JP2004504968A - Ink cartridge having ink reservoir and pellet - Google Patents

Abstract

Ink cartridge (12) includes a container (58) defining at least one reservoir (60) in which ink is receivable. An end molding (70) is arranged at a first end of the container. The molding is breached by a mating formation (74) of a printhead. A seal arrangement is arranged at the other end of the container (58). The seal arrangement (66) comprises an end cap (62) and a pellet (68) of gelatinous or hydrophobic, moldable material received in each reservoir (60). The pellet (68) is of a consistency which retains its shape as it is drawn towards the first end of the container as ink is withdrawn from the container, in use.

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ink cartridge. More particularly, the invention relates to an ink cartridge that forms part of a print cartridge that can be used with an instant print digital camera.
[0002]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Digital cameras are becoming increasingly popular with consumers for recording images. However, there are problems with such digital cameras. That is, in order to obtain a hard copy of a print of an image, it is necessary to connect a digital camera to a computer and print the print. Applicants filed July 10, 1998 and propose a replaceable cartridge for such a digital camera, "Ink and media cartridge with axial ink reservoirs." And its co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 112,783.
[0003]
Digital cameras use page-width printheads. Here, the term "page width" refers to the print head moving one line at a time on the print medium as the print medium passes over the print head without the print head crossing the print medium or forming a constant trajectory. Means printing.
[0004]
The cartridge previously disclosed in applicant's co-pending U.S. application uses an ink cartridge in which the reservoir has a sponge that absorbs ink.
[0005]
It is proposed here to provide an ink cartridge in which the reservoir contains only ink. That is, the ink is not absorbed by the sponge, but is merely charged into the ink reservoir itself. While the ink is stored in the reservoir of the ink cartridge, it is necessary to prevent the ink from drying and prevent the ink from being contaminated.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, there is provided an ink cartridge, wherein the ink cartridge comprises:
A container defining at least one reservoir capable of receiving ink;
An end molding provided at a first end of the container, the end being ruptured in use by a corresponding formation of the printhead to facilitate ink flow from the container to the printhead. Molded articles,
A seal member provided at an opposite end of the container, comprising a pellet of a hydrophobic moldable material received in the at least one reservoir, wherein the pellet has ink drawn from the container. A sealing member having a viscosity capable of maintaining its shape when the pellets are sucked into the first end of the container when the pellet is sucked;
including.
[0007]
The printhead used with the ink cartridge may be a multi-color printhead. Therefore, the container of the ink cartridge may form a plurality of reservoirs, each reservoir may contain a different type of ink, and the seal member may include one pellet for each reservoir.
[0008]
The end molding may comprise a member made of an elastomeric material that can be pierced by the corresponding formation so that ink can flow through the printhead. This member may have hydrophobicity.
[0009]
Each pellet may be capable of sliding relative to its corresponding reservoir by self-lubrication. The moldable material may be a gel material.
[0010]
The gel material is a compound of a hydrocarbon and a polymer that can be inserted into each reservoir in a smooth state when heated, and may be set to a predetermined gel viscosity when cooled.
[0011]
The polymer may be a copolymer or a thermoplastic rubber.
[0012]
The hydrocarbon may be a mineral oil, especially a white mineral oil.
The end of each reservoir having a sealing member may be closed by an end cap. The end cap is formed to maintain atmospheric pressure between the seal member and the end cap, so that as the ink is withdrawn from the container, the pellets are easily moved to the first end of the container. You can move. For this purpose, the end cap may have a plurality of openings in fluid communication with each reservoir.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0014]
In the drawing, reference numeral 10 indicates a print cartridge. The print cartridge 10 has an ink cartridge 12 according to the present invention.
[0015]
The print cartridge 10 has a housing 14. As clearly shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the housing 14 is formed by an upper molding 16 and a lower molding 18. The molded products 16 and 18 are sandwiched by clips 20. The housing 14 is covered by a label 22 that gives the cartridge 10 an interesting appearance. Label 22 also carries information that allows a user to use cartridge 10.
[0016]
Housing 14 defines a chamber 24 in which ink cartridge 12 is received. The ink cartridge 12 is fixedly supported in a chamber 24 of the housing 14.
[0017]
A quantity of print media 26 having a roll of film / media 34 wound about a molding 28 is received in the chamber 24 of the housing 14. The molded body 28 is slidably received on the ink cartridge 12 and can rotate with respect to the ink cartridge.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, when the upper molding 16 and the lower molding 18 are clamped together, an exit slot 32 is defined through which the tongue of the paper 34 is discharged.
[0019]
The cartridge 10 has a roller assembly 36 that removes curl of the paper 34 and feeds the paper 34 through the slot 32 when the paper 34 is fed from the roll 30. The roller assembly 36 has a driving roller 38 and two driven rollers 40. The driven roller 40 is rotatably supported in a rib 42, and the rib 42 stands on a bottom surface 44 of the lower molded product 18 of the housing 14. Rollers 40, together with drive rollers 38, provide positive traction to paper 34 as paper 34 is ejected from housing 14 to control the speed and position of the paper. Roller 40 is an injection molded article of a suitable synthetic plastic material such as polystyrene. In this regard, the upper molded article 16 and the lower molded article 18 are also injection molded articles of a suitable synthetic plastic material such as polystyrene.
[0020]
The drive roller 38 has a drive shaft 46 which is formed between a pair of recesses 48, 50 formed on respective side walls of the upper molded product 16 and the lower molded product 18 of the housing 14. It is held rotatably. The opposite end 52 of the drive roller 38 is rotatably held within the upper molding 16 and the lower molding 18 of the housing 14 in a suitable configuration (not shown).
[0021]
The drive roller 38 is a two-shot injection molded article comprising a shaft 46 made of high impact polystyrene and formed by bearing means in the form of an elastomeric or rubber roller portion 54. These rollers 54 actively engage with the paper 34 when the paper 34 is supplied from the cartridge 10 to prevent the paper 34 from slipping.
[0022]
The end of the roller 38 protruding from the housing 14 has an engaging body 56 (FIG. 1) in a cross arrangement. This engages with a toothed drive interface (not shown) of a printhead assembly of a device, such as a camera, to which the print cartridge 10 is mounted. According to such a configuration, the ink can be accurately recorded on the paper 34 by synchronizing the supply speed of the paper 34 to the print head with the printing by the print head.
[0023]
The ink cartridge 12 has a container 58 in the form of a perfect cylinder extruded product. The container 58 is extruded from a suitable synthetic plastic material such as polystyrene.
[0024]
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the printhead used with print cartridge 10 is a multi-color printhead. Thus, the container 58 is divided into a plurality, especially four, compartments or reservoirs 60. Each reservoir 60 contains a different color, ie, a different type of ink. In one embodiment, the ink contained in the reservoir 60 is cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink. In another embodiment of the present invention, three different color inks, such as cyan, magenta, and yellow inks, are contained in three reservoirs 60, and the fourth ink is only visible in the infrared spectrum. In the reservoir 60.
[0025]
As clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, one end of the container 58 is closed by an end cap 62. A plurality of openings 64 are formed inside the end cap 62. One opening 64 is associated with each reservoir 60, whereby the interior of the reservoir 60 is maintained at atmospheric pressure at the end of the container 58 having the end cap 62.
[0026]
A sealing member 66 is received in the container 58 at the end having the end cap 62. The sealing member 66 includes a quadrant-shaped pellet 68 made of a gel-like material slidably received in each reservoir 60. The gel material of the pellet 68 is a compound composed of a thermoplastic rubber and a hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbons are white mineral oils. Thermoplastic rubber is a copolymer that imparts sufficient rigidity to mineral oil so that the pellets 68 can maintain their shape at normal operating temperatures (operating temperatures) and at the same time, in their corresponding reservoirs 60. You can slide with. Suitable thermoplastic rubbers are commercially available from Shell Chemical Company under the trademark "Kraton". The copolymer is present in the compound in an amount sufficient to give each pellet 68 a gel-like viscosity. Generally, the copolymer is present at about 3% to 20% by weight, depending on the type used.
[0027]
In use, the compound is heated and the compound becomes a fluid. If the compound can be set to form pellets 68 as each reservoir 60 is filled with that particular type of ink, the compound will flow into each reservoir 60 in a molten state. When ink is withdrawn from the reservoir 60 due to the atmospheric pressure at the rear of the pellet 68, i.e., the pressure at the end of the pellet 68 facing the end cap 62, the self-lubricating pellet 68 is moved to the opposite end of the container 58. Slide to the part. The pellets 68 prevent the ink from coming out of the container and becoming empty when inverted, prevent contamination of the ink in the reservoir 60, and prevent the ink in the reservoir 60 from drying. The pellet 68 is hydrophobic and prevents the ink from leaking from the reservoir 60.
[0028]
The opposite end of the container 58 is closed by an ink color molding 70. Baffle 72 supported on molding 70 receives elastomeric seal molding 74. A seal curtain 76 is defined in the hydrophobic elastomer molded product 74. Each seal curtain 76 has a slit 78 that allows mating pins (not shown) from the printhead assembly to be inserted through the slit 78 and into fluid communication with the reservoir 60 of the container 58. Can be. A hollow boss 80 protrudes from the opposite side of the ink color molded product 70. Each boss 80 is formed to fit tightly into a corresponding reservoir 60 so that an ink color molded article can be placed at the end of the container 58.
[0029]
Returning to FIG. 3 of the drawings, the ink color molding 70 is held in place by a carrier molding, or bottom plate molding 82. A window 84 in the form of a four-leaf clover is defined in the bottom plate molding 82, through which the elastomeric seal molding 74 can be accessed. The bottom plate molded product 84 is sandwiched between the upper molded product 16 and the lower molded product 18 of the housing 14. The bottom plate molding 84 and the webs 86, 88 extending from the inner surfaces of the upper molding 16 and the lower molding 18 of the housing 14, respectively, define a compartment 90. An air filter 92 is received in the compartment 90, and the air filter 92 is held at a predetermined position by an end molded product 84. Air filter 92 cooperates with the printhead assembly. Air is blown across the nozzle guard of the printhead assembly to clean the nozzle guard. This air is filtered by being sucked through an air filter 92 by a pin (not shown) received in an inlet opening 94 of the bottom plate molded article 82.
[0030]
FIG. 5 of the drawings shows the air filter 92 in detail. The air filter 92 has a filter medium 102. The filter media 102 is of a synthetic fiber type and is formed in a fluted form to increase the surface area available for filtering. Instead of paper filter media 102, other fiber bats (cores) can be used.
[0031]
Filter media 102 is received in a closed container 104. The closed container 104 has a base molded product 106 and a lid 108. The closed container 104 is formed in a partial ring shape, that is, in a horseshoe shape so that it can be accommodated in the compartment 90 of the housing 14. That is, the closed container 104 has a pair of opposed ends 110. Each end 110 defines an air inlet opening 112.
[0032]
An air outlet opening 114 is formed in the lid 108. The air outlet opening is initially closed by a film or membrane 116. When the filter 92 is mounted at a predetermined position in the compartment 90, the air outlet opening 114 faces the opening 94 of the bottom plate molded product 82. Pins from the printhead assembly pierce the film 116 and draw air from the atmosphere through the air filter 92 before air is blown across the printhead and nozzle guard of the printhead assembly.
[0033]
The base molded article 104 has positioning molded bodies 118 and 120 for positioning the filter medium 102 at a predetermined position of the closed container 104. The positioning molded body 118 includes a plurality of pins 122. On the other hand, the positioning molded body 120 includes a rib that engages with the end 124 of the filter medium 102.
[0034]
Once the filter media 102 is in place within the base molding 106, the lid 108 is secured to the base molding 106 by ultrasonic welding or similar means of sealing the lid 108 to the base molding 106. .
[0035]
When the print cartridge 10 is assembled, a thin film or film 96 is attached to the outer end of the bottom plate molded product 82, and the window 84 is closed. This thin film or film 96 is pierced or ruptured by a pin for use. The film 96 prevents debris from entering the ink reservoir 60.
[0036]
An authentication means in the form of an authentication chip 98 is received in the opening 100 of the bottom plate molded article 82. The authentication chip 98 is queried by the printhead assembly to verify that the print cartridge 10 is compatible and compliant with the printhead assembly of the device.
[0037]
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, numerous modifications and improvements can be made to the present invention as set forth in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as broadly described. Therefore, the above embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG.
1 shows a perspective view of a print cartridge according to the present invention.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of a print cartridge.
FIG. 3
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the print cartridge.
FIG. 4
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an ink cartridge molding unit of the print cartridge.
FIG. 5
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an air filter of the print cartridge.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 print cartridge 12 ink cartridge 14 housing 24 chamber 26 print medium 38 drive roller 40 driven roller 58 container 60 reservoir 62 end cap 66 sealing member 82 bottom plate molded product (carrier)
92 Air filter

Claims (10)

An ink cartridge,
A container defining at least one reservoir capable of receiving ink;
A bottom plate molded article provided at a first end of the container, the bottom plate molded article being torn in use by a corresponding formation of a print head to facilitate ink flow from the container to the print head. When,
A seal member provided at an opposite end of the container, comprising a pellet of a hydrophobic moldable material received in the at least one reservoir, wherein the pellet has ink drawn from the container. A sealing member having a viscosity capable of maintaining its shape when the pellets are sucked into the first end of the container;
Ink cartridge containing. The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein the container defines a plurality of reservoirs, each reservoir containing a different type of ink, and wherein the seal member comprises one pellet for each reservoir. The ink cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bottom plate molding comprises a member made of an elastomeric material piercable by the corresponding formation to allow ink to flow through a printhead. The ink cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the member has hydrophobicity. 2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the gel-like material can slide with respect to the at least one reservoir by self-lubrication. The ink cartridge according to claim 5, wherein the moldable material is a gel material. The ink according to claim 6, wherein the gel material is a compound of a hydrocarbon and a polymer that can be inserted into the at least one reservoir in a smooth state when heated, and can be set to a predetermined gel viscosity when cooled. cartridge. The ink cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic rubber. The ink cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the hydrocarbon is a mineral oil. The end of the at least one reservoir having a seal member is closed by an end cap, wherein the end cap is configured to maintain atmospheric pressure between the seal member and the end cap. ink cartridge.