JP2005205779A - Ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink cartridge which can enhance the recording quality of a recording apparatus by reducing the risk that air bubbles included in ink inside the ink cartridge may be supplied to a recording head. <P>SOLUTION: When the ink flows out from a porous member chamber 9 through an ink supply hole 17 via an ink chamber 10, a flow of the ink including the air bubbles 19, which heads for the ink supply hole 17 from a communication hole 15, can be blocked by a guide member 30 because the guide member 30 is provided in a position to make the ink block a channel formed by connecting the communication hole 15 and the ink supply hole 17 together. This can realize the ink cartridge which can enhance the recording quality of the recording apparatus by reducing the risk that the air bubbles 19 included in the ink inside the ink cartridge may be supplied to the recording head. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink cartridge that stores ink to be supplied to a recording head provided with a nozzle for discharging ink droplets in a recording apparatus that records an image by discharging ink droplets onto a recording medium.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a recording apparatus including this type of ink cartridge, an ink jet printer that discharges ink droplets from nozzles by applying energy to the ink for ejection is known. As the means for applying energy, means for driving an actuator such as an electromechanical conversion element or an electrothermal conversion element is used.
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ink cartridge used in a conventional recording apparatus. The inside of the case 2 provided in the ink cartridge 50 is partitioned into a porous member chamber 9, an ink chamber 10, and an atmosphere communication path 11 by a partition wall 51. The porous member chamber 9 contains a porous member 8 such as polyurethane foam that has absorbed ink, and the ink chamber 10 contains ink. A communication hole 15 that communicates with the ink chamber 10 is formed in the lower portion of the side wall of the porous member chamber 9. An ink supply hole 17 is formed in the bottom of the ink chamber 10. An air communication hole 18 is formed. The bottom of the case 2 is attached to the recording head, and the ink in the ink chamber 10 is supplied to the recording head through the ink supply hole 17.
By impregnating the porous member with ink, the ink pressure supplied from the ink supply hole 17 to the recording head is maintained at a negative pressure. The ink in the ink chamber 10 is supplied to the recording head through the ink supply hole 17, and the amount of ink consumed by the recording head is compensated by sucking the atmosphere through the atmosphere communication hole 18.

JP 2000-71472 A

  However, in the conventional ink cartridge 50, since the communication hole 15 and the ink supply hole 17 are close to each other, bubbles generated from the communication hole 15 ride on the ink flow from the ink chamber 10 toward the ink supply hole 17. Then, the recording head enters the recording head, and the recording head cannot normally discharge ink, resulting in a problem that the recording quality is deteriorated. In particular, when performing a maintenance operation called purging that sucks ink containing bubbles and impurities from the nozzle to the outside, the ink flow is faster than during recording, so the flow of ink is faster, so bubbles are drawn into the recording head. there is a possibility.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to realize an ink cartridge capable of improving the recording quality of the recording apparatus with less risk that bubbles contained in the ink inside the ink cartridge are supplied to the recording head.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an ink cartridge that supplies ink to a recording head provided in a recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink onto a recording medium is provided. A porous member chamber containing a porous member impregnated with the ink and an ink chamber containing the ink are provided adjacent to each other, and the ink stored in the ink chamber is supplied to the recording head. In the ink cartridge in which an ink supply hole for supplying is formed at the bottom of the ink chamber, the communication hole that communicates the porous member chamber and the ink chamber is a boundary between the porous member chamber and the ink chamber. Is formed on a side wall that divides the porous member chamber and the ink chamber into left and right sides, and from the porous member chamber to the ink chamber through the communication hole. A guide member that guides the bubbles to be ejected upward from the ink chamber, and when the ink flows out of the ink supply hole from the porous member chamber through the ink chamber, the ink is communicated with the communication hole and the ink. The technical means that the flow path formed by connecting with the supply hole is provided at a position to be blocked is used.

  The ink refers to ink such as dye ink or pigment ink, and the recording medium refers to an ink that can be recorded with ink, such as paper or synthetic resin. The porous member is a porous member having excellent ink absorbability, such as polyurethane foam. The wall is formed of, for example, a resin material that melts by heating. A recording head is an ink droplet from a nozzle by driving an actuator such as an electromechanical conversion element (for example, a piezoelectric element utilizing a piezoelectric inverse effect) or an electrothermal conversion element to give ink energy for ejection. The recording apparatus is a so-called ink jet printer, facsimile apparatus or the like provided with such a recording head.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge according to the first aspect, the guide member is formed so as to block an imaginary line that linearly connects the communication hole and the ink supply hole. A technical means is used in which the lower end of the guide member is attached to the bottom of the ink chamber, and the upper end of the guide member extends to a position higher than the communication hole.

  According to a third aspect of the invention, in the ink cartridge according to the first or second aspect, the technical means that the communication hole is formed below the side wall is used.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge according to any one of the first to third aspects, the side wall has a thickness of an opening end portion of the communication hole at least on an upper edge side of the communication hole. Is used so as to be thinner than the thickness of the part away from the opening end of the communication hole.

The open end portion of the communication hole means, for example, in the vicinity of the upper edge, the lower edge, the right edge, and the left edge constituting the communication hole when the communication hole has a square cross section.
"The side wall is formed at least on the upper edge side of the communication hole, and the thickness of the opening end of the communication hole is thinner than the thickness of the part away from the opening end of the communication hole." It means that the thickness at the upper edge of the communication hole in the formed side wall is thinner than the thickness at other than the upper edge. For example, when the communication hole has a rectangular cross section, the upper edge, the lower edge, the right edge, and the left edge constituting the communication hole are formed with a lower thickness than the lower edge, the right edge, and the left edge. It means that

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the porous member protrudes from the porous member chamber into the communication hole. The technical means that the part is provided is used.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the guide member includes an imaginary line that linearly connects the communication hole and the ink supply hole. A technical means is used in which at least one side end that is formed so as to be shielded and extends in the vertical direction is attached to the side wall of the ink chamber.
For example, as shown in FIG. 7B, the side end is a side end 34 of the guide member 30 on the side attached to the side wall of the ink chamber 10.

(Effect of the invention of claim 1)
A communication hole that connects the porous member chamber and the ink chamber is formed on a side wall that divides the porous member chamber and the ink chamber into the left and right sides of the walls that constitute the boundary between the porous member chamber and the ink chamber. And a guide member that guides air bubbles flowing out from the porous member chamber to the ink chamber through the communication hole to the upper side of the ink chamber, and when ink flows out of the ink supply hole from the porous member chamber through the ink chamber. Further, since the ink is provided at a position that blocks the flow path formed by connecting the communication hole and the ink supply hole, the flow of ink from the communication hole toward the ink supply hole is blocked by the guide member.
That is, the air bubbles riding on the ink flow from the communication hole toward the ink supply hole do not reach the communication hole and are guided upward of the ink chamber by the guide member.
Accordingly, since there is little possibility that bubbles contained in the ink inside the ink cartridge are supplied to the recording head, it is possible to realize an ink cartridge that can improve the recording quality of the recording apparatus.

(Effect of the invention described in claim 2)
In particular, if the guide member is formed so as to block an imaginary line that linearly connects the communication hole and the ink supply hole, the guide member blocks the flow of ink that attempts to flow linearly from the communication hole to the ink supply hole. be able to.
Therefore, even if the ink tries to flow linearly from the communication hole to the ink supply hole, the guide member is bypassed, so that there is little possibility that bubbles will enter the recording head from the ink supply hole due to the ink flow. Thus, an ink cartridge that can improve the recording quality of the recording apparatus can be realized.
For example, when the flow of ink from the communication hole to the ink supply hole is fast, such as when purging, the ink flow is linear, and the air bubbles riding on the ink flow are recorded from the ink supply hole. It becomes easy to enter the head. However, since the guide member can block such a linear ink flow, it is possible to prevent bubbles from entering the recording head due to purging.
Therefore, there is no possibility that the recording quality is deteriorated by performing the purging.

(Effect of the invention according to claim 3)
Further, since the communication hole is formed below the side wall, the bubble does not accumulate in a specific place, and the bubble can be naturally raised above the ink chamber. In addition, the communication hole is formed below the side wall, and even when the communication hole and the ink supply hole are close to each other, the ink guides the flow path formed by connecting the communication hole and the ink supply hole. Since it can be blocked by the member, there is no possibility that bubbles flowing out from the communication hole ride on the ink flow and enter the recording head from the ink supply hole.
Therefore, even though the communication hole is formed below the porous member chamber, the communication hole is formed below the side wall, so that bubbles enter the recording head from the ink supply hole along the ink flow. It is possible to realize an ink cartridge that has less fear and can improve the recording quality of the recording apparatus.

(Effect of invention of Claim 4)
The side wall is formed at least on the upper edge side of the communication hole, so that the thickness of the opening end of the communication hole is thinner than the thickness of the part away from the opening end of the communication hole. The possibility of stopping at the open end can be reduced.
Therefore, the risk of ink containing bubbles being supplied to the recording head can be further reduced, and an ink cartridge that can further improve the recording quality of the recording apparatus can be realized.

(Effect of invention of Claim 5)
Since the porous member is provided with a protrusion that protrudes from the porous member chamber and enters the communication hole, bubbles generated from the porous member are guided to the ink chamber through the protrusion in the communication hole. The ink chamber reaches the upper side of the ink chamber without being prevented from rising.
Therefore, there is no possibility that air bubbles coming out of the communication holes accumulate around the communication holes, so that the ink containing the air bubbles is less likely to be supplied to the recording head, and the recording quality of the recording apparatus is further improved. Ink cartridges that can be used can be realized.

(Effect of the invention described in claim 6)
The bubbles that have flowed out of the porous member chamber into the ink chamber move around the side edge opposite to the side where the guide member is attached to the side wall of the ink chamber, so that the ink supply hole It becomes difficult to flow into.
Therefore, it is possible to realize an ink cartridge that can further improve the recording quality of the recording apparatus.

<First Embodiment>
Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Main configuration]
The main structure of the ink cartridge according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a cut surface when the ink cartridge is cut in the longitudinal direction so as to pass through the communication hole and the ink supply hole. 2A is an explanatory diagram showing how bubbles are generated from the communication hole of the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram seen through the left side of FIG. 2A, and FIG. ) Is an explanatory view showing a modified example of the guide member.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ink cartridge 1 of the present embodiment includes a case 2. The case 2 includes a pair of opposed outer side walls 21 and 22 and a pair of outer side walls (for example, outer side walls 23 and 24 shown in FIG. 7B) that connect the pair of outer side walls. It has a cylindrical shape with a rectangular cross section with the upper and lower end faces open. The upper lid member 3 is covered with the upper open surface of the case 2, and the lower lid member 4 is covered with the lower open surface. The case 2 is made of, for example, a transparent or translucent resin material, and the upper lid member 3 and the lower lid member 4 are heat-sealed to the case 2 in a watertight manner.
The interior of the case 2 includes inner side walls 5 and 6 extending substantially parallel to the outer side walls (left and right walls in FIG. 1) 21 and 22, an inner bottom wall 7 connecting the lower ends of the inner side walls 5 and 6, A partition wall 7 a that connects the lower surface of the inner bottom wall 7 and the upper surface of the lower lid member 4 is partitioned.

The space defined by the inner side walls 5 and 6, the pair of outer side walls (for example, the outer side walls 23 and 24 shown in FIG. 7B), the upper lid member 3 and the inner bottom wall 7 is impregnated with ink. A porous member chamber 9 containing the porous member 8 is formed. The porous member 8 is formed of a porous member that is excellent in ink absorbability and compressible, such as polyurethane foam.
Further, the outer side wall 21, the inner side wall 5, the pair of outer side walls (for example, the outer side walls 23 and 24 shown in FIG. 7B), the upper lid member 3, the inner bottom wall 7, the partition wall 7a, and the lower lid member. In the space defined by 4, an ink chamber 10 in which ink is stored is formed. Further, an atmosphere communication path 11 is formed in a space defined by the inner side wall 6, the outer side wall 22, the inner bottom wall 7, the partition wall 7 a, the upper lid member 3 and the lower lid member 4. A partition wall 28 that divides the atmosphere communication path 11 in the vertical direction is formed in a portion of the atmosphere communication path 11 that connects the inner side wall 6 and the outer side wall 22. A through hole 28 a is formed in the partition wall 28 in the vertical direction. It is formed to penetrate through.

  A communication hole 15 that allows the porous member chamber 9 and the ink chamber 10 to communicate with each other is formed in a lateral direction at the lowermost end of the side wall 5, and ink is supplied to the lower lid member 4 at the bottom of the ink chamber 10. A hole 17 is formed penetrating in the vertical direction. An air communication hole 18 that communicates with the atmosphere outside the ink cartridge 1 is formed in the lower lid member 4 that defines the air communication path 11 so as to penetrate therethrough in the vertical direction. At a portion where the upper lid member 3 and the upper end of the inner side wall 6 intersect each other, a passage 16 is formed so as to straddle the atmosphere communication passage 11 and the porous member chamber 9 and communicate with both. It communicates with the porous member chamber 9 through the port 14. In addition, an ink filling port 13 for filling ink is formed in the upper lid member 3 above the ink chamber 10 so as to penetrate in the vertical direction.

By impregnating the porous member 8 with ink, the pressure of the ink is maintained so that the ink pressure supplied from the ink supply hole 17 to the recording head does not vary greatly. Further, the porous member 8 is accommodated in the porous member chamber 9 in a compressed state so that the ink pressure supplied to the recording head can be formed by a nozzle with a meniscus suitable for ink ejection. I have control. As shown in FIG. 2 (B), the communication hole 15 has a rectangular vertical cross section.
As shown in FIG. 2 (A), it is a position that blocks the flow path formed by connecting the communication hole 15 and the ink supply hole 17, and is located at a distance from the communication hole 15 toward the ink chamber 10. A guide member 30 is provided. The lower end of the guide member 30 is attached to the bottom of the ink chamber 10, and the upper end 31 extends to a position higher than the upper edge 15 a of the communication hole 15. The guide member 30 is formed in a plate shape, and one plate surface 32 thereof is opposed to the communication hole 15, and the other plate surface 33 is opposed to the inner wall surface 21 a of the outer side wall 21. Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, the guide member 30 is formed with the same width as the side wall 5. Further, the guide member 30 can be formed integrally with the lower lid member 4, or can be welded or adhered to the inner bottom portion of the lower lid member 4 after being formed as a separate member. In the present embodiment, the guide member 30 is fitted and fixed in a groove formed in the inner bottom.
As shown in FIG. 2C, the width of the guide member 30 may be narrower than the side wall 5 as long as the ink flow path from the communication hole 15 toward the ink supply hole 17 can be blocked. it can.

  The recording apparatus includes a carriage that is scanned and moved along a recording medium, and a head holder attached to the carriage, and the recording head is supported by the head holder. A concave portion 29 is formed around the ink supply hole 17 on the bottom surface of the lower lid member 4, and a joint portion of the head holder is detachably fitted to the concave portion with an O-ring interposed therebetween. The ink stored in the ink chamber 10 is supplied from the ink supply hole 17 to the recording head through the manifold member of the head holder, and is guided to the pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle. By driving the actuator, ejection energy is given to the ink in the pressure chamber, and the ink in the pressure chamber is ejected from the nozzle to the recording medium to record an image.

When the ink in the pressure chamber is consumed and a negative pressure is generated by the ejection of ink, the ink stored in the porous member chamber 9 is supplied to the ink chamber 10 through the communication hole 15 and further supplied from the ink chamber 10. It is guided to the recording head through the hole 17. In addition, due to the reduced pressure inside the porous member chamber 9, the atmosphere is supplied to the atmosphere communication path 11 through the atmosphere communication hole 18, and the ink pressure supplied from the porous member chamber 9 to the recording head is suitable for ink ejection again. The meniscus is maintained at a pressure that can form the nozzle.
By the way, as described above, when the ink accommodated in the porous member chamber 9 is supplied to the recording head, as shown in FIG. 2A, the bubbles 19 contained in the porous member 8 are In some cases, the ink is generated from the tip of the protruding portion 8a of the porous member 8 along the ink flow.
However, since the guide member 30 is provided so as to block the virtual line K <b> 1 connecting the communication hole 15 and the ink supply hole 17, the ink flow from the communication hole 15 toward the ink supply hole 17 is blocked by the guide member 30. Once the flow is directed upwards. The bubbles 19 that have flown into the ink chamber 10 along the flow also collide with the guide member 30 and then rise up the ink chamber 10, but without changing the direction of movement downward due to the buoyancy of the bubbles 19, Apart from the flow, it disappears in the space formed above the ink chamber 10. That is, the bubble 19 is guided upward of the ink chamber 10 by the guide member 30.
Accordingly, when ink containing bubbles is supplied to the recording head, there is little possibility that the ink cannot be ejected normally and the recording quality is deteriorated.

[Effect of the first embodiment]
(1) As described above, when the ink cartridge 1 according to the first embodiment is used, the communication hole 15 that communicates the porous member chamber 9 and the ink chamber 10 has the porous member chamber 9 and the ink chamber 10. Are formed on the side wall 5 that divides the porous member chamber 9 and the ink chamber 10 left and right, and flows out from the porous member chamber 9 to the ink chamber 10 through the communication hole 15. When the guide member 30 that guides the bubble 19 to be moved upward from the ink chamber 10 flows out of the ink supply hole 17 from the porous member chamber 9 through the ink chamber 10, the ink is communicated with the communication hole 15 and the ink supply hole. 17, the flow of the ink from the communication hole 15 toward the ink supply hole 17 can be blocked by the guide member 30.
That is, the bubble 19 riding on the ink flow from the communication hole 15 toward the ink supply hole 17 can be guided upward of the ink chamber 10 by the guide member 30 so as not to reach the ink supply hole 17.
Therefore, there is little risk that the bubbles 19 contained in the ink inside the ink cartridge are supplied to the recording head, and an ink cartridge that can improve the recording quality of the recording apparatus can be realized.

(2) In particular, the guide member 30 is provided so as to block an imaginary line K1 that linearly connects the communication hole 15 and the ink supply hole 17. For example, even when purging is performed, the flow of ink is fast and linear, and air bubbles riding on the ink flow easily enter the recording head from the ink supply hole 17. Since a straight ink flow can be blocked, bubbles can be prevented from entering the recording head.
Therefore, there is no possibility that the recording quality is deteriorated by performing the purging.

(3) Since the communication hole 15 is formed in the side wall 5 that divides the porous member chamber 9 and the ink chamber 10 from side to side, the air bubbles 19 that have flowed out of the communication hole 15 can be naturally retained without stopping anywhere. The ink chamber 10 can be raised upward. Even when the communication hole 15 and the ink supply hole 17 are close to each other, the guide member 30 is interposed in the flow path K1 formed by connecting the communication hole 15 and the ink supply hole 17, so that the communication is established. There is no possibility that bubbles that have flowed out of the holes 15 get on the ink flow and enter the recording head from the ink supply holes 17.
Therefore, even though the communication hole 15 is formed below the porous member chamber 9, it is formed below the side wall 5, so that air bubbles 19 ride on the ink flow from the ink supply hole 17 to the recording head. Therefore, it is possible to realize an ink cartridge that can improve the recording quality of the recording apparatus.

(Example of change)
FIG. 3A is an explanatory view showing how bubbles are generated from the communication hole of the ink cartridge, and FIG. 3B is an explanatory view of FIG. 3A seen through from the left side.
The guide member 30 is provided so as to block an imaginary line K1 connecting the communication hole 15 and the ink supply hole 17. The lower end of the guide member 30 is not attached to the bottom of the ink chamber 10 and is separated from the bottom by a distance H upward. Further, the upper end of the guide member 30 extends to a position higher than the upper edge 15 a of the communication hole 15. The guide member 30 is formed in a plate shape, and one plate surface 32 thereof is opposed to the communication hole 15, and the other plate surface 33 is opposed to the inner wall surface 21 a of the outer side wall 21. Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, the guide member 30 is formed with the same width as the side wall 5. In the present embodiment, both side walls of the guide member 30 are bonded and fixed to a pair of external side walls (not shown) constituting the case 2.

  If the above-described ink cartridge is used, it is the same as the ink cartridge 1 of the first embodiment except that the lower end of the guide member 30 is located above the bottom of the ink chamber 10, and therefore the same as the first embodiment. The effect of can be produced. If the ink cartridge is used, the size of the guide member 30 can be increased even when the position or angle of the imaginary line K1 is changed in response to the change in the formation position of the communication hole 15 or the ink supply hole 17. It is sufficient to change only the position where the guide member 30 is provided without changing the height.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram showing how air bubbles are generated from the communication hole of the ink cartridge, and FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram of the communication hole viewed from the left side when FIG. FIG. 4C is an explanatory view showing a modification example of the communication hole.
When the inner side wall 5 is thick, even if the communication hole 15 is formed in the side wall from which the bubbles 19 are easily discharged, the relatively small bubbles generated from the porous member 8 are formed on the upper edge 15a of the communication hole 15. There is a risk of accumulation on the wall. If such bubbles remain on the wall surface of the upper edge 15 a of the communication hole 15, when ink flows from the communication hole 15 to the ink supply hole 17 beyond the upper end 31 of the guide member 30, There is a risk of bubbles getting on the flow.

Therefore, in the ink cartridge of this embodiment, the protruding portion 8 a of the porous member 8 enters the communication hole 15, and the leading end of the protruding portion 8 a protrudes into the ink chamber 10. With this configuration, the bubbles 19 can be reliably generated in the ink chamber 10 from the tip of the protrusion 8 a of the porous member 8, so that the bubbles 19 stay on the inner peripheral surface of the communication hole 15. There is no fear.
Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the relatively small bubbles having a low buoyancy that are likely to be retained on the inner peripheral surface of the communication hole 15 from entering the recording head, thereby reliably improving the recording quality of the recording apparatus. be able to.
In addition, as shown in FIG.4 (C), the communicating hole 15 can also be formed circularly in a longitudinal cross section.

(Example of change)
(1) FIG. 5 (A) is a longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory view around the communication hole, and FIG. 5 (B) is an explanatory view showing the left side of FIG. 5 (A) with a part omitted. FIG. 5C is an explanatory view showing a state in which bubbles are generated from the tip of the protrusion.
On the ink chamber side wall surface 5a of the inner side wall 5, there is formed a slope 5b that protrudes from the base end portion 8c of the protruding portion 8a toward the ink chamber 10 as the distance from the communication hole 15 increases. Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3A, the slope 5b is formed so as to be cut out inside the thickness of the inner side wall 5, and a pair of notches intersecting the slope 5b with respect to this. Since the side surface 5f is formed so as to oppose, the thickness of the inner side wall 5 of the opening end portion on the upper edge 15a side of the communication hole 15 is the portion where the inclined surface 5b is formed, and the other lower edge 15b. The thickness at the right edge 15c and the left edge 15d can be made thinner.
Further, the protruding portion 8 a of the porous member 8 accommodated in the porous member chamber 9 protrudes into the communication hole 15. The tip 8b of the protrusion 8a protrudes into the ink chamber 10 from the upper edge 15a of the communication hole 15, but does not protrude from the lower edge 15b of the communication hole 15.

Since the ink cartridge of this modified example has the above-described configuration, as shown in FIG. 5C, the bubbles 19 generated from the tip 8b of the protrusion 8a of the porous member 8 are caused by the upper edge 15a of the communication hole 15. Ascending along the inclined surface 5b without stopping in the vicinity, and exceeding the upper end of the inclined surface 5b, the inside of the ink chamber 10 is elevated and disappears in the space formed above the ink chamber 10.
Therefore, if the ink cartridge of the above modified example is used, the possibility that bubbles 19 accumulate on the wall surface of the upper edge 15a of the communication hole 15 can be reduced, so that the recording quality of the recording apparatus can be further improved.

(2) Moreover, the guide member 30 can also be formed in shapes other than plate shape. 7A is a longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory view around the communication hole, and FIG. 7B is a horizontal cross-sectional explanatory view when FIG. 7A is cut in the horizontal direction so as to pass through the communication hole 15.
As shown in FIG. 7B, the communication hole 15 and the ink supply hole 17 are offset from the outer side wall 24 of the ink cartridge. The guide member 30 has at least one side end 34 extending in the vertical direction attached to one side wall 24 of the ink chamber 10. Of the guide member 30, plate-like portions having plate surfaces 32 and 33 on both sides extend from one side wall 24 toward the other side wall 23, and further, a predetermined distance from the inner wall of the side wall 23 toward the communication hole 15. Another plate-like portion is formed in the range of a position that is bent from the separated portion toward the outer side wall 21 and is spaced a predetermined distance from the bent portion to the porous member chamber 9 side from the inner wall of the outer side wall 21. ing. An ink flow path is formed between each plate-like portion and the inner wall surface of the ink chamber 10, and the other side end 35 of the guide member 30 extends from the inner wall of the outer side wall 21 to the porous member chamber 9. At a predetermined distance. The lower end of the guide member 30 is attached to the bottom of the ink chamber 10, and the upper end 31 extends to a position beyond the upper edge of the communication hole 15.
As shown by an arrow F2 in FIG. 7B, the ink that has flowed out of the communication hole 15 into the ink chamber 10 flows along the surface of the guide member 30 that faces the inner wall surface of the ink chamber 10, and the other side edge 35. , And flows into the ink supply hole 17.
Therefore, if the ink cartridge of the above modified example is used, the bubbles flowing out from the porous member chamber 9 to the ink chamber 10 are opposite to the side end 15 where the guide member 30 is attached to the outer side wall 24 on the ink chamber side. Therefore, it is difficult for the ink to flow into the ink supply hole 17.
Therefore, it is possible to realize an ink cartridge that can further improve the recording quality of the recording apparatus.

(3) Further, in FIG. 2A, the left end portion of the lower lid member 7 is extended to the ink chamber 10 side, and its tip is bent to a position beyond the upper edge 15a of the communication hole 15. A guide member can also be used. In this case, the width of the guide member can be set to the minimum necessary width as shown in FIG. According to these configurations, the lower lid member 7 and the guide member can be integrally formed.

[Correspondence between each claim and embodiment]
The inner side wall 5 corresponds to “a side wall that divides the porous member chamber and the ink chamber left and right” according to claim 1.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a cut surface when the ink cartridge is cut in the longitudinal direction so as to pass through the communication hole and the ink supply hole. 2A is an explanatory diagram showing how bubbles are generated from the communication hole of the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram seen from the left side of FIG. 2A, and FIG. ) Is an explanatory view showing a modified example of the guide member. FIG. 3A is an explanatory view showing how bubbles are generated from the communication hole of the ink cartridge, and FIG. 3B is an explanatory view of FIG. 3A seen through from the left side. FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram showing how air bubbles are generated from the communication hole of the ink cartridge, and FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram of the communication hole viewed from the left side when FIG. FIG. 4C is an explanatory view showing a modification example of the communication hole. 5A is a longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory view around the communication hole, FIG. 5B is an explanatory view in which a part of the left side is omitted when FIG. 5A is the front, and FIG. ) Is an explanatory view showing a state in which bubbles are generated from the tip of the protrusion. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory drawing of the ink cartridge used for the conventional recording device. 7A is a longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory view around the communication hole, and FIG. 7B is a horizontal cross-sectional explanatory view when FIG. 7A is cut in the horizontal direction so as to pass through the communication hole 15.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink cartridge 4 Lower cover member 5 Internal side wall (Wall which partitions a porous member chamber and an ink chamber into right and left)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 8 Porous member 8a Protrusion part 9 Porous member chamber 10 Ink chamber 15 Communication hole 17 Ink supply hole 19 Bubble 30 Guide member

Claims (6)

An ink cartridge that supplies ink to a recording head provided in a recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink to a recording medium, the porous member chamber containing a porous member impregnated with the ink, and An ink cartridge having an ink chamber adjacent to the ink chamber, wherein an ink supply hole for supplying the ink stored in the ink chamber to the recording head is formed at a bottom portion of the ink chamber; ,
A communication hole that communicates the porous member chamber and the ink chamber partitions the porous member chamber and the ink chamber left and right among the walls constituting the boundary between the porous member chamber and the ink chamber. A guide member that is formed on the side wall and that guides air bubbles flowing out from the porous member chamber to the ink chamber through the communication hole, is provided from the porous member chamber to the ink chamber. An ink cartridge comprising: a position for blocking a flow path formed by connecting the communication hole and the ink supply hole when the ink flows out from the ink supply hole via the ink supply hole.   The guide member is formed so as to block an imaginary line that linearly connects the communication hole and the ink supply hole, and a lower end of the guide member is attached to a bottom portion of the ink chamber, and The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein an upper end of the guide member extends to a position higher than the communication hole.   The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the communication hole is formed below the side wall.   2. The side wall is formed at least on the upper edge side of the communication hole, wherein the thickness of the opening end portion of the communication hole is thinner than the thickness of the portion away from the opening end portion of the communication hole. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 3 to 4.   5. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the porous member is provided with a protrusion that protrudes from the porous member chamber and enters the communication hole. 6. . The guide member is formed so as to block an imaginary line that linearly connects the communication hole and the ink supply hole, and at least one side end extending in the vertical direction is attached to a side wall of the ink chamber. The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ink cartridge is provided.

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