JP2012183743A - Fluid supply apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reliably suppress fluid from leaking out of a connection part between a protrusion and recess even when the protrusion of a fluid passage is inserted while deviated in the recess of the fluid passage.SOLUTION: The recess of the fluid passage includes a seal member. The seal member includes: a first seal part for abutting and sealing with the outside surface of the protrusion of the fluid passage inserted in the recess; and a second seal part for abutting and sealing with the inside surface of the recess. While the recess is inserted in the protrusion, a regulation member is provided at a position between the outside surface of the protrusion and the seal member. The second seal member is regulated from moving away from the inside surface of the recess by the regulation member. Thus, the seal force of the second seal part is maintained, and the fluid is prevented from leaking from the connection part between the protrusion and the recess.

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid supply apparatus that ejects liquid such as ink.

A so-called inkjet printer prints an image by ejecting ink onto a print medium. Since the position and amount of ink ejected can be controlled with extremely high accuracy, a high-quality image can be printed. It has also been proposed to form various functional parts such as electrodes and sensors by ejecting liquids containing various functional materials onto a substrate using this technique.

In such an ink jet printer, in order to supply the liquid from the first member to the second member, the liquid passage provided in the first member and the liquid passage provided in the second member are connected. You may have to. In such a case, the end portion of the liquid passage provided in one member is formed in a convex shape, and the end portion of the liquid passage provided in the other member is formed in a concave shape so that the convex end portion is formed. Often, a method of connecting two liquid passages by inserting a into the concave end is used. In addition, a technique has been proposed in which a rubber seal member is provided at a concave end portion so that liquid does not leak from a connection portion between two liquid passages (Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-221677 A

However, even if the technique of Patent Document 1 described above is used, there is a problem in that liquid may leak from the connection portion of the two liquid passages. That is, the seal member described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a portion (first seal portion) that contacts the outer surface of the convex end portion of the liquid passage, and the inner surface of the concave end portion of the liquid passage. A contact portion (second seal portion) is provided. When inserting the convex end into the concave end provided with such a seal member, the position of inserting the convex end deviates from the center position of the concave end. When the seal member is pushed, a portion where the force with which the second seal portion comes into contact with the inner surface of the concave end portion becomes small is generated. As a result, for example, when the pressure of the liquid increases due to a temperature change in the liquid passage, there is a problem that the liquid may leak from a portion where the contact force of the second seal portion is reduced.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art,
An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for suppressing liquid from leaking from a connection portion of a liquid passage even when the position where the convex end of the liquid passage is inserted into the concave end is displaced.

In order to solve at least a part of the problems described above, the liquid supply apparatus of the present invention employs the following configuration. That is,
A liquid supply apparatus for supplying a liquid from a first liquid passage formed in a first member to a second liquid passage formed in a second member,
A protrusion projecting from the first member or the second member and having either one of the lower end side of the first liquid passage and the upper end side of the second liquid passage open;
A recess formed in the first member or the second member and opened at either the lower end side of the first liquid passage or the upper end side of the second liquid passage;
A seal member having a first seal portion that contacts the outer surface of the convex portion inserted into the recess, and a second seal portion that contacts the inner surface of the recess;
When the convex portion is inserted into the concave portion, the convex portion is disposed between the outer surface of the convex portion and the seal member, and the second seal portion is moved away from the inner surface of the concave portion. The gist is to provide a regulating member for regulating.

In such a liquid supply apparatus of the present invention, the convex portion protruding from the first member (or the second member) is inserted into the concave portion formed in the second member (or the first member). Thus, the first liquid passage and the second liquid passage are connected. At this time, the first seal portion of the seal member contacts the outer surface of the convex portion, and the second seal portion of the seal member contacts the inner surface of the concave portion, so that the outer surface of the convex portion and the inner surface of the concave portion are The gap is sealed. In the liquid supply device of the present invention, the second seal portion of the seal member is located from the inner surface of the recess at a position between the outer surface of the protrusion and the seal member when the protrusion is inserted into the recess. A restricting member for restricting not to be separated is provided.

Thus, since the second seal portion is regulated so as not to be separated from the inner surface of the recess, the first seal member is eccentric with respect to the recess by being inserted in a state where the protrusion is eccentric to the recess. Even in this case, it is possible to suppress the second seal portion from being eccentric with respect to the recess. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a portion where the sealing force is reduced in a part of the second seal portion, so that, for example, even when the pressure of the liquid in the liquid passage opening in the recess increases, It can suppress that the liquid which became now leaks from between the inner surface of a recessed part, and a 2nd seal part.

Moreover, in the liquid supply apparatus of the present invention described above, the first seal portion and the second seal portion of the seal member may be provided in different positions in the insertion direction of the convex portion.

In this way, even when the convex portion is inserted into the concave portion and the first seal member is eccentric with respect to the concave portion, the seal member is interposed between the first seal portion and the second seal portion. Since it bends, it can suppress that the force which tries to decenter the 2nd seal part with respect to a crevice acts. As a result, the sealing force at the second seal portion can be more reliably maintained as compared with the case where the first seal portion and the second seal portion are provided without changing the positions in the insertion direction of the convex portion. It becomes possible.

Moreover, in the liquid supply apparatus of the present invention described above, the following may be performed. First, the shape of the convex portion protruding from the first member (or the second member) is a columnar shape, and the shape of the concave portion formed in the second member (or the first member) is a circle. The seal member has a shape in which the second seal portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the hollow rotating body and the first seal portion is formed on the inner peripheral surface, and an annular shape is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the seal member. It is good also as inserting the regulating member.

If it carries out like this, a control member can be accommodated inside a seal member. Therefore, even if the restricting member is provided, it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the seal member and the concave portion where the seal member is provided.

It is explanatory drawing which illustrated the structure of the inkjet printer. It shows the configuration of the connecting portion between the head case and the ink tube. It is the disassembled perspective view which showed the structure inside a connection hole. It is explanatory drawing which showed a mode that a connection needle was inserted in a connection hole. It is explanatory drawing which showed a mode that an ink leak was suppressed by having provided the control member, when the position shift of a connection needle produced. It is explanatory drawing which showed the control member of the 1st modification. It is explanatory drawing which showed the control member of a 2nd modification.

Hereinafter, in order to clarify the contents of the present invention described above, examples will be described in the following order.
A. Device configuration:
B. The internal structure of the connection hole of this embodiment:
C. Modification:
C-1. First modification:
C-2. Second modification:

A. Device configuration :
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a rough configuration of a liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present embodiment, using a so-called ink jet printer as an example. In the following description, the terms “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction”, and “up-down direction” refer to the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction indicated by arrows in each figure. The illustrated ink jet printer 10 has a substantially box-like appearance, and a front cover 11 is provided in the approximate center of the front surface, and a plurality of operation buttons 15 are provided on the left side thereof. The front cover 11 is pivotally supported on the lower end side, and when the upper end side is tilted forward, an elongated discharge port 12 through which the printing paper is discharged appears. A paper feed tray (not shown) is provided on the back side of the inkjet printer 10. When the printing paper is set in the paper feeding tray and the operation button 15 is operated, the printing paper is sucked from the paper feeding tray, and an image or the like is printed on the front surface, and then the printing paper is discharged from the paper discharge port 12. The

An upper surface cover 14 is provided on the upper surface side of the inkjet printer 10.
The upper surface cover 14 is pivotally supported on the back side, and when the upper surface cover 14 is opened by lifting the near side, the internal state of the ink jet printer 10 is checked or the ink jet printer 10 is repaired. Can do.

In addition, a head case 20 that forms ink dots on printing paper while reciprocating in the main scanning direction and a drive mechanism 30 that reciprocates the head case 20 are mounted inside the ink jet printer 10. An ejection head 21 is provided on the bottom surface side (the side facing the printing paper) of the head case 20 and ejects ink from the ejection head 21 toward the printing paper.

Ink ejected from the ejection head 21 is contained in the ink cartridge 40. The ink cartridge 40 is loaded in a cartridge holder 42 provided at a position different from the head case 20. The ink in the ink cartridge 40 is supplied to the ejection head 21 through the ink tube 22 and the internal passage of the head case 20. In the illustrated inkjet printer 10, it is possible to print a color image using four types of inks of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, and correspondingly, on the bottom surface side of the ejection head 21. A nozzle row in which a plurality of ejection nozzles are arranged in a row is formed for each type of ink. The ink in the corresponding ink cartridge 40 is supplied to each nozzle row via the ink tube 22 provided for each type of ink and the internal passage of the head case 20.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, the ink tube 22 and the head case 2 of this embodiment are omitted.
Between 0, a configuration for connecting the ink tube 22 and the internal passage of the head case 20 is provided. Details of the configuration for connecting the ink tube 22 and the internal passage of the head case 20 will be described later.

The drive mechanism 30 for reciprocating the head case 20 includes a timing belt 32 having a plurality of teeth on the inside, a drive motor 34 for driving the timing belt 32, and the like. A part of the timing belt 32 is fixed to the head case 20, and when the timing belt 32 is driven, the head case 20 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction while being guided by a guide rail (not shown) extending in the main scanning direction. Let

Further, inside the inkjet printer 10, a paper feeding mechanism (not shown) for feeding printing paper, and a control unit 5 that controls the overall operation of the inkjet printer 10.
0 is installed. The operation of reciprocating the head case 20, the operation of feeding printing paper, and the operation of ejecting ink from the ejection head 21 are all controlled by the control unit 50.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a connection portion between the head case 20 and the ink tube 22. FIG. 2A shows a state in which a connection portion between the head case 20 and the ink tube 22 is viewed from the front side of the ink jet printer 10 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. A state in which the head case 20 is viewed from the back side of the printer 10 is shown.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the four ink tubes 22 of the present embodiment are formed of a plate-shaped base 2.
4 is connected. The pedestal 24 is provided with four connecting needles 26 (convex portions) on the surface opposite to the surface to which the ink tubes 22 are connected. Each ink tube 22 connected to the pedestal 24 is connected to the pedestal 24. Each of them is connected to a corresponding connecting needle 26 via an internal passage.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, the head case 20 is provided with 4 provided on the pedestal 24.
A connection hole 28 (recess) for inserting the two connection needles 26 is provided. When the connecting needle 26 is inserted into the corresponding connecting hole 28, the internal passage of the head case 20 and the ink tube 22 are connected, and the ink can be supplied to the ejection head 21. In addition, the inkjet printer 10 of the present embodiment is provided with the following configuration inside the connection hole 28 for the purpose of suppressing ink leakage from the connection portion between the connection hole 28 and the connection needle 26. .

B. Internal structure of the connecting hole of this embodiment:
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an internal configuration of the connection hole 28 provided in the head case 20. As shown in the drawing, in the connection holes 28 of the head case 20 of the present embodiment, a substantially cylindrical sealing member 7 formed of a rubber material at the entrance portion of each connection hole 28.
0 is provided. In addition, an annular regulating member 80 is fitted on the inner peripheral surface of the seal member 70 provided in the connection hole 28.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the connecting needle 26 is inserted into the connecting hole 28 of the head case 20 of this embodiment. 4 shows the inside of the connection hole 28 when the AA cross section of the connection hole 28 shown in FIG. 3 is viewed from the direction of the arrow. As shown in FIG. 4A, the seal member 70 of the present embodiment is provided with a first seal portion 72 on the cylindrical inner surface of the seal member 70 and a second on the outer surface of the seal member 70. A seal portion 74 is provided. The seal member 70 comes into contact with the inner side surface 28 a of the connection hole 28 at the second seal portion 74. When the connecting needle 26 is inserted into the connecting hole 28 provided with the seal member 70, as shown in FIG.
The first seal portion 72 of the seal member 70 abuts on the outer surface of the seal member 70. As a result, the periphery of the connecting needle 26 is sealed, and when ink is supplied from the connecting needle 26 side to the head case 20 side, the ink may leak from the connection portion between the connecting needle 26 and the connecting hole 28. It is suppressed.

Here, when the connecting needle 26 is inserted into the connecting hole 28, the position at which the connecting needle 26 is inserted may be displaced from the center position of the connecting hole 28. At this time, if the seal member 70 is pushed in the displaced direction and a portion where the second seal portion 74 abuts against the inner surface 28a of the connecting hole 28 becomes small, the seal force of this portion decreases and ink leakage occurs. Cause. Therefore, in the inkjet printer 10 of the present embodiment, the above-described regulating member 80 is replaced with the sealing member 70 of the connecting hole 28.
By avoiding this situation, this situation is avoided. This point will be described below.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the reason why the leakage of ink from the space between the connecting hole 28 and the second seal portion 74 is suppressed by providing the regulating member 80 of the present embodiment. As described above, the restricting member 80 of the present embodiment has an annular shape (see FIG. 3), and when such a restricting member 80 is fitted inside the seal member 70 provided in the connecting hole 28. As shown in FIG.
The restriction member 80 presses the seal member 70 from the back side of the second seal portion 74 toward the inner side surface 28 a of the connection hole 28.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 5, even if the seal member 70 is pushed in a direction (for example, upward in FIG. 5) in which the position of the connecting needle 26 is shifted from the center position of the connecting hole 28, 2 seal part 74 is in its original position (position where second seal part 74 contacts inner surface 28a of connecting hole 28)
Fixed to. Accordingly, even when the connecting needle 26 is displaced, the sealing force at the second seal portion 74 can be maintained. As a result, even when the pressure of the ink rises in the internal passage of the head case 20 due to, for example, a temperature change, the inner side surface 28a of the connection hole 28 and the second side
Ink leakage from the space between the seal portion 74 can be suppressed.

Further, in the seal member 70 of the present embodiment, the first seal portion 72 and the second seal portion 74 are provided in different positions in the insertion direction of the connecting needle 26 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). Thereby, even when the position where the connecting needle 26 is inserted into the connecting hole 28 is displaced and the first seal portion 72 is moved in the displacement direction of the connecting needle 26, the first seal portion 72 and the second seal portion 74 are not moved. When the seal member 70 is bent, a force for separating the second seal portion 74 from the inner side surface 28a of the connection hole 28 is suppressed. As a result, the sealing force at the second seal portion 74 can be maintained in combination with the second seal portion 74 being fixed to the inner side surface 28a of the connecting hole 28 by the regulating member 80.

Further, the regulating member 80 of the present embodiment has an annular shape, and is accommodated inside the seal member 70 by being fitted into the inner peripheral surface of the seal member 70. Therefore, even if the restricting member 80 is provided, the size of the seal member 70 and the connecting hole 28 does not increase. In addition, the inner diameter of the regulating member 80 of the present embodiment is set to be larger than the outer diameter of the connecting needle 26 (see FIG. 4). For this reason, as described above, the regulating member 80 is connected to the connecting hole 2.
Even if it fixes to the inside of 8, it can avoid that the connection needle 26 and the control member 80 contact as much as possible.

C. Modified example:
Several modifications can be considered in the above-described embodiment. Hereinafter, these modified examples will be briefly described. Note that, in the modification described below, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the embodiment, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

C-1. First modification:
In the inkjet printer 10 of the above-described embodiment, it has been described that the annular regulating member 80 is provided inside the connection hole 28. Here, the restricting member may have the following shape.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a restricting member 81 of a first modification. FIG. 6A shows the connecting hole 2.
8 shows a state in which the regulating member 81 is attached. FIG. 6B shows a BB cross section of the connecting hole 28 with the restricting member 81 attached to the connecting hole 28 shown in FIG. The inside of the connecting hole 28 when viewed from the direction of the arrow is shown.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the connection hole 28 of the first modification is provided with a total of four restricting members 81 formed in a substantially L shape. These restricting members 81 are provided in the mounting grooves 28b provided at four locations on the circumference of the portion where the connecting hole 28 opens to the head case 20, and the L of the restricting member 81 is
By fixing one end of the character, it is fixed to the head case 20. As shown in FIG. 6 (b), the restriction member 81 fixed in this manner is brought into contact with the seal member 70 from the back side of the second seal portion 74 at the other end of the L-shape of the restriction member 81. The position of the second seal portion 74 is fixed.

Even with such a restricting member 81, by fixing the position of the second seal portion 74,
The sealing force at the second seal portion 74 can be maintained when the insertion position of the connection needle 26 is displaced from the center position of the connection hole 28. In addition, since a part of the regulating member 81 shown in FIG. 6 is fixed to the head case 20, the regulating member 81 can be moved to an appropriate position (first position) without being pressed against the seal member 70 with a large force. The position of the two seal portions 74 can be disposed at a position where the position can be regulated. As a result, the pressure applied from the regulating member 81 to the seal member 70 is reduced and the deterioration of the seal member 70 is suppressed, so that the sealing force at the second seal portion 74 can be maintained.

C-2. Second modification:
In the above-described embodiment inkjet printer 10, it has been described that the regulating member 80 is formed in an annular shape. Here, the following structure may be added to the annular regulating member.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the shape of the restricting member of the second modification. Restricting member 8 shown in FIG.
No. 2 has a shape in which a substantially disk-shaped base portion 86 provided with a hole into which the connecting needle 26 can be inserted is added to the annular restriction portion 84. When such a restricting member 82 is attached to the connecting hole 28, the position of the second seal portion 74 is fixed by the restricting portion 84 in the same manner as the restricting member 80 described above, whereby the second seal portion 74 and the connecting hole 28 are fixed. Ink leakage can be prevented from occurring. Further, in the illustrated regulating member 82, the gap between the seal member 70 and the inner surface of the coupling hole 28 (indicated as gap G in the drawing) is provided in the base portion 8 with the regulating member 82 attached to the coupling hole 28.
6 can be closed. Therefore, for example, even when the seal member 70 is deteriorated due to long-term use and the sealing force at the second seal portion 74 is remarkably reduced, ink leakage occurs between the second seal portion 74 and the connection hole 28. This can be suppressed.

Although various embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to all the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, in the above-described embodiments and modifications, it has been described that the restriction member is provided for the seal member provided in the connecting hole in the portion connecting the head case and the ink tube. The member is a seal member provided at a connection portion of an ink passage similarly configured (for example, a connection portion between a supply port for supplying the ink in the ink cartridge to the outside and a supply needle inserted into the supply port). It can apply suitably also to.

10 ... Inkjet printer, 20 ... Head case,
21 ... ejecting head, 22 ... ink tube, 24 ... pedestal,
26 ... Connecting needle, 28 ... Connecting hole, 28a ... Inside surface,
28b ... mounting groove, 40 ... ink cartridge, 70 ... seal member,
72 ... 1st seal part, 74 ... 2nd seal part, 80 ... Restriction member,
81 ... Restriction member, 82 ... Restriction member, 84 ... Restriction part,
86 ... Foundation

Claims (3)

A liquid supply apparatus for supplying a liquid from a first liquid passage formed in a first member to a second liquid passage formed in a second member,
A protrusion projecting from the first member or the second member and having either one of the lower end side of the first liquid passage and the upper end side of the second liquid passage open;
A recess formed in the first member or the second member and opened at either the lower end side of the first liquid passage or the upper end side of the second liquid passage;
A seal member having a first seal portion that contacts the outer surface of the convex portion inserted into the recess, and a second seal portion that contacts the inner surface of the recess;
When the convex portion is inserted into the concave portion, the convex portion is disposed between the outer surface of the convex portion and the seal member, and the second seal portion is moved away from the inner surface of the concave portion. A liquid supply device comprising: a regulating member for regulating. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1,
The sealing member is a liquid supply device in which the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion of the sealing member are provided with different positions in the insertion direction of the convex portion. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
The convex portion is a columnar protruding portion protruding from the first member or the second member,
The recess is a circular recess formed in the first member or the second member,
The seal member is a member in which the second seal portion is formed on an outer peripheral surface of a hollow rotating body shape, and the first seal portion is formed on an inner peripheral surface,
The liquid supply apparatus, wherein the regulating member is an annular member fitted into an inner peripheral surface of the seal member.

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