufacturing cost of the ink storage container 300 is reduced.

Fourth Embodiment FIG. 21 is a sectional view of the vicinity of an ink discharge port 431 according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 22 is an enlarged view of a portion E in FIG. Embodiment 4 differs from Embodiment 3 in the portion of the ink outlet 431 of the ink storage container.

The cap 480 is fixed to the frame 430 by fusing or the like, and the gap between the cap 480 and the frame 430 is sealed. The cap 480 holds the packing 450 by engaging with the packing 450 with the support portion 482 and the step portion 483 acting as a seal portion. As a result, the flow path on the ink jet head side (not shown)
When it enters the inside, the packing 450 is reliably supported with respect to the flow path. The packing 450 has a sealing film 452 in which a slit 453 is formed in a downstream portion 451 of the packing 450 by processing or post-processing after forming with a molding die. A plurality of minute irregularities 456 are formed on the outer surface of 450. Due to these minute irregularities 456, a large number of contact portions having a small area and a minute gap are formed between the packing 450 and the sealing tape 491. In addition, packing 45
Reference numeral 0 is liquid-tightly engaged with the step 483 of the cap by the sealing surface 455 formed on the outer surface. The method of injecting ink into the ink storage container 400 and generating a negative pressure in the ink storage container 400 is the same as that of the third embodiment.

A sealing tape 491 is fixed to the tip of the cap 480 by fusing or the like, and seals the inside of the ink storage container 400 against the outside air. Sealing tape 491 with cap 4
80, the packing 450 and the sealing tape 491
Is formed, and the ink containing bubbles can easily pass through the gap between the packing 450 and the cap 480. With this structure, the ink smoothly passes through the same passage as in the third embodiment shown in FIG.

The operation of the fourth embodiment will be described. Immediately after the ink is injected into the liquid chamber 439, the packing 450 is not filled with the ink 401 but air remains. In order to fill the ink 401 into the packing 450 of the ink storage container 400, the ink storage container 400 is put into a pressure reducing device, and the pressure inside the pressure reducing device is reduced. As shown in FIG. 18, the air in the packing 450 expands and the filter 4
Go through 60. After the depressurized state in the decompression device is maintained for a certain period of time, the pressure is returned to the normal pressure state. The air in the packing 450 near the ink discharge port 431 contracts when the surroundings return to the normal pressure state. At this time, there are minute irregularities 456 between the packing 450 and the contact surface of the sealing tape 491.
A minute gap is formed by the packing 45
Bubbles and ink in the space 0 are easily moved to a gap formed between the outside of the packing 450 and the cap 480. For this reason, the air inside the packing 450 near the ink discharge port can easily contract and move, so that the liquid chamber 43
9 is easily filled into the inside of the packing 450. Therefore, a small amount of ink is
And into the gap between the cap 480 and remains in this gap with a small volume of air.

Also in the case of the fourth embodiment, part of the air that has filled the inside of the packing 450 near the ink discharge port 431 at the time of depressurization becomes a residual bubble outside the packing 450 when the pressure reducing device is returned to normal pressure. It remains between the side and the inner side of the cap 480. The degree of decompression should be set so that this residual air bubble is sufficiently small.
It is good to set to about tm. According to Embodiment 4,
Compared with the third embodiment, the time for maintaining the reduced pressure in the decompression device and the time for standing after returning to normal pressure can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Since there are minute irregularities 456, the contact area between the sealing tape 491 and the packing 450 is small, and when the sealing tape 491 is peeled off, the ink can be peeled off without scattering.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described mainly with respect to an ink storage container for supplying ink to an ink jet head for an ink jet printer, the present invention generally stores and holds a liquid inside, The present invention can be applied to a liquid storage container configured to supply a liquid in response to a liquid suction operation, and is particularly suitable for a case where outside air must not enter the flow path when the liquid storage container is replaced.

[0045]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the liquid storage container is provided with the outlet for supplying the liquid from the liquid chamber maintained at the negative pressure to the external device, and this outlet is provided. Packing was arranged. The packing includes a seal film that closes a liquid passage. When an external force is applied, the seal film yields to the external force and opens the liquid passage to discharge the liquid inside.When no external force is applied, the seal film closes the liquid passage against the negative pressure of the liquid chamber and closes the liquid inside. Hold.

Therefore, when the liquid storage container is mounted on the external device, the amount of liquid sucked back into the liquid chamber can be extremely reduced. Further, the amount of air entering the liquid flow path of the external device can be extremely reduced. As a result, when performing the vacuum operation on the external device side, the air in the liquid flow path can be reliably discharged only by sucking out a very small amount of liquid. Therefore, the liquid in the liquid storage container can be prevented from being wastefully discharged, and the cost of the liquid storage container can be reduced without reducing the number of printable sheets.

Further, the liquid can be injected into the liquid chamber at atmospheric pressure, and the negative pressure inside the liquid chamber and the suction of air and liquid inside the liquid chamber can be performed by relatively simple equipment. Can be. Moreover, since it is not necessary to seal the end of the outlet of the liquid storage container with a film, equipment for forming a high vacuum in the liquid storage container becomes unnecessary. Therefore, the cost of the liquid storage container can be reduced.

[0048]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a structure of an ink storage container according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an ink discharge port according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the ink discharge port viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an ink filling method according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ink storage container when a stopper is inserted after ink is injected.

FIG. 6 shows an ink storage container connected to an ink tank.

FIG. 7 shows a cross section of the ink storage container when almost all air in the ink storage container has been sucked out.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which a sealing tape has been attached to the ink storage container after ink filling.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a procedure for mounting the ink storage container in the first embodiment on the ink jet head.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for mounting the ink storage container in the inkjet head according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a procedure for mounting the ink storage container in the inkjet head according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the packing according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a front view of the packing as seen from the direction of arrow B in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the vicinity of an ink discharge port according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a front view of the vicinity of an ink discharge port viewed from the direction of arrow C in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of an ink outlet of an ink storage container according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 17 shows an example of a procedure for filling ink in the third embodiment.

FIG. 18 shows an example of a procedure for filling ink in the third embodiment.

FIG. 19 shows an example of a procedure for filling ink in the third embodiment.

FIG. 20 shows an example of a procedure for filling ink in the third embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view of an ink discharge port according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 22 is an enlarged view of a portion E in FIG. 21;

[Explanation of symbols]

 120 Flexible side walls 131, 231, 331, 431 Ink outlets 130, 230, 430, Frames 135, 235, 435, Ink filling ports 139, 239, 339, 439 Liquid chamber 140 Spring 155, 301, 401 Ink 161, 290, 370, 450 Packing 161b, 290b, 372, 452 Seal film 161c, 290c Slit 162, 262, 380, 480 Cap

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A liquid storage container having a liquid chamber maintained at a negative pressure for storing a liquid and a discharge port for discharging the liquid from the liquid chamber to an external device, wherein the liquid storage container is liquid-tightly coupled to the liquid discharge port. And a seal forming a liquid passage for drawing liquid out of the discharge port, and a seal film provided in the packing and closing the liquid passage, wherein the seal film is configured to receive the external force when an external force is applied. A liquid storage container, wherein the liquid passage is opened to discharge the liquid inside the liquid passage, and when no external force is applied, the liquid passage is closed against the negative pressure of the liquid chamber to hold the liquid inside. 2. A seal is provided with a slit,
The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein the width of the slit is selected such that the liquid stays in the liquid passage due to its surface tension. 3. The liquid storage container according to claim 2, wherein the sealing film has elasticity. 4. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid filling port for filling the liquid in the liquid chamber. 5. An outer surface of the seal film and an outer surface of the packing which are coplanar with the outer surface are provided with minute irregularities, and a sealing tape is fixed on these outer surfaces to form the outer surface. The liquid storage container according to claim 1, wherein a minute gap is formed between the sealing tapes. 6. A liquid storage container having a filling port for filling a liquid chamber with a liquid, a discharge port for discharging the liquid, and a closing member with a minute opening for closing a liquid passage following the discharge port. Injecting the liquid through the filling port, closing the filling port in a liquid-tight manner after injecting the liquid, and generating a negative pressure in the liquid chamber to close the closing member. Sucking out the air and liquid inside the liquid chamber through the minute opening, stopping the suction when the air is substantially removed from the liquid chamber and the liquid is filled in the liquid passage; Holding the liquid inside the liquid passage by surface tension of the liquid acting on the micro opening of the member. 7. A liquid storage container having a filling port for filling a liquid in a liquid chamber, a liquid passage for discharging the liquid from the liquid chamber, and a closing member having a minute opening for closing the liquid passage. Injecting the liquid through the filling port, closing the filling port in a liquid-tight manner after injecting the liquid, and generating a negative pressure in the liquid chamber. Sucking air and liquid inside the liquid chamber through the opening; attaching a sealing member to an outlet of the liquid passage; expanding air in the liquid passage into the liquid chamber; Leaving the liquid storage container in an environment under a low pressure for a required time; and returning the liquid storage container to a normal pressure environment and filling the liquid in the liquid passage. Fill How to fill.