JP2001293878A - Ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a porous supporting member filling type cartridge, capable of homogeneously dispersing pigment particles by being shaken before use even in the case it is left for a long time. SOLUTION: An ink cartridge 1 comprises an ink chamber filled with an ink liquid impregnation porous supporting member 12, a pressuring plate part 2 disposed between the ink storage chamber inner wall and the porous supporting member, having an opening part 21 allowing passage of an ink liquid 5, reciprocally movably in the ink storage chamber, and a controlling means 3 for the reciprocal movement of the pressuring plate part, wherein an ink liquid agitating chamber 4 without existence of the porous supporting member can be formed in the ink storage chamber by moving the pressuring plate part from a completely filling position A to a pressuring and compressing position B for compressing the porous supporting member as well as the state completely filled with the porous supporting member can be restored by returning the pressuring plate part from the pressuring and compressing position to the completely filling position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink cartridge, and more particularly to an ink cartridge filled with a pigment ink-impregnated porous support.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ink cartridge has been widely used for supplying ink to an ink jet recording apparatus. For example, an ink cartridge for color printing is
An ink storage chamber and an ink supply unit are provided for each color ink, and the ink supply unit and an ink suction port provided on the ink jet recording device side are connected by being attached to a predetermined position of the ink jet recording device. Ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the ink jet recording apparatus.

In the ink cartridge, a type in which the ink storage chamber is filled with a porous material such as urethane foam is widely used. This is an ink cartridge of a type in which a porous body is impregnated with liquid ink and filled in an ink storage chamber, and its main purpose is to supply ink stably.

[0004] On the other hand, in the ink jet recording method, the use of pigment ink instead of dye ink has been expanding. Even when pigment ink is used, it is convenient to use an ink cartridge, and it is even more advantageous to use a porous holder-filled ink cartridge.

However, since the pigment ink is an aqueous dispersion, there is a problem that the pigment particles settle. For example,
If the ink cartridge is left for a long period of time in a warehouse or a store shelf or the like, the pigment particles gradually settle down inside the ink storage chamber of the ink cartridge. As a result, a concentration gradient of the pigment particles occurs from the bottom to the top inside the ink storage chamber, a pigment particle concentration is high at the bottom, an excessively dark layer is formed, and a pigment particle concentration is at the top. A low, overly pale layer results. If printing is performed with the ink cartridge attached to the ink jet recording apparatus in this state, the ink is first supplied from the layer having a high pigment particle concentration, resulting in an excessively dark printed matter. Therefore, the purpose of stably supplying ink having a uniform pigment concentration cannot be achieved.

When the ink storage chamber of the ink cartridge is of a type that stores liquid ink as it is, before the ink cartridge is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink liquid inside is agitated by sufficiently shaking the ink cartridge to disperse the pigment particles. It is possible to make the state uniform, but in the case of a porous holder-filled ink cartridge, the ink container is filled with the ink liquid impregnated in the porous holder, so that the ink container is filled with ink. Even when the cartridge is shaken, it may be extremely difficult or practically impossible to uniformly disperse the pigment particles.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to uniformly disperse pigment particles by shaking before use, even when a pigment ink cartridge filled with a porous support is left for a long period of time. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge that can be made into a single ink cartridge.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided an ink storage chamber filled with a compressible / restorable porous holder impregnated with an ink liquid, and (2) an ink storage chamber of the ink storage chamber. A pressing plate portion provided between an inner wall and the porous holding member, having an opening through which the ink liquid can pass, and capable of reciprocating within the ink storage chamber; and (3) the pressing plate portion Control means capable of controlling the reciprocation of the ink storage chamber by moving the pressing plate portion from the full filling position to the pressing and compressing position to compress the porous holding member. It is possible to form an ink liquid stirring chamber in which no holding member is present, and it is possible to restore the completely filled state of the porous holding member by returning the pressing plate portion from the pressing compression position to the completely filling position. Ink car characterized by It can be solved by the ridge.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the pressing plate has one or a plurality of through holes through which the ink liquid can pass.

In another preferred aspect of the present invention, the pressing plate portion has one or a plurality of cut grooves through which the ink liquid can pass.

In still another preferred aspect of the present invention, the pressing plate portion has a net portion through which the ink liquid can pass.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an ink cartridge of the present invention in which a porous holding member is in a completely filled state.
FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the ink cartridge of the present invention in which the porous holding member is in a pressed and compressed state.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink cartridge 1 of the present invention has a housing 1 forming an outer wall thereof.
1, includes a porous holder 12 filled in an ink storage chamber provided inside a housing 11, and an ink supply means 13. The porous holding member 12 is impregnated with a pigment ink liquid. In the case of the ink cartridge 1 for color printing, a plurality of ink storage chambers are present, and each ink storage chamber is filled with a porous holder 12 impregnated with each ink liquid, and each ink storage chamber is filled with ink. Supply means 13 is provided.

The ink supply means 13 provided at the bottom of the ink cartridge 1 is a means for supplying the ink impregnated in the porous holding member 12 to the ink jet recording apparatus. In this state, the ink supply unit is connected to an ink suction unit (not shown) provided on the side of the ink jet recording apparatus, so that ink can be supplied. Ink supply means 1
Reference numeral 3 generally designates an ink inlet 14 in contact with the porous holding member 12, a filter 15 provided in the ink inlet 14,
It includes an ink passage 16 provided between the ink inlet 14 and the ink outlet 17, and a needle-piercing membrane 18 provided near the ink outlet 17. Before the use of the ink cartridge 1 (that is, before the ink cartridge 1 is attached to a predetermined position of the ink jet recording apparatus), the piercing film 18
The inner side can be kept hermetically sealed. However, when the ink cartridge 1 is attached to a predetermined position of the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink cartridge 1 is broken by an ink suction needle provided at the tip of the ink suction port on the side of the ink jet recording apparatus, and connects the ink passage 16 with the ink suction needle. be able to. The ink is transported from the ink suction needle through the ink guide tube in the ink jet recording apparatus to the printer head.

The ink outlet 1 of the ink supply means 13
7 can be provided with a sealing means 19a if necessary. By providing the sealing means 19a, the sealing performance of the ink passage 16 and the ink storage chamber can be improved. The sealing means 19a can be, for example, a sheet material that can be adhered to and peeled from the ink outlet 17. Further, the inner side of the needle-piercing membrane 18 (the ink passage 16).
Side), a puncture seal fixing means 19b can be provided. It is preferable that the puncture seal fixing means 19b has a valve function to prevent the ink liquid from leaking to the outside of the ink cartridge both before and after the puncture-piercing membrane 18 is broken by the puncture. The puncture seal fixing means 19b can fix the puncture needle after breaking the puncture penetration membrane 18 in a sealed state.

The ink cartridge 1 of the present invention has a pressing plate 2 between the inner wall of the ink storage chamber and the porous holder 12. The pressing plate 2 has an opening 21 through which the ink liquid can pass, and can reciprocate inside the ink storage chamber.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pressing plate 2
Can perform a reciprocating motion that moves between a complete filling position A (see FIG. 1) and a pressing and compressing position B (see FIG. 2). Here, the complete filling position A of the pressing plate portion 2 is, as shown in FIG. 1, where the pressing plate portion 2 is in contact with the inner wall of the ink storage chamber, and the porous holding member 12 moves inside the ink storage chamber. This is a position where the porous holder 12 is completely filled, that is, a position where the porous holder 12 is completely filled. The pressing and compressing position B of the pressing plate portion 2 is, as shown in FIG. 2, a state in which the pressing plate portion 2 presses and compresses the porous holding body 12, that is,
This is a position where an ink liquid stirring chamber 4 in which the porous holding member 12 does not exist inside the ink storage chamber is formed.

Therefore, the porous holding member 12 that can be used in the ink cartridge 1 of the present invention has a compression
It is a porous holder that can be restored. Here, “compressible / restorable” means that the pressing plate portion 2 can be compressed while moving from the full filling position A to the pressing and compressing position B, and conversely move from the pressing and compressing position B to the complete filling position A. Meanwhile, the original shape can be restored.

The reciprocating motion of the pressing plate portion 2 is
For example, it can be performed by manually operating a control unit, for example, the grip unit 3 that is connected to the outside of the ink cartridge 1. The grip part 3 may be temporarily fixed by a suitable locking means (not shown) at the full filling position A and / or the pressing and compressing position B, if necessary.

Since the pressing plate portion 2 has the opening 21 through which the ink liquid can pass, the pressing plate portion 2 moves from the full filling position A to the pressing and compressing position B to maintain the porous structure. While the body 12 is compressed, the ink liquid impregnated in the porous holding body 12 is squeezed out of the porous holding body 12,
The ink liquid stirring chamber 4 is filled with the ink liquid 5 because it passes through the opening 21 and remains there. When the entire ink cartridge 1 of the present invention is shaken in this state, since only the ink liquid is present in the ink liquid stirring chamber 4 and the porous holding member 12 is not present, the ink particles are in a state where the pigment particles are non-uniformly dispersed. However, this can be made uniform. When the pressing plate portion 2 is moved from the pressing and compressing position B to the completely filling position A after the dispersing process is completed, the ink in which the pigment particles are uniformly dispersed is expanded while the porous holding member 12 expands and restores its shape. Impregnate the liquid.

In the ink cartridge of the present invention,
It is common practice to reciprocate the pressing plate before installing it in the ink jet recording apparatus. In this case, the peeling sheet-type sealing means provided outside the ink outlet is not generally peeled off, and the needle-piercing membrane is not broken by the needle. Therefore, the ink liquid does not leak during the reciprocating movement of the pressing plate portion, and the ink liquid does not leak even if the ink cartridge is shaken vigorously thereafter.

In the ink cartridge of the present invention, even if the ink cartridge is installed in the ink jet recording apparatus, the reciprocating movement of the pressing plate is performed, and even if the ink cartridge is shaken vigorously thereafter, the ink liquid does not leak. In order to achieve this, a puncture seal fixing means having a valve function can be provided. In this case, the reciprocating motion of the pressing plate portion is performed in a state where the pressing plate portion is mounted on the ink jet recording device, or the reciprocating motion of the pressing plate portion is removed from the ink jet recording device, so that the reciprocating motion of the pressing plate portion is performed. Is generally peeled off, and the puncture-piercing membrane is broken by the puncture. However, the provision of the puncture seal fixing means having a valve function can prevent the ink liquid from leaking.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a schematic structure of a needle sticker fixing means having a valve function. FIG. 3 shows the pressing plate 2
Sticker fixing means 19 during the movement from the pressing and compressing position B (see FIG. 2) to the complete filling position A (see FIG. 1).
The state of b is shown. In this state, even if the piercing hole 18a is formed in the piercing membrane 18, the piercing seal fixing means 1 attached to the inside of the ink supply means side wall 13a.
An opening 19c is formed between 9b. However,
The ink liquid in the ink passage 16 is the ink cartridge 1
The ink liquid is sucked inside the
7 does not leak outside.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
Is moved from the completely filled position A (see FIG. 1) in the direction of the pressing and compressing position B (see FIG. 2), the ink liquid is pushed out from the porous holding member 12, and the ink liquid in the ink passage 16 is pierced with the puncture seal fixing means. 19b is pushed down in the direction of the needle-piercing membrane 18, so that the opening 19c of the needle-sticker fixing means 19b is opened.
Is closed and closed. Therefore, the pressing plate 2
Is moved from the complete filling position A (see FIG. 1) to the pressing and compressing position B (see FIG. 2), the ink liquid does not leak, and the ink cartridge is shaken violently in this state. Also, the ink liquid does not leak from the ink outlet 17 to the outside.

As described above, in the ink cartridge of the present invention, the ink cartridge is left as it is for a long time, sedimentation of the pigment particles occurs inside the ink storage chamber, and the ink flows from the bottom to the top inside the ink storage chamber. Even if the concentration gradient of the pigment particles occurs, before use, the ink plate is moved to the pressing and compressing position B and then the ink cartridge is sufficiently shaken, or after the ink cartridge is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink cartridge is removed. By sufficiently shaking, the dispersion state of the pigment particles contained in the ink liquid can be made uniform. The ink cartridge may be stored in a state where the pressing plate portion is in the completely filled position, or may be stored in a state where the pressing plate portion is in the pressed and compressed position.

FIGS. 5 to 7 are plan views of various pressing plate portions 2 which can be used in the present invention. FIG. Show. 5 has a through hole 21a as an opening through which the ink liquid can pass. The shape of the through holes is not limited to a circle, and the number of the through holes is not limited. The pressing plate portion 2 in FIG. 6 has a comb shape as a whole and is an opening through which the cut liquid 21b can pass the ink liquid, that is, a gap space between the teeth of the comb. The shape of the teeth of the combs and the shape of the interstitial spaces (that is, the cut grooves) in the comb-shaped pressing plate portion 2 shown in FIG. 6 are not limited to rectangles, but may be triangles or trapezoids. Further, the pressing plate portion 2 of FIG. 7 has a net portion, that is, a net 21c inside the frame portion 22, to provide an opening through which the ink liquid can pass.

In the ink cartridge of the present invention,
One or more of the above-mentioned pressing plate portions can be used. Further, the ink cartridge of the present invention is not limited to the pigment-impregnated porous holder-filled type, but can also be applied to a dye-ink-impregnated porous holder-filled type.

[0029]

According to the ink cartridge of the present invention filled with an ink-impregnated porous support, even when left for a long period of time, the pigment particles can be dispersed uniformly by shaking before use. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an ink cartridge of the present invention in which a porous holding member is in a completely filled state.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the ink cartridge of the present invention in which a porous holding member is in a pressed and compressed state.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the puncture seal fixing means having a valve function in an open state.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a structure of a puncture seal fixing means having a valve function in a closed state.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a pressing plate portion that can be used in the ink cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another pressing plate portion that can be used in the ink cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of still another pressing plate portion that can be used in the ink cartridge of the present invention.

[Description of Signs] 1 ・ ・ ・ Ink cartridge 2 ・ ・ ・ Pressing plate part 3 ・ ・ ・ Grip part 4 ・ ・ ・ Ink liquid stirring chamber 5 ・ ・ ・ Ink liquid 11 ・ ・ ・ Housing 12 ・ ・ ・ Porous retention Body 13 ・ ・ ・ Ink supply means 13a ・ ・ ・ Ink supply means side wall part 14 ・ ・ ・ Ink intake port 15 ・ ・ ・ Filter 16 ・ ・ ・ Ink passage 17 ・ ・ ・ Ink outlet 18 ・ ・ ・ Puncture penetrating membrane 18a: Needle penetration breakage hole 19a: Sealing means 19b: Needle seal fixing means 19c: Needle seal fixing means Opening 21: Ink liquid passage opening 21a: Passing hole 21b ..Gap space 21c ... Net 22 ... Frame part A ... Complete filling position B ... Pressing compression position

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An ink storage chamber filled with a compressible / restorable porous holder impregnated with an ink liquid, and (2) provided between an inner wall of the ink storage chamber and the porous holder. A pressing plate having an opening through which the ink liquid can pass, and capable of reciprocating within the ink storage chamber; and (3) a control means capable of controlling the reciprocating movement of the pressing plate. Moving the pressing plate portion from the completely filling position to the pressing and compressing position to compress the porous holding member, thereby forming an ink liquid stirring chamber having no porous holding member inside the ink storage chamber. An ink cartridge capable of restoring the completely filled state of the porous holding member by returning the pressing plate portion from the pressed compression position to the completely filled position. 2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the pressing plate portion has one or a plurality of through holes through which an ink liquid can pass. 3. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the pressing plate has one or a plurality of cut grooves through which the ink liquid can pass. 4. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the pressing plate portion has a net portion through which the ink liquid can pass.