JP2011079247A - Ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink cartridge including a pressure adjustment mechanism not only taking in air from the outside towards an ink storage chamber, but also discharging the air from the ink storage chamber towards the outside. <P>SOLUTION: The ink cartridge has the ink storage chamber 2 which stores an ink, an ink supply part 3 which supplies the ink inside the ink storage chamber 2 to the outside, and a pressure adjustment part 4 which adjusts an internal pressure by making the ink storage chamber 2 communicate with an open air, which are provided in a container body 1 shaped like a box. The pressure adjustment part 4 comprises a discharge adjustment part 30 which releases the air from the ink storage chamber 2 towards the outside and an intake adjustment part 31 which intakes the air from the outside towards the ink storage chamber 2. The discharge adjustment part 31 and the intake adjustment part 30 respectively have adjustment chambers 32 and 34 which communicate with the ink storage chamber 2 and respectively have movable valves 32b and 34b and capillary parts 33 and 35 which communicate with the adjustment chambers 32 and 34 and have long and slender paths. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink cartridge that supplies ink to an inkjet printer, and more particularly, to an ink cartridge that can adjust the pressure of an ink storage chamber.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet printer having a structure in which an ink cartridge is attached to a printer body in order to supply ink to a recording head of an ink jet printer is known. The ink cartridge includes at least an ink storage chamber for storing ink and an ink supply port serving as an ink outlet.

  Since the ink is a liquid and the ink storage chamber and the ink supply port communicate with each other, the ink leaks from the ink cartridge when the ink cartridge is not attached to the printer body as it is. In order to prevent this, an ink cartridge is known that supplies ink by providing a movable film that operates in accordance with a differential pressure generated in accordance with the use of ink, in which the ink containing chamber is in a minute negative pressure state. In this case, a pressure adjusting mechanism is provided so as to guide air into the ink containing chamber through the air communication hole according to the use of ink. As an ink cartridge having such a pressure adjustment mechanism, for example, there is one as disclosed in Patent Document 1.

JP 2005-170027 A

  In a conventional ink cartridge, a pressure adjustment mechanism is provided to take in air from the outside as ink is consumed. Accordingly, the air flow is assumed only in the direction from the outside toward the ink storage chamber, and the opposite direction, that is, the air in the ink storage chamber is not assumed to be discharged to the outside. When ink is filled into the ink storage chamber at the time of manufacture or when ink is refilled after the ink has been used, the air inside the ink storage chamber must be discharged to the outside, and the change in the external atmospheric pressure or temperature Depending on the change, it may be necessary to discharge the air inside the ink storage chamber to the outside, but the conventional pressure adjustment mechanism cannot cope with such a flow of air.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides an ink cartridge including a pressure adjustment mechanism that not only allows air to be taken into the ink storage chamber from the outside but also allows air to be discharged from the ink storage chamber to the outside. The purpose is to do.

In order to solve the above problems, an ink cartridge according to the present invention includes an ink storage chamber that stores ink in a container body formed in a box shape, an ink supply unit that supplies the ink in the ink storage chamber to the outside, In an ink cartridge comprising a pressure adjustment unit that adjusts the internal pressure by communicating the ink storage chamber with the atmosphere,
The pressure adjustment unit is composed of a discharge adjustment unit that releases air from the ink storage chamber to the outside, and a suction adjustment unit that takes air into the ink storage chamber from the outside,
Each of the discharge adjustment unit and the suction adjustment unit includes an adjustment chamber having a movable valve that communicates with the ink storage chamber, and a capillary portion that communicates with the adjustment chamber and has an elongated path. ing.

  The ink cartridge according to the present invention is characterized in that the discharge adjustment portion communicates with an upper end portion of the ink storage chamber, and the suction adjustment portion communicates with a lower end portion of the ink storage chamber.

  In the ink cartridge according to the present invention, the container body includes a first surface including the ink supply unit, and second and third surfaces extending in a direction orthogonal to the first surface and facing each other, The adjustment chamber and the capillary section are formed on the second surface.

  Furthermore, the ink cartridge according to the present invention is characterized in that the capillary part is provided with a vertical reciprocating part so as to have a long path.

  The ink cartridge according to the present invention is characterized in that the movable valve is urged from the discharge side to the suction side in the adjustment chamber.

  According to the ink cartridge of the present invention, the pressure adjustment unit includes the discharge adjustment unit that releases air from the ink storage chamber to the outside and the suction adjustment unit that takes air into the ink storage chamber from the outside. The adjustment unit includes an adjustment chamber having a movable valve that communicates with the ink storage chamber, and a capillary section that communicates with the adjustment chamber and has an elongated path, whereby air is sucked into the ink storage chamber. In both cases where air is discharged from the ink storage chamber, pressure adjustment can be reliably performed, and ink can be stably supplied and ink leakage can be prevented.

  Further, according to the ink cartridge of the present invention, the discharge adjusting portion communicates with the upper end portion of the ink containing chamber, and the suction adjusting portion communicates with the lower end portion of the ink containing chamber, thereby smoothly discharging and sucking air. It can be carried out.

  Further, according to the ink cartridge of the present invention, the container main body includes the first surface including the ink supply unit, the second surface and the third surface extending in a direction orthogonal to the first surface and facing each other, and the adjustment chamber. In addition, since the capillary chamber is formed on the second surface, the adjustment chamber and the capillary portion are formed on the surface constituting the container main body, so that the container main body can be prevented from being enlarged by the pressure adjustment unit.

  Furthermore, according to the ink cartridge of the present invention, the capillary portion is provided with the upper and lower reciprocating portions so as to have a long path, so that the pressure fluctuation caused by the capillary portion can be more reliably alleviated.

  According to the ink cartridge of the present invention, the movable valve can be stably operated by being urged from the discharge side in the adjustment chamber toward the suction side.

It is a perspective view of the ink cartridge in the present embodiment. It is a front view of an ink cartridge. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the ink cartridge. It is an enlarged view of the 2nd adjustment chamber vicinity among the AA cross sections of FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of an ink cartridge showing an air path when air is taken into the ink storage chamber from the outside. FIG. 5 is a rear view of the ink cartridge showing the air path when air is taken into the ink storage chamber from the outside. FIG. 3 is a front view of an ink cartridge showing an air path when air is discharged from the ink storage chamber to the outside. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the ink cartridge showing a path of air when air is discharged from the ink storage chamber to the outside.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge according to the present embodiment. As shown in this figure, the ink cartridge according to the present embodiment is composed of a container main body 1 that is formed in a generally box shape. The container main body 1 is formed in a hollow shape and contains an ink storage chamber 2 in which ink is stored. And an ink supply unit 3 serving as an outlet for supplying ink in the ink storage chamber 2 to the outside, that is, a printer. In addition, the container body 1 includes a pressure adjustment unit 4 that allows the ink storage chamber 2 to communicate with the atmosphere and adjusts the internal pressure thereof.

  The container body 1 is mounted on the printer so that the first surface 10 faces downward when the surface including the ink supply unit 3 is the first surface 10. That is, the first surface 10 becomes the lower surface. Of the four surfaces extending in the direction orthogonal to the first surface 10, if the two surfaces having a large area are respectively the second surface 11 and the third surface 12, the second surface 11 and the third surface 12 face each other. ing. Of the four surfaces extending in the direction orthogonal to the first surface 10, the two surfaces other than the second surface 11 and the third surface 12 are the first side surface 13 and the second side surface 14 having smaller areas than these. . Further, the surface facing the first surface 10 constitutes the upper surface 15.

  The pressure adjustment unit 4 includes an adjustment chamber formed on the second surface 11, a capillary portion, and an ink chamber in the ink storage chamber 2. The first side surface 13 is formed with an engagement piece 16 for fixing the container body 1 to the printer. Further, an air communication hole 17 is formed in the upper surface 15 so as to communicate with the ink storage chamber 2 and the outside air.

  FIG. 2 shows a front view of the ink cartridge. When the ink cartridge is viewed from the front, the second surface 11 faces the front. Irregularities are formed on the second surface, and a film (not shown) is attached to the surface. The film may be transparent or non-transparent, but an adjustment chamber and a capillary part constituting the pressure adjustment part 4 are formed by the unevenness of the film and the second surface.

  The pressure adjusting unit 4 includes two systems, a system that takes air into the ink storage chamber 2 from the outside and a system that discharges air from the ink storage chamber 2 to the outside. That is, the pressure adjustment unit 4 includes a suction adjustment unit 31 that takes air into the ink storage chamber 2 from the outside, and a discharge adjustment unit 30 that discharges air from the ink storage chamber 2 to the outside. The discharge adjustment part 30 includes a first adjustment chamber 32 and a first capillary part 33 that communicate with the atmosphere communication hole 17. In addition, the suction adjustment unit 31 includes a second adjustment chamber 34 and a second capillary portion 35 that communicate with the atmosphere communication hole 17. The first adjustment chamber 32 and the first capillary portion 33 are disposed above the second adjustment chamber 34 and the second capillary portion 35.

  The first adjustment chamber 32 and the second adjustment chamber 34 are each formed in a circular shape, and a movable valve 32b capable of closing and opening between the suction side and the discharge side in each adjustment chamber, 34b is arranged. The movable valves 32b and 34b are formed in a circular shape substantially matching the circular shape of the first adjustment chamber 32 and the second adjustment chamber 34, and are movable in the thickness direction of the container body 1 and It is urged in a direction to close between the suction side and the discharge side. As a result, in each adjustment chamber, when the pressure difference between the suction side and the discharge side is less than a predetermined value, the movable valves 32b and 34b close the suction side and the discharge side, and the pressure difference becomes greater than a predetermined value. The movable valves 32b and 34b operate so as to open the suction side and the discharge side.

  Each of the first capillary portion 33 and the second capillary portion 35 has an elongated path, and has a function of relaxing fluctuations in pressure adjustment. Further, the first capillary portion 33 and the second capillary portion 35 are each provided with a vertically reciprocating portion so as to have a path as long as possible.

  FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the ink cartridge. The third surface 12 faces the back side of the ink cartridge. The third surface 12 side of the container body 1 is formed in a concave shape except for the outer peripheral portion and the partition portion of the ink storage chamber 2, and the third surface 12 is configured by attaching a film (not shown). The container body 1 is hollow.

  The ink storage chamber 2 is divided into a plurality of sections by partition walls, and includes a first ink chamber 20, a second ink chamber 21, and an ink supply chamber 22. Moreover, the part which comprises the pressure adjustment part 4 is further divided | segmented into the some division. The first ink chamber 20 mainly occupies the upper region of the ink storage chamber 2, and a second ink chamber 21 is formed in the lower portion of the first ink chamber 20 on the pressure adjustment unit 4 side. Further, an ink supply chamber 22 is formed so as to occupy a peripheral region of the ink supply unit 3.

  The first ink chamber 20 and the second ink chamber 21 are in communication with each other through an ink communication hole 20a. The ink supply chamber 22 communicates with the first ink chamber 20 via the ink communication hole 20b, and communicates with the second ink chamber 21 via the ink communication hole 21a. The first ink chamber 20 communicates with the pressure adjustment unit 4 side through the communication hole 47a, and the second ink chamber 21 communicates with the pressure adjustment unit 4 side through the communication hole 45a.

  A first chamber 40, a second chamber 41, a third chamber 42, a fourth chamber 43, a fifth chamber 44, and a sixth chamber 45 are formed in this order from the top in a region constituting the pressure adjusting unit 4 in the ink storage chamber 2. In addition, a seventh chamber 46 and an eighth chamber 47 are formed adjacent to the first chamber 40. The first chamber 40 communicates with the atmosphere communication hole 17 and communicates with the second chamber 41 through the communication hole 40a. The second chamber 41 communicates with the third chamber 42 through the communication hole 41a. The third chamber 42 communicates with the first capillary portion 33 through the communication hole 42a, and communicates with the second adjustment chamber 34 through the first communication hole 34a.

  The fourth chamber 43 has a communication hole 43 a that communicates with the second communication hole 34 b that communicates with the second adjustment chamber 34 and communicates with the second capillary portion 35. The fifth chamber 44 has a communication hole 44 a that communicates with the second capillary portion 35 via the communication hole 35 a and communicates with the sixth chamber 45. The sixth chamber 45 has a communication hole 45 a that communicates with the first ink chamber 20.

  The seventh chamber 46 has a communication hole 46 a that communicates with the communication hole 32 a of the first adjustment chamber 32 and communicates with the eighth chamber 47. The eighth chamber 47 has a communication hole 47 a that communicates with the second ink chamber 21.

  FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the vicinity of the second adjustment chamber in the AA cross section of FIG. As shown in this figure, the second adjustment chamber 34 includes a protrusion-shaped holding portion 34c at the center of the concave region, and the central portion of the movable valve 34d formed in a substantially disk shape is inserted into the holding portion 34c. Thus, the holding portion 34c is movable in the longitudinal direction. In FIG. 4, the area on the upper surface side of the movable valve 34d is the ink storage chamber 2 side, and the area on the lower surface side of the movable valve 34d is the atmosphere communication hole 17 side.

  The holding portion 34c also holds a biasing member 34e made of a spring, and the biasing member 34e presses and urges the movable valve 34d from the ink storage chamber 2 side to the atmosphere communication hole 17 side. When there is no pressure difference before and after the second adjustment chamber 34 due to the movable valve 34d, or when the pressure on the ink storage chamber 2 side is large, the second adjustment chamber 34 is closed, and the air communication hole 17 side is closed. When the pressure is greater than a predetermined value, the second adjustment chamber 34 is opened. A rib 34f is formed in the second adjustment chamber 34, and the movable valve 34d is pressed against the rib 34f, thereby closing one side and the other side of the second adjustment chamber 34.

  When the ink in the ink storage chamber 2 is consumed and the pressure on the ink storage chamber 2 side of the second adjustment chamber 34 is lower than the pressure on the atmosphere communication hole 17 side, which is equal to the atmospheric pressure, the movable valve 34d moves to the biasing member 34e. It moves in a direction to open the second adjustment chamber 34 against the bias. When the second adjustment chamber 34 is opened, the air from the atmosphere communication hole 17 is taken into the ink storage chamber 2, the pressure in the ink storage chamber 2 is increased and the pressure difference is reduced, and the movable valve 34d is a biasing member. The second adjustment chamber 34 is closed again by the biasing of 34e.

  Although not shown, the first adjustment chamber 32 is opposite to the ink containing chamber 2 and the atmosphere communication hole 17 side, that is, the area on the upper surface side of the movable valve 32b is the atmosphere communication hole 17 side and the area on the lower surface side of the movable valve 32b is. The biasing member is configured to be on the ink storage chamber 2 side, and presses and biases the movable valve 32b from the atmosphere communication hole 17 side to the ink storage chamber 2 side. As a result, when there is no pressure difference before and after the first adjustment chamber 32 or when the pressure on the atmosphere communication hole 17 side is large, the first adjustment chamber 32 is closed and the pressure on the ink storage chamber 2 side is predetermined. When larger than the above, the first adjustment chamber 32 can be opened.

  An air path in the ink cartridge having such a configuration will be described. FIG. 5 is a front view of the ink cartridge showing the air path when air is taken into the ink storage chamber 2 from the outside, and FIG. 6 shows the air path when air is taken into the ink storage chamber 2 from the outside. The rear views of the ink cartridges are shown respectively. In FIG. 5, the movable valve 34d is omitted.

  Air is taken into the ink storage chamber 2 from the outside when the ink cartridge supplies ink to the printer and the ink in the ink storage chamber 2 decreases. In addition, pressure adjustment in the suction direction may be necessary depending on external atmospheric pressure, temperature change, or the like. At this time, the second adjustment chamber 34 is changed from the closed state to the open state by the movable valve 34 d, and air is guided from the atmosphere communication hole 17 into the ink containing chamber 2 through a path through the second adjustment chamber 34. At this time, since the first adjustment chamber 32 remains closed, air does not flow through the path through the first adjustment chamber 32.

  The air from the atmospheric communication hole 17 is first guided to the first chamber 40, and then is guided to the second chamber 41 through the communication hole 40a and further to the third chamber 42 through the communication hole 41a. If the third chamber 42 enters the second adjustment chamber 34 through the first communication hole 34a and the second adjustment chamber 34 is opened by the movable valve 34d, the air passes through the second communication hole 34b. To the fourth chamber 43. The fourth chamber 43 is led to the second capillary portion 35 through the communication hole 43a, passes through the second capillary portion 35, from the communication hole 35a to the fifth chamber 44, and further to the sixth chamber 45 through the communication hole 44a. The air is finally led into the ink storage chamber 2 from the communication hole 45 a of the sixth chamber 45.

  FIG. 7 is a front view of the ink cartridge showing the air path when air is discharged from the ink storage chamber to the outside, and FIG. 8 shows the air path when air is discharged from the ink storage chamber to the outside. The rear views of the ink cartridges are shown respectively. In FIG. 7, the movable valve 34d is omitted.

  Air is discharged from the ink chamber 2 to the outside when the ink cartridge is filled with ink. Moreover, pressure adjustment in the discharge direction may be necessary depending on external atmospheric pressure, temperature change, or the like. At this time, the first adjustment chamber 32 is changed from a closed state to an open state by the movable valve 34d, and air is released from the ink storage chamber 2 to the atmosphere through a path through the first adjustment chamber 32. At this time, since the second adjustment chamber 34 remains closed, air does not flow through a path through the second adjustment chamber 34.

  The air from the ink storage chamber 2 is first led to the eighth chamber 47 through the communication hole 47a, then to the seventh chamber through the communication hole 46a, and further to the first adjustment chamber 32 through the communication hole 32a. . If the movable valve 32b is in an open state, air enters the first capillary section 33 from the first adjustment chamber 32, and is guided from the first capillary section 33 to the third chamber 42 through the communication hole 33a. Since the second adjustment chamber 34 is closed by the movable valve 34d in the third chamber 42, air is guided to the second chamber 41 through the communication hole 41a and further to the first chamber 40 through the communication hole 40a. In addition, the air is discharged from the first chamber 40 to the outside through the air communication hole 17.

  As described above, two systems of the suction adjustment unit 31 and the discharge adjustment unit 30 are provided as the pressure adjustment unit 4, and the adjustment chamber and the capillary unit are respectively provided to change the air path. In both the case of sucking the air and the case of discharging the air from the ink storage chamber 2, the pressure adjustment can be reliably performed, and the stable supply of ink and the prevention of ink leakage can be achieved.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the application of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and can be applied in various ways within the scope of its technical idea.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container body 2 Ink storage chamber 3 Ink supply part 4 Pressure adjustment part 10 1st surface 11 2nd surface 12 3rd surface 13 Upper surface 17 Atmospheric communication hole 20 1st ink chamber 21 2nd ink chamber 22 Ink supply chamber 30 Discharge adjustment Part 31 Inhalation adjustment part 32 First adjustment chamber 33 First capillary part 34 Second adjustment chamber 35 Second capillary part

Claims (5)

A container body formed in a box shape has an ink storage chamber for storing ink, an ink supply unit for supplying the ink in the ink storage chamber to the outside, and the internal pressure of the ink storage chamber communicated with the atmosphere to adjust the internal pressure. In an ink cartridge including a pressure adjustment unit,
The pressure adjustment unit is composed of a discharge adjustment unit that releases air from the ink storage chamber to the outside, and a suction adjustment unit that takes air into the ink storage chamber from the outside,
The discharge adjusting section and the suction adjusting section each include an adjusting chamber that communicates with the ink storage chamber and includes a movable valve, and a capillary section that communicates with the adjusting chamber and has an elongated path. cartridge.   The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the discharge adjustment portion communicates with an upper end portion of the ink storage chamber, and the suction adjustment portion communicates with a lower end portion of the ink storage chamber.   The container body includes a first surface provided with the ink supply unit, and second and third surfaces extending in a direction orthogonal to the first surface and facing each other, and the adjustment chamber and the capillary unit are provided on the second surface. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the ink cartridge is formed as follows.   4. The ink cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the capillary part is formed to have a long path with a vertical reciprocating part.   The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the movable valve is biased from the discharge side to the suction side in the adjustment chamber.

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