JP2008246999A - Ink cartridge determination device and ink cartridge determination method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink cartridge determination device and an ink cartridge determination method, which enable the reliable and precise determination of the type of an ink cartridge. <P>SOLUTION: A main control section 200 determines the type of the ink cartridge based on output signals of sensors 230 and 235. Firstly, it is determined whether or not the signal level of the optical sensor 230 has been changed from HIGH to LOW (S1). When the signal level of the optical sensor 230 has been changed to LOW, it is determined whether or not the signal level of the optical sensor 235 has been changed from HIGH to LOW. When the signal level of the optical sensor 230 at the time when the signal level of the optical sensor 235 is changed to LOW is HIGH, an ink cartridge 10a is determined. When it is LOW, an ink cartridge 10b is determined. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a determination apparatus and a determination method for determining the type of an ink cartridge applied to an ink jet recording apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet recording apparatus (hereinafter abbreviated as “recording apparatus”) that records an image on recording paper (recording medium) using ink is widely known. The recording apparatus includes an inkjet recording head. The recording head selectively ejects ink supplied to the recording head from the nozzles toward the recording paper. Thereby, an image is recorded on the recording paper. The recording apparatus includes a mounting portion on which an ink cartridge is mounted. The ink cartridge is detachably provided on the mounting portion. By inserting the ink cartridge all the way into the mounting portion, the ink cartridge is mounted in the mounting portion, and the ink in the ink cartridge can be supplied to the recording head.

  As an example of the above-described recording apparatus, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228561 discloses that the type of ink in the ink cartridge, the characteristics, and the like are changed by changing the position of each flag of the flag member provided on the ink cartridge along the moving direction of the carriage. A recording apparatus capable of classifying the above is disclosed. Further, as an example of the ink cartridge, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses an ink cartridge that holds ink cartridge type information.

JP-A-3-213349 JP-A-2005-28614

  By the way, although the carriage moves at a constant speed, the speed at which the operator inserts the ink cartridge into the recording apparatus is not always constant. For example, if the worker is different, a difference may occur in the insertion speed into the mounting portion. Further, even the same worker cannot always insert an ink cartridge at the same insertion speed. In the recording apparatus or the ink cartridge described in each of the above-mentioned patent documents, there is a possibility that the type of the ink cartridge is erroneously detected when the insertion speed is different. There is also a problem that the type of the ink cartridge cannot be accurately determined if the operator removes and inserts the ink cartridge before the ink cartridge is completely attached for some reason.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge determination device and an ink cartridge determination method capable of reliably and accurately determining the type of an ink cartridge. It is to provide.

(1) The present invention is an ink cartridge determination device that determines a first ink cartridge and a second ink cartridge.
The determination device supports the first ink cartridge and the second ink cartridge so that they can be inserted and removed, and the ink cartridge is mounted at a predetermined position in the mounting process of mounting each ink cartridge and the mounting process of the ink cartridge with respect to the mounting section. An output means for outputting a reference signal when it reaches, a first optical sensor provided in the mounting portion and having a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and provided in the first ink cartridge, the first ink cartridge being the predetermined ink A first detected portion that enters an optical path from the light emitting element to the light receiving element in the insertion process to the position, and the first detected portion, and the first ink cartridge is inserted into the predetermined position. A first member that allows light emitted from the light emitting element to pass through and the second ink cartridge. The second ink cartridge is provided in the second detected portion that enters the optical path from the light emitting element to the light receiving element in the insertion process in which the second ink cartridge is inserted to the predetermined position, A first light-shielding portion that shields light emitted from the light-emitting element when the second ink cartridge is inserted into the predetermined position; and the first optical sensor at the time when the reference signal is output by the output means. Determination means for determining whether the ink cartridge attached to the attachment portion is a first ink cartridge or a second ink cartridge based on a light reception result of the light receiving element.

  When the ink cartridge reaches a predetermined position in the process of mounting the ink cartridge on the mounting portion, the output means outputs a reference signal. The determination means is based on a light reception result of the light receiving element of the first optical sensor when the reference signal is output, and the ink cartridge accommodated in the mounting portion is the first ink cartridge or the second ink cartridge. Determine whether. Since the determination is made in this way, the type of the ink cartridge can be reliably and accurately determined regardless of the insertion speed of the ink cartridge with respect to the mounting portion.

  (2) In the ink cartridge determination device of the present invention, the first detected portion is provided at a front end in the approach direction of the first member, and shields light emitted from the light emitting element during the insertion process. A section. In this case, it is preferable that the determination unit performs the determination on the condition that the light is blocked by either the first light shielding unit or the second light shielding unit.

  (3) The output means is provided in the mounting portion, and is provided in the second optical sensor having a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and is provided in each of the ink cartridges. It is preferable to have a third detected portion that enters a light path leading to the light receiving element and shields light emitted from the light emitting element.

  (4) The first ink cartridge and the second ink cartridge are protruded in the insertion direction from a main body that stores ink and a wall surface on the front side in the insertion direction with respect to the mounting portion of the main body. A hollow projecting portion formed continuously and provided so as to be slidable in the insertion direction with respect to the main body, and having the first detected portion and the second detected portion. A sliding member that covers the protruding portion and is close to the wall surface in a state where the one ink cartridge or the second ink cartridge is mounted, a first posture in which the first end enters the protruding portion inside the main body, and the first An arm member that is swingable between a second posture and a second posture separated from the first posture, and that rotates according to the amount of ink contained in the main body; The light emitted from the light emitting element at the time of mounting the ink cartridge with respect to mounting portion further comprises a second member to pass to the protruding portion. In this case, the first optical sensor detects an operation of the first end of the arm member at the protruding portion via the second member when the slide member is slid in a direction approaching the wall surface. It is desirable that

  (5) Further, the present invention can be regarded as an ink cartridge determination method for determining the type of ink cartridge mounted in a predetermined mounting portion. That is, an output step of outputting a reference signal when the ink cartridge reaches a predetermined position in the mounting process of the ink cartridge, a first determination step of determining the presence or absence of the reference signal output in the output step, When it is determined in the first determination step that the reference signal is present, the form of the first detected portion provided in the ink cartridge is detected based on the output signal of the first photosensor provided in the mounting portion. And a second determination step of determining the type of the ink cartridge based on the form of the first detected portion detected in the detection step. May be.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably and accurately determine the type of the ink cartridge that is mounted on the mounting portion.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In addition, the following embodiment is only an example which actualized this invention, and it cannot be overemphasized that embodiment can be changed suitably in the range which does not change the summary of this invention.

  First, a schematic configuration and operation of an ink jet recording apparatus 250, which is an example of an ink cartridge determination apparatus of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal mechanism of the recording apparatus 250.

  The recording apparatus 250 records a color image or a monochrome image on a recording sheet using a plurality of colors of ink, for example, four colors of ink of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk). Is. As shown in FIG. 1, the recording apparatus 250 includes a paper feeder 252, a transport device 253, a recording unit 254, and a cartridge mounting unit 276 (an example of the mounting unit of the present invention). A paper feed tray 257 is provided on the bottom surface of the recording apparatus 250. The recording paper loaded on the paper feed tray 257 is fed to the transport path 259 by the paper feed device 252.

  A transport device 253 is disposed in the transport path 259. The conveyance device 253 includes a conveyance roller pair 261 and a conveyance roller pair 262. The conveyance roller pair 261 is provided on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording unit 254 (on the right side in FIG. 1). Further, the conveyance roller pair 262 is provided on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording unit 254 (left side in FIG. 1).

  The recording sheet fed to the conveyance path 259 is conveyed toward the platen 264 by the conveyance roller pair 261. A recording unit 254 is disposed above the platen 264. The recording unit 254 records an image on a recording sheet that passes over the platen 264. The recording paper that has passed through the platen 264 is discharged to a paper discharge tray 258 provided on the most downstream side of the transport path 259 by the transport roller pair 262.

  The recording unit 254 includes a carriage 266 that also serves as a housing and a recording head 272. The recording head 272 includes a sub tank 268, a head control board 270, and a nozzle 274. The carriage 266 is supported by a support rail (not shown) so as to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. The sub tank 268 stores the ink supplied to the nozzle 274. When an image signal is input to the head control board 270, ink is ejected from the nozzle 274 toward the recording paper based on the image signal. Note that the recording apparatus 250 is provided with a main control unit 200 (see FIG. 16) that comprehensively controls the apparatus, and the image signal is output from the main control unit 200 to the head control board 270. Entered.

  The ink cartridge 10 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 276. A case 280 corresponding to each of the ink cartridges 10 is provided in the cartridge mounting portion 276. In the present embodiment, four cases 280 are provided corresponding to the four colors of ink. The ink cartridge 10 is configured to be detachable from the cartridge mounting portion 276. The ink cartridge 10 has a main body 20 (corresponding to the main body of the present invention) provided with an ink chamber 100. The ink in the ink chamber 100 is supplied from the ink chamber 100 to the recording head 272 through the ink tube 278.

  By the way, even if the ink cartridge 10 contains ink of the same color, two types of ink cartridges 10a and 10b having different ink capacities are distributed in the market. The recording apparatus 250 according to the present embodiment is configured so that both of the two types of ink cartridges 10 a and 10 b can be mounted in a single case 280 provided in the cartridge mounting portion 276. The recording apparatus 250 can determine which type of ink cartridge 10 is installed. Although the details will be described later, the determination is performed by the main control unit 200 (see FIG. 16) included in the recording device 250. Hereinafter, each component that embodies a process (determination process) for determining the type (ink cartridge 10a, 10b) of the ink cartridge 10 and the procedure of the determination process will be described in detail. The ink cartridge 10a corresponds to the first ink cartridge of the present invention, and the ink cartridge 10b corresponds to the second ink cartridge of the present invention.

  First, the ink cartridge 10a attached to the recording apparatus 250 will be described with reference to FIGS. The ink cartridge 10a and the ink cartridge 10b are different in that the form of a detected portion of the first cover 21 described later is different, and the other configurations are common. The difference in configuration will be described in detail later.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of the ink cartridge 10a. FIG. 3 is a side view of the ink cartridge 10a. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ink cartridge 10a is configured as a substantially hexahedron having a flat shape. Specifically, the ink cartridge 10a is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is thin in the width direction (the direction of the arrow 31) and whose height direction (the direction of the arrow 32) and depth direction (the direction of the arrow 33) are longer than the width direction. Has been.

  The ink cartridge 10a is roughly divided into a main body 20 (see FIG. 3), a first cover 21 (corresponding to a slide member of the present invention), a second cover 22, and coil springs 23 and 24 (see FIG. 8). ing. The exterior of the ink cartridge 10 a is composed of a first cover 21 and a second cover 22. The main body 20 has an ink chamber 100 in which ink is stored. The main body 20 is covered with the covers 21 and 22. In the present embodiment, the main body 20, the first cover 21, and the second cover 22 are made of a resin material. For example, as the resin material, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, or the like is applicable.

  The ink cartridge 10a is in the standing state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, that is, the lower surface in the drawing is the bottom surface and the upper surface in the drawing is the upper surface, and the arrow 30 (FIG. 2) with respect to the recording apparatus 250. And in FIG. 3) (hereinafter referred to as “insertion direction 30”).

  The first cover 21 and the second cover 22 cover substantially the entire main body 20. Specifically, a portion on the front side of the main body 20 in the insertion direction 30 (hereinafter referred to as “front portion”) 20 a (see FIG. 4) is covered by the first cover 21, and a portion on the rear side in the insertion direction of the main body 20. (Hereinafter referred to as “rear part”) 20 b (see FIG. 4) is covered by the second cover 22. Thereby, the front side of the main body 20 is protected by the first cover 21, and the rear side of the main body 20 is protected by the second cover 22.

  In the present embodiment, the first cover 21 is provided so as to slide in the depth direction (the direction of the arrow 33) with respect to the main body 20. 2A and 3A show a state in which the first cover 21 is slid to the second position closest to the front surface 41 of the main body 20, and FIG. 2B and FIG. 3 (b) shows a state in which the first cover 21 is slid to the first position farthest from the front surface 41 of the main body 20. FIG. 2 and 3, when the first cover 21 is slid to the second position, a rod 84 of an air communication valve 80 described later is pressed, and the ink supply valve 90 is exposed to the outside. Is done. Further, when the first cover 21 is slid to the first position, the rod 84 of the atmosphere communication valve 80 is restored to the original state, and the ink supply valve 90 is immersed in the first cover 21. The configuration of the first cover 21 and the mechanism for sliding the first cover 21 will be described in detail later.

  The main body 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 is a perspective view showing the external shape of the main body 20. FIG. 4A is a perspective view seen from the front surface 41 side of the main body 20, and FIG. The perspective view seen from the rear surface 42 side is shown. FIG. 5 is a side view of the main body 20. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line VI-VI in FIG. FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view showing in detail the cross-sectional structure of the main body 20 on the front surface 31 side.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the main body 20 has an outer shape substantially the same shape as the ink cartridge 10a, and is configured as a substantially hexahedron having a flat shape. The main body 20 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 276 (see FIG. 12) of the recording apparatus 250 in the standing state shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, in the main body 20, the front side surface in the insertion direction 30 is the front surface 41, the rear side surface in the insertion direction 30 is the rear surface 42, and the vertically upper side surface. The surface is referred to as an upper surface 43, and the vertically lower surface is referred to as a lower surface 44. Two surfaces adjacent to the front surface 41, the rear surface 42, the upper surface 43, and the lower surface 44 and facing each other are referred to as side surfaces 45 and 46, respectively. The left side is the left side 45 when viewed from the rear side 42, and the right side is the right side 46. In the present embodiment, the pair of side surfaces 45 and 46 has a maximum area in the main body 20.

  The main body 20 is roughly composed of a frame 50, an arm 70 (corresponding to an arm member of the present invention), an air communication valve 80, an ink supply valve 90, and a transparent film (not shown). The film is welded to both side surfaces of the frame 50 (the left and right surfaces in FIG. 4). As a result, an ink chamber 100 capable of containing ink is formed inside the frame 50 and the film. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the film is omitted.

  The frame 50 is a member constituting the housing of the main body 20 and forms the six surfaces 41 to 46 of the main body 20. Therefore, the six surfaces 41 to 46 of the main body 20 coincide with the six surfaces of the frame 50. In the following, each surface of the frame 50 is shown using the reference numerals attached to each surface of the main body 20.

  The frame 50 is made of a translucent transparent or translucent resin material, and can be obtained, for example, by injection molding a resin material. Examples of the resin material include polyacetal, nylon, polyethylene, and polypropylene.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the frame 50 includes an outer peripheral wall 51 and a plurality of inner walls 52. The inner wall 52 is disposed inside the outer peripheral wall 51. The outer peripheral wall 51 and the inner wall 52 are integrally formed as a frame 50. The outer peripheral wall 51 and the inner wall 52 are provided from the left side 45 to the right side 46 of the main body 20. The outer peripheral wall 51 is annularly arranged along the front surface 41, the upper surface 43, the rear surface 42, and the lower surface 44 so as to form a space therein. As a result, an opening 57 a is formed on the left side surface 45 of the frame 50, and an opening 57 b is formed on the right side surface 46.

  A thin film (not shown) made of a transparent resin is attached to each of the side surfaces 45 and 46 of the frame 50. The film is welded to the outer edge portion of the outer peripheral wall 51 on the side surfaces 45 and 46 side by a known heat welding method. The opening 57a and the opening 57b are closed by the film. Thereby, a space surrounded by the outer peripheral wall 51 and the film is partitioned as the ink chamber 100. Ink is stored in the ink chamber 100 thus partitioned. In this embodiment, the ink chamber 100 is formed by the frame 50 and the filter. However, for example, the ink chamber 100 can be formed inside the frame 50 by forming the frame 50 itself in a rectangular parallelepiped container shape. .

  The inner wall 52 is disposed in a region surrounded by the outer peripheral wall 51. The film is also welded to the outer edge portions of the inner wall 52 on the side surfaces 45 and 46 side. Thereby, the slack of the film can be suppressed. Even if the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are deformed to the main body 20 side, the deformation of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 is restricted by the inner wall 52. Thereby, damage to the main body 20 and the film can be prevented.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, an ink injection portion 150 is formed on the rear surface 42 of the frame 50. The ink injection unit 150 is a substantially cylindrical hole that is formed on the ink chamber 100 side from the rear surface 42. The ink injection unit 150 communicates with the ink chamber 100. The ink injection unit 150 is for injecting ink into the ink chamber 100, and the ink flows into the ink chamber 100 through the ink injection unit 150. The ink injection unit 150 is formed integrally with the frame 50 in the vicinity of the lower end of the rear surface 42.

  A detection window 140 (corresponding to a protruding portion of the present invention) is formed on the front surface 41 of the frame 50. The detection window 140 is for visually or optically detecting the amount of ink stored in the ink chamber 100. The detection window 140 is formed integrally with the frame 50. Therefore, the detection window 140 is made of the same material as that of the frame 50, that is, a translucent transparent or translucent resin material. Therefore, the detection window 140 can transmit light from the outside. The detection window 140 is irradiated with light by an optical sensor such as a photo interrupter attached to the recording device 250. The optical sensor has a light emitting element and a light receiving element. In the present embodiment, the light emitted from the light emitting element is applied to the side wall 140b (see FIG. 4), and the light transmitted through the side wall 140b is received by the light receiving element.

  The detection window 140 protrudes from the middle of the front surface 41 of the main body 20 toward the outside of the main body 20. That is, the detection window 140 is provided so as to protrude in a direction opposite to the ink chamber 100 (leftward in FIGS. 5 and 6). As shown in the drawing, the detection window 140 is partitioned by five substantially rectangular wall surfaces, and the inside is formed in a substantially box shape having a hollow shape. Specifically, the detection window 140 is a pair of a rectangular front wall 140a that is parallel to the front face 41 and spaced outward from the front face 41 by a predetermined distance, and two widthwise sides of the front wall 140a. The side wall 140b is partitioned by an upper wall 140c including the upper side of the front wall 140a and a lower wall 140d including the lower side of the front wall 140a. The width of the front wall 140a (the dimension in the direction of arrow 31 in FIG. 4) is formed smaller than the width of the front surface 51.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a space 142 surrounded by a front wall 140a, a side wall 140b, an upper wall 140c, and a lower wall 140d is formed inside the detection window 140. A wall is not provided on the ink chamber 100 side of the detection window 140, and the space 142 continues to the ink chamber 100. The indicator portion 72 of the arm 70 enters or leaves the space 142. 4 to 6 show the posture in which the indicator unit 72 enters the space 142. FIG.

  The arm 70 is a member for detecting the amount of ink stored in the ink chamber 100. An indicator portion 72 that enters or leaves the space 142 is provided at one end of the arm 70. A float portion 73 is provided at the other end of the arm 70. The arm 70 is swingably supported by a rib 74 erected at the center of the outer peripheral wall 51 in the width direction (the direction of the arrow 31). For example, the float portion 73 is formed in a hollow shape, and serves as a buoyancy body having buoyancy with respect to a liquid such as ink. Therefore, the float part 73 is displaced up and down according to the increase and decrease of the ink amount. Thereby, the arm 70 rotates according to the displacement of the float part 73. The rib 74 is provided on the outer peripheral wall 51 near the corner formed by the front surface 41 and the lower surface 44. A support portion 77 (see FIG. 6) for supporting the arm 70 is formed on the rib 74.

  When a sufficient amount of ink is stored in the ink chamber 100, the arm 70 maintains the posture in which the indicator unit 72 enters the space 142 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Specifically, the indicator portion 72 enters the detection window 140 and comes into contact with the lower wall 140d, whereby the posture is maintained. On the other hand, when the ink becomes less than the predetermined amount, the float part 73 descends and the indicator part 72 moves out of the space 142. Since the arm 70 operates in this manner, the amount of ink in the ink chamber 100 is constant by monitoring the presence or absence of the indicator unit 72 in the space 142 from the outside of the detection window 140 with an optical sensor such as a photo interrupter. Whether it can be detected.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a circular opening 82 is provided above the front surface 41 of the frame 50, in other words, above the detection window 140. A cylindrical valve accommodating chamber 55 is formed on the inner side of the frame 50 continuously from the opening 82. The valve storage chamber 55 extends in the depth direction of the main body 20 (the direction of the arrow 33). The valve storage chamber 55 communicates with the ink chamber 100 at the back. An air communication valve 80 is accommodated in the valve accommodating chamber 55.

  The air communication valve 80 is configured as a valve mechanism that opens or closes an air path from the opening 82 to the ink chamber 100. The atmospheric communication valve 80 is mainly composed of members such as a valve main body 87, a spring 86, a seal member 83, and a cap 85. The valve main body 87 is provided in the valve accommodating chamber 55 so as to be slidable in the depth direction of the main body 20. The valve body 87 includes a lid body 88 and a rod 84. When the valve main body 87 is slid in the valve accommodating chamber 55, the lid 88 slides between a position where it abuts on the seal member 83 and a position away from the seal member 83 in accordance with the sliding operation. When the lid 88 abuts on the seal member 83, an atmosphere communication port 81 described later is closed, and when the lid 88 is separated from the seal member 83, the atmosphere communication port 81 is opened. The rod 84 projects outward from the central axis of the lid 88 through the center of the opening 82. As shown in FIG. 7, the rod 84 projects most outward among the members provided on the front surface 41.

  A cap 85 is attached to the outer edge portion of the opening 82 via a seal member 83. The cap 85 and the seal member 83 are provided with through holes (not shown). When the cap 85 and the seal member 83 are attached to the outer edge portion of the opening 82, the air communication port 81 that connects the inside and the outside of the valve housing chamber 55 is formed by the through hole. A rod 84 is inserted into the atmosphere communication port 81.

  In the valve accommodating chamber 55, the spring 86 urges the valve main body 87 in the direction of closing the air path. That is, the spring 86 urges the valve body 87 in a direction in which the lid 88 is brought closer to the seal member 83. Therefore, the atmosphere communication valve 80 normally closes the atmosphere communication port 81 with the lid 88. On the other hand, when the rod 84 is pressed toward the back side of the opening 82, the cover 88 of the valve body 87 is separated from the seal member 83 against the biasing force of the spring 86, and the atmosphere communication port 81 is opened. . Thereby, the air path from the opening 82 to the ink chamber 100 is opened, and the air layer formed in the ink chamber 100 becomes the same pressure as the atmospheric pressure.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a circular opening 92 is provided below the front surface 42 of the frame 50, in other words, below the detection window 140. A cylindrical valve housing chamber 54 is formed on the inner side of the frame 50 continuously from the opening 92. The valve storage chamber 54 extends in the depth direction of the main body 20. The valve storage chamber 54 communicates with the ink chamber 100 at the back. An ink supply valve 90 is accommodated in the valve accommodating chamber 54.

  The ink supply valve 90 is configured as a valve mechanism that opens or closes the ink path from the opening 92 to the ink chamber 100. The ink supply valve 90 is mainly composed of members such as a valve body 97, a spring 96, a seal member 93, and a cap 95.

  A cap 95 is attached to the outer edge portion of the opening 92 via a seal member 93. The cap 95 and the seal member 93 are provided with through holes (not shown). When the cap 95 and the seal member 93 are attached to the outer edge portion of the opening 92, the ink supply port 91 that connects the inside and the outside of the valve housing chamber 54 is formed by the through hole. The ink supply port 91 is a portion into which a tubular ink needle is inserted when the ink cartridge 10a is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 276 (see FIG. 12).

  In the valve accommodating chamber 54, the spring 96 urges the valve main body 87 in a direction to close the ink path. That is, the spring 96 urges the valve main body 97 in a direction to approach the seal member 93. Therefore, the ink supply valve 90 normally closes the ink supply port 91 with the valve body 97. On the other hand, when the ink needle is inserted into the ink supply port 91, the valve body 97 is separated from the seal member 93 against the biasing force of the spring 96, and the ink supply port 91 is opened. Thereby, the ink in the ink chamber 100 can be led out to the recording apparatus 250 side through the ink needle.

  A recessed portion 59 is provided on the upper surface 43 of the frame 50. Further, a recessed portion 60 is formed on the lower surface 44. The recessed portions 59 and 60 engage with the projecting pieces 210 and 211 (see FIG. 8) provided on the inner surface of the second cover 22 when the rear portion 20b of the main body 20 is covered with the second cover 22. By fitting the protruding piece 210 into the recessed portion 59 and fitting the protruding piece 211 into the recessed portion 60, the rear portion 20 b and the second cover 22 are reliably engaged.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a spring accommodating chamber 110 is formed above the valve accommodating chamber 55. A spring accommodating chamber 111 is formed below the valve accommodating chamber 54. The spring accommodating chambers 110 and 111 are substantially cylindrical holes drilled from the front surface 41 of the frame 50 to the ink chamber 111 side. Coil springs 23 and 24 (see FIG. 8) for elastically urging the first cover 21 in the insertion direction 30 are accommodated in the spring accommodating chambers 110 and 111, respectively. Note that the positions of the spring accommodating chambers 110 and 111, the outer diameter dimension or the depth dimension of the holes, and the like are elements that are appropriately determined according to the specifications of the accommodated spring. However, in order to stably and evenly bias the long first cover 21 in the height direction of the main body 20 (the direction of the arrow 32), the main body 20 is separated in the height direction as in the present embodiment. It is desirable to arrange the spring accommodating chamber 110 and the spring accommodating chamber 111 at the respective positions.

  A support member 115 is provided at the front end of the upper surface 43 of the frame 50 in the insertion direction. The support member 115 supports the first cover 21 to be slidable with respect to the main body 20 and restricts the sliding range of the first cover 21. The first cover 21 is slidably supported at two points by the support member 115 and a support member 116 described later. The support member 115 is formed integrally with the frame 50. As shown in FIG. 6, the support member 115 includes a first member 118 extending vertically upward from the upper surface 43, and a first member 118 extending in the insertion direction 30 parallel to the upper surface 43 from the terminal end of the first member 118. The second member 119 and the upward-facing hook-shaped third member 120 formed at the end of the second member 119 are configured. That is, the support member 115 is formed in a substantially L shape in the horizontal direction. As a result, a gap 122 is formed between the second member 119 and the upper surface 43. The gap 122 allows the second member 119 to bend in the height direction of the main body 20 (the direction of the arrow 32).

  A support member 116 having substantially the same shape as the support member 115 is provided at the front end in the insertion direction of the lower surface 44 of the frame 50. The support member 116 is formed integrally with the frame 50, and extends in the insertion direction 30 parallel to the lower surface 44 from the end of the first member 124 and the first member 124 extending vertically downward from the lower surface 44. The second member 125 is formed, and a downward-facing hook-shaped third member 126 formed at the end of the second member 125.

  Hereinafter, the slide mechanism of the first cover 21 will be described in detail along with the configurations of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 and FIGS. 8 to 10. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line VIII-VIII in FIG. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line IX-IX in FIG. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the ink cartridge 10a. FIG. 10 (a) shows in detail the cross-sectional structure of the enclosed portion Xa (near the upper portion of the first cover 21) in FIG. FIG. 8b shows in detail the cross-sectional structure of the enclosing portion Xb (near the lower portion of the first cover 21) in FIG.

  The second cover 22 is formed in a container shape that can accommodate the rear portion 20 b of the main body 20. The second cover 22 is formed in a flat shape corresponding to the outer shape of the rear portion 20b. Specifically, the second cover 22 corresponds to the rear wall 212 corresponding to the rear surface 42 of the main body 20, the upper wall 213 corresponding to the upper surface 43, the lower wall 214 corresponding to the lower surface 44, and the left side surface 45. It has a left side wall 215 and a right side wall 216 corresponding to the right side surface 46. A space surrounded by these walls is a housing space for housing the rear portion 20b.

  The second cover 22 has an opening (not shown) into which the rear portion 20b is inserted. The rear portion 20 b is covered with the second cover 22 by inserting the rear portion 20 b from the opening to the back of the second cover 22. Protruding pieces 210 and 211 are provided on the opening side of the inner surface of the second cover 22. The protruding pieces 210 and 211 are provided at positions corresponding to the recessed portions 59 and 60. The protruding piece 210 is fitted into a recessed portion 59 provided on the upper surface 43 of the main body 20 when the rear portion 20 b is covered with the second cover 22. Further, the protruding piece 211 is fitted into the recessed portion 60 provided on the lower surface 44 of the main body 20. Thereby, the main body 20 and the 2nd cover 22 engage reliably.

  The first cover 21 is formed in a container shape that can accommodate the front portion 20 a of the main body 20. The first cover 21 is formed in a flat shape corresponding to the outer shape of the front portion 20a. Specifically, the first cover 21 corresponds to the front wall 161 corresponding to the front surface 41 of the main body 20, the upper wall 163 corresponding to the upper surface 43, the lower wall 164 corresponding to the lower surface 44, and the left side surface 45. It has a left side wall 165 and a right side wall 166 corresponding to the right side surface 46. A space surrounded by these walls is a housing space for housing the front portion 20a.

  The left side wall 165 and the right side wall 166 extend from the front wall 161 in the depth direction of the main body 20 and cover the left side surface 45 and the right side surface 46 of the main body 20. Therefore, when the first cover 21 slides as will be described later, the left side wall 165 and the right side wall 166 become guide surfaces for the left side surface 45 and the right side surface 46. Thereby, the 1st cover 21 slides smoothly.

  In the present embodiment, the surface of the first cover 21 is colored in the same color as the ink stored in the ink chamber 100. That is, the front wall 161, the upper wall 163, the lower wall 164, the left side wall 165, and the right side wall 166 constituting the first cover 21 are all colored in the same color as the ink accommodated in the ink chamber 100. For example, it is possible to color the first cover 21 in the same color as the ink by configuring the first cover 21 with a resin material having the same color as the ink. Thereby, even if the ink color in the main body 20 cannot be identified, the ink color can be easily grasped from the outside. In addition, it is not necessary to be exactly the same color as the ink, and it may be colored in a color similar to the ink color. Moreover, it is not necessary to color the whole surface of the 1st cover 21, For example, you may color only the front wall 161 which is easy to visually recognize.

  The first cover 21 includes a detected portion 185 (corresponding to the first detected portion of the present invention), a detected portion 186 (corresponding to the third detected portion of the present invention), and a notch 187 (first of the present invention). Equivalent to two members), support bars 168 and 169, sliding grooves 171 and 172, a pressing portion 174, an opening 180, and a protruding portion 181.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the notch 187 is formed near the middle of the front wall 161. The notch 187 serves as a viewing window for exposing the detection window 140 to the outside when the first cover 21 is attached to the main body 20. Therefore, the notch 187 is formed in a position, size and shape corresponding to the front wall 140a and the side wall 140b of the detection window 140. Specifically, the notch 187 is formed by cutting the side walls 165 and 166 into a rectangular shape from the front wall 161 side to the rear in the insertion direction 30. When the ink cartridge 10a is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 276 (see FIG. 12), a light emitting element and a light receiving element of an optical sensor 230 (see FIG. 12) to be described later face the notch 187. Therefore, in the mounted state of the ink cartridge 10 a, the light emitted from the light emitting element is irradiated to the side wall 140 b of the detection window 140 through the notch 187.

  The detected portion 185 is a region 231 (see FIG. 12) that serves as an optical path of an optical sensor 230 (described later) provided in the cartridge mounting portion 276 in the process of mounting the ink cartridge 10a on the cartridge mounting portion 276 (see FIG. 12). It is the part that enters. The detected portion 185 is made of a resin material that does not transmit light. The detected part 185 is provided near the middle of the front wall 161.

  The detected portion 185 has a bridge portion 189 that protrudes from the front wall 161 in the insertion direction 30. The bridge portion 189 is provided on the front wall 161 so as to bridge the notch 187 in the vertical direction. The bridge portion 189 is formed of a thin flat plate member. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a gap 190 (see FIG. 2, corresponding to the first member of the present invention) is formed between the bridge portion 189 and the front wall 161. A rectangular opening in a side view is formed in each of the side walls 165 and 166 by the end portion on the side of the bridge portion 189 (in the direction of the arrow 31) and the notch 187. The thickness portion of the bridge portion 189 corresponds to the second light shielding portion of the present invention.

  The detected portion 186 is a region 236 (see FIG. 12) that serves as an optical path of an optical sensor 235 described later provided in the cartridge mounting portion 276 in the process of mounting the ink cartridge 10a on the cartridge mounting portion 276 (see FIG. 12). It is the part that enters. Like the detected portion 185, the detected portion 186 is made of a resin material that does not transmit light. The detected part 186 is provided at the tip of the upper wall 163 in the insertion direction 30. The detected part 186 protrudes from the front wall 161 in the insertion direction 30. The detected portion 186 has a rib 191 that protrudes upward and extends in the insertion direction. Grooves 192 are formed on both sides of the rib 191. Ribs 191 are inserted into region 236 of photosensor 235.

  The protruding portion 181 is provided at the lower end of the front wall 161. The protruding portion 181 protrudes from the front wall 161 in the insertion direction 30 in the same manner as the detected portion 186. In the process in which the ink cartridge 10a is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 276 (see FIG. 12), the leading ends of the protruding portion 181 and the detected portion 186 come into contact with the back surface of the cartridge mounting portion 176 first.

  The support bar 168 supports the coil spring 23 and regulates its expansion / contraction direction. Further, the support bar 169 supports the coil spring 24 and regulates its expansion / contraction direction. The support bars 168 and 169 are provided on the back surface of the front wall 161, that is, on the facing surface facing the front surface 41 of the main body 20. Specifically, the support bar 168 is provided on the back surface of the upper end of the front wall 161 at a position corresponding to the spring accommodating chamber 110. Further, the support bar 169 is provided at a position corresponding to the spring accommodating chamber 111 on the back surface of the lower end of the front wall 161.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the support bars 168 and 169 are configured by rod-shaped members that protrude from the back surface of the front wall 161 in the depth direction of the main body 20 (in the direction of the arrow 33). When the first cover 21 is fitted into the front portion 20 a of the main body 20 in a state where the coil spring 23 is accommodated in the spring accommodating chamber 110 and the coil spring 24 is accommodated in the spring accommodating chamber 111, the support bar 168 is placed inside the coil spring 23. The support bar 169 is inserted into the inner hole of the coil spring 24 through the hole. Accordingly, the coil springs 23 and 24 are supported by the support bars 168 and 169. In addition, the expansion and contraction direction of the coil springs 23 and 24 is restricted to the extending direction of the support bars 168 and 169, that is, the depth direction of the main body 20.

  In the present embodiment, the coil springs 23 and 24 are used as so-called compression coil springs. That is, the coil springs 23 and 24 are compressed and accommodated in the spring accommodating chambers 110 and 111 in a state where the first cover 21 is attached to the front portion 20a. Therefore, regardless of the slide position of the first cover 21, the coil springs 23 and 24 always urge the first cover 21 in a direction away from the front surface 41 of the main body 20.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the sliding groove 171 is configured by forming the upper wall 163 in a substantially reverse U-shape when viewed in cross section. As shown in FIG. 10A, the support member 115 is inserted into the sliding groove 171. A protruding piece 182 is formed on the back surface of the upper wall 163, that is, on the facing surface facing the upper surface 43 of the main body 20. A part of the sliding groove 171 is narrowed by the protruding piece 182. On the other hand, the sliding groove 172 is configured by forming the lower wall 164 in a U shape in a sectional view. As shown in FIG. 10B, the support member 116 is inserted into the sliding groove 172. A protruding piece 183 is formed on the back surface of the lower wall 164, that is, on the facing surface facing the lower surface 44 of the main body 20. A part of the sliding groove 172 is narrowed by the protruding piece 183.

  In the process of attaching the first cover 21 to the front portion 20 a of the main body 20, the support member 115 is inserted into the slide groove 171 and the support member 116 is inserted into the slide groove 172. When the support member 115 is inserted into the sliding groove 171, first, the protruding piece 182 and the third member 120 come into contact with each other. When the support member 115 is further inserted, the support member 115 is bent toward the gap 122 side, and the inclined portion 182a of the protrusion piece 182 and the inclined portion 120a of the third member 120 are in sliding contact with each other. 120 gets over the protruding piece 182. Once the third member 120 gets over the protruding piece 182, even if an attempt is made to pull out the first cover 21, the collar portion of the third member 120 is caught by the protruding piece 182 and cannot be easily extracted. The support member 116 is also inserted into the sliding groove 172 in the same manner as described above.

  When the first cover 21 is attached to the front portion 20a, the first cover 21 is urged away from the front surface 41 by the coil springs 23 and 24. Therefore, in a state where no external force is applied to the first cover 21, the first cover 21 moves to the first position shown in FIG. 9 and maintains that state. The first cover 21 stops at the first position when the protruding piece 182 and the third member 120 come into contact with each other. On the other hand, when an external force in a direction perpendicular to the front wall 161 is applied to the first cover 21, the first cover 21 slides from the first position (see FIG. 9) to the second position (see FIG. 8).

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a pressing portion 174 is provided on the back surface of the front wall 161. The pressing portion 174 is provided at a position corresponding to the rod 84 of the atmosphere communication valve 80. The pressing portion 174 is a seat that receives the tip of the rod 84. When the first cover 21 is in the first position (see FIG. 9), the pressing portion 174 is away from the tip of the rod 84, and the first cover 21 is moved from the first position to the second position (see FIG. 8). In the process of sliding, the pressing portion 174 contacts the tip of the rod 84. When the first cover 21 is further slid to the second position side, the rod 84 is pushed into the atmosphere communication valve 80 and the atmosphere communication port 81 is opened.

  An opening 180 is formed near the lower end of the front wall 161. The opening 180 is formed at a position corresponding to the ink supply valve 90. The opening 180 is formed in a size that allows the cap 95 of the ink supply valve 90 to be inserted. When the first cover 21 slides from the first position (see FIG. 9) to the second position (see FIG. 8), the slide is made. In the process, the cap 95 is exposed from the opening 180. This makes it easier to insert the ink supply port 91 into the ink needle (not shown) of the cartridge mounting portion 276 (see FIG. 12). It should be noted that an opening or the like is not provided in the vicinity of the upper end of the front wall 161, or in the portion corresponding to the atmospheric communication valve 80 in the front wall 161. Therefore, the atmosphere communication valve 80 is covered with the front wall 161.

  Next, the ink cartridge 10b attached to the recording apparatus 250 will be described. The ink cartridge 10b is only provided with a detected portion 195 (corresponding to the second detected portion of the present invention) having a different form from the detected portion 185 of the ink cartridge 10a in the first cover 21. It is different from the ink cartridge 10a. Therefore, in the following, the detected part 195 will be described with reference to FIG. 11, and the other common components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of the first cover 21 of the ink cartridge 10b. FIG. 11A is a perspective view, and FIG. 11B is a side view.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the first cover 21 of the ink cartridge 11 b is provided with a detected portion 195. The detected portion 195 is an area 231 (see FIG. 12) that serves as an optical path of an optical sensor 230 (described later) provided in the cartridge mounting portion 276 in the process of mounting the ink cartridge 10b on the cartridge mounting portion 276 (see FIG. 12). It is the part that enters. Similar to the detected portion 185, the detected portion 195 is made of a resin material that does not transmit light. The detected part 195 is provided near the middle of the front wall 161.

  The detected portion 195 includes a bridge portion 199 that protrudes from the front wall 161 in the insertion direction 30. The bridge portion 199 is provided on the front wall 161 so as to bridge the notch 187 in the vertical direction. Unlike the bridge portion 189 of the ink cartridge 10a, the bridge portion 199 is provided with a side wall 198 (corresponding to the first light-shielding portion of the present invention) at the side end (in the direction of the arrow 31). The side wall 198 is provided from the side end of the bridge portion 199 to the front wall 161. The side wall 198 and the notch 187 form a rectangular opening in each of the side walls 165 and 166 in a side view.

  Next, the configuration of the cartridge mounting portion 276 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the cartridge mounting portion 276. The cartridge mounting portion 276 includes four cases 280 corresponding to each color of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black arranged in parallel in the width direction.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the case 280 includes a case main body 281 and a lock lever 283. A housing chamber 282 is formed in the case main body 281. The ink cartridge 10 (10a, 10b) is stored in the storage chamber 282. An opening 284 is provided on the front surface of the case main body 281. The case 280 is configured such that the ink cartridge 10 can be attached to and detached from the case main body 281 through the opening 284.

  An optical sensor 230 (corresponding to the first optical sensor of the present invention) and an optical sensor 235 (corresponding to the output means of the present invention, corresponding to the second optical sensor) are provided on the back side of the storage chamber 282. The optical sensor 230 is provided on the wall surface 286 constituting the back surface of the case body 281. The optical sensor 230 has both the role of detecting the type of the ink cartridge 10 attached to the case 280 and the role of detecting whether or not the amount of ink in the ink cartridge 10 has reached a predetermined amount. In the present embodiment, a transmissive photo interrupter having a light emitting element and a light receiving element is used as the optical sensor 230. The optical sensors 230 and 235 are connected to a main control unit 200 (see FIG. 16) described later, and an electrical signal output from the light receiving element is output to the main control unit 200 as an output signal. A region 231 serving as an optical path of light emitted from the light emitting element is formed between the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the optical sensor 230. In the present embodiment, the type of the ink cartridge 10 is determined based on the output signal (light reception amount) of the optical sensor 230 when the detected portion 185 (or the detected portion 186) is inserted into the region 231. Further, it is detected that the remaining amount of ink has reached a predetermined amount based on the output signal (light reception amount) of the optical sensor 230 when the detection window 140 is inserted into the region 231.

  The optical sensor 235 is provided on the inner side of the wall surface 287 constituting the upper surface of the case main body 281. The optical sensor 235 detects the presence or absence of the rib 191 of the detected portion 186 at a predetermined position in the process of mounting the ink cartridge 10 to the case 280, and determines whether the ink cartridge 10 is mounted. In the present embodiment, a photo interrupter similar to the optical sensor 230 is used as the optical sensor 235. When light is blocked by the rib 191 in the region 236 of the optical sensor 235, the amount of light received by the light receiving element is rapidly reduced. When the main control unit 200 detects this variation in the amount of received light, the presence or absence of the detected unit 186 is detected.

  A connecting portion 285 that connects to the ink supply port 91 is provided below the wall surface 286. The connecting portion 285 protrudes from the wall surface 286 to the inner side. A through hole 288 that penetrates from the inner surface of the storage chamber 282 to the back surface is formed in the connecting portion 285. An ink tube (not shown) is connected to the through hole 288. The through hole 288 is provided at a position corresponding to the ink supply port 91. An ink needle (not shown) is provided on the inner side of the connecting portion 285, and when the ink cartridge 10 is accommodated in the case 280, the ink needle is inserted into the ink supply port 91, and the ink supply port 91. And the connecting portion 285 are connected.

  A contact portion 240 is provided on the upper surface of the wall surface 286. A contact portion 241 is provided at the lower portion of the wall surface 286. When the ink cartridge 10 is inserted into the case 280, the contact portion 240 receives the leading end of the detected portion 186 in the insertion direction during the insertion process. Further, the contact portion 241 receives the tip of the protruding portion 181 in the process of inserting the ink cartridge 10.

  The lock lever 283 is for opening and closing the opening 284 and for securely fixing the ink cartridge 10 in the storage chamber 282. The lock lever 283 is supported so as to be rotatable about a shaft 290 provided at the upper edge of the opening 284. The lock lever 283 is provided with an operation unit 293 and a claw 294. The operation unit 293 is provided on the rotating end side of the outer surface 297 of the lock lever 283. Further, the claw 294 is provided at the rotation end of the lock lever 283. A groove 299 that engages with a claw 294 provided on the lock lever 283 is provided at the lower edge of the opening 284.

  Hereinafter, the operation of mounting the ink cartridge 10a in the case 280 will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, FIGS. 13 to 15 are schematic cross-sectional views showing a process in which the ink cartridge 10a is attached to the case 280. FIG. FIG. 13 shows a state where the detected part 186 is detected by the optical sensor 235. FIG. 14 shows a state in which the detected portion 186 and the protruding portion 181 are in contact with the wall surface 286. FIG. 15 shows a state in which the ink cartridge 10 a is mounted on the case 280.

  When the ink cartridge 10a is inserted into the housing chamber 282 of the case 280, first, the bridge portion 189 of the detected portion 185 enters the region 231 of the optical sensor 230 (see FIG. 13). Thereafter, when the ink cartridge 10a is further inserted, the rib 191 of the detected portion 186 enters the region 236 of the optical sensor 235 (see FIG. 13). The position in the insertion direction 30 of the ink cartridge 10a when the rib 191 enters the region 236 corresponds to the predetermined position of the present invention. When the rib 191 enters the region 236, the region 231 of the optical sensor 230 is in a state where the detected portion 185 has entered. At this time, in the region 231, the light emitted from the light emitting element passes through the gap 190 (see FIG. 2) of the detected portion 185.

  As shown in FIG. 14, when the ink cartridge 10a is inserted to the back of the storage chamber 282, the tip of the detected portion 186 is brought into contact with the contact portion 240, and the tip of the protruding portion 181 is brought into contact. It contacts the part 241. At this time, the detected portion 185 is out of the area 231 of the optical sensor 230, and instead, the notch 187 enters the area 231.

  When the lock lever 283 is rotated in a direction to close the opening 284 in a state where the ink cartridge 10a is inserted all the way into the storage chamber 282 (see FIG. 14), the inner surface 296 contacts the back surface of the ink cartridge 10a. Then, the ink cartridge 10 a is pressed in the insertion direction 30. At this time, the coil springs 23 and 24 (see FIG. 8) are compressed against the biasing force. As a result, the main body 20 moves in the insertion direction 30 while the first cover 21 remains stationary. That is, the main body 20 moves in a direction approaching the first cover 21.

  When the main body 20 further moves in the insertion direction 30, the ink supply port 91 is connected to the connecting portion 285. Further, the detection window 140 enters the region 231 of the optical sensor 230 and the notch 187 of the first cover 21.

  When the lock lever 283 is completely closed with respect to the opening 284 and the claw 294 is fitted into the groove 299, the lock lever 283 is locked with respect to the opening 284 and the opening 284 is closed by the lock lever 283. (See FIG. 15). At this time, the back surface of the ink cartridge 10 a receives the urging force of the coil springs 23 and 24 and is kept pressed by the inner surface 296 of the lock lever 283 with an appropriate force.

  Next, a schematic configuration of the main control unit 200 of the recording apparatus 250 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the main control unit 200.

  The main control unit 200 controls the entire operation of the recording apparatus 250. As shown in FIG. 16, the main control unit 200 is configured as a microcomputer including a CPU 201, a ROM 202, a RAM 203, an EEPROM 204, and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 205. The main control unit 200 embodies determination means of the present invention.

  The ROM 202 stores a program for the CPU 201 to control various operations of the recording apparatus 250, a program for controlling the recording apparatus 250 as the ink cartridge determination apparatus of the present invention, and the like. The RAM 203 is used as a storage area or work area for temporarily recording various data used when the CPU 201 executes the program. The EEPROM 204 stores settings, flags, etc. that should be retained even after the power is turned off.

  A head control board 270 (see FIG. 1), an optical sensor 230, an optical sensor 235, and the like are connected to the ASIC 205. Although not shown in FIG. 16, a drive circuit that drives each roller of the paper feeding device 252 and the transport device 253 (see FIG. 1), an input unit for inputting a print instruction and the like to the recording device 250, A display unit for displaying information related to the recording device 250 is also connected.

  The head control board 270 drives and controls the recording head 272 (see FIG. 1) based on signals (control signals and image signals) input from the ASIC 205. Accordingly, each color ink is selectively ejected from the nozzles 274 of the recording head 272 at a predetermined timing, and an image is recorded on the recording paper.

  The optical sensor 230 outputs a signal (hereinafter referred to as “sensor signal”) corresponding to the luminance (light reception amount) of light received by the light receiving element. Specifically, an analog electrical signal (voltage signal or current signal) corresponding to the luminance of light emitted from the light emitting element of the optical sensor 230 and received by the light receiving element is output from the optical sensor 230. The output sensor signal is input to the main control unit 200. In the main control unit 200, when the electrical level (voltage value or current value) is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, it is determined as a HIGH level signal. If it is less than the threshold value, it is determined as a LOW level signal. In the present embodiment, the sensor signal is determined as a LOW level signal when light is shielded in the region 231 of the optical sensor 230, and is determined as a HIGH level signal when not shielded.

  The optical sensor 235 has the same configuration as the optical sensor 230 described above, and outputs a sensor signal corresponding to the luminance (light reception amount) of light received by the light receiving element. Details are omitted here.

  FIG. 17 is a time-series waveform showing signal levels of the optical sensor 230 and the optical sensor 235 in the process of mounting the ink cartridge 10. (A) and (b) are time-series waveforms in the mounting process of the ink cartridge 10a, (a) shows the signal waveform of the optical sensor 235, and (b) shows the optical sensor 230. The signal waveform is shown. (C) and (d) are time-series waveforms in the mounting process of the ink cartridge 10b, (c) shows the signal waveform of the optical sensor 235, and (d) shows the optical sensor 230. The signal waveform is shown.

  As shown in the drawing, the optical sensor 235 outputs the same signal waveform regardless of which of the ink cartridges 10a and 10b is attached to the case 280. That is, when the rib 191 enters the region 236 of the optical sensor 235 and shields the light, the signal level changes from HIGH to LOW at time T1. In the main control unit 200, when the signal level changes from HIGH to LOW, a trigger signal (corresponding to the reference signal of the present invention) for starting a determination process (see FIG. 18) described later is used.

  When the ink cartridge 10a is attached to the case 280, in the attachment process, the bridge portion 189 enters the region 231 and shields the light (time T0 in FIG. 17B). At this time, the signal level of the optical sensor 230 changes from HIGH to LOW. However, since the bridge portion 189 is formed of a flat plate member, the time for shielding light is short. In the present embodiment, the bridge portion 189 has left the area 231 by at least time T1 and the gap 190 (see FIG. 1) has entered the area 231 at time T1. Therefore, at time T1, the signal level of the optical sensor 230 returns from LOW to HIGH (see FIG. 17B).

  Thereafter, when the ink cartridge 10 a is further inserted to the back, the notch 187 enters the region 231. When the ink cartridge 10a is completely attached to the case 280, the notch 187 and the detection window 140 enter the region 231 (see time T3 in FIG. 17B). In this state, that is, at time T3, it is possible to detect the movement of the indicator unit 72 that moves forward and backward through the detection window 140. In FIG. 17B, the signal level when the indicator unit 72 enters the region 231 is indicated by a solid line (LOW level), and the signal level when the indicator unit 72 leaves the region 231 is shown. It is indicated by a broken line (HIGH level).

  On the other hand, when the ink cartridge 10b is attached to the case 280, the bridge portion 199 enters the region 231 and shields light in the attachment process (time T0 in FIG. 17D). At this time, the signal level of the optical sensor 230 changes from HIGH to LOW. Since the bridge portion 199 has the side wall 198, the time for shielding light is longer than that in the case of the bridge portion 189. In the present embodiment, the side wall 198 enters the region 231 at time T1. Therefore, at time T1, the signal level of the optical sensor 230 is kept LOW (see FIG. 17D).

  Thereafter, when the ink cartridge 10a is further inserted, the side wall 198 leaves the region 231 at the time T2, and the notch 187 enters the region 231 instead. At this time, the signal level of the optical sensor 230 returns from LOW to HIGH. When the ink cartridge 10b is completely attached to the case 280, the notch 187 and the detection window 140 enter the area 231 (see time T3 in FIG. 17D). In this state, that is, at time T3, it is possible to detect the movement of the indicator unit 72 that moves forward and backward through the detection window 140. In FIG. 17D, the signal level when the indicator unit 72 enters the region 231 is indicated by a solid line (LOW level), and the signal level when the indicator unit 72 leaves the region 231 is shown. It is indicated by a broken line (HIGH level).

  In the present embodiment, the main controller 200 determines the type of the ink cartridge 10 attached to the case 280 based on the sensor signals of the optical sensor 230 and the optical sensor 235. Hereinafter, a processing procedure for determining whether the ink cartridge 10 mounted on the case 280 is the ink cartridge 10a or the ink cartridge 10b will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the determination process performed by the main control unit 200. The determination process starts from step S1 in the figure.

  First, in step S1, the main controller 200 determines whether or not the area 231 of the sensor 230 is shielded from light. Specifically, the determination is made based on whether the signal level of the optical sensor 230 has changed from HIGH to LOW (see FIGS. 17B and 17D). If it is determined that the area 231 is shielded from light (Yes in S1), the determination process in the next step S2 is performed. In the present embodiment, the determination process for the ink cartridge 10 is not executed unless the light shielding of the area 231 is determined in step S1.

  In the next step S2, the presence or absence of the trigger signal is determined by the main control unit 200. That is, it is determined whether the signal level of the optical sensor 235 has changed from HIGH to LOW. When the trigger signal is detected in step S2, it is determined in step S3 whether the signal level of the optical sensor 230 at the time when the trigger signal is detected (time T1 in FIG. 17) is HIGH or LOW. Is done. For example, referring to FIG. 17, when the signal level at time T1 is HIGH, it can be determined that the ink cartridge 10a is inserted in the case 280. When the signal level at time T1 is LOW, it can be determined that the ink cartridge 10b is inserted in the case 280.

  If it is determined in step S3 that the signal level of the optical sensor 230 is HIGH, a bit flag indicating the ink cartridge 10a is set in the register of the CPU 201 or the like. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that the signal level of the optical sensor 230 is LOW, a bit flag indicating the ink cartridge 10b is set in the register of the CPU 201 or the like. The set bit flag is output to, for example, an information processing apparatus (personal computer) connected to the recording apparatus 250 via a network or a display unit included in the recording apparatus 250.

  As described above, in the recording apparatus 250 of the present embodiment, when the trigger signal is detected in the process of mounting the ink cartridge 10, the type of the ink cartridge 10 is determined based on the signal level of the optical sensor 230. Therefore, regardless of the insertion speed of the ink cartridge 10 with respect to the case 280, the type of the ink cartridge 10 can be determined reliably and accurately.

  In the above-described embodiment, the recording apparatus 250 is illustrated as an example of the ink cartridge determination apparatus of the present invention. Needless to say, the present invention is embodied as a dedicated device that performs only the determination processing executed by the main control unit 200. It doesn't matter. In the above-described embodiment, an example of processing for determining two types of the ink cartridge 10a and the ink cartridge 10b is illustrated. However, for example, a specific type of ink cartridge may be determined from three or more types of ink cartridges 10. It doesn't matter. Further, in a recording apparatus including both a black ink cartridge composed of pigment and a black ink cartridge composed of dye, the former is used in order to prevent color mixing or erroneous mounting of black inks of different components. In order to discriminate between the ink cartridge and the latter ink cartridge, the determination processing of the present invention may be applied.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal mechanism of the recording apparatus 250. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external shape of the ink cartridge 10a according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view of the ink cartridge 10a. 4 is a perspective view showing the external shape of the main body 20. FIG. 4A is a perspective view as seen from the front surface 41 side of the main body 20, and FIG. A perspective view from the side is shown. FIG. 5 is a side view of the main body 20. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line VI-VI in FIG. FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view showing in detail the cross-sectional structure of the main body 20 on the front surface 31 side. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line VIII-VIII in FIG. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the ink cartridge 10a. FIG. 10 (a) shows in detail the cross-sectional structure of the enclosed portion Xa (near the upper portion of the first cover 21) in FIG. FIG. 8b shows in detail the cross-sectional structure of the enclosing portion Xb (near the lower portion of the first cover 21) in FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the first cover 21 of the ink cartridge 10b. FIG. 11A is a perspective view, and FIG. 11B is a side view. FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the cartridge mounting portion 276. FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a process in which the ink cartridge 10a is attached to the case 280. FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a process in which the ink cartridge 10a is attached to the case 280. FIG. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a process in which the ink cartridge 10a is attached to the case 280. FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the main control unit 200. FIG. 17 is a waveform diagram showing output signals of the optical sensors 230 and 235. FIG. 17A shows an output waveform of the optical sensor 235, and FIG. 17B shows an ink cartridge 10a inserted. The output waveform of the optical sensor 230 at the time is shown, and (c) shows the output waveform of the optical sensor 230 when the ink cartridge 10b is inserted. FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of determination processing performed by the main control unit 200.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10a, 10b ... ink cartridge 20 ... main body 21 ... first cover (sliding member)
22 ... second cover 23, 24 ... coil spring 50 ... frame 70 ... arm (arm member)
80 ... Air communication valve 81 ... Air communication port 90 ... Ink supply valve 91 ... Ink supply port 100 ... Ink chamber 140 ... Detection window (protrusion)
174 ... Pressing part 185 ... Detected part (first detected part)
186 ... detected part (second detected part)
200: Main control unit (determination means)
250... Recording device (ink cartridge determination device)

Claims (5)

A mounting portion that supports the first ink cartridge and the second ink cartridge so that they can be inserted and removed;
An output means for outputting a reference signal when the ink cartridge reaches a predetermined position in the mounting process of the ink cartridge with respect to the mounting portion;
A first optical sensor provided in the mounting portion and having a light emitting element and a light receiving element;
A first detected portion provided in the first ink cartridge and entering a light path from the light emitting element to the light receiving element in an insertion process in which the first ink cartridge is inserted to the predetermined position;
A first member that is provided in the first detected portion and that allows light emitted from the light emitting element to pass through when the first ink cartridge is inserted into the predetermined position;
A second detected portion provided in the second ink cartridge and entering a light path from the light emitting element to the light receiving element in an insertion process in which the second ink cartridge is inserted to the predetermined position;
A first light-shielding portion that is provided in the second detected portion and shields light emitted from the light-emitting element when the second ink cartridge is inserted into the predetermined position;
Based on the light reception result of the light receiving element of the first optical sensor at the time when the reference signal is output by the output means, the ink cartridge attached to the attachment portion is the first ink cartridge or the second ink cartridge. An ink cartridge determination apparatus comprising: determination means for determining whether or not there is. The first detected part is further provided with a second light shielding part that is provided at a front end of the first member in the approach direction, and shields light emitted from the light emitting element in the insertion process.
The ink cartridge determination device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit performs the determination on the condition that the light is blocked by either the first light shielding unit or the second light shielding unit. The output means is
A second optical sensor provided in the mounting portion and having a light emitting element and a light receiving element;
A third detected portion that is provided in each of the ink cartridges and that enters a light path from the light emitting element to the light receiving element when the ink cartridge is inserted into the predetermined position, and shields light emitted from the light emitting element. The ink cartridge determination device according to claim 1 or 2. The first ink cartridge and the second ink cartridge are:
A main body for containing ink;
A hollow protrusion projecting in the insertion direction from the wall surface on the front side in the insertion direction with respect to the mounting portion of the main body, and continuously formed inside the main body;
A state that is slidable in the insertion direction with respect to the main body, has the first detected portion and the second detected portion, and the first ink cartridge or the second ink cartridge is mounted on the mounting portion And a slide member that covers the protrusion and is close to the wall surface,
Inside the main body, the first end is provided so as to be swingable between a first posture in which the first end enters the protruding portion and a second posture away from the first posture, and the ink contained in the main body is accommodated. An arm member that rotates according to the amount of liquid;
A second member that is provided on the slide member and that allows the light emitted from the light emitting element to pass to the protruding portion when the ink cartridge is attached to the attachment portion;
The first optical sensor is configured to detect an operation of the first end of the arm member in the projecting portion via the second member when the slide member is slid in a direction approaching the wall surface. Item 4. The ink cartridge determination device according to any one of Items 1 to 3. An ink cartridge determination method for determining a type of an ink cartridge mounted in a predetermined mounting portion,
An output step of outputting a reference signal when the ink cartridge reaches a predetermined position in the mounting process of the ink cartridge;
A first determination step of determining the presence or absence of the reference signal output in the output step;
When it is determined in the first determination step that the reference signal is present, the form of the first detected portion provided in the ink cartridge is based on the output signal of the first photosensor provided in the mounting portion. A detection process to detect;
A second determination step of determining a type of the ink cartridge based on the form of the first detected portion detected in the detection step.

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