JP2004188630A - Liquid ejection cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid ejection cartridge having a residual liquid amount-detecting means for detecting ink end exactly. <P>SOLUTION: The liquid ejection cartridge has a coloring area spreading by sucking ink and that coloring area is colored with inks of respective colors depending on the ratio of inks being used in printing or recovery work. Immediately before ink in an ink tank ends, the coloring area spreads up to a prescribed position and absence of ink in the ink tank is detected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liquid ejection recording apparatus and a liquid container for ejecting a liquid to perform recording on a recording medium, and more particularly to a liquid remaining amount discrimination when a remaining amount of a recording liquid in a liquid container becomes small. The present invention relates to a liquid ejection recording apparatus having a means and a liquid container.
[0002]
Also, the present invention provides a facsimile having a printer, a copying machine, a communication system, and a word processor having a printer unit, which performs recording on a recording medium such as paper, thread, fiber, cloth, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, ceramics and the like. The present invention is applicable to an industrial recording apparatus combined with an apparatus such as the above, and various processing apparatuses.
[0003]
In the present invention, “recording” means not only giving an image having a meaning such as a character or a figure to a recording medium, but also giving an image having no meaning such as a pattern. .
[0004]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink generally includes a recording unit, an ink tank, a conveying unit that conveys a recording medium, and a control unit that controls these units. Here, if the remaining amount of the ink in the ink tank is less than a predetermined amount, the ink supply to the recording head becomes insufficient, and there is a possibility that an ejection failure may occur. Therefore, an apparatus for detecting the remaining amount of ink in an ink container or the presence or absence of ink is known.
[0005]
As a device for detecting the remaining amount of ink in an ink tank containing ink, an electrode is provided in the ink tank, and an electric conductivity between the electrodes is measured, an ink is optically detected in the ink tank, and A device that counts ejected ink droplets is known. In general, the method using an electrode complicates the structure of the ink tank itself, so that a means for counting ink droplets and a means for optically detecting the remaining amount of ink are often employed. .
[0006]
As such a remaining amount detecting device, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-112907, as a method for detecting the remaining amount of ink in a tank having a negative pressure generating member such as an absorber or a foam material, a transparent ink is used. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known an ink jet recording apparatus that transmits detection light through a part of an ink tank wall surface and detects a change in light reflectance at a boundary portion between the wall surface and a negative pressure generating member.
[0007]
Further, as disclosed in JP-A-59-194853, there is one that counts the number of ejection pulses.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, among the above-mentioned prior arts, those which optically detect the remaining amount of ink, because the color of the ink soaks into the negative pressure generating member itself, has an external appearance in an area where usable ink exists and an area where no usable ink exists. There is no significant difference in the color. In order to identify such a small color, an optical sensor or the like becomes very large and expensive. In addition, erroneous detection may occur due to variations in the machining accuracy of the tank wall.
[0009]
As for the method of counting ink droplets, there are a method of automatically resetting the count by replacing the ink tank and a method of resetting the count by the user himself. In the case of the automatic reset of the count, the automatic reset may be performed even when the used ink tank is removed. When the user resets the count, the user may forget to reset the count.
[0010]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a liquid ejection head and a liquid ejection apparatus including a liquid remaining amount determination unit that reliably detects the end of ink. To provide.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, according to the present invention, in a liquid ejection cartridge having a liquid storage section that stores a liquid and has a liquid absorption section that absorbs the liquid outside the liquid storage head and a liquid discharge head that discharges the liquid, A liquid ejection cartridge, wherein the liquid absorbing section absorbs an amount of the liquid corresponding to an amount of the liquid flowing out.
[0012]
Further, immediately before the liquid in the liquid storage section flows out and disappears, the liquid absorbed by the liquid absorption section reaches a predetermined area in the liquid absorption section.
[0013]
In addition, a system is provided that detects that the liquid absorbed by the liquid absorbing section has reached a predetermined area.
[0014]
Further, the system uses an optical sensor.
[0015]
Further, the system uses a magnetic sensor.
[0016]
Further, the liquid storage section is detachable from the liquid ejection cartridge.
[0017]
Further, the liquid is ejected from the liquid ejection head, adheres to a part of a liquid ejection device equipped with the liquid ejection cartridge, and is transferred to the liquid absorbing section.
[0018]
Further, the liquid is colored.
[0019]
Further, when the liquid absorbed by the liquid absorbing section reaches a predetermined area, a notation appears on the liquid absorbing section.
[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0021]
FIG. 1 shows an ink jet cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ink jet cartridge 100 has a head unit 101 and further has an ink tank 102 mounted thereon. The ink tank 102 is provided with a detection paper 103 on which ink is absorbed and colored. The ink jet cartridge 100 discharges ink of each color, and applies ink corresponding to the ratio of the discharged ink amount to the detection paper 103 of each ink tank 102. Immediately before the ink in the ink tank 102 runs out, the ink on the detection paper 103 forms a colored area 105, spreads while spreading, and reaches the empty line 104. Further, the state where ink is applied to the empty line 104 is confirmed by the optical sensor 105. In the detection paper 103, the color difference between the colored area 105 and the non-colored area is clear, and the optical sensor can be simplified.
[0022]
FIG. 2 shows an ink tank according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a schematic perspective view in which the supply port 107 for observing the ink in the ink tank 102 to the head unit 101 can be observed. Reference numeral 108 denotes a transfer area where desired ink is transferred to the detection paper 103. FIG. 2B is a schematic perspective view in which the empty line 104 can be observed. The ink transferred in the transfer area 108 travels on the detection paper 103 and reaches the empty line 104. At that time, an optical sensor included in the ink jet printer main body (not shown) detects that the ink in the ink tank 102 is empty and notifies the user. When the empty ink tank 102 is removed from the ink jet cartridge 100, it can be visually confirmed that the ink on the detection paper 103 has reached the empty line 104. Erroneous mounting such as mounting can be prevented.
[0023]
Also, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to further clarify that the ink in the ink tank 102 has been emptied, characters such as characters are displayed just before the ink on the detection paper 103 reaches the empty line 104. A configuration in which 109 appears may be used.
[0024]
FIG. 4 shows a flow in which ink is transferred to the detection paper 103 after the inkjet printer performs normal printing. FIG. 4A shows a state in which ink droplets 111 are printed on paper 110 in the ink jet printer. The ink amount of each color used at this time is recorded in a memory in the ink jet printer or the ink jet cartridge 100. FIG. 4B shows a state in which a recovery operation is performed by the recovery system 112 to return an ink ejection failure or the like to a normal state. The ink amount of each color used at this time is also recorded in a memory in the ink jet printer or the ink jet cartridge 100. In FIG. 4C, the transfer table 113 for transferring the ink to the transfer area 108 of the ink tank 102 is provided with the ink corresponding to the ratio of the ink amount of each color recorded in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Dispense volume. The transfer table 113 must have at least a material that does not absorb ink on its surface. FIG. 4D shows a state in which the ink on the transfer table 113 is being transferred to the transfer area 108 of the detection paper 103. FIG. 4E shows a state where the ink transfer to the detection paper 103 has been completed. The colored area 105 of the detection paper 103 is spread in accordance with the used ink.
[0025]
In the present embodiment, the presence / absence of ink is detected by the optical sensor. However, other sensors or visual confirmation may be used.
[0026]
In the present embodiment, an opening for gas-liquid exchange is not shown, but it is of course easy to provide the ink tank 102 with the ink tank 102 as needed.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, even when an ink tank using a certain amount of ink is used again, it is possible to easily and accurately detect the presence / absence of ink without a user having to perform a reset operation or the like. A stable ink jet cartridge and ink tank can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of an ink jet cartridge according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of an ink tank according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing another example of the ink tank according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic flow chart showing an example of a series of operations in the ink jet cartridge according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Inkjet cartridge 101 Head unit 102 Ink tank 103 Detection paper 104 Empty line 105 Colored area 106 Optical sensor 107 Supply port 108 Transfer area 109 Display 110 Paper 111 Ink drop 112 Recovery system 113 Transfer stand

Claims (9)

A liquid storage unit that stores a liquid and has a liquid absorption unit that absorbs the liquid outside the liquid storage unit,
A liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid,
In a liquid ejection cartridge having
A liquid ejection cartridge, wherein the liquid absorbing section absorbs an amount of the liquid corresponding to an amount of the liquid flowing out of the liquid storage section. 2. The liquid ejection cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the liquid absorbed by the liquid absorbing section reaches a predetermined area in the liquid absorbing section immediately before the liquid in the liquid storing section flows out and disappears. . 3. The liquid ejection cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a system that detects that the liquid absorbed by the liquid absorbing section has reached a predetermined area. 4. The liquid ejection cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the system uses an optical sensor. The liquid ejection cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the system uses a magnetic sensor. The liquid ejection cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the liquid storage unit is detachable from the liquid ejection cartridge. The liquid according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is ejected from the liquid ejection head, adheres to a part of a liquid ejection device equipped with the liquid ejection cartridge, and is transferred to the liquid absorbing unit. A liquid ejection cartridge according to any one of the above. The liquid ejection cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is colored. The liquid ejection cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the liquid absorbed by the liquid absorbing section reaches a predetermined area, a notation appears on the liquid absorbing section.

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