JP2008044192A - Liquid injection method and liquid container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid injection method of a liquid container in which a liquid can be injected without various functions of the liquid container being damaged, and to provide the liquid container. <P>SOLUTION: The ink cartridge is equipped in a container body 10 with an ink containing part, an ink supply part 50 connected to a printing head, a downstream side ink end sensor connecting passage 410 which guides the ink stored in the ink containing part to the ink supply part 50, an atmosphere communicating path which introduces the atmosphere from the outside into the ink containing part 5 following consumption of the ink I, and a liquid residual quantity sensor 31 which detects that the ink in the ink containing part is used up by detecting inflow of a gas into the downstream side ink end sensor connecting passage 410. The ink cartridge is constituted by forming an injection port to communicate with the liquid containing part in the atmosphere communicating path for the ink cartridge, injecting a predetermined quantity of the ink from the injection port, and sealing the injection port after the ink is injected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid injection method and a liquid storage container for injecting a liquid into an air release type liquid storage container suitable as an ink cartridge that can be attached to and detached from, for example, an ink jet printer.

  As an ink cartridge (liquid storage container) that can be attached to and detached from a liquid consuming apparatus such as an ink jet printer, an ink storage part (liquid storage part) that stores ink in a container body that can be attached to and detached from the printer, and a print head ( An ink supply section (liquid supply section) connected to the liquid ejection section), an ink guide path (liquid guide path) for guiding ink stored in the ink storage section to the ink supply section, and consumption of ink in the ink storage section Along with this, various types of open-air types including an atmospheric communication path for introducing atmospheric air into the ink storage portion from the outside have been proposed.

  Some ink cartridges of this type are provided with an ink remaining amount detection mechanism (liquid detection unit) in which a sensor having a piezoelectric vibrator is arranged at a reference height in a liquid storage unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ). In this ink remaining amount detection mechanism, the ink level of the liquid storage unit drops to the reference height due to ink consumption by the printing process, and the outside air introduced into the liquid storage unit from the atmosphere communication path as the ink is consumed is detected by the sensor. When the position is reached, the ink level has dropped to the reference height due to changes in the vibration characteristics (residual vibration) when the sensor area is filled with ink and when the sensor is in contact with air. It is to detect.

  That is, by vibrating the vibration part of a piezoelectric device or actuator having a piezoelectric element provided in the liquid storage part and then measuring the counter electromotive force generated by the residual vibration remaining in the vibration part, the resonance frequency or the counter electromotive force waveform is measured. The change of the acoustic impedance is detected by detecting the amplitude of. This detection signal is used to display the remaining amount of ink and to notify the cartridge replacement time.

JP 2001-146019 A

  By the way, since the ink cartridge is a container formed with a high precision composed of a large number of parts, if the ink is exhausted, discarding it as it is is a waste of useful resources, which is a large economic loss. End up. Therefore, it is desired to reinject ink into a used ink cartridge for reproduction.

  However, conventional ink cartridges incorporate an ink injection process in the middle of the assembly process, and the same ink injection method cannot be used in many cases after the completion of the ink cartridge assembly. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an ink injection method that realizes ink filling without using an ink injection method for assembling a new ink cartridge.

  However, recent ink cartridges have a check valve that adjusts the ink pressure supplied to the ink supply unit and prevents backflow from the ink supply unit side in an ink guide path that connects the ink storage chamber and the ink supply unit. In other words, a high-performance differential pressure valve is provided, or an ink remaining amount detection mechanism for detecting the remaining amount of ink is provided. Furthermore, the structure of the ink storage chamber and the atmosphere communication path is also complicated.

For this reason, if the container body is carelessly processed for ink injection, when the ink is injected, the ink leaks to a part other than the ink storage chamber, or the original function is impaired due to bubbles mixed during ink injection. May result in poor reproduction.
In particular, when bubbles floating in the injected ink liquid adhere to the sensor surface of the ink remaining amount detection mechanism, the adhering bubbles cause a change in residual vibration, and the presence or absence of ink cannot be detected accurately, and the ink liquid. There is a risk of erroneous detection that the surface is lowered.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a liquid injection method for a liquid storage container and a liquid storage container that can inject liquid without impairing various functions of the liquid storage container. .

The above object of the present invention is to provide a liquid storage section, a liquid supply section connected to the liquid consumption apparatus, and a liquid stored in the liquid storage section in the container main body detachable from the liquid consumption apparatus. A liquid guiding path that guides the liquid to the liquid storage section, an atmosphere communication path that introduces air from the outside into the liquid storage section as the liquid in the liquid storage section is consumed, and a liquid guide path that is provided in the middle of the liquid guiding path. A liquid detection unit that detects that the liquid in the liquid storage unit has been exhausted by detecting an inflow of the gas, and a liquid inflow opening that is provided in the liquid guide path and allows the liquid to flow into the liquid detection unit. A method of injecting a liquid into a liquid storage container of an open air type comprising a weir portion whose upper end is arranged vertically above the circumferential upper part,
Forming an inlet communicating with the liquid container in the atmosphere communication path;
Injecting a predetermined amount of liquid from the injection port;
Sealing the inlet after completion of the step of injecting the liquid;
This is achieved by a liquid injection method for a liquid container including

  According to the liquid injection method having the above configuration, after the liquid injected from the injection port and passing through the liquid guide path passes through the weir part, it flows into the liquid inflow opening at a position lower than the upper end of the weir part and passes through the weir part. When bubbles are mixed in the liquid, buoyancy is exerted on the bubbles against the approach to the liquid inflow opening by the liquid filled in the liquid guide path. This makes it difficult for bubbles to enter the liquid inflow opening.

In addition, the object of the present invention is to provide a liquid container, a liquid supply unit connected to the liquid consumer, and a liquid stored in the liquid container in the container body detachable from the liquid consumer. A liquid guiding path for guiding to the supply section; an air communication path for introducing air into the liquid storing section from outside as the liquid in the liquid storing section is consumed; and the liquid guiding path provided in the middle of the liquid guiding path A liquid detection unit that detects that the liquid in the liquid storage unit has been exhausted by detecting an inflow of gas into the channel, and a liquid inflow opening that is provided in the liquid guide channel and allows the liquid to flow into the liquid detection unit And a weir portion whose upper end is arranged vertically above the inner peripheral upper portion of
An injection port communicating with the liquid storage part is formed in the atmosphere communication path, a predetermined amount of liquid is injected from the injection port, and the injection port is sealed after the liquid is injected. Is done.

According to the liquid container having the above configuration, after the liquid injected from the injection port and passing through the liquid guide path passes through the weir part, it flows into the liquid inflow opening at a position lower than the upper end of the weir part and passes through the weir part. When bubbles are mixed in the liquid, buoyancy is exerted on the bubbles against the approach to the liquid inflow opening by the liquid filled in the liquid guide path.
This makes it difficult for bubbles to enter the liquid inflow opening. In addition, when the liquid in the liquid guide path gradually decreases, the liquid level gradually descends from the upper end of the weir, and the liquid level first flows into the liquid in the state where the residual liquid exists in the liquid guide path. Never reach the opening.

In the liquid container configured as described above, it is desirable that at least a part of the bottom surface of the liquid guide path between the liquid inflow opening and the weir portion be inclined vertically downward toward the liquid inflow opening. .
According to such a configuration, when the liquid in the liquid guide path gradually decreases and the liquid level gradually descends from the upper end of the weir portion, the liquid far from the liquid inflow opening gradually flows along the inclined bottom surface. It flows in the direction of.
That is, the liquid can be swept well, and all of the residual liquid is guided to the liquid inflow opening without being left in the liquid guide path.

In the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that a narrow channel that causes capillary action with respect to the liquid is formed in the liquid guide path.
According to such a configuration, when the liquid in the liquid guiding path enters a narrow flow path, in addition to the liquid flow, the liquid is sucked into the liquid inflow opening side by capillary action, and a good liquid flow without stagnation is obtained. It is done. Further, even when the liquid end (gas-liquid boundary) of the liquid guiding path passes, the liquid at the end is guided to the liquid inflow opening without remaining due to the suction action by capillary action.

In the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the plurality of narrow flow paths are formed in parallel.
According to such a configuration, it is possible to ensure a large passage cross-sectional area of the liquid and reduce the liquid head loss while ensuring the suction action by the capillary action of each narrow flow path. In addition, the probability that a large bubble (or gas-liquid boundary) reaches the liquid inflow opening can be reduced as compared with the case where a single liquid guiding path having the same flow path cross-sectional area is formed.

In the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the narrow channel is formed in a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
According to such a configuration, when the short side is set sufficiently smaller than the long side of the rectangular cross-sectional shape, the flow path becomes flat, and the liquid guide path having the same flow path cross-sectional area is formed in a circular shape. In comparison, the effect of preventing the inflow of bubbles can be increased.

In the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the inlet portion on the most upstream side of the liquid guiding path is a round hole having a diameter larger than the short side of the rectangular cross-sectional shape of the narrow channel.
According to such a configuration, the entrance portion of the liquid guide path is a round hole having a diameter larger than the short side of the rectangular cross section of the narrow channel, and thus has a diameter equal to or smaller than the short side of the rectangular cross section. When a plurality of bubbles flow into the inlet portion, the bubbles can be combined to grow up to a size equivalent to a round hole at the maximum, making it difficult for the bubbles to pass through a narrow channel. In other words, when the entrance portion is formed with the same diameter or less as the short side of the rectangular cross section, all the bubbles that have passed through the entrance portion enter the narrow channel. In this configuration, it is possible to effectively prevent the bubbles from entering the liquid inflow opening by growing the bubbles so as not to pass through the bubbles.

In the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that at least one inner wall surface of the narrow channel also serves as the inner wall surface of the liquid guide path.
According to such a configuration, the inner wall surface of the narrow flow path becomes the inner wall surface of the liquid guide path, so that the outer periphery is in contact with the inner wall surface of the liquid guide path and has a diameter that cannot enter the narrow flow path. Is shifted from the center of the narrow channel.

  That is, the bubbles are constrained by the inner wall surface, and are forced to undergo asymmetric deformation on the axis of symmetry passing through the center. In this case, due to the action of the surface tension, the deforming deformation has a greater restoring force for the bubbles trying to return to the sphere than the symmetrical deformation. Thereby, it is possible to make it difficult to suck the bubbles into the narrow flow path. In other words, only the liquid can easily flow into the narrow channel.

  In addition, since the inner wall surface of the narrow flow path becomes the inner wall surface of the liquid guide path, the corner formed between the inner wall surface and the inner wall surface extends continuously to the liquid guide path and the liquid inflow opening. As a result, the liquid in the narrow channel can be sucked up to the liquid inflow opening by the capillary phenomenon generated at the corner.

In the liquid container having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the liquid guide path is provided with a step portion in which the top surface on the downstream side from the upstream side is arranged in the vertically downward direction.
According to such a configuration, when the liquid injected from the injection port flows through the liquid guide path toward the liquid inflow opening, the liquid is captured by the stepped portion. Thus, when bubbles are mixed in the liquid, the bubbles are separated from the liquid, and the separated bubbles are accumulated on the top surface above the step portion by buoyancy.
This separation action also allows small bubbles that would normally pass through a narrow flow path to grow into large diameter bubbles that cannot pass through the narrow flow path, thus allowing more bubbles to adhere to the liquid detection unit. Can be difficult.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a liquid injection method and a liquid container according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, as an example of the liquid container, an ink cartridge mounted on an ink jet recording apparatus (printer) that is an example of a liquid ejecting apparatus will be described.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an ink cartridge as an embodiment of a liquid container according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the ink cartridge of this embodiment as viewed from the opposite angle to FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the ink cartridge of the present embodiment, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the ink cartridge of the present embodiment as viewed from the opposite angle to FIG. FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which the ink cartridge of the present embodiment is attached to the carriage, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state immediately before attachment to the carriage, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state immediately after attachment to the carriage. It is.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink cartridge 1 of the present embodiment has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and stores and stores ink (liquid) I in an ink storage chamber (liquid storage chamber) provided therein. It is a liquid container. The ink cartridge 1 is mounted on a carriage 200 of an ink jet recording apparatus as an example of a liquid consuming apparatus, and supplies ink to the ink jet recording apparatus (see FIG. 5).

  The appearance characteristics of the ink cartridge 1 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink cartridge 1 has a flat upper surface 1a and is connected to an ink jet recording apparatus on a bottom surface 1b facing the upper surface 1a. An ink supply unit (liquid supply unit) 50 for supplying ink is provided. An air opening hole 100 for introducing air into the ink cartridge 1 is opened on the bottom surface 1b. That is, the ink cartridge 1 is an air release type ink cartridge that supplies ink from the ink supply unit 50 while introducing air from the air release hole 100.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the air opening hole 100 includes a substantially cylindrical concave portion 101 that opens on the bottom surface 1 b from the bottom surface side to the top surface side, and a small hole that opens on the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion 101. 102. The small hole 102 communicates with an atmosphere communication path described later, and the atmosphere is introduced into the uppermost upstream ink storage chamber 370 described later via the small hole 102.

  The concave portion 101 of the air opening hole 100 is configured to have a depth so as to receive the protrusion 230 formed on the carriage 200. The protrusion 230 is a forgetting to peel-off protrusion for preventing forgetting to peel off the sealing film 90 as a closing means for closing the air opening hole 100 in an airtight manner. That is, since the protrusion 230 is not inserted into the atmosphere opening hole 100 in a state where the sealing film 90 is attached, the ink cartridge 1 cannot be attached to the carriage 200. This prevents the user from attaching the ink cartridge 1 to the carriage 200 while the sealing film 90 is stuck on the air opening hole 100, thereby ensuring that the ink cartridge 1 is sealed when the ink cartridge 1 is attached. The film 90 can be prompted to peel off.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, an erroneous insertion prevention protrusion for preventing the ink cartridge 1 from being mounted at an incorrect position on the narrow side surface 1 c adjacent to one short side of the upper surface 1 a of the ink cartridge 1. 22 is formed. As shown in FIG. 5, a concave and convex portion 220 corresponding to the erroneous insertion preventing projection 22 is formed on the carriage 200 side serving as a receiver, and the ink cartridge 1 is used only when the erroneous insertion preventing projection 22 and the concave and convex portion 220 do not interfere with each other. Mounted on the carriage 200. The erroneous insertion prevention protrusion 22 has a different shape for each type of ink, and the unevenness 220 on the carriage 200 side serving as a receiver also has a shape corresponding to the corresponding ink type. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, even when the carriage 200 can mount a plurality of ink cartridges, the ink cartridge is not mounted at an incorrect position.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, an engagement lever 11 is provided on the narrow side surface 1 d that faces the narrow side surface 1 c of the ink cartridge 1. The engaging lever 11 is formed with a protrusion 11a that engages with a recess 210 formed in the carriage 200 when mounted on the carriage 200, and the protrusion 11a and the recess 210 engage while the engaging lever 11 is bent. As a result, the position of the ink cartridge 1 is fixed with respect to the carriage 200.

  A circuit board 34 is provided below the engagement lever 11. A plurality of electrode terminals 34 a are formed on the circuit board 34, and when these electrode terminals 34 a come into contact with electrode members (not shown) provided on the carriage 200, the ink cartridge 1 is electrically inkjet. Connected to a recording device. The circuit board 34 is provided with a rewritable nonvolatile memory, and stores various information about the ink cartridge 1, ink use information of the ink jet recording apparatus, and the like. Further, on the back side of the circuit board 34, there is provided a liquid remaining amount sensor (liquid detecting unit) 31 (see FIG. 3 or FIG. 4) that detects the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge 1 using residual vibration. It has been. In the following description, the liquid remaining amount sensor 31 and the circuit board 34 are collectively referred to as an ink end sensor 30.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a label 60a indicating the contents of the ink cartridge is attached to the upper surface 1a of the ink cartridge 1. The label 60a is formed by sticking the end portion of the outer surface film 60 covering the wide side surface 1f to the upper surface 1a.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wide side surfaces 1e and 1f adjacent to the two long sides of the upper surface 1a of the ink cartridge 1 have a flat surface shape. In the following description, for the sake of convenience, the wide side 1e side will be described as the front side, the wide side 1f side as the back side, the narrow side 1c side as the right side, and the narrow side 1d side as the left side.

Next, each part constituting the ink cartridge 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
The ink cartridge 1 includes a cartridge main body 10 that is a container main body, and a lid member 20 that covers the front side of the cartridge main body 10.

  The cartridge body 10 is formed with ribs 10a having various shapes on the front side thereof, and these ribs 10a partition to form a plurality of ink storage chambers (liquid storage chambers) filled with ink I. In addition, an unfilled chamber that is not filled with ink I, an air chamber located in the middle of an air communication path 150 described later, and the like are partitioned.

  A film 80 that covers the front side of the cartridge body 10 is provided between the cartridge body 10 and the lid member 20, and the upper surfaces of the ribs, recesses, and grooves are closed by the film 80, and a plurality of flow paths and An ink storage chamber, an unfilled chamber, and an air chamber are formed.

Further, on the back side of the cartridge body 10, a differential pressure valve housing chamber 40 a as a recess for housing the differential pressure valve 40 and a gas-liquid separation chamber 70 a as a recess constituting the gas-liquid separation filter 70 are formed.
A valve member 41, a spring 42, and a spring seat 43 are housed in the differential pressure valve housing chamber 40a to constitute the differential pressure valve 40. The differential pressure valve 40 is disposed between the ink supply unit 50 on the downstream side and the ink storage chamber on the upstream side, and the ink supplied to the ink supply unit 50 by depressurizing the downstream side with respect to the upstream side. It is comprised so that I may become a negative pressure.

  A gas-liquid separation film 71 is attached to the upper surface of the gas-liquid separation chamber 70a along a bank 70b surrounding an outer periphery provided in the vicinity of the center of the gas-liquid separation chamber 70a. The gas-liquid separation membrane 71 is a material that allows gas to pass through and blocks liquid from passing through, and constitutes a gas-liquid separation filter 70 as a whole. The gas-liquid separation filter 70 is provided in the atmosphere communication path 150 that connects the atmosphere opening hole 100 and the ink storage chamber so that the ink I in the ink storage chamber does not flow out of the atmosphere opening hole 100 through the atmosphere communication path 150. It is for making.

  In addition to the differential pressure valve housing chamber 40a and the gas-liquid separation chamber 70a, a plurality of grooves 10b are formed on the back side of the cartridge body 10. These grooves 10b are covered with the outer surface film 60 in the state where the differential pressure valve 40 and the gas-liquid separation filter 70 are configured, so that the openings of the grooves 10b are closed, and the air communication paths 150 and the ink guides are formed. A path (liquid guide path) is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a sensor chamber 30 a is formed on the right side surface of the cartridge body 10 as a recess for housing each member constituting the ink end sensor 30. The sensor chamber 30a accommodates a remaining liquid sensor 31 and a compression spring 32 that presses and fixes the remaining liquid sensor 31 against the inner wall surface of the sensor chamber 30a. The opening of the sensor chamber 30 a is covered with a cover member 33, and the circuit board 34 is fixed on the outer surface 33 a of the cover member 33. The sensing member of the remaining liquid sensor 31 is connected to the circuit board 34.

The liquid remaining amount sensor 31 includes a cavity that forms part of an ink guide path between the ink storage chamber and the ink supply unit 50, a diaphragm that forms part of the wall surface of the cavity, and a vibration plate on the diaphragm. A piezoelectric element (piezoelectric actuator) for applying vibration is provided, and the presence or absence of ink I in the ink guiding path is detected from residual vibration when vibration is applied to the diaphragm. The liquid remaining amount sensor 31 detects the presence or absence of the ink I in the cartridge body 10 by detecting the difference in the amplitude, frequency, etc. of the residual vibration between the ink I and the gas (the bubble B mixed in the ink). To do.
Specifically, when the ink I in the ink storage chamber in the cartridge main body 10 is exhausted and the air introduced into the ink storage chamber enters the cavity of the liquid remaining amount sensor 31 through the ink guide path, This is detected from the change in the amplitude and frequency of the residual vibration and an electrical signal indicating the ink end is output.

  On the bottom surface side of the cartridge body 10, in addition to the ink supply unit 50 and the air opening hole 100 described above, as shown in FIG. Are formed in the pressure reducing hole 110, a recess 95 a constituting an ink guide path from the ink storage chamber to the ink supply unit 50, and a buffer chamber 30 b provided below the ink end sensor 30.

  The ink supply unit 50, the air opening hole 100, the decompression hole 110, the recess 95a, and the buffer chamber 30b are all opened by the sealing films 54, 90, 98, 95, and 35 immediately after the ink cartridge is manufactured. It is in a sealed state. Among these, the sealing film 90 that seals the air opening hole 100 is peeled off by the user before the ink cartridge is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus and put into use. As a result, the atmosphere opening hole 100 is exposed to the outside, and the ink storage chamber inside the ink cartridge 1 communicates with the outside air via the atmosphere communication path 150.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the sealing film 35 attached to the outer surface of the ink supply unit 50 is broken by the ink supply needle 240 on the ink jet recording apparatus side when mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus. It is configured to be.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ink supply unit 50 includes an annular seal member 51 that is pressed against the outer surface of the ink supply needle 240 when attached, and a seal member 51 that is not attached to the printer. A spring seat 52 that closes the ink supply unit 50 and a compression spring 53 that urges the spring seat 52 in the contact direction of the seal member 51.

  6 and 7, when the ink supply needle 240 is inserted into the ink supply unit 50, the inner periphery of the seal member 51 and the outer periphery of the ink supply needle 240 are sealed, and the ink supply unit 50 and the ink supply are supplied. The gap between the needle 240 is sealed in a liquid-tight manner. Further, the tip of the ink supply needle 51 comes into contact with the spring seat 52, pushes the spring seat 52 upward, and the seal between the spring seat 52 and the seal member 51 is released, so that the ink supply portion 50 moves to the ink supply needle 240. Ink can be supplied.

Next, the internal structure of the ink cartridge 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
8 is a view of the cartridge main body 10 of the ink cartridge 1 of the present embodiment as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 9 is a view of the cartridge main body 10 of the ink cartridge 1 of the present embodiment as viewed from the rear side. (A) of FIG. 8 is a simplified schematic diagram of FIG. 8, (b) of FIG. 10 is a simplified schematic diagram of FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is an AA sectional view of FIG. FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the flow path shown in FIG.

In the ink cartridge 1 of the present embodiment, as the main ink storage chamber filled with the ink I, the upper ink storage chamber 370 and the lower ink storage chamber 390 divided into two upper and lower portions, and the upper and lower ink storage chambers are provided. Three ink storage chambers including a buffer chamber 430 positioned so as to be sandwiched are formed on the front side of the cartridge body 10 (see FIG. 10).
Further, an air communication path 150 is formed on the back side of the cartridge body 10 to introduce air into the upper ink storage chamber 370 that is the most upstream ink storage chamber according to the amount of ink I consumed.

  The ink storage chambers 370 and 390 and the buffer chamber 430 are divided by the rib 10a. In the case of the present embodiment, each of these ink storage chambers extends in the horizontal direction and is recessed 374, 394, 434 having a shape recessed downward in a part of the rib 10a that becomes the bottom wall of the storage chamber. Is formed.

  The depression 374 is a depression of a part of the bottom wall 375 formed by the rib 10 a of the upper ink storage chamber 370. The recess 394 is recessed in the cartridge thickness direction by the bottom wall 395 and the bulging portion of the wall surface by the rib 10a of the lower ink storage chamber 390. The recess 434 is obtained by recessing a part of the bottom wall 435 by the rib 10a of the buffer chamber 430 downward.

In addition, ink discharge ports 371, 311, and 432 that communicate with the ink guide path 380, the upstream ink end sensor communication channel 400, and the ink guide path 440 are provided at or near the bottoms of the recesses 374, 394, 434. ing.
The ink discharge ports 371 and 432 are through holes that penetrate the wall surface of each ink storage chamber in the thickness direction of the cartridge body 10. The ink discharge port 311 is a through hole penetrating the bottom wall 395 downward.

  One end of the ink guide path 380 communicates with the ink discharge port 371 of the upper ink storage chamber 370 and the other end communicates with the ink inlet 391 provided in the lower ink storage chamber 390. This is a communication channel for guiding the ink I to the lower ink storage chamber 390. The ink guide path 380 is provided so as to extend vertically downward from the ink discharge port 371 of the upper ink storage chamber 370, and the flow direction of the ink I in the communication flow path is a downward flow from the top to the bottom. The pair of liquid storage chambers 370 and 390 are connected to each other by a descending connection.

One end of the ink guide path 420 communicates with the ink discharge port 312 of the cavity in the liquid remaining amount sensor 31 located downstream of the lower ink storage chamber 390 and the other end of the ink inlet 431 provided in the buffer chamber 430. The ink I in the lower ink storage chamber 390 is guided to the buffer chamber 430. The ink guide path 420 is provided so as to extend obliquely upward from the ink discharge port 312 of the cavity in the liquid remaining amount sensor 31, and the flow direction of the ink I in the communication flow path is from bottom to top. A pair of ink storage chambers 390 and 430 are connected to each other by an ascending connection that forms an upward flow.
That is, in the cartridge main body 10 of the present embodiment, the three ink storage chambers 370, 390, 430 are connected in series to alternately repeat the descending connection and the ascending connection.

The ink guide path 440 is an ink flow path that guides ink from the ink discharge port 432 of the buffer chamber 430 to the differential pressure valve 40.
In the case of the present embodiment, the ink inlets 391 and 431 of the respective ink storage chambers are above the ink discharge ports 371 and 311 provided in the respective storage chambers in the respective ink storage chambers. It is provided in the vicinity of the bottom walls 375, 395, 435 of the storage chamber.

Hereinafter, an ink guiding path from the upper ink storage chamber 370, which is the main ink storage chamber, to the ink supply unit 50 will be described with reference to FIGS.
The upper ink storage chamber 370 is the most upstream (uppermost) ink storage chamber in the cartridge main body 10, and is formed on the front side of the cartridge main body 10 as shown in FIG. 8. The upper ink storage chamber 370 is an ink storage area that occupies about half of the ink storage chamber, and is formed in a portion above approximately half of the cartridge body 10.

  An ink discharge port 371 communicating with the ink guide path 380 is opened in the recess 374 of the bottom wall 375 of the upper ink storage chamber 370. The ink discharge port 371 is located at a position lower than the bottom wall 375 of the upper ink storage chamber 370. Even if the ink liquid level F in the upper ink storage chamber 370 drops to the bottom wall 375, the ink liquid level F at that time Stable ink derivation is continued at a lower position.

As shown in FIG. 9, the ink guide path 380 is formed on the back side of the cartridge body 10 and guides the ink I from below to the lower ink storage chamber 390.
The lower ink storage chamber 390 is an ink storage chamber into which the ink I stored in the upper ink storage chamber 370 is introduced. As shown in FIG. 8, the lower ink storage chamber 390 is about the ink storage chamber formed on the front side of the cartridge body 10. It is an ink containing area that occupies half, and is formed in a portion from approximately half to the bottom of the cartridge body 10.

  The ink inlet 391 that communicates with the ink guide path 380 opens to a communication channel that is disposed below the bottom wall 395 of the lower ink storage chamber 390, and passes from the upper ink storage chamber 370 through the communication channel. Ink I flows in.

  The lower ink chamber 390 communicates with the upstream ink end sensor communication channel 400 through an ink discharge port 311 that penetrates the bottom wall 395. The upstream side ink end sensor communication channel 400 is formed with a three-dimensional maze channel, which captures the bubbles B and the like that flowed in front of the ink end and flows downstream. It is configured not to flow.

  The upstream ink end sensor communication channel 400 communicates with the downstream ink end sensor communication channel 410 via the ink inlet 427 that is a through hole, and the ink is transmitted via the downstream ink end sensor communication channel 410. I is guided to the liquid remaining amount sensor 31.

The ink I guided to the liquid remaining amount sensor 31 passes through a cavity (flow path) in the liquid remaining amount sensor 31 and is formed on the back side of the cartridge main body 10 from the ink discharge port 312 which is an outlet of the cavity. Guided to guideway 420.
The ink guide path 420 is formed so as to guide the ink I obliquely upward from the liquid remaining amount sensor 31, and is connected to an ink inlet 431 that communicates with the buffer chamber 430. Accordingly, the ink I that has exited the liquid remaining amount sensor 31 is guided to the buffer chamber 430 through the ink guide path 420.

  The buffer chamber 430 is a small chamber defined by the rib 10 a between the upper ink storage chamber 370 and the lower ink storage chamber 390, and is formed as an ink storage space immediately before the differential pressure valve 40. The buffer chamber 430 is formed to face the back side of the differential pressure valve 40, and the ink I is supplied to the differential pressure valve 40 via an ink guide path 440 that communicates with an ink discharge port 432 formed in a recess 434 of the buffer chamber 430. Flows in.

  The ink I that has flowed into the differential pressure valve 40 is guided downstream by the differential pressure valve 40, and is guided to the outlet flow channel 450 through the through hole 451. The outlet channel 450 communicates with the ink supply unit 50, and the ink I is supplied to the ink jet recording apparatus side via the ink supply needle 240 inserted into the ink supply unit 50.

  As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the ink inflow that causes the ink I to flow into the sensor chamber in which the remaining liquid amount sensor 31 is provided in the downstream-side ink end sensor communication channel (liquid guide channel) 410 of the present embodiment. A weir portion 425 having an upper end 425a disposed vertically above the inner peripheral upper portion 423a of the opening 423 is provided. In the present embodiment, an ink inlet 427 (described later) is formed at the right end of the downstream-side ink end sensor communication channel 410 in FIG. 14, and an ink inflow opening 423 is formed at the left end.

Therefore, the ink I in the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 flows upward through the ink inlet 427 and then flows over the weir 425 to the left ink inflow opening 423. The ink I passing through the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 passes through the weir 425 and then flows into the ink inflow opening 423 at a position lower than the upper end 425 a of the weir 425.
Therefore, when the bubble B is mixed with the ink I passing through the dam portion 425, the buoyancy that resists the approach to the ink inflow opening 423 by the ink I filled in the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 acts on the bubble B. To do. Thereby, the bubble B is difficult to enter the ink inflow opening 423. Further, when the ink I in the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 gradually decreases, the liquid level gradually descends from the upper end 425a of the weir 425. Therefore, the liquid level does not reach the ink inflow opening 423 first in the state where the residual liquid exists in the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410.

  At least a part of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 between the ink inflow opening 423 and the weir 425 has a bottom surface 410 a inclined downward in the vertical direction toward the ink inflow opening 423. In this embodiment, the horizontal bottom surface 410b is formed between the bottom surface 410a and the ink inflow opening 423, but the horizontal bottom surface 410b may be omitted and the bottom surface 410a may be directly connected to the ink inflow opening 423.

  By providing such an inclined bottom surface 410a, the ink in the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 gradually decreases, and when the liquid level gradually descends from the upper end 425a of the dam portion 425, it is far from the ink inflow opening 423. The ink I gradually flows in the direction of the ink inflow opening 423 along the inclined bottom surface 410a. That is, the ink I sweeps well, and all of the residual ink is guided to the ink inflow opening 423 without being left in the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410.

Here, a narrow channel 429 that causes capillary action on the ink I is formed above the bottom surface 410 a of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410. By forming such a narrow flow path 429, when the ink I beyond the dam portion 425 enters the narrow flow path 429, the ink I is sucked toward the ink inflow opening 423 by capillary action in addition to the liquid flow. Therefore, a good liquid flow without stagnation can be obtained.
Further, even when the ink end (gas-liquid boundary) of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 passes through the narrow flow path 429, the ink I does not remain at the end due to the suction action by capillary action. It is surely guided to the inflow opening 423.

The narrow channel 429 is formed by forming a partition piece 411 in the downstream side ink end sensor communication channel 410 above the bottom surface 410a, thereby forming two narrow channels 429a and 429b. That is, the narrow channel 429 is formed by a plurality of narrow channels 429a and 429b arranged in parallel.
By configuring the narrow channel 429 with a plurality of narrow channels 429a and 429b, a suction action by the capillary action of each of the narrow channels 429a and 429b is secured, and a large passage channel cross-sectional area of the ink I is secured. , The head loss of ink I is reduced. Also, the probability that a large bubble (or gas-liquid boundary) reaches the ink inflow opening 423 is reduced as compared with the case where the downstream side ink end sensor communication passage 410 having the same flow path cross-sectional area is formed in one cross-sectional shape. Yes.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the narrow channels 429a and 429b of the narrow channel 429 are formed in a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
In this way, when the short side is set sufficiently smaller than the long side of the rectangular cross-sectional shape, the flow path becomes flat, and the downstream side ink end sensor communication path 410 having the same flow path cross-sectional area is formed in a circular shape. In comparison with FIG. 4, the effect of preventing the flow of bubbles B in the ink I is increased. Further, the ink inlet 427 on the most upstream side of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 is formed with a round hole having a diameter larger than the short side of the rectangular cross-sectional shape short side of the narrow channel 429 as shown in FIGS. Has been. The ink I flowing into the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 flows upward through the ink inlet 427 and then flows over the weir 425 to the narrow flow path 429.

  As described above, the ink inlet portion 427 of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 is a round hole having a diameter larger than the short side of the rectangular cross section of the narrow flow path 429. When a plurality of bubbles having a diameter of 1 mm flow into the ink inlet portion 427, the bubbles can be combined to grow up to a size equivalent to a round hole at the maximum, and the bubbles in the ink I with respect to the narrow channel 429 It is difficult to pass through B. In other words, when the ink inlet portion 427 is formed with the same diameter as the short side of the rectangular cross section, all the bubbles B that have passed through the ink inlet portion 427 enter the narrow channel 429. In this configuration, it is possible to effectively prevent the bubble B in the ink I from entering the ink inflow opening 423 by growing the bubble B so as not to pass through.

Further, as shown in FIG. 15, in the narrow channel 429 a constituting the narrow channel 429, one inner wall surface also serves as the top surface 410 f which is the inner wall surface of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410. In the narrow channel 429b constituting the narrow channel 429, one inner wall surface is a bottom surface 410a which is the inner wall surface of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410, and is continuous with the horizontal bottom surface 410b.
Thus, each inner wall surface in each of the narrow channels 429a and 429b constituting the narrow channel 429 also serves as the top surface 410f or the bottom surface 410a that is the inner wall surface of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410. For example, as shown in FIG. 16 (a), the bubble B in the ink I having a diameter in which the outer periphery is in contact with the top surface 410f of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 and cannot enter the narrow channel 429a is The center will deviate from the center of the narrow channel 429a.
In other words, the bubble B is abutted and restrained against the top surface 410f of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410, thereby forcing an asymmetrical deformation on an axis of symmetry passing through the center.

On the other hand, for example, as shown in FIG. 16B, when the narrow channel 429 has a narrow channel 429c formed by a pair of partition pieces 411a and 411b, the inner wall surface of one narrow channel 429c is downstream. It does not double as the top surface 410f or the bottom surface 410a of the side ink end sensor communication passage 410.
Accordingly, the bubble B in the ink I having a diameter that cannot enter the narrow channel 429c coincides with the center of the narrow channel 429c, and deforms symmetrically with respect to the symmetry axis passing through the center.

  Therefore, due to the effect of surface tension, the deformed deformation shown in FIG. 16A has a greater restoring force of the bubble B trying to return to the sphere than the symmetrical deformation shown in FIG. Thereby, it is possible to make it difficult to suck the bubbles B in the ink I into the narrow flow path 429a. In other words, only the ink I can easily flow into the narrow flow path 429.

  Further, since the inner wall surface of the narrow channel 429b becomes the bottom surface 410a of the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 and is continuous with the horizontal bottom surface 410b, as shown in FIG. 15, the bottom surface 410a and the inner wall surface 410c The corner 410d formed between the two ends continuously extends to the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 and the ink inflow opening 423, and the ink I in the narrow flow path 429 is generated at the corner 410d. Capillary phenomenon makes it possible to easily suck up to the ink inflow opening 423.

Further, as shown in FIG. 14, the downstream side ink end sensor communication passage 410 is formed with a step portion 415 in which the top surface 410f on the downstream side is arranged vertically downward from the top surface 410e on the upstream side. . By forming the step portion 415, an air pocket portion 437 is formed above the weir portion 425.
The ink I that has flowed in from the ink inlet 427 is captured by the step portion 415 as it flows through the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 toward the ink inflow opening 423. As a result, when the bubbles B are mixed in the ink I, the bubbles B are separated from the ink I, and the separated bubbles B accumulate on the top surface 410e on the upper side of the step portion 415 by buoyancy. Become. Further, by this separation action, it is possible to grow the small-sized bubble B that normally passes through the narrow channel 429 into the large-sized bubble B that cannot pass through the narrow channel 429, and the liquid remaining amount sensor 31. Air bubbles B are more difficult to adhere.

Therefore, according to the ink cartridge 1 of the present embodiment, the weir portion 425 having the upper end 425a disposed vertically above the inner peripheral upper portion 423a of the ink inflow opening 423 is provided. The ink I passing passes through the dam portion 425 and then flows into the ink inflow opening 423 at a position lower than the upper end 425 a of the dam portion 425.
Therefore, when the bubble B is mixed with the ink I passing through the dam portion 425, the buoyancy that resists the approach to the ink inflow opening 423 by the ink I filled in the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 acts on the bubble B. Therefore, it is difficult for the bubble B to enter the ink inflow opening 423. Thereby, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection due to the bubbles B mixed in the liquids of the ink storage chambers 370, 390, and 430 adhering to the liquid remaining amount sensor 31.

  Further, when the ink I in the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 gradually decreases, the liquid level gradually falls from the upper end 425a of the weir 425, and the residual liquid flows into the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410. The liquid level does not reach the ink inflow opening 423 first. Thereby, it is not erroneously detected that the remaining amount of ink in the ink storage chambers 370, 390, 430 is zero unlike the actual case.

Next, the atmosphere communication path 150 from the atmosphere opening hole 100 to the upper ink storage chamber 370 will be described with reference to FIGS.
When the ink I in the ink cartridge 1 is consumed and the pressure in the ink cartridge 1 decreases, the atmosphere (air) flows from the atmosphere opening hole 100 into the upper ink storage chamber 370 by the amount of the stored ink I.

  A small hole 102 provided in the atmosphere opening hole 100 communicates with one end of a serpentine passage 310 formed on the back side of the cartridge body 10. The serpentine path 310 is a meandering path formed so as to increase the distance from the atmosphere opening hole 100 to the upper ink storage chamber 370 and suppress the evaporation of moisture in the ink. The other end of the serpentine 310 is connected to the gas-liquid separation filter 70.

A through-hole 322 is formed in the bottom surface of the gas-liquid separation chamber 70a constituting the gas-liquid separation filter 70, and communicates with a space 320 formed on the front side of the cartridge body 10 through the through-hole 322. .
In the gas-liquid separation filter 70, the gas-liquid separation film 71 is disposed between the through hole 322 and the other end of the serpentine 310. The gas-liquid separation membrane 71 is formed by knitting a fiber material having high water and oil repellency into a mesh shape.

  The space 320 is formed at the upper right of the upper ink chamber 370 when viewed from the front side of the cartridge body 10. In the space 320, a through hole 321 opens above the through hole 322. The space 320 communicates with the upper connection channel 330 formed on the back side through the through hole 321.

  The upper connecting flow path 330 has a long side from the through hole 321 when viewed from the back side so as to pass through the uppermost side of the ink cartridge 1, that is, the uppermost part in the direction of gravity in a state where the ink cartridge 1 is attached. And a through-hole 341 formed in the vicinity of the through-hole 321 through the upper surface side of the ink cartridge 1 with respect to the flow-path portion 333 by folding back at a folded-back portion 335 near the short side. And a flow path portion 337 extending to the end. The through hole 341 communicates with an ink trap chamber 340 formed on the front side.

  Here, when the upper connecting flow path 330 is viewed from the back side, the flow path portion 337 extending from the folded portion 335 to the through hole 341 has a position 336 where the through hole 341 is formed, and the cartridge thickness direction from the position 336. A concave portion 332 that is deeply dug in position is provided, and a plurality of ribs 331 are formed so as to delimit the concave portion 332. Further, the flow path portion 333 extending from the through hole 321 to the folded portion 335 is formed to be shallower than the flow path portion 337 extending from the folded portion 335 to the through hole 341.

  In the present embodiment, since the upper connection channel 330 is formed at the uppermost portion in the direction of gravity, basically, the ink I does not move beyond the upper connection channel 330 to the atmosphere opening hole 100 side. It is configured. Further, the upper connecting flow path 330 has a width large enough to prevent the backflow of the ink I due to a capillary phenomenon or the like, and the recessed portion 332 is formed in the flow path portion 337, so that the ink I that has flowed back is not allowed to flow. It is configured to be easy to capture.

  The ink trap chamber 340 is a rectangular parallelepiped space formed at the upper right corner of the cartridge body 10 when viewed from the front side. As shown in FIG. 12, the through hole 341 opens near the upper left rear corner of the ink trap chamber 340 when viewed from the front side. Further, a notch portion 342 in which a part of the rib 10a serving as a partition is notched is formed at the right lower front corner of the ink trap chamber 340, and the communication buffer chamber is formed through the notch portion 342. 350 is communicated.

  Here, the ink trap chamber 340 and the communication buffer chamber 350 are air chambers in which the volume in the middle of the atmosphere communication path 150 is expanded, and even if the ink I flows backward from the upper ink storage chamber 370 for some reason, The ink I is retained in the ink trap chamber 340 and the communication buffer chamber 350 so that it does not flow into the atmosphere opening hole 100 as much as possible. Specific roles of the ink trap chamber 340 and the communication buffer chamber 350 will be described later.

  The communication buffer chamber 350 is a space formed below the ink trap chamber 340. The bottom surface 352 of the connection buffer chamber 350 is provided with a decompression hole 110 for releasing air when ink is injected. In addition, a through hole 351 is opened on the thickness direction side in the vicinity of the bottom surface 352 and at the lowest position in the gravitational direction when mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus, and is formed on the back side through the through hole 351. The communication channel 360 is communicated with.

  The communication channel 360 extends from the rear side to the center upper side as viewed from the back side, and is connected to the upper ink storage chamber via a through hole 372 that is the downstream end of the atmosphere communication path 150 that opens near the bottom wall of the upper ink storage chamber 370. 370 is in communication. That is, the atmosphere communication path 150 of this embodiment is configured from the atmosphere opening hole 100 to the communication channel 360. The communication flow path 360 forms a meniscus and is formed to be thin enough to prevent backflow of the ink I.

  In the case of the ink cartridge 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the ink storage chamber (the upper ink storage chamber 370, the lower ink storage chamber 390, and the buffer chamber 430) is disposed on the front side of the cartridge body 10. In addition to the air chamber (ink trap chamber 340, communication buffer chamber 350) and ink guide path (upstream ink end sensor communication channel 400, downstream ink end sensor communication channel 410), ink I is not filled. An unfilled chamber 501 is defined.

The unfilled chamber 501 is partitioned and formed on the front side of the cartridge body 10 in a region near the hatched left side so as to be sandwiched between the upper ink storage chamber 370 and the lower ink storage chamber 390.
The unfilled chamber 501 is provided with an air opening hole 502 penetrating to the back side in the upper left corner of the inner region, and communicates with the outside air through the air opening hole 502.

  The unfilled chamber 501 is a deaeration chamber in which a negative pressure for deaeration is accumulated when the ink cartridge 1 is packed in a decompression pack. Therefore, before use, the air pressure inside the cartridge body 10 is kept below a specified value by the negative pressure suction force of the unfilled chamber 501 and the decompression pack, and ink I with less dissolved air can be supplied.

  Next, an embodiment of a method for injecting ink I into the used ink cartridge 1 when the ink I in the ink cartridge 1 described above is exhausted will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the configuration of the ink re-injection apparatus used in the injection method of this embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 17, the ink re-injection apparatus 600 includes an ink injection means 610 connected to an injection port 601 opened in the ink cartridge 1 by punching, and a vacuum suction connected to the ink supply unit 50 of the cartridge body 10. And means 620.

  The ink injection means 610 includes an ink tank 611 that stores ink I to be filled, a pump 613 that pumps the ink I in the ink tank 611 to the flow path 612 connected to the injection port 601, and the pump 613. And a valve 614 for opening and closing the flow path 612 with the inlet 601.

  The vacuum suction means 620 includes a vacuum pump 621 that generates a negative pressure necessary for vacuum suction, a communication channel 622 that causes the negative pressure generated by the vacuum pump 621 to act on the ink supply unit 50, and a middle of the communication channel 622. The ink trap 623 that captures and collects the ink I flowing into the communication channel 622 from the cartridge body 10 side by vacuum suction and protects the vacuum pump 621 from ink mist and the like, and the ink trap 623 and the ink A valve 624 for opening and closing the communication channel 622 with the supply unit 50 is provided.

  In the present embodiment, in consideration of the structure and function of the ink cartridge 1, the position where the inlet 601 communicating with the upper ink storage chamber 370 is formed in the atmosphere communication path 150 forms a part of the atmosphere communication path 150. The position is near the position facing the through hole 372 located at the downstream end of the communication flow path 360.

  The injection port 601 facing the through hole 372 is formed by making a hole in the outer surface film 60 covering the back side of the cartridge body 10 so as to coincide with the through hole 372. For example, when the front end of the channel 612 inserted into the inlet 601 is pressed against the through hole 372, the tip of the channel 612 is in airtight contact with the container wall surface around the through hole 372, and the channel 612 and the through hole 372 are in close contact. And a seal ring or the like is provided.

The injection port 601 communicating with the upper ink storage chamber 370 may be formed in the atmosphere communication path 150 located upstream from the upper ink storage chamber 370, and the formation position of the injection port 601 is not limited to the above embodiment.
For example, the inlet 601 is formed by making a hole in the outer surface film 60 or peeling the outer surface film 60 so as to coincide with the communication flow path 360 constituting a part of the atmosphere communication path 150. be able to. Alternatively, the inlet 601 can be formed by peeling off the outer surface film 60 and the gas-liquid separation film 71 so as to coincide with the through-hole 322 opened in the gas-liquid separation chamber 70 a constituting the gas-liquid separation filter 70.

  Further, the lid member 20 is removed from the ink cartridge 1 to expose the film 80 covering the front side of the cartridge body 10, and a through hole located at the upper end of the communication channel 360 constituting a part of the atmosphere communication path 150. It can also be formed by making a hole in the film 80 so as to coincide with 351.

In the present embodiment, first, an injection port forming step of forming an injection port 601 communicating with the upper ink storage chamber 370 in the atmosphere communication path 150, and vacuum suction means 620 remove ink and residual gas remaining inside from the ink supply unit 50. A vacuum suction step for sucking and removing by the step, a liquid injection step for injecting a predetermined amount of ink from the injection port 601 by the ink injection means 610, and a sealing step for sealing the injection port 601 after completion of the liquid injection step. By carrying out, the used ink cartridge 1 is restored as a reusable ink cartridge (liquid container).
Specifically, the sealing step is a processing step of sealing the inlet 601 in an airtight manner by sealing film adhesion, welding, plugging, or the like.

  In the ink injection method of the ink cartridge of the present embodiment described above, the processing performed on the ink cartridge 1 for the injection of the ink I is for injecting the ink I so as to communicate with the upper ink storage chamber 370. The opening 601 is opened in the outer surface film 60 and the injection port 601 is sealed after the ink I is injected, both of which are simple processes. Therefore, the processing cost is low and it does not take time and effort.

  In the present embodiment, since a vacuum suction process for sucking and removing the ink and residual gas remaining from the ink supply unit 50 is provided, the liquid injection process for injecting a predetermined amount of ink I from the injection port 601 includes: The ink guide paths 380, 420, 440 and the ink storage chambers of the cartridge body 10 are managed in a reduced pressure environment, and the injected ink I reaches not only the ink storage chambers 370, 390, 430 but also the ink supply unit 50. It is possible to efficiently fill every corner of all ink guide paths.

Also, bubbles that are mixed during the injection of the ink I are removed from the ink supply unit 50 to the outside by vacuum suction, or the inflowed bubbles are dissolved and extinguished in the liquid by the reduced pressure environment in the container formed by vacuum suction. Can be.
Further, the air bubbles B mixed in the ink I passing through the weir 425 during ink filling resist the approach to the ink inflow opening 423 by the ink I injected into the downstream ink end sensor communication passage 410 as described above. The buoyancy is exerted and the bubbles B are difficult to enter the ink inflow opening 423. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection due to the bubbles B mixed in the ink in the ink storage chambers 370, 390, and 430 at the time of ink injection adhering to the liquid remaining amount sensor 31.

  If a regenerated ink cartridge regenerated by such an ink injection method is provided, the product life as a container of the ink cartridge is extended, which can contribute to resource saving and prevention of environmental pollution. In addition, since the cost required for reproduction is low and can be provided at a low cost, it contributes to a reduction in the operating cost of the ink jet recording apparatus.

  In the ink injection method of the ink cartridge of the present embodiment described above, the cleaning liquid is injected into the cartridge main body 10 from the injection port 601 between the vacuum suction process and the liquid filling process, and the ink solidified inside the container. You may make it perform washing | cleaning and removal. Further, it is not necessary to clearly set the processing order between the vacuum suction process and the liquid filling process. For example, the liquid filling process can be performed in parallel with the vacuum suction process.

In addition, the ink re-injection apparatus 600 used when carrying out the ink injection method of the present embodiment can be replaced with a readily available instrument.
For example, in the case of the ink injection means 610, an injector composed of a cylinder and a piston can be substituted for the syringe, or a refill bottle containing refill ink in a deformable PET bottle can be substituted.

  The configurations of the container main body, the liquid storage unit, the liquid supply unit, the liquid guide path, the air communication path, the liquid detection unit, the weir unit, and the like in the liquid storage container according to the present invention are limited to the configurations of the above embodiments. It goes without saying that various forms can be adopted based on the gist of the present invention.

The use of the liquid container of the present invention is not limited to the ink cartridge of the above-described ink jet recording apparatus. The present invention can be used for various liquid consuming devices including a liquid ejecting head that discharges a minute amount of liquid droplets.
Specific examples of the liquid consuming device include, for example, an electrode material (conductive) used for forming an electrode such as a device having a color material ejecting head used for manufacturing a color filter such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, and a surface emitting display (FED). Examples thereof include an apparatus having a paste) ejection head, an apparatus having a bio-organic matter ejection head used for biochip manufacturing, an apparatus having a sample ejection head as a precision pipette, a textile printing apparatus, and a micro dispenser.

1 is an external perspective view of an ink cartridge as an embodiment of a liquid container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an ink cartridge as an embodiment of the present invention viewed from an angle opposite to that in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an ink cartridge as an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention when viewed from an angle opposite to that in FIG. 3. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state where an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a carriage of an ink jet recording apparatus. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state immediately before the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the invention is attached to the carriage. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state immediately after the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the invention is attached to the carriage. It is the figure which looked at the cartridge main body of the ink cartridge as one Embodiment of this invention from the front side. It is the figure which looked at the cartridge main body of the ink cartridge as one embodiment of the present invention from the back side. (A) is the simplified schematic diagram of FIG. 8, (b) is the simplified schematic diagram of FIG. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the flow path structure in the cartridge main body shown in FIG. 8. It is a principal part expansion perspective view of FIG. It is a principal part expanded sectional view of the liquid guide path shown in FIG. It is a cross-sectional perspective view in the VV line of FIG. It is action explanatory drawing which represented the deformed deformation | transformation which the center of a bubble shifted | deviated from the center of a narrow flow path, and (a) and symmetrical deformation | transformation were represented to (b). It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the ink reinjection apparatus which enforces the liquid injection method of the liquid container which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ink cartridge (liquid container), 10 ... Cartridge main body (container main body), 20 ... Lid member, 30 ... Ink end sensor, 31 ... Liquid residual amount sensor (liquid detection part), 40 ... Differential pressure valve, 50 ... Ink Supply part (liquid supply part), 70 ... Gas-liquid separation filter, 80 ... Film, 100 ... Air opening hole, 150 ... Air communication path, 200 ... Carriage, 330 ... Upper connection flow path, 340 ... Ink trap chamber (air chamber) , 350 ... Connection buffer chamber (air chamber), 370 ... Upper ink storage chamber (liquid storage chamber), 371, 311, 432 ... Ink discharge port (liquid discharge port), 374, 394, 434 ... Depression, 375, 395 , 435 ... Bottom wall of the liquid storage chamber, 380 ... Ink guide path (liquid guide path), 390 ... Lower ink storage chamber (liquid storage chamber), 391, 431 ... Ink inlet (liquid Inlet), 400 ... Upstream ink end sensor communication channel (liquid guide channel), 410 ... Downstream ink end sensor communication channel (liquid guide channel), 410a ... Bottom surface, 410c ... Inner side wall, 410f ... Top surface, 411 ... partition piece, 415 ... step, 420 ... ink guide path (liquid guide path), 423 ... ink inflow opening (liquid inflow opening), 423a ... inner periphery upper part, 425 ... weir part, 425a ... upper end, 427 ... ink inlet Part (entrance part), 429 ... narrow flow path, 429a, 429b ... narrow flow path, 430 ... buffer chamber (liquid storage chamber), 501 ... unfilled chamber (deaeration chamber), B ... bubble, I ... ink (liquid) )

Claims (9)

In a container body detachable from the liquid consuming device, a liquid storage unit, a liquid supply unit connected to the liquid consumption device, and a liquid guide path for guiding the liquid stored in the liquid storage unit to the liquid supply unit , Provided in the middle of the air communication path for introducing the atmosphere from the outside into the liquid storage section as the liquid in the liquid storage section is consumed, and detecting the inflow of gas into the liquid guide path Thus, a liquid detection unit that detects that the liquid in the liquid storage unit has been exhausted and a liquid inflow passage that is provided in the liquid guide path and that flows into the liquid detection unit are vertically above the inner periphery. A method of injecting a liquid into a liquid storage container of an open-air type provided with a weir portion having an upper end disposed thereon,
Forming an inlet communicating with the liquid container in the atmosphere communication path;
Injecting a predetermined amount of liquid from the injection port;
Sealing the inlet after completion of the step of injecting the liquid;
A liquid injecting method for a liquid storage container. In a container body detachable from the liquid consuming device, a liquid storage unit, a liquid supply unit connected to the liquid consumption device, and a liquid guide path for guiding the liquid stored in the liquid storage unit to the liquid supply unit , Provided in the middle of the air communication path for introducing the atmosphere from the outside into the liquid storage section as the liquid in the liquid storage section is consumed, and detecting the inflow of gas into the liquid guide path Thus, a liquid detection unit that detects that the liquid in the liquid storage unit has been exhausted and a liquid inflow passage that is provided in the liquid guide path and that flows into the liquid detection unit are vertically above the inner periphery. An air release type liquid storage container provided with a weir portion having an upper end disposed therein,
A liquid storage container formed by forming an injection port communicating with the liquid storage portion in the atmosphere communication path, injecting a predetermined amount of liquid from the injection port, sealing the injection port after injecting the liquid.   The liquid storage according to claim 2, wherein a bottom surface of at least a part of the liquid guide path between the liquid inflow opening and the weir portion is inclined vertically downward toward the liquid inflow opening. container.   4. The liquid container according to claim 2, wherein a narrow flow path that causes capillary action on the liquid is formed in the liquid guide path. 5.   The liquid container according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of narrow flow paths are formed in parallel.   The liquid container according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the narrow channel is formed in a rectangular cross-sectional shape.   The liquid container according to claim 6, wherein the inlet portion on the most upstream side of the liquid guide path is a round hole having a diameter larger than the short side of the rectangular cross-sectional shape of the narrow channel.   The liquid container according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein at least one inner wall surface of the narrow flow path also serves as an inner wall surface of the liquid guiding path. The liquid storage according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the liquid guide path is provided with a step portion in which a top surface downstream from the upstream side is disposed vertically downward. container.

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