JP2004074782A - Cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To collect adhering ink or leaking ink when the ink supply joint is jointed or unjointed on the ink storage section side or the ink source side of a printhead in an inkjet printer employing an intermittent ink supply system. <P>SOLUTION: In the ink cartridge 12 having at least one ink bag containing ink, and a joint 90A connected with the ink bag and being jointed to the printer side on occasion in order to supply ink, a first absorber 23 for directly receiving and absorbing ink being ejected to the outside of a sheet during print operation, and a second absorber 108 for directly receiving, absorbing and removing waste ink adhering thereto when a wiper 106 wipes off ink remaining on the ejection opening forming face of the printhead 68 are disposed on the opposite sides of the joint. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cartridge that is removably mounted on an ink jet printer and supplies ink used when a print head performs printing, and in particular, a configuration that stores supply ink and recovers ink that does not contribute to recording. The invention relates to a cartridge comprising:
[0002]
[Prior art]
In an ink jet printer, if paper dust, ink, or the like adheres to the ejection port surface where the ink ejection port is formed, the ejection of the ink from the ejection port becomes unstable, which may cause deterioration in recording image quality. In particular, in recent years, in order to realize high-speed recording in full-color recording, the length of the recording head has been increased, and the number of ejection ports for simultaneously ejecting ink has greatly increased, and the ejection frequency has tended to increase. As the length of the recording head increases, the amount of ink ejected per unit time increases, and the amount of mist (ink mist) generated at the time of ink ejection increases. Ink) will also increase. Further, in order to improve the landing accuracy of the ejected ink droplets and form a high-quality image, the interval (inter-paper distance) between the ejection port surface and the recording material (media) is also reduced. Under such circumstances, the recording head surface (discharge port surface) is increasingly exposed to an environment where a large amount of ink (mist) adheres.
[0003]
Therefore, in order to remove these deposits, a mechanism for periodically wiping the deposits from the discharge port surface with a wiper blade made of an elastic material such as rubber (hereinafter, also referred to as wiping) is used. However, in particular, when the amount of ink adhering to the ejection port surface of the recording head increases, simply wiping the ejection port surface with a normal wiper blade has become insufficient.
[0004]
Therefore, it is important to provide a mechanism for removing paper dust and waste ink wiped from the discharge port surface by the wiping and adhering to the wiper blade from the wiper blade, that is, providing a mechanism for cleaning the wiping blade. This is because by performing the cleaning as appropriate, it is possible to prevent such inconvenience that the adhered substances are reattached from the wiper blade to the discharge port surface in the next wiping.
[0005]
Conventionally, various proposals have been made for such a wiper blade cleaning mechanism, and a typical one is provided with an absorber that abuts on the wiper blade and receives the above-mentioned deposit (for example, Patent Document 1). ). However, there is a limit to the cleaning ability of such an absorber, and when this is provided without assuming replacement, or when it is not provided so that replacement at an appropriate timing is performed, There is a possibility that the deposit once received may be reattached to the wiper blade with the cleaning operation. Then, the original purpose of wiping the ejection surface while cleaning the wiper blade to keep it clean can not be achieved.
[0006]
Patent Document 2 discloses that after a wiping blade, which is a first removing member, slides on an ejection port surface to remove an attached matter by scanning a carriage on which a recording head is mounted, and then an absorbing member, which is a second removing member. The body is in sliding contact with the wiping blade to remove deposits transferred thereon, and the absorber as the third removing member is in sliding contact with the absorber as the second removing member and is transferred there. A configuration for removing extraneous matter is employed. The absorber as a third removing member is integrated with an ink cartridge having an ink bag for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head and a waste ink tank. A configuration is employed in which the received waste ink is guided to a waste ink tank. Thus, the degree of contamination of the third removing member can be kept low, and thus the degree of contamination of the first and second removing members can be kept low. Since the replacement is performed, it is possible to sufficiently cope with the removing operation that is repeatedly performed, and the reliability of the removing operation is ensured for a long time.
[0007]
Some recent inkjet recording apparatuses use a recording medium cut to a desired size and enable full-surface layout printing without margins like a silver halide photograph. This is a technology that lays out the recording area on the software so that it is larger than the paper width, and prints the entire area. In this technique, since ink is ejected outside the edge of the recording medium (paper width), the ink ejected outside the paper width accumulates on the platen and contaminates the recording medium supplied later. Therefore, by arranging an absorber at an appropriate position on the platen to absorb the ink ejected outside the paper width, it is possible to perform full layout printing without contaminating the recording medium supplied later. I have.
[0008]
However, there is a limit to the absorption capacity of such an absorber, and this is provided without assuming replacement, or when it is not provided so that replacement can be performed at the appropriate timing. The recording medium supplied later may be contaminated by the ink that cannot be completely absorbed, or such ink may overflow into the apparatus and contaminate the inside of the apparatus.
[0009]
Therefore, Patent Document 3 discloses a configuration including a waste ink recovery unit that stores the above-described ink in a cartridge that stores a printing target (recording medium). Patent Document 4 discloses that a slit is provided in a platen, an absorber is provided in a cartridge for storing a recording medium, and the absorber is set at a position corresponding to the slit when the cartridge is mounted on the printer body. Thus, a configuration is disclosed in which ink ejected outside from the end of the recording medium is received by the absorber through the slit. In any of these, the waste ink recovery unit or the absorber is also replaced when the cartridge is replaced.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-237221
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-62-113554
[Patent Document 3]
International Publication WO97 / 06010
[Patent Document 4]
JP 2000-86819 A
[Patent Document 5]
JP 2001-146008 A
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the absorber that receives the waste ink generated by the wiping or the waste ink discharged from the end of the recording medium when performing the full layout printing is used as a consumable (ink or ink) of the inkjet printer. Some cartridges are provided in a cartridge that accommodates the recording medium, and the absorber is also replaced with the replacement, so that inconvenience caused by waste ink does not occur.
[0012]
However, the ink that does not contribute to recording that occurs in the ink jet printer is not limited to the waste ink generated due to wiping and the waste ink ejected outside from the end of the recording medium when performing full layout printing.
[0013]
For example, Patent Literature 4 and Patent Literature 5 described above each include a storage unit that stores a predetermined amount of ink on a carriage on which a recording head is mounted, for the purpose of reducing the size of a serial type inkjet printer, and the like. A system (hereinafter, referred to as an intermittent supply system) in which a supply system is configured so that ink is supplied intermittently at appropriate timing from the ink supply source to the storage unit is adopted. During the main scan for printing, a configuration is adopted in which the ink supply system between the storage section and the ink supply source is spatially separated to fluidly insulate the storage section and the ink supply source. ing.
[0014]
In such a configuration, the ink supply joints on the storage section side and the ink supply source side are attached and detached in order to perform fluid communication and cutoff relatively frequently. Ink leakage can occur. In addition, due to an unforeseen situation such as an environmental change or the installation state of the printer (when a portable printer is carried), there is a possibility that ink may leak or leak at the ink supply joint of the ink supply source. Further, it is conceivable that mist generated by performing printing accumulates around the ink supply joint of the ink supply source and grows into ink droplets. Alternatively, a case where dew condensation occurs around the ink supply joint of the ink supply source due to a change in environment can be assumed. These adhered or leaked inks are also inks that do not contribute to recording (which can also be expressed as liquids that do not contribute to recording, including the above-described liquids such as dew condensation), and cause contamination inside the apparatus, damage to internal mechanisms, Attachment of ink, etc. to the operator's hand or clothing, and the occurrence of color mixing of ink at the ink supply joint of the ink supply source (mixing of ink supplied to the storage unit due to color mixing at the ink supply joint, It is strongly desirable to properly collect these as well in order to avoid the possibility that the color mixture of the ink may affect the ink composition).
[0015]
Therefore, the present invention, when the intermittent supply method is adopted, can be caused by attachment / detachment of the ink supply joint on the storage section side and the ink supply source side, or accepts the adhering or leaking ink assumed as described above. For this purpose, an absorber (receiving member) for receiving waste ink generated by wiping and an absorber (receptor) for receiving waste ink discharged from the end of the recording medium when performing full layout printing. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet printer cartridge that is appropriately configured and arranged so that the members can be effectively used.
[0016]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To this end, the present invention has a supply joint that can be loaded into an ink jet printer that prints on a print medium using a print head capable of discharging ink and that is connected to the print head as needed with respect to the print head. A cartridge having an ink storage unit for storing ink to be supplied,
A first receiving unit that receives ink that is ejected from the print medium by the print head,
A second receiving portion provided in the ink jet printer and receiving waste ink generated by the wiping operation of the wiper for wiping ink remaining on the ejection port forming surface of the print head, in contact with the wiper; With
The first and second receiving portions are arranged so as to sandwich a supply joint portion.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In this specification, “print” (sometimes referred to as “record”) refers not only to the formation of significant information such as characters and figures, but also to the perception of human beings, whether significant or insignificant. Irrespective of whether or not the image is actualized so as to obtain, it refers to a case where an image, a pattern, a pattern, or the like is widely formed on a print medium or a case where the print medium is processed.
[0018]
The term “print medium” includes not only paper used in general printing apparatuses but also a wide range of materials that can accept ink, such as cloth, plastic films, metal plates, glass, ceramics, wood, and leather. It should be noted that, hereinafter, it is also referred to as “paper” or simply “paper”.
[0019]
Further, “ink” (sometimes referred to as “liquid”) is to be widely interpreted as in the definition of “print” described above, and is applied to a print medium to form an image, a pattern, a pattern, or the like. , Forming a print medium, or processing an ink (for example, solidifying or insolubilizing a coloring material in the ink applied to the print medium).
[0020]
The recording head to which the present invention is applied includes a form in which liquid boiling is caused by using thermal energy generated by an electrothermal transducer to form bubbles, a form in which a liquid is ejected by an electromechanical transducer, and a form in which static electricity is discharged. Alternatively, various forms proposed in ink jet recording, such as a form in which droplets are formed and discharged using an air current, may be mentioned. In particular, from the viewpoint of miniaturization, a form using an electrothermal converter is preferably used.
[0021]
(1) First embodiment
The configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(Structure of ink cartridge)
1A is a perspective view showing an outline configuration of the ink cartridge 12, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line IB-IB of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 2 is a back side of the ink cartridge of FIG. The perspective views seen from FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the ink cartridge 12 has ink bags 86, 87, and 88 stacked therein and housed therein, and a full bleed, which will be described later in detail, is placed above the stacked ink bags. A waste ink absorber 23 for receiving and absorbing the ink ejected from the recording paper during printing is arranged so as to face the outside via an opening 12 c provided in the ink cartridge 12. In this example, the opening 12c is shown as having a configuration in which it is partially opened in a limited area where the protruding ink is ejected, but it goes without saying that the opening 12c may be provided over almost the entire surface. Each of the ink bags 86, 87, and 88 is connected to a joint case 90 that forms a path for sending ink to the supply unit. It is located near one end. The above-described waste ink absorber 23 and the ink joint portion 90A are arranged adjacent to each other. In the ink joint portion 90A, joint rubbers 91, 92, and 93 for closing the respective paths are arranged at the end of the joint case 90 opposite to the connection portion with the ink bag, and the joint rubber pressing plate 89 joins the joint case 90 to the joint case 90. The rubber is configured to be pressed and fixed. The outer end of one side of the ink cartridge 12 opposite to the waste ink absorber 23 via the ink joint portion 90A is attached to a wiper blade used for cleaning the ink ejection surface of the print head, which will be described later in detail. A wiper ink absorbing pad 108 held for wiping waste ink is held and arranged on a pad holder 109.
The wiper ink absorption pad 108, the ink joint 90A, and the waste ink absorber 23 are arranged in this order from one end of the ink cartridge 12.
[0022]
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, the wiper ink absorbing pad 108, the ink joint 90A, and the waste ink absorber 23 are arranged facing one surface of the ink cartridge 12, and this surface is This is one surface that becomes the upper surface in a state where the ink cartridge 12 is mounted on the printer and has a preferable printing posture.
In the ink cartridge adopting such a configuration, when the intermittent supply method is employed, the ink supply needle of the print head and the ink joint of the ink cartridge are frequently attached and detached, so that the ink adheres to the joint. Also, even when ink leaks from the joint part, the wiper ink absorbing pad that receives the waste ink generated by wiping, and the ink is ejected from the end of the recording medium when performing full layout printing Since the waste ink absorber for receiving the waste ink is disposed on both sides of the ink joint, the ink is collected from the ink joint by one or both of the wiper ink absorbing pad and the waste ink absorber. It becomes possible.
[0023]
In addition, when ink bleeds or leaks at the ink supply joint portion 90A of the ink cartridge 12, which is an ink supply source, due to an unforeseen situation such as an environmental change or a printer installation state (when carrying the portable printer). However, if the ink jet printer cartridge is configured to face the recording area, the mist generated by performing the recording may cause the ink supply joint 90A of the ink cartridge 12 as an ink supply source to be provided. As described above, even when the ink is accumulated around the ink supply unit and grows into an ink droplet, or even when dew condensation occurs around the ink supply joint 90A of the ink supply source due to an environmental change, It is possible to collect ink and liquid from 90A.
[0024]
The wiper ink absorbing pad 108 provided with the ink joint 90A interposed therebetween and the waste ink absorber 23 for absorbing ink ejected from the recording paper during full bleed printing are themselves transfer ink from the wiper. An absorbent that has been wetted by ink and / or ink ejected from the recording paper and that has been wet with ink or the like has a lower absorption and permeability of ink than an absorbent that is not wet at all. Is growing. In other words, the moving ink from the ink joint portion 90A is easily collected, so that it is more suitable for the purpose of ink collection. Therefore, rather than providing an ink recovery absorber dedicated to the ink joint portion 90A, by using another ink absorbing member, the ink recoverability is improved and the configuration around the ink joint portion is simplified. The effect to be done can be exhibited.
[0025]
As a result, the inside of the apparatus is stained or damaged, the ink or the like adheres to an operator's hand or clothing, and color mixing of ink occurs at the ink supply joint of the ink supply source (the color mixing at the ink supply joint causes the ink to enter the storage section). (There is a risk that the mixed color of the supplied ink and the mixed color of the ink may affect the inside of the ink supply source).
[0026]
That is, by adopting the configuration in the ink cartridge of the present invention, an absorber that receives waste ink generated by wiping, and waste ink that is ejected outside from the end of the recording medium when performing full layout printing Can be effectively used.
[0027]
The ink bags 86, 87 and 88 stored in the ink cartridge 12 are filled with, for example, yellow, cyan and magenta inks, respectively. Needless to say, the number of the ink bags can be provided according to the type of the ink used in the printer, such as the color and density.
[0028]
In the present embodiment, the joint rubbers 91, 92, and 93 are provided for each color. However, it is also possible to perform sealing for all colors by using an integral member having a rubber seal portion for each color.
[0029]
Here, the joint rubbers 91, 92, and 93 can be formed of an elastomer, chlorinated butyl rubber, or the like. In order to facilitate insertion of ink supply needles 94, 95, and 96, which will be described later, the joint rubbers have, for example, a duck bill shape. A slit-like penetrating cut is provided at the center. Of course, other configurations may be suitably used in order to enable reliable attachment and detachment to be performed a plurality of times.
[0030]
The holding plate 89 is provided with holes 89c, 89b and 89a for allowing the ink supply needles 94, 95 and 96 of the print head to pass therethrough. As described later, the print head is provided with positioning pins 97 and 98, and the holding plate 89 is also provided with holes 89d and 89e for fitting the pins in correspondence with the positioning pins 97 and 98. . In addition, the hole 89e is a long hole, and it is possible to allow an inter-axis pitch error.
[0031]
Further, the waste ink absorber 23 can be made of a felt or a fibrous sheet, and can be made of a material such as a polymer absorber that can absorb a larger amount of waste ink than the initial volume when the waste ink is not absorbed. May be configured. In the latter case, the volume of the waste ink increases as the absorption of the waste ink progresses, but at that time, the amount of the supplied ink is also reduced, and the ink bag containing the ink is also smaller, so that the absorption of the waste ink is reduced. Even if the polymer absorber expands, the ink bag is not pressurized to cause ink leakage.
[0032]
As a preferred configuration example according to this embodiment, the wiper ink absorption pad 108 and the waste ink absorber 23 have been described as configurations using so-called absorbers each having absorptivity. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as a configuration in which a plurality of thin grooves are provided in a hard material (for example, the housing itself of the ink cartridge 12) to generate capillary force, ink or the like is trapped or trapped. The same function can be exhibited as a configuration for collecting. In this case, it is more preferable to arrange the absorber at the end of a capillary path such as a groove to collect and hold the ink.
[0033]
The ink cartridge 12 has an opening 12b for receiving a drain pipe provided in the printer for collecting waste ink discharged from the printer. The backflow prevention film 22 is disposed in the opening 12b so that the waste ink from the drain pipe does not blow back. The backflow prevention film 22 is not necessarily required depending on the structure of the waste ink recovery system and the opening 12b. It is preferable to arrange them for more secure handling. In order to enable such recovery of waste ink, the waste ink absorber 23 is formed and disposed in a substantially L-shape in the ink cartridge 12, as shown in FIG. 1B. . In addition, the waste ink absorber 23 does not stay at the position where the ink collected by the full bleed printing or the waste ink collected from the drain pipe of the printer by the recovery operation flows, and the waste ink absorber 23 covers the entire waste ink absorber. It is made to spread, and no overflow of waste ink occurs in a specific place.
[0034]
(Configuration of printer)
Subsequently, a configuration of a printer in which the above-described ink cartridge is loaded will be described below.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the entire configuration of the printer with the upper cover removed, and FIG. 4 is a side sectional view along the sub-scanning direction (print medium transport direction).
[0035]
In FIG. 3, P1 denotes a printer main body, which forms an outer case. P2 to P5 are dry batteries serving as a power supply of the printer, and are laid out in series. P6 is print paper, and tabs P6a and P6b, which are blank portions, are provided at a front end and a rear end, respectively, and these tabs can be separated from perforations indicated by broken lines after printing is completed. , Which can be provided as borderless photos. P7 is a spring for biasing the printing paper P6 to the printing reference plane P1a, and prevents the printing paper P6 from shifting or skewed.
[0036]
In FIG. 4, reference numeral P14 denotes a receiving tray for sheets 82 on which print sheets P6 are stacked, and is fixed to the printer main body P1. A connector P15 for connecting a printer to another external device according to a standard such as USB is attached to the main printed board P16. P17 and P18 exemplarily show electrical components attached to the main printed board P16. A main IC (not shown) is also attached to the main printed board to control the operation of the printer.
[0037]
(Opening / closing lid for ink cartridge loading)
5 is an enlarged plan view particularly showing a print mechanism portion of the configuration of FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the printer with the carriage mechanism removed from FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the print mechanism portion.
[0038]
The ink cartridge 12 of this example containing ink as a printing agent is slid into the printing mechanism in a direction along the scanning direction of the carrier 40. In this configuration, the opening / closing lid 19 is fully opened, and slide-loading is performed from the loading opening on the opening / closing lid side shown in FIG.
[0039]
In FIG. 5, reference numeral 2 denotes a lock slider, which is slidably fitted to a pinch roller 37 for pressing a sheet against a conveying roller 78 (shown in FIG. 4) to generate a conveying force when conveying the print sheet P6. are doing. The lock slider 2 has a lock pin 4 for preventing a lid guide plate 13 integrally formed with an opening / closing lid 19 that opens and closes when the ink cartridge 12 is replaced from being accidentally slid. The opening / closing lid 19 can be opened and closed by the lock pin 4 coming out of the lid guide plate 13 by the sliding movement of the lock slider 2. The lock pin 4 is programmed to return to the lock position when the open / close lid 19 is fully opened, and when the open / close lid 19 is closed again, the lid guide plate 13 causes the slope portion 4a of the lock pin 4 (see FIG. 6), the lock pin 4 is slid. The lock pin 4 is fitted into a hole 13b (shown in FIG. 6) of the cover guide plate 13 at a position where the cover 19 is completely closed to lock the cover 19. The lock pin 4 is integrally formed with a contact 3 which is also used to prevent the lock pin 4 from coming off. The contact 3 is always urged by a spring 5 toward the terminal 2b (see also FIG. 8) of the lock slider 2. When the opening / closing lid 19 is closed, the lock pin 4 is moved in the direction of the spring 5 by the lid guide plate 13, whereby the contact state between the contact 3 and the terminal portion 2b is released. When the cover 19 is completely closed and the lock is completed, the contact 3 and the terminal 2b come into contact again. The contact state between the contact 3 and the terminal portion 2b can be confirmed by a main IC described later.
[0040]
Reference numeral 14 denotes a decorative plate for blindfolding when the opening / closing lid 19 is closed, and also guides the interlocking portion 13a of the lid guide plate 13 as shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. Reference numeral 15 denotes a click spring when the cover 19 is fully opened. The click spring 15 is fixed to the printer main body P1 by caulking shafts P13 and P14. (See also FIG. 10).
[0041]
In FIG. 6, reference numeral 110 denotes a lock interlocking member attached to the lift slider 58 which moves along the lead of the shaft 57 at a flange portion 110a, and a hook portion 2d of the lock slider 2 is provided at a tip opposite to the flange portion 110a. A hook 110b is provided so as to engage with the hook. A compression spring 111 is provided between the hook portion 2d and the flange portion 110a, and by setting the spring force of the compression spring 111 higher than that of the spring 5 pressing the lock pin 4, the opening / closing lid 19 is opened. When the lock pin 4 is pushed when closing, the spring 5 is always compressed and the lock pin 4 moves in the direction of the spring 5 so that the contact 3 and the terminal 2b are turned off. Can be. When the lift slider 58 moves away from the opening / closing lid 19 from the state shown in FIG. 6, the hook 110b and the hook 2d are engaged with each other, so that the lock slider 2 is also moved by the moving distance of the lift slider 58. The doors 19 move in the same direction, and the lock of the opening / closing lid 19 is released.
[0042]
(Ink cartridge attachment / detachment mechanism and detection mechanism)
Reference numeral 24 shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6, or FIG. 8 to FIG. 10 is a full-open switch for detecting full opening of the open / close lid 19, while the contact piece 24a is positioned by a pin P15 fixed to the printer main body P1, while When the movable cover 24b is pushed by the rack gear 18 by the opening / closing lid 19 being fully opened as shown in FIG. 10, the movable contact 24b comes into contact with the contact 24a to turn on.
[0043]
The toggle gear 25 shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6, or FIG. 8 to FIG. 10 is rotatably supported on a rotating shaft P12 fixed to the printer main body P1. A drive pin 25a that fits into the long hole 27d of the interlocking lever 27 is provided at a position smaller than the pitch circle radius that meshes with the rack gear 18, and a toggle spring 26 is connected to the drive pin 25a. The toggle spring 26 is stretched between the drive pin 25a of the toggle gear 25 and the shaft P9 fixed to the printer main body P1, and is set to be stable in the state shown in FIG. When the cover 19 is opened, as shown in FIG. 9, the rack gear 18 moves with the movement of the cover 19, and the toggle gear 25 rotates clockwise as indicated by an arrow. When the opening / closing lid 19 is closed, the rack gear 18 moves with the movement of the opening / closing lid 19 and rotates in a counterclockwise direction (counter-arrow direction) (operation is not shown). Is released, and the state of FIG.
[0044]
As shown in FIG. 8, the interlocking lever 27 is slidable in the same direction as the opening / closing lid 19 by fitting its long holes 27b and 27c to the shafts P10 and P11 fixed to the printer main body P1. is there. Therefore, when the above-described toggle gear 25 is rotated clockwise by the rack gear 18, the interlocking lever 27 moves leftward (toward the storage section side of the ink cartridge 12) by the amount of eccentricity between the rotation axis P12 of the toggle gear 25 and the drive pin 25a. To move closer together). Immediately before the opening / closing lid 19 is fully opened, that is, immediately before the rack gear 18 comes out of the toggle gear 25, as shown in FIG. When the cover 19 is further moved to the fully opened position, the toggle gear 25 is further rotated clockwise by about 10 degrees, and the drive pin 25a returns the interlocking lever 27 to the right in the opposite direction to the previous movement. Therefore, the interlocking lever 27 does not further move forward. The same applies to the movement relationship between the rack gear 18 and the toggle gear 25 when the opening / closing lid 19 is closed, and it is possible to prevent the interlocking lever 27 from moving more than necessary.
[0045]
As shown in FIG. 4, when the ink cartridge 12 is slid into the printer main body P1, the convex guide portions 9h and 9i of the platen 9 and the guide portions 12d and 12e of the concave portion of the ink cartridge 12 are fitted. (Note that, in the schematic views of the ink cartridges shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, only the guide portion 12d is shown). As shown in FIG. 6, a protrusion (hereinafter referred to as an unused protrusion) 12a for indicating that the ink cartridge 12 is unused is arranged at the mouth of the guide portion 12e of the concave portion for the positioning. (Not shown in the schematic view of the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 8, the flat surface 12ab of the convex portion at the highest part of the unused protrusion 12a is flush with the outer surface of the ink cartridge 12 so as not to protrude from the outer surface of the ink cartridge 12. This prevents the user from inadvertently bending the unused protrusions 12a with his / her finger or the like when loading it.
[0046]
Reference numeral 28 shown in FIG. 6 is a presence / absence detection switch of the ink cartridge 12 provided on the platen 9. Reference numeral 29 denotes a detection lever, which is rotatably supported around a rotation shaft 104 by a bearing 9f of the platen 9 as shown in FIG. 12, and when an unused ink cartridge 12 is loaded, Since the unused projection 12a has not yet been bent, the projection 29a of the detection lever 29 is pushed by the unused projection 12a, and is turned clockwise in FIG. 12 against the spring force of the movable contact piece 28a of the presence / absence detection switch. The movable contact 28a is separated from the fixed contact 28b, and the presence / absence detection switch is turned off.
[0047]
This state can be recognized by a main IC described later as a state in which the ink cartridge 12 is newly loaded.
[0048]
As shown in FIG. 9, the unused protrusion 12a is moved by the movement of the interlocking lever 27 and the pushing of the detection lever 29 as described above with the opening operation of the lid 19 for removing the ink cartridge 12. Is bent and plastically deformed, and is not restored. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9, the presence / absence detection switch 28 is turned on again when the movable contact 28a comes into contact with the fixed contact 28b. Therefore, when the ink in the ink cartridge 12 is depleted, the open / close lid 19 is fully opened, and even when the ink cartridge 12 is taken out, the ON state of the presence / absence detection switch 28 is continued. Even if the cartridge 12 is once taken out and loaded again, the presence / absence detection switch 28 does not turn off. Therefore, in this case, the ink remaining amount storage information (information on the absence of ink) of the printer is not reset, and also has a function of being distinguishable from an unused cartridge. Furthermore, as a matter of course, as shown in FIG. 9, even if the open / close lid 19 is once fully opened and the ink cartridge 12 that has run out of ink is not taken out as it is, the presence / absence detection switch 28 does not turn off. The main IC can detect that 12 has not been replaced. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ink cartridge 12, which has run out of ink, from being erroneously recognized as an unused cartridge, and to prevent inconvenience such as blurring of ink during printing.
[0049]
As shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 8, reference numeral 30 denotes a stopper member for preventing the ink cartridge 12 from coming off, and is attached to a substantially U-shaped leaf spring 31 as shown in FIG. The leaf spring 31 is set in a substantially U-shaped portion 9c of the platen 9. When the unused ink cartridge 12 is loaded into the loading portion, the stopper member 30 is pushed by the slope portion 12aa of the unused projection 12a, and the leaf spring 31 is bent accordingly. When the loading is completed, the stopper member 30 returns to the original position by the reaction force of the leaf spring 31. Then, even if the user attempts to remove the ink cartridge 12 in this state, the end 12ac of the unused projection 12a abuts against the stopper member 30 (not shown), and the ink cartridge 12 once loaded is inadvertently removed or dropped. Can be prevented.
[0050]
On the other hand, when the ink in the ink cartridge 12 is low and the replacement is performed, the detection lever 29 is pushed by the convex portion 27a of the interlocking lever 27 with the opening operation of the opening / closing lid 19 as shown in FIG. Since the unused projection 12a is bent or cut, the end portion 12ac which has hitherto abutted the stopper member 30 escapes, and the surface 12ab which has abutted the detection lever 29 abuts the stopper member 30 to deflect the leaf spring 31. Since it acts as a slanted surface, there is no problem in taking out the ink cartridge 12 even if the unused protrusion 12a is bent insufficiently. Further, when the unused projection 12a is cut by bending, there is nothing to come into contact with the stopper member 30, so that the ink cartridge 12 can be taken out.
[0051]
In the present embodiment, the ink cartridge 12 having a housing made of a resin molded product is used, but the material may be not only resin but also metal, and the bending of the unused protrusions 12a can be similarly performed. Needless to say, an appropriate material can be used. Further, instead of being configured integrally with the exterior of the ink cartridge 12, it may be configured by combining separate components.
[0052]
(Combination of platen and ink cartridge)
In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a motor for driving the paper feed roller, which switches the transmission path of the driving force by a mechanism described later and also drives the ink cartridge lift-up mechanism.
[0053]
In FIG. 5, reference numeral 6 denotes a hinge plate fixed to the printer main body P1, which is a member used to lift up the platen 9 together with the ink cartridge 12 as described later. Pins 7 and 10 protrude from the hinge plate 6, and are loosely fitted to portions 9a and 9b of the platen 9, respectively, and serve as rotation axes when the platen 9 is lifted up. Reference numerals 8 and 11 denote retaining washers which prevent the pins 7 and 10 from falling off, respectively.
[0054]
The platen 9 is a reference plate for pressing a sheet during printing to regulate the printing surface flat. As described above, in this example, the opening / closing lid 19 is fully opened, and the ink cartridge 12 is slid and loaded from the loading opening that opens. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the convex guide portions 9h and 9i serving as positioning references and the guide portions 12d and 12e of the concave portion of the ink cartridge 12 are fitted into each other, thereby ensuring the loaded state. Therefore, when the platen 9 is lifted up about the pins 7 and 10 as a rotation axis during ink supply as described later, the ink cartridge 12 is also lifted up integrally with the platen 9. Further, the platen 9 is provided with openings 9d and 9e for allowing ink ejected from the paper to pass through when printing on the entire surface of the paper (full bleed printing). The ink cartridge 12 is provided with openings 12c at positions corresponding to the openings 9d and 9e of the platen 9 when the ink cartridge 12 is completely loaded. Through the waste ink absorber provided in the ink cartridge 12.
[0055]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 8, a drain guide plate 16 is provided on the printer main body P1, and is supported by the printer main body P1 so as to be slidable in the same direction as the lid guide plate 13. As shown in FIG. 8, a spring 17 is stretched between the hook portion 16c of the drain guide plate 16 and the printer main body P1, and urges the opening / closing lid 19 in a direction to always open. Further, the interlocking portion 16a or 16b abuts on the interlocking portion 13a of the lid guide plate 13. As described above, reference numeral 18 denotes a rack gear fixed to the drain guide plate 16, and only the rack gear portion (only three teeth in FIG. 8) meshes with the toggle gear 25 by sliding movement of the drain guide plate 16, thereby rotating the toggle gear 25 by a predetermined amount. Let it.
[0056]
As shown in FIG. 8, the drain pipe 20 has a substantially L shape fixed to the drain guide plate 16, and one end thereof is connected to a cylinder pump 33 shown in FIG. When the ink cartridge 12 is loaded and the opening / closing lid 19 is closed, the other end is inserted into the waste ink absorber 23 of the ink cartridge 12 as shown in FIG. 8, and in this state, the waste ink can be discharged. is there.
[0057]
(Main scanning mechanism and print head)
In FIG. 5, reference numeral 35 denotes a lead screw, which is a member for reciprocally scanning and driving the carrier 40 in which the print head 68 is incorporated at the time of printing in a direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction (sub scanning direction). is there. Driving force is transmitted from the drive motor 41 to the screw gear (not shown) press-fitted to the shaft of the lead screw 35 from the drive motor 41 via the pinion gear G6 press-fitted to its shaft and an idler gear (not shown). By doing so, it is driven to rotate. The lead screw 35 and the carrier 40 are connected via a lead piece 112, and the lead piece 112 is fitted into the hole 40 e of the carrier 40, and is urged by the biasing spring 113 in the scanning direction of the carrier 40. The carrier 40 is reciprocally driven by the rotation of the lead screw 35 by partially engaging the groove of the lead screw 35. The lead piece 112 for the lead screw 35 is coupled to the lead screw 35 which is the third shaft because the carrier 40 reciprocates in this embodiment with the posture being regulated by the main shaft 42 and the guide shaft 46. What you need above.
[0058]
In the carrier 40 on which the print head 68 (see FIG. 12) is mounted, a bearing member in which a bearing pipe 44 and bearings 43 and 45 are integrated is fixedly provided as a fitting portion with the main shaft 42. As shown in FIG. 12, the carrier 40 is provided with tank portions 40b, 40c, and 40d for storing print ink, and inks such as yellow, magenta, and cyan are respectively injected at an appropriate timing during printing. Is done. Further, sponges 72, 73 and 74 for ink impregnation are accommodated inside the tank portions 40b, 40c and 40d, respectively. Further, as shown in FIG. 13, a resin lid 54 is adhered to each ink tank, and a suction port 40a (FIG. 11, FIG. 11) is provided via a film (hereinafter, referred to as a gas-liquid separation film) 55 for separating gas and liquid. The lid member 56 is set so that a gas flow path is formed in FIG. 12).
[0059]
The print head 68 has a row of ejection ports arranged in a direction different from the main scanning direction (for example, the sub-scanning direction), and the number of the ejection port rows is arranged in the main scanning direction in a number corresponding to the ink color to be used.
[0060]
As shown in FIG. 11, the ink supply needles 94, 95 and 96 are press-fitted into the carrier 40, respectively, so that independent flow paths are formed in the ink tanks 40b, 40c and 40d. Further, the positioning pins 97 and 98 have conical portions 97a and 98a at the tips, respectively. The conical portions 97a and 98a are set at positions lower than the tips of the ink supply needles. As described below, when the platen 9 and the ink cartridge 12 are lifted up, the positioning pins 97 and 98a are lifted up. The conical portions 97a and 98a at the tip of 98 are inserted and positioned with respect to 89e and 89d provided on the holding plate 89 before the ink supply needles 94, 95 and 96. As a result, the ink supply needles 94, 95, and 96 can be accurately inserted into the joint rubbers 91, 92, and 93, respectively.
[0061]
(Lift-up mechanism)
In the present embodiment, an intermittent supply method is used in which ink is supplied from an ink cartridge to the sub tanks 40b, 40c, and 40d communicating with the print head as needed. When the intermittent supply is performed, the ink cartridge 12 is lifted up and connected to the mechanism on the printer main body side as described above, so that an ink injection operation or the like to the tank portions 40b, 40c and 40d on the carrier 40 is performed. Is The lift-up mechanism will be described.
[0062]
In FIG. 4, reference numeral 57 denotes a lead screw for sliding a lift slider 58 for performing a lift-up operation. The lead screw 57 controls the driving force of the sheet feeding motor 1 (see FIG. 5) serving as a driving source for feeding the sheet P6. The rotation is performed by switching the power transmission path by a planetary gear mechanism as shown in FIG.
[0063]
First, the planetary gear mechanism will be described. In FIGS. 5 and 12, a pinion gear G9 is press-fitted into the shaft of the sheet feeding motor 1, and the power of the motor 1 is transmitted from the pinion gear G9 via reduction gears G10 and G11. And transmitted to the planetary gear G16 via the small gear G12a concentric with the sun gear G12, and also transmitted from the small gear G12a to the planetary gear G14 via the planetary gear G13. The planetary gear G16 is separated from the transmission gear G17 in the state of FIG. 12, and only idles. On the other hand, the planetary gear G14 coupled to the planetary gear G13 is in a state capable of transmitting power because it meshes with the transmission gear G15 attached to the lead screw 57.
[0064]
The planetary gears G16, G13, and G14 are rotatably supported by shafts provided on the rotating plate 100, respectively, so that the planetary gear G16 applies rotational friction between the sun gear 12 and the concentric rotating plate 100. The rotating plate 100 is rotated with a fixed friction in the same direction as the rotation direction of the sun gear G12. The rotating plate 100 is provided with a convex portion 100a so as to be rotatable between stopper pins P19 and P20 fixed to the printer main body P1. The rotating plate 100 is provided with a cam surface 100b. When the lever 102 provided at the end of the transport roller 78 is in contact with the stopper pin P21, the cam surface 100b comes into contact with the lever 102, and The clockwise rotation of the rotating plate 100 accompanying the clockwise rotation of the gear G12 is prevented from occurring. In the state of FIG. 12, the lead screw 57 is configured to be capable of both forward and reverse rotation by the motor 1. Here, the lever 102 is rotatably fitted to the transport roller 78. A friction spring (not shown) is provided between the gear supporting side plate P8 fixed to the printer main body P1 and the lever 102, and the lever 102 is connected to the stopper pin P21 when the transport roller 78 rotates counterclockwise. When the transport roller 78 rotates clockwise, the transport roller 78 abuts on the stopper pin P22. The stopper pins P21 and P22 are of course fixed to the printer body P1.
[0065]
The lift slider 58 is slidable in a direction parallel to the scan direction of the print head by the forward or reverse rotation of the lead screw 57 as described above. The lift slider 58 is provided with cam surfaces 58a and 58b for joining and separating the suction joint 48 shown in FIG. 5 with respect to the carrier 40 as shown in FIG. Further, the lift slider 58 is provided with a lift cam 58c for lifting up the platen 9, and a lift pin 9f fixed to the platen 9 is engaged with the lift cam 58c. Further, the lift slider 58 is provided with a cap cam 58d for attaching and detaching the suction cap 60 to and from the print head 68 attached to the carrier 40, and a cap holding plate 59 holding the suction cap 60 and the cap base 62 is provided. The engaging portion 59a is engaged.
[0066]
In response to the request, with the carriage moved to the position shown in FIG. 17, the lead screw 57 is rotated as described above, and the lift slider 9 is slid inward to lift the lift pin 9f fixed to the platen 9 as described above. The platen 9 moves along the lift cam 58c and rotates around the rotation shaft 7 of the platen 9, as shown in FIG. In this state, the ink supply needle 94 is inserted into the joint rubber 91, and the ink in the ink bag 88 can be intermittently supplied to the ink tank 40b of the carrier 40 through the chamber 90e of the joint case 90.
[0067]
(Wiper mechanism)
In FIG. 15, reference numeral 105 denotes a wiper ink absorber for temporarily absorbing waste ink adhered by the wiper blade 106 wiping the print head 68. The wiper ink absorber 105 is formed of a material such as sponge. The carrier 40 is provided so as to be located on substantially the same plane as the forming surface. The wiper blade 106 is formed of rubber or the like, is attached to the wiper holder 107, and moves vertically (FIG. 13) perpendicular to the scan direction of the carrier 40 (FIG. 13) and rotates (FIG. 16). And it is possible. That is, when the wiper blade 106 is at the raised position, the wiper blade 106 is engaged with the discharge port forming surface of the print head to perform the wiping operation (FIG. 15). When the wiper blade 106 is at the rotated position, the wiper ink absorbing pad 108 provided on the ink cartridge is used. The waste ink attached to the wiper blade 106 can be transmitted to the wiper ink absorbing pad 108 of the ink cartridge 12 (FIG. 16).
[0068]
The wiper ink absorbing pad 108 is vertically slidably held by a pad holder 109 formed of a leaf spring. When the ink cartridge 12 is lifted up, the wiper ink absorbing pad 105 provided on the carrier 40 It is possible to transmit the waste ink of the wiper ink absorber 105 to the wiper ink absorption pad 108 by being pressed by the spring force. It is needless to say that the wiper ink absorbing pad 108 has higher waste ink permeability than the wiper ink absorber 105.
[0069]
(Record)
The paper feed roller 80 shown in FIG. 4 is driven to convey the print paper P6 and set it at the print position. Then, while the carrier 40 is reciprocatingly driven between the positions shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, ink corresponding to the image data is ejected from the print head 68 onto the print paper P6 to perform printing. At this time, by printing the ink to the outside of both side edges P6a and P6b of the printing paper P6, the entire borderless printing (full bleed printing) is performed. At this time, the ink in the area protruding from the print paper P6 is collected by the waste ink absorber 23 arranged facing the opening 12c provided in the ink cartridge 12.
[0070]
(2) Embodiment of control system
An embodiment of a control system applicable to the above embodiment and aspects of control of the entire apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0071]
FIG. 20 shows a configuration example of the control system.
In FIG. 20, K101 is a sensor for determining the initial position of the carrier 40 at the time of printing, and K102 is a driver for controlling the inkjet print elements of each color of the print head 68. K103 is an encode sensor for specifying a print timing (ink ejection timing) corresponding to a main scanning position when the carrier 40 performs scanning (main scanning) during printing, and extends, for example, in the main scanning direction. An optical sensor that reads the arranged bar chart can be used.
[0072]
K104 is a sensor for confirming the initial position of the lift slider 58, and is used to recognize the position of the lift slider 58 when the planetary gear G14 and the transmission gear G15 mesh. K105 is a sensor for detecting the rotational movement of the paper feed roller 80 partially having the flat surface 80a, and is used to orient the flat surface 80a in the paper direction in order to reduce the transport load when the paper feeding is completed. K106 is a sensor for detecting the position of the sheet at the start of printing when the sheet is fed by the transport roller 78.
[0073]
K107 is a driver circuit for driving four drive motors provided in the apparatus in accordance with control signals from the main IC K120. K108 is a motor which is a drive source for driving the paper feed roller and the lift slider, and corresponds to the motor 1 described above. K109 is a motor for driving the transport roller and the discharge roller, and K110 is a motor for slidingly driving the piston of the cylinder pump 33. K111 is a motor for rotating the lead screw 35 to scan and move the carrier 40 (main scanning).
[0074]
K112 is a connector circuit conforming to the USB standard or the like, and accepts image data relating to printing from a device that supplies image data to the printer. That is, it is a circuit for inputting print image data from a personal computer or directly inputting a photographed image from a digital camera in order to perform printing. K113 is a power supply for controlling the power supplied from the power supply K114 configured by connecting four dry batteries in series as shown in FIG. 3 to a predetermined voltage and supplying the power to the driver circuit K107 and the main IC K120. Circuit.
[0075]
K115 is a main switch for turning on / off the power of the printer, K116 is an exchange switch operated when exchanging the ink cartridge 12, K117 is an existence switch of the ink cartridge 12, and K118 is on when the opening / closing lid 19 is fully opened. A lid full open switch, K119, is a lid closing completion switch that operates when the open / close lid 19 is closed.
[0076]
The main IC K120 supervises the entire print control while monitoring signals from the respective sensors, and stores fixed data such as a CPU for executing a processing procedure described later and a program corresponding to the control procedure. It is composed of a ROM, a RAM having a work area, an area for storing image data, an area for image processing, and the like.
[0077]
FIG. 21 shows an example of a control procedure by the control system of FIG. Hereinafter, this procedure will be described in relation to the operation of the apparatus of the above embodiment, but this procedure is not limited to this and can be applied to other embodiments described later.
[0078]
First, a normal print sequence will be described. Here, after the main switch is turned on, the printer generally receives a print start signal from an image data supply source connected to the printer via a USB or the like, and continues the operation. However, the processing of these print start signals or image input from a USB or the like can be performed by using a known technique, and thus is omitted here.
[0079]
First, the process proceeds from the start of step S101 to step S102, and waits until the main switch K115, which is the power supply of the printer, is turned on. When the main switch is turned on in step S102, it is determined in step S103 whether or not the replacement switch K116 of the ink cartridge 12 has been pressed. If a negative determination is made, the ink remaining in the ink cartridge 12 is determined in step S104. Check the quantity.
[0080]
The remaining ink amount check performed in step S104 is performed based on an ink remaining amount count reset to “full” when an unused ink cartridge 12 is loaded in step S142 described later. “Full” may be, for example, “100%”. The remaining amount of ink, which is set to “100%” when the unused ink cartridge is loaded, is stored in a non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM provided in the main IC K120, and every time printing is performed, printing is performed based on each color data. The used ink amount may be subtracted for each color, and the storage result of the EEPROM or the like in the main IC may be updated based on the subtraction result. The value stored while being updated can be set so that it is determined that there is no remaining ink when a predetermined criterion value, for example, 10% or less, is considered in consideration of an error in the remaining amount. Therefore, even if it is determined in step S104 that there is no remaining ink, printing is not necessarily impossible, and printing is possible without any problem if the image uses only a small amount of ink. However, in an image that uses a lot of ink (particularly in a dark image such as a night scene), the ink may run out during printing and the printed image may be blurred.
[0081]
When it is determined in step S104 that there is no remaining ink (for example, when the remaining amount has become 10% or less), the process proceeds to step S105, and an out-of-ink warning is turned on. For this purpose, it is possible to provide a dedicated LED or the like so that the LED is turned on. However, even without providing such a special display means, for example, an LED used for a pilot lamp of a power supply is changed from a lighting state to a blinking state. Can also be handled. Next, the process proceeds to step S106, and it is determined whether or not the remaining amount of ink is “0”. The fact that the ink remaining amount is "0" means that the ink cartridge 12 has not been removed in an exchange sequence of the ink cartridge 12 as will be described later, or the ink cartridge 12 has been removed but the unused ink cartridge 12 has not been loaded. This is the time when the remaining ink amount is set to “0” in the process of step S146 performed when the opening / closing lid 19 is closed.
[0082]
Even if the print image is blurred after the warning about the normal lack of ink, the ink remaining in all colors does not become "0", so there is no inconvenience in the sequence. After the process of step S146, there is no problem even if the remaining ink amount is set to "-100%". In any case, when it is determined in step S106 that the remaining ink amount is "0", this includes the case where the ink cartridge 12 is not loaded, so that the process returns to step S103 and does not proceed to step S107. ing. If the remaining amount of ink is not "0" in step S106, a warning is issued, but it is considered that a little ink is left. Therefore, a user who wants to print even if there is a possibility that blurring may occur. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S107 without prohibiting printing.
[0083]
In this case, or when there is an ink remaining amount equal to or greater than the determination reference value and an affirmative determination is made in step S104, the process proceeds to step S107 to wait for a print start signal to be input via the connector K112. When the input signal does not come within the predetermined time, the process returns to step S103. If the print start input signal is determined in step S107, a sequence of print preparation operation, print operation, and print end operation (steps S108 to S133) is executed. This sequence will be described briefly.
[0084]
That is, when the print start input signal is determined, the platen and the ink cartridge are lifted up to the positions shown in FIG. 19 (step S108), and the ink supply operation is executed (steps S109 and S110). When the operation is completed, the platen or the like is set to the position where the cap 60 caps the print head 68 (step S111), and the recovery operation is executed (steps S112 and S113). Subsequently, the platen or the like is set to the lowermost position shown in FIG. 17 (step S114), and the wiping operation as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 is executed (steps S116 to S118). These are the print preparation operations.
[0085]
Next, the paper feed roller 80 and the transport roller 78 are sequentially driven to feed and transport the paper 79 (steps S119 and S120), and the paper feed roller 80 is moved to a predetermined position (flat) in response to the detection of the paper (step S121). (Step S122). When the leading edge of the sheet reaches the print position of the print head 68, the conveyance is temporarily stopped (step S123). Thereafter, the main scanning of the carrier 4 and the conveyance of the sheet by a predetermined amount are performed until printing on the sheet is completed. Are repeated (steps S124 and S125), and the sheet is discharged (step S126). These are printing operations.
[0086]
Further, as a print end operation, wiping processing (steps S127 to S130) and capping processing (steps S131 and S132) are performed, and the print head 68 is set in a standby state capable of long-term storage, and the sequence ends (step S133).
[0087]
Next, a replacement sequence of the ink cartridge 12 will be described.
If it is determined in step S103 that the replacement switch K116 of the ink cartridge 12 has been pressed, the flow advances to step S134 to check the remaining ink amount. In this embodiment, the unused projection 12a is bent when the opening / closing lid 19 is opened so that the ink cartridge 12 once taken out cannot be used even if it is reloaded, but the ink remaining amount is still sufficient. In this case, the system is configured to prohibit the removal of the ink cartridge 12. Therefore, if it is determined in step S134 that the remaining amount of ink is, for example, 10% or more, the process returns to step S103 and shifts to a sequence in which a print operation can be performed. If it is determined in step S134 that there is a remaining amount of ink and the process proceeds to step S105, the user is unlikely to replace the ink cartridge 12 since the out-of-ink warning is not lit. Therefore, it is normal to press the replacement switch in step S103 after the out-of-ink warning is turned on in step S105, and it is determined in step S134 that there is no ink remaining in most cases. To step S135.
[0088]
The processing of steps S135 to S139 will be briefly described. That is, when it is determined in step S134 that there is no remaining ink, the platen and the like are set to the lowest position shown in FIG. 17 (step S135), and then the opening / closing lid is unlocked (step S136). It waits for the cartridge presence / absence switch to be turned on and for the lid full-open switch to be turned on (steps S137 and S138), and sets the lock pin reset position when the lid full-open switch is confirmed to be turned on (step S139).
[0089]
Then, at step S139, the lock pin 4 is reset to the position where the opening / closing lid 19 can be locked, so that it is determined whether or not the ink cartridge 12 having no remaining ink is taken out and the unused ink cartridge 12 is loaded. To detect. In response to the lid opening process, the unused projection 12a of the ink cartridge 12 that has been loaded and has no remaining ink has been bent. Therefore, in step S140, the presence / absence switch is turned off by the unused projection 12a. However, since the ON state is determined by the bending, the process proceeds to step S145. In step S145, it is detected whether or not the closing of the opening / closing lid 19 is completed. If the opening / closing lid 19 is not closed, the sequence of returning to step S140 is repeated.
[0090]
Normally, the ink cartridge 12 having no remaining ink is taken out (as described above, the unused protrusion 12a is bent so that the ink cartridge 12 is easily taken out without interference with the stopper member 30). Is loaded. In this case, since the unused projection 12a is not bent, the presence / absence switch is turned off, and when the loading is completed, the stopper member 30 interferes with the unused projection 12a, so that careless removal cannot be performed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an undesired operation such as removing the unused ink cartridge 12 after the sequence is advanced to step S141 only by loading the unused ink cartridge 12 once. That is, if it is determined that the unused ink cartridge 12 is loaded and the presence / absence switch is turned off in step S140, the process can proceed to step S141 without any problem.
[0091]
In step S141, similarly to step S145, it is detected whether or not the open / close lid 19 is completely closed. When the open / close lid 19 is closed, the lock pin 4 slides once and the contact 3b between the terminal 3 and the lock slider is detected. Are turned off, and when it is completely closed, it is turned on again, and the process proceeds to step S142.
[0092]
In step S142, since the unused ink cartridge 12 is loaded, the remaining ink amount is set to full (for example, 100%), the process proceeds to step S143, and the remaining ink amount warning is turned off (for example, LED blinking is displayed. In this case, the blinking display is switched to the normal lighting display), and the process proceeds to step S144. In the replacement of the ink cartridge 12, the platen 9 and the like are located at the positions shown in FIG. 17 and cannot be stored for a long period of time. To return.
[0093]
After the presence / absence switch is determined to be ON in step S140, the opening / closing lid 19 is closed in a state where the ink cartridge 12 having no remaining ink amount is not taken out or the unused ink cartridge 12 is not loaded after the taking out. If the inconvenient operation is performed, the process proceeds to step S146 via the determination of step S145, sets the ink remaining amount count to "0" or "-100%", and stores the contents stored in the EEPROM or the like of the main IC. After setting to a state in which reprinting cannot be performed by rewriting, the process proceeds to step S144, where the platen 9 is set in a standby state, and the process returns to step S103.
[0094]
(3) Other
In the above embodiment, the ink cartridge 12 is slid and mounted on the platen 9 in the same direction as the direction in which the print head is scanned during printing. However, the mounting direction is not limited to this. The ink cartridge 12 may be loaded from a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the head 68, that is, from the bottom side of the printer or the like, and it goes without saying that the same effect as described above can be obtained.
[0095]
In the above example, the unused protrusions 12a of the ink cartridge 12 are bent by moving the opening / closing lid 19 in the opening direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the position of the drive pin 25a of the toggle gear 25 is rotated. By changing the phase by 180 degrees with respect to the axis P12, the unused protrusion 12a may be bent by the movement of the opening / closing lid 19 in the closing direction, and it goes without saying that the same effect as described above can be obtained. No.
[0096]
Furthermore, in the above example, the loading history that permits the loading only once based on the presence or absence of the bending of the unused protrusions 12a of the ink cartridge 12 is stored. However, the configuration of such an irreversible mechanical mechanism is not limited to bending, but may be various. It can be. Further, the present invention is not limited to such a mechanical configuration. For example, a fuse that can be blown at a very low voltage is set in the ink cartridge 12, and when the loading history is not stored, this fuse is in a conductive state and the presence / absence detection is performed. On the other hand, when the ink cartridge 12 is taken out, the fuse is blown by applying a voltage equal to or higher than a certain value to fuse the fuse to make a loading history. Alternatively, the same effect as described above can be obtained.
[0097]
According to each of the embodiments described above, it is possible to realize an ink cartridge that can contribute to miniaturization of a small-sized ink cartridge and, consequently, an inkjet printer using the same.
[0098]
According to the present invention, by disposing the first and second absorbers at appropriate positions sandwiching the supply joint, it is possible to collect ink that adheres to or leaks from the supply joint due to the intermittent supply operation. It becomes possible.
[0099]
That is, according to the present invention, at least one ink bag containing ink to be supplied to an ink cartridge, for example, a print head, and an ink bag connected to the ink bag and connected to the printer side in a timely manner to supply ink. An ink cartridge having a joint portion, an absorber as a first receiving member that absorbs ink ejected outside the paper during printing, and an wiper forming an ejection port of a print head. A printer in which an ink cartridge is loaded by providing an absorber (wiper ink absorber) as a second receiving member that absorbs and removes waste ink generated by an operation of wiping ink or the like remaining on the surface. There is no need to secure a storage area for waste ink on the side, which significantly improves printer space efficiency. Greatly it will be able to reduce the size of the printer.
[0100]
Here, the protruding ink absorber and the wiper ink absorber are configured to be exposed in the same direction as the joint direction of the joint portion, whereby a printer that loads an ink cartridge directly below the print head can be configured, Since the ink supply can be performed by directly connecting the ink cartridge joint to the print head, the efficiency of ink supply is greatly improved, and the ink that protrudes when printing from the print head can be received directly by the ink cartridge. It becomes possible. Therefore, it is possible to realize not only simplification or downsizing of the printer configuration, but also to lower the cost, and further, it is possible to greatly reduce occurrence of troubles and the like.
[0101]
In addition, by arranging the wiper ink absorber, the joint part, and the protruding ink absorber in this order from the end face of the ink cartridge, it is possible to directly receive the protruding ink from the paper at the time of printing with the absorber. This eliminates the need for a waste ink forced drain mechanism used in inkjet printers, which simplifies or downsizes the printer configuration, reduces costs, and greatly reduces the occurrence of failures. .
[0102]
Further, by providing a joint portion of waste ink generated by the recovery operation in a direction orthogonal to the opening direction of the joint portion, a joint of a forced drain of the recovery operation is performed for supplying ink to the print head. It is not necessary to insert and remove each time the operation is performed (a lift-up operation in the embodiment), and the joint of the forced drain can be always inserted while the ink cartridge is loaded. It is not necessary to consider leakage due to temperature change of the waste ink.
[0103]
In addition, the ink supply joint portion is provided with a pair of holes for positioning at the time of the joint, so that the ink supply coupling members on the printer and the ink cartridge side (in the embodiment, the ink supply needles set on the print head, respectively) And the alignment of the joint rubber of the ink cartridge) can be performed at the same position with good repeatability, so that the joint position shifts with each print of the ink supply operation and the coupling member (joint rubber, etc.) is deformed to cause ink leakage. Such inconvenience can be prevented. Here, in a case where at least three ink supply joints (for example, three joints corresponding to yellow, magenta, and cyan) corresponding to the type of ink to be used, such as color and density, are provided, positioning holes are formed in each joint. By arranging them between them to form a pair of joints, the distance between the joints is set wide, color mixing at the joints is eliminated, the positional accuracy is improved, and the ink supply coupling members on the printer and the ink cartridge side are formed. Durability can also be significantly improved.
[0104]
In addition, the wiper ink absorber is elastically held so as to be able to advance and retreat in the joint direction, so that the wiper ink can be absorbed not only when the ink cartridge is joined to the print head but also at a standby position or a recovery position where the lift amount of the ink cartridge differs. The body can be connected to the wiper ink holding member of the print head, and the waste ink can be more reliably absorbed.
[0105]
Furthermore, the protruding ink absorber and the ink bag are configured in such a manner that the absorber is placed in an upper portion from the opening in the same direction as the joint direction, and the ink bag is placed in the lower portion in such an order that the ink bag is located. The largest area can be secured for the element. Therefore, since the absorber can be stored as a thin sheet, the manufacturing can be simplified, the cost can be reduced, and the waste ink can be easily diffused to the entire surface of the absorber, so that ink leakage can be more effectively prevented. it can.
[0106]
In addition, by providing a concave loading guide groove on a pair of exterior surfaces orthogonal to the joint direction of the joint portion, the length of the holding portion when lifting up the ink cartridge is sufficient, and the ink cartridge It is not necessary to reinforce the exterior of the machine more than necessary. Also, since the area of the ink cartridge loading opening / closing lid on the printer side can be reduced, the degree of freedom in designing the printer is greatly improved.
[0107]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in the case where the intermittent supply method is employed, it may be caused by the attachment / detachment of the ink supply joint on the storage section side and the ink supply source side of the print head, or as described above. An absorber (receiving member) for receiving waste ink generated by wiping in order to receive assumed adhesion or leakage ink, and ejected from the end of the recording medium when performing full-surface layout printing The absorber (receiving member) that receives the waste ink can be effectively used.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIGS. 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view taken along line IB-IB, respectively, showing the general configuration of an ink cartridge to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the ink cartridge of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a printing mechanism of the printer according to the first embodiment in a section taken along a print medium transport direction.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view showing a printing mechanism in the printer of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a plan view for explaining a mounting portion of an ink cartridge in the printer according to the first embodiment with some of the components shown in FIG. 5 removed.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the print mechanism of FIG.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of a printing mechanism in order to explain the ink cartridge replacement operation in the first embodiment in more detail.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of a printing mechanism in order to explain the ink cartridge replacement operation in the first embodiment in more detail.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of a print mechanism in order to explain the ink cartridge replacement operation in the first embodiment in more detail.
FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view showing the printing mechanism from a cross section along the print medium transport direction for describing a configuration of an ink supply unit and the like in the printing mechanism of the printer according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of the printing mechanism from a cross section along the carrier scanning direction for explaining the configuration of an ink cartridge loading unit and a transmission mechanism for lifting up the ink cartridge in the printing mechanism. .
FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of a cross section in a direction along a direction in which a carrier scans during printing.
FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of a cross section along a direction in which a carrier scans during printing.
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of cleaning a print head and cleaning a wiper.
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of cleaning a print head and cleaning a wiper.
FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a printing mechanism from a cross-section along a carrier scanning direction, for explaining loading of an ink cartridge and the like.
FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the printer in which a mechanism for lifting up a platen and a media pack around a rotation axis of the platen is enlarged.
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the printer showing a state in which the platen and the media pack are lifted up about the rotation axis of the platen.
FIG. 20 is a block diagram for explaining an embodiment of a control system applicable to the printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control procedure by the control system in FIG. 20;
[Explanation of symbols]
P1 Printer body
9 Platen
12 Ink cartridge
12a Unused projection
12b Drain hole
12c opening
19 Opening / closing lid
20 drain pipe
23 Waste ink absorber
40 career
57 Lead Screw
58 Lift Slider
60 Suction cap
68 print head
77 Paper ejection roller
78 Transport roller
79 print paper
80 Paper feed roller
86,87,88 Ink bag
89 Holding plate
91,92,93 Joint rubber
94,95,96 Ink supply needle
97,98 Positioning pin
106 Wiper
108 wiper ink absorption pad
109 pad holder

Claims (7)

It can be loaded into an ink jet printer that prints on a print medium using a print head capable of discharging ink, and has a supply joint portion connected to the print head as needed for the print head, and supplies ink to be supplied. A cartridge having an ink storage section for storing,
A first receiving unit that receives ink that is ejected from the print medium by the print head,
A second receiving portion provided in the ink jet printer and receiving waste ink generated by the wiping operation of the wiper for wiping ink remaining on the ejection port forming surface of the print head, in contact with the wiper; With
A cartridge, wherein the first and second receiving portions are arranged with a supply joint portion interposed therebetween. 2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said first and second receiving portions are arranged close to or in contact with said supply joint portion. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second receiving portion, the joint portion, and the first receiving portion are sequentially arranged from one end face. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion are exposed in the same direction as a joint direction of an ink supply joint for supplying the ink. A cartridge according to claim 1. The first receiving portion and the ink storage portion are overlapped from the exposed portion in such an order that the first receiving portion becomes an upper portion and the ink bag is positioned below the first receiving portion. The ink cartridge according to claim 4, wherein The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the first and second receiving portions are formed of an absorber. 2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the first and second receiving portions include a capillary passage and an absorber disposed near an end of the capillary passage. 3.

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