JP2005144818A - Liquid cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid cartridge which prevents its stored ink from leaking to the outside and securely transfers an atmospheric valve when the ink cartridge is mounted to an inkjet recording device. <P>SOLUTION: In this liquid cartridge, an atmospheric valve chamber 669 as one example of a communication chamber has an inner peripheral guide part 700 formed in an opposite surface to a surface where an atmospheric valve communication part 624 as one example of a communication hole, is formed. The inner peripheral guide part 700 regulates the transfer of a coil spring 656 to the film 130 side by bringing the guide part 700 into contact with the inner periphery of the coil spring 656. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid cartridge. In particular, the present invention relates to a liquid cartridge that supplies liquid to the liquid ejecting apparatus by being attached to the liquid ejecting apparatus.

  In an ink jet recording apparatus, an ink cartridge containing ink is mounted on a carriage of the ink jet recording apparatus, whereby ink is supplied to the recording head. Here, the ink, the ink jet recording apparatus, and the ink cartridge are examples of a liquid, a liquid ejecting apparatus, and a liquid cartridge, respectively.

  In the ink cartridge, for example, an ink storage unit that stores ink, an ink supply unit in which an ink supply needle of a carriage is inserted to supply ink in the ink storage unit to the recording head side, an ink storage unit side, and a recording head side Ink supply control means for communicating the ink storage portion and the ink supply portion based on the pressure difference between them and an atmospheric valve for communicating the ink storage chamber with the atmosphere are provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1). As the ink cartridge is mounted on the carriage, the contact member, which is a part of the carriage, moves the air valve while resisting the urging force of the coil spring that urges the air valve, and communicates the ink container with the atmosphere. To do. When the recording head consumes ink in this state, the ink supply control means supplies ink from the ink container to the recording head.

JP 2002-103643 A (FIG. 1)

  However, in the ink cartridge, there is a possibility that the coil spring protrudes from a predetermined position and damages the film due to variations in the position and posture of the coil spring that biases the atmospheric valve. Further, since the position and posture of the coil spring vary, there is a possibility that the atmospheric valve may not be biased with an equal force around the communication hole. As a result, even if the contact member is not pushed up, the atmospheric valve is inclined and the communication hole is opened, so that the ink may leak out of the ink cartridge. Further, when the ink cartridge is mounted on the carriage of the ink jet recording apparatus, there is a possibility that the atmosphere valve cannot be reliably pushed up to communicate the ink storage portion of the ink cartridge with the atmosphere.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid cartridge that can solve the above-described problems. This object is achieved by a combination of features described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous specific examples of the present invention.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the liquid cartridge that supplies the liquid to the liquid ejecting apparatus by being attached to the liquid ejecting apparatus includes the substantially box-shaped liquid accommodating portion that is open on one side, and the liquid accommodating portion. And a liquid supply portion into which a liquid supply needle formed in the liquid ejecting apparatus is inserted, and a substantially box having one surface open and a communication hole for communicating the liquid storage portion and the atmosphere on the other surface A communication chamber having a shape, an atmospheric valve arranged in the communication chamber and sealing the communication hole of the communication chamber, and arranged in the communication chamber and sealing the communication hole in a state where the liquid cartridge is removed from the liquid ejecting apparatus. A coil spring that biases the atmospheric valve to the communication hole and a film that covers one surface of the liquid storage portion and one surface of the communication chamber are provided, and the atmospheric valve is substantially parallel to the direction in which the liquid supply needle is inserted into the liquid supply portion. It is arranged so that it can move in any direction, and the liquid When the cartridge is mounted on the liquid ejecting apparatus, the cartridge is moved by the contact member formed on the liquid ejecting apparatus to open the communication hole, and the communication chamber is opposed to the surface provided with the communication hole. It has an inner periphery guide part which is provided in the surface and regulates the movement of the coil spring toward the film side by contacting the inner periphery of the coil spring.
According to such a configuration, when the atmospheric valve moves while compressing the coil spring to release the communication hole, the end of the coil spring opposite to the communication hole may be shifted to the film side and the film may be damaged. Absent. Accordingly, airtightness of the liquid container is ensured, and liquid can be prevented from leaking out of the cartridge.

The communication chamber is disposed on a surface facing one surface of the communication chamber, and further includes an outer peripheral guide portion that guides the coil spring on the surface facing the one surface when the coil spring expands and contracts in the communication chamber by contacting the outer periphery of the coil spring. May be.
Thereby, the movement of the outer periphery when the coil spring expands and contracts is guided along the surface facing the film, and the posture of the coil spring is kept substantially parallel to one surface on which the film is provided. Therefore, the end portion or intermediate portion of the coil spring is prevented from being bent toward the film side, and the film is further prevented from being damaged.
In addition, since the posture of the coil spring is kept substantially parallel to the one surface on which the film is provided, the atmospheric valve can be biased with sufficient pressure against the communication hole, and thus the communication hole is properly sealed. Stopped. Therefore, it is possible to further prevent liquid from leaking out of the cartridge due to the sealing failure of the atmospheric valve.

The communication chamber is arranged on a pair of side surfaces sandwiched between one surface and a surface opposed to the one surface, and further includes a pair of side guide portions for positioning the coil springs in the direction of the pair of side surfaces in the communication chamber by sandwiching the outer periphery of the coil springs. You may have.
Thereby, the position of the coil spring in the direction of the pair of side surfaces in the communication chamber can be kept at a desired position. Therefore, regardless of whether the communication hole is sealed or released, the posture of the coil spring can always be kept substantially parallel to the expansion / contraction direction. Thereby, the breakage of the film can be further prevented, and the communication hole can be reliably sealed by urging the atmospheric valve more stably.

It is desirable that the height along the direction in which the coil spring expands and contracts in the pair of side surface guide portions has a thickness corresponding to approximately two rounds of closely wound winding in the coil spring. As a result, at the end portion where the change in the outer diameter is small when the coil spring expands and contracts, the portion with a thickness corresponding to approximately two rounds of the closely wound winding, which has a particularly stable shape, is accurately located inside the pair of side surfaces in the communication chamber. Can be positioned.
Furthermore, by suppressing the height of the side guide portion along the direction in which the coil spring expands and contracts to a thickness of approximately two turns of the coil spring, the coil spring has a larger outer diameter change than the end portion. In the portion, a sufficient distance between the outer periphery of the coil spring and the pair of side surfaces can be secured. Accordingly, when the liquid cartridge is mounted on the liquid ejecting apparatus without the side guide portion obstructing the expansion and contraction of the coil spring, the atmospheric valve moves smoothly and communicates with the contact member formed on the liquid ejecting apparatus. The hole can be reliably opened.

  The distance from the center to the outer periphery guide part may be longer than the distance from the center where the coil spring is disposed to the side surface guide part on the surface facing the surface provided with the communication hole. Thereby, the distance from the outer periphery of a coil spring to an outer periphery guide part is securable in the intermediate part of the coil spring in which the outer diameter change at the time of expansion-contraction is larger than an end part. Therefore, the outer periphery guide part can guide the outer periphery of the coil spring without hindering expansion and contraction of the coil spring. Further, when the ink cartridge is mounted on the liquid ejecting apparatus, the atmospheric valve is smoothly moved by the contact member formed on the liquid ejecting apparatus, and the atmospheric valve communication portion can be reliably released.

  A through hole penetrating the communication chamber may be provided in the vicinity of the inner peripheral guide on the surface facing the one surface of the communication chamber, and a film covering the through hole may be further provided. With such a configuration, the inner circumferential guide has a sufficient projection amount and projection angle enough to be surely locked to the inner circumference of the coil spring, and has a through hole with a minimum size for forming the inner circumferential guide. Can be formed. Since the through-holes covered with the film are formed to a minimum size, the evaporation of ink through the film is minimized, and the film covering the through-holes can be damaged from the outside of the liquid cartridge The nature is low.

  The above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention, and sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be the invention.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the scope of claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are included. It is not necessarily essential for the solution of the invention.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a liquid cartridge suitable for supplying a liquid to a liquid ejecting head of a liquid ejecting apparatus, using an ink cartridge 500 for an ink jet recording apparatus as seen from an obliquely upper side. It is a front perspective view.

  The liquid ejecting apparatus referred to in the present invention is not only a liquid ejecting head of an ink jet recording apparatus, but also a colorant ejecting head of a color filter manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a color filter of a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, an FED (surface And an electrode material (conductive paste) ejecting head for forming electrodes such as a light emitting display), a bio-organic matter ejecting head of a biochip manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a biochip, and a sample ejecting head as a precision pipette.

  2 and 3 are rear perspective views of the ink cartridge 500 of FIG. 1 as viewed obliquely from below. FIG. 2 shows a state before the film 110 is attached to the surface of the ink cartridge 500. FIG. Shows a state in which the film 110 is attached. FIGS. 4 and 5 are exploded perspective views showing members constituting the ink cartridge 500 in an exploded manner. 6 is a rear view of the ink cartridge 500 of FIG. 1 and shows a state before the film 110 is attached to the ink cartridge 500 of FIG. FIG. 7 is a front view of the ink cartridge 500 of FIG. 1 and shows a state before the film 130 is attached to the opening 122 of the ink cartridge 500.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the ink cartridge 500 includes a bottomed substantially casing-shaped cartridge main body 120 having an opening 122, a film 130 covering almost the entire surface of the opening 122, and the film 130. A lid 140 covering the outside is provided. The interior of the cartridge body 120 is partitioned by ribs and walls as will be described later. The film 130 seals almost the entire surface of the opening 122 of the cartridge main body 120 so that the inside thereof is in a sealed state. The lid 140 is further fixed to the cartridge body 120 so as to cover the outside of the film 130 in an unsealed state.

  The cartridge main body 120 includes an ink storage unit 111 (see FIG. 7) that stores ink, an ink flow path unit from the ink storage unit 111 to the ink supply unit 160, an ink side passage that allows the ink storage unit 111 to communicate with the atmosphere, An atmosphere valve accommodating portion and an atmosphere communicating portion including an atmosphere side passage are provided, and are integrally formed of, for example, propylene (PP).

  The ink cartridge 500 further includes an ink supply control unit 150, an ink supply unit 160, a storage unit 170, and an engagement lever 180. The ink supply unit 160 is disposed on the lower surface of the cartridge main body 120, and an ink supply needle formed on a carriage on which the ink cartridge 500 is mounted is inserted, and the ink stored in the ink storage unit 111 is transferred to the ink jet recording apparatus. Supply to the recording head. The storage unit 170 is caulked to the mounting portion 190, and the mounting portion 190 is caulked below the side surface of the cartridge main body 120. The storage unit 170 stores information on the type of the ink cartridge 500, information on the color of the ink held by the ink cartridge 500, information on the existing amount of ink, and the like. Pass this information between. The engagement lever 180 is formed on the upper portion of the side surface of the cartridge main body 120 facing the mounting portion 190, and engages with the carriage of the ink jet recording apparatus. The side surface of the mounting portion 190 is regulated by a rib (not shown) formed on the carriage so that the terminal 171 and the elastic contact on the carriage side are in contact with each other.

  The ink supply control unit 150 includes a differential pressure valve that supplies ink in the ink storage unit 111 to the ink supply unit 160 due to a pressure difference between the ink storage unit 111 and the ink supply unit 160 that is generated as ink is consumed. Yes. The ink supply control means 150 is elastically deformable and is a membrane valve 900 which is an example of a valve member inserted into the recess 495 of the cartridge body 120, a valve lid 151 covering the recess 495, the membrane valve 900 and the valve lid. 151 and a coil spring 907 as an example of an urging member disposed between the two.

As shown in FIG. 7, the ink containing portion 111 is largely divided into an upper portion and a lower portion by a wall 272 extending in the horizontal direction, and an atmosphere side containing portion 270 capable of communicating with the atmosphere through a communication hole 242 is provided at the lower portion. A supply-side storage unit 290 including two first ink storage units 292 and a second ink storage unit 294 that are shielded from the atmosphere is formed in the upper part. The supply-side container 290 is divided into two parts, a first ink container 292 and a second ink container 294, by an oblique wall 271 having a communication part 276 in the vicinity (lower region) of the wall 272, and the second ink. A flow path portion 296 is formed so as to be surrounded by the accommodating portion 294. The flow path portion 296 is connected to the second ink storage portion 294 via the lower communication portion 278 and is connected to the ink supply control means 150 via the passage 298 and the through hole 918.
Further, the downstream side of the ink supply control unit 150 is formed at a through hole 910 communicating with the ink supply control unit 150, a flow path 321 communicating with the through hole 910, one end of the flow path 321, and formed toward the front side. The ink supply unit 160 is configured to communicate with the ink supply unit 160 through the through-hole 323 and the communication unit 304 having one end communicating with the through-hole 323.

  The atmosphere-side container 270 and the first ink container 292 are communicated with each other via a communication path 295 extending in the vertical direction and a second ink inlet 162 (FIG. 2). Accordingly, when ink is consumed from the ink supply unit 160, the ink in the atmosphere-side storage unit 270 is correspondingly sucked into the first ink storage unit 292, and from here, the second ink storage unit 294, the flow path unit 296, and the like. It is configured to flow into the ink supply control means 150 via The communication section 274, the second ink injection port 162, the communication path 295, the communication sections 276 and 278, the flow path section 296, the path 298, and the like from the atmosphere side storage section 270 of the ink storage section 111 to the ink supply control means 150 Ink flows through the through holes 918 in this order.

An atmosphere side passage which is a side communicating with the atmosphere with an atmosphere valve communication portion 624 described later as a boundary includes an opening 212, a meandering passage 214, a filter housing portion 216, a communication hole 218 and a communication portion 222 (FIG. 7). , And a through hole 652b (FIG. 11) formed in the side surface of the communication portion 222, and a pressing member accommodating chamber 652 (FIG. 8). The through hole 652b and the pressing member accommodation chamber 652 will be described later.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, one end of one passage 214 meandering in a labyrinth formed on the front side of the cartridge main body 120 is opened to the atmosphere as an opening 212, and the other end is ink-repellent and breathable. The filter 215 (FIGS. 4 and 5) having the above function is connected to the filter housing portion 216 in which the filter 215 is housed. The filter housing portion 216 communicates with a communication hole 218 that penetrates from the front side to the back side of the cartridge main body 120. The communication hole 218 is connected to the pressing member housing chamber 652 (FIG. 8) via the communication part 222 (FIG. 8) on the back side of the cartridge main body 120 and a communication hole 652 b (FIG. 11) formed on the side surface of the communication part 222. doing. In the middle of the passage 214, a chamber 930 made of a recess is provided.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, the ink side passage with the atmosphere valve communication portion 624 as a boundary is formed by the atmosphere valve chamber 669, the communication hole 238, the communication groove 240, and the communication hole 242. It communicates with the housing part 270.
The communication hole 238 penetrating from the back side to the front side of the cartridge main body 120 is connected to the communication groove 240 communicating with the communication hole 238, and communicates with the communication groove 240 and through the communication hole 242 penetrating from the front side to the back side of the cartridge main body 120. It communicates with the housing part 270.
The atmosphere side accommodating portion 270, the supply side accommodating portion 290, the atmosphere valve chamber 669, the atmosphere side passage, and the ink side passage are adhered to the walls partitioning the films 130 and 110 by a method such as heat welding. By this, it becomes a region isolated from the atmosphere.

  FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the ink cartridge 500 of FIG. The atmospheric valve chamber 669 is formed by the film 130 and the cartridge main body 120. The film 130 seals the atmospheric valve chamber 669, and a lid 140 is attached to the outside of the film 130 to protect the film 130 from being broken. An atmospheric valve communication portion 624 is formed on the bottom surface of the atmospheric valve chamber 669. An atmospheric valve 650 is inserted into the atmospheric valve chamber 669 together with a coil spring 656. The atmospheric valve 650 is integrally formed of a core made of a relatively hard material such as polypropylene and an elastic body made of a relatively soft material such as an elastomer disposed around the core. The coil spring 656 presses the atmospheric valve 650 around the atmospheric valve communication part 624 by elastic force, and the atmospheric valve 650 seals the atmospheric valve communication part 624. From the atmospheric valve communication portion 624, a small diameter shaft portion provided at the lower end of the atmospheric valve 650 protrudes into a pressing member accommodation chamber 652 disposed below the atmospheric valve chamber 669.

  The pressing member accommodating chamber 652 has a prismatic hollow portion whose upper surface and four side surfaces are formed by the cartridge main body 120 and whose bottom surface is open, and the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 is accommodated in the hollow portion. Since the four side surfaces of the pressing member accommodating chamber 652 are formed from the cartridge main body 120 made of a hard resin, the backlash of the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 can be reduced. A film 480 is attached and sealed to the bottom surface of the hollow portion of the pressing member accommodating chamber 652 in a state where the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 is accommodated in the hollow portion. The film 480 further seals the first ink inlet 161 and the second ink inlet 162 as shown in FIG. After the film 480 is affixed to the bottom surface of the pressing member accommodating chamber 652, a heated jig is applied to the film 480 until the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 pushes up the atmospheric valve 650 and opens the atmospheric valve communication portion 624. The jig pushes up the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 through the film 480, and the film 480 is stretched. Thereby, the film 480 is provided with a bend that allows the contact member to push up the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 through the film 480 until the atmospheric valve 650 opens the atmospheric valve communication portion 624. Therefore, when the carriage contact member pushes up the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 via the film 480, the film 480 is prevented from being torn. Further, the resistance for pressing the film 480 can be reduced.

  In the atmospheric valve chamber 669 which is an example of the communication chamber of the present invention, an inner peripheral guide portion 700 is provided in a surface opposite to the surface where the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 which is an example of the communication hole is provided. The inner peripheral guide portion 700 abuts on the inner periphery of the coil spring 656, thereby restricting the coil spring 656 from moving to the film 130 side. Thus, when the atmospheric valve 650 moves while compressing the coil spring 656 in order to release the atmospheric valve communication portion 624, the end of the coil spring 656 opposite to the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 is shifted to the film 130 side. 130 is not damaged. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent ink from leaking out of the ink cartridge 500.

  The atmospheric valve chamber 669 is further provided with an outer peripheral guide portion 704 disposed on the surface facing the film 130. The outer periphery guide portion 704 contacts the outer periphery of the coil spring 656, thereby guiding the coil spring 656 on the surface facing the film 130 when the coil spring 656 expands and contracts in the atmospheric valve chamber 669. Thereby, the movement of the outer periphery when the coil spring 656 expands and contracts is guided along the surface facing the film 130, and the posture of the coil spring 656 is kept substantially parallel to the surface on which the film 130 is provided.

  Therefore, the end portion or intermediate portion of the coil spring 656 is prevented from being bent toward the film 130, and the film 130 is further prevented from being damaged. Further, since the posture of the coil spring 656 is maintained substantially parallel to the surface on which the film 130 is provided, the atmospheric valve 650 can be biased around the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 with an equal and sufficient pressure, Thereby, the atmospheric valve communication part 624 is reliably sealed. Accordingly, it is possible to further prevent the ink from leaking out of the ink cartridge 500 due to the sealing failure of the atmospheric valve 650.

  Further, the coil spring 656 is sandwiched between the inner peripheral guide portion 700 and the outer peripheral guide portion 704 in a direction perpendicular to the one surface on which the film 130 is provided. As a result, rattling of the coil spring 656 in the direction perpendicular to the surface on which the film 130 is provided is reduced, and damage to the film 130 and poor sealing of the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 are further prevented.

  A through hole 706 penetrating the atmospheric valve chamber 669 is provided in the vicinity of the inner peripheral guide portion 700 on the surface facing the film 130 in the atmospheric valve chamber 669, that is, the surface provided with the outer peripheral guide portion 704. The opposite side of the through hole 706 from the atmospheric valve chamber 669 is sealed with the film 110 described above.

  According to such a structure, when the cartridge main body 120 including the inner peripheral guide portion 700 is molded, the opposite side of the inner peripheral guide portion 700 from the film 130 is placed on the opposite side of the coil spring 656 by the mold protruding from the through hole 706. It can be formed with a sufficient protrusion amount and protrusion angle that can be surely locked to the inner periphery. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the end portion of the coil spring 656 that comes into contact with the inner peripheral guide portion 700 from being detached from the inner peripheral guide portion 700.

  In addition, a mold pin that protrudes from the through hole 706 and molds a part of the inner peripheral guide portion 700 moves in parallel with the opening and closing direction of the mold during molding. Therefore, the stress applied to the pins of the mold during molding is relatively small, and the pins can be configured with a minimum size. Accordingly, the through hole 706 can be formed with a minimum size for forming the inner peripheral guide portion 700. Since the through-hole 706 covered with the film 110 is formed in a minimum size, the evaporation of ink through the film 110 is minimized, and the film 110 covering the through-hole 706 is provided in the ink cartridge 500. Less likely to be damaged from the outside.

  Further, the range of the outer periphery guide portion 704 in the expansion / contraction direction of the coil spring 656 is a range in which the outer periphery of the atmosphere valve 650 does not collide with the outer periphery guide portion 704 even when the atmosphere valve 650 is pushed up by the atmosphere valve pressing member 654. Set by. Thereby, the outer periphery guide part 704 does not inhibit the movement of the atmospheric valve 650.

  FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a cross section BB in FIG. The inner circumferential guide portion 700 is provided at a position where the inner circumferential guide portion 700 is in contact with a portion farthest from the film 130 on the inner circumference of the coil spring 656. Thereby, the movement which the coil spring 656 approaches the film 130 can be controlled effectively. The atmosphere valve chamber 669 is provided with a pair of side surface guide portions 702 on the surface of the cartridge main body 120 on which the film 130 is provided and the pair of side surfaces sandwiched between the surfaces. The pair of side surface guide portions 702 positions the coil spring 656 in the direction of the pair of side surfaces in the atmospheric valve chamber 669 by sandwiching the outer periphery of the coil spring 656.

  Thereby, the position of the coil spring 656 in the direction of the pair of side surfaces in the atmospheric valve chamber 669 can be kept at a desired position. Therefore, the posture of the coil spring 656 can always be kept substantially parallel to the expansion / contraction direction regardless of whether the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 is sealed or released. Accordingly, the film 130 can be further prevented from being damaged, and a sealing failure caused by the atmospheric valve 650 being inclined with respect to the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 can be reliably prevented.

  Further, in a state where the coil spring 656 is in the position and posture where the coil spring 656 should be, that is, in a state where the coil spring 656 is kept straight in the axial direction from one end of the atmosphere valve communication portion 624 fitted in the atmosphere valve 650, The distance G2 from the outer periphery guide portion 700 to the inner periphery guide portion 700 is larger than the distance G1 from the outer periphery of the coil spring 656 to the film 130. The dimensions of G1 and G2 are the outer diameter of the coil spring 656, the depth from the surface on which the film 130 of the cartridge body 120 is provided to the opposing surface, and the design coil spring 656 to the coil spring 656 of the inner peripheral guide portion 700 from the center. G2 is set to be always larger than G1 in consideration of the variation in distance to the portion in contact with.

  FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the atmospheric valve chamber 669. By providing the inner peripheral guide portion 700 in the atmospheric valve chamber 669, when the atmospheric valve 650 is incorporated into one end of the coil spring 656 and the other end is inserted into the atmospheric valve chamber 669, the other end is the inner peripheral guide portion 700. It is fixed by and easy to assemble. Further, the height along the direction in which the coil spring 656 extends and contracts in the pair of side surface guide portions 702 corresponds to the thickness of approximately two turns of the tightly wound winding in the coil spring 656. Therefore, at the end portion where the change of the outer diameter is small when the coil spring 656 expands and contracts, a portion of the thickness of approximately two rounds of the closely wound winding, which has a particularly stable shape, is inside the pair of side surfaces in the atmospheric valve chamber 669 Positioning can be performed with high accuracy.

  Furthermore, by suppressing the height of the side guide portion 702 along the direction in which the coil spring 656 expands and contracts to a thickness of approximately two turns of the tightly wound winding of the coil spring 656, the outer diameter change during expansion and contraction is larger than the end portion. In the middle portion of the coil spring 656, a sufficient distance between the outer periphery of the coil spring 656 and the pair of side surfaces can be secured. Therefore, the side guide portion 702 does not hinder the expansion and contraction of the coil spring 656, and when the ink cartridge 500 is mounted on the liquid ejecting apparatus, the atmospheric valve 650 is more smoothly driven by the contact member formed on the liquid ejecting apparatus. It is moved and the atmosphere valve communication part 624 can be reliably opened.

Returning to FIGS. 8 and 9, the distance from the center where the coil spring 656 is disposed to the side surface guide portion 702 on the surface opposite to the surface where the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 is provided, that is, the surface where the inner peripheral guide portion 700 is provided. The distance V from the center to the outer peripheral guide portion 704 is longer than H.
Thereby, the distance from the outer periphery of the coil spring 656 to the outer periphery guide part 704 can be ensured in the intermediate part of the coil spring 656 whose outer diameter change during expansion / contraction is larger than the end part. Therefore, the outer periphery guide part 704 can guide the outer periphery of the coil spring 656 without hindering expansion and contraction of the coil spring 656. Accordingly, when the ink cartridge 500 is mounted on the liquid ejecting apparatus, the atmospheric valve 650 is smoothly moved by the contact member formed on the liquid ejecting apparatus, and the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 can be reliably released. it can.

  FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view of the vicinity of the pressing member accommodating chamber 652 in FIG. In FIG. 11, the wall surface 222a is shown broken for illustration. A through hole 652b is provided in the upper portion of the side surface of the pressing member accommodation chamber 652 on the side of the communication portion 222, and communicates the hollow portion of the pressing member accommodation chamber 652 with the communication portion 222. Thereby, in a state where the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 pushes up the atmospheric valve 650, the communication hole 218, the communication portion 222, the communication hole 652b, the pressing member storage chamber 652, the atmospheric valve communication portion 624, and the atmospheric valve chamber 669 communicating with the atmosphere. The air flows into the atmosphere-side accommodation portion 270 through a path that passes through the communication hole 238 and the communication hole 242 in this order.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the film 130 is attached to the outer side of the side surface 652a in the pressing member accommodating chamber 652 to form a chamber 652c. The upper part of the room 652c is always in communication with the communication part 222 by a notch 652d. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the film 130 from being peeled off from the cartridge main body 120 when the air in the room 652c expands.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the atmospheric valve pressing member 654. The atmospheric valve pressing member 654 has a main body 654c that extends vertically and has a cross section in cross, and a disk-shaped upper surface 654a and a bottom surface 654b that are arranged above and below the main body 654c. Molded. By making the cross section of the main body portion 654c into a cross, the sink of injection molding of the upper surface portion 654a can be made smaller than in the case of a cylinder having the same diameter as the upper surface portion 654a. The notch in the main body 654c shown in FIG. 12 is a gate when the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 is injection molded.
The upper surface portion 654a of the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 contacts the end portion of the atmospheric valve 650 at a position shifted from the center of the upper surface portion 654a on the upper surface. Thus, the upper surface portion 654a of the atmospheric valve pressing member 654 can be surely brought into contact with the end of the atmospheric valve 650, avoiding the center where the depression may be formed due to the injection molding sink of the atmospheric valve pressing member 654. it can.

  In the above configuration, the pressing member accommodating chamber 652 is provided below the atmospheric valve 254 and the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 and on the atmosphere side of the atmospheric valve communication portion 624. The ink flows down to the pressing member storage chamber 652 through the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 even if the ink flows. Therefore, the pressing member storage chamber 652 also functions as a liquid reservoir, and can reduce the flow resistance of the atmosphere flowing through the atmosphere valve communication portion 624 as compared with the case where ink is accumulated around the atmosphere valve communication portion 624. it can. Further, since the through hole 652b is provided above the side surface of the pressing member accommodation chamber 652, it is possible to prevent the ink accumulated in the pressing member accommodation chamber 652 from leaking out of the pressing member accommodation chamber 652.

The ink supply unit 160 includes a seal member 12 formed of an elastomer having an insertion port 26 into which an ink supply needle provided in the carriage is inserted, a supply valve 13 that closes the insertion port 26 of the seal member 12, and a supply valve. And an urging member 14 made of a coil spring or the like for urging 13 toward the seal member 12. Note that a film 604 is attached to the insertion port 26 of the seal member 12 as shown in FIG.
When the ink cartridge 500 is mounted on the carriage of the ink jet recording apparatus, the convex portion provided on the carriage pushes up the atmospheric valve 650 upward via the film 480 and the atmospheric valve pressing member 654, and the ink supply needle of the carriage The supply valve 13 of the ink supply unit 160 is pushed up. As a result, the atmospheric valve communication portion 624 communicates the atmospheric flow path from the atmospheric valve chamber 669 to the communication hole 242 with the atmosphere. Further, upstream of the supply valve 13 in the ink supply unit 160 communicates with the ink supply needle.

  When the ink jet recording apparatus starts recording in a state where the communication hole 242 communicates with the atmosphere, ink is supplied from the ink supply unit 160 to the recording head through the ink supply needle. When ink is supplied from the ink supply unit 160, the ink that has flowed into the ink supply control unit 150 from the ink storage unit 111 through the above-described flow path is further transferred from the ink supply control unit 150 through the above-described other flow path. The ink flows into the supply unit 160 and ink is supplied to the ink supply needle inserted into the ink supply unit 160.

  In the ink storage unit 111, the ink in the atmosphere-side storage unit 270 is supplied to the supply-side storage unit 290 in accordance with the ink flow. As the ink in the atmosphere-side accommodation unit 270 is consumed, air flows into the atmosphere-side accommodation unit 270 from the communication hole 242 through the other flow path described above. When the ink is supplied from the ink supply unit 160 to the recording head, the liquid level of the atmosphere-side accommodation unit 270 is lowered, but the flow path connecting the atmosphere-side accommodation unit 270 and the supply-side accommodation unit 290 is the atmosphere-side accommodation unit. Since there is a communication port at the lowermost part of 270, air does not flow into the supply-side container 290 until all the ink in the atmosphere-side container 270 moves to the supply-side container 290.

  After all the ink in the atmosphere-side container 270 is consumed, the ink in the first ink container 292 and the second ink container 294 in the supply-side container 290 is consumed in this order. During this time, the ink in the supply side container 290 is transferred to the atmosphere side container 270 due to the surface tension of the ink meniscus formed in the second ink inlet 162 that communicates the supply side container 290 and the atmosphere side container 270. Backflow is prevented.

  When the ink in the first ink storage unit 292 starts to be consumed, air flows into the first ink storage unit 292. As a result, the liquid level of the first ink storage portion 292 is lowered. However, since only the lower portion of the first ink storage portion 292 and the second ink storage portion 294 are connected by the communication portion 276, first, the first ink storage portion 292 and the second ink storage portion 294 are connected. The ink in the container 292 is consumed. When the ink in the first ink storage portion 292 is consumed and the liquid level reaches the communication portion 276, the air also enters the second ink storage portion 294 as the ink in the second ink storage portion 294 is consumed. Inflow. While the ink in the second ink storage portion 294 is consumed, surface tension is generated in the communication portion 276 due to the ink meniscus, so that the ink in the second ink storage portion 294 is prevented from flowing back to the first ink storage portion 292. The

  As described above, the ink in the atmosphere-side storage unit 270, the first ink storage unit 292, and the second ink storage unit 294 is consumed in this order. The ink containing part 111 is supplied to the ink supply part 160 from the communication part 278 arranged in the vicinity of the wall 272 that substantially bisects the ink containing part 111 through the flow path part 296.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the position and posture of the coil spring 656 that biases the atmospheric valve 650 are appropriately maintained, thereby preventing the film 130 from being broken by the coil spring 656 and releasing or sealing the atmospheric valve communication portion 624. When stopping, the atmospheric valve 650 can be operated smoothly and with sufficient urging force. Accordingly, air tightness of the ink contained in the ink cartridge 500 is secured to prevent the ink cartridge 500 from leaking out, and when the ink cartridge 500 is mounted on the carriage of the ink jet recording apparatus, the atmosphere is surely The valve 650 can be pushed up to allow the ink containing portion 111 to communicate with the atmosphere.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of an ink cartridge 500 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the ink cartridge 500 before a film 110 is attached. FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the ink cartridge 500 after a film 110 is attached. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an ink cartridge 500. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an ink cartridge 500. FIG. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the ink cartridge 500 before a film 110 is attached. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the ink cartridge 500 as viewed from the ink storage unit 111 side. It is an expanded sectional view which shows the lower part of the cross section AA of FIG. It is an expanded sectional view which shows the cross section BB of FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an atmospheric valve chamber 669. FIG. It is the elements on larger scale near press member storage room 652. It is a perspective view of the atmospheric valve pressing member 654.

Explanation of symbols

  500 ... ink cartridge, 110 ... film, 111 ... ink container, 120 ... cartridge body, 122 ... opening, 130 ... film, 132 ... film, 140 ... lid, 150 ... ink supply control means, 624 ... atmosphere valve communication 650 ... Atmospheric valve, 652 ... Pressure member housing chamber, 654 ... Atmospheric valve pressing member, 656 ... Coil spring, 669 ... Atmospheric valve chamber, 654a ... Top surface portion, 654b ... Bottom surface portion, 654c ... Main body portion, 700 ... Inner circumference Guide part, 702 ... Side guide part, 704 ... Peripheral guide part, 706 ... Through hole

Claims (6)

A liquid cartridge for supplying liquid to the liquid ejecting apparatus by being attached to the liquid ejecting apparatus,
A substantially box-shaped liquid container with one side open;
A liquid supply unit that communicates with the liquid storage unit and into which a liquid supply needle formed in the liquid ejecting apparatus is inserted;
A substantially box-shaped communication chamber having one surface open and a communication hole for communicating the liquid container and the atmosphere on the other surface;
An atmospheric valve disposed in the communication chamber and sealing the communication hole of the communication chamber;
A coil spring that is disposed in the communication chamber and biases the atmospheric valve to the communication hole to seal the communication hole in a state where the liquid cartridge is removed from the liquid ejecting apparatus;
A film covering the one surface of the liquid container and the one surface of the communication chamber;
The atmospheric valve is arranged to be movable in a direction substantially parallel to a direction in which the liquid supply needle is inserted into the liquid supply unit, and when the liquid cartridge is attached to the liquid ejecting apparatus, the liquid ejecting apparatus It is configured to be able to open the communication hole by moving by a contact member formed on
The communication chamber is provided in a surface facing the surface provided with the communication hole, and an inner peripheral guide portion that restricts the coil spring from moving to the film side by contacting the inner periphery of the coil spring. Having a liquid cartridge.   The communication chamber is disposed on a surface facing the one surface of the communication chamber, and contacts the outer periphery of the coil spring, whereby the coil spring is disposed on a surface facing the one surface when the coil spring expands and contracts in the communication chamber. The liquid cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising an outer circumferential guide portion for guiding.   The communication chamber is disposed on a pair of side surfaces sandwiched between the one surface and a surface facing the one surface, and a pair of positioning the coil springs in the direction of the pair of side surfaces in the communication chamber by sandwiching an outer periphery of the coil spring. The liquid cartridge according to claim 2, further comprising a side guide portion.   The liquid cartridge according to claim 3, wherein a height of the pair of side surface guide portions along a direction in which the coil spring expands and contracts has a thickness corresponding to approximately two rounds of closely wound winding in the coil spring.   The distance from the said center to the said outer periphery guide part is longer than the distance from the center where the said coil spring is arrange | positioned to the said side surface guide part in the surface facing the surface in which the said communication hole was provided. Liquid cartridge. In the vicinity of the inner peripheral guide on the surface facing the one surface of the communication chamber, a through hole penetrating the communication chamber is provided,
The liquid cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a film covering the through hole.

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