JP2001001545A - Container and method for storing ink-jet head cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To carry out ink supply stably at the time of use without adding a new sealing member. SOLUTION: An ink-jet head cartridge sealed and kept in a storing container (not illustrated) comprises an ink-jet recording head unit 160 having an ink ejecting opening, a negative pressure generating member storing room 110 having an atmosphere communicating opening 115, and an ink tank 200 provided with an inner bag 220 to be deformed according to discharge of an ink stored inside thereof, and a housing 210 having the inner surface as a similar figure of the outer surface of the inner bag 220. At the time of shipment, the ink tank 200 is connected with the negative pressure generating member storing room 110, and sealing members are mounted on the ejecting opening of the recording head 160 and the atmosphere communicating opening 115 of the negative pressure generating member storing room 110. Furthermore, a part of the inner bag 220 is detached from the inner surface of the housing 210.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the sale of ink-jet recording heads (hereinafter referred to as "recording heads") which are detachably exchangeable with respect to an ink-jet recording apparatus, after being transported and stored in a hermetically sealed state. More specifically, the present invention relates to transport and storage of an ink jet head cartridge that is detachable from an ink tank that stores ink to be supplied to a print head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ink jet recording apparatus records liquid or ink on a recording medium such as paper by discharging liquid ink from a discharge port of a recording head. Are roughly classified into two types: permanent type and disposable type.

[0003] In a permanent type recording head, when the recording apparatus is shipped, the recording head is already installed in the apparatus, and a serviceman replaces the head only when a failure occurs. In the case of such a permanent type recording head, the recording head is often filled with a recording ink or a preservative liquid during transportation and storage, and the ejection port of the recording head is capped to transport and store.

[0004] Disposable type recording heads can be further roughly classified into an integral type ink jet head cartridge which is always integrated with an ink tank for holding ink to be supplied to the recording head, and a recording head provided in the recording head. A tank holder as a mounting portion is provided, and the ink jet head cartridge can be divided into a tank separable type inkjet head cartridge in which both can be separated as necessary.
In either case, the head can be replaced by the operator replacing the cartridge with a new one as necessary.

[0005] The transportation and storage of the integral type ink jet head cartridge is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-176156 (Japanese Patent Registration No. 2683120) by the present applicant.
Etc. are known. The above publication discloses a configuration in which the tank is filled with ink, and at the same time, the discharge port of the recording head and the air communication port provided in the ink tank are sealed together.

On the other hand, when transporting and storing a separable type ink jet head cartridge, when a replaceable tank is mounted on a replaceable head to form an integrated package, electrical connection with a recording apparatus is achieved. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-18302 by the applicant of the present invention, which proposes that the evaporation component of the ink adheres to the contact portion of the recording head, which causes the deterioration of the function of the recording head.
No. 8 is known. In the above-mentioned publication, a moisturizing member is used for evaporation from a head handling member and a head gap, and the head is filled with ink or storage liquid, and the discharge port is sealed with a seal member and a cap member. Is also disclosed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-17056 discloses a transport / storage method for storing a head filled with ink in a sealed package filled with an inert gas. On the other hand, as the ink tank alone holding the ink to be supplied to the recording head, a negative pressure generating chamber for generating a negative pressure with respect to the recording head for the purpose of improving the ink storage efficiency and the use efficiency of the ink tank. And an ink container that directly integrates an ink storage chamber for directly storing ink through a communication portion has been proposed and put into practical use.

[0007] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-125232 (Japanese Patent No. 2684508) discloses an invention in which an area of a negative pressure generating member that does not hold ink near a closed air communication port is disclosed. JP-A-6-40043 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2683187) which discloses the invention of a partition wall having a structure for promoting replacement can be cited. In the above publication, a sales form of a single ink tank is used which seals both an air communication port for making the negative pressure generating chamber communicate with the atmosphere and an ink supply port for supplying ink to the outside such as a recording head. Are also disclosed, which is an excellent invention.

[0008]

By the way, in recent years, there has been a demand for an ink jet recording apparatus to perform higher-definition recording on various recording media.

The present inventors have proposed an ink of a type in which the above-described negative pressure generating member storage chamber and the ink storage chamber corresponding thereto are adjacent, and the ink storage chamber is replaceable with the negative pressure generation member storage chamber. In the supply system, the buffer space in the negative pressure generating member storage chamber can be reduced even in various environments, and the tolerance of the gas expansion of the outside air introduced by gas-liquid exchange can be increased, while the ink storage chamber is being used. Ink can be supplied under stable negative pressure conditions,
An application for a more practical system has already been filed, and the present invention has been conceived based on the inventors' more preferable idea.

That is, in the above-mentioned exchange type ink jet head cartridge, the recording head portion and the negative pressure generating member accommodating chamber are integrated with each other. The negative pressure generating member in the head and in the negative pressure generating member storage chamber is filled with ink or storage liquid. Here, if the communication part with the ink storage chamber provided in the negative pressure generating member storage chamber is not securely sealed, the ink in the vicinity of the communication part thickens and the resistance of the communication part increases. In the worst case, there is a new problem that the ink supply performance at the time of high-speed supply may be deteriorated even if the ink is mounted.

The present invention has been conceived by the present inventors in order to solve the above-mentioned new technical problem. By utilizing the characteristics of the above-described liquid supply system, a member for sealing is newly added. It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage container and a storage method for an ink jet head cartridge that can supply ink stably during use without increasing the number of ink cartridges.

[0012]

To achieve the above object, a storage container for an ink jet head cartridge according to the present invention is provided with an ink jet recording head having a discharge port for discharging ink, and a mounting portion in which an ink tank is replaceably mounted. In a storage container for hermetically holding an inkjet head cartridge comprising: the inkjet head cartridge includes a negative pressure generating member that generates a negative pressure, and includes a negative pressure generating member storage chamber that has an atmospheric communication portion that communicates with the outside, A liquid storage portion that forms a substantially closed space except for a communication portion that communicates with the negative pressure generation member storage chamber and that can be deformed to generate a negative pressure as the liquid stored therein is derived, and the liquid storage portion; A housing having an inner surface that is the same as or similar to the outer surface of the portion, and having an air communication portion for introducing air. A liquid supply container provided on the mounting portion so as to form the communication portion communicating with the negative pressure generating member storage chamber, and a first seal member for sealing the discharge port; A second seal member for sealing an atmosphere communication portion of the pressure generating member storage chamber, wherein a liquid is filled in a liquid supply path in the liquid storage portion of the liquid supply container and from the communication portion to the recording head. And a part of the liquid storage portion is detached from the housing.

Further, according to the method of storing an ink jet head cartridge of the present invention, an ink jet head cartridge having an ink jet recording head having a discharge port for discharging ink and a mounting portion for removably mounting an ink tank can be stored in an enclosed space. In the storage method to keep,
The inkjet head cartridge includes a negative pressure generating member that generates a negative pressure, and further includes a negative pressure generating member storage chamber that has an atmospheric communication part that communicates with the outside, and excludes a communication part that communicates with the negative pressure generation member storage chamber. Having a liquid storage portion capable of forming a substantially closed space and deforming with the derivation of the liquid stored therein and generating a negative pressure, and an inner surface having a shape similar to or similar to the outer surface of the liquid storage portion and the atmosphere. A liquid supply container including a housing having an atmosphere communication portion for introducing a liquid, the liquid supply container being mounted on the mounting portion so as to form the communication portion communicating with the negative pressure generating member storage chamber, and A first seal member that seals the discharge port; and a second seal member that seals an atmosphere communication portion of the negative pressure generating member storage chamber, wherein the liquid supply container is mounted on the mounting portion. It is preferable that a part of the liquid storage unit is previously detached from the housing, and that a liquid is supplied to a liquid supply path inside the liquid storage unit of the liquid supply container and the communication unit to the recording head. Features.

According to the storage container and the storage method of the ink jet head cartridge of the present invention, since the negative pressure generation member storage chamber and the liquid supply container are stored in a connected state, the negative pressure generation member storage chamber and the liquid are stored. Since there is no need to attach a seal member to the communication portion with the supply container, the number of packaging materials does not increase. Further, since the ink tank (liquid supply container) is provided in advance in the packed and stored state, there is no need to remove the inkjet head cartridge from the storage container and use it after mounting it on the recording apparatus. Further, since the liquid supply path to the recording head is stored in a state of being filled with the ink, the ink supply is stabilized from the start of use.

Further, since a part of the liquid storage portion is detached from the housing, the air in the negative pressure generating member storage chamber expands due to a change in the storage environment or the like, and the negative pressure generating member storage chamber is filled. Even when a part of the used ink flows into the liquid storage section of the liquid supply container, the liquid storage section absorbs the ink by the volume of the expanded air by itself. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a significant increase in the internal pressure in the liquid supply container due to an environmental change.

Further, according to the present invention, the negative pressure generating member is constituted by two absorbers made of a fibrous body, and a boundary surface between the two absorbers is larger than the communicating portion in the negative pressure generating member storage chamber. By adopting the configuration arranged on the side of the air communication portion, the interface between the ink and the gas in both absorbers during the gas-liquid exchange operation becomes a boundary surface between the two absorbers, and as a result, during the ink supply operation , The static negative pressure in the head portion is stabilized.

Further, the main fiber direction of the fibrous body may be arranged substantially horizontally in a posture when the ink jet head cartridge is used.

Further, a configuration may be adopted in which a boundary surface between the two absorbers is arranged near the communication portion.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The "hardness" of the capillary force generating member in the present invention is the "hardness" when the capillary force generating member is housed in the liquid storage container, and is the "hardness" of the capillary force generating member. Slope of repulsive force against deformation (unit: kgf
/ Mm). Regarding the magnitude of the “hardness” of the two capillary force generating members, the capillary force generating member having the larger inclination of the repulsive force with respect to the deformation amount is defined as the “hard capillary force generating member”.

<Overall Configuration> FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink jet head cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof.

The present embodiment explains each of the components constituting the ink jet head cartridge to which the present invention is applied, and the relationship between them. The present embodiment has a configuration to which a number of novel technologies made at the stage of establishment of the present invention are applied. Therefore, the entire configuration will be described while describing these configurations.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink jet head cartridge of this embodiment includes an ink jet head unit 160, a holder 150, a negative pressure control chamber unit 100, an ink tank unit 200, and the like. Negative pressure control room unit 1 in holder 150
00 is fixed, and the ink jet head unit 160 is fixed below the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 via a holder. The holder 150 described here
And the negative pressure control chamber unit 100, the holder 150 and the inkjet head unit 160 are fixed by, for example, making them easily disassembled by screwing, engaging, or the like. It is effective for cost reduction against change. In addition, it is preferable that the components be easily disassembled from the viewpoint that only the components that need to be replaced can be easily replaced because the life of the components of each component is different.
However, depending on the conditions, it is needless to say that the fixing may be performed completely by welding, thermal caulking, or the like. The negative pressure control chamber unit 100 includes a negative pressure control chamber container 110 having an opening formed on the upper surface, a negative pressure control chamber lid 120 attached to the upper surface of the negative pressure control chamber container 110, and a negative pressure control chamber container 110. Two absorbers 1 for holding the ink impregnated therein
30 and 140. Absorber 130, 1
Numerals 40 are stacked in upper and lower tiers in the use state of the ink jet head cartridge, and are filled in the negative pressure control chamber container 110 in close contact with each other, and the capillary force generated by the lower absorber 140 is reduced by the upper tier of absorption. Since the capillary force generated by the body 130 is higher, the lower absorber 140 has a higher ink holding power. The ink in the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 is supplied to the inkjet head unit 160 through the ink supply pipe 165.

A filter 161 is provided at a supply port 131 at the end of the ink supply pipe 165 on the absorber 140 side, and the filter 161 presses the absorber 140. The ink tank unit 200 is configured to be detachable from the holder 150. A joint pipe 180, which is a part to be joined, provided on the surface of the negative pressure control chamber container 110 on the ink tank unit 200 side is inserted and connected inside the joint port 230 of the ink tank unit 200. The ink tank unit 2 is connected via a connection between the joint pipe 180 and the joint port 230.
The negative pressure control chamber unit 100 and the ink tank unit 200 are configured so that the ink in the area 00 is supplied into the negative pressure control chamber unit 100. Negative pressure control chamber container 1
An ID member 170 for preventing erroneous mounting of the ink tank unit 200 is provided at a portion above the joint pipe 180 on the surface of the ink tank unit 200 on the side of the ink tank unit 200.

The negative pressure control chamber cover 120 has an air communication port for communicating the inside of the negative pressure control chamber container 110 with the outside air, here, the absorber 130 housed in the negative pressure control chamber container 110 and the outside air. 115 is formed, and the negative pressure control chamber container 1
In the vicinity of the atmosphere communication port 115 in the space 10, a space formed by a rib protruding from the surface of the negative pressure control chamber lid 120 on the absorber 130 side, and a region where ink (liquid) in the absorber does not exist. , A buffer space 116 is provided.

A valve mechanism is provided in the joint port 230. The valve mechanism includes a first valve frame 260a, a second valve frame 2
60b, a valve body 261, a valve lid 262, and an urging member 263. The valve body 261 is slidably supported within the second valve body 260b and is urged by the urging member 263 toward the first valve frame 260a. Joint port 2
In a state where the joint pipe 180 is not inserted into the inside 30, the edge of the portion on the first valve frame 260a side of the valve body 261 is pressed by the first valve frame 260a by the urging force of the urging member 263. The airtightness in the ink tank unit 200 is maintained.

The joint pipe 180 is inserted into the joint port 230, and the valve body 261 is pressed by the joint pipe 180 and moves in a direction away from the first valve frame 260a, thereby forming a side surface of the second valve frame 260b. The inside of the joint pipe 180 communicates with the inside of the ink tank unit 200 through the opened opening. Thereby, the airtightness in the ink tank unit 200 is released, and the ink in the ink tank unit 200 is
The air is supplied into the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 through the joint 30 and the joint pipe 180. That is, when the valve in the joint port 230 is opened, the inside of the ink storage unit of the ink tank unit 200 that has been in a sealed state is in communication with the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 only through the opening.

Here, as in the present embodiment, the holder 15
In a state where the inkjet head unit 160 and the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 are fixed to 0, the inkjet head unit 160 and the negative pressure control chamber unit 10 are fixed.
It is desirable to fix each of the units 0 to the holder 150 by a method having easy disassembly, such as a screw, because each unit can be removed and replaced according to its service life.

That is, in the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment, normally, an ink tank containing different types of inks is not erroneously mounted in the negative pressure control chamber by an ID member provided in the ink tank.
If the ID member provided in the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 is damaged, or if the user intentionally mounts a different type of ink tank in the negative pressure control chamber unit 100, immediately after the mounting, the negative pressure control chamber Only the unit 100 needs to be replaced. Further, when the holder 150 is damaged due to a drop or the like, only the holder 150 can be replaced.

When the negative pressure control chamber unit 100, the holder 150, and the ink jet head unit 160, including the ink tank unit 200, are separated from each other, the positions of the fixing portions are set so that ink leakage from each unit can be prevented. It is desirable to define

In the case of the present embodiment, the ink tank unit 200 is connected to the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 using the ink tank engaging portion 155 of the holder 150, so that only the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 is fixed. It does not come off with respect to other units in the state of being converted. That is, at least the ink tank unit 200 is
If not removed from the holder 50, the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 is difficult to separate from the holder 150. As described above, the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 has a structure that is easy to remove only after the ink tank unit 200 is removed from the holder 150.
There is no danger that ink will leak from the joint due to careless separation of the 00 from the negative pressure control chamber unit 100.

The ink jet head unit 16
A filter 161 is provided at the end of the ink supply pipe 165 for the ink jet head unit 160 even when the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 is separated.
There is no danger of the ink inside leaking out. In addition, the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 has a buffer space 116 (absorbers 130, 14) for preventing ink from leaking from the ink tank.
(Including a region that does not hold ink in the ink), and two absorbers 130 and 1 having different capillary forces.
40 is provided above the joint pipe 180 in a posture at the time of use (more desirably, as in the present embodiment, the capillary force of the layer including the boundary surface 113c in the vicinity thereof includes the absorber 130, 140, the structure in which the holder 150, the negative pressure control chamber unit 100, and the ink tank unit 200 are integrated is less likely to leak ink even if its posture changes. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the inkjet head unit 160 includes a fixing portion on the bottom surface that is the side having the connection terminals of the holder 150, and can be easily separated even when the ink tank unit 200 is mounted on the holder 150. ing.

Depending on the shape of the holder 150, the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 or the ink jet head unit 160 and the holder 150 may be integrated so as to be inseparable. As a method of integration, it may be made inseparable by a method of integrally molding in advance or heat caulking.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, the ink tank unit 200 includes an ink container 201, a valve mechanism including a first valve frame 260a and a second valve frame 260b. , ID member 250. I
The D member 250 is for preventing erroneous mounting when the ink tank unit 200 and the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 are mounted.

The valve mechanism controls the flow of ink in the joint port 230, and opens and closes when engaged with the joint pipe 180 of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100. The opening and closing of the valve at the time of attachment / detachment is prevented by a valve configuration to be described later or a structure for regulating the tank operation range by the ID member 170 and the ID concave portion 252.

<Ink Tank Unit> FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining the ink tank unit 200 shown in FIG. FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing the ink tank unit 200, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing a state where the ink tank unit 200 is disassembled.

On the front surface of the ID member 250 on the side of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100, a portion above the supply port hole 253 is an inclined surface 251. The inclined surface 251 is
The ID member 250 is inclined from the front end surface on the supply port hole 253 side to the ink container 201 side, that is, backward. The inclined surface 251 has a plurality of ID recesses 252 (3 in FIG. 3) for preventing erroneous insertion of the ink tank unit 200.
One) is formed. In the present embodiment, the ID member 250
Is the negative pressure control chamber unit 10 of the ink container 201.
It is arranged on the front side (surface having a supply port) on the 0 side.

The ink container 201 is a hollow container having a substantially polygonal prism shape and having a negative pressure generating function. The ink container 201 includes a housing 210 and an inner bag 220 (see FIG. 2), and the housing 210 and the inner bag 220 can be peeled off. The inner bag 220 has flexibility,
The inner bag 220 is deformable as the ink stored inside is drawn out. The inner bag 220 has a pinch-off portion (welded portion) 221, and the inner bag 220 is supported by the pinch-off portion 221 so as to engage with the housing 210.
An outside air communication port 222 is provided in a portion of the housing 210 near the pinch-off portion 221, and the outside air communication port 2 is provided.
The atmosphere can be introduced between the inner bag 220 and the housing 210 through 22.

As shown in FIG. 19, the inner bag 220 has, in order from the inside, a three-layer structure in which a liquid-contact layer 220c having ink resistance, an elasticity controlling layer 220b, and a gas barrier layer 220a having excellent gas barrier properties are laminated. , And each layer is functionally separated in a bonded state. Elastic modulus control layer 220b
Is that the elastic modulus of the elastic modulus control layer 220b is kept almost constant within the operating temperature range of the ink container 201, that is, the elastic modulus of the inner bag 220 is within the operating temperature range of the ink container 201. It is kept substantially constant by the elastic modulus control layer 220b. In the inner bag 220, the middle layer and the outer layer may be switched, and the elastic modulus control layer 220b may be the outermost layer, and the gas barrier layer 220a may be the middle layer.

By forming the inner bag 220 as described above, the inner bag 220 can sufficiently exhibit the functions of the respective layers with a small number of layers such as the ink-resistant layer, the elastic modulus controlling layer 220b and the gas barrier layer 220a. This makes it possible to reduce the influence on the temperature change, such as the elastic modulus of the inner bag 220. Further, in the inner bag 220, an elastic modulus suitable for controlling the negative pressure in the ink storage container 201 within the operating temperature range is secured, so that the ink in the ink storage container 201 and the ink in the negative pressure control chamber unit 110 can be used. On the other hand, the inner bag 220 has a function of a buffer described later (details will be described later). Therefore, it is possible to reduce the buffer chamber provided in the upper part in the negative pressure control chamber container 110, that is, the portion where the ink absorber is not filled and the region where the ink is not present in the absorbers 130 and 140. Therefore, the size of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 can be reduced, and the inkjet head cartridge 70 with high use efficiency can be realized.

In the present embodiment, the innermost liquid contact layer 220c of the inner bag 220 is made of polypropylene, the middle elastic modulus controlling layer 220b is made of a cyclic olefin copolymer, and the outermost gas barrier layer 220a is made of a material. And EVOH (a saponified product of EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin)). here,
By including the functional adhesive resin material in the elastic modulus control layer 220b, it is not necessary to provide an adhesive layer between the layers, so that the thickness of the inner bag 220 can be reduced, which is preferable.

As the material of the housing 210, the same polypropylene as that of the innermost layer of the inner bag 220 is used. Also,
Polypropylene is also used as the material of the first valve frame 260a.

The ID member 250 has a plurality of ID recesses 25 provided on the left and right corresponding to the plurality of ID members 170 for preventing the ink tank unit 200 from being erroneously mounted.
2 and is fixed to the ink container 201.

The erroneous mounting prevention function provided by the ID member 170 and the ID recess 252 is provided by the negative pressure control chamber unit 10.
ID corresponding to the plurality of ID members 170 provided on the 0 side.
By forming the ID concave portion 252 in the member 250, an erroneous mounting prevention mechanism is configured.
By changing the position of the shape of the recess 252, various types of ID functions can be achieved.

The ID concave portion 252 of the ID member 250 and the joint port 230 of the first valve frame 260a are located on the front surface in the mounting / removing direction of the ink tank unit 200.
It is formed of two members, an ID member 250 and a first valve frame 260a.

The ink container 201 is formed by blow molding, the ID member 250 and the first valve frame 260a are formed by injection molding, and the ink tank unit 200 has a three-member structure. The valve member and the ID recess 252 can be formed with high precision.

When such an ID recess 252 is directly formed in the ink container 201 which is a blow tank manufactured by blow molding, it has an effect on the peeling of the inner bag 220 of the inner layer of the ink container 201, that is, Because the shape inside the ink tank is complicated, the ink tank unit 200
May affect the negative pressure generated in However, the ink tank unit 2 in the present embodiment
00, the ID member 250, which is the ID portion, is formed separately from the ink container 201, so that the ID member 2
Since there is no such an effect on the ink storage container 201 by attaching 50 to the ink storage container 201,
It is possible to generate and control a stable negative pressure in the ink container 201.

The first valve frame 260a is joined to at least the inner bag 220 of the ink container 201. The first valve frame 260a is attached to the ink container 201 with respect to the inner bag 220.
Inner bag exposed portion 221 of inner bag 220 corresponding to the ink outlet portion of FIG.
a and the corresponding surface of the joint port 230 by welding. Here, since the housing 210 is also made of the same polypropylene as the innermost layer of the inner bag 220, the first valve frame 260a and the housing 210 can be welded also around the joint port 230.

As a result, the positional accuracy by welding is increased, and the supply port of the ink container 201 is completely sealed, so that the first valve frame 260a and the ink container 201 are sealed when the ink tank unit 200 is attached or detached. Ink leakage from a portion is prevented. When joining by welding as in the ink tank unit 200 in the present embodiment, the material of the layer serving as the bonding surface of the inner bag 220 and the material of the first valve frame 260a are the same in order to enhance the sealing performance. Preferably, there is.

When the housing 210 and the ID member 250 are joined, the surface of the first valve frame 260a facing the seal surface 102 joined to the ink container 201 is connected to the ID member 25.
Click part 250a formed in the lower part of the housing 0 and the housing 2
The ID member is engaged and fixed to the ink container 201 by the engagement between the engaging portion 210a on the side surface of the ten and the corresponding click portion 250a on the ID member 250 side.

Here, it is preferable that the engagement and fixing means have a structure which is easily disassembled by, for example, engagement by irregularities and fitting. Since the ID member 250 is engaged with and fixed to the ink container 201 in this manner, the ID member 250 is in a state in which the ID member 250 and the ID concave portion 252 can be minutely movable. Can be absorbed and the ink tank unit 200 and the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 can be prevented from being damaged.

Further, since the ID member 250 is partially engaged with the ink container 201 in the engaged and fixed state, the ink tank unit 200 is easily disassembled, which is effective in terms of recycling. . Further, by providing the engaging concave portion as the engaging portion 210a on the side surface of the housing 210, the configuration becomes simple when the ink container 201 is manufactured by blow molding, and the mold member at the time of molding is also reduced. It becomes simple and the management of the film thickness becomes easy.

Further, the casing 210 and the ID member 250 are joined in a state where the first valve frame 260a is joined to the casing 210, and around the joint port 230, the first valve frame 260a is sandwiched. Since the click portion 250a is engaged with the engagement portion 210a, it is possible to improve the strength of the ink tank unit 200, particularly, the joint portion at the time of attachment and detachment.

In the ink container 201, the portion covered by the ID member 250 has a concave shape, and the supply port portion protrudes.
By fixing the D member 250, it is possible to eliminate the protruding shape on the front surface of the ink tank unit 200. Also, the engaging portion 210a of the housing 210 and the corresponding I
The relationship of the unevenness with the click portion 250a of the D member 250 may be reversed.

The ink container 201 and the ID member 25
Positional control in the vertical and horizontal directions with 0 can be performed. The method of joining the ink container 201 and the ID member 250 is not limited to the above-described form, and the engagement position and the fixing method may be different.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 22, the bottom of the ink container 201 is inclined in a direction of lifting upward, and the lower part of the ink container 201 on the side opposite to the joint port 230 side is the holder 150. Is engaged with the ink tank locking portion 155 of the first embodiment. Ink tank unit 200
When the ink container 20 is removed from the holder 150,
1, the engagement portion with the ink tank locking portion 155 is lifted up.
The ink tank unit 200 substantially rotates at the time of the attaching / detaching operation. In the present embodiment, the center of rotation is substantially the supply port (joint port 230). However, strictly speaking, the center of rotation changes as will be described later. In the case of such an attachment / detachment operation of the ink tank unit 200 due to the substantial rotation, the ink tank unit 20 is moved from the pivot point.
In the relationship between the distance from the fulcrum to the ink tank engaging portion 155 and the distance from the fulcrum to the ink tank engaging portion 155, the former is longer than the latter.
Ink tank unit 200 and ink tank locking portion 15
5 causes unnecessary force in the mounting operation,
In some cases, a problem such as deformation of the pressing portions of the ink tank unit 200 and the holder 150 may occur.

As in the case of the ink container 201 of the present embodiment, the bottom of the ink container 201 is inclined and the lower end of the portion of the ink container 201 on the ink tank engaging portion 155 side is lifted. Unnecessary twisting in rotation of the ink tank unit 200 can be prevented by the engaging portions of the ink container 200 and the holder 150, so that the attachment and detachment operation of the ink tank unit 200 can be performed satisfactorily.

In the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment, the joint port 23 is provided at the lower portion of one side of the ink container 201 on the side of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100.
0 is formed, the lower portion of the other side surface of the ink container 201 opposite to the joint port 230 side, that is,
The lower part of the rear end is engaged with the ink tank locking part 155. The upper part of the ink tank locking part 155 is
The holder 150 extends upward from the bottom of the holder 150 to almost the same height as the center height 603 of the joint port 230. As a result, the horizontal movement of the joint port 230 is reliably restricted by the ink tank locking portion 155, and
A good connection between the joint 30 and the joint pipe 180 can be maintained. Here, in order to securely maintain the connection between the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180 when the ink tank unit 200 is mounted, the upper end of the ink tank locking portion 155 is arranged at substantially the same height as the upper part of the joint port 230. Have been. The ink tank unit 200 is detachably attached to the holder 150 by a rotation operation centering on a part of the front surface on the joint port 230 side. In the attachment / detachment operation of the ink tank unit 200, the portion of the ink tank unit 200 that abuts against the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 becomes the rotation center of the ink tank unit 200. As described above, in the inkjet head cartridge, the bottom of the rear end of the ink container 201 is inclined as described above,
Since the difference between the distance from the rotation center 600 to the upper end 601 of the ink tank locking portion and the distance from the rotation center 600 to the lower end 602 of the ink tank locking portion can be reduced, each of the ink tank unit 200 and the holder 150 Can prevent unnecessarily twisting of the rotation of the ink tank unit 200, and can favorably perform the attachment / detachment operation of the ink tank unit 200.

Ink container 201 and holder 150
Is formed in the shape as described above, even when the size of the joint port 230 is increased for high-speed ink supply, the lower end of the rear end of the ink storage container 201 when the ink tank unit 200 is attached or detached. The area where the portion is twisted with the ink tank engaging portion 155 can be reduced. Accordingly, while securing the fixing property when the ink tank unit 200 is mounted on the holder 150, it is possible to avoid unnecessary twisting with the ink tank locking portion 155 when the ink tank unit 200 is mounted.

Here, a detailed description will be given with reference to FIG.
The distance from the rotation center 600 in the attachment / detachment operation of the ink tank unit 200 to the lower end 602 of the ink tank engaging portion of the ink tank unit 200 is the rotation center 600.
When the distance from the ink tank engaging portion to the upper end 601 becomes larger than necessary, the force required for the attaching / detaching operation becomes very strong, and the upper end 601 of the ink tank engaging portion is scraped or the ink container 201 is deformed. May be done. Therefore, the rotation center 6 of the ink tank unit 200
The difference between the distance from 00 to the lower end 602 of the ink tank engaging portion of the ink tank unit 200 and the distance from the center of rotation 600 to the upper end 601 of the ink tank engaging portion is determined by the detachability while exerting an appropriate fixing force. It is desirable to be as small as possible within a range excellent in the above.

When the rotation center 600 of the ink tank unit 200 is located at a position lower than the center of the joint port 230, the distance from the rotation center 600 of the ink tank unit 200 to the upper end 601 of the ink tank engaging portion is equal to the distance. From the rotation center 600 to the lower end 60 of the ink tank locking portion
Since the distance becomes longer than the distance up to 2, it is difficult to accurately suppress the ink container 201 at the height of the center of the joint port 230. Therefore, the joint port 230
In order to accurately fix the center of the ink tank unit 200 in the height direction, the rotation center 600 of the ink tank unit 200 is
It is desirable to be above the center in the height direction of 0.

When the rotation center 600 of the ink tank unit 200 is raised above the center height 603 of the joint port 230,
The thickness of the portion corresponding to the ink tank locking portion 155 increases, and the portion corresponding to the ink tank locking portion 155 increases.
0 is more likely to be damaged. Therefore, it is desirable that the rotation center 600 of the ink tank unit 200 be closer to the center in the height direction of the joint port 230 from the viewpoint of detachability of the ink tank unit 200. The height of the ink tank locking portion 155 of the ink tank unit 200 may be appropriately determined based on the detachability of the ink tank unit 200. If the height is higher than the rotation center 600, the height of the ink tank unit 200 Since the contact distance of the locking portion of the ink tank unit becomes longer and the portion rubbed by the attaching / detaching operation increases, the ink tank units 200 and 1
In consideration of the deterioration of the ink tank unit 50, it is desirable that the height be lower than the rotation center 600 of the ink tank unit 200.

In the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment, the urging force for fixing the horizontal position of the ink container 201 is determined by the urging member 263 for urging the valve body 261 and the rubber joint portion. 280
This is due to the repulsive force of the ink container 201 (see FIG. 4), but is not limited to such a form.
An urging means for fixing the horizontal position of the ink container 201 may be provided on the side surface, the negative pressure control chamber unit 100, or the like. In addition, the rubber joint part 280 is in a state where the ink container is connected,
It is press-fitted on the wall of the negative pressure control chamber and the ink tank, and the airtightness of the joint (peripheral part of the joint pipe) is secured (there are few areas that are exposed to the atmosphere even without complete airtightness). In addition, it can play an auxiliary role of sealing by a sealing projection described later.

Next, the internal configuration of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 will be described.

Inside the negative pressure control room unit 100, a two-stage negative pressure generating member which is stacked with the absorber 130 as an upper stage and the absorber 140 as a lower stage is housed. Accordingly, the absorber 130 communicates with the atmosphere communication port 115, and the absorber 140 is in close contact with the absorber 130 on its upper surface and is in close contact with the filter 161 on its lower surface. A boundary surface 113c between the absorbers 130 and 140 is connected to a joint pipe 180 as a communication part in a posture in use.
Is disposed above the upper end, i.e., on the air communication port 115 side.

The absorbers 130 and 140 are made of fibrous bodies whose fiber directions are almost aligned, and the main fiber direction is inclined with respect to the vertical direction when the ink jet head cartridge 70 is mounted on a printer ( More desirably, it is housed in the negative pressure control chamber container 110 so as to be substantially horizontal as in this embodiment.

The absorbers 130 and 140 whose fiber directions are aligned are, for example, short fibers made of crimped thermoplastic resin (about 60 mm in length, for example, a blend fiber of polypropylene and polyethylene). ), The fiber mass made of this short fiber is aligned in the fiber direction with a carding machine, and then heated (the temperature at the time of heating is higher than the melting point of polyethylene having a relatively low melting point, (Desirably a temperature lower than the melting point of polypropylene having a relatively high melting point). Here, in the fiber member of the present embodiment, the fiber direction of the surface layer is relatively more regular than that of the central part, and the generated capillary force is larger than that of the central part. Rather, it has some unevenness mainly generated when bundling the slivers, and the surface layer has three-dimensionally fused intersections. For this reason, the absorber 13 whose fiber direction is aligned
The boundary surfaces 113c of the first and second absorbers 130 and 140 are formed by contacting the surfaces having irregularities with each other.
As a whole, the ink has an appropriate fluidity in the horizontal direction. That is, only the boundary surface 113c has much better ink fluidity than the surrounding region, and as a result, the ink path is formed between the gap between the negative pressure control chamber container 110 and the absorbers 130 and 140 and the boundary surface 113c. It is not to make. Therefore, by providing the boundary surface 113c between the absorbers 130 and 140 in the upper part of the joint pipe 180 in the posture at the time of use, desirably, near the upper part of the joint pipe 180 as in the present embodiment, in the gas-liquid exchange operation described later, The interface between the ink and the gas in the absorbers 130 and 140 during the gas-liquid exchange operation can be the boundary surface 113c, and as a result, the static negative pressure in the head portion during the ink supply operation can be stabilized. it can.

Focusing on the directionality of the fiber member, as shown in FIG. 20, each fiber is arranged continuously in a longitudinal direction F1 mainly arranged by a carding machine and in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction F1. F2 has a structure in which a part of intersections between fibers is fused by thermoforming to have a connection. For this reason, the absorbers 130, 1
40 is hard to break even if it is pulled in the F1 direction in the figure,
In the drawing, when the fiber is pulled in the direction F2, the bonding portion between the fibers is broken, so that the fibers can be separated more easily than in the case of the direction F1.

Since the main fiber direction F1 exists in the absorbers 130 and 140 made of fibers as described above, the main fiber direction F1 and the fiber direction F2 orthogonal thereto are different from each other.
The fluidity of the ink and the manner of holding the ink in a stationary state differ.

Looking at the internal structure of the absorbers 130 and 140 in more detail, the crimped short fibers as shown in FIG. The state is as shown in FIG. Here, in the region α in which a plurality of short fibers are overlapped in the fiber direction in FIG. 21A, the probability that the intersection is fused as shown in FIG. 21B is high, and as a result, in the fiber direction, A continuous fiber which is hard to be cut in the F1 direction shown in FIG. 20 is formed. In addition, by using crimped short fibers, the end regions (β, γ shown in FIG. 21A) of the short fibers are three-dimensionally separated from other short fibers as shown in FIG. 21B. It fuses (β) or remains as an end (γ).
In addition, since not all fibers are aligned in exactly the same direction, short fibers that are in contact with other short fibers at an angle so as to intersect with other short fibers from the beginning (ε shown in FIG. ) Are directly fused after heating (FIG. 21B).
Ε). In this way, fibers having higher strength in the F2 direction than in the conventional one-way fiber bundle are formed.

In the present embodiment, such absorbers 130 and 140 are arranged so that the main fiber direction F1 is substantially parallel to the horizontal direction and the direction from the communicating portion to the ink supply port. ing. For this reason, as shown in FIG.
The gas-liquid interface L (interface between ink and gas) in 40 is substantially horizontal, parallel to the main fiber direction F1. Even if there is a change due to environmental changes, the gas-liquid interface is substantially horizontal. In order to maintain the environment, the gas-liquid interface returns to the original position of the gas-liquid interface L if the fluctuation of the environment subsides, and the variation of the gas-liquid interface in the direction of gravity increases according to the number of cycles of environmental change. Absent.

As a result, when the ink in the ink container 201 is used up and replaced with a new ink tank unit 200, the gas-liquid interface is maintained in a substantially horizontal direction. Even if the number of times increases, the buffer space 116 does not decrease.

In order to stabilize the position of the gas-liquid interface L during the gas-liquid exchange operation irrespective of changes in the environment, a communicating portion (joint pipe 180 in the case of the present embodiment) is used as a connecting portion. It is sufficient that a layer having a main fiber arrangement component in a substantially horizontal direction is provided in a region at the upper end, more preferably, a region including the upper end. From another point of view, this layer only needs to be in a region connecting the supply port 131 and the upper end of the communication portion.
It suffices if this region is present on the gas-liquid interface in the gas-liquid exchange operation. If the latter is operatively grasped, the fiber layer having the orientation of this arrangement is to level the gas-liquid interface in the absorber 140 in the liquid supply operation by gas-liquid exchange. Has a function of regulating a change in the vertical direction of the absorber 140 due to the liquid movement.

By providing such a layer in the absorber 140, the gas-liquid interface L in this region can be suppressed from varying in the direction of gravity. In this case, the absorber 140
It is more preferable that the main fiber arrangement components are substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the horizontal cut surface, because the longitudinal direction of the fibers can be effectively used.

Here, if the fiber arrangement direction is slightly inclined from the vertical direction, the above-mentioned effect can be achieved even if it is theoretically slight, but in practice, it is approximately ± 30 ° with respect to the horizontal direction. A clear effect was confirmed when it was within the range. Therefore, “substantially” substantially horizontal includes the above-described inclination in this specification.

In this embodiment, the main components in the fiber direction in the region below the upper end of the communicating portion are also the same because they are constituted by the same absorber 140. Therefore, in the gas-liquid exchange operation as shown in FIG. 6, the gas-liquid interface L does not inadvertently fluctuate in a region below the upper end of the communication portion, and ink supply failure due to lack of ink does not occur. .

That is, in the gas-liquid exchange operation, the air introduced from the air communication port 115 is dispersed along the main fiber direction when it reaches the gas-liquid interface L. As a result, the interface during the gas-liquid exchange operation is maintained in a substantially horizontal direction and can be stabilized. As a result, there is an effect that the ink can be supplied more reliably while maintaining a stable negative pressure. Also in the gas-liquid exchange operation, in the case of the present embodiment, since the main fiber direction is substantially horizontal, the ink is consumed substantially uniformly in the horizontal direction. As a result, even with respect to the ink in the negative pressure control chamber container 110, it is possible to provide an ink supply system with little remaining use. Therefore, especially in a system in which the ink tank unit 200 that directly stores the liquid can be replaced, as in the present embodiment, the areas in the absorbers 130 and 140 that do not hold ink can be effectively created. It is possible to provide an ink supply system having improved buffer space efficiency and being resistant to environmental changes.

When the ink jet head cartridge of this embodiment is to be mounted on a so-called serial type printer, it is mounted on a carriage which is reciprocally scanned. At this time, with the reciprocating operation of the carriage, a force in the moving direction component of the carriage acts on the ink in the ink jet head cartridge. In order to eliminate as much as possible the adverse effect of this force on the ink supply characteristics from the ink tank unit 200 to the inkjet head unit 160, the absorbers 130, 140
The fiber direction of the ink tank unit 200 and the arrangement direction of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 are determined from the joint port 230 of the ink tank unit 200 through the negative pressure control chamber container 1.
Desirably, the direction is toward the ten supply ports 131.

<Tank Mounting Operation> Next, the operation of mounting the ink tank unit 200 on the united negative pressure control chamber unit 100 and holder 150 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 shows an ink tank unit 200 in a holder 150 on which the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 is mounted.
It is sectional drawing for demonstrating the operation | movement which mount | wears.
The ink tank unit 200 includes a guide (not shown) in the width direction, a bottom portion 151 of the holder 150, and a guide portion 12 provided on the negative pressure control chamber lid 120 of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100.
1, and an ink tank locking portion 155 at the rear of the holder 150
Is attached by being substantially rotated in the directions of arrows F and G along the arrow.

First, as the mounting operation of the ink tank unit 200, the position shown in FIG. The ink tank unit 200 is moved to a position where the inclined surface 251 of the ink tank unit 200 contacts. At this time, the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180 do not contact each other. At this point, if the user attempts to mount the wrong ink tank unit 200, the inclined surface 251 and the ID member 170 interfere with each other, and the mounting operation of the ink tank unit 200 thereafter is prevented. By configuring the ink jet head cartridge 70 in this way, as described above, the joint port 230
And the joint pipe 180 are not in contact with each other.
Ink tank due to ink sticking (depending on the components of the ink (ex. Reaction of anions and cations), sticking may occur at the absorbers 130 and 140, making the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 unusable). Unnecessary replacement of the head and the ink tank in the replacement type device can be prevented beforehand. Also, as described above, the ID member 25
By forming the ID portion of 0 on the inclined surface, the ID can be confirmed by inserting the plurality of ID members 170 into the ID recesses corresponding to the respective ID members 170 almost at the same time. An erroneous mounting prevention function can be achieved.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the ink tank unit 200 is inserted so that the ID member 170 is inserted into the ID recess 252 and the joint pipe 180 is inserted into the joint port 230. It is moved to the negative pressure control room unit 100 side. Next, since the ink tank unit 200 mounted at a predetermined position is provided at the position shown in FIG. 4C, that is, at the position corresponding to the ID member 170 and the ID concave portion 252, the negative pressure control is further performed. It is moved to the back of the room unit 200 side. When the ink tank unit 200 is further rotated in the direction of arrow G, the distal end of the joint pipe 180
And the valve body 261 is pressed. As a result, the valve mechanism opens, and the inside of the ink tank unit 200 and the inside of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 communicate with each other.
The ink 300 in 0 can be supplied into the negative pressure control chamber unit 100. Details of the opening / closing operation of the valve mechanism will be described later.

Thereafter, the ink tank unit 200 is further rotated in the direction of arrow G, and the ink tank unit 200 is pushed into the position shown in FIG. This allows
The lower part of the rear surface of the ink tank unit 200 is the holder 15.
The ink tank unit 200 is fixed to a desired position in the holder 150 by being locked by the ink tank locking portion 155 of the ink jet recording apparatus. In this state, the ID member 170 moves in a direction in which it is slightly separated from the ID concave portion 252.
The urging force for fixing the ink tank unit 200 rearward (on the side of the holder locking portion 155) is generated by the urging member 263 in the ink tank unit 200 and the joint pipe 1.
And a rubber joint portion 280 provided around the periphery of the rubber member 80.

As described above, in the ink tank unit 200 which is attached and detached in accordance with the turning operation, the ID concave portion 252 is formed on the inclined surface 251 and the lower surface of the ink tank unit 200 is inclined. Reliable attachment / detachment of the ink tank unit 200 without erroneous mounting and color mixing of ink is possible in a minimum space.

As described above, the ink tank unit 200
When the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 and the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 are connected, the ink moves until the pressure in the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 and the pressure in the ink container 201 become equal, and as shown in FIG. Pipe 180 and joint port 2
An equilibrium state is established in a state where the pressure within 30 is negative (this state is referred to as a “starting state”).

Therefore, the ink movement for achieving the equilibrium state will be described in detail.

When the valve mechanism provided at the joint port 230 of the ink container 201 is opened by mounting the ink tank unit 200, the ink storage section is substantially closed except for the joint port 230. Then, the ink in the ink storage container 201 flows to the joint port 230 to form an ink path between the ink and the absorber 140 of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100. When the ink path is formed,
Due to the capillary force of the absorber 140, the movement of the ink from the ink storage container 201 to the absorber 140 is started, and as a result,
The interface of the ink in the absorber 140 rises. In addition, the inner bag 220 starts to deform in the direction in which the volume in the inner bag 220 decreases from the center of the surface having the largest area.

Here, since the housing 210 functions to suppress the displacement of the corners of the inner bag 220, the inner bag 220 has a deformation force due to ink consumption and a state before mounting (FIG. 4 in this embodiment). (A) to the initial state shown in FIG. 4 (c), and the acting force acts to return to the initial state.
Negative pressure is generated according to the degree of deformation. Since the space between the casing 210 and the inner bag 220 communicates with the outside air through the outside air communication port 222, the casing 21
Air is introduced between the inner bag 220 and the inner bag 220.

Even if air exists in the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180, if the ink in the ink container 201 comes into contact with the absorber 140 to form an ink path, the ink is discharged. Inner bag 22
Since the 0 is deformed, the air can easily move into the inner bag 220.

The ink movement is performed until the static negative pressure at the joint port 230 of the ink container 201 and the static negative pressure at the joint pipe 180 of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 become equal.

As described above, the ink container 20
The movement of the ink from the ink storage container 201 to the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 in the connection between the ink storage container 201 and the negative pressure control
This takes place without the introduction of gas via 40. When the equilibrium state is reached, the static negative pressure of each chamber is connected so that ink does not leak from liquid ejection recording means such as the ink jet head unit 160 connected to the ink supply port of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100. What is necessary is just to set so that it may become an appropriate value according to the kind of liquid discharge recording means.

Further, since there is a variation in the amount of ink held in the absorber 130 before the connection, even when the equilibrium state is reached, an area where the absorber 140 is not filled with ink may remain. This area can be used as a buffer area.

Conversely, when the pressure in the joint pipe 180 and the joint port 230 when the equilibrium state is reached may become positive due to the influence of the variation amount,
The suction recovery may be performed by suction recovery means described later provided in the main body of the liquid ejection recording apparatus, and a slight amount of ink may be caused to flow out.

As described above, the ink tank unit 200 of this embodiment is inserted obliquely with the outer bottom surface thereof resting on the ink tank engaging portion 155 of the holder 150, and the ink tank engaging portion 155 is inserted. After getting over, it is attached to the holder 150 with a substantially rotating operation of pushing it into the bottom surface of the holder 150. Further, the ink tank unit 200 is removed from the holder 150 by the reverse operation. Then, the ink tank unit 200
The opening / closing operation of the valve mechanism provided in the ink tank unit 200 is performed with the attaching / detaching operation.

<Opening / Closing Operation of Valve Mechanism> The opening / closing operation of the valve mechanism will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5A shows that the ink tank unit 200 is inserted obliquely into the holder 150 with the joint port 230 facing obliquely downward, and the joint pipe 180 is connected to the joint port 2.
The state immediately before being inserted into 30 is shown.

Here, the joint pipe 180 is provided integrally with a sealing projection 180a over its entire outer peripheral surface, and has a valve opening / closing projection 18
0b is provided. When the joint pipe 180 is inserted into the joint port 230, the sealing projection 180a
The joint pipe 1 at the upper end
It is provided diagonally so that the distance from the tip of 80 is greater than that at the lower end.

The seal projection 180a slides on the joint seal surface 260 when the ink tank unit 200 is attached and detached, as will be described later.
It is preferable to use a material having good slidability and adhesion to the joint seal surface 260. Further, the form of the urging member 263 for urging the valve body 261 toward the first valve frame 260a is not particularly limited, and a spring member such as a coil spring or a leaf spring, or an elastic member such as rubber is used. Can be used. Also, in consideration of recyclability, it is preferable to use an elastic member made of resin.

In the state shown in FIG. 5A, the valve opening / closing projection 180b is not in contact with the valve body 261, and the valve body 26
The seal formed on the outer periphery of the end of the joint pipe 180 is pressed against the seal of the first valve frame 260 a by the urging force of the urging member 263. Thereby, the airtightness inside the ink tank unit 200 is maintained.

The ink tank unit 200 is attached to the holder 15
When it is further inserted into the joint 0, the joint sealing surface 260 of the joint port 230 is sealed by the sealing projection 180a. At this time, since the sealing projection 180a is provided obliquely as described above, first, as shown in FIG. 5B, the lower end of the sealing projection 180a contacts the joint seal surface 260, and the ink tank Unit 200
5A, the contact range gradually increases toward the upper portion of the sealing projection 180a while sliding with respect to the joint sealing surface 260 with the insertion operation of the sealing member 260. Finally, as shown in FIG. The upper end of the projection 180a contacts the joint seal surface 260. Thereby, the seal projection 180a
Are in contact with the joint seal surface 260, and the joint port 230 is sealed by the sealing projection 180a.

In the state shown in FIG. 5C, the valve opening / closing projection 180b is not in contact with the valve body 261, and the valve mechanism is not open. Therefore, since the joint port 230 is sealed before the valve mechanism is opened, the joint port 230 during the mounting operation of the ink tank unit 200 is set.
Ink is prevented from leaking.

Further, as described above, the joint port 2
Since the seal 30 is gradually formed from the lower side of the joint seal surface 260, the air in the joint port 230 is not sealed with the seal protrusion 180a until the seal port 180 is sealed by the seal protrusion 180a. It is discharged from the gap with the surface 260. By discharging the air in the joint port 230 in this manner, the amount of air remaining in the joint port 230 in a state where the joint port 230 is sealed is minimized. , The excessive compression of the air in the joint port 230, that is, the excessive increase in the pressure in the joint port 230 is prevented. As a result, before the ink tank unit 200 is completely attached to the holder 150, an inadvertent opening of the valve due to an increase in the pressure in the joint port 230 and an outflow of ink into the joint port 230 due to this are prevented. can do.

When the ink tank unit 200 is further inserted, as shown in FIG.
The valve opening / closing projection 180b pushes the valve body 261 against the urging force of the urging member 263 while the joint port 230 is sealed by 80a. Thereby, the second valve frame 2
The opening 260c of the 60b communicates with the joint port 230,
The air in the joint port 230 is introduced into the ink tank unit 200 through the opening 260c, and the ink in the ink tank unit 200 flows through the opening 26c.
Oc and the joint pipe 180 are supplied to the negative pressure control chamber container 110 (see FIG. 2).

As described above, when the air in the joint port 230 is introduced into the ink tank unit 200,
For example, when the ink tank unit 200 in use is mounted again, the negative pressure in the inner bag 220 (see FIG. 2) is reduced. Therefore, the balance of the negative pressure between the negative pressure control chamber container 110 and the inner bag 220 is improved, and it is possible to prevent deterioration of the re-supply property of the ink to the negative pressure control chamber container 110.

After the above operation, the ink tank unit 2
00 into the bottom surface of the holder 150, and as shown in FIG.
The joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180 are completely connected to each other, and the above-described gas-liquid exchange is reliably performed.

In the present embodiment, an opening 260c is provided in the second valve frame 260b on the bottom side of the ink tank and near the valve frame seal 264. According to the configuration of the opening 260c, when the valve mechanism is opened, that is, the valve body 261 is pressed by the valve opening / closing projection 180b, and immediately after moving to the valve lid 262 side, the ink in the ink tank unit 200 is discharged to the negative pressure control chamber unit. 100, and the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank when the ink is used up can be minimized.

In this embodiment, the first valve frame 26
An elastomer was used as a material for forming the joint seal surface 260a, that is, the seal portion of the first valve frame. By using an elastomer as a constituent material, the elastic force of the elastomer causes the joint seal surface 2
At 60, a projection 180 for sealing of the joint pipe 180 is provided.
a, and the sealing portion of the first valve frame 260a can be reliably sealed with the sealing portion of the valve body 261. In addition, by giving the elastomer an elastic force equal to or more than the minimum elastic force required to secure the sealing property between the first valve frame 260a and the joint pipe 180 (for example, by increasing the thickness of the elastomer), The shaft deflection and unsteadiness at the joint pipe connection portion during the serial scan scanning of the inkjet head cartridge can be suppressed by the flexure of the elastomer, and a more reliable seal can be performed. Further, the elastomer used as a constituent material can be integrally formed with the first valve frame 260a, and the above-described effects can be obtained without increasing the number of parts. Further, the portion using the elastomer as a constituent material is not limited to the above-described configuration, and the sealing projections 180 formed on the joint pipe 180 may be used.
An elastomer may be used as a constituent material of a or a constituent material of a seal portion of the valve body 261.

On the other hand, when the ink tank unit 200 is detached from the holder 150, the seal of the joint port 230 is released and the operation of the valve mechanism is performed in the reverse order of the above operation.

That is, the ink tank unit 200
Is pulled out from the holder 150 while being rotated in a direction opposite to the mounting direction, first, the valve body 261 is advanced by the urging force of the urging member 263, and the seal portion of the valve body 261 is sealed by the first valve frame 260a. The joint port 230 is closed by the valve body 261 by being pressed by the portion.

Thereafter, the ink tank unit 20
By withdrawing 0, the sealing of the joint port 230 by the sealing projection 180a is released. As described above, since the seal of the joint port 230 is released after the valve mechanism is closed, useless supply of ink to the joint port 230 is prevented.

Further, since the sealing projection 180a is provided obliquely as described above, the seal of the joint port 230 is released from the upper end of the sealing projection 180a. Before the seal of the joint port 230 is released, ink remains inside the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180, but the ink that is first opened is the upper end of the sealing projection 180a, and the lower end is still open. Since the seal remains, ink does not leak from the joint port 230. In addition, since the inside of the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180 is in a negative pressure state, when the upper end of the sealing projection 180a is opened, the air enters into the joint port 230 from there, and the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180 are opened. The ink remaining in 180 is drawn into negative pressure control container 110.

As described above, when the seal of the joint port 230 is released, the upper end of the sealing projection 180a is opened first, and the ink remaining in the joint port 230 is moved to the negative pressure control container 110. In addition, when the ink tank unit 200 is removed from the holder 150, ink is prevented from leaking from the joint port 230.

As described above, according to the connection structure between the ink tank unit 200 and the negative pressure control container 110 in this embodiment, the joint port 230 is sealed before the valve mechanism of the ink tank unit 200 operates. Therefore, careless ink leakage from the joint port 230 can be prevented. In addition, when the ink tank unit 200 is connected and detached, a time difference is provided between the upper part and the lower part of the sealing timing and the releasing timing thereof, so that the careless operation of the valve body 261 at the time of connection and the joint port 230 at the time of detachment are made. Can be prevented from leaking.

In this embodiment, the valve element 261 is disposed deeper than the open end of the joint port 230, and the operation of the valve element 261 is performed by the valve opening / closing projection 180b at the end of the joint pipe 180. Therefore, the user does not directly touch the valve body 261, and it is possible to prevent the ink attached to the valve body 261 from being stained.
<Relationship between ID and Detachment Operation of Joint Part and ID> Next, the relation between the ID and operation of joint part and ID will be described with reference to FIGS. FIGS. 4 and 5 are views showing a process of mounting the ink tank unit 200 on the holder 150, respectively, and FIGS. 4 (a), (b), (c) and FIGS. 5 (a), (b). , (C) at the same time, FIG. 4 shows the state of the ID, and FIG. 5 shows the details of the joint.

First, a plurality of ID members 170 for preventing the erroneous insertion of the ink tank unit 200 provided in the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 at the positions shown in FIGS. 4A and 5A are shown. The mounting operation is performed up to the position where the inclined surface 251 of the tank contacts. At this time, the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180 do not contact each other. At this point, if an incorrect ink tank unit is to be mounted,
1 and the ID member 170 interfere with each other, preventing further mounting of the ink tank unit. According to this configuration, as described above, the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180 do not make absolute contact with each other, so that when the ink is erroneously mounted, the color mixture of the ink at the joint portion occurs, ink sticking, non-ejection, image defect, device failure, ink tank replacement type Unnecessary replacement of the head in the apparatus can be prevented.

Next, the ink tank unit 200 mounted at the correct position is provided at the position shown in FIGS. 4B and 4B, that is, at a position where the ID member 170 and the ID recess 252 correspond. Therefore, it is mounted further to the back (negative pressure control room unit 200 side). The ink tank unit 200 installed up to this position has the joint port 2
30 and sealing projection 180a of joint pipe 180
Abuts against the sealing surface 260 of the joint port 230.

Thereafter, the joints are connected as described above, and the inside of the ink tank unit 200 and the inside of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 are communicated.

In the above embodiment, the sealing projection 1
Although 80a is provided integrally with the joint pipe 180, the sealing projection 180a and the joint pipe 18 are provided.
Reference numeral 0 is a separate member, and the sealing projection 180a may be substantially engaged with a projection or a recess provided around the joint pipe 180, so that the sealing projection 180a can move around the joint pipe 180. . However,
The movable range of the sealing projection 180a is the ink tank 200.
Is mounted on the holder 150, the valve opening / closing projection 180b is moved to the valve body 261 until the sealing projection 180a in the movable range completely contacts the joint sealing surface 260.
It is designed not to come into contact with

The ink tank unit 200 is the holder 1
In the above embodiment, the lower end of the sealing projection 180 a contacts the joint seal surface 260 and slides with respect to the joint seal surface 260 as the ink tank unit 200 is inserted. While the contact range gradually widens toward the upper part of the sealing projection 180a, it is shown that the upper end of the sealing projection 180a finally comes into contact with the joint seal surface 260. The contact area gradually increases toward the lower part of the sealing projection 180a while being in contact with the joint seal surface 260 and sliding with the joint seal surface 260 with the insertion operation of the ink tank unit 200, and finally the seal is formed. The lower end of the projection 180a may be in contact with the joint seal surface 260, and the lower end and the upper end may be the same. It may be brought into contact with. At this time, even if the air existing between the joint pipe 180 and the valve body 261 pushes the valve body 261 to open the valve body 261, the joint port 230 is completely sealed by the sealing projection 180 a and the joint seal surface 260. Therefore, the ink 300 in the storage container 201 does not leak out. That is, the point of the present invention is that the valve mechanism is opened after the joint pipe 180 and the joint port 230 are completely sealed.
When the ink tank unit 200 is mounted, the ink 300 in the ink tank does not leak out. Further, the pushed air enters the ink tank unit 200, and the ink 200 in the ink storage container 201 is connected to the joint port 2.
In this case, the ink is supplied from the ink container 201 to the absorber 140 quickly.

<Ink Supply Operation> Next, the ink supply operation of the ink jet head cartridge shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view for explaining an ink supply operation in the ink jet head cartridge shown in FIG.

As described above, the negative pressure control chamber unit 100
Is divided into a plurality of members, and the boundary surface between the divided members is disposed above the upper end of the joint pipe 180 in the posture at the time of use, whereby the absorber 13 in the ink jet head cartridge shown in FIG.
In the case where ink exists in both of the lower absorber 1 and the upper absorber 140, the ink in the upper absorber 130 is consumed.
It is possible to consume the ink in 40. When the gas-liquid interface L fluctuates due to an environmental change, first, the absorber 140 and the boundary surface 113 between the absorbers 130 and 140 are used.
After the vicinity of c is filled, the ink enters the absorber 130. Accordingly, a buffer area other than the buffer space 116 in the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 can be stably secured in accordance with the fiber direction of the absorber 140. further,
As in the present embodiment, by making the capillary force of the absorber 140 relatively higher than the capillary force of the absorber 130, the ink in the upper absorber 130 can be reliably consumed during use. .

In addition, in the case of the present embodiment, the ribs of the negative pressure control chamber lid 120 allow the absorber 130 to be
The absorber 130 and the absorber 14
0 is pressed against the boundary surface 113c, and the absorber 130,
In the portion 140 near the boundary surface 113c, the compression ratio is higher and the capillary force is stronger compared to other portions. That is, the capillary force of the absorber 140 is P1, the capillary force of the absorber 130 is P2, the boundary surface 113c between the absorbers 130 and 140, and the region (boundary layer) near the boundary surface 113c of the absorbers 130 and 140. If the capillary force possessed is PS, then P2 <P1 <PS. By providing the boundary layer having a strong capillary force in this way, even if the range of the capillary force of P1 and P2 considering the unevenness of density overlaps due to the unevenness of the density in the absorbers 130 and 140, the above condition is satisfied at the interface. Since there is sufficient capillary force, the above-described effects can be reliably achieved. In addition, as described above, arranging the joint pipe 180 near the lower part of the boundary surface 113c between the absorbers 130 and 140 is preferable because the liquid level during gas-liquid exchange can be stably maintained at this position. .

Therefore, the boundary surface 113 in this embodiment is used.
A method for configuring c will be described. In the case of the present embodiment, an olefin resin fiber (2 denier) having a capillary force P1 of -110 mmAq. Is used as a constituent material of the absorber 140 which is a capillary force generating member, and has a hardness of 0.1.
It is 69 kgf / mm. Here, the hardness of the absorbers 130 and 140 is determined by measuring the repulsion force when a φ15 mm push rod is pushed into the absorber while the absorbers 130 and 140 are housed in the negative pressure control chamber container 110. It is determined by the slope. On the other hand, as a constituent material of the absorber 130, an olefin-based resin fiber of the same material as the absorber 140 was used, but P2 of the absorber 130 is weaker than that of the absorber 140, and its capillary force P2 = − 80 mmAq., The fiber diameter of the fiber material is large (6 denier), and the rigidity of the absorber 130 is as high as 1.88 kgf / mm. As described above, the absorber 130 having a weaker capillary force is made more rigid with respect to the absorber 140 having a higher capillary force, and the absorbers 130, 140 are pressed against each other and combined to form a boundary between the absorbers 130, 140. In the vicinity of the surface 113c, the absorber 140 is crushed, and the strength of the capillary force can be set to P2 <P1 <PS. Further, the difference between P2 and Ps can always be equal to or greater than the difference between P2 and P1.

<Ink Consumption Operation> Next, the ink tank unit 2 is installed in the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 and the holder 150.
The outline of the ink consumption operation from the mounting of 00 to the consumption of the ink in the ink absorbing container 201 will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the state of ink in the ink consumption operation described with reference to FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 describes the effect of suppressing the internal pressure fluctuation due to the deformation of the inner bag 220 in the ink consumption operation. FIG.

First, as described above, the ink container 20
1 is connected to the negative pressure control chamber unit 100, the ink in the ink storage container 201 moves into the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 until the pressures in the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 and the ink storage container 201 become equal. To use. Next, when the ink consumption is started by the inkjet head unit 160, the balance between the inner bag 220 and the absorber 140 in the direction in which the value of the generated static negative pressure increases increases, The ink held in both the absorbers 140 is consumed (first ink supply state: area A in FIG. 7A). Here, when the ink is held in the absorber 130, the ink in the absorber 130 is also consumed. FIG. 7A is a diagram for explaining an example of the rate of change of the negative pressure in the ink supply tube 165 at this time. In FIG. 7A, the horizontal axis indicates the direction from the ink supply tube 165. The vertical axis indicates the value of the negative pressure (static negative pressure) in the ink supply pipe 165, where the amount of ink drawn out of the negative pressure control chamber container 110 is plotted on the vertical axis.

Next, the gas is introduced into the inner bag 220 so that the absorbers 130 and 140 maintain the gas-liquid interface L and maintain a substantially constant negative pressure with respect to the discharge of the ink while maintaining the gas-liquid exchange state ( Second ink supply state: After the area B) in FIG. 7A, the ink remaining in the capillary force generating member storage chamber 10 is consumed (area C in FIG. 7A).

As described above, since the ink jet head cartridge of this embodiment has a step of using the ink in the inner bag 220 without introducing outside air into the inner bag 220, the ink supply step (the first Ink supply state)
In the above, the limitation of the inner volume of the ink storage container 201 only needs to consider the air introduced into the inner bag 220 at the time of connection. As a result, the ink container 201
There is an advantage that even if the restriction on the internal volume of the device is relaxed, it is possible to cope with an environmental change such as a temperature change.

In addition, the above-mentioned area A in FIG.
Even if the ink container 201 is exchanged in any of the states B and C, a negative pressure can be stably generated, whereby a reliable ink supply operation can be performed. That is, according to the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment, the ink in the ink storage container 201 can be almost completely consumed. In addition, when the ink tank unit 200 is replaced, air may be contained in the joint pipe 180 or the joint port 230, and the ink storage container 201 can be replaced regardless of the ink holding amount of the absorbers 130 and 140. Therefore, an ink jet head cartridge that can replace the ink container 201 without necessarily providing the remaining amount detection mechanism can be obtained.

Here, the operation in the above-described series of ink consumption processes will be described from a further viewpoint with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7B is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation in a series of ink consumption processes.
In (b), the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the amount of ink derived from the ink storage unit and the amount of air introduced into the inner bag 220.
Also, the amount of ink supplied to the inkjet head unit 160 is assumed to be constant during the elapsed time.

An operation in a series of ink consumption processes will be described from the viewpoint of the ink derivation amount and the air introduction amount shown in FIG. 7B. In FIG. 7B, the amount of ink drawn out from the inner bag 220 is indicated by a solid line, and the amount of air introduced into the ink storage unit is indicated by a solid line. From time t = 0 to time t = t
1 corresponds to the region A before gas-liquid exchange shown in FIG. In this region A, as described above, the absorber 140
The ink is led out from the head while maintaining a balance between the ink and the inside of the inner bag 220.

Next, the period from time t = t1 to time t = t2 corresponds to the gas-liquid exchange region (region B) in FIG. 7A.
In this region B, gas-liquid exchange is performed based on the negative pressure balance as described above. As shown by the solid line in FIG. 7B, the air is introduced into the inner bag 220 (indicated by the step of the solid line), and the ink is drawn out from the inside of the inner bag 220. At that time, along with the introduction of air, an amount of ink equal to the introduced air is not immediately discharged from the inside of the inner bag 220, but, for example, after a predetermined period of time from the introduction of air, the ink is introduced. An amount of ink equal to the air is finally discharged from the inner bag 220. As is apparent from FIG. 7B, such an operation has a timing difference as compared with the operation of the ink tank which does not have the inner bag 220 and does not deform the ink storage unit. . This operation is repeated in the gas-liquid exchange region as described above. As the derivation of the ink in the inner bag 220 proceeds, at some point, the amount of air and the amount of ink in the inner bag 220 are reversed.

After the time t = t2, the region (region C) after the gas-liquid exchange shown in FIG. In this region C, the inside of the inner bag 220 is almost at atmospheric pressure as described above.
Accordingly, the operation returns to the initial state (the state before the start of use) due to the elastic force of the inner bag 220. However, the inner bag 22
At 0, it does not completely return to the initial state due to so-called buckling. Therefore, the final air introduction amount Vc into the inner bag 220 is (V> Vc). Inner bag 220 even in region C
All the ink from is used up.

As described above, as a feature of the phenomenon of the gas-liquid exchange operation in the configuration of the ink jet head cartridge of this embodiment, the pressure fluctuation during the gas-liquid exchange (FIG. 7)
The amplitude γ) in (a) is relatively large as compared with the conventional ink tank system that performs gas-liquid exchange.

The reason for this is that before the gas-liquid exchange is performed, the ink is drawn from the inside of the inner bag 220, so that the inner bag 220 is deformed into the tank. Therefore inner bag 2
Due to the elastic force of 20, an outward force always acts on the wall of the inner bag 220. Therefore, at the time of gas-liquid exchange, the absorber 14
In order to reduce the pressure difference between the inside of the inner bag 220 and the inside of the inner bag 220, the amount of air entering the inner bag 220 often enters a predetermined amount or more as described above. As a result, there is a tendency that the amount of ink discharged from the inner bag 220 to the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 increases. On the other hand, when the inside of the ink tank unit 200 is configured to have an ink storage portion such that the wall portion is not deformed like the inner bag 220, a predetermined amount of air enters the ink storage portion to immediately The ink is led out to the negative pressure control chamber unit 100.

For example, when printing with a 100% duty (solid mode), a large amount of ink is ejected from the ink jet head unit 160 at a time. Thereby, the inside of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 and the ink container 20
Although the ink is rapidly drawn out from the inside of the ink cartridge 1, since the ink is drawn out relatively frequently by gas-liquid exchange in the ink jet head cartridge of this embodiment, there is no fear of running out of ink, and the reliability is improved.

Further, according to the configuration of the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment, since the ink is led out in a state where the inner bag 220 is deformed inward, external factors such as vibrations of the carriage and the like and environmental changes. There is a further advantage that the buffering effect on is high.

As described above, in the ink jet head cartridge according to the present embodiment, the minute negative pressure fluctuation can be mitigated by the inner bag 220. According to the configuration, further, the second ink supply state and the like can be reduced. Even when air is contained in the inner bag 220, it is possible to cope with environmental changes such as temperature changes by a solution different from the conventional method.

FIG. 8 shows a mechanism for stably holding the liquid in the ink jet head cartridge shown in FIG. 2 when the environmental conditions are changed.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In the following description, the absorber 130,
140 is also called a capillary force generating member.

When the atmospheric pressure decreases or the temperature rises,
When the air in the inner bag 220 is inflated, the wall constituting the inner bag 220 and the liquid level in the inner bag 220 are pressed. As a result, the inner volume of the inner bag 220 increases and the inner bag 220
Some of the ink inside flows out of the inner bag 220 into the negative pressure control chamber container 110 through the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180. Here, since the inner volume of the inner bag 220 increases, the amount of ink flowing out to the absorber 140 is:
The number of parts in which ink is stored is greatly reduced as compared with the case where the part cannot be deformed.

Here, the amount of ink flowing out into the negative pressure control chamber container 110 through the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180 is, when the pressure change is abrupt, the inner bag 220.
In order to alleviate the negative pressure inside the inner bag 220 and increase the inner volume of the inner bag 220, the resistance of the wall surface caused by relaxing the inward deformation of the wall of the inner bag 220 and the capillary force by moving the ink The effect of the resistance force to be absorbed by the generating member is dominant initially.

In particular, in the case of this configuration, since the flow resistance of the capillary force generating members (absorbers 130 and 140) is larger than the resistance to the restoration of the bag, the inner bag 22
The internal volume of 0 increases. When the increase in volume due to the expansion of the air is larger than the upper limit of the increase, the inner bag 22 through the joint port 230 and the joint pipe 180
The ink flows out from the inside to the negative pressure control chamber container 110 side. That is, since the wall surface in the inner bag 220 functions as a buffer against environmental changes, the movement of the ink in the capillary force generating member becomes gentle, and the negative pressure characteristic near the ink supply pipe 165 is stabilized.

In this embodiment, the negative pressure control chamber container 11
The ink that has flowed to zero is held by the capillary force generating member. In this case, the amount of ink in the negative pressure control chamber container 110 temporarily increases and the gas-liquid interface rises, so that the internal pressure temporarily becomes slightly positive from the stable period of the ink internal pressure as in the initial use. Inkjet head unit 16
The influence on the ejection characteristics of the liquid ejection recording means such as 0 is small, and there is no problem in practical use. When the atmospheric pressure is restored to the level before the pressure reduction (returned to 1 atm) (or returned to the original temperature), it leaks to the negative pressure control chamber container 110 and is held by the capillary force generating member. The returned ink returns to the inner bag 220 and the inner volume of the inner bag 220 returns to the original state.

Next, after the initial operation after the atmospheric pressure change,
The principle operation when a steady state is reached under a changed atmospheric pressure will be described.

What is characteristic in this state is that not only the amount of ink drawn out from the inside of the inner bag 220 but also the negative pressure fluctuation caused by the change in the inner volume of the inner bag 220 itself is balanced. This means that the interface of the ink held by the capillary force generating member changes. Here, in the present invention,
Ink absorption amount of the capillary force generating member and ink storage container 2
With respect to the relationship with 01, the amount of ink flowing out from the ink container 201 under the worst conditions and the ink container Considering the amount of ink to be held in the negative pressure control chamber container 110 when the ink is supplied from 201, the maximum ink absorption amount of the negative pressure control chamber container 110 is determined, and at least the volume sufficient to accommodate the capillary force generating member. May be provided in the negative pressure control chamber container 110.

FIG. 8A shows the initial space volume (air volume) in the inner bag 220 before decompression when the inside of the inner bag 220 is not deformed at all by the expansion of air. Pressure is P
The vertical axis (Y) represents the ink outflow amount when the pressure is reduced to the atmospheric pressure (0 <P <1), and these relationships are indicated by dotted lines.

Accordingly, the worst conditions for estimating the amount of ink flowing out from the inner bag 220 are as follows. For example, when the maximum pressure reduction condition of the atmospheric pressure is set to 0.7 atm, the amount of ink flowing out of the ink storage container 201 becomes the maximum. This is the case when 30% of the ink of the volume VB of the inner bag 220 remains in the inner bag 220, and the ink below the lower end of the inner wall of the inner bag 220 also generates the capillary force of the negative pressure control chamber container 110. If absorbed by the member, all ink remaining in the inner bag 220 (30% of VB)
May leak out.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the inner bag 220
Because the inside is deformed by the expansion of air, the inner bag 2 before expansion
The inner volume of the inner bag 220 after inflation increases with respect to the inner volume of the inner bag 220, and the negative pressure control chamber container 1
The ink holding level in 10 changes. Then, in the steady state, the ink from the inner bag 220 keeps the balance of the negative pressure with the capillary force generating member in which the negative pressure is reduced compared to before the pressure change. That is, the amount of ink derivation is reduced by the amount of expansion in the inner bag 220. As a result, an example is shown by a solid line. As is clear from the dotted line and the solid line, the estimation of the amount of the ink flowing out from the inner bag 220 under the worst condition can be made smaller than the case where the inside of the inner bag 220 is not deformed at all by the expansion of air. . The above phenomenon is the same even when the temperature of the ink tank changes, but even when the temperature rises by about 50 deg, the outflow amount is smaller than that at the time of the above-described pressure reduction.

As described above, according to the ink tank of the present invention, the expansion of the air in the ink container 201 due to a change in the environment is controlled not only by the negative pressure control chamber container 110 but also by the outer shape inside the inner bag 220 at the maximum. Since the buffer effect of increasing the volume of the ink storage container 201 itself can be tolerated even in the ink storage container 201 until is substantially equal to the shape of the inner surface of the housing 210, the ink storage amount of the ink storage container 201 can be significantly increased. It is possible to provide an ink supply system that can cope with an environmental change even if it increases.

When the initial volume of air is VA1,
When the environment of the tank is changed from the atmospheric pressure to the P pressure (0 <P <1) at t = 0 and the amount of ink drawn out from the inner bag 220 and the inner bag 220 with the lapse of time, Is schematically shown in FIG. 8 (b). In FIG. 8B, the horizontal axis represents time (t), and the vertical axis represents the amount of ink drawn out from the inner bag 220 and the inner volume of the inner bag 220. Solid line, inner bag 220
The time change of the volume inside is shown by a solid line.

As shown in FIG. 8B, with respect to a sudden change in the environment, before the negative pressure control chamber container 110 and the ink container 201 finally reach a steady state in which the negative pressure balance is maintained. The expansion of air can be mainly handled by the ink container 201. Therefore, the timing of drawing out the ink from the ink storage container 201 to the negative pressure control chamber container 110 can be delayed with respect to a rapid environmental change.

Therefore, even under various use environments, the ink storage container 201 can be used under stable negative pressure conditions while using the ink container 201 while increasing the tolerance against gas expansion of the outside air introduced by gas-liquid exchange. An ink supply system capable of supplying ink can be provided.

According to the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment, the capillary force generating members (ink absorbers 130 and 140) and the material in the inner bag 220 are appropriately selected, so that the negative pressure control chamber container 110 The volume ratio with the inside of the bag 220 can be arbitrarily determined, and even if it is larger than 1: 2, it can be practically used. In particular, when the buffer effect in the inner bag 220 is emphasized, the amount of deformation in the inner bag 220 in the gas-liquid exchange state with respect to the start of use may be increased within a range in which elastic deformation is possible.

As described above, according to the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment, in combination with the configuration of the negative pressure control chamber container 110, even when the capillary force generating member has only a small occupied volume, it is not affected by changes in the external environment. Synergistic effects can be achieved.

In the ink jet head cartridge of this embodiment, the joint pipe 180 is provided above the lower end of the negative pressure control chamber container 110 as shown in FIG. Thereby, the effect of reducing the variation of the ink components in the absorbers 130 and 140 in the negative pressure control chamber container 110 can be obtained. This effect will be described in more detail below.

The ink from the ink tank unit 200 is supplied to the ink jet head unit 160 via the joint port 230 and the absorbers 130 and 140, and the path from the joint port 230 to the ink supply pipe 165 is various. Once the ink is directly supplied at the shortest distance and, for example, the liquid level in the absorber 140 rises due to the above-mentioned environmental change or the like, the absorber 140
There is a considerable difference in the path between the path leading to the ink supply pipe 165 after reaching the top of the path. As a result, variations in ink components may affect printing. As in the configuration of the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment, the joint pipe 180 is connected to the absorber 14
0, the variation of the ink path,
That is, it is possible to suppress the difference in the length of the path, and thereby suppress the variation in the ink components. Thus, it is possible to suppress a variation component in recording. Thereby, the joint pipe 180 and the joint port 2
Although it is preferable to bring the 30 to the upper part as much as possible, it is preferable to keep it at a certain position as in the present embodiment in order to secure the buffer function. This position is
It is appropriately determined according to conditions such as the absorbers 130 and 140, the ink, the supply amount of the ink, and the ink amount.

As described above, the negative pressure control chamber container 110 of the ink jet head cartridge according to the present embodiment includes the absorber 140 having a capillary force of P1 and the capillary force of P2 as described above.
Is stored in pressure contact with the absorber 130, thereby forming a boundary surface 113c having a capillary force of PS. The relationship between the strengths of the capillary forces is P2 <P1 <PS, that is, the boundary surface 113
c has the strongest capillary force, and then the lower absorber 140 has a higher capillary force and the upper absorber 13
0 is the weakest capillary force. Boundary surface 113
c is the strongest, and the capillary force of the absorber 130 arranged on the upper side is the weakest.
Even if the ink supplied from above flows into the upper absorber 130 beyond the boundary surface 113c, the ink is strongly pulled toward the boundary surface 113c and returns to the boundary surface 113c. In this way, the existence of the boundary surface 113c prevents the path J from drawing a line that passes through both the absorber 140 and the absorber 130. Therefore, the communication port 230 is located above the supply port 131. Combined with the formation, the difference between the length of the path K and the length of the path J can be reduced. For this reason, the difference in the influence of the ink from the absorber 140, which occurs when the path of the ink flowing in the absorber 140 is different, can be reduced.

Further, in the present embodiment, the ink absorber, which is a negative pressure generating member, housed in the negative pressure control chamber container 110 has a two-member structure. In the present embodiment, the absorbers 130 and 140 having different capillary forces are used, and the lower absorber having a strong capillary force is used. Then, the boundary surface 113c between the absorbers 130 and 140
By arranging the joint pipe 180 at the lower portion near the interface of, it is possible to secure a reliable buffer portion while suppressing variations in the ink path.

The supply port 131 is connected to the negative pressure control chamber container 11.
0 is shown near the center of the lower wall as an example, but is not limited to this. If necessary, the direction away from the communication port 231, that is, the lower wall in FIG. The supply port may be formed on the left end side or the left side wall. Accordingly, the position of the ink jet head unit 160 provided in the holder 150 and the position of the ink supply pipe 165 are also provided at positions corresponding to the supply ports formed on the left end side or the left side wall of the lower wall. There may be.

<Valve Mechanism> Next, the valve mechanism provided inside the joint port 230 of the ink tank unit 200 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 9 (a) shows the second valve frame 260b and the valve body 2
9B is a side sectional view of FIG. 9A, FIG. 9C is a front view of the relationship between the second valve frame 260b and the rotated valve body 261, FIG. 9D shows the state shown in FIG.
FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B, the opening shape of the joint port 230 has a length extending in one direction in order to enhance the ink supply performance of the ink container 201. It has a hole shape, and the opening area of the joint port 230 is enlarged. However, if the opening width of the joint port 230 is increased in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the joint port 230, the space occupied by the ink storage container 201 increases, which leads to an increase in the size of the apparatus. This trend is due to the recent trend toward colorization and photo-printing, where the ink tank is moved horizontally (in the carriage scanning direction).
It is particularly effective when arranged in parallel. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the shape of the joint port 230 as the ink supply port of the ink storage container 201 is a long hole.

Further, in the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment, the joint port 230 has a role of supplying ink to the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 and a role of introducing air into the ink container 201. .
Therefore, that the joint port 230 has a long hole shape having a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity,
The lower part in the joint port 230 is mainly an ink supply path,
The upper part inside the joint port 230 can be easily separated in function mainly as an air introduction path, and reliable ink supply and gas-liquid exchange can be achieved.

As described above, the joint pipe 180 of the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 is inserted into the joint port 230 when the ink tank unit 200 is mounted. As a result, the valve body 261 is pushed by the valve opening / closing projection 180b at the end of the joint pipe 180 to open the valve mechanism of the joint port 230, so that the ink in the ink container 201 is supplied into the negative pressure control chamber unit 100. You. Depending on the posture in which the ink tank unit 200 is mounted on the joint pipe 180, the valve opening / closing projection 18
Even when the valve member 0b hits against the valve member, since the cross-sectional shape of the tip of the sealing projection 180a disposed on the side surface of the joint pipe 180 is semicircular, It is possible to avoid twisting. At this time, between the joint seal surface 260 inside the joint port 230 and the outer circumference of the portion of the valve body 261 on the first valve frame 260a side, in order to enable stable sliding of the valve body 261. As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a clearance 266 is provided.

Further, since at least the upper part is open at the end of the joint pipe 180, when the joint pipe 180 is inserted into the joint port 230, the inside of the joint pipe 180 and the joint port 230
The formation of the main air introduction passage in the upper part of the inside is not hindered, and the gas-liquid exchange operation can be performed quickly. Conversely, when the ink tank unit 200 is removed, the joint pipe 180 moves away from the joint port 230, and the valve body 261 slides forward on the first valve frame 260a side by the elastic force received from the urging member 263, FIG.
As shown in (d), when the valve frame seal portion 264 of the first valve frame 260a and the valve body seal portion 265 of the valve body 261 engage, the ink supply path is shut off.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of the distal end of the joint pipe 180. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 10, an upper opening 181a is formed at an upper portion of a distal end portion of a long hole-shaped joint pipe 180, and a lower opening portion 181b is formed at a lower portion of the distal end portion. . The lower opening 181b is an ink passage, and the upper opening 181a is for an air passage. However, ink may be passed through the upper opening 181a.

The value of the urging force of the valve body 261 against the first valve frame 260a is such that even if a difference between the internal and external pressures occurs in the ink container 201 due to a change in the use environment, the valve body 261 may be used.
Are set so that the biasing force of the second is kept substantially constant.
When such an ink tank unit 200 is used at a high altitude of 0.7 atm and then the valve body 261 is closed and the ink tank unit 200 is transported under an environment of 1.0 atm, the pressure inside the ink container 201 becomes atmospheric pressure. Pressure is lower than
A force acts on the valve body 261 in the direction in which the valve body 261 is pushed open. In the case of the present embodiment, the force FA for pressing the valve body 261 by the atmosphere is FA = 1.01 × 10 ⁵ [N / m ² ] (1.0 atm).

The gas in the ink tank is discharged from the valve 261.
Is FB = 0.709 × 10 ⁵ [N / m ² ] (0.7 atm). In order to always generate an urging force on the valve body 261 in response to such an environmental change, the urging force FV of the valve body 261 is required.
Needs to satisfy FV− (FA−FB)> 0. That is, in the present embodiment, FV> 1.01 × 10 ⁵ −0.709 × 10 ⁵ = 0.30
It becomes 4 × 10 ⁵ [N / m ² ]. This value is obtained when the valve element 261 and the first valve frame 260a are engaged. Valve body 261 and first valve frame 26
0a is distant, that is, the amount of displacement of the urging member 263 for generating the urging force on the valve body 261 is large, so that the value of the urging force for urging the valve body 261 toward the first valve frame 260a side Is obviously even larger.

In the valve mechanism having such a configuration, the friction coefficient of the sliding surface of the valve opening / closing projection 180b with the valve body 261 may increase due to the sticking of ink or the like. The valve body 261 does not slide on the sliding surface of the valve opening / closing projection, so that the valve body 261 is moved with the valve opening / closing projection 180b.
Therefore, there is a possibility that a so-called turbulence phenomenon that a stroke is performed while being pushed upward in the drawing.

Therefore, a description will be given below of a valve configuration and a comparative example in which the influence on the sealing performance due to the occurrence of the kinking phenomenon can be considered.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment for comparison with the valve mechanism of the present invention, and FIGS. 12 and 13 show stiffness and a sealing state in the valve mechanism of FIG. In the comparative example of FIG. 11, the clearance 506 for sliding between the elongated hole-shaped valve element 501 and the second valve frame 500b is constant.
The valve body 501 is pressed against the first valve frame 500a by the urging member 503, and the tapered valve body seal portion 501c of the valve body 501 on the side of the second valve frame 500b and the tapered seal portion 500c of the first valve frame 500a. Joint mouth 5 due to close contact with
Seal 30. When the above-mentioned turbulence occurs in the structure of the comparative example, as shown in FIG.
01 and the second valve frame 500b are connected to the contact surface 510a and the contact surface 51, respectively.
1b. Assuming that the distance between these two contact surfaces is X and the clearance amount is Y, the sway angle θ is θ = tan ⁻¹ (2Y / X), and if the clearance amounts are the same, the distance X between the contact surfaces is large. Can be made smaller. However, in the case of this comparative example, since the distance X between the contact surfaces is relatively short (for example, as compared with the valve body diameter), the turbulence angle θ is relatively large. In other words, since a relatively large angle rotation operation is required to correct the instability, it can be seen that the occurrence of instability is less likely to be corrected.

When the contact with the first frame 500a is made again as shown in FIG.
In particular, at the R portion of the tapered valve body seal portion 501c and the first valve frame seal portion 500c in the elongated hole shape, the contact radii thereof are different, and the contact portions do not completely adhere to each other, causing ink leakage. Would.

Further, the second valve frame 500b and the valve lid 502 are welded by ultrasonic waves. However, since the valve lid of the comparative example is a simple flat surface, a position shift due to ultrasonic vibration occurs and the valve body 5 is closed.
The accuracy of the center position of the hole of the valve lid 502 into which the No. 01 sliding shaft 501a is inserted may vary. Therefore, it is necessary to make the hole of the valve lid 502 large so that the hole of the valve lid 502 does not contact the sliding shaft 501a of the valve body 501.
Since the minimum diameter of the urging member 503 is determined by the hole diameter of the valve lid 502, it is difficult to reduce the size of the urging member 503 and, consequently, the size of the entire valve mechanism.

In contrast to such a comparative example, the valve mechanism of the present embodiment has the following configuration. FIG. 14 shows a valve mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 15 and 16 show stiffness and a sealed state in the valve mechanism of FIG. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the valve body 261 has a diameter (at least a long diameter) in the stroke direction (rightward in the drawing).
Is tapered in a direction in which is smaller. The inner peripheral portion of the second valve frame 260b is also tapered in a direction in which the inner diameter increases in the stroke direction. When the valve body 261 becomes stiff in this configuration, an extremely large angle is required for the valve body 261 to come into contact with the second valve frame 260b at the position of the contact surface 511b in the comparative example of FIG. Before reaching, the sliding shaft of the valve body 261 contacts the hole of the valve lid 262 (see FIG. 15). As a result, the distance X between the contact surfaces can be set long, and as a result, the sway angle θ can be reduced. Therefore, even if the valve body 261 abuts on the first frame 500a as shown in FIG. 16 without correcting the turbulence, the turbulence angle θ is much smaller than that of the comparative example. And the first valve frame seal portion 264 has good adhesion.

In this case, however, the stiffness angle is defined as X being the distance between the contact surfaces, Y1 being the clearance between the valve body 261 and the second valve frame 260b, and Y being the clearance between the sliding shaft of the valve body 261 and the hole of the valve cover 260b. Θ = tan ⁻¹ (Y1 +
Y2 / X).

The valve cover 252 is inserted into the second valve frame 260b and the second valve frame 260b.
That can abut the end of the valve (the amount of approach of the valve
8 mm) is provided. For this reason, the diameter of the hole in the valve lid 262 in which the sliding shaft of the valve element 261 enters is made smaller than in the comparative example. That is,
Since the valve cover welding guide 262a reduces the displacement of the valve cover 262 due to vibration during ultrasonic welding between the second valve frame 260b and the valve cover 262, the accuracy of the center position of the hole of the valve cover 262 is improved. Can be. As a result, the hole diameter of the valve lid 262 can be reduced, and the minimum diameter of the urging member 263 can be further reduced, so that the size of the valve mechanism can be reduced. Further, even if force is applied to the valve cover 262 via the sliding shaft of the valve body 261 due to the stiffness of the valve body 261, the rigidity of the valve cover 262 can be ensured by the valve cover welding guide 262a.

Further, an R portion 262b is provided on the ridge line of the hole of the valve lid 262. The R portion 262b is provided only on the non-welding surface side (right side in the drawing) of the ridge line of the hole. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the contact resistance between the sliding shaft of the valve body 261 and the valve lid 262 when the valve body 261 is kept in operation, particularly when the valve is closed.

The end of the valve body 261 which is in contact with the first valve frame 260a side is a valve body sealing portion 265 made of a flat surface. On the other hand, the valve body sealing portion 26 of the first valve frame 260a
The portion where the member 5 contacts is a first frame seal portion 264 made of an elastomer 267 provided inside the first valve frame 260a. Thus, the valve body 261 and the first valve frame 260a
Is flattened, even if the valve body abuts against it, the first portion of the R portion of the elliptical valve body 261 can be used.
Since the contact radii of the frame body 260a coincide with each other, complete contact is made. Further, since the first valve frame seal portion 264 is formed in a shape protruding like a tongue, the seal at the time of the contact is more reliable.

Further, with the valve mechanism having such a configuration, the valve element 2
When a clearance for sliding is provided between the ink tank unit 20 and the second valve frame 260b,
In the attaching / detaching operation of the valve body 2, as shown in FIG.
61 may rotate around the axis in the second valve frame 260b. However, in the present embodiment, the valve element 26
1 rotates around its axis and is urged to the first valve frame 260a with the maximum rotation angle, the valve frame seal portion 2
Since the valve body 64 and the valve body seal portion 265 come into contact with each other, the hermeticity of the valve mechanism can be ensured.

Further, by making the shape of the joint port 230 and the valve mechanism into a long hole shape, the rotation angle of the valve body 261 with respect to the sliding of the valve body 261 can be minimized, and the responsiveness of the valve is improved. Therefore, the sealing property of the valve mechanism of the joint port 230 can be ensured. Further, since the shape of the joint port 230 and the valve mechanism is a long hole, the sealing projection 180 a and the valve body 261 disposed on the side surface of the joint pipe 180 are connected to the inside of the joint port 230 during the attaching / detaching operation of the ink tank unit 200. Swiftly, and a stable connection operation is performed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the abutting end of the joint pipe 180 with the valve body 261 has an upper opening 181a and a lower opening 18 for gas-liquid exchange and liquid supply.
1b, two left and right opposing valve opening / closing projections 180b
It has become. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 17C and 17D, the valve body seal 265 of the valve body 261 abutting on the projection 180b is brought into close contact with the first frame body seal 264.
It is considered that two contact ribs 310 corresponding to the protrusions 180b are provided at positions other than the positions. However, when the valve is opened, the valve body 261 is pushed back against the pressing force of the urging member 263, so that its rib portion is required to have such rigidity that it is not deformed. Also, regarding the arrangement and shape of the contact rib,
Two valve opening / closing projections 180b of joint pipe 180
Even if the position of the contact rib portion of the valve body 261 with respect to the axis is shifted around the axis of the sliding shaft 261a of the valve body 261,
It is required from the viewpoint of reliability that moments applied to the two contact positions around 1a are canceled. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, an annular rib 311 (for example, 0.6 mm in width and 1.3 m in height) similar to the long joint pipe 180 is used.
m) is provided on the valve body 261. In other words, a long hole-shaped recess 311a is provided at the center of the valve body 261 except for the valve body seal part 265 that is in close contact with the first frame body seal part 264. With this configuration, the valve body 261 has strength and reliability at the time of contact with the valve opening / closing projection 180b. In addition, the shape of the rib is annular, and by having a concave portion at the center, the moldability of the valve body can be improved. From this point, it is preferable to provide a minute curved surface in a region of the base end of the annular rib on the side where the concave portion is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ink tank unit 200 has a valve mechanism including a first valve frame 260a and a second valve frame 260b inserted into the supply port of the ink container 201. Thereafter, the ID member 250 is assembled by welding and engagement. In particular, the inner bag 220 is exposed on the opening edge surface of the supply port of the ink storage container 201, and the first valve frame 2 of the valve mechanism is provided on the inner bag exposed portion 221a.
The flange portion 268 of 60 a is welded, and the ID member 250 is welded at the location of the flange portion 268 and is engaged with the engaging portion 210 a of the tank housing 210.

In such an assembling mode, for example, the first member to which the ID member 550 is joined as in the comparative example of FIG.
When the valve frame flange 508 is flat, the ID member 55
Elastomer 567 inside the supply hole provided in
Does not exist, and there is a possibility that a seal leak may occur during the connection operation of the joint pipe 180 shown in FIG. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the first valve frame flange portion 508 is located on the same plane as the opening surface of the joint port 530.
The welding surface of the ID member 550 is set back to the side opposite to the tank mounting side. That is, when the ID member 250 is adhered to the first valve frame flange portion 268 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 14, the first valve frame is arranged such that the outer surface of the ID member 250 is aligned with the opening surface of the joint port 230. A flange portion 268 is arranged. According to this configuration, since the elastomer 267 is reliably present inside the supply port hole provided in the ID member 250, a highly reliable valve mechanism that does not cause the above-described seal leakage is obtained. Also, joint port 23
Since the first frame body flange portion 268 is shifted from the opening surface of the first frame member 268, the opening of the joint port 230 protrudes from the flange surface of the first frame body flange portion 268.
When assembling the “0”, the position of the ID member 250 is guided by the opening of the joint port 230 to facilitate the positioning.

Further, each ink container 201 of the ink tank unit 200 according to the present embodiment is
The joint pipe 180 and the joint port 230 of the container 201 are attached to each of the negative pressure control chamber containers 110.
The liquid is supplied through the valve mechanism.
The holder 1 with the ink container 201 thus mounted.
Reference numeral 50 denotes a serial scan type recording apparatus (see FIG. 24) which is mounted on a carriage and reciprocates in a direction parallel to the recording paper, as described later. In this case, the inner surface of the joint port 230 of the ink storage container 201 and the negative pressure control chamber container 110 may be distorted at the connection point due to the shaft deflection of the joint pipe 180 during the reciprocating movement of the carriage or the displacement of the ink storage container 201. Joint pipe 180
It is preferable from the viewpoint of product reliability that preventive measures are taken so as not to deteriorate the sealing state with the outer surface of the device.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, FIGS.
And the like, the thickness of the elastomer 267 inside the first valve frame 260a of the valve mechanism is made thicker than the minimum necessary to simply seal between the first valve frame 260a and the joint pipe 180. By doing so, shaft deflection and stiffness at the joint pipe connection portion during reciprocating movement of the carriage are suppressed by bending of the elastomer, and a more reliable seal is secured. Another measure is to use a joint pipe 180
By increasing the rigidity of the valve frame in which the is inserted to be higher than the rigidity of the joint pipe 180, deformation of the valve frame due to shaft deflection and stiffness at the joint pipe connection point during reciprocation of the carriage is suppressed, and higher reliability is achieved. A seal may be secured.

Next, the dimensions of each component for realizing the above-described valve mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. 10, 17, and 25.

In FIG. 25, the length e5 of the valve body 261 in the longitudinal direction is 5.7 mm, the length e3 from the valve body sealing portion 265 to the valve body sliding shaft 261a is 14.4 mm, and the second valve frame 260b is The length e1 from the second valve frame 260b to the outer surface of the valve cover 262 is 1 when the length e1 to the inner surface of the 262 is 8.7 mm.
1.0 mm, the length e4 of the opening between the first valve frame 260a and the second valve frame 260b is 3.0 mm, and the sealing portion 265 of the valve body 261
The amount of protrusion e6 of the rib from the rib is 1.3 mm, and the valve lid welding guide 2
The length l2 of 0.8a is 0.8 mm, and the sealing portion 26 of the valve body 261 is provided.
5, the length b1 in the longitudinal direction is 9.7 mm, and the valve cover 2 of the valve body 261 is provided.
The length b2 in the longitudinal direction on the 62 side is 9.6 mm, and the second valve frame 260
The length a1 in the longitudinal direction on the first valve frame 260a side of b is 10.2 m
m, the length a2 of the second valve frame 260b in the longitudinal direction on the valve lid 262 side is 10.4 mm, and the shaft diameter c1 of the valve body sliding shaft 261a is 1.8 m.
m, the hole diameter c2 of the valve lid 262 into which the valve body sliding shaft 261a is inserted is 2.4 mm, and the length of the spring as the biasing member 263 is 11.
8mm (spring constant: 1.016N / mm), R part 262 of valve lid 262
b is R0.2 mm (entire circumference), the length g1 of the first valve frame seal portion 264 which is a part of the elastomer 267 is 0.8 mm, the R portion of the first valve frame seal portion 264 is R0.4 mm, and the first valve The thickness u1 of the frame seal portion 264 is 0.4 mm, the thickness u2 of the elastomer 267 is 0.8 mm, and the inner diameter g of the elastomer 267 in the longitudinal direction.
2 is 8.4 mm, and the outer diameter g3 of the first valve frame 260a in the longitudinal direction is 1
0.1 mm, outer diameter g5 of the joint pipe 180 in the longitudinal direction
Is 8.0 mm, the seal projection 18 of the joint pipe 180
The outer diameter g4 in the longitudinal direction including 0a is 8.7 mm, the retreat amount 11 of the first valve frame flange 268 is 1.0 mm, the length 13 of the joint pipe 180 is 9.4 mm, and the length 14 of the valve opening / closing projection 180b is 2.5. mm.

The length g1 of the first valve frame seal portion 264 is 0.8 m.
Although it is set to m, it is desirable that the first valve frame seal portion 264 be bent out of the valve frame when the first valve frame seal portion 264 comes into contact with the seal portion valve body seal portion 165 and be an amount that can be completely sealed.
Therefore, the length g1 of the first valve frame seal portion 264 is (g
3-g2) / 2>g1> (b1-g2) / 2.

The valve opening / closing projections 180b of the joint pipe 180 in the contact relationship shown in FIGS.
And the dimensions of the rib 311 of the valve body 261 are as follows: the thickness t of the joint pipe 180 and the rib 311 is 0.75 mm, the inner space f3 between the opposed valve opening / closing projections 180b is 1.7 mm,
The outer interval f4 of the valve opening / closing projection 180b is 3.2 mm, and the valve body 2
Outer interval f1 in the short direction of the rib 311 having a long hole shape of 61
Is 2.6mm, the inner distance f2 in the short direction of the rib 311 is 1.4m
m and the length d of the rib 311 are 3.6 mm.

It is desirable that the thickness u2 of the elastomer 267 inside the first frame 260a having a long hole shape is the same between the circumferential portion and the straight portion of the long hole shape from the viewpoint of molding accuracy. Further, in the vertical direction of the joint port 230, the bite amount for sealing between the elastomer 267 and the maximum diameter portion (the portion including the sealing projection 180a) of the joint pipe 180 is g4-g2 = 0.3 mm.
This amount was absorbed by the elastomer 267. At this time, the substantial thickness for absorbing is 0.8 mm × 2 = 1.6 mm, but the bite amount is 0.3 mm, so that the elastomer 267 does not require much force to deform. On the other hand, also in the lateral direction of the joint port 230, the biting amount for sealing was set to 0.3 mm, and the biting amount was absorbed by the elastomer 267 having a substantial thickness of 0.8 mm × 2 = 1.6 mm. Here, in the longitudinal direction, the outer diameter g5 of the joint pipe is smaller than the inner diameter g2 of the elastomer in the longitudinal direction, and similarly in the horizontal direction, g5 <g2. Therefore, in the state shown in FIG.
By abutting only on 80a, smooth insertion and reliable sealing of the joint can be performed. Ink storage container 2
01 in the holder 150 may be in the range absorbed by the thickness of the elastomer (± 0.8 mm in the present embodiment), and the allowable range of the rattling in the present embodiment is a maximum. ± 0.4 mm. Here, in the case of the present embodiment, the amount of rattling in the lateral direction (the amount of deviation from the center position) is larger than half the absolute value of the difference between the outer diameter g5 of the joint pipe and the inner diameter g2 of the elastomer in the longitudinal direction. Case (ie, the lateral play in this embodiment is ± 0.2 m
m or more), the outer wall of the pipe other than the sealing projection 180a of the joint pipe contacts a wide area of the elastomer and presses it, so that the force of returning to the center position due to the elastic force of the elastomer acts. Become.

By adopting the dimensions described above, a valve mechanism having the above-described effects can be realized.

<Effects of Location of Valve Mechanism> In the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment, the valve lid 262 and the second valve frame 26 of the valve mechanism attached to the joint port 230 of the ink tank unit 200 are provided.
0b has penetrated deeply into the inner bag 220. Thereby, when the inner bag 220 is deformed due to consumption of the ink in the inner bag 220, the joint port 230 of the inner bag 220 is deformed.
Even if a nearby portion is separated from the housing 210, the portion of the valve mechanism that is deeply inserted into the inner bag 220, that is, the valve lid 262
The deformation of the portion near the joint port 230 in the inner bag 220 is restricted by the second valve frame 260b. Thus, even if the inner bag 220 is deformed due to the consumption of ink,
The deformation of the inner bag 220 near the valve mechanism and its surroundings is regulated by the valve mechanism, so that the inner bag 220
An ink flow path around the valve mechanism in the inside and a bubble passage for rising bubbles when the gas-liquid exchange operation is performed are secured. Therefore, when the inner bag 220 is deformed, the inner bag 22
Supply of ink from inside 0 to the negative pressure control chamber unit 100,
In addition, bubble rise in the inner bag 220 is not hindered.

As described above, in the ink tank unit 200 having the deformable inner bag 220 and the ink jet head cartridge having the negative pressure control chamber unit 100, the inner tank 220 is deformed as much as possible, and then the ink tank unit 200 is deformed. It is possible to balance the negative pressure in the inner bag 220 and the negative pressure in the negative pressure control chamber container 110 so as to perform a gas-liquid exchange operation with the negative pressure control chamber unit 100 by changing the buffer space in the housing 210. It is desirable in increasing. In order to supply ink at a high speed, the joint port 230 of the ink tank unit 200 may be enlarged. Of course, it is desirable that a region near the joint port 230 in the inner bag 220 also has a large space, and a sufficient ink supply path is secured in that region.

As described above, the housing 2 for housing the inner bag 220
When the deformation of the inner bag 220 is increased in order to secure the buffer space in the inner bag 10, usually, the space near the joint port 230 in the inner bag 220 is reduced with the deformation of the inner bag 220. When the space near the joint port 230 in the inner bag 220 is narrowed, the rise of air bubbles in the inner bag 220 is prevented, and the ink supply path near the joint port 230 is reduced, so that high-speed ink supply is performed. May not be able to respond. Therefore, the valve mechanism does not enter the inner bag 220 as deeply as the ink jet head cartridge of the present embodiment,
When the deformation of the portion around the joint port 230 is not regulated, the deformation amount of the inner bag 220 is changed to a deformation amount that does not greatly affect the ink supply in order to cope with high-speed ink supply. The negative pressure in the inner bag 220 and the negative pressure in the negative pressure control chamber container 110 must be balanced by pressing.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as described above, the valve mechanism enters the inside of the inner bag 220, and the valve mechanism restricts the deformation of the inner bag 220 near the joint port 230. Have been. Thereby, the inner bag 220
Can be sufficiently secured even in the region near the joint port 230 in the inner bag 220, that is, the ink supply path communicating with the joint port 230 can be sufficiently secured. It is possible to achieve both the securing and the supply of ink at a high flow rate.

Further, below the bottom of the ink tank unit 200 in the above-described ink jet head cartridge, an electrode 270 used as an ink remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of ink in the inner bag 220 as described later. Is arranged. The electrode 270 is attached to the holder 1
50 is fixed to the carriage of the printer to be mounted. Here, the joint port 23 to which the valve mechanism is attached
0 is the negative pressure control chamber unit 10 of the ink tank 200
The valve mechanism is provided at the lower part of the front end surface on the side of the ink tank unit 200 in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the ink tank unit 200.
20, the inner bag 220 is deformed by the deeply inserted portion of the valve mechanism when the inner bag 220 is deformed.
Deformation of the bottom of 20 is regulated. Further, the housing 21
The deformation of the bottom portion of the inner bag 220 when the inner bag 220 is deformed is also restricted by the fact that a part of the bottom portion of the ink container 201 including the zero and the inner bag 220 is inclined. In addition to such an effect that the deformation of the bottom of the inner bag 220 is restricted by the inclination of the bottom of the ink storage container 201, the deformation of the bottom of the inner bag 220 is further restricted by the valve mechanism. Bottom electrode 270
Is regulated, more accurate detection of the remaining amount of ink becomes possible. Therefore, as described above, the inner bag 220
Since the deformation of the portion near the joint port 230 is regulated by the valve mechanism, a large buffer space is secured in the housing 210 by increasing the deformation of the inner bag 220, and the ink at a high flow rate is secured. And a liquid supply system capable of detecting the remaining amount of ink more accurately.

In this embodiment, as described above, the inner bag 22
0, the valve mechanism is inserted deep inside the inner bag 220 so that the deformation of the portion near the joint port 230 is restricted, but another member different from the valve mechanism is inserted into the inner bag 220. The deformation of that portion of the inner bag 220 may be restricted. Further, a plate member or the like is advanced into the inner bag 220 from the joint port 230 so as to prevent deformation of a portion near the electrode 270 at the bottom of the inner bag 220, and the plate member is moved along the bottom surface in the inner bag 220. It may be extended. Thus, when detecting the remaining amount of ink in the inner bag 220 using the electrode 270, more accurate detection of the remaining amount of ink can be performed.

Further, in this embodiment, the joint port 2
In the valve mechanism attached to the joint 30, the joint port 2
30 than the opening 260c that communicates with the ink passage 30 and becomes the ink flow path.
Further, the components of the valve mechanism have entered into the inner bag 220. Thereby, the ink tank unit 200
Is configured such that an ink flow path near the joint port 230 in the inner bag 220 can be reliably secured.

<Method of Manufacturing Ink Tank> Next, a method of manufacturing the ink tank of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 18A, the inner bag exposed portion 221 a of the ink container 201 is directed upward in the direction of gravity, and the ink 401 is injected into the ink container 201 from the ink supply opening by the ink injection nozzle 402. . In the configuration of the present invention, ink can be injected under atmospheric pressure.

Next, as shown in FIG.
61, valve cover 262, biasing member 263, first valve frame 260
a) After the second valve frame 260b is installed in advance, the valve unit is dropped into the supply port of the ink container 201.

At this time, the outer peripheral portion of the sealing surface 102 of the ink container 201 is surrounded by a step outside the welding surface of the first valve frame 260a, and the ink container 201 and the first valve frame 2
The position with respect to the position 60a is determined, and it is possible to obtain the position accuracy. Then, the welding horn 400 is moved from above to the first valve frame 2.
The first valve frame 260a and the inner bag 220 of the ink container 201 are welded to the outer peripheral portion of the joint port 230 of the ink container 201 on the seal surface 102, and at the same time, the first valve frame 260a is The seal with the housing 210 of the ink container 201 can be reliably welded. In the present invention, the present invention is also applicable to ultrasonic welding and vibration welding. Further, the present invention can be applied to heat welding, an adhesive, and the like.

Next, as shown in FIG. 18C, the ID member 250 is placed over the ink container 201 to which the first valve frame 260a is welded. At this time, the engaging portion 210a formed on the side surface of the housing of the ink container 201 and the ID member 250
At the same time as the click portion 250a is engaged, the click portion 250a on the lower surface side of the ID member 250 sandwiches the housing 210 located in the opposite direction to the seal surface 102 of the ink container 201 with the first valve frame 260a interposed therebetween. (See FIG. 3).

<Detection of Ink Remaining Amount in Tank> Next, detection of the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank unit will be described.

As shown in FIG. 2, below the region of the holder 150 where the ink tank unit 200 is mounted, a plate-like plate having a width smaller than the width of the ink container 201 (in the depth direction in the drawing). An electrode 270 is provided.
The electrode 270 is fixed to a carriage (not shown) of the printer on which the holder 150 is mounted.
Is connected to the electrical control system of the printer via the.

On the other hand, the ink jet head unit 16
0 is an ink flow path 162 communicating with the ink supply pipe 165
And a plurality of nozzles (not shown) each having an energy generating element (not shown) for generating energy for ink ejection
And a common liquid chamber 164 that temporarily holds the ink supplied from the ink flow path 162 and supplies the ink to each nozzle. The energy generating element is connected to a connection terminal 281 provided on the holder 150, and the connection terminal 281 is connected to an electric control system of the printer by mounting the holder 150 on a carriage. A recording signal from the printer is sent to the energy generating element via the connection terminal 281, and by driving the energy generating element to apply ejection energy to the ink in the nozzle, the ink is ejected from the ejection port which is the opening end of the nozzle. Is done.

In the common liquid chamber 164, there is provided an electrode 290 which is connected to the electric control system of the printer via the connection terminal 281. These two electrodes 270,
At 290, the ink remaining amount detecting means in the ink container 201 is configured.

In the present embodiment, the joint port 230 of the ink tank unit 200 is connected to the ink container 201 shown in FIG. Is provided at the lower end in the used state of the surface sandwiched between the maximum area surfaces. In addition, a part of the bottom surface of the ink supply container 201 is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane in a use state. Specifically, the joint port 23 of the ink tank unit 200
When the end on the side where 0 is provided is the front end and the end on the opposite side is the rear end, the vicinity of the front end portion where the valve mechanism is provided is a plane parallel to the horizontal plane, and the area from there to the rear end is The inclined surface rises from the front end toward the rear end. The inclination angle of the bottom surface of the ink container 201 is determined by considering the deformation of the inner bag 220 described later.
It is preferable that the angle formed by the rear end face 0 is an obtuse angle. In the present embodiment, the angle is set to be 95 degrees or more.

Then, such an ink storage container 201
The electrode 270 is arranged at a position facing the inclined region on the bottom surface of the ink container 201 so as to be parallel to the inclined region.

The following is a description of the ink remaining amount detecting means.
The detection of the remaining amount of ink in the ink container 201 will be described.

In detecting the remaining amount of ink, a pulse voltage is applied between the electrode 270 on the holder 150 side and the electrode 290 in the common liquid chamber 164, and changes depending on the area of the electrode 270 facing the ink at that time. This is performed by detecting a capacitance (capacitance). For example, both electrodes 270, 29
By applying a rectangular wave pulse voltage having a peak value of 5 V at a pulse frequency of 1 kHz and calculating the time constant and gain of the circuit during 0, the presence or absence of ink in the ink container 201 can be detected. .

When the ink is consumed, the ink container 201
When the remaining amount of ink in the ink container decreases, the ink liquid level decreases toward the bottom surface of the ink container 201. Further, when the remaining amount of ink decreases and the ink liquid level reaches the inclined area on the bottom surface of the ink container 201, the area of the electrode 270 facing the ink gradually decreases as the ink is consumed (the electrode 270 and the ink 270). Is almost constant), and the capacitance starts to decrease.

[0211] Finally, no ink is present in a portion facing the electrode 270, and a decrease in gain and an increase in electric resistance due to the ink are caused by changing the pulse width of the applied pulse or changing the pulse frequency. The time can be detected by calculating the time constant, and based on this, it is determined that the amount of ink in the ink container 201 is extremely small.

The above is the outline of the detection of the remaining amount of ink. In actuality, the ink container 201 of this embodiment is
It is composed of an inner bag 220 and a housing 220, and between the two so as to maintain the balance between the negative pressure in the negative pressure control chamber container 110 and the negative pressure in the ink storage container 201 as the ink is consumed. The inner bag 220 is deformed inward in the direction of decreasing the inner volume while performing the gas-liquid exchange of the air and introducing air between the housing 210 and the inner bag 220 through the outside air communication port 222.

At the time of this deformation, as shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 20 denotes a corner portion of the ink container 201 which is deformed while being restricted. Deformation of the inner bag 220, that is, the housing 21
The separation or separation from zero is largest on the two planes that are the largest area plane (a plane substantially parallel to the cross section shown in FIG. 6), and is smaller on the bottom surface that is adjacent to the plane. Nevertheless, with the deformation of the inner bag 220, the distance between the ink and the electrode 270 increases, and the capacitance decreases in inverse proportion to the distance. However, in the present embodiment, the inner bag 22
The main area of the electrode 270 is on a plane substantially orthogonal to the deformation direction of the inner bag 220, and even if the inner bag 220 is deformed, the electrode 270 and the inner bag 22
0 is kept substantially parallel to the region near the bottom. as a result,
An area for forming the capacitance is secured, and reliable detection is possible. In addition, as described above, in the present embodiment, since the angle of the corner formed by the bottom surface and the rear end surface of the ink container 201 forms an obtuse angle of 95 degrees or more, the inner bag 220 has a smaller angle than the other corners. Are easily detached from the housing 210.
As a result, even when the inner bag 220 is deformed toward the joint port 230, the ink is easily discharged toward the joint port 230.

As described above, the configuration of the present embodiment has been individually described. However, these can be appropriately combined, and further effects can be obtained by combining them.

For example, by combining the elliptical configuration of the joint portion with the above-described valve configuration, the sliding at the time of attachment / detachment is stabilized, and the opening / closing of the valve can be more reliably performed.
In addition, by making the shape oval, the supply amount of ink can be reliably improved. At this time, the fulcrum of the rotational mounting shifts upward, but by tilting the bottom surface of the ink tank upward, a stable detaching operation with less twisting can be performed.

As described above, the above-described configuration of the present embodiment is a configuration which has not existed in the related art, and each of them provides an effective component independently, and also has an organic component due to its complex requirements. The result is a configuration. That is, each of the above-described configurations is an excellent invention when viewed alone or in combination, and discloses preferred configuration examples for the present invention.

<Inkjet Head Cartridge> FIG. 23 is a schematic illustration of an inkjet head cartridge using an ink tank unit applicable to the present invention.

The ink jet head cartridge 70 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 23 is capable of discharging a plurality of types of liquids (in the case of this embodiment, three colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C)). Unit 16
Negative pressure control chamber container 110 containing each liquid at 0
a, 110b, and 110c are integrated, and a negative pressure control chamber unit 100 is provided.
The ink tank units 200a, 200b, and 200c containing the respective liquids are detachable from each other.

In the present embodiment, a part of the outer surface of the in-tank unit 200 is covered so that each of the ink tank units 200a, 200b, and 200c can be properly attached to the corresponding negative pressure control chamber container 110a, 110b, or 110c. ID having a recess 150 on the front side in the mounting direction of the ink tank unit 200
The member 250 is provided, and the ID member 2 is
By providing the convex ID member 170 corresponding to the 50 concave portions, the configuration is such that erroneous mounting is reliably prevented.

In the present invention, it is needless to say that the type of liquid to be stored may be a color other than Y, M, and C, and the number and combination of liquid containers to be stored (for example, black (Bk ) Only in a single tank, other Y, M,
Needless to say, C is an integral tank.

<Recording Apparatus> Finally, with respect to an example of an ink jet recording apparatus in which the above-described ink tank unit or ink jet head cartridge can be mounted,
This will be described with reference to FIG.

The recording apparatus shown in FIG. 24 has an ink tank unit 200 and an ink jet head cartridge 7.
A carriage 81 capable of detachably mounting the ink cartridge, a head cap for preventing ink from drying from a plurality of orifices of the head, and a suction pump for sucking ink from the plurality of orifices when the head malfunctions. A head recovery unit 82 and a paper feed surface 83 on which a recording sheet as a recording medium is conveyed.

The carriage 81 has its home position at the position on the recovery unit 82, and is scanned leftward in the figure by driving the belt 84 by a motor or the like. During this scanning, printing is performed by discharging ink from the head toward the recording paper conveyed on the paper supply surface (platen) 83.

Although the valve mechanism of the present invention can be used most suitably in the above-described liquid container, the shape of the liquid container is not limited to this.
The present invention can also be applied to other containers that directly store liquid at the supply port.

Next, a storage container and a storage method of the ink jet head cartridge of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 26 is a view showing a state in which
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the ink jet head cartridge before use. However, the storage container is not shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 26, a face, which is a first seal member, is provided on the nozzle surface of the ink jet head cartridge so as to prevent ink from evaporating from the nozzle orifice or from ink leakage due to impact or environmental change. A seal member 701 is mounted. Also, the negative pressure control chamber lid 120
In order to prevent the ink inside the negative pressure control chamber container 120 from leaking out of the atmosphere communication port 115 due to impact, environmental change, or the like, the ink is prevented from flowing out, and the ink inside the container is evaporated during long-term storage. An atmosphere communication port seal member 702 as a second seal member for preventing the evaporation of the ink so that the physical properties and characteristics of the ink do not change is mounted. These seal members are removed when the use of the inkjet head cartridge is started. When removing the seal member,
Atmospheric communication port sealing member 70 not in direct contact with ink
2 is preferred. Further, an opening 150 a is provided in a portion of the holder 150 facing the negative pressure control chamber lid 120 so as to remove the atmosphere communication port seal member 702.

If the air communication port seal member 702 is provided integrally on the back surface of a cover member 703 described later, the air communication port seal member 702 is peeled off when the cover member 703 is opened. Therefore, since the opening order of the seal members is automatically determined, the opening of the seals in the wrong order can be prevented, and the trouble of separately removing the seal members can be reduced.

FIG. 27 is an exploded perspective view showing a packing form during distribution of the ink jet head cartridge.

As shown in FIG. 27, the ink jet head cartridge is housed in a storage container 704, and the upper surface of the storage container 704 is closed by a lid member 703. Thereby, the ink jet head cartridge is protected from the impact applied during the distribution, and the evaporation of the ink is prevented. In this embodiment, the storage container 704 is made of PP (polypropylene) resin, and the lid member 703 is made of PET.
(Polyethylene terephthalate) It is formed of a composite film mainly composed of a resin. The thickness of the storage container 704 is about 1 mm. Therefore, the storage container 704 can be deformed so that the internal volume can be increased by increasing the internal pressure, thereby exerting an effect of reducing the pressurization in the ink tank.

[0230] In the case of using pigment ink, for example, instead of installing an ink tank containing pigment ink in a packaged state, a storage tank containing clear ink is attached, so that the pigment adheres during standing. Problem can be solved. In this case, when the inkjet head cartridge is mounted on the recording apparatus and used, the storage tank containing the clear ink is replaced with an ink tank containing the pigment ink, and the pigment is stored in the negative pressure generating member storage chamber. The recovery process is performed until the ink is filled. As the ink contained in the storage tank, in addition to the above-described clear ink-based ink, a dye ink-based ink different from the pigment ink-based ink may be used.

Here, an operation method when using the ink jet head cartridge stored in the storage container will be described.

First, the cover member 703 of the storage container of the present invention in the above-mentioned package state is peeled off from the storage container 704.
The inkjet head cartridge 70 integrated with the ink tank is taken out of the storage container 704.

Next, the seal member 702 attached to the atmosphere communication port 115 of the negative pressure generating member storage chamber of the ink jet head cartridge 70 is removed, and then the seal member 701 sealing the nozzle surface is removed. The ink jet head cartridge 70 in this state is mounted on a carriage in a printer (not shown). Here, if the storage tank of the inkjet head cartridge is an ink tank containing clear ink as described above, remove all the storage tanks from the inkjet head cartridge, and replace the storage tank with the storage tank sold as a separate component. Recording is performed by mounting an ink tank having the same configuration but filled with a pigment ink or the like in an ink jet head cartridge.

According to the present embodiment, since the negative pressure generating member storage chamber 110 and the ink tank 200 are stored in a connected state, the communication portion between the negative pressure generating member storage chamber 110 and the ink tank 200 is sealed. Since there is no need to attach members, the number of packaging materials does not increase. Furthermore, since the ink tank 200 is provided in advance in the packing and stored state, it is not necessary to take time from removing the ink jet head cartridge from the storage container to mounting the ink jet head cartridge on the recording apparatus. Furthermore, by storing the liquid supply path to the recording head in a state where the ink is filled, the ink supply can be stabilized from the start of use.

FIG. 28 is a sectional view showing the ink jet head cartridge packed in a storage container.

The ink jet head cartridge 70 packed in the storage container 704 is supported and fixed by a rib 704a formed inside the storage container 704. Therefore, even if an impact is applied during transportation or the like, the inkjet head cartridge 70 is not damaged in the storage container 704.

Here, referring again to FIG. 26, ink is filled in the absorbers 130 and 140 of the negative pressure control chamber, and the head unit 160 sends the ink to the ink tank unit 2.
Up to 00 ink flow paths are secured. Above the negative pressure control chamber, there is an air area that is not filled with ink.

The ink tank unit 200 includes the inner bag 22
0 is deformed and connected to the holder 150 and the negative pressure control chamber in a state where the inner volume is reduced with respect to that of the housing 210. Therefore, the ink tank unit 200 has a swelling allowance of the inner bag 220 between the housing 210 and the inner bag 220.

When the state shown in FIG. 26 is the steady state of the ink-jet head cartridge, changes in the environment, for example, changes in atmospheric pressure (decompression environment accompanying high-altitude transportation) and changes in temperature (transport in a high-temperature area such as a desert) FIG. 29 shows a state of the ink jet head cartridge when the air in the air region above the negative pressure control chamber expands due to the high temperature environment accompanying the above.

As shown in FIG. 29, when the air in the air region above the negative pressure control chamber expands, the ink interface is pushed down from interface A to interface B. Then, a part of the ink filled in the negative pressure control chamber flows into the inner bag 220 of the ink tank, and the inner bag 220 absorbs the ink by expanding the volume of the air that has expanded. As a result, it is possible to prevent a large increase in the internal pressure in the ink tank due to the environmental change.

FIG. 30 shows a situation that can occur during distribution, for example.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the ink jet head cartridge in a state where the ink tank is disposed vertically above a negative pressure control chamber. When the ink jet head cartridge is left in such a posture, the ink in the negative pressure generating member moves from the lower capillary force to the higher capillary force, and the interface L between the ink and the atmosphere is reduced.
A head difference h occurs between the head of the ink and the head of the ink included in the negative pressure generating member boundary layer 132C. Here, the capillary force of the negative pressure generating member 130 is P2, and the negative pressure generating member boundary layer 13
Assuming that the capillary force of 2C is Ps, this head difference h is P2 and Ps
If the difference in capillary force is larger than the difference between the capillary forces, the ink contained in the interface 132C tends to flow into the second negative pressure generating member 130 until the head difference h becomes equal to the difference in capillary force between P2 and Ps.

However, in the ink tank of this embodiment,
Since the head difference h is smaller (or equal) than the capillary force difference between P2 and Ps, the ink contained in the interface 132C is retained, and the amount of ink contained in the second negative pressure generating member 130 increases. There is no.

In other postures, the difference between the head of the ink-atmosphere interface L and the head of the ink contained in the negative pressure generating member interface 132C is smaller than the capillary force difference between P2 and Ps. 132C is capable of maintaining a state in which ink is present in the entire area regardless of its posture. Therefore, in any posture, the interface 1
32C functions as gas introduction preventing means for preventing the introduction of gas from the communication portion 800 into the liquid storage chamber in cooperation with the ink stored in the partition wall and the negative pressure generating member storage chamber,
The ink does not overflow from the negative pressure generating member.

As described above, since the capillary force Ps at the interface 132C of the negative pressure generating member is larger than the capillary force P2 of the second negative pressure generating member 130, the negative pressure control as shown in FIG. Inner bag 220 of ink tank 200 from chamber 100
When the ink moves inside, the decrease in the ink interface in the negative pressure generating member is controlled once at the interface 132C. Similarly, when ink moves from the inner bag 220 of the ink tank 200 to the negative pressure control chamber 100, the ink interface in the negative pressure generating member is once regulated at the interface 132C. Therefore, the buffer space can be effectively used, and variations in the ink interface in the negative pressure generating member can be suppressed, so that stable ink supply can be achieved when using the inkjet head cartridge.

[0245]

As described above, according to the present invention, the liquid is filled in the liquid supply path in the liquid storage section of the liquid supply container and from the communication section to the recording head, and a part of the liquid storage section is formed in the housing. It has been detached from the body. Therefore, it is not necessary to attach a seal member to the communicating portion between the negative pressure generating member storage chamber and the liquid supply container, so that an increase in the number of packaging materials can be suppressed. Further, since the ink tank (liquid supply container) is provided in advance in the packed and stored state, it is possible to save the time from removing the ink jet head cartridge from the storage container to mounting it on the recording apparatus and using it. Further, since the ink is stored in the liquid supply path to the recording head in a state where the ink is filled, the ink supply can be stabilized from the start of use.

Further, the negative pressure generating member is made of a fiber bundle 2
The ink in both absorbers during the gas-liquid exchange operation is constituted by two absorbers, and by disposing the boundary surface between the two absorbers closer to the atmosphere communication portion of the negative pressure generating member storage chamber than the communication portion. The interface between the ink and the gas serves as a boundary surface between the two absorbers, and as a result, the static negative pressure in the head portion during the ink supply operation can be stabilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an inkjet head cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the cartridge of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining the ink tank unit shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for describing an operation of mounting an ink tank unit on a holder to which the negative pressure control chamber unit of FIG. 2 is mounted.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining an opening and closing operation of a valve mechanism applicable to the present invention.

6 is a cross-sectional view for describing an ink supply operation in the ink jet head cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing an ink state in an ink consuming operation described with reference to FIG. 6;

8 is a diagram for describing an effect of suppressing internal pressure fluctuation due to deformation of an inner bag in an ink consuming operation described with reference to FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a relationship between a valve frame and a valve body in a valve mechanism applicable to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a shape of a distal end portion of a joint pipe which is engaged during opening and closing operations of a valve mechanism applicable to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an embodiment for comparison with a valve mechanism applicable to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a view showing a stiff state in the valve mechanism of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a view showing a sealing state in the valve mechanism of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a view showing a valve mechanism applicable to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a state of stiffness in the valve mechanism of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a view showing a sealing state in the valve mechanism of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a view for explaining an engagement shape of a valve body with a joint pipe tip in the valve mechanism of FIG. 14;

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing an ink tank applicable to the present invention.

19 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the internal configuration of the ink storage container illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 20 is a view for explaining an absorber in the negative pressure control chamber container shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 21 is a view for explaining an absorber in the negative pressure control chamber container shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 22 is a view for explaining an attaching / detaching operation by rotating the ink tank unit shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 23 is a schematic explanatory view of an ink jet head cartridge using an ink tank unit applicable to the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a recording apparatus to which the inkjet head cartridge of the invention can be applied.

FIG. 25 is a view for explaining the dimensions of the components at the connection points of the ink tank unit applicable to the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing the inkjet head cartridge before use, which is accommodated in a storage container.

FIG. 27 is an exploded perspective view showing a packing form during distribution of the inkjet head cartridge.

FIG. 28 is a sectional view showing the inkjet head cartridge packed in a storage container.

FIG. 29 is a diagram illustrating a state of the ink jet head cartridge when air in an air region above the negative pressure control chamber expands.

FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view showing the ink jet head cartridge in a state where the ink tank is disposed vertically above the negative pressure control chamber.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21 Fiber 70 Inkjet head cartridge 81 Carriage 82 Head recovery unit 83 Paper feeding surface 84 Belt 102 Sealing surface 100 Negative pressure control chamber unit 110 Negative pressure control chamber container 113c Boundary surface 115 Atmospheric communication port 116 Buffer space 120 Negative pressure control chamber lid 121 Guide Units 130, 140 Absorber 131 Supply port 150 Holder 151 Bottom 155 Ink tank locking unit 160 Inkjet head unit 161 Filter 162 Ink flow path 164 Common liquid chamber 165 Ink supply pipe 170 ID member 180 Joint pipe 180a Seal projection 180b Valve opening / closing Projection 181a Upper opening 181b Lower opening 200 Ink tank unit 201 Ink storage container 210 Housing 210a Engaging parts 211a, 211b Contact surface 2 Reference Signs List 20 inner bag 221 pinch-off portion 221a inner bag exposed portion 222 outside air communication port 230 joint port 250 ID member 250a click section 252 ID recess 251 inclined surface 253 engagement hole 260 joint seal surface 260a first valve frame 260b second valve frame 260c Opening 261 Valve body 262 Valve lid 262a Valve lid welding guide 262b R part 263 Biasing member 264 First valve frame seal part 265 Valve body seal part 266 Clearance 267 Elastomer 268 Valve body flange part 270,290 Electrode 280 Rubber joint part 281 Connection Terminals 300, 401 Ink 400 Welding horn 402 Ink injection nozzle 600 Rotation center 601 Upper end of ink tank unit locking part 602 Lower end of ink tank unit locking part 603 Ink supply port center height 701 Face face Seal member 702 air vent sealing member 703 lid member 704 storage container 704a ribs L gas-liquid interface

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Koshikawa 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Shozo Hattori 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Within Non Corporation (72) Inventor Kenji Kitabatake 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Within Canon Corporation (72) Inventor Hajime Yamamoto 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Within Canon Corporation F term (reference) 2C056 EA16 EA26 EB20 EB51 KB05 KB08 KC05 KC06 KC12 KC13 KC14 KC17 KC22 KC30

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A storage container for hermetically holding an ink jet head cartridge having an ink jet recording head having a discharge port for discharging ink and a mounting portion for interchangeably mounting an ink tank, wherein the ink jet head cartridge has a negative pressure. A negative pressure generating member that has a negative pressure generating member and a negative pressure generating member storage chamber that has an atmospheric communication part that communicates with the outside, and forms a substantially closed space except for a communication part that communicates with the negative pressure generating member storage chamber. A liquid storage portion capable of generating a negative pressure by being deformed as the liquid stored therein is drawn out, and an air communication portion having an inner surface having a shape similar to or similar to the outer surface of the liquid storage portion and for introducing air. A liquid supply container comprising: a housing having a housing having the mounting part so as to form the communication part communicating with the negative pressure generating member storage chamber. A first seal member that seals the discharge port, and a second seal member that seals an atmosphere communication portion of the negative pressure generation member storage chamber, wherein the liquid of the liquid supply container is provided. The liquid supply path inside the storage section and from the communication section to the recording head is filled with liquid, and a part of the liquid storage section is detached from the housing. Storage container for head cartridge. 2. The negative pressure generating member is constituted by two absorbers made of a fibrous body, and a boundary surface between the two absorbers is closer to the atmosphere communication portion of the negative pressure generation member storage chamber than the communication portion. The storage container for the inkjet head cartridge according to claim 1, wherein 3. The storage container for an ink jet head cartridge according to claim 2, wherein a main fiber direction of the fibrous body is arranged substantially horizontally in a posture when the ink jet head cartridge is used. 4. The storage container for an ink jet head cartridge according to claim 2, wherein a boundary surface between the two absorbers is arranged near the communication portion. 5. A storage method for storing, in a closed space, an ink jet head cartridge including an ink jet recording head having a discharge port for discharging ink and a mounting section for interchangeably mounting an ink tank, wherein the ink jet head cartridge is A negative pressure generating member for generating a negative pressure, a negative pressure generating member storage chamber having an atmosphere communication portion communicating with the outside, and a substantially sealed except for a communication portion communicating with the negative pressure generation member storage chamber. A liquid storage portion that forms a space and is deformable with the derivation of the liquid stored therein to generate a negative pressure, and has an inner surface that is the same as or similar to the outer surface of the liquid storage portion and that introduces air. A liquid supply container including a housing having an atmosphere communication portion, so as to form the communication portion communicating with the negative pressure generating member storage chamber. The liquid supply container, wherein the liquid supply container includes a first seal member that seals the discharge port and a second seal member that seals an atmosphere communication portion of the negative pressure generation member storage chamber. When mounting the liquid on the mounting portion, a part of the liquid storage portion is detached from the housing in advance, and the liquid from the liquid storage portion of the liquid supply container and the communication portion to the recording head from the communication portion. A method for storing an inkjet head cartridge, characterized in that a supply path is filled with a liquid. 6. The negative pressure generating member is constituted by two absorbers made of a fibrous body, and a boundary surface between the two absorbers is closer to the atmosphere communicating portion of the negative pressure generating member storage chamber than the communicating portion. The method for storing an ink jet head cartridge according to claim 5, wherein 7. The method for storing an ink jet head cartridge according to claim 6, wherein a main fiber direction of the fibrous body is arranged substantially horizontally in a posture when the ink jet head cartridge is used. 8. The method for storing an ink jet head cartridge according to claim 6, wherein a boundary surface between the two absorbers is arranged near the communication portion.