JP2012187753A - Method for manufacturing liquid storing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing a liquid storing device, which can prevent a liquid absorber from causing wrinkles therein and causing spaces between the liquid absorber and a container when inserting the liquid absorber into the container.SOLUTION: The method for manufacturing a liquid storing device includes: compressing the absorber 11 so that cross-sectional dimensions of the absorber become smaller than those of a storing space 13; and inserting the compressed absorber 11 into the storing space 13 through an opening 12, wherein the compressed absorber is inserted into the container 11 while the compression of corners 21C of the absorber 11 corresponding to four corners of the storing space 13 are selectively released to restore the original shape of the absorber.

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid storage device that stores a liquid such as ink, which is mounted on a liquid discharge device that discharges a liquid such as an ink jet recording apparatus.

A liquid discharge apparatus such as an ink jet recording apparatus is provided with a supply system for supplying a liquid such as ink to a liquid discharge head, and a liquid storage apparatus for storing and holding the liquid is detachably connected upstream of the supply system. . As a liquid storage device, a device having a container and a liquid absorption holding member such as a sponge having a capillary force for absorbing and holding the liquid inserted into the container is known. When injecting liquid into the container of such a liquid storage device, if there is a wrinkle on the surface of the liquid absorbing member or if there is a gap between the inner wall of the container and the liquid absorbing member, a part of the liquid May not be absorbed and held by the liquid absorbing member, and may accumulate in wrinkles and gaps. Ink collected in such wrinkles and gaps may remain without being used. Also,
The liquid that is not absorbed and held by the liquid absorbing member may leak out of the container depending on the attitude of the liquid storage device during distribution and environmental changes. Therefore, it is desirable that wrinkles and gaps are not generated as much as possible when the liquid absorbing member is inserted into the container.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for inserting a liquid absorption holding member into a container while suppressing generation of wrinkles and gaps.

JP-A-7-314727

  However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not sufficiently suppress the wrinkles and gaps of the liquid absorption holding member, and there is a demand for further suppressing the wrinkles and gaps.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid storage device that can suppress generation of wrinkles and a gap with a container when the liquid absorber is inserted into the container. It is to provide a manufacturing method.

A manufacturing method of a liquid storage device of the present invention is a manufacturing method of a liquid storage device used for supplying a liquid in a liquid ejection device, and the liquid storage device includes an absorber that absorbs and holds a liquid;
A storage space for storing the absorber and having a quadrangular cross section, a supply unit for supplying liquid held in the absorber to the outside, and an openable / closable opening for inserting the absorber into the storage space And a step of compressing the absorbent body so that a cross-sectional dimension of the absorbent body is smaller than a cross-sectional dimension of the storage space, and inserting the compressed absorbent body into the absorbent body storage space through the opening. The insertion step inserts the absorbent body into the container while selectively releasing and restoring the compression of the portions corresponding to the four corners of the storage space of the absorber.

  According to the present invention, the compression of the portions corresponding to the four corners of the storage space of the absorbent body is selectively released and restored, and is inserted through the opening of the container, thereby suppressing the occurrence of wrinkles on the absorbent body and absorbing. The body can be inserted while being surely aligned with the four corners of the storage space.

The disassembled perspective view of the liquid storage apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing of the liquid storage apparatus of FIG. The perspective view of a liquid absorption member. The schematic diagram of an example of the insertion device of the liquid absorption member concerning one embodiment of the present invention. The top view which shows the structure of a guide plate. The schematic diagram which shows each process of the manufacturing method of the liquid storage apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic diagram which observed the liquid absorption member in which the clearance gap does not generate | occur | produce between the wrinkles and the four corners of a container from the upper surface and side surface of a transparent container. It is the schematic diagram which observed the liquid absorption member which the wrinkle generate | occur | produced from the upper surface and side surface of a transparent container. It is the schematic diagram which observed the liquid absorption member which the clearance gap generate | occur | produced between the four corners of a container from the upper surface and side surface of a transparent container. The graph which illustrated Table 1. The graph which illustrated Table 2. The schematic diagram which shows the insertion process to the container of the liquid absorption member in case there is no notch in a guide plate.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
(Configuration of liquid storage device)
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid storage device of FIG. The liquid storage apparatus 1 is detachably mounted on a liquid ejection apparatus such as an ink jet recording apparatus. The liquid storage device 1 includes a liquid absorbing member 21 as an absorber that absorbs and holds liquid, a container 11 that stores the liquid absorbing member 21, and a lid 41. The container 11 includes a storage space 13 having a quadrangular cross section, a supply unit 14 for supplying liquid held outside by a liquid absorption member 21 having a supply port (not shown) formed at the bottom and a liquid discharge head, and an upper end. And an opening 12 for inserting the liquid absorbing member 21 into the storage space 13 formed in the storage space 13. The opening 12 is closed by welding the lid 41 (vibration welding). The bottom portion of the liquid storage device 11 indicates a bottom portion in a use state of the liquid storage device 11, that is, a state in which the liquid storage device 11 is attached to the liquid ejection device (when the supply unit 14 is at the bottom).

(Liquid absorbing member)
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the liquid absorbing member 21. The liquid absorbing member 21 is a member for absorbing and holding the liquid in the liquid storage device 11, and has a structure in which a plurality of fiber sheets are laminated and heat-sealed. The liquid absorbing member 21 has a fiber sheet laminated in the fiber sheet lamination direction X and heat-sealed, and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape (a cross-sectional shape is a quadrangle). That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the liquid absorbing member 21 is accommodated in the container 11 so that the lamination surface of the fiber sheets faces in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the container 11, and the lamination direction and the insertion direction are Is different. In the following description, the fiber sheet lamination direction is formally defined as the X direction, the direction along the short side of the fiber sheet is indicated as the Z direction, and the direction along the long side is indicated as the Y direction.

  As a material for the fiber sheet, a material capable of holding a liquid by capillary force is preferable. The capillary force is defined by the wettability with respect to the liquid, the size of the pores existing inside, and the ratio of the pores. Moreover, when inserting the compressed liquid absorption member 21 in the container 11, the material which has a compression restoring property is preferable so that a shape may be restored | restored by releasing compression after insertion. Examples of the material that satisfies these conditions include polypropylene (PP) fiber, urethane foam, polyester felt fiber, and the like. These may use only 1 type and may use 2 or more types together. As a manufacturing method of the liquid absorbing member 21, first, after unraveling the cotton-like fiber material, it is made into a sheet by a roller. Thereafter, the sheets are laminated and heated while adjusting the thickness to thermally bond the fibers. The sheet-like fibers that have been laminated and heat-sealed are punched to a predetermined size, and the liquid absorbing member 21 is obtained. The thickness of the fiber sheet and the number of laminated layers are not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected depending on the fiber material, the type of liquid used, and the like.

(Configuration of liquid absorbing member insertion device)
FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of an example of an insertion device for inserting the liquid absorbing member 21 into the container 11. This insertion device has a pair of first guide plates 51A and 51B facing each other and a pair of second guide plates 52A and 52B facing each other. The first guide plate 51 </ b> A and the second guide plate 52 </ b> A adjacent to the first guide plate 51 </ b> A are fixed to the jig 80 and held by the holding member 61. The first guide plate 51B is held by a holding member 63, and a rod 73 of an air cylinder (not shown) is connected to the holding member 63. The second guide plate 52B is held by a holding member 62, and a rod 72 of an air cylinder (not shown) is connected to the holding member 62. A stage 81 is provided below the jig 80, and the container 11 is installed on the stage 81.

  The first guide plates 51A and 51B have pressing surfaces 51Ap and 51Bp, respectively, that can fully press each of a pair of opposing short side surfaces (first side surfaces) of the liquid absorbing member 21. The second guide plates 52A and 52B respectively have pressing surfaces 52Ap and 52Bp that can press each of the pair of opposing long side surfaces (second side surfaces) of the liquid absorbing member 21. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the first guide plates 51A and 51B and the second guide plates 52A and 52B are inserted in the container 11 into the container 11 to be described later. Cutout portions 51C and 52C are formed on both sides of the tip portions 51F and 52F, respectively.

  In this insertion device, the rods 72 and 73 of each air cylinder are extended and the holding members 62 and 63 are advanced relative to the liquid absorbing member 21, whereby the four side surfaces of the liquid absorbing member 21 are pressed against the pressing surfaces 51Ap, 51Bp, It is configured so that the dimensions of the cross-sectional shape can be compressed by pressing with 52 Ap and 52 Bp. Although not shown, the insertion device includes a pressing member that presses the liquid absorbing member 21 compressed in the container 11 on the stage 81 from above, and this pressing member is also driven by an air cylinder (not shown).

  Next, the compression and insertion process of the liquid absorbing member in the manufacturing method of the liquid storage device of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6A is a top view before compression of the liquid absorbing member 21, FIG. 6B is a top view when compressed in the X direction, and FIG. 6C is a top view when compressed in the Y direction 23. Show. 6D is a sectional view along the Y direction when inserted into the container, FIG. 6E is a sectional view along the X direction when inserted into the container, and FIG. The perspective view at the time of insertion in is shown. FIG. 6G is a top view of the liquid absorbing member 21 when inserted into the container 11.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6A, the liquid absorbing member 21 is disposed between the first guide plates 51A and 51B and between the second guide plates 52A and 52B. At this time, the liquid absorbing member 21 is held by a jig (not shown) so as not to drop downward. Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the holding member 62 is moved in the X direction so that the dimension of the liquid absorbing member 21 in the X direction is compressed. Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, the holding member 63 is advanced in the Y direction, and the liquid absorbing member 21 is compressed in the Y direction. In addition, the dimension of the X and Y direction of the liquid absorption member 21 after compression is smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of the container 11, and the distance between the first guide plates 51A and 51B and the second guide plate, respectively. It is defined by the interval between 52A and 52B. In this state, the liquid absorbing member 21 is held by the first guide plates 51A and 51B and the second guide plates 52A and 52B, and does not fall even if not held by the jig described above.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 6D to 6F, the entire holding members 62, 63 and 80 are lowered in the insertion direction in which the liquid absorbing member 21 is inserted into the container 11. And a part of front-end | tip parts 51F and 52F of guide plate 51A, 51B, 52A, 52B are inserted in the storage space 13 through the opening 13 of the container 11. FIG. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6 (f), openings by notches 51 </ b> C and 52 </ b> C are formed at the four corners of the container 11 between the container 11 and each guide plate.

  Next, with the distal end portions 51F and 52F of the guide plates 51A, 51B, 52A and 52B inserted into the container 11, the upper surface of the liquid absorbing member 21 is shown in FIG. Press in the P direction of f). Thereby, the compressed liquid absorbing member 21 moves toward the container 11 while being guided by the guide plates 51A, 51B, 52A, 52B. When the liquid absorbing member 21 reaches the opening formed by the notches 51C and 52C, as shown in FIG. 6G, the corner portions 21C respectively corresponding to the four corners of the storage space 13 of the container 11 of the liquid absorbing member 21 are obtained. The compression is selectively released, and the shape of the corner portion 21C is restored. Thereby, the corner portion 21C of the liquid absorbing member 21 protrudes to the outside through the opening formed by the cutout portions 51C and 52C. Since the protruding corner portion 21 </ b> C is restored in shape, it is inserted while rubbing the inner walls at the four corners of the container 11. That is, the protruding corner portion 21 </ b> C is inserted into the container 11 while being guided by the inner walls of the four corners of the container 11. On the other hand, the side surface of the liquid absorbing member 21 that does not pass through the notch portions 51C and 52C of the guide plate is released from compression and restored in shape after passing through the tip portions 51F and 52F of the guide plate. It is inserted into the container 11. In this way, by selectively releasing the compression of the corner portion 21C before the other portions and releasing the stress concentrated on the corner portion 21C, the corner portion 21C is accurately matched with the four corners of the container 11, And generation | occurrence | production of wrinkles other than the corner part 21C can be suppressed.

  Here, FIG. 12 shows a case where the liquid absorbing member 21 is compressed using a pair of opposed guide plates 151 and a pair of opposed guide plates 152 which are not provided with a notch. As shown in FIG. 12A, even if the liquid absorbing member 21 is moved in the P direction with the tip portions 151F and 152F of the guide plates 151 and 152 inserted into the container 11, FIG. As shown, the corner portion 21C does not protrude from the guide plates 151 and 152. For this reason, since the liquid absorbing member 21 is inserted into the container 11 in a state where stress is applied to the corner portion 21C, the corner portion 21C does not match the four corners of the container 11 due to the stress, and the liquid absorbing member 21 Wrinkles are likely to occur on the sides.

Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the liquid storage device 1 and a compression and insertion process of the liquid absorbing member in the embodiment will be described. The present invention is not limited to these examples.
[Example 1]
The inner dimensions of the container 11 used in this example are 50 × 25 × 30 [mm] in length. The dimensions of the liquid absorbing member 21 are vertical (Y) 50 × horizontal (X) 30 × height (Z) 30 [mm]. In this embodiment, polypropylene (PP) fibers are laminated and heat-sealed. used. The liquid absorbing member 21 is compressed in the X direction and the Y direction and inserted into the container 11.
[Study 1] The ratio of the width L2 of the tip portions 51F and 52F to the total width L1 of the first and second guide plates 51 and 52 shown in FIG. . Specifically, the second guide plate 52 having a large area is changed from 71.1 [%] to 100 [%], and the second guide plate 51 having a small area is 51.2 [%] to 100 [%]. Table 1 shows an example in which the container 11 is inserted into the container 11 after being changed. In the state where the insertion of the liquid absorbing member 21 was completed, whether or not wrinkles or gaps with the four corners of the container 11 were generated was confirmed.
Note that the dimension L3 of the notches 51C and 52C shown in FIG. 5 is 13.3 [%] of the ratio of the liquid absorbing member 21 to the dimension in the X direction (the dimension L3 of the notches 51C and 52C is 4.0). [Mm]). As a method for confirming the occurrence of wrinkles and gaps, when a transparent member is used for the container 11, it is possible to confirm the presence or absence of wrinkles or gaps from the side surface of the container 11 after the liquid absorbing member 21 is inserted. In addition, when a predetermined amount of liquid (ink) is injected into the liquid absorbing member 21 where wrinkles or gaps are generated, the liquid (ink) tends to crawl up from the wrinkles or gaps onto the upper surface of the liquid absorbing member. A difference occurs in the injection state. Therefore, as a method for confirming the occurrence of wrinkles or gaps in the case of colored containers, the container 11 filled with liquid (ink) is photographed by X-ray CT, and the liquid injection state is observed, so that wrinkles and gaps are observed. Can be confirmed. In this example, the presence or absence of wrinkles or gaps was confirmed by observing from the side using a container formed of a transparent member. FIG. 7A is a schematic view of the state in which the liquid absorbing member 21 is inserted into the container 11 without wrinkles or gaps as seen from above. FIG.7 (b) is the schematic diagram which looked at the liquid absorption member of the state of Fig.7 (a) through the container of the transparent member. FIG. 8A is a schematic view of the state where the wrinkles 71 are generated from the top, and FIG. 8B is a schematic view of the liquid absorbing member seen through the transparent member container. FIG. 9A is a schematic view of the state in which the gaps 72 are generated at the four corners of the container 11 from the top, and FIG. 9B is a schematic view of the liquid absorbing member 21 seen through the transparent member 11.

  From Table 1 and FIG. 10 which is a graph of Table 1, the ratio of the size of the tip portion of the first guide plate 51 having a relatively small area is 51.2 [%] (tip size 11). 0.0 mm), wrinkles occurred after insertion. This is because the amount of protrusion of the liquid absorbing member 21 increases as the tip end dimension of the guide plate is reduced, and the amount of protrusion of the four corners of the liquid absorbing member 21 against the container 11 at the time of insertion is excessively increased. This is probably because stress was concentrated on 21C, leading to the generation of wrinkles.

  Further, when the ratio of the size of the tip portion of the second guide plate 52 having a relatively large area was 100 [%], gaps were generated between the four corners of the container 11. This is because the liquid absorbing member 21 can be inserted while being rubbed out on the guide plate 51 side having a relatively small area, but the guide plate 52 side having a relatively large area does not protrude at all. This is probably because the walls at the four corners are not touched. Further, even when the ratio of the size of the tip portion of the first guide plate 51 having a small area was 100 [%], gaps were generated between the four corners of the container 11. This is probably because the liquid absorbing member 21 can be inserted while being rubbed out on the second guide plate 52 side, but is not in contact with the container 11 because the first guide plate 51 side is not protruding at all. .

  Furthermore, a gap was generated even when there was a difference of 20% or more between the proportion of the size of the tip portion of the first guide plate 51 and the proportion of the tip portion of the second guide plate 52. This is considered to be because the difference in the ratio of the size of the tip portion between adjacent guide plates is large, resulting in a large difference in how the liquid absorbing member 21 protrudes, and the amount of rubbing the four corners of the container 11 during insertion is caused. It is done.

  In other areas, no wrinkles or gaps were observed. This is because the corner portion 21C of the liquid absorbing member 21 is sufficiently protruded by reducing the size of the tip portion, and the difference in the protruding amount of the liquid absorbing member 21 between the adjacent guide plates is small. This is because the inner wall can be inserted without a large deviation. Moreover, since stress is temporarily dispersed by protruding, wrinkle generation can be suppressed.

  In other words, in order to suppress the occurrence of wrinkles and gaps between the four corners of the container when the liquid absorbing member is inserted, it is better that the size of the tip portion of the guide plate is short. The smaller the difference, the better.

×: Wrinkle ▲: Clearance at the four corners of the tank ○: Wrinkle / No gap

[Study 2] In Study 2, the range of the dimensions of the container 11 and the notch of the guide plate that affect the amount of protrusion when the liquid absorbing member 21 is inserted is examined.

  As in Study 1, the size of the tip of the guide plate is changed, and the ratio between the size of the container 11 and the notch L3 of the guide plate (the notch L3 is defined as the X direction of the liquid absorbing member 21). The value divided by the dimension of (1) was changed from 0 [%] to 33.3 [%], and the presence or absence of wrinkles or gaps when inserted was confirmed. The ratio of the dimensions of the tip portions 51F and 52F of the guide plates 51 and 52 with respect to the compressed liquid absorbing member 21 (value obtained by dividing the dimension L2 of the tip portion by the dimension when the liquid absorbing member is compressed). The second guide plate 52 is 79.4 [%] (tip dimension 38.5 [mm]), and the first guide plate 51 is 69.8 [%] (tip dimension 15.0 [%]. mm]).

  The results of the presence or absence of the occurrence of wrinkles or gaps are shown in Table 2 and the graph of Table 2 in FIG. In addition, the confirmation method of the presence or absence of generation | occurrence | production of a wrinkle or a clearance gap was confirmed by the method similar to the examination 1. In order not to generate wrinkles or gaps at the four corners when inserted into the container 11, the dimension L3 of the notch portion of the guide plate is set to 6.7% of the dimension in the vertical direction (Z direction) of the liquid absorbing member 21. It is desirable that it is 26.7 [%] or less (2.0 [mm] or more and 8.0 [mm] or less).

  On the other hand, when the notch portion dimension L3 of the guide plate is 0 [%] (0 [mm]), gaps are generated at the four corners when the guide plate is inserted into the container. This is because the liquid absorbing member 21 does not protrude immediately before insertion, and cannot be inserted while rubbing the inner walls of the four corners. Further, even when the dimension L3 of the notch portion of the guide plate is 33.3 [%] or more (10.0 [mm] or more), wrinkles are generated when the guide plate is inserted into the container 11. This is because the amount of protrusion of the liquid absorbing member 11 increases, the amount of contact with the inner wall of the container 11 during insertion increases, stress is temporarily concentrated on the protruding corner portion 21C, and wrinkles are generated. .

×: Wrinkle ▲: Clearance at the four corners of the tank ○: Wrinkle / No gap

The ratio of the guide dimension to the compression dimension of the liquid absorbing member 21 is as follows. The second guide plate 52 is 71.1 [%] or more and 93.8 [%] or less (guide dimension 34.5 [mm] or more and 45.5). [Mm] or less), the first guide plate 51 is 60.5 [%] or more and 88.4 [%] or less (guide dimension 13.0 [mm] or more and 19.0 [mm] or less), The difference in the ratio of dimensions is set within 20 [%], and the ratio of the dimension L3 of the notch portion of the guide plate to the dimension in the vertical direction (Z direction) of the liquid absorbing member 21 is 6.7 [%] or more and 26.7 [ %] Or less (the notch size is 2.0 [mm] or more and 4.0 [mm] or less), thereby suppressing generation of wrinkles during insertion into the container 11 and generation of gaps between the four corners of the container. can do. Note that the preferred range of the ratio of the dimension L2 of the tip portion of the guide plate and the ratio of the dimension L3 of the notch that is effective for preventing the generation of wrinkles and gaps with the four corners of the container constitutes the liquid absorbing member 21. It varies depending on the material of the fiber sheet. Therefore, depending on the material, the wrinkle / clearance-free region shown in Tables 1 and 2 may expand.

  In the above-described embodiment, each side of the notch is formed so as to be perpendicular to each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the shape of the notch can be arbitrarily changed.

  In the above embodiment, the guide plate is used as an example with a notch, but the present invention is not limited to this, and compression of the corner portions corresponding to the four corners of the storage space of the absorber is selected. Any structure may be used as long as the absorber can be inserted into the container while being released and restored.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Liquid storage apparatus 11 ... Container 51, 51A, 51B ... 1st guide plate 51F ... End part 51C ... Notch part 52, 52A, 52B ... 2nd guide plate 52F ... End part 52C ... Notch part

Claims (3)

A method for manufacturing a liquid storage device used for supplying liquid in a liquid ejection device,
The liquid storage device includes an absorber that absorbs and holds a liquid;
A container comprising a storage space for storing the absorber and having a quadrangular cross section, a supply unit for supplying liquid held in the absorber to the outside, and an opening for inserting the absorber into the storage space And have
Compressing so that the cross-sectional dimension of the absorber is smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of the storage space;
Inserting the compressed absorber into the storage space through the opening, wherein the insertion step selectively releases and restores compression of portions of the absorber corresponding to the four corners of the storage space. A method for manufacturing a liquid storage device, comprising inserting the container into the container. The compression step includes a pair of first guide plates each having a pressing surface capable of pressing each of a pair of first side surfaces facing each other of the absorber, and a pair of second guides facing the absorber. Compressing the absorber using a pair of second guide plates each having a pressing surface capable of pressing each of the side surfaces;
In the insertion step, the first and second guide plates are inserted into the container through the openings with the distal ends of the first and second guide plates in the insertion direction of the absorber being inserted into the container by the first and second guide plates. The guide plate is moved and inserted into the container while being guided, and corresponds to the four corners of the storage space of the absorber that moves toward the storage space by notches formed on both sides of the front end of each guide plate. The method for manufacturing a liquid storage device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid storage device is inserted into the container while selectively releasing and restoring the compressed portion.   The method for manufacturing a liquid storage device according to claim 2, wherein the absorbent body has a structure in which a plurality of fiber sheets are laminated and heat-sealed, and the lamination direction of the plurality of fiber sheets is different from the insertion direction. .

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