JP2019150950A - Ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

To solve the problem in which: there has been a concern that ink leaks to the outside of an ink cartridge during rotation when applying the ink to the ink cartridge including atmosphere communication ports different from an ink supply port.SOLUTION: An ink jet recording device discharges ink from a recording head and performs recording. The ink jet recording device includes supply means for supplying ink to the recording head from the ink cartridge mounted in mounting means for detachably mounting the ink cartridge for supplying ink to the recording head and having a plurality of tubes with flexibility which are connected and communicated with an ink supply port for supplying ink from a storage section for storing ink of the ink cartridge and each communication port of atmosphere communication ports for communicating the inside of the storage section with the atmosphere. The ink cartridge is rotated in a state in which each communication port is connected through the plurality of tubes, thereby stirring ink in the ink cartridge.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus that records an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium.

  In recent years, as the fields of application of ink jet recording apparatuses that perform recording (printing) on a recording medium (sheet) by ejecting ink droplets from the recording head have been diversified, the forms of recording heads and ink cartridges that store ink have also increased. It is over. For example, an ink cartridge mounted on an ink jet recording apparatus includes an integrated type in which a recording head and an ink cartridge are integrated, and a built-in type in which the ink cartridge is detachable from a holder portion provided with the recording head. Further, there is a separation type in which the ink cartridge is disposed away from the recording head and ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the recording head via a tube or the like.

  Among them, the separation type in which the ink cartridge is separated from the recording head does not need to move the ink cartridge together with the recording head, even in the serial type in which the recording head is reciprocally scanned. Further, since the separation type ink cartridge is disposed away from the recording head that moves at the time of recording, it can be relatively freely disposed in the recording apparatus. From these, the separation type ink cartridge has an advantage that its size can be set relatively freely according to the method of use. Further, by using a separate ink cartridge, the degree of freedom in designing the ink jet recording apparatus itself can be increased, and a large volume of ink can be held.

  On the other hand, in the ink jet recording method, a pigment ink having better weather resistance has been increasingly used in place of the conventional dye ink. However, there is a concern that the pigment ink settles on the pigment particles. For example, when left unopened on a shelf or a store shelf for a long time, the pigment particles gradually settle inside the ink cartridge. For this reason, the pigment particle concentration becomes high at the bottom of the ink cartridge, and an excessively dark layer is formed. Further, the pigment particle concentration is lowered at the upper part of the ink cartridge, and an excessively thin layer is formed. When recording is performed in this state, there is a concern that color unevenness may occur in the recorded image or the color may be affected. So far, the ink cartridge for pigment ink has been instructed to the user to shake the ink cartridge itself before use, and the pigment particles are sufficiently dispersed before use. Furthermore, since the settling proceeds after a certain period even after the ink cartridge is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus main body, an operation message for prompting the user to shake the ink cartridge is displayed.

  In particular, the above-described separation type ink cartridge is fixed to the main body of the ink jet recording apparatus, and the ink capacity is increased, so that the period until the ink is used up becomes longer. For this reason, when using an ink containing a pigment component, there is a concern that the pigment component settles and affects the color of the ink.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-228561 suppresses sedimentation by having a flat and substantially rectangular parallelepiped ink cartridge having a driven shaft portion that enables a rotational movement that alternately reverses the top and bottom surfaces of the ink cartridge in the direction of gravity. The technology is described. Thereby, the pigment component in the ink cartridge is agitated to keep the ink concentration uniform.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-200764

  However, the above method is limited to a pack type ink cartridge having only a supply port for supplying ink from the ink cartridge to the recording head. For this reason, when applied to an ink cartridge having an air communication port separately from the ink supply port in order to use the water head difference, there is a concern that the ink leaks to the outside when the ink cartridge is rotated.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of stirring ink in a cartridge without causing ink leakage from the cartridge.

In order to achieve the above object, an ink jet recording apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
An inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink from a recording head,
Mounting means for detachably mounting an ink cartridge for supplying ink to the recording head;
An ink supply port for supplying ink from a storage unit that stores ink of the ink cartridge mounted on the mounting unit and an air communication port that communicates the inside of the storage unit with the atmosphere are connected to each communication port. A supply means having a plurality of flexible tubes in communication;
Rotating means for rotating the ink cartridge in a state where each of the communication ports is connected via the plurality of tubes.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably stir ink without causing ink leakage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view with a cover of a label printer as an example of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention removed. The schematic side view of the label printer which removed the cover. The perspective view (A) which looked at the yellow cartridge 5Y which concerns on Embodiment 1 from the front, and the perspective view (B) from the back which notched some yellow cartridges 5Y. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cartridge holder of the label printer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a connecting portion of an ink cartridge holder that connects the main body of the label printer according to Embodiment 1 and a yellow cartridge 5Y. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating rotation of a yellow cartridge 5Y in the label printer according to the first embodiment. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a label printer according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a stirring process of ink in an ink cartridge in the label printer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a rotation function of an ink cartridge in a label printer according to a second embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments do not limit the present invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the solution means of the present invention. .

[Embodiment 1]
FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view showing an example of an ink jet recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, with a cover of a label printer removed. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the label printer with the cover removed. Hereinafter, the configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  In this label printer, a roll sheet, which is a recording medium, is loaded into a sheet loading unit 1 and conveyed by a sheet conveying unit including a suction conveying belt 2 and the like. 4 cut and discharge the sheet.

  The recording unit (printer engine) 3 records (prints) an image on a sheet by an inkjet recording method. The recording unit 3 includes recording heads 3a that eject ink according to image signals, and four of these are arranged in the sheet conveyance direction as shown in FIG. The four recording heads 3a eject ink from yellow 3aY, magenta 3aM, cyan 3aC, and black 3aK heads, respectively, and superimpose these inks on the sheet to record a color image.

  In the heads 3aY, 3aM, 3aC, and 3aK corresponding to the respective colors of the recording head 3a, ink cartridges 5 serving as ink storage units that store corresponding yellow, magenta, cyan, and black inks have tubes described later. Connected through. These four ink cartridges 5 are detachably attached to a cartridge holder 6 provided below the recording head 3a in the vertical direction. The ink cartridge 5 includes a yellow cartridge 5Y, a magenta cartridge 5M, a cyan cartridge 5C, and a black cartridge 5K.

  Next, the ink cartridge 5 according to Embodiment 1 will be described. The four yellow cartridges 5Y, the magenta cartridge 5M, the cyan cartridge 5C, and the black cartridge 5K have the same configuration except that the colors of the ink to be stored are different. Therefore, in the following, the yellow cartridge 5Y will be described as an example, but the same applies to cartridges of other colors.

  FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the yellow cartridge 5Y according to the embodiment as viewed from the front, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view from the rear with the yellow cartridge 5Y partially cut away.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the yellow cartridge 5Y has a storage element 5d in which information of the ink cartridge is recorded in a cartridge case in which an ink container 5a, a container lid 5b, and a protective member 5c, which are ink containing portions, are combined. Incorporated. In the yellow cartridge 5Y, an ink container is formed by ultrasonically welding a container lid 5b to an ink container 5a. The container lid 5b is joined to the ink container 5a by the protective member 5c and heat caulking, ultrasonic welding, or the like. At this time, the welded area between the container lid 5b and the protective member 5c is smaller than the welded area between the ink container 5a and the container lid 5b so that the peeling strength is weakened. As a result, when the yellow cartridge 5Y is accidentally dropped, the protective member 5c is first peeled off, and an impact is directly applied to the welded portion between the ink container 5a and the container lid 5b, resulting in damage to the cartridge. Is preventing.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the yellow cartridge 5Y has an ink supply port 5e in which a cylindrical housing is formed in a container lid 5b, and a vertically downward pipe-shaped supply communicating with the ink supply port 5e. An ink flow path 5f is provided. The lower end of the supply ink channel 5f is open near the bottom surface of the ink container 5a. Thereby, the ink near the bottom surface of the ink container 5a can also be supplied from the ink supply port 5e.

  The container lid 5b is provided with an atmospheric communication port 5g in which a cylindrical housing is formed, and a vertically upward pipe-shaped atmospheric channel 5h communicating with the atmospheric communication port 5g. The upper end of the atmosphere communication port 5g is open near the upper surface of the ink container 5a, and the atmosphere communication port 5g communicates with the outside, so that the inside of the ink container communicates with the atmosphere.

  Further, an ink remaining amount detecting portion 5i that detects the presence or absence of ink in the yellow cartridge 5Y by an electrical detection method is formed on the container lid 5b by integral molding by resin injection molding. The ink remaining amount detection unit 5i has a prism shape that refracts and reflects the light emitted from the light emitting unit of the optical sensor provided outside the ink cartridge when there is no ink. It is detected by the light receiving part of the optical sensor. For this reason, the container lid 5b is provided with an ink remaining amount detecting portion 5i formed of a prism by integral molding, and therefore, the resin material is made of a transparent material.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3A, rubber plugs 5j as sealing members are fitted into the housings of the ink supply port 5e and the atmosphere communication port 5g to seal the respective openings. Thereby, the ink container 5a is sealed. A locking member 5k is attached to the housing, and the rubber plug 5j is fixed so as not to drop off from the housing. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, a pool portion 5m and an inclined portion 5n are formed on the bottom surface of the ink container 5a so that the ink in the container can be used without waste.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cartridge holder 6 of the label printer according to the first embodiment.

  FIG. 4 shows a state where only the yellow cartridge 5Y is removed from the cartridge holder 6.

  FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the connecting portion of the ink cartridge holder that connects the main body of the label printer according to the first embodiment and the yellow cartridge 5Y. Since the same applies to the other ink cartridges 5, the description thereof is omitted.

  A joint portion 50 for communicating the mounted yellow cartridge 5Y and the recording head 3a is provided on the back side of the ink cartridge holder 6 where the ink cartridge is inserted. Reference numeral 59 denotes a part of the frame of the ink cartridge holder 6. As shown in FIG. 5, the joint unit 50 includes an ink supply joint needle 51 as a supply port joint unit connected to the ink supply port 5e of the yellow cartridge 5Y, and an atmospheric communication port connected to the atmospheric communication port 5g. It has the atmosphere communication joint needle 52 as a joint part. Each of the joint needles 51 and 52 is a hollow needle member having communication ports 53 and 54 formed at the distal ends thereof, and is inserted into the ink container of the yellow cartridge 5Y by inserting the rubber plug 5j of the yellow cartridge 5Y. Communicate.

  A tube 55 is connected to the ink supply joint needle 51 (see FIG. 5), so that the yellow cartridge 5Y and the recording head 3a of the label printer can communicate with each other. A valve 56 is provided in the middle of the tube 55. By opening / closing the valve 56, the communication between the yellow cartridge 5Y and the recording head 3a (ink supply possible) and the communication interruption (ink supply interruption) are switched. It is possible. The yellow cartridge 5Y is attached / detached with the valve 56 closed.

  On the other hand, the atmosphere communication joint needle 52 is inserted into the rubber plug 5j that seals the atmosphere communication port 5g, whereby the ink container of the yellow cartridge 5Y communicates with the atmosphere. An atmosphere communication valve 58 is provided in the middle of the tube 57, and the valve 58 can be opened and closed to switch between communication between the yellow cartridge 5Y and the atmosphere, and communication interruption. When the yellow cartridge 5Y is rotated for stirring, the atmosphere communication valve 58 is closed.

  When the yellow cartridge 5Y is attached to the cartridge holder 6, there is provided means for reading the information of the storage element 5d attached to the yellow cartridge 5Y and sending the information to the main body side of the label printer.

  Further, in the ink supply joint needle 51 and the atmosphere communication joint needle 52, the ink supply joint needle 51 is disposed at a position closer to the yellow cartridge 5Y to be inserted than the atmosphere communication joint needle 52. When the yellow cartridge 5Y is inserted into the cartridge holder 6, the ink supply joint needle 51 is first inserted through the rubber plug 5j that seals the ink supply port 5e. After that, the atmosphere communication joint needle 52 is inserted into the rubber plug 5j that seals the atmosphere communication port 5g. As a result, the ink supply joint needle 51 is reliably inserted into the ink supply port 5e and communicated with the ink container in a state where the atmosphere communication port 5g is sealed.

  This prevents ink from leaking when the ink cartridge is installed.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the rotation of the yellow cartridge 5Y in the label printer according to the first embodiment.

  FIG. 6A is a view of the state in which the yellow cartridge 5Y is mounted on the cartridge holder 6 as viewed from the yellow cartridge 5Y side.

  FIG. 6B is a side view of the cartridge holder 6 with the yellow cartridge 5Y mounted.

  FIG. 6C is a view of a state in which the yellow cartridge 5Y is rotated with the yellow cartridge 5Y mounted on the cartridge holder 6 as viewed from the yellow cartridge 5Y side.

  FIG. 6D is a side view of a state in which the yellow cartridge 5Y is rotated while the yellow cartridge 5Y is mounted on the cartridge holder 6.

  The joint portion 50 is provided with a gear (not shown), and the yellow cartridge 5Y is rotated as shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D by the rotation of a drive source (motor 60) connected to the gear. Can be moved. The range of the rotation angle at that time is 180 ° or less. In the first embodiment, a motor 60 is provided for each ink cartridge, and each ink cartridge can be independently rotated.

  Further, the main body is provided with a timer 704 (FIG. 7), and the ink cartridge 5 may be automatically rotated when the time measured by the timer 704 reaches a certain period.

  In this rotation, the center between the air communication port 5g and the ink supply port 5e is set as the rotation center. The joint unit 50 is connected to the label printer main body via a tube-like elastic body, and the joint unit 50 and the ink cartridge rotate around the rotation center.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the label printer according to the first embodiment.

  The control unit 700 controls the operation of the entire label printer. The control unit 700 includes a CPU 701, a ROM 702, a RAM 703, and a timer 704. The CPU 701 controls the overall operation of the label printer by executing a program stored in the ROM 702. A RAM 703 provides a work area for the CPU 701. The timer 704 measures time according to an instruction from the CPU 701, and notifies the CPU 701 by an interrupt or the like when the designated time has elapsed.

  The joint unit 50 includes the ink cartridge 5 and has a motor 60 as a drive source for rotating each ink cartridge for each ink cartridge. The CPU 701 can detect which color ink cartridge is installed, the remaining amount of ink in each ink cartridge, the elapsed usage time, and the like by reading information in the storage element 5d of the installed ink cartridge 5. The recording unit (printer engine) 3 includes a recording head 3 a and prints an image on a sheet according to image data input from the CPU 701 of the control 700. Reference numeral 711 denotes a flexible tube (corresponding to the tubes 55 and 57 in FIG. 5) for supplying ink from the ink cartridge 5 to the recording head 3. The valves 56 and 58 are valves shown in FIG. 6, and their opening / closing is controlled by the CPU 701. The operation unit 720 includes a display unit having a touch panel function, hard keys, and the like, and accepts an operation by a user.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the stirring process of the ink in the ink cartridge 5 in the label printer according to the first embodiment. Note that the processing shown in this flowchart is realized by the CPU 701 of the control 700 executing a program stored in the ROM 702. The flowchart shown in FIG. 8 is started when the power of the label printer according to the first embodiment is turned on.

First, in step S <b> 801, the CPU 701 determines whether any one of the ink cartridges 5 has been replaced.
This can be detected by reading the information in the storage element 5d of each ink cartridge and comparing it with the information in the storage element 5d of each previous ink cartridge. Alternatively, it may be determined whether the ink cartridge has been replaced based on the remaining ink amount detected by the ink remaining amount detecting unit 5i. If it is determined that the ink cartridge has been replaced, the process proceeds to S807. If not, the process proceeds to S802.

  In step S802, the CPU 701 reads and acquires information in the storage element 5d of each ink cartridge. In S804, the CPU 701 obtains the time measured by the timer 704, and determines whether it is the timing for stirring the ink jet based on the current date and time based on the time measured value and the date and time when the previous stirring was performed by the storage element 5d (S805). If it is the timing to stir, the process proceeds to S807, but if not, the process proceeds to S806.

  In step S806, the CPU 701 determines whether an instruction for stirring the ink cartridge has been input by the user. This instruction may be instructed, for example, when the user presses a predetermined hard key, or may be instructed by the user performing a predetermined button operation on the operation unit 720. If the stirring instruction is given by the user, the process proceeds to S807, but if not, this flow ends.

  S807 to S811 indicate the stirring process of the ink in the ink cartridge 5 in the label printer according to the first embodiment. First, in step S <b> 807, the CPU 701 closes the atmosphere communication valve 58 corresponding to the ink cartridge to be agitated. In step S808, the CPU 701 drives the motor 60 corresponding to the ink cartridge to be agitated to rotate the ink cartridge as shown in FIG. In step S809, the CPU 701 determines whether the rotation process has been performed a predetermined number of times (for example, three times). If not, the process proceeds to step S808. If the rotation process has been performed a predetermined number of times, the process proceeds to step S810. In step S808, the CPU 701 opens the atmosphere communication valve 58 corresponding to the ink cartridge to be agitated closed in step S807. In step S811, the CPU 701 acquires and stores the date and time of the stirring process executed this time from the time measured by the timer 704 in the storage element 5d corresponding to the ink cartridge to be stirred, and ends this flow.

  Note that when a stirring process is instructed by the user in step S806, the stirring process may be executed on all ink cartridges of the ink cartridge 5. In that case, after S809, it may be determined whether or not the stirring process for all the ink cartridges is completed, and the stirring process may be continued until the process is completed.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, even in an ink cartridge having an air communication port, the ink pigment component of the ink cartridge can be reliably stirred without causing ink leakage.

[Embodiment 2]
FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the rotation function of the ink cartridge in the label printer according to the second embodiment. Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  In the first embodiment, a rotation function is provided for each color ink cartridge. In contrast, in the second embodiment, a plurality of ink cartridges are rotated by a single drive source (motor 90).

  The joint 50 corresponding to each color ink cartridge is provided with a gear and is connected to the adjacent joint 50. By driving the motor 90, the joint portion 50 and the yellow cartridges 5Y, 5M, 5C, and 5K for the four colors connected to the joint portion 50 are rotated.

  In the second embodiment, since the ink cartridges 5Y, 5M, 5C, and 5K for four colors rotate, the air communication valves 58 of the ink cartridges for four colors are closed in S807 in FIG. 8, and the motor 90 is closed in S808. Drive. When the stirring process is completed, the atmosphere communication valves 58 of the ink cartridges for four colors are opened in S810, and the necessary information may be stored in the storage element 5d of the ink cartridge for four colors in S811.

  With such a configuration, the number of drive sources can be reduced, and a plurality of ink cartridges can be rotated at low cost.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, the rotation center is set between the atmosphere communication port and the ink supply port. However, the rotation center may be the atmosphere communication port or the ink supply port.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 ... Recording part (printer engine), 5 ... Ink cartridge, 6 ... Ink cartridge holder, 50 ... Joint part, 60, 90 ... Motor

Claims (7)

An inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink from a recording head,
Mounting means for detachably mounting an ink cartridge for supplying ink to the recording head;
An ink supply port for supplying ink from a storage unit that stores ink of the ink cartridge mounted on the mounting unit and an air communication port that communicates the inside of the storage unit with the atmosphere are connected to each communication port. A supply means having a plurality of flexible tubes in communication;
Rotating means for rotating the ink cartridge in a state where each of the communication ports is connected via the plurality of tubes;
An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: The supply means includes a supply port joint portion communicating with the ink supply port, and an atmosphere communication port joint portion communicating with the atmosphere communication port.
In the supply means, when the ink cartridge is attached to the attachment means, the supply port joint portion and the ink supply port communicate prior to the communication between the atmosphere communication port joint portion and the atmosphere communication port. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1.   3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when there are a plurality of the recording heads, the rotation unit includes a driving source corresponding to each of the plurality of recording heads.   3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when there are a plurality of the recording heads, the rotating unit rotates the plurality of recording heads with a single drive source.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotation by the rotation means is performed in a state where the atmosphere communication port is sealed. Timekeeping means,
And a control unit configured to drive the rotating unit to rotate the ink cartridge mounted on the mounting unit when the time measured by the timing unit reaches a predetermined time. Item 6. The ink jet recording apparatus according to Item 1, 2 or 5.   The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 5, or 6, wherein the ink cartridge mounted on the mounting means is positioned below the recording head.

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