JP2001026119A - Ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To couple tubes in parallel through a work as easy as fastening a fastener by laying tubes having identical cross-section at an arbitrary position in the longitudinal direction and provided, on the contour thereof, with a part for coupling tubes thereby coupling tubes in parallel. SOLUTION: A part for coupling tubes 6, 7 is provided on the contour thereof and the tubes are coupled by fitting male and female engaging parts 6b, 7b. The male engaging part 6b having a bump-like forward end is provided on the contour of the tube 6 and the female engaging part 7b to be fitted with the male engaging part 6b is provided on the contour of the tube 7. With such a structure, the tubes 6, 7 can be coupled in parallel without being disarranged and laid on a same route following up the movement of a carriage in main scanning direction while bending not to impede movement of the carriage.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus for forming a desired image on a recording medium by directly ejecting ink droplets onto a recording medium such as recording paper, and more particularly, to a method using a plurality of recording heads and ink tanks. The present invention relates to a color ink jet recording apparatus connected by a tube.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a color ink jet recording apparatus, for example, as shown in FIG.
A recording head 102 of each color (black (B), cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y)) is mounted on a carriage 101 which scans while reciprocating in the main scanning direction along the main scanning direction. It has an ink tank 104 for accommodating the ink of each color (B, C, M, Y). The recording head 102 on the carriage 101 and the ink tank 104 on the main body side are connected to each other (B, C, M, Y). Each of the tubes 105 is connected by a total of four tubes 105 to supply ink to the recording head 102.

In such a conventional ink jet recording apparatus, the four tubes 105 are arranged on the same path so as not to hinder the operation of the carriage 101, and follow the carriage 101 while bending. Here, if the tubes 105 of the respective colors are not bundled, the tubes 105 will move violently and hinder the operation of the carriage 101.

Therefore, it is necessary to bundle the four tubes 105 in an aligned state. As means for bundling the tubes 105 in an aligned state, means for bundling the tubes 105 at several locations with a bundle band member 107, means for integrally forming the four tubes 105 in a lined state, or as shown in FIG. Means for bonding the tubes 105 to each other have been proposed.

[0005]

However, in the means for bundling the plurality of tubes 105 with the bundle band members 107, the number of bundle band members 107 is large in order to bundle the tubes 105 so that they do not vary. Thus, there is a problem in cost such as the cost of the bundle band member 107 and the assembly cost. In addition, it is necessary to take care that the bundle band 107 protrudes in a bump shape so that the bump does not catch on the periphery. Also, the binding band member 107
The degree of squeezing changes the degree of crushing of the tube 105, which hinders the ink replenishment function, and thus causes problems such as difficulty in management during assembly.

In the means for integrally molding the four tubes 105 side by side, the material is extruded because the width of the opening of the extrusion die becomes longer in the extrusion process in the manufacturing process. The molding pressure is different between the center part and both ends of the mouthpiece, and the molding at both ends becomes very unstable, and the wall thickness of the tube becomes unstable, and the center part and both ends shrink. The difference in the amount causes twisting and pulling. In terms of manufacturing ability, it is possible to integrally mold multiple tubes for specific fluid materials such as silicon, but for resin-based materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene, Is 2
If it exceeds twice, molding is difficult.

The use of the tube in such a proposal is for replenishing the recording head with ink, the solvent component of the ink is not evaporated, and in order to prevent oxidation of the ink, the intrusion of oxygen from the outside is prevented. The tube must be made of a material having high gas barrier properties and high solvent resistance so that the contained ink does not cause a chemical reaction with the tube. The above-mentioned four pieces of silicon which can be integrally molded are known for their poor gas barrier properties, and are not suitable for applications, and it is difficult to integrally mold resinous materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and fluorine having high gas barrier properties and solvent resistance. Is a problem.

[0008] Also, the means for bonding the tubes is a means that can be used only for a specific material such as urethane resin, and cannot be applied to materials having high solvent resistance such as polyethylene and polypropylene. Can be

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems by extruding a tube so as to have the same cross-sectional shape at an arbitrary position in the longitudinal direction of the extruded tube. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus having a tube connection mechanism capable of connecting engagement shapes in parallel by providing an outer diameter portion with an engagement shape for connecting tubes.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, an ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention has a plurality of tubes, and the plurality of tubes are arranged on the same path. A tube having the same cross-sectional shape at an arbitrary position in the direction and having at least one connecting portion on the outer diameter where the tubes are connected to each other, connecting the connecting portions to each other, It is characterized by being connected in parallel.

Further, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, the connecting portion is provided at two opposing positions sandwiching the flow path of the tube.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the connecting portions all have the same shape.

Still further, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the connecting portion has a male shape and a female shape which are fitted to each other.

The ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the male and female connecting portions are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the outer diameter of the tube.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the male and female connecting portions are arranged on the outer diameter of the tube so as to be substantially diametrically opposed to each other.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the connecting portion has a hook shape.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the hook-shaped connecting portions are arranged on the outer diameter of the tube so as to be substantially diametrically opposed to each other.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, the hook-shaped connecting portion has a locking projection inside.

The ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the material of the tube is selected from polypropylene, polyethylene and fluororesin.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the recording head has an electrothermal converter for generating thermal energy used for discharging ink.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the electrothermal transducer generates electric energy for causing film boiling of the ink.

In this specification, the term "record" (hereinafter, also referred to as "print") refers not only to the formation of significant information such as characters and figures, but also to significant or insignificant information. Regardless of whether or not the image is visualized so that a human can perceive it visually, the case where an image, a pattern, a pattern, or the like is widely formed on a recording medium or the medium is processed is also referred to.

As used herein, the term "recording medium" refers not only to paper used in a general recording apparatus but also to a wide range such as cloth, leather, plastic film, glass, wood, ceramics, and metal plate as described above. , Which can accept ink.

Further, the term "ink" is to be interpreted broadly as in the definition of "recording" described above. When applied to a recording medium, the formation of images, patterns, patterns, etc. It refers to a liquid that can be subjected to processing.

In this specification, the term nozzle generally refers to a discharge port, a liquid path communicating with the discharge port, and an element for generating energy used for ink discharge, unless otherwise specified.

[0026]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention thus constructed, a tube is extruded so as to have the same cross-sectional shape at an arbitrary position in the longitudinal direction of the extrusion, and the tube is formed on the cross-sectional shape of the tube. A tube connecting mechanism that can connect the connecting portions to each other by providing the outer diameter portion with an engaging-shaped connecting portion that connects the tubes to each other, whereby the tubes are connected in a parallel and continuous state. It is possible to reduce the width of the cross section of one tube, thereby avoiding problems in molding, and also assembling, connecting the tubes in parallel by tightening the fastener. It is possible to connect uniformly over the entire area of the tube, and to control projections such as bumps on the bundled band, as well as assembly management such as cost and tightening. Problem can be solved. Further, in the present invention, a plurality of tubes can be integrally treated using a resin-based material such as polyethylene or polypropylene having high gas barrier properties, which has been difficult to produce by conventional integral molding.

Further, in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, since the tubes are mechanically connected, the tubes can be connected even with the above-mentioned resin or the like which is hard to be connected by bonding.

An embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention scans by reciprocating in a main scanning direction along a guide rail 5. A recording head 2 of each color (black (B), cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y)) is mounted on a carriage 1, and each color (B,
C, M, and Y), and the recording head 2 on the carriage 1 and the ink tank 3 on the main body side are integrated with each other (B, C, M, and Y). The tubes 4 are connected to each other, and are configured to supply ink to the recording head 1.

As shown, in such an ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, an ink tank 3 is connected to a recording head 2 by an ink supply tube 4, and a recording paper P moving in the sub-scanning direction. On the other hand, the recording head 2 of two or more colors mounted on the carriage 1 that scans in the main scanning direction ejects ink based on the upper part of the image, whereby the ink is ejected on the recording paper P to form an image. It has become so.

The ink ejected from the recording heads 2 of the respective colors mounted on the carriage 1 is supplied from an ink tank 3 which is arranged at a lower portion of the main body device and stores ink corresponding to the recording heads 2. The upper recording head 2 and the ink tank 3 on the main body side are connected by tubes 4 for each color, so that ink is supplied to the recording head 2.

In the present invention, such a tube 4 is
The carriage 1 is arranged on the same path so as not to hinder the operation, and follows the operation of the carriage 1 in the main scanning direction while bending.

Next, the structure of the tube 4 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the tube 4 is connected to the first tube 6 and the second tube 6. Each of the tubes 6 and 7 has flexibility so that it can follow the operation of the carriage 1, and is a soft material that is advantageous for gas barrier properties that can prevent evaporation of ink and mixing of air into ink. It is made of polyethylene and formed into a longitudinal shape by an extrusion molding method.

In such an extrusion molding method, it is generally possible to produce a long part having a cross section having a shape equal to or substantially similar to the shape of the extrusion die. Therefore, as shown, the tubes 6 and 7 are parts having a constant cross-sectional shape, and channels 6a and 7a for supplying ink are formed inside the tubes 6 and 7, respectively. Channel 6a,
7a is surrounded by a certain thickness to form a tube shape.

A connecting portion for connecting the tubes 6 and 7 is provided on the outer shape of the tubes 6 and 7. The connecting portion has a structure in which the male engaging portion 6b and the female engaging portion 7b are connected by being fitted to each other. A male engaging portion 6b is provided, and a female engaging portion 7b that fits with the male engaging portion 6b of the tube 6 is provided on the outer shape of the tube 7 correspondingly. Is formed. Therefore, a retaining portion 7c is provided at the tip of the female engaging portion 7b, and the male engaging portion 6b is inserted and fitted into the female engaging portion 7b. At this time, the retaining portion 7c is expanded by the elasticity of the material, and when the fitting is completed, the retaining portion 7c presses the hump-shaped portion of the male engaging portion 6b as shown in FIG. It is formed in a structure that does not easily come off when locked.

In the extrusion molding of the tubes 6 and 7, if the cross-sectional shape is such as a horizontal shape and the aspect ratio exceeds about twice, the material cannot be formed without turning to the end of the die, or the center and the end cannot be formed. Since the extrusion pressure is uneven at the part and the molding is impaired such as twisting,
Although it was difficult to integrally form a series of tubes in a resin-based material, it is difficult to form the tubes 6 and 7 so that their cross-sectional shapes can be reduced to an aspect ratio of less than twice. The molding can be performed without any problem.

With the above structure, the tube 6 and the tube 7 are pressed against each other, and the male engaging portion 6b and the female engaging portion 7b are pressed.
Are fitted along the entire area of the tube, whereby the tube 6 and the tube 7 can be connected in parallel,
The tubes 6 and 7 can be arranged on the same path so as to follow the operation of the carriage in the main scanning direction while bending without disturbing the operation of the carriage without disturbing the tubes 6 and 7 at all.

(Embodiment 2) In the tube 8 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, as shown in FIG.
8c are arranged at two or more places. In this way, by arranging the male engaging portion 8b and the female engaging portion 8c on the tube 8 at a substantially right angle, a large number of tubes 8 can be integrally connected. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 shows an example in which four tubes 8 such as black, cyan, magenta, and yellow are combined. If such a means is used, the plurality of tubes 8 can be arranged on the same path so as to follow the operation in the main scanning direction of the carriage while bending without obstructing the operation of the carriage without disturbing the operation of the carriage. .

(Embodiment 3) In the tube 9 of Embodiment 3 of the present invention, as shown in FIG.
9c are arranged at two locations in a direction substantially diametrically opposed, and such engaging portions 9b and 9c are arranged at positions opposed to each other across the ink flow path 9a, that is, at positions opposed substantially diametrically. I do. With such a configuration, a large number of tubes 9 can be cascaded in the diametric direction and integrally connected as in the second embodiment, and the tubes 9 can be arranged in a flat state. With such a configuration, the second moment of area of the tube 9 can be suppressed low by arranging the tube 9 flat with respect to the bending direction of the tube 9 connected to the carriage. Therefore, the influence of the bending resistance of the tube 9 on the movement of the carriage can be minimized.

(Embodiment 4) Embodiment 4 of the tube of the present invention
In the case, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG.
On the outer periphery of the tube 10 having Oa, an engagement portion 10b having a substantially right-angle hook shape is provided. Tube 10,
The ten such engaging portions 10b, 10b have the same shape symmetrical with respect to each other and have hook-shaped engaging portions 10b, and these engaging portions 10b, 10b are fitted to each other. It is fixed. The hook-shaped engaging portion 10b of the tube 10 has a locking projection 10c inside,
The corresponding locking projection 10c of the engaging portion 10b of the tube 10
And form a latch. Therefore, since the tubes 10, 10 have the engaging portions 10b, 10b having the same shape, the same components can be connected to each other, and the types of components can be reduced.

(Embodiment 5) In a fifth embodiment of the tube according to the present invention, as shown in FIG.
On the outer periphery of the tube 11 having the same shape, hook-shaped engaging portions 11b, 11b having the same shape as in the fourth embodiment are diametrically opposed to each other at two locations, that is, engaging portions 11b having locking projections 11c. , 11b are arranged at positions facing each other across the ink flow path 11a. With this configuration, a large number of tubes 11 can be continuously connected in a flat state as in the third embodiment, and the direction of the engaging portions 11b of the tubes 11 can be controlled in any way. The connection can be made firmly without worrying, and the workability can be improved.

(Embodiment 6) In Embodiment 6 of the present invention, the tube material is the same as that shown in Embodiments 1 to 5, and the tube is made of a resin material such as polyethylene, polypropylene or fluorine. I do. The purpose of the tube in this embodiment is to replenish the ink to the recording head, the solvent component of the ink does not evaporate, and the intrusion of oxygen from the outside to prevent oxidation of the ink is prevented. The tube must be made of a material having high gas barrier properties and high solvent resistance so as not to cause chemical change.

The above-mentioned resin materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and fluorine are frequently used in chemical storage bottles of chemical laboratory equipment and are known to have excellent chemical stability and gas barrier properties.

As described above, the evaporation of the ink, the oxidation of the ink, and the chemical stability to the ink can be satisfied, and a more stable supply of the ink can be provided.

(Others) It should be noted that the present invention includes a means (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) for generating thermal energy as energy used for performing ink ejection, particularly in an ink jet recording system. An excellent effect is obtained in a recording head and a recording apparatus of a type in which a change in the state of ink is caused by the thermal energy. This is because according to such a method, it is possible to achieve higher density and higher definition of recording.

The typical configuration and principle are described in, for example, US Pat. No. 4,723,129, and US Pat.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in 740,796. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and the continuous type. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it is arranged corresponding to the sheet or the liquid path holding the liquid (ink). Applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recording information and providing a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling to the electrothermal transducer, thereby generating heat energy in the electrothermal transducer, and thereby forming a recording head. This is effective because a film in the liquid (ink) corresponding to the driving signal can be formed one by one by causing film boiling on the heat acting surface. By discharging the liquid (ink) through the discharge opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble, at least one droplet is formed.
When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of a liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,463,359
No. 4,345,262 are suitable. In addition, US Pat. No. 4,313,12 of the invention relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface.
If the conditions described in the specification of JP-A No. 4 are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, in addition to the combination of a discharge port, a liquid path, and an electrothermal transducer (a linear liquid flow path or a right-angled liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, The present invention also includes a configuration using U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,600 which disclose a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region. It is. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and an aperture for absorbing a pressure wave of thermal energy. The effect of the present invention is effective even if the configuration is based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration corresponding to a discharge unit. That is, according to the present invention, recording can be reliably and efficiently performed regardless of the form of the recording head.

Further, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium on which a recording apparatus can record. Such a recording head may have a configuration that satisfies the length by a combination of a plurality of recording heads, or a configuration as one integrally formed recording head.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type as described above, the recording head fixed to the main body of the apparatus or the electric connection with the main body of the apparatus or the ink from the main body of the apparatus is attached to the main body of the apparatus. The present invention is also effective when a replaceable chip type recording head which can be supplied is used.

It is preferable to add a recording head ejection recovery means, a preliminary auxiliary means, and the like as the configuration of the recording apparatus of the present invention since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. If these are specifically mentioned, the recording head is heated using capping means, cleaning means, pressurizing or suction means, an electrothermal transducer, another heating element or a combination thereof. Pre-heating means for performing the pre-heating and pre-discharging means for performing the discharging other than the recording can be used.

The type and number of recording heads to be mounted are, for example, not only those provided for one color ink but also a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities. A plurality may be provided. That is, for example, the printing mode of the printing apparatus is not limited to a printing mode of only a mainstream color such as black, but may be any of integrally forming a printing head or a combination of a plurality of printing heads. The present invention is also very effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of the recording modes of full color by color mixture.

In addition, in the embodiments of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid. However, an ink which solidifies at room temperature or lower and which softens or liquefies at room temperature may be used. In general, the ink jet method generally controls the temperature of the ink itself within a range of 30 ° C. or more and 70 ° C. or less to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is in a stable ejection range. Sometimes, the ink may be in a liquid state. In addition, in order to positively prevent temperature rise due to thermal energy by using it as energy for changing the state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or to prevent ink from evaporating, the ink is solidified in a standing state and heated. May be used. In any case, the ink liquefies by the application according to the recording signal of the thermal energy,
The present invention is also applicable to the case where ink having a property of being liquefied for the first time by the application of thermal energy, such as one in which liquid ink is ejected, one in which solidification is already started upon reaching a recording medium, and the like. In such a case, the ink is held in a state in which the ink is held as a liquid or a solid in the concave portion or through hole of the porous sheet as described in JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60-71260. Alternatively, it may be configured to face the electrothermal converter. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition, the form of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the one used as an image output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as a computer, a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like, and a facsimile apparatus having a transmission / reception function. It may take a form.

[0054]

According to the first aspect of the present invention having the above-described structure,
The inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention has a plurality of tubes, and in the inkjet recording apparatus in which the plurality of tubes are arranged in the same path, has an identical cross-sectional shape at an arbitrary position in a longitudinal direction, and Since there is a tube provided with at least one or more connecting portions for connecting the tubes to each other, and the connecting portions can be connected to each other and the tubes can be connected in parallel, the cross-sectional width of one tube In addition to being able to avoid molding problems by narrowing, it is possible to connect the tubes in parallel by an easy operation of tightening the fastener, and it is possible to connect uniformly over the entire area of the tube, Problems such as assembly control such as protrusion of bundled band, cost, tightening, etc. can be solved, and polyethylene with high gas barrier properties, which was difficult to manufacture by conventional integral molding. , Using a resin-based material such as polypropylene, it is possible to handle a plurality of integrally.
In addition, since the tubes are mechanically connected, the tubes can be connected to each other even when the tubes are difficult to be connected by bonding.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, since the connecting portions are provided at two opposing positions sandwiching the flow path of the tubes, the tubes can be connected easily and easily. Can be.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, since all the connecting portions have the same shape, tubes having the connecting portions can be easily mass-produced.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the connecting portions are formed into a male shape and a female shape which fit together, the tubes can be firmly connected.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the male and female connecting portions are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the outer diameter of the tube, a plurality of tubes are connected. Can be firmly connected to a square.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the male and female connecting portions are arranged on the outer diameter of the tube so as to be substantially diametrically opposed to each other, the tube is flattened. Can be connected in any number of states.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the connecting portion has a hook shape.
The tubes are connected firmly and firmly and never separate.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, since the hook-shaped connecting portions are arranged on the outer diameter of the tube so as to be substantially diametrically opposed to each other, a large number of tubes are arranged in a tandem state. Can be linked.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, since the hook-shaped connecting portion has a locking projection inside, the connecting portion is firmly and firmly locked.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, since the material of the tube is selected from polypropylene, polyethylene and fluororesin, the tube can be mass-produced at low cost.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, since the recording head has an electrothermal converter for generating thermal energy used for discharging ink, the thermal energy is used to convert the ink. By discharging, high density and high definition of recording can be achieved, and clear recording can be obtained.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the electrothermal transducer generates electric energy that causes film boiling of the ink, so that the ink is ejected using the electric energy. Higher recording density and higher definition can be achieved, and clear recording can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a tube connection structure of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a connection structure of tubes of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a connection structure of tubes of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a connection structure of tubes of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a tube connection structure of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a connection structure of the tubes of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a connection structure of tubes of an inkjet recording apparatus according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of a conventional ink jet recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Carriage 2 Recording head 3 Ink tank 4 Tube 5 Guide rail 6 Tube 6a Flow path 6b Engagement part (male) 7 Tube 7a Flow path 7b Engagement part (female) 7c Retaining part 8 Tube 8a Flow path 8b Joining part (male) 8c Engaging part (female) 8d Retaining part 9 Tube 9a Flow path 9b Engaging part (male) 9c Engaging part (female) 9d Retaining part 10 tube 11 tube 11a Ink flow Road P Recording paper

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising a plurality of tubes and arranging the plurality of tubes on the same path, wherein the tube has the same cross-sectional shape at an arbitrary position in a longitudinal direction and has a tube on an outer diameter. An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: a tube provided with at least one or more connecting portions that are connected to each other, connecting the connecting portions, and connecting the tubes in parallel. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is provided at two opposing positions sandwiching the flow path of the tube. 3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein all of said connecting portions have the same shape. 4. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said connecting portion has a male shape and a female shape which are fitted to each other. 5. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said male and female connecting portions are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the outer diameter of the tube. 6. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the male and female connecting portions are arranged on the outer diameter of the tube so as to be substantially diametrically opposed to each other. 7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion has a hook shape. 8. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the hook-shaped connecting portions are disposed on the outer diameter of the tube so as to be substantially diametrically opposed. 9. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the hook-shaped connecting portion has a locking projection inside. 10. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a material of the tube is selected from polypropylene, polyethylene, and fluororesin. 11. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording head has an electrothermal transducer for generating thermal energy used for discharging ink. 12. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said electrothermal converter generates electric energy for causing film boiling of the ink.