JP2008173871A - Fluid feeding apparatus and fluid jetting apparatus using it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fluid feeding apparatus which prevents a cartridge cover from being forcibly opened by a user. <P>SOLUTION: A fluid feeding apparatus includes a cartridge holder 15 on which an ink cartridge 16 is mounted, the cartridge cover 30 for covering an inserting opening for taking in and out the ink cartridge 16 to the cartridge holder 15, a locking mechanism 40 for locking the cartridge cover 30 so that the cartridge cover 30 is not opened, and a controlling means for controlling the locking mechanism 40 so as to release the locking when a command for interchanging the ink cartridge 16 is received. The cartridge cover 30 can be opened and closed by rotating a hinge structural part 42, and a gap 29 between a static member 49 other than the cartridge cover 30 around the cartridge cover 30 and the cartridge cover 30 is constituted so as to be as narrow as possible within a range which does not obstruct the rotational operation of the cartridge cover 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fluid supply device for supplying a fluid and a fluid ejection device using the fluid supply device.

  The present invention relates to a fluid supply apparatus and a fluid ejection apparatus that can be applied to a printer or the like to which an external recording apparatus can be detachably mounted, and that can be mounted with a fluid containing cartridge provided with a storage medium.

  A printer that can include an ink cartridge including a recording medium is already known (for example, Patent Document 1). This type of printer, for example, writes predetermined data (for example, the remaining amount of ink) to the recording medium of the ink cartridge when the printer is forcibly turned off from the on state.

  Further, communication between the ink cartridge recording medium and the printer is performed in a state where the ink cartridge recording medium (hereinafter referred to as “cartridge storage medium”) and the connection terminal provided in the printer are in contact with each other (that is, contact type). It can also be performed in a state where they are not in contact (that is, non-contact type).

  The cartridge writing process for writing predetermined data to the cartridge storage medium or the cartridge reading process for reading predetermined data from the cartridge recording medium cannot be performed instantaneously and may take a certain time. In such a case, if the cartridge storage medium and the printer become unable to communicate during the processing, the data may be damaged.

  Also, predetermined power is required to perform the cartridge writing process and the cartridge reading process. In order to perform the processing even when the power supply of the printer is turned off, for example, the electrolytic capacitor is charged with the predetermined power while the power supply of the printer is on, and the electrolytic capacitor is just before the power supply is turned off. A method of performing the cartridge writing process or the cartridge reading process by using the charging power of is considered.

  However, in this method, the amount of power that can be stored in the electrolytic capacitor is made larger than the amount of power required for the cartridge writing process and the cartridge reading process so that the process is not turned off before the process is completed. There is a need. For this reason, the cost tends to increase. This is particularly likely when communication between the cartridge storage medium and the printer is performed in a non-contact manner. This is because, in the case of the non-contact type, for example, the cartridge writing process or the cartridge reading is performed due to the communication area of each communication antenna provided in both the ink cartridge and the carriage that reciprocates the recording head in the main scanning direction. This is because in order to perform the processing, the carriage needs to travel to a predetermined position (for example, a home position), which causes further power consumption.

  The above problems are not limited to reading or writing data to a storage medium provided in the ink cartridge, but may also exist for other types of external storage devices that can be detachably attached to a printer. In addition, the above-described problems may exist not only in printers such as inkjet printers and laser printers, but also in various access devices that can read or write data.

  In view of this, a recording apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 below has been proposed as a recording apparatus that can reliably perform processing even when data reading or writing takes a certain amount of time.

In the apparatus of Patent Document 1, the relative position between a cartridge antenna of a cartridge memory included in an ink cartridge mounted on a cartridge mounting portion and a printer antenna for communicating with the cartridge antenna is within a predetermined range. , While reading or writing data to or from the cartridge memory via them, let the user change the relative position between the cartridge antenna and the printer antenna for non-contact communication with it In order to prevent this, the cartridge cover of the cartridge mounting portion is locked so as not to open so that the cartridge cannot be removed.
JP 2004-358718 A

  However, Patent Document 1 has a structure in which the cover claw portion of the cartridge cover protrudes from the cartridge mounting portion, and even when the cartridge cover is locked, force to try to forcefully open the cartridge cover by placing a finger on it. Can be added. For this reason, there is a risk that a quick user will forcibly open the cartridge cover in a locked state, and the lock mechanism may be damaged if such a usage is used. was there.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a fluid supply device that prevents a user from forcibly opening a cartridge cover and a fluid ejection device using the fluid supply device.

In order to solve the above-described problem, a fluid supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a mounting portion to which a fluid container configured to deliver a stored fluid based on a pressurizing force of a pressurized gas is mounted, and the mounting portion. A cover member that covers an insertion port for inserting and removing the fluid container, a lock mechanism that locks the cover member so that the cover member does not open, and unlocking the lock mechanism when an exchange command for the fluid container is received. Control means for controlling to do,
The cover member can be opened and closed by rotation by a hinge structure, and a clearance between the cover member and a member other than the cover member around the cover member can be provided as long as the rotation of the cover member is not hindered. The gist is that it is configured to be as narrow as possible.

In addition, the fluid ejecting apparatus of the present invention is equipped with an ejecting head that ejects a fluid and a fluid container configured to send the contained fluid toward the ejecting head based on the pressure of the pressurized gas. A mounting part, a cover member that covers an insertion port for taking in and out the fluid container with respect to the mounting part, a lock mechanism that locks the cover member so as not to open, and a replacement instruction for the fluid container are received. Control means for controlling the lock mechanism to release the lock when
The cover member can be opened and closed by rotation by a hinge structure, and a clearance between the cover member and a member other than the cover member around the cover member can be provided as long as the rotation of the cover member is not hindered. The gist is that it is configured to be as narrow as possible.

  According to the present invention, the gap between the cover member and a member other than the cover member around the cover member is configured to be as narrow as possible within a range that does not hinder the rotation operation of the cover member. Even if the surface of the cover member is touched, the gap on the side surface is small, so that an accident such as forcibly opening the cover member with the cover member locked can be reliably prevented, and damage to the lock mechanism can be prevented.

In the present invention, when the gap is set to such an extent that fingers do not hang on the side surface other than the front surface of the cover member,
Since fingers are not applied to the side surfaces of the cover member, an accident that forcibly opens the cover member while the cover member is locked is reliably prevented, and damage to the lock mechanism can be prevented.

In the present invention, when the lock mechanism is unlocked by an actuator that operates by electromagnetic force,
Since the lock can be released by sending an electric signal to the actuator, the control can be easily performed, and the control system can be simplified.

In the present invention, when the actuator operates to unlock when energized,
Since the lock can be released by energization, it is easy to control and the control system can be simplified.

In the present invention, the lock mechanism includes a lock pin formed on the cover member and a lock lever engaged with the lock pin, and the actuator rotates the lock lever engaged with the lock pin. If the lock lever and the lock pin are released by releasing the lock,
Since the lock can be released by rotating the lock lever, for example, an actuator that performs a linear motion such as a plunger can be applied, and the equipment can be simplified to avoid unnecessary cost increase.

In the present invention, the lock lever is urged by the lever urging member in the disengagement direction in the closed state, and the actuator is maintained in the engaged state against the urging force by electromagnetic force. If you have
By releasing the electromagnetic force of the actuator, the lock lever is automatically disengaged by the biasing force of the lever biasing member, which simplifies the mechanism for unlocking and simplifies control and simplifies the control system. Can be achieved.

In the present invention, the lock pin and the lock lever are engaged by sliding the lock pin against the slide surface formed on the lock lever by rotating the cover member in the closing direction. If you are supposed to
Since the cover member is automatically locked by pushing and turning the cover member with a finger and closing the door, it is extremely easy to operate and easy to use. In addition, the structure is simple, the lock mechanism is simplified, and control is easy.

In the present invention, a cover urging member that urges the cover member in the closed state toward the door opening direction, and the cover member is rotated when the cover member is rotated until the urging force by the cover urging member is weakened. In the case of further comprising a holding member that temporarily stops and holds,
Since the cover member is automatically opened by the urging force of the cover urging member when the lock mechanism is unlocked, it is easy to use. In addition, since the cover member is temporarily stopped when the door is slightly opened, there is no fear that the cover member is fully opened at a stroke, making noise or damaging the surrounding objects, and the usability is extremely good.

In the present invention, the pressurized gas supply path for guiding the pressurized gas discharged from the pump unit to the fluid container and the pressurized gas supply path are provided so as to communicate with the pressurized gas supply path. A release valve that sometimes releases the applied pressure in the pressurized gas supply path,
The control means controls to open the open valve by accepting an exchange command for the fluid container, and the applied pressure in the pressurized gas supply path decreases as the open valve opens. When controlling that the lock mechanism is unlocked when it is detected that
There is a time lag from the opening of the cover member to the opening of the release valve, or the time lag between the actual opening of the release valve and the pressurization of the pressurized air in the fluid container to zero ( In order to unlock the lock mechanism when it is detected that the pressurization pressure in the pressurized gas supply passage has decreased even if there is a time required for the pressurized air to escape, While the pressure remains, the fluid container is not removed. For this reason, the fluid container is forcibly pulled out while the applied pressure remains in the fluid container, and the fluid leaks from the remaining fluid container to contaminate the surroundings. There will be no problems such as damaging the fluid replenishing connection plug to which the is connected. Moreover, since the amount of fluid dripping can be reduced, the fluid absorbing material provided in the mounting portion can be reduced.

In the present invention, in a state where the fluid container is mounted on the mounting portion, communication means capable of communicating with an external storage device provided in the fluid container, and data to the external storage device via the communication means And data read / write means for reading or writing
When the control means controls to hold the unlocking of the lock mechanism until the data read / write means finishes reading or writing data after receiving the fluid container exchange command,
Since the lock mechanism is not unlocked while the data read / write means is reading or writing data, the relative position between the fluid container and the mounting portion, for example, the relative position of the antenna may be changed by the user. This prevents the communication with the external storage device from being disabled. For this reason, even if it takes a certain amount of time to read or write data to the external storage device, it is prevented that the communication is forcibly disabled by the user during that time. A read or write process may be performed.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an ink jet printer (hereinafter referred to as “printer”) 10 as an embodiment of a fluid ejecting apparatus to which a fluid supply apparatus of the present invention is applied. The printer 10 includes a main body case 11 having a rectangular shape in plan view. A rod-shaped guide shaft 12 is installed in the main body case 11 along the left-right direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the main body case 11, and a recording head 13 is mounted on the guide shaft 12 as an ejection head for ejecting a liquid as a fluid. A carriage 14 is inserted and supported so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the guide shaft 12.

  Further, a cartridge holder 15 as a mounting portion for the fluid container is fixed at a position outside the moving range of the carriage 14 in the main body case 11 (right end side position in FIG. 1). A plurality (four in this embodiment) of ink cartridges 16 as fluid containers are detachably mounted on the cartridge holder 15. In this respect, the printer 10 according to the present embodiment is not a so-called on-carriage type printer in which the ink cartridge 16 moves with the carriage 14, but a so-called off-carriage type printer in which the ink cartridge 16 does not move on the printer 10. Yes.

  The carriage 14 is connected to a carriage motor 20 via an endless timing belt 19 stretched between a driving pulley 17 and a driven pulley 18. The carriage 14 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1) along the guide shaft 12 when the timing belt 19 is rotationally driven by the carriage motor 20.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a printer 10 is equipped with a paper feed motor 21 serving as a drive source for feeding print paper. A gear is fixed to the output shaft of the paper feed motor 21, and this gear is connected to the paper feed roller 22 and the paper discharge roller 23 through a gear train. When the paper feed motor 21 rotates, the paper feed roller 22 and the paper discharge roller 23 rotate, and the paper 24 moves along the paper feed member (platen) 25 shown in FIG. 1 in the sub-scanning direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1). ).

  A sub tank (also referred to as a valve unit) 26 for supplying ink (accommodating fluid, ie, accumulating liquid) to the recording head 13 is mounted on the carriage 14. The ink cartridges 16 and the sub tanks 26 are arranged by the number of ink colors (for example, black, yellow, magenta, cyan) (four in this embodiment), and the sub tanks 26 have ink supply tubes 27 as fluid supply paths for the respective colors. To the ink cartridges 16 of the respective colors. Each sub tank 26 temporarily stores the ink taken from the ink cartridge 16, adjusts the stored ink to a predetermined pressure, and supplies it to the recording head 13.

  A pressure unit 31 is mounted in the vicinity of the cartridge holder 15 at the end of the main body case 11 (right end in FIG. 1). The pressurizing unit 31 is a device that sends out pressurized air (pressurized gas) to the ink cartridge 16 through the air supply tube 32, and includes a pressurizing pump 33, a pressure sensor 34, and an atmosphere release valve 35. The air supply tube 32 is branched into a plurality (four in this example) by a distributor 36 on the downstream side of the atmosphere release valve 35, and each branched tube is connected to each color of the ink cartridge 16.

  Each ink cartridge 16 is detachably accommodated in the cartridge holder 15. The cartridge holder 15 is covered with a cartridge cover 30 (see FIG. 3) as a cover member that covers an insertion port for taking the ink cartridge 16 into and out of the cartridge holder 15. The cartridge cover 30 can detect whether the cartridge cover 30 has been opened or closed by a cover open / close detector 57 (see FIG. 3). The cover open / close detector 57 can be constituted by, for example, a limit switch, an optical sensor, or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, each ink cartridge 16 includes an ink pack 37 in which liquid ink is sealed as a fluid, and an ink case 38 that houses the ink pack 37. The ink pack 37 has an ink discharge port 37a, and the ink supply tube 27 is connected to the ink discharge port 37a. Only the ink discharge port 37a of the ink pack 37 is exposed to the outside, and the other portions are stored in the ink case 38 in an airtight state. As a result, the ink case 38 has an airtight space (that is, the ink case 38). A space 39 between the inner surface of the ink pack storage chamber formed inside and the outer surface of the ink pack 37 is formed.

  The ink case 38 is formed with a communication hole 41 communicating from the outside to the internal space 39, and the air supply tube 32 is connected to the communication hole 41. When the pressurized pump 33 is activated and the pressurized air is discharged, the pressurized air is introduced into the space 39 in the ink cartridge 16 through the air supply tube 32, and the pressurized air pressure (pressurized pressure) is introduced. ), The ink pack 37 is crushed. Thereby, the ink in the ink pack 37 is supplied to the sub tank 26 via the ink supply tube 27. As described above, the air supply tube 32 functions as a pressurized gas supply path for guiding the pressurized gas discharged from the pressure pump 33 to the ink cartridge 16.

  As the pressurizing pump 33 is driven, the pressure of the pressurized air rises and the ink pack 37 is crushed to supply ink to the sub tank 26. The ink is temporarily stored in the sub tank 26 and supplied to the recording head 13 in a state where the pressure is adjusted. Thus, the pressurized gas discharged from the pressurizing pump 33 to the ink cartridge 16 is guided by the air supply tube 32, and the ink cartridge 16 receives ink that is a contained fluid based on the pressurizing pressure of the pressurized gas. It is configured to send out toward the recording head 13.

  The printer 10 drives the carriage motor 20 and the paper feed motor 21 based on the print data fetched from the host computer 82 (see FIG. 3) or the memory card, and ejects ink from the recording head 13 to execute the printing process.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the printer 10.

  The printer 10 includes a CPU 75, a ROM 76, a RAM 77, an I / F 78, and an ASIC 79, and these devices are electrically connected through a bus 81.

  The CPU 75 manages the main control of the printer 10 and operates using the RAM 77 as a work area based on a control program stored in the ROM 76. The printer 10 is connected to the host computer 82 via the I / F 78 and performs printing processing based on print data transmitted from the host computer 82. In the present embodiment, the CPU 75 and the ASIC 79 constitute the control means in the present embodiment, and the RAM 77 constitutes the storage means.

  The ASIC 79 operates based on a command from the CPU 75, and the carriage motor 20 through the first motor drive circuit 83, the paper feed motor 21 through the second motor drive circuit 84, and the recording head 13 through the head drive circuit 85. Is controlled. The ASIC 79 is electrically connected to the pressure sensor 34 and calculates the pressure value P of the pressurized air based on the detection value from the pressure sensor 34. Then, the ASIC 79 controls the drive of the pump motor 45 via the third motor drive circuit 86 based on the calculated pressure value P.

  Here, when the printer 10 starts printing, a pressurizing operation by the pressurizing pump 33 is started in order to send the ink in the ink cartridge 16 to the sub tank 26. The ASIC 79 sequentially calculates the pressure value P of the pressurized air based on the detection value of the pressure sensor 34, and stops the pump motor 45 when the pressure value P becomes a predetermined set pressure Pa or more after starting the pump driving. When the pressure value P falls below the set pressure Pa, the pump motor 45 is rotated again. The ASIC 79 repeatedly drives or stops the pressurizing pump 33 to maintain the pressurized air at a pressure within a predetermined range.

  The air release valve 35 is provided so as to communicate with the air supply tube 32 and functions as an open valve that releases the applied pressure in the air supply tube 32 when the valve is opened. In this example, the air release valve 35 is converted into a valve open / close state, that is, a pressurized state, by converting the rotational movement of the pump motor 45 into a valve operation of the air release valve by the valve opening / closing mechanism 48. And are to be switched. Examples of the valve opening / closing mechanism 48 include a combination of a gear mechanism and a friction clutch that operates a valve opening / closing lever (not shown).

  On the other hand, the ink cartridge 16 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a storage unit on a predetermined surface (for example, a surface facing the sub-scanning direction). The storage unit includes a cartridge antenna 46 and a storage element 47 as an external storage device. The storage element 47 is a non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM, for example, and is connected to the cartridge antenna 46. In the storage element 47, predetermined data, for example, the remaining amount or use amount of ink, an identification code (for example, a serial number) unique to the storage element 47, or the ink cartridge 16 in which the storage element 47 is mounted A unique identification code (for example, a serial number) or the like can be written.

  The cartridge holder 15 includes a holder antenna 44 as a communication means capable of communicating with the storage element 47 provided in the ink cartridge 16 in a state where the ink cartridge 16 is mounted on the cartridge holder 15, and the holder antenna 44. A transmission / reception circuit 43 is provided as data read / write means for reading / writing data from / to the storage element 47.

  Further, a lock mechanism 40 for locking the cartridge cover 30 so as not to open is provided. The ASIC 79, the CPU 75, the ROM 76, and the RAM 77 function as control means of the present invention, and have received a replacement command for the ink cartridge 16 that is input by pressing the cover open switch 68 that also serves as a cartridge replacement switch. Sometimes, the lock mechanism 40 is controlled to be unlocked.

  4 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the cartridge holder 15, and FIG. 5 is a front view.

  The cartridge holder 15 is provided with a cartridge cover 30 having a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front. The cartridge holder 15 covers an insertion port (not visible in the figure) through which an ink cartridge formed on the front is taken in and out. A cover open switch 68 is provided at the upper right end of the cartridge cover 30.

  The cartridge cover 30 is formed with a hinge structure 42 at the lower end edge, and can be opened and closed by a pivoting operation about a hinge shaft 42a (not shown) of the hinge structure 42 (not shown). That is, the door is opened by turning forward (arrow A in FIG. 4), and is closed by turning backward (arrow B in FIG. 4).

  In the present embodiment, the gap 29 between the stationary member 49 other than the cartridge cover 30 around the cartridge cover 30 and the side surface of the cartridge cover 30 is possible as long as the rotation of the cartridge cover 30 is not hindered. It is comprised so that it may become narrow. In this example, the stationary member 49 is provided along the three side surfaces of the upper side and the left and right sides of the cartridge cover 30, and the gaps 29 between the three side surfaces of the cartridge cover 30 and the stationary members 49 are defined in the cartridge cover 30. It is set to such an extent that fingers do not hang on the three side surfaces other than the front surface. Specifically, each gap 29 is set to about 2 mm.

  The range that does not hinder the rotating operation of the cartridge cover 30 means that the cartridge cover 30 having a predetermined thickness rotates in the door opening direction with the hinge structure portion 42 provided on the lower front surface as an axis. The left and right side surfaces and the upper surface of the cartridge cover 30 are within a range in which the cartridge cover 30 smoothly rotates without interfering with the stationary member 49.

  The stationary member 49 is not provided on the side surface of the cartridge cover 30 on which the hinge structure 42 is provided. The lower side of the cartridge cover 30 is hingedly connected to the main body of the cartridge holder 15 by a hinge structure portion 42 and serves as a pivot shaft but is not separated from the main body. This is because the cartridge cover 30 cannot be forcibly opened by placing a hand here.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, the front surface of the opening of the cartridge holder 15 is an inclined surface that protrudes forward as it goes upward, and the cartridge cover 30 is in a closed state. It arrange | positions along the said inclined surface.

  Next, the lock mechanism 40 for locking the cartridge cover 30 will be described in detail.

  6 is an exploded perspective view of the cartridge cover 30 and the lock mechanism 40, FIGS. 7 to 10 are exploded perspective views of the lock mechanism 40, FIG. 11 is a front view of the cartridge cover 30 in a closed state, and FIG. FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the cartridge cover 30 in the closed state. 13 is a front view of the cartridge cover 30 in the opened state, FIG. 14A is a side view of the cartridge cover 30 in the opened state, and FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge cover 30 taken along the line BB in the opened state. It is.

  The lock mechanism 40 includes a lock pin 50 provided on the cartridge cover 30, a locking portion 51, a lock lever 52 provided on the cartridge holder 15 side, an actuator 53, a torsion coil spring 56, a cover open / close detector 57, a leaf spring. 54, a holding portion 55, and the like.

  The lock lever 52, the actuator 53, the torsion coil spring 56, and the cover open / close detector 57 are attached to the lock case 58, the lid 59 is attached, and the housing formed at the upper left end in the front view of the cartridge holder 15. The screw 60 is accommodated in the portion 60 and is fixed to the screw hole 15a formed on the upper surface of the cartridge holder 15 with the mounting screw 58a.

  On the other hand, a lock arm 64 is formed on the cartridge holder 15 side of the cartridge cover 30 so as to protrude. A cylindrical lock pin 50 protrudes from the side surface of the distal end of the lock arm 64. The lock arm 64 is inserted into a notch 65 formed in the front surface of the cartridge holder 15 at the tip. When the cartridge cover 30 is kept closed, the lock arm 64 is inserted through the notch 65 and is engaged with the lock lever 52 attached to the lock case 58 accommodated in the cartridge holder 15. To maintain.

  FIG. 15 shows the lock lever 52 and its periphery in detail.

  The lock lever 52 is attached to the lock case 58 so that the lock lever 52 can be rotated about the rotation shaft 52a. The lock lever 52 includes an operating portion 52c that protrudes rearward from the rotation shaft 52a and a lock portion 52d that extends forward from the rotation shaft 52a, that is, toward the cartridge cover 30 side. The operation portion 52c of the lock lever 52 is moved up and down by the actuator 53, and the lock portion 52d is turned up and down to be locked and unlocked.

  The lock portion 52d has a notch portion that is substantially face-down in a J-shape when viewed from the side. The notch portion engages with the lock pin 50 of the cartridge cover 30 at the upper end on the front end side. An engaging claw 52e to be locked is formed, and a slide surface 52f on which the lock pin 50 abuts and slides when the door is closed is formed in a rear part facing the engaging claw 52e.

  A torsion coil spring 56 is inserted through the rotation shaft 52 a of the lock lever 52. The torsion coil spring 56 functions as a lever urging member, and the lock lever 52 is urged by the torsion coil spring 56 in the disengagement direction, that is, the unlocking direction (arrow C direction in the figure) in the closed state. It has become so.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram showing in detail the actuator 53 that maintains the lock state of the lock lever 52 and releases the lock.

  The actuator 53 includes a movable piece 53a made of a magnetic material and slidable up and down, a yoke 53b that attracts the movable piece 53a with a magnetic force, a magnet 53d that magnetizes the yoke 53b, and the movable piece 53a and the yoke 53b. And a coil 53c disposed in the vicinity of the suction surface. When the coil 53c is not energized, the movable piece 53a is attracted to the yoke 53b and moved downward as shown in FIG. As a result, the operating pin 52b protruding from the operating portion 52c is kept moving downward by the movable piece 53a.

  In this state, the lock portion 52 d rotates in the engagement direction, that is, the lock direction (in the direction of arrow D in the figure) against the urging force of the torsion coil spring 56, and the engagement claw 52 e is engaged with the lock pin 50. The position is maintained in the combined state, and the locked state is maintained. As described above, the lock mechanism 40 is unlocked by the actuator 53 that operates by electromagnetic force, and the actuator 53 maintains the engaged state against the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 56 by the electromagnetic force. It has become.

  Then, by energizing the coil 53c of the actuator 53 so as to pass a current in a direction that cancels the magnetic force of the magnet 53d, the magnetic force of the magnet 53d disappears or weakens, and the urging force of the torsion coil spring 56 is applied to the lock lever. Work to 52. As a result, as shown in FIG. 16B, the movable piece 53a is pulled up by the operating pin 52b, and the lock portion 52d is rotated in the disengagement direction, that is, in the unlocking direction (arrow C direction in the drawing). The engagement between the pin 50 and the engaging claw 52e is released and the lock is released. Thus, the actuator 53 operates to unlock when energized.

  As described above, the lock mechanism 40 includes the lock pin 50 formed on the cartridge cover 30 and the lock lever 52 that engages with the lock pin 50, and the actuator 53 is engaged with the lock pin 50. By rotating the combined lock lever 52, the lock lever 52 and the lock pin 50 are disengaged to release the lock.

  When the lock mechanism 40 is unlocked, the cartridge cover 30 is slightly rotated in the door opening direction by the action of the leaf spring 54 and the holding portion 55 to temporarily stop and hold the rotation.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the details of the leaf spring 54 and the holding portion 55.

  The plate spring 54 and the holding portion 55 are formed on a bent spring member 61 that is formed by pressing a single metal thin plate and then bending it. The bending spring member 61 has a pillar portion 61b that rises upward from a base portion 61a that is screwed to the cartridge holder 15 and protrudes toward the front, that is, toward the cartridge cover 30 in the vicinity of the upper end of the pillar piece 61b. And an opposing piece 55a.

  The opposing piece 55a extends straight forward from the pillar piece 61b, while the holding portion 55 is bent inward so as to approach the opposing piece 55a and bent inwardly in the vicinity of the tip. A locking projection 55b is formed. In the closed state, that is, in the locked state, the distal end portion of the locking arm 62 provided so as to protrude from the cartridge cover 30 is sandwiched between the holding portion 55 and the facing piece 55a.

  Further, the connecting piece 61c extends forward from the vicinity of the lower end of the column piece 61b, and the leaf spring 54 extends upward from the bent portion of the connecting piece 61c. The leaf spring 54 functions as a cover urging member that urges the cartridge cover 30 toward the door opening direction in the closed state, and the holding portion 55 holds the cartridge cover 30 until the urging force by the leaf spring 54 is weakened. Functions as a holding member that temporarily stops and holds the rotation of the cartridge cover 30.

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, the bending spring member 61 is attached at a position facing the left end piece portion of the cartridge cover 30 at the left end portion when the cartridge holder 15 is viewed from the front. At this time, the holding part 55 and the opening side of the opposing piece 55a and the leaf spring 54 are arranged in the vicinity of the front end with the front side being the front side.

  On the other hand, as described above, the locking arm 62 is formed on the cartridge holder 15 side of the cartridge cover 30 so as to protrude. The locking arm 62 has a cylindrical locking portion 51 projecting from the side surface near the tip. The locking arm 62 is inserted at a tip end portion through an insertion window 63 formed on the front surface of the cartridge holder 15. In the state where the cartridge cover 30 is kept closed, that is, in the locked state, as shown in FIG. 12, the step formed near the tip of the locking arm 62 moves backward near the upper end of the leaf spring 54, that is, in the door closing direction. Press toward the elastic deformation.

  Therefore, in this locked state, that is, the door closed state, the elastically deformed leaf spring 54 biases the locking arm 62 toward the door opening direction, thereby biasing the cartridge cover 30 toward the door opening direction. At this time, since the engagement claw 52e of the lock pin 50 and the lock lever 52 is engaged, the closed state is maintained even if the urging force of the leaf spring 54 is applied to the cartridge cover 30.

  When the lock is released from the closed state, that is, the locked state as described above, the engagement between the lock pin 50 and the engagement claw 52e is released, and the urging force of the leaf spring 54 causes the cartridge cover 30 to be the lower hinge structure portion 42. Rotation is started in the door opening direction, that is, forward about the axis. Thereafter, when the cartridge cover 30 is rotated until the urging force by the leaf spring 54 is weakened, the holding portion 55 holds the locking portion 51, whereby the rotation of the cartridge cover 30 is temporarily stopped and held. The

  That is, in the locked state, that is, in the closed state, the distal end of the locking arm 62 is sandwiched between the holding portion 55 and the opposing piece 55a. When the lock is released from the closed state, that is, the locked state, the cartridge cover 30 starts to rotate in the door opening direction by the urging force of the leaf spring 54. As shown in FIG. 14, when the cartridge cover 30 is rotated until the elastic deformation of the leaf spring 54 is substantially recovered and the urging force is weakened, the engaging protrusion 55b of the holding portion 55 and the engaging portion 51 are engaged. Then, the rotation of the cartridge cover 30 is stopped and the rotation position is maintained.

  In this state, the cartridge cover 30 protrudes forward from the stationary member 49 other than the cartridge cover 30 around the cartridge cover 30, so that fingers can be put on the left and right side surfaces and the upper surface of the cartridge cover 30. Then, the cartridge cover 30 can be completely opened by placing fingers with the fingers on the left and right side surfaces and the upper surface of the cartridge cover 30 and pulling it forward to rotate the cartridge cover 30 in the door opening direction. At this time, the locking part 51 elastically deforms the holding part 55 outward, and the locking projection 55b of the holding part 55 gets over the locking part 51. After that, the cartridge cover 30 can freely rotate, so the cartridge cover 30 is manually opened.

  At this time, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, the front surface of the opening of the cartridge holder 15 has an inclined surface that protrudes forward as it goes upward, and the cartridge cover 30 is in the closed state in the above-described inclined surface. Since the hinge structure portion 42 is provided at the lower end portion of the cartridge cover 30, when the lock mechanism 40 is unlocked, the weight of the cartridge cover 30 is added to the urging force of the leaf spring 54, and smoother. The cartridge cover 30 rotates in the door opening direction.

  Here, it is detected by the cover open / close detector 57 whether the cartridge cover 30 is in the closed state (locked state) or in the open state (unlocked state).

  That is, the cover open / close detector 57 is provided with a detection lever 57a extending obliquely upward and rearward. The detection lever 57a is rotatable about an axis provided at the base, and is always biased upward by a weak spring (not shown). The detection lever 57 a is rotated by a lever operating pin 52 g provided on the lock lever 52. That is, when the lock lever 52 is rotated upward to enter the locked state, the restriction by the lever operating pin 52g is released, the detection lever 57a is rotated upward, and the lock lever 52 is rotated downward to enter the unlocked state. Then, the lever operating pin 52g pushes down the detection lever 57a and rotates downward. The cover open / close detector 57 detects the rotation position of the detection lever 57a to detect whether it is in a locked state, that is, a closed state, or in an unlocked state, that is, in an open state.

  When the cartridge cover 30 is changed from the opened state to the closed state, the cartridge cover 30 is manually rotated in the closing direction. At this time, first, the distal end of the locking arm 62 is inserted between the holding portion 55 and the opposing piece 55 a, and then the lock pin 50 comes into contact with the slide surface 52 f of the lock lever 52. At this time, the sliding surface 52f of the lock lever 52 inclines forward so that it goes back as it goes downward in the door open state. Therefore, when the cartridge cover 30 is further pushed after the lock pin 50 comes into contact with the slide surface 52f, the slide surface 52f slides upward with respect to the lock pin 50. By this slide, the lock portion d of the lock lever 52 is rotated upward, and the lock pin 50 and the engaging claw 52e are engaged.

  As described above, the lock pin 50 and the lock lever 52 slide while the lock pin 50 comes into contact with the slide surface 52f formed on the lock lever 52 by rotating the cartridge cover 30 in the door closing direction. 52 is rotated and engaged.

  When the lock lever 52 rotates to the lock position, the movable piece 53a is attracted to the yoke 53b magnetized by the magnet 53d, and the locked state is maintained.

  On the other hand, when the cartridge cover 30 is opened, a replacement command for the ink cartridge 16 is input by pressing a cover open switch 68 that also serves as a cartridge replacement switch provided on the front surface of the cartridge holder 15. The control means sends a control signal to the lock mechanism 40 when receiving the exchange command, and controls the coil 53c of the actuator 53 to be energized. Thereby, the magnetic force of the magnet 53d is lost or weakened, and the adsorption of the movable piece 53a to the yoke 53b is released, and the lock is released.

  Further, when an exchange command for the ink cartridge 16 is input by pressing the cover open switch 68, the control means controls the air release valve 35 to be in an open state, and the air release valve 35 is opened. When the pressure sensor 34 detects that the pressure in the air supply tube 32 has been lowered due to the valve state, control may be performed by sending a control signal to the lock mechanism 40 to release the lock.

  In addition, when a replacement command for the ink cartridge 16 is input by pressing the cover open switch 68, the control unit receives the replacement command for the ink cartridge 16, and the transmission / reception circuit 43 serving as a data read / write unit The unlocking of the lock mechanism 40 is suspended until the reading or writing of data to the storage element 47 of the ink cartridge 16 is finished, and after the reading or writing of data is finished, a control signal is sent to the locking mechanism 40 to lock it. You may make it control to cancel.

  Further, when the cartridge cover 30 is forcibly opened, a pin is inserted into a small hole 67 provided near the left end of the front surface of the cartridge cover 30. That is, an inclined surface 52h that is inclined forward and downward is formed at the tip of the lock portion 52d of the lock lever 52. On the other hand, a small hole 67 is formed in the cartridge cover 30 at a location facing the inclined surface 52h when the lock lever 52 is in the rotation position in the locked state. Then, an elongated pin is inserted into the small hole 67, the tip of the pin is pressed against the inclined surface 52h, the pin is further pressed, and the lock lever 52 is forcibly rotated downward with a force exceeding the magnetic force of the actuator 53. Can be unlocked.

  When the cartridge cover 30 when the lock is forcibly released is closed again, the cartridge cover 30 is manually rotated and pushed back, and the lock pin 50 slides on the inclined surface 52h, so that the lock lever 52 is moved. After temporarily forcibly rotating, the engagement claw 52e and the lock pin 50 are engaged again as described above.

  According to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.

  That is, the gap 29 between the cartridge cover 30 and a member other than the cartridge cover 30 around the cartridge cover 30 is configured to be as narrow as possible within a range that does not hinder the rotation operation of the cartridge cover 30. Even if the surface of the cartridge cover 30 is touched, the gap 29 on the side surface is small, so that an accident that the cartridge cover 30 is forcibly opened while the cartridge cover 30 is locked is reliably prevented, and the lock mechanism 40 is not damaged. Can be prevented.

In addition, the gap 29 is set to such an extent that fingers do not hang on the side surfaces other than the front surface of the cartridge cover 30.
Since no finger is applied to the side surface of the cartridge cover 30, an accident that forcibly opens the cartridge cover 30 while the cartridge cover 30 is locked can be reliably prevented, and damage to the lock mechanism 40 can be prevented.

Further, the unlocking of the locking mechanism 40 is performed by the actuator 53 that operates by electromagnetic force.
Since the lock can be released by sending an electric signal to the actuator 53, the control can be easily performed, and the control system can be simplified.

In addition, the actuator 53 operates to unlock when energized.
Since the lock can be released by energization, it is easy to control and the control system can be simplified.

The lock mechanism 40 includes a lock pin 50 formed on the cartridge cover 30 and a lock lever 52 that engages with the lock pin 50, and the actuator 53 engages with the lock pin 50. Since the lock lever 52 and the lock pin 50 are disengaged by rotating the lock lever 52, the lock is released.
Since the lock can be released by rotating the lock lever 52, for example, an actuator 53 that performs a linear motion such as a plunger can be applied, and the equipment can be simplified and unnecessary cost increases can be avoided. .

The lock lever 52 is biased by the torsion coil spring 56 in the disengagement direction when the door is closed, and the actuator 53 maintains the engaged state against the biasing force by electromagnetic force. Because
By releasing the electromagnetic force of the actuator 53, the engagement of the lock lever 52 is automatically released by the urging force of the torsion coil spring 56, so that the lock release mechanism is simplified and the control is easy to perform. Can be simplified.

Further, the lock pin 50 and the lock lever 52 are rotated by rotating the cartridge cover 30 in the door closing direction, so that the lock pin 50 comes into contact with the slide surface formed on the lock lever 52 and slides. Because it is designed to move and engage,
Since the cartridge cover 30 is automatically locked by pushing and rotating the cartridge cover 30 with a finger to close the door, it is extremely easy to operate and easy to use. In addition, the structure is simple, the lock mechanism 40 is simplified, and control is easy.

Further, a leaf spring 54 for urging the cartridge cover 30 in the closed state toward the door opening direction, and the cartridge cover 30 is temporarily turned when the cartridge cover 30 is rotated until the urging force by the leaf spring 54 is weakened. A holding member that stops and holds automatically,
Since the cartridge cover 30 is automatically opened by the urging force of the leaf spring 54 when the lock mechanism 40 is unlocked, it is easy to use. In addition, since the cartridge cover 30 is temporarily stopped when the door is slightly opened, there is no concern that the cartridge cover 30 will be fully opened at once, making a noise or damaging the surroundings, and the usability is extremely good.

Also, when the air supply tube 32 for guiding the pressurized gas discharged from the pressure pump 33 to the ink cartridge 16 and the air supply tube 32 communicated with each other, the valve is opened. An atmosphere release valve 35 for releasing the applied pressure in the air supply tube 32;
The control means controls to open the atmosphere release valve 35 by accepting a replacement command for the ink cartridge 16 and also opens the atmosphere release valve 35 in an open state. When controlling the lock mechanism 40 to unlock when it is detected that the pressure has dropped,
There is a time lag from the opening of the cartridge cover 30 to the opening of the air release valve 35, or from the time when the air release valve 35 is actually opened until the pressurized air in the fluid containing pair is completely released and the applied pressure becomes zero. In order to unlock the lock mechanism 40 when it is detected that the pressure in the air supply tube 32 has decreased even if there is a time lag (time required for the pressurized air to escape) during The ink cartridge 16 is not taken out while the applied pressure remains in the ink cartridge 16. For this reason, the ink cartridge 16 is forcibly pulled out while the applied pressure remains in the ink cartridge 16, and ink leaks out from the remaining ink cartridge 16 to contaminate the surroundings. Problems such as damage to the ink supply connection plug to which the holder 15 is connected do not occur. Further, since the amount of ink dripping can be reduced, the ink absorbing material provided in the cartridge holder 15 can be reduced.

In addition, with the ink cartridge 16 mounted in the cartridge holder 15, a holder antenna 44 that can communicate with the storage element 47 provided in the ink cartridge 16, and the storage element 47 via the holder antenna 44 A transmission / reception circuit 43 that reads or writes data;
When the control means controls to hold the unlocking of the lock mechanism 40 until the transmission / reception circuit 43 finishes reading or writing data after receiving the replacement command of the ink cartridge 16,
Since the lock mechanism 40 is not unlocked while the transmission / reception circuit 43 is reading or writing data, the relative position between the ink cartridge 16 and the cartridge holder 15, for example, the relative relationship between the holder antenna 44 and the cartridge antenna 46. The position is prevented from being changed by the user, and communication with the storage element 47 is prevented from being disabled. Therefore, even if it takes a certain amount of time to read or write data to the storage element 47, it is prevented that the communication is forcibly disabled by the user during that time. A read or write process may be performed.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and is intended to include the following various modifications.

  In the said embodiment, although the example which applied the leaf | plate spring 54 as a cover urging member was shown, a coil spring may be used and various urging members can be applied. In the above embodiment, the lock lever 52 is rotated by the torsion coil spring 56 and the actuator 53 to release the lock. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a mechanism that can rotate the lock lever 52 is used. Other mechanisms can be employed if present.

  In the above embodiment, various types of motors such as a DC motor and an AC motor can be applied to the pump motor 45. The pressurizing pump 33 may be a diaphragm pump or other various types of pressurizing pumps.

  In the above-described embodiment, as a drive means serving as a drive source when the air release valve 35 is controlled to open, a motor dedicated to valve driving different from the pump motor 45 is provided, and a control configuration for rotating the motor forward and backward is provided. Also good.

  In the above embodiment, the printer 10 that ejects ink has been described as the fluid ejecting apparatus. However, other fluid ejecting apparatuses may be used. For example, printing apparatuses including fax machines, copiers, etc., fluid ejecting apparatuses for ejecting fluids such as electrode materials and color materials used in the production of liquid crystal displays, EL displays and surface-emitting displays, and bio-organic materials used in biochip production It may be a fluid ejecting apparatus for ejecting a liquid and a sample ejecting apparatus as a precision pipette. Further, the fluid is not limited to ink, and may be applied to other fluids.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main part of the ink jet printer according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an ink cartridge. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the printer. The front view which shows a cartridge holder. The perspective view which shows a cartridge holder. The disassembled perspective view which shows a locking mechanism. The disassembled perspective view which shows a locking mechanism. The disassembled perspective view which shows a locking mechanism. The disassembled perspective view which shows a locking mechanism. The disassembled perspective view which shows a locking mechanism. The front view which shows the cartridge cover of the closed state. The side view and sectional drawing which show the cartridge cover of the closed state. The front view which shows the cartridge cover of the open state. The side view and sectional drawing which show the cartridge cover of the open state. The enlarged view which shows the detail of a lock lever. The enlarged view which shows the detail of an actuator. The perspective view which shows the detail of a bending spring member.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printer, 11 Main body case, 12 Guide shaft, 13 Recording head, 14 Carriage, 15 Cartridge holder, 15a Screw hole, 16 Ink cartridge, 17 Drive pulley, 18 Drive pulley, 19 Timing belt, 20 Carriage motor, 21 Paper feed motor , 22 Paper feed roller, 23 Paper discharge roller, 24 Paper, 25 Platen, 26 Sub tank, 27 Ink supply tube, 29 Clearance, 30 Cartridge cover, 31 Pressure unit, 32 Air supply tube, 33 Pressure pump, 34 Pressure sensor , 35 Air release valve, 36 Distributor, 37 Ink pack, 37a Ink discharge port, 38 Ink case, 39 Space, 40 Lock mechanism, 41 Communication hole, 42 Hinge structure part, 42a Hinge shaft, 43 Transmitter / receiver circuit, 44 hole Antenna, 45 Pump motor, 46 Cartridge antenna, 47 Storage element, 48 Valve opening / closing mechanism, 49 Stationary member, 50 Lock pin, 51 Locking portion, 52 Lock lever, 52a Rotating shaft, 52b Actuation pin, 52c Actuation portion, 52d lock part, 52e engaging claw, 52f slide surface, 52g lever operating pin, 52h inclined surface, 53 actuator, 53a movable piece, 53b yoke, 53c coil, 53d magnet, 54 leaf spring, 55 holding part, 55a facing piece, 55b locking protrusion, 56 torsion coil spring, 57 cover open / close detector, 57a detection lever, 58 lock case, 58a mounting screw, 59 lid, 60 housing part, 61 bending spring member, 61a base part, 61b pillar piece, 61c connecting piece, 62 locking arm, 63 insertion window, 4 Lock arm, 65 Notch, 66 Detector drive pin, 67 Small hole, 68 Cover open switch, 75 CPU, 76 ROM, 77 RAM, 78 I / F, 79 ASIC, 81 Bus, 82 Host computer, 83 First motor Drive circuit, 84 second motor drive circuit, 85 head drive circuit, 86 third motor drive circuit

Claims (11)

A mounting portion to which a fluid container configured to deliver a stored fluid based on the pressure of the pressurized gas is mounted, and a cover that covers an insertion port for taking the fluid container into and out of the mounting portion. A member, a lock mechanism that locks the cover member so that the cover member does not open, and a control unit that controls to unlock the lock mechanism when an exchange command for the fluid container is received,
The cover member can be opened and closed by rotation by a hinge structure, and a clearance between the cover member and a member other than the cover member around the cover member can be provided as long as the rotation of the cover member is not hindered. A fluid supply apparatus configured to be as narrow as possible.   The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the gap is set such that fingers do not hang on a side surface other than the front surface of the cover member.   The fluid supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lock mechanism is unlocked by an actuator that operates by electromagnetic force.   The fluid supply device according to claim 3, wherein the actuator operates to release the lock when energized.   The lock mechanism includes a lock pin formed on a cover member and a lock lever engaged with the lock pin, and the actuator rotates the lock lever engaged with the lock pin to rotate the lock lever. The fluid supply device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the lock is released by releasing the engagement between the lock pin and the lock pin.   The lock lever is urged by a lever urging member in a disengagement direction in a closed state, and the actuator is maintained in an engaged state against the urging force by electromagnetic force. The fluid supply apparatus according to any one of 3 to 5.   By rotating the cover member in the door closing direction, the lock pin and the lock lever slide with the lock pin coming into contact with the slide surface formed on the lock lever, and the lock lever rotates and engages. The fluid supply device according to claim 5 or 6.   A cover urging member that urges the cover member toward the door opening direction in a closed state, and temporarily stops the rotation of the cover member when the cover member rotates until the urging force by the cover urging member weakens. The fluid supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a holding member that holds the holding member. A pressurized gas supply path for guiding the pressurized gas discharged from the pump unit to the fluid container, and a pressurization when the valve is opened so as to communicate with the pressurized gas supply path An open valve for releasing the applied pressure in the gas supply path,
The control means controls to open the open valve by accepting an exchange command for the fluid container, and the applied pressure in the pressurized gas supply path decreases as the open valve opens. The fluid supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the fluid supply device is controlled to unlock the lock mechanism when it is detected. Communication means capable of communicating with an external storage device provided in the fluid container in a state where the fluid container is mounted on the mounting portion, and reading or writing data to the external storage device via the communication means Data read / write means for performing
10. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs control so as to hold the unlocking of the lock mechanism until the data read / write unit finishes reading or writing data after receiving the fluid container replacement command. The fluid supply device according to item. An ejecting head that ejects fluid, a mounting portion on which a fluid container configured to send a contained fluid toward the ejecting head based on the pressure of the pressurized gas is mounted, and the mounting portion A cover member that covers an insertion port for inserting and removing the fluid container, a lock mechanism that locks the cover member so as not to open, and unlocking the lock mechanism when an exchange command for the fluid container is received And control means for controlling
The cover member can be opened and closed by rotation by a hinge structure, and a clearance between the cover member and a member other than the cover member around the cover member can be provided as long as the rotation of the cover member is not hindered. A fluid ejecting apparatus configured to be as narrow as possible.

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