JP2008126590A - Ink foreign matter separator of inkjet printer and ink supply system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink foreign matter separator of an inkjet printer which can prevent blocking from occurring by separating and removing foreign matter in inks supplied to nozzles and an ink supply system reasonably forming a large capacity ink supply means. <P>SOLUTION: The ink foreign matter separator integrally comprises a liquid chamber installed in an ink supply pipe of an inkjet printer and having an liquid inlet to be connected to the ink supply side, a hollow pipe erected in the liquid chamber and having a horizontal outflow pore in a position below the upper end, a liquid outlet connected to the lower end of the hollow pipe and connected to a pipe to a downstream, and a separated foreign matter discharge opening installed at the bottom of the liquid chamber. The foreign matter separator is installed in the halfway point of the connection of an ink pack holding means arranged in the position above the printer, a receiver cartridge relaying supply inks from the ink pack to nozzles, the ink pack, and the receiver cartridge, a pressing tool is provided in the cartridge storing the ink pack, and a detection means to detect the end of the ink is provided in the pressing tool. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink foreign matter separation device and an ink supply system of an ink jet printer which can prevent ink clogging in an ink jet printer mainly used for industrial use and perform smooth operation.

  Conventionally, when printing on a recording medium of a large area with an ink jet printer, a method using a small ink cartridge, such as an ink jet printer that is usually used for office work, has a problem that ink is insufficient during printing. Therefore, an ink cartridge having a large ink capacity is used. In such an ink-jet printer that consumes a large amount of ink, a plurality of ink cartridges cannot be directly mounted on a carriage having an ink head. Therefore, the ink cartridges are arranged on the machine body side from the ink cartridges of the respective colors. A hose is connected to a jet nozzle provided in the carriage via a receiver tank provided with an ink supply control unit, and ink ejection printing can be selectively performed by a control unit (for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 2).

  By the way, in an ink jet printer using this kind of large ink cartridge, the supplied ink is filled in a flat sealed ink pack having a specific capacity, and this is accommodated in a rigid cartridge or on a stand. The ink pack is placed on a receiving shelf, and the takeout port of the ink pack is connected to a receiver tank or a direct jet nozzle with a hose so that ink is sent to the jet nozzle (for example, Patent Document 3 FIGS. FIG. 8 and Patent Document 5).

  Ink jet printers eject ink from a small-diameter jet nozzle and print it on a recording medium, so the jet nozzle may become clogged due to long-term operation and use, and printing problems such as missing dots may occur. is there. The cause of such clogging is that impurities in the ink clog the nozzles. Many of them are due to the characteristics of the ink, and for safety, the ink aggregates in the apertures of the filter provided in the ink tank or the like to cause clogging. Conventionally, many filters are formed by knitting metal fibers such as stainless steel or filaments such as polyamide resin. Therefore, in order to prevent such clogging of the filter, an electropolishing treatment is performed on the surface of the metal filter where the hole is formed to improve the ink permeability, and particles in the ink (particles such as pigments and other impurities) ) Has been proposed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228707.

  Also, in the printing work for a recording medium having a large area or a large amount of recording media, if the supply of ink is interrupted during operation, it causes a serious problem. Therefore, management of the supply of ink is important. For this reason, many proposals have been made on apparatuses for detecting the remaining amount of ink (ink end). As the detection means, for example, the detection plate fixed to the ink pack uses the fact that the pack becomes flat from the state where the pack swells as the remaining amount decreases as the ink is discharged. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228473 discloses a technique that enables detection by protruding outward. In addition, there is provided a device for detecting an ink end by reducing the pressure in the tank when the ink in the receiver tank provided on the upstream side for supplying the ink supplied from the ink pack to the jet nozzle becomes empty. This is known from US Pat.

JP 2002-67354 A JP 2000-2111152 A International Publication No. 2005/123398 Pamphlet JP 2001-253083 A JP-A-4-347653

  As in the prior art, the means for providing the filter in the flow path in the ink supply process is in any way caused by fine particles floating in the ink for some reason (for example, electropolishing the surface where the apertures of the metal filter are formed). In the treatment to be performed, if the treated surface is finely finished in a satin finish or the like, and adheres in a narrow portion, a phenomenon of gradually agglomerating easily occurs. In particular, if there are many locations where the ink flows in contact with air, the viscosity tends to increase as the water vaporizes due to temperature changes during use, and clogging due to aggregation of the particles tends to occur. For this reason, when ink is supplied, measures are taken so that the ink can be supplied without contacting the air. As the first means, ink supplied from an ink maker is provided to consumers in a state of being filled in a flat bag such as 200 ml or 1000 ml by a sealed pack. The ink pack is generally provided with a plug made of a rubber material so as not to be removed. Therefore, in order to configure a flow path for supplying ink from the ink pack (ink cartridge) to the jet nozzle, a hose with a perforated needle attached to the tip is used, and the needle is connected to the outlet of the ink pack. Plugged into the plug body and connected.

  However, even if such measures are taken, the clogging phenomenon still occurs while the operation is continued for a long time. Therefore, after carefully examining the cause and examining it in detail, it is used at the connection point between the ink pack outlet and the hose as one of the causes of the clogging phenomenon without changing the ink. He found out that there was a problem in that the stopper could be pierced with a perforated needle so that ink could be circulated. The needle used here is, for example, a needle whose tip is sharply cut as described in FIG. 7 (FIG. 7) in Patent Document 3 or a hollow needle whose tip is closed and sharpened. The thing in which the through-hole which connects with a hollow inside was formed in the side part far apart from the front-end | tip etc. is used.

  The above problem is that when the needle having the structure as described above is used, when the plug is inserted into the outlet of the ink pack outlet, a part of the stopper is scraped by the peripheral edge of the flow hole provided in the needle. It turns out that fine particles are mixed in the ink, and the fine rubbery chips that form the plug body cause the aggregation of the particles in the ink directly or as a nucleus, causing clogging. did. In addition, since the needle is thin, the hole edge in which the flow hole is formed is in a sharp state, and the plug component material is inevitably cut off when inserted into the plug body. appear. For this plug, a material having high restoring elasticity is selected in order to prevent leakage, but it is practically difficult to avoid the phenomenon in terms of structure.

  In addition, regarding the means for detecting the ink supply end to be used, in the above-described prior art, for example, an apparatus known from Patent Document 2, the structure becomes complicated and expensive. Further, in the method known from Patent Document 5, since the ink end state is detected based on the degree of deformation due to the relationship between the internal pressure of the flexible ink pack and the atmospheric pressure, the degree of deformation of the ink pack varies. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to grasp an accurate remaining amount. In particular, if the ink end is detected in a state where the ink cannot be sufficiently discharged from the pack, the expensive ink is discarded without being consumed sufficiently, which is economically inconvenient.

  The present invention solves such problems, and first, an ink jet that can eliminate the cause of clogging by rationally separating and removing foreign matters mixed in the ink supplied to the jet nozzle upstream of the supply path. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink foreign matter separation device for a printer, and secondly, to provide an ink supply system for an ink jet printer capable of rationally constructing a large capacity ink supply means.

In order to achieve the above object, an ink foreign matter separation device for an ink jet printer according to a first invention comprises:
A liquid chamber of a required length provided in an ink supply pipe of an ink jet printer and having a liquid inflow port formed in a curved surface on the top and connected to the ink supply side at the top, and inserted from the lower end of the liquid chamber into the inside. A hollow tube provided with an outflow small hole that is provided and closes the upper end and opens laterally at a position slightly below the upper end, and a liquid outlet connected to the lower end of the hollow tube and connected to the piping toward the print head And a separate foreign matter outlet provided at the bottom of the liquid chamber.

  In the present invention, at least the liquid chamber is preferably formed of a transparent body (second invention). Moreover, it is preferable that each part comprised including the said liquid chamber is integrally formed with glass (3rd invention). The separation foreign matter discharge port is preferably provided obliquely downward from the lowest part in the liquid chamber, and a discharge pipe connected to the separation foreign matter discharge port preferably includes a pinch valve (fourth invention).

An ink supply system for an ink jet printer according to a second invention (fifth invention) comprises:
Ink pack holding means for arranging and holding a predetermined number of ink packs at an upper position of an ink jet printer, and a receiver cartridge for relaying ink supplied from the ink pack to jet nozzles on a carriage while maintaining a constant ink level And a foreign matter separating device provided in the middle of a hose connecting the ink pack and the receiver cartridge,
The cartridge for storing the ink pack in the ink pack holding means includes a presser whose base end is pivotally supported by the cartridge main body and urges the load to the ink pack by its own weight, and the ink end is detected by the presser. A detection means is provided.

  In the above invention, the cartridge for storing the ink pack is supported so as to be movable along a guide provided on the receiving shelf, and is received by a receiving edge standing on one side edge portion of the receiving shelf when it is most advanced. At the same time, the ink supply hose end-attached connection needle set on the receiving edge is pierced into the ink pack outlet plug body and connected to a state where liquid supply can be started. (Sixth invention).

  Further, in the invention, the detecting means for detecting the ink end is such that the detection piece provided on the presser attached to the cartridge is always protruded to the side of the cartridge and reaches the ink end. It is preferable that the limit switch disposed on the receiving shelf is operated to generate a control signal (seventh invention).

  Further, the ink pack holding means is provided with a receiving shelf inclined at one side crossing the width direction of the support frame at the top of the support frame having a frame structure in which the ink jet printer can be arranged across the width direction. It is preferable that the plurality of ink pack cartridges be arranged and supported along the inclination of the receiving shelf, and the support frame be formed to be movable (eighth invention).

  In the ink foreign matter separating device according to the first aspect of the invention, in the ink supply pipe from the ink pack to the nozzle head of the printer, the ink enters the liquid chamber having the required volume from the liquid inlet and fills the liquid chamber. Then, the liquid flows out from the small outlet at the top of the hollow tube through the hollow tube through the liquid outlet. Therefore, the ink once flowing into the liquid chamber is then redirected and flows from the small outlet hole through the hollow tube to the liquid outlet. This ink flow is generated by being sequentially sucked to the nozzle head side by the negative pressure generated by ejecting ink droplets from the jet nozzles of the printer, so that it does not flow rapidly. Therefore, the foreign particles mixed in the supplied ink are separated by gravity while moving in the liquid chamber on a gentle flow, and settled on the bottom of the liquid chamber, and the ink is provided on the upper part of the upright hollow tube. It flows from the laterally directed outflow small holes to the liquid outlet through the hollow tube. Therefore, it is possible to separate the ink without causing the foreign particles to follow the normal flow of ink. As a result, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily separate foreign substances that cause clogging, which has been a problem with conventional inks, and prevent clogging accidents from occurring. The foreign particles settled and separated can be discharged and discharged by the ink accumulated in the liquid chamber by opening a closed pipe connected to the separated foreign matter discharge port. In addition, there is an advantage that the structure can be simplified and the function of separating foreign matters can be stably exhibited.

  In addition, since the internal state can be visually recognized from the outside by forming the liquid separation device, in particular, the liquid chamber with a transparent body, it is easy to see the sedimentation state of the foreign material, and thus the foreign particles are discharged. Can be done appropriately. Furthermore, by forming this foreign material separation device with a glass material, the smoothness of the inner wall surface can be secured, ink does not adhere to the wall surface by use, and even if the flow path becomes complicated, aggregation due to adhesion of ink particles, etc. There is an advantage that the ink can be maintained normally without hindering the flow of ink. In addition, there is an advantage that maintenance can be easily performed by washing with water or thinner, and the handling is convenient.

  According to the fifth invention (second invention), the ink foreign matter separating device is incorporated between the ink pack and the receiver cartridge that relays to the ink head, and the ink from which the foreign matter has been separated and removed is supplied to the ink head. By doing so, the occurrence of clogging as in the prior art can be reliably prevented. Then, the ink pack is stored in the cartridge, and the presser attached to the cartridge is pressed against the ink pack by gravity from the upper side so that the ink is sent out naturally and the ink end is attached to the presser. Since it is made to detect with a part piece, there exists an effect that the alert | report of an accurate ink end can be performed together.

  When the ink pack cartridge for loading the ink pack is set on a receiving shelf provided at an upper position of the printer and advanced at a predetermined position using an inclined surface, a connection needle provided at the end of the connection hose Since the ink pack outlet can be automatically pierced and connected, there is an advantage that the ink pack can be easily attached.

  Next, specific embodiments of an ink foreign matter separation device and an ink supply system of an ink jet printer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of an ink jet printer in which the present invention is adopted. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the ink supply system, FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the ink foreign matter separating device, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 3, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a sectional view (a) and a plan view showing the ink pack cartridge mounting portion of the receiving shelf, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the ink pack cartridge. It is shown.

  The inkjet printer 2 of this embodiment is intended for printing a required design on a woven fabric F or the like as a recording medium. Therefore, the print width is wide and a large amount of ink is consumed. For this reason, the ink pack 50 that contains a large amount of ink to be supplied is used.

  The ink supply system 1 in the inkjet printer 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as “printer 2” for convenience) has a support frame 30 that holds a cartridge (hereinafter referred to as “ink pack cartridge 40”) that accommodates the ink pack 50 as a printer. The printer 2 is arranged at an upper position without contacting the machine body 2a and passes through an ink receiver cartridge 20 (hereinafter simply referred to as "receiver cartridge 20") provided in the printer machine body 2a from the ink pack cartridge 40 placed on the support frame 30. Ink is supplied to a jet nozzle (nozzle head 4) provided in the carriage 3 through an ink supply pipe (hose 18). And the foreign material separation apparatus 10 is arrange | positioned in the ink supply path | route, and it is comprised so that generation | occurrence | production of clogging may be prevented by separating the foreign material mixed in the supplied ink.

  The ink supplied to the nozzle head 4 by the printer 2 is supplied by gravity from the ink pack cartridge 40 arranged at a high position, and the ink is sequentially sucked by the nozzle head 4 by the negative pressure generated by the ejection from the nozzles. It has become so.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the foreign matter separating device 10 provided in the ink supply path is a liquid in which both upper and lower ends are formed in a hemispherical shape with a required outer dimension and an ink inlet 12 is provided at the top. The chamber 11, the hollow tube 13 inserted into the liquid chamber 11 so as to stand upright from the bottom 11 a, and the lower portion of the hollow tube 13 protrudes outside the liquid chamber 11 and is connected to the ink supply path. Ink outlets 14 connected so as to be integrated are formed integrally, and outflow holes 15 are provided laterally on the left and right sides of the hollow tube 13 at a position slightly lowered from the top end 13a. The top portion 13a of the hollow tube 13 is formed to be rounded at a distance that does not impede the flow of ink into the liquid chamber 11. The bottom 11a of the liquid chamber 11 is provided with a separation foreign matter discharge port 16 obliquely downward. In this foreign matter separating apparatus 10, at least the liquid chamber 11 is made transparent, and the whole is formed of glass (for example, quartz glass). The inflow port 12 and the discharge port 16 are formed in a tubular shape having a size capable of fitting and locking the end of the connection hose 18, and the ink outflow port 14 is a tubular body formed sideways. Each tube part excluding these liquid chambers 11 may be formed of colored glass as necessary. In this embodiment, the structure can be branched into two flow paths. In addition, the pipe body of this outflow port 14 should just be provided only in one side, when it is not necessary to branch.

  The required number of receiver cartridges 20 disposed in the printer body 2 are disposed on both sides or behind one end of the body 2, and the receiver cartridge 20 is connected to the nozzle head 4 in the carriage 3 by a thin tube-shaped connection hose 18. The connection hose 18 is made long so that it can follow the movement of the carriage 3. In this embodiment, the printer cartridge 2 is provided with receiver cartridges 20 for six colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, black, light magenta, light cyan) as basic colors. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the receiver cartridge 20 is mainly composed of a container main body 21 having a rectangular parallelepiped closed structure having a required length, and an ink inlet 22 is provided at one upper end in the longitudinal direction. A needle valve 23 for opening and closing the ink inlet 22 is incorporated. A long float 24 is connected to the valve shaft 23 a of the needle valve 23 so that the needle valve 23 can be opened and closed in accordance with the ink level in the container body 21. An ink outlet 25 is provided at the bottom 21a of the container main body 21 in the direction opposite to the position of the needle valve 23 so that ink is always taken out from the lower part of the liquid (ink) into the ink head 4 in the container main body 21. It is configured. The connection hose 18 is made of a soft material that does not corrode due to the composition of the ink.

  The support frame 30 of the ink pack cartridge 40 is a pair of support legs 31 and 31 formed by framing two vertical support members that stand up slightly from both sides in the longitudinal direction (width direction) of the printer body 2a. And a receiving shelf 32 that is supported by the pair of support legs 31 and 31 so as to straddle the upper side of the printer body 2a. A caster 33 is attached to the lower end of the support leg 31 so that the support frame 30 can move without contacting the printer body 2a. However, it is not limited to this, and can be a stationary type.

  The receiving shelf 32 has an upper surface 32a that is inclined downward in one direction so as to intersect with the longitudinal direction, and a receiving edge 32b that stands upright at the lower edge portion. On the receiving shelf upper surface 32a, guides 34 for guiding the ink pack cartridges 40 at predetermined intervals are arranged so as to correspond to the number of used inks (for example, six colors) and orthogonal to the receiving edge 32b. Further, a connection needle provided at the end of the connection hose 18 at a position passing through the central axis Q of each section (between the guides 34 and 34) corresponding to the ink pack cartridge 40 disposed on the receiving edge 32b. Needle holding holes 35 for locking the 19 mounting portions 19a are provided. The needle holding hole 35 corresponds to the outlet 51 of the ink pack 50 in which the connecting needle 19 is loaded in the ink pack cartridge 40 when the mounting portion 19a attached to the end of the connection hose 18 is fitted and locked. Guide pins 37, 37 are attached to both sides of the needle holding hole 35 in parallel with the central axis Q at a predetermined interval so as to be in a positional relationship. The guide pin 37 has a stepped end portion, and the stepped portion defines the receiving and holding position of the ink pack cartridge 40. The connecting needle 19 is connected to the plug of the ink pack 50. The dimensions to be inserted are made appropriate.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ink pack cartridge 40 is a rectangular and top-open type that is formed in an inward manner to receive a required amount of the ink pack 50, and its longitudinal axis Q An inverted gourd-shaped engagement in which a stopper forming the ink outlet 51 of the ink pack 50 is inserted into one of the upper edges 42a and engaged with a locking groove 52 (see FIG. 5) formed on the outer periphery thereof. A stop hole 43 is provided. The edge portion 42 a is provided with positioning guide pin holes 44 on both sides of the locking hole 43. Butterfly plates 45, 45 are attached to the inner side (rear position) of the edge portion 42b opposite to the edge portion 42a of the ink pack cartridge 40, and the base end portion is pivotally supported by the butterfly plates 45, 45. A presser 46 for the ink pack 50 is attached. A handle 48 is attached to the edge 42b of the ink cartridge 40 so that the setting operation on the receiving shelf is easy.

  In the presser 46, a base end portion 46a connected to the butterfly plate 45 is pivotally supported by butterfly plates 45 and 45 on the rear side edge portion 42b of the ink pack cartridge 40, and from the central portion of the base end portion 46a. A base portion 46b made of a plate material having a required width that extends on the longitudinal axis Q and presses the center of the upper surface of the ink pack is attached, and a distal end portion 46b 'of the base portion 46b is bent stepwise. A pressing member 46d formed by bending a plate material in a Z-shaped cross section on the lower surface of the tip is attached in the width direction, and is formed in a T shape in plan view. The presser 46 is pivotable up and down with respect to the pivot 45a position of the butterfly plate 45. When used, the front end portion 46b 'of the presser member 46d is placed on the upper surface of the ink pack 50 accommodated. An urging force that maintains the smoothness of the outflow due to ink consumption can be applied to the ink pack 50 by its own weight by contacting the front portion of the ink pack 50. Note that the base portion 46b of the presser 46 has the section from the stepped bent portion to the base end portion formed by the tip end portion 46b 'to which the presser member 46d is attached lifted upward so that the ink pack 50 can be lifted. The degree of contact with the intermediate upper surface is reduced, and the tip portion is configured not to be lifted greatly during the pressing operation. Even if the presser 46 is configured in this way, it does not cause any trouble with respect to taking out the ink from the ink pack 50. The ink pack 50 has a well-known structure, and is formed of a rubber material as an ink take-out port 51 so that the ink can be connected and taken out by inserting a connecting needle into the plug. Has been.

  Further, the presser 46 is provided with an ink end detecting portion 47 that protrudes laterally at the front side of the ink pack cartridge 40 at one end of the presser member 46 at the front thereof. The ink end detection part 47 is for ink end detection at a position on the receiving shelf 32 corresponding to the detection part piece 47 in a state where the ink pack 50 is set in the ink pack cartridge 40 and disposed on the receiving shelf 32. The limit switch 49 is attached, and when the detection piece 47 comes into contact with the detection portion of the limit switch 49, an ink end detection signal is transmitted to a control portion (not shown).

The effects of the ink foreign matter separating apparatus 10 of the present embodiment configured as described above and the ink supply system 1 of the ink jet printer will be described.
First, the ink foreign matter separation device 10 is provided in the middle of the connection hose 18 from the ink pack 50 to the receiver cartridge 20. The ink that flows into the liquid chamber 11 from the ink pack 50 through the liquid inlet 12 through the connection hose 18 flows down in the liquid chamber 11 filled with ink, and above the hollow tube 13 that stands upright in the center of the liquid chamber 11. It flows into the hollow tube 13 from the outflow small hole 15 opened in the section, flows down in the tube, and is sent from the liquid outlet 14 to the receiver cartridge 20 through the connection hose 18. In such a flow process, the ink flows due to the flow generated by being sequentially sucked to the nozzle head 4 side by the negative pressure due to the ejection of ink droplets from the nozzle head 4, so that there is no rapid flow. For this reason, the foreign particles mixed in the supplied ink are separated by gravity while moving in the liquid chamber 11 on a gentle flow compared to the flow in the connection hose 18, so that the bottom 11 a in the liquid chamber 11 is separated. On the other hand, the ink moves from the outflow small hole 15 located in the upper part of the hollow tube 13 to the liquid outlet 14 through the hollow tube 13. By doing so, the foreign particles that have entered the ink in a mixed manner are reliably separated and removed, and the ink in which the foreign matter is not mixed can be supplied to the nozzle head 4. Therefore, it is possible to prevent nozzle clogging during operation.

  In addition, since the ink foreign matter separating device 10 is entirely made of glass, the fine particles in the ink composition are hardly attached to the inner wall surface even by the flow of the ink, and the fine particles are not aggregated. Can be maintained. Further, since the liquid chamber 11 is formed transparently, the internal situation can be visually confirmed, and the state of the separated and settled foreign matter can be confirmed. Therefore, when the liquid hose 11 is accumulated, the connection hose 18 connected to the discharge port 16 is closed. (E.g., removing the pinch tool) to make it easy to discharge the ink together with a part of the ink. In addition, when the foreign matter is discharged, the liquid chamber 11 is filled with ink, so that air does not enter and therefore can be processed without fear of air contamination. In addition, if the glass surface becomes cloudy due to long-term use, it can be easily cleaned by removing it during the operation stop period and cleaning it with thinner, etc., and the surface will be eroded by the ink composition. And can be used safely.

  Next, the ink supply system 1 sets the ink pack 50 in the ink pack cartridge 40 with the connection hose 18 connected from the receiver cartridge 20 to the ink head 4 of the carriage 3. As the ink pack 50, it is preferable to use an ink pack that has a large amount of ink because it is possible to avoid the color adjustment operation that often accompanies the replacement of the ink pack 50.

  In order to set the ink pack 50 in the ink pack cartridge 40, the presser 46 attached to the ink pack cartridge 40 is rotated upward with the pivot 45a of the butterfly plate 45 to which the base end portion 46a is connected as a fulcrum. 41 is opened. Next, the ink pack 50 is inserted into the locking hole 43 of the front edge plate 42a of the cartridge body 41 by inserting the locking groove 52 of the plug forming the ink outlet 51 into the hole edge and loaded. Then, the presser 46 is put back on the upper side and placed in a predetermined section on the receiving shelf 32 of the support frame 30. At this time, the ink pack cartridge 40 is moved from the upper side of the inclined upper surface 32a of the receiving shelf 32 to the receiving edge 32a so that the side surface of the cartridge main body 41 runs along the guides 34 in the section with the handle 48 on the upper side. Try to slide down. Then, the guide pin holes 44 and 44 provided in the front end edge portion 42a of the cartridge body 41 engage with the guide pins 37 and 37 provided in the receiving edge 32b of the receiving shelf 32 and are received at a predetermined position by the stepped portion. It can be stopped. Then, the plug of the take-out port 51 of the ink pack 50 loaded in the ink pack cartridge 40 protrudes from the end of the connection hose 18 held in advance by the needle holding hole 35 provided in the receiving edge 32b of the receiving shelf 32. It advances toward the connecting needle 19, and the connecting needle 19 is automatically pierced and connected to the plug. When the ink pack 50 is connected to the connection hose 18 by the connection needle 19 in this way, the ink is sent out from the ink pack 50 through the connection needle 19.

  The ink supplied from the ink pack 50 to the receiver cartridge 20 via the connection hose 18 is supplied to the inside from the inlet 22 of the receiver cartridge 20 and opens and closes the needle valve 23 provided at the inlet 22. 24 controls the liquid level inside the container body 21 and reaches the predetermined liquid level until it reaches the predetermined liquid level, and the inlet 22 is opened to allow the ink to flow in. Ink is supplied to the nozzle head 4 by the connection hose 18 from the ink outlet 25 of the container body 21 (receiver cartridge 20) bottom 21a in a state where the ink maintains a predetermined liquid level, and the ink is supplied from the nozzle head 4 by the operation of the printer. Necessary printing and recording (printing) is performed by being jetted onto the recording medium (woven fabric F).

  As for the ink supplied to the nozzle head 4, the ink in the receiver cartridge 20 is sucked from the connection hose 18 by the negative pressure generated by the ejection of ink droplets in the nozzle head 4. On the other hand, since the ink pack 50 is disposed at a higher position than the receiver cartridge 20, ink corresponding to the amount supplied to the nozzle head 4 is sent into the receiver cartridge 20 by the pressure head therebetween. In the receiver cartridge 20, the liquid level is controlled by the float 24, and the adapted liquid level is always maintained. From the ink outlet 25 of the inner bottom 21 a, suction is performed with a negative pressure corresponding to the ejection of ink droplets in the nozzle head 4. Ink is supplied by volume. Therefore, there is no ink leakage when the ejection of the nozzle head 4 is stopped.

  In the ink supply system 1 of the ink jet printer of this embodiment, the ink pack cartridge 40 loaded with the ink pack 50 using the large-capacity ink pack 50 is placed on the guides 34 and 34 on the receiving shelf 32 that holds the ink pack cartridge 40. In addition to being moved along, the receiving position is defined by the guide pins 37, 37, so that the connecting needle 19 attached to the connecting hose 18 and the outlet plug body of the ink pack 50 arranged at the opposing positions are automatically Since the ink can be pierced into an appropriate state and the ink can be supplied, this kind of connection work can be performed easily and reliably. Therefore, when the ink pack 50 is loaded into the ink pack cartridge 40, the subsequent operation can be quickly performed for the ink supply switching operation, so that the operation interruption time can be shortened and the work efficiency can be improved.

  Further, in the supply path from the ink pack 50 to the nozzle head 4, the receiver cartridge 20 is interposed, and control is performed so that the liquid level of the ink is kept constant in the receiver cartridge 20 to act on the nozzle head 4. The ink pressure head is kept constant, and the ink ejection at the ink head 4 can be kept appropriate regardless of the supply state of the ink supplied from the ink pack 50. In addition, ink can be supplied without air or the like being mixed in the ink supply path. In addition, by providing the ink foreign matter separating device 10 between the ink pack 50 and the ink receiver cartridge 20, the foreign matter particles mixed in the ink can be surely removed, so that the connecting needle 19 is used. Even if the operation of piercing and connecting to the take-out port 51 of the ink pack 50 is repeated, the fine particles generated as chips from the plug can be separated and removed without any problem, so that clogging can be achieved without providing extra separation means. It can prevent and continue normal operation for a long time.

  In the ink pack cartridge 40, the presser 46 is pressed from above with respect to the loaded ink pack 50, and the ink pack 50 is pressed from above by gravity acting on the presser member 46d attached to the tip of the presser 46. In this way, ink can be supplied without difficulty. Eventually, when ink is sent out from the ink pack 50, the presser member 46d at the tip end of the presser 46 gradually descends as the pack bulges and the ink is discharged, which is indicated by a two-dot chain line a in FIG. When the ink pack 50 is folded in a flat state to reach the ink end state, the limit switch in which the ink end detecting portion 47 projecting laterally from the pressing member 46d is provided on the receiving shelf 32. The control unit 49 is pressed to transmit a detection signal to the control unit to notify the ink end. At this time, if a notification lamp (not shown) is provided at an appropriate position of the support frame 30 so that the lamp is turned on when the ink end detection signal is issued, the operator receives the ink pack 50 at the corresponding location. The ink end can be detected and the ink pack 50 can be replaced quickly.

  Further, since the support frame 30 holding the ink pack cartridge 40 can be disposed so as to be able to move over the printer body 2a without contacting the printer body 2a, adjustment and maintenance on the printer body 2a side are possible. In such a case, it can be moved from the installation position to a place where the work is not hindered. Therefore, there is no direct influence on the printer body.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that it can be arbitrarily changed in accordance with the spirit of the present invention, and these belong to the technical category of the present invention. Needless to say, the ink foreign matter separating apparatus can also be applied to other types of ink supply systems that employ a large capacity ink pack.

Front view of an inkjet printer in which the present invention is adopted Schematic diagram showing the ink supply system Longitudinal cross section of ink foreign matter separation device AA sectional view of FIG. Overall perspective view of the ink pack and enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part thereof Sectional drawing (a) showing the ink pack cartridge mounting part of a receiving shelf, and a top view Perspective view of ink pack cartridge

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink supply system 2 Inkjet printer 3 Carriage 4 Ink head 10 Foreign material separation apparatus 11 Liquid chamber 12 Ink inlet 13 Hollow tube 14 Outlet 15 Outflow small hole 16 Foreign material outlet 18 Connection hose 19 Connecting needle 20 Receiver cartridge DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 30 Support frame 32 Receiving shelf 34 Guide 35 Needle holding hole 37 Guide pin 40 Ink pack cartridge 44 Guide pin hole 45 Butterfly plate 46 Presser 46d Pressing member 47 Detection part 49 Limit switch for ink end detection 50 Ink pack 51 Ink of ink Outlet

Claims (8)

  A liquid chamber of a required length provided in an ink supply pipe of an ink jet printer and having a liquid inflow port formed in a curved surface on the top and connected to the ink supply side at the top, and inserted from the lower end of the liquid chamber into the inside. A hollow tube provided with an outflow small hole that is provided and closes the upper end and opens laterally at a position slightly below the upper end, and a liquid outlet connected to the lower end of the hollow tube and connected to the piping toward the print head And an ink foreign matter separating device for an ink jet printer, which is integrally formed with a separation foreign matter discharge port provided at the bottom of the liquid chamber.   2. The ink foreign matter separating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the liquid chamber is formed of a transparent body.   The ink foreign matter separating apparatus for an ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein each portion including the liquid chamber is integrally formed of glass.   2. The ink foreign matter separating apparatus for an ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the separation foreign matter discharge port is provided obliquely downward from a lowest portion in the liquid chamber, and a discharge pipe connected to the separation foreign matter discharge port includes a pinch valve. . Ink pack holding means for arranging and holding a predetermined number of ink packs at an upper position of an ink jet printer, and a receiver cartridge for relaying ink supplied from the ink pack to jet nozzles on a carriage while maintaining a constant ink level And a foreign matter separating device provided in the middle of a hose connecting the ink pack and the receiver cartridge,
The cartridge for storing the ink pack in the ink pack holding means is provided with a presser that pivotally supports a base end of the ink pack and urges a load on the ink pack by its own weight, and detects an ink end in the presser. An ink supply system for an ink jet printer, characterized in that a detection means is provided.   The cartridge for storing the ink pack is supported so as to be movable along a guide provided on a receiving shelf, and when it is advanced most, it is received by a receiving edge standing on one side edge of the receiving shelf, and at the same time, ink 6. The structure according to claim 5, wherein a connection needle attached to an end of an ink supply hose set on the receiving edge is inserted into a plug outlet plug body of the pack so that liquid supply can be started. An ink supply system for an inkjet printer as described.   The detection means for detecting the ink end is arranged such that a detection piece provided on a presser attached to the cartridge always protrudes to the side of the cartridge, and when it reaches the ink end, it is arranged on a cartridge receiving shelf. The ink supply system for an ink jet printer according to claim 5, wherein the ink supply system is configured to generate a control signal by operating a limit switch provided.   The ink pack holding means has a receiving shelf disposed at the top of a support frame having a frame structure in which the ink jet printer can be arranged across the width direction, and inclined to one side intersecting the width direction of the support frame. 6. The ink supply system for an ink jet printer according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of ink pack cartridges are arranged and supported along an inclination of the ink pack, and the support frame is movable.

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