JP2672359B2 - Inkjet recording cartridge and inkjet recording apparatus equipped with the cartridge - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording cartridge having an ink jet head section for ejecting ink for recording and an ink accommodating section for accommodating ink to be supplied.

[Conventional technology]

This type of conventional inkjet recording cartridge,
For example, it is configured as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. In these figures, 1 is an ink jet recording head unit that ejects ink to form flying droplets (hereinafter simply referred to as recording head), 2 is an ink ejection port formed on the recording head 1, and 3 is recording. An electrode for receiving a signal for driving the head 1, 4 is an ink container for supplying ink to be ejected from the recording head 1, 5 is a supply hole for supplying ink from the ink container 4 to the recording head 1,
6 is a housing that holds the ink container 4 and the recording head 1, 7 is a lid that holds the ink container 4 with the housing 6,
A fixing member 8 holds the recording head 1 with the housing 6.

This ink jet recording cartridge has a carriage 10 movable along a guide shaft 9 as shown in FIG.
When recording is performed by ejecting ink from the recording head toward the recording sheet 12 mounted on the platen 11 and held on the platen 11, when all the ink in the ink container 4 is consumed,
This is a so-called disposable type recording cartridge that is replaced with another new recording cartridge. Therefore, such an ink jet recording cartridge is normally sealed and stored in a disposable type closed container 12 made of a non-gas permeable member such as aluminum foil as shown in FIG. From the point of time until the ink is used in the hands of the user, clogging of the ejection port is prevented from occurring due to thickening of the ink due to evaporation of the ink solvent or adhesion of dust.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional recording cartridge as described above, the ejection surface of the recording head is exposed when it is taken out from the closed container at the start of use and mounted in the recording apparatus, and thus the ejection surface may be inadvertently covered with a hand or clothes. In many cases, the discharge surface was touched, and the discharge surface was stained with dust, sweat, fat, or the like, resulting in inconvenience such as non-discharge or printing deviation, and the hands or clothes were stained with ink. Further, the electrode 3 which receives the print signal for driving the recording head is also easily touched, and electrode stains due to sweat or the like and electrical contact defects due to oxidation are likely to occur. Furthermore, in the actual use of the ink jet recording cartridge, there are many cases where the ink in the ink container is not used up, such as when the recording cartridge of another color is exchanged. No consideration was given to preservation.

For this reason, the storage is left to the discretion of the user to devise and devise the device, which may result in clogging during use due to ink sticking or dust, and repeated action to compensate for this point. Although the present inventor has considered that the container can be supplied to the user in a possible closed case, there is a problem of setting the storage location because the container is separate from the cartridge and the recording device. It was also easy to lose.

It is an object of the present invention to pay attention to the above-mentioned conventional problems, and in order to solve the problems, the ink ejection surface and electrodes are always kept in a sealed state unless they are mounted in a recording apparatus, and therefore, when they are removed from the recording apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording cartridge that is also hermetically sealed to prevent clogging and the like and does not stain hands or clothes.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve such an object, an inkjet recording cartridge of the present invention drives a recording head that ejects ink from an ink ejection port to perform recording, an ink accommodating portion that accommodates ink to be supplied to the recording head, and a recording head. In an inkjet recording cartridge having an electrode for supplying a recording signal, a cover member that can cover and open at least the ejection surface of the recording head and the electrode, and a biasing unit that biases the cover member in a direction to cover the cover member are provided. It is characterized by having

Furthermore, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention includes a recording head that ejects ink from an ink ejection port for recording, an ink accommodating portion that accommodates ink to be supplied to the recording head, and a recording signal supply that drives the recording head. In an inkjet recording apparatus equipped with an inkjet recording cartridge having electrodes, a cover member capable of covering and opening at least the ejection surface of the recording head and the electrode, and a biasing means for biasing the cover member in a direction to cover the cover member. And a means for keeping the cover member covered by the biasing means when not mounted on the carriage, and for opening the cover member against the biasing means when mounting on the carriage.

(Operation)

According to the present invention, when not mounted on the carriage of the recording apparatus, the cover member covers the ink ejection surface together with the electrode for supplying the head drive signal by the urging means to prevent the evaporation of the ink, and the ink ejection surface and the electrode. It is possible to prevent the hands and clothes from touching, and when mounted on the carriage, the cover member is opened in conjunction with the mounting operation and the ink ejection port is exposed. It can be protected without being exposed, and it is possible to prevent the inconvenience such as dirt, non-ejection, contact failure, etc. from occurring due to a hand, clothes, etc. carelessly touching the ejection surface or the electrode as in the conventional case.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail and specifically with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 show one embodiment of the present invention. In these figures, reference numeral 20 denotes a head cover rotatable about an axis pin 21, FIG. 1 is a storage state removed from the recording apparatus, and FIG.
And the electrode 3 is exposed. That is, the first
In the figure, 22 is a latch pin attached to the side of the housing 6,
Reference numeral 23 is a hooking pin attached to the head cover 20 side, and 24 is a coil spring hooked between the hooking pins 22 and 23.
Further, reference numeral 25 is a protrusion protruding from the housing 6, and when the head cover 20 is closed as shown in FIG. 1, the edge of the head cover 20 is kept in contact with the protrusion 25 as shown in the figure. .
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 26 denotes an ejection surface of the recording head 1 provided with the ejection ports 2 when the head cover 20 is closed.
A head protection member made of rubber, an ink absorber, or the like for contacting with 1A and maintaining a sealed state.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a state in which the recording cartridge 30 thus configured is mounted on the carriage 10. Where 41
Is a guide plate for holding the recording cartridge 30 at a predetermined position of the carriage 10, and 42 is erected on the recording head mounting side of the carriage 10, has a cam surface 42A at its upper end, and opens the head cover 20. The cam plate 42A is a guide plate that shares the action, and the cam surface 42A of the guide plate engages with the retaining pin 23 of the head cover 20.

43 is also erected from the carriage 10 and has a recording head 1
2 is a connector member having a connector connected to the electrode 3 of FIG. Also, 44 is a lever shaft provided on both sides of the carriage 10, 45 is a lever member that is swingably held around the lever shaft 44, and the lever member 45 has a locking portion 45A.
In the mounted state of the recording cartridge 30 as shown in the figure, the projection 25 of the housing 6 is locked to the locking portion 45A by being urged counterclockwise by the spring force of the spring 46,
The recording cartridge 30 is fixedly held on the carriage 16.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, when the recording cartridge 30 kept in the closed state by the head cover 20 is dropped from above the carriage 10 along the guide plate 41, the tip of the latch pin 23 is guided. By contacting the cam surface 42A of the plate 42, the head cover 20 is rotated around the pin 21 by the cam surface 42A via the locking pin 23 to expose the ejection surface 1A. At the same time, the connector member 43
Is arranged in the vicinity of the discharge port, contacts the opened electrode 3, and the lever member 45 is rotated in the clockwise direction around the lever shaft 44 against the spring force of the spring 46, as shown in FIG. As shown, the mounting is completed in a state where the protrusion 25 of the housing 6 is locked to the locking portion 45A of the lever member 45.

It should be noted that when replacing the recording cartridge 30, it is only necessary to push down the handle portion 45A of the lever member 45. Thus, by releasing the engagement state of the protrusion 25 with the engagement portion 45A, the spring force of the spring 24 acts to close the head cover 20, and then the housing 6 is simply lifted. The head cover 20 is used to close the lid, and at the same time, the electrode 3
Is the head cover when the contact state with the connector member 43 is released.
By 20 the cover is covered and protected. Here, it is preferable that the electrode 3 is arranged at a position satisfying the relation of l≤m in FIG.

 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of the present invention.

In these figures, 50 is an L-shaped head cover attached to the housing 6 via a leaf spring 51, and a groove 52 is formed inside the head cover 50 at a position facing the electrode 3. Therefore, the recording cartridge configured as described above
In the reference numeral 31, the head cover 50 keeps the recording head 1 covered by the spring force of the leaf spring 51 as shown in FIG. Covers and protects.

FIG. 6 shows such a recording cartridge 31 as a carriage.
10 shows the installed state. Where 53 is the cartridge 10
Is a working bar that is erected upright, and is provided at a position facing the electrode 3 of the recording head 1, and has a wedge portion 53A that can be fitted into the groove of the head cover 50 at its tip, and a connector on the sliding contact surface that faces the electrode 3. Have B.

Therefore, when the recording cartridge 31 is dropped from above the carriage 10 along the guide plate 41, the wedge portion of the action bar 53 is formed.
By inserting 53A into the groove of the head cover 50, the head cover 50 is pulled leftward as shown in the drawing against the spring force of the leaf spring 51, and the recording head 1 is exposed as shown in FIG. , The connector 53B contacts the electrode 3,
An electrical connection state can be obtained. In the case of this example, the recording cartridge 31 can be easily removed from the cartridge 10 only by pulling it up. At the same time, the head cover 50 is closed by the spring force of the leaf spring 51, and the ejection surface 1A and the electrode. 3 is protected. Here, the position of the electrode 3 is provided at a position of a distance 1 from the surface of the discharge port, and it is preferable that the position of the electrode 3 satisfies l ≦ n / 2, and preferably satisfies 1 ≦ m. It has a desirable configuration in terms of opening and closing.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the carriage is provided with the cover member capable of covering and opening at least the ink ejection port and the electrode of the recording head, and the urging means for urging the cover member in the direction to cover the carriage. Since the cover member is kept covered by the urging means when not mounted on the carriage, and the cover member is opened against the urging means when the carriage member is mounted on the carriage, this is a drawback from the prior art. It is possible to prevent the ink ejection surface and electrodes from being touched and soiled by hands or clothes, and it is possible to prevent ejection failure or electrical contact failure. It has become possible to complete conservation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 and 2 are perspective views showing a first embodiment of the present invention in a state in which a head cover is covered and in an open state, respectively, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a recording cartridge according to the first embodiment is mounted on a carriage. FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 5 are perspective views showing the structure of the second embodiment of the present invention with the head cover covered and open, respectively. FIG. 6 shows the recording cartridge according to the second embodiment mounted on a carriage. FIG. 7 is an external view showing an example of the configuration of a conventional recording cartridge, FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the recording cartridge shown in FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state where the recording cartridge is mounted on the carriage, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a storage state of the conventional recording cartridge. 1 ... Recording head, 1A ... Ejection surface, 2 ... Ejection port, 3 ... Electrode, 6 ... Housing, 8 ... Fixing member, 10 ... Carriage, 20,50 ... Head cover, 21 ... Axis pin, 22,23 …… Latching pin, 24 …… Coil spring, 25 …… Protrusion, 30,31 …… Record cartridge, 41 …… Guide plate, 42 …… Guide plate, 42A …… Cam surface, 43 ...... Connector member, 45 ...... Lever member, 51 ...... Leaf spring, 52 ...... Groove, 53 ...... Action bar, 53A ...... Wedge part, 53B ...... Connector.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A recording head for recording by ejecting ink from an ink ejection port, an ink accommodating portion for accommodating ink to be supplied to the recording head, and an electrode for supplying a recording signal for driving the recording head. An inkjet recording cartridge having: a cover member capable of covering and opening at least the ejection surface of the recording head and the electrode; and a biasing means for biasing the cover member in a direction to cover the cover member. Inkjet recording cartridge. 2. A recording head for recording by ejecting ink from an ink ejection port, an ink accommodating portion for accommodating ink to be supplied to the recording head, and an electrode for supplying a recording signal for driving the recording head. In an inkjet recording apparatus equipped with an inkjet recording cartridge having the above, a cover member capable of covering and opening at least the ejection surface of the recording head and the electrode, and a biasing means for biasing the cover member in a direction to cover the cover member. And a means for keeping the cover member covered by the urging means when not mounted on the carriage, and opening the cover member against the urging means when mounted on the carriage. Inkjet recording device.