JP2728912B2 - Ink jet cartridge and ink jet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet cartridge detachably mounted on a carriage and an ink jet recording apparatus provided with the carriage, wherein the ink jet cartridge is mounted on the carriage. The present invention relates to an ink-jet cartridge and an ink-jet recording apparatus which define the positioning mechanism.

2. Description of the Related Art Ink jet recording apparatuses include an ink jet cartridge (hereinafter, also referred to as a recording head) in which an ink tank containing ink as a recording medium and a recording head element having a function of discharging ink are integrated. Are abbreviated).

When mounting such a recording head on the carriage of the recording apparatus, it is necessary to accurately attach ink to an appropriate position on recording paper to perform recording, and to properly connect connection terminals for transmitting recording signals. Therefore, it was necessary to fix the recording head at an appropriate position and mount it.

The method of mounting the print head is roughly classified into a method of mounting the ink cartridge by rotating or rotating the ink cartridge from above and behind the carriage, and a method of operating the fixing lever after inserting the print head into the carriage from a predetermined direction. In this method, the recording head was pressed and fixed at an appropriate position.

For example, a configuration in which a recording head is mounted on a carriage from a predetermined direction and then the recording head is fixed by a fixing lever complicates the configuration including the lever, or the recording head is mounted when the recording head is mounted. There is a problem in operability such as two operations of insertion and lever operation are required.

Therefore, there is a configuration as shown in FIG. 7A as an example of simple mounting. Reference numeral 101 denotes a recording head integrated with the ink tank, and a connection terminal 101 having a plurality of electric pads 111 on the bottom surface.
a and ink ejection port face 1 of print head element 101c on the front
01b is provided. The carriage 102 is provided with a connection terminal 102a for transmitting a print signal to a print head. Here, 102a includes a plurality of electric pads 112. A guide shaft 104 guides the movement of the carriage 102. When the recording head is mounted from above the carriage in this manner, attachment and detachment are very easy, but since the connection terminals 101a and 102a do not rub at all in the apparatus, there is a possibility that a film due to ink contamination between the connection terminals may be formed. When a foreign substance is interposed, a connection failure may occur. For an unused recording head, an extremely thin insulating protective film 121 is provided to protect the connection terminals.
However, in such a mounting method, there is no operation for removing the protective film to secure the connection, and it cannot be said that the connection method of the signal terminal is an optimal example.

When mounting an unused recording head and starting to use it, it is necessary to immediately and satisfactorily discharge the ink using a discharge recovery device or the like. Therefore, the present inventors
The inventor has conceived of attaching and detaching the recording head at a home position, which is a recording standby position of the recording head, and preferably protecting the ejection openings with a cap when the mounting of the recording head is completed.

FIG. 7B shows an example in which the recording head is mounted from behind the carriage as an example based on the above idea. Same as Fig. 7A
101 is a recording head, and 102 is a carriage. Here 103
Is an ejection recovery device provided with a cap for protecting the ejection openings of the recording head and preventing ink sticking. By performing the recording head 101 device by inserting the recording head 101 from the rear of the carriage 102 in the direction of the arrow, the recording head 101 is capped at a fixed position, and the connection terminals 101a,
102a is a configuration to be connected correctly. However, in such a method, the connection terminals are rubbed one after another at the time of mounting. In particular, the electrode pads of the connection terminals of the recording head 101 on the ejection port side rub against all the electrode heads of the carriage 102. Therefore, some or all of the terminals are considerably damaged, and electrical signals cannot be transmitted, which causes a discharge failure.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7c, a method of rotating the recording head 101 to perform the apparatus has been devised. Must be put on before putting on. Then, a large space is required in front of the carriage. However, considering good ink ejection, the distance between the recording heads is preferably at most 3.0 mm or less, and it is difficult to adopt such a configuration. In addition, even when mounted at the home position, it is unavoidable that interference with the cap is inevitable, resulting in inconvenience.

[Purpose] The present invention has been made in view of these technical problems. In other words, when connecting the connection terminals, it is possible to perform the electrical connection without damaging the terminals and with an optimal force capable of scraping the protective film provided on the terminal surface by rubbing the terminals together. It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording head capable of reliably positioning the recording head simultaneously with the completion of the mounting of the recording head in one operation, and an ink jet recording apparatus including the head mounting means.

[Means for Solving the Technical Problem] The present invention has been made to achieve the above object,
A recording head unit having an ejection port for ejecting ink, an ink tank unit for storing the ink, and a recording head provided on a side surface substantially intersecting with the side surface on which the recording head unit is provided. An electrical connection terminal for receiving a signal, and using a rotation operation with respect to a carriage having a surface facing the recording head provided in the ink jet recording apparatus and a connection terminal to which the electrical connection terminal is connected. In the removable ink jet cartridge, between the recording head unit and the electrical connection terminal,
A positioning section is provided on a line connecting the recording head section and the electrical connection terminal.

Further, in an ink jet cartridge having a recording head unit, an ink tank unit, a signal terminal for receiving a signal from the recording signal transmission electrode, and a fixed engagement unit, the recording cartridge unit being mounted on a main scanning carriage having a recording signal transmission electrode. The fixed engaging portion is disposed on the back surface of the inkjet cartridge mounted on the carriage, and the side surface near the front surface facing the back surface and the side surface region near the upper surface in the mounted state is the inkjet. The center of rotation of the cartridge for rotation mounting to the carriage, and a part on a line between the recording head unit and the signal terminal and connecting the recording head unit and the signal terminal is a positioning unit. Features.

Further, in an ink jet recording apparatus having a carriage on which an ink jet cartridge is removably mounted, the ink jet cartridge has a recording head portion provided with a discharge port for discharging ink, an ink tank portion storing the ink, and the recording head. And an electrical connection terminal for receiving a signal for recording provided on a side surface substantially intersecting with the side surface on which the unit is provided, wherein an electrical connection terminal is provided between the recording head unit and the electrical connection terminal. A positioning portion on a line connecting the recording head portion and the electrical connection terminal, wherein the carriage has a surface facing the recording head portion, a connection terminal to which the electrical connection terminal is connected, Positioning means having a substantially U-shape provided corresponding to the positioning portion, and By mounting the ridge, the positioning portion of the ink jet cartridge is connected to the positioning means of the carriage to regulate the position of the recording head in the X direction and the position of the electrical connection terminal in the Y direction. .

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic external perspective view showing a main part of a recording apparatus. FIG. 2A is a schematic perspective view of the recording head according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the bottom side, FIG. 2B is a schematic plan view of the recording head of this embodiment as viewed from the bottom side, and FIG. 3A. Is a schematic perspective view of a carriage according to this embodiment, FIG.
The figure is a schematic plan view of the carriage of this embodiment as viewed from above.

First, in FIG. 1, a carriage 20 on which a recording head 10 is mounted is guided and moved by a guide shaft 40 along a paper feed roller 60 to discharge ink toward the surface of a recording paper P as a recording medium, and to attach ink droplets. And an image is recorded. Reference numeral 30 denotes a discharge recovery device at the home position of the carriage 20, which protects the discharge ports by covering them, prevents drying near the discharge ports, and uses an elastic body such as rubber for preventing ink from sticking. And a suction pump 33 communicating with the cap 31 via an elastic tube 32. The pump 33 depressurizes the inside of the cap 31 and sucks ink and / or air from a discharge port to discharge the ink. Can be improved. The carriage 20 is at a home position as a non-recording position except when the recording head 10 is performing recording, and the ejection port is protected by a cap 31. And
The recording head 10 is configured to be always attached and detached at the home position.

Next, the configuration of the recording head 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. In these drawings, a recording head element 10C using an electrothermal converter (not shown) as an energy generating means for generating thermal energy as energy used for discharging ink is provided in the recording head 10 integrated with the ink tank. Is provided. A piezo element or the like is also used as an energy generating means for such a recording head element. However, since the structure is simple, the manufacturing cost is low, and the density can be increased, the above-described electrothermal transducer is used. The existing configuration is preferably used.

10a is a connection terminal of a recording signal (electric signal), 10b is a guide pin which is fitted to a carriage 20 to be described later, and serves as a rotation center of the recording head 1 at the time of attachment / detachment, and a plurality of ink ejection ports 10d is provided to the recording head element 10c. Is provided on the front surface. The connection terminal 10a is about 1-2 mm in the range of vertical X = 35 mm and horizontal Y = 10 mm so that the connection terminal 10a is prevented from being stained by ink etc.
It is provided in a part 10f that is recessed to the inside. Reference numeral 10g denotes a fixing hook which engages with a claw portion of the carriage 20 described later to fix the recording head. Reference numeral 11 denotes a rib serving as a positioning member provided substantially linearly with the ink ejection port 10d and the connection terminal 10b, and is engaged with a positioning member of the carriage 20, which will be described later, to perform positioning.

Next, the configuration of the carriage 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B. In these figures, reference numeral 20a denotes a connection terminal that is joined to the snow image terminal 10a of the recording head 10, 20b denotes a fitting portion that is fitted to the guide pin 10b of the recording head 10, and 20c denotes connection terminals 10a and 2c.
0a is an elastic member that gives a suitable pressing force (20 to 50 g per terminal) to the joint of chloroprene rubber, urethane rubber,
Moltprene or the like is preferably used because it has an optimum elastic modulus. Reference numeral 21 denotes a positioning member having a concave portion for engaging with the positioning rib 11 of the recording head 10 to perform positioning. The insertion side of the positioning member has a tapered shape as shown in the figure. 22 is a leaf spring provided to balance with the pressure contact force of the connection terminals 10a and 20a,
It has a hop-up function when removing the recording head as described later. 23 is the fixed hook 10g of the recording head 10.
And the recording head 10 is fixedly held. Reference numeral 50 denotes an electric signal from a recording control unit (not shown) to a connection terminal 20a of the carriage.
A flexible cable for transmitting to

The method of mounting the recording head in the configuration described above will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D.

4A shows a mounting start state, FIG. 4B shows a first state during mounting, FIG. 4C shows a second state during mounting, and FIG. 4D shows a state when mounting is completed.

First, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the recording head 10 is placed on the carriage 20, the guide pins 10b of the recording head 10 and the bottom surface of the carriage 1
The recording head 1 is guided by the zero guide surface 27h and the tip of the lock lever 20i, and moves in the direction A in FIG. Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the guide pin 10b is fitted, the rear end of the recording head 10 is disengaged from the lock lever 20i, and rotates in the direction C around the guide pin 10b as a rotation center.
As shown in FIG. 4C, the fixing hook 10g abuts on the lock lever. At this time, the rib 11 is
Side 11a (FIG. 2B) of the positioning member 21 of the carriage 20
Starts to fit with the inner side surface 21a (FIG. 3B), and positioning in the x direction is performed.

Next, when the rear end of the recording head 10 is forcibly pushed down in the direction D, the ejection port surface is capped from the upper portion as shown in FIG. 4C.
Then, the connection terminals 10a and 20a come into contact one after another from the discharge port side, and finally, as shown in FIG.
The connection terminals 10a and 20a are correctly and electrically and mechanically coupled to each other. At this time, the discharge port is also reliably capped. At this time, the front surface 11b of the positioning rib 11 of the recording head 10 and the carriage 20
And the inner rear surface 21b of the positioning member 21 collides with each other to perform positioning in the y direction. (See FIGS. 2B and 3B.) In the configuration capable of performing the above operation, the guide pin 10b, that is, the rotation center of the recording head is provided above the position corresponding to the cap and in the range in front of the connection terminal. Therefore, the front surface (that is, the ejection port surface) of the recording head element 10C, the cap 31, and the connection terminals 10a and 20a are appropriately abutted or connected without interfering with other portions.

Further, there is an effect that a foreign substance existing on the terminal surface is scraped off by a slight rubbing of the connection terminals when the recording head 10 is mounted, so that the electrical connection is ensured.

This will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, and 5E and FIGS. 6A and 6B. FIGS. 5A to 5E are configuration diagrams showing a state in which connection terminals are joined, and FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams in which the electrode bands of the connection terminals are partially enlarged, showing a state of contact start and connection completion. ing.

The electrode pads 13 of the connection terminals 10a of the recording head 10 of this example are made of a metal lead frame or the like, and the contacts are flat. Electrode pad 24 of connection terminal 20a of carriage 20
In FIG. 5, terminals on the flexible cable 50 are plated to be processed into hemispherical projections. According to the mounting operation of the recording head, first, the electrode pads on the discharge port side come into contact as shown in FIG. 5B from the state of FIG. 5A, and come into contact one after another as shown in FIG. 5C. One to one terminals when moving
The electrical contact is kept good.

Further, the contact pressure of the contact is adjusted by the deformation of the elastic member 20c described above, and the excess contact force is absorbed and an appropriate pressure contact is obtained. When the mounting of the recording head is completed, the position of the connection terminal 20a is located below the position in FIG. 5A as shown in FIG. 5E, and a pressing force is applied upward by the elastic member 20c. Such a pressure contact force is balanced with the force of the carriage claw 23 and the fitting portion 20b. Further, the connection of the terminals will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B. 6A and 6B show the contact position of the electrode pad 12 where I starts to contact,
J indicates the contact position of the electrode pads 13 and 24 in the final state. Foreign matter adhering to the surface of the contact terminal is scraped off by the displacement k of the contact, so that reliable electric connection is performed. In order for the connection (k> 0) to be made as described above, the center of rotation must be the tangent line 13− of the contact portion of the electrode pad 13 of the recording head.
From (1), it is necessary to be at a position having a predetermined distance in the normal direction of the contact portion and to be configured so that the electric pad 24 of the carriage 20 is displaced when the head 10 is mounted (m> 0). is there.

Next, a method of removing the recording head 10 will be described.

First, when the lock lever 20i is moved by pressing it in the EJ direction in FIG. 4D, the engagement between the fixing hook 10g and the claw 23 is released, and the fixing of the recording head 10 is released. Then, the rear part of the recording head hops up due to the elastic force by the leaf spring 22 provided for balancing the pressure contact force of the connection terminals 10a and 20a, and can be easily taken out.

Further, in the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the ink ejection port
10d, the positioning rib 11, and the electrical connection terminal 10f are all provided on the recording head element 10c substantially in a straight line, and it is easy to press down the positional relationship of these three elements with high accuracy. Further, in the embodiment of this embodiment, the above three elements are further provided on one end side of the recording head, and further, in the home position, the cap is also on the straight line. According to this configuration, the positioning member and the electrical connection terminal of the carriage can be arranged on one side, which is a very advantageous configuration in terms of mounting surface such as drawing out of a flexible cable, and in the recording head mounting operation at the home position, Uncertain capping due to misalignment can be prevented, and the probability of damage to the recording head and cap due to the mounting operation of the recording head can be extremely reduced.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the method of mounting the recording head according to the present invention, the connection terminal is not rubbed strongly and is broken, and the recording head is not adversely affected from the outside and the recording head is positioned at the correct position on the carriage. it can.

Further, the ink ejection port of the head, the positioning member, and the electrical connection terminal can be arranged on a substantially straight line in this order, and the position of the ink ejection port and the position of the electrical connection terminal with respect to the carriage can be more accurately determined. The recording head can be easily and reliably attached and detached while positioning.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention. 2A and 2B are a schematic perspective view and a sectional view showing the configuration of a recording head according to the present invention. 3A and 3B are a schematic perspective view and a top view showing the configuration of the carriage according to the present invention. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D are schematic diagrams showing the operation of mounting the recording head according to the present invention. FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B, FIG. 5C, FIG. 5D, and FIG. 5E are schematic views showing a state of connection of connection terminals according to the present invention. 6A and 6B are FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D,
FIG. 5E is a schematic partial enlarged view of the connection terminal in FIG. 5E. FIG. 7A is a schematic side view showing a conventional example of a mounting operation of a recording head. FIG. 7B is a schematic side view showing an example of the mounting operation of the recording head. FIG. 7C is a schematic side view showing an example of the mounting operation of the recording head. 10 is a recording head, 10a is a connection terminal, 10b is a guide pin, 10
c is a recording head element, 10d is a connection terminal, 11 is a positioning rib, 20 is a carriage, 30 is an ejection recovery device, 40 is a guide shaft, and 50 is a flexible cable.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Tetsuo Kimura 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (56) References JP-A-1-125238 (JP, A)

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] A recording head provided with a discharge port for discharging ink; an ink tank storing the ink; and a side provided substantially intersecting a side provided with the recording head. An electrical connection terminal for receiving a signal for recording, and a carriage having a surface facing the recording head provided in the ink jet recording apparatus and a connection terminal to which the electrical connection terminal is connected. A detachable ink jet cartridge utilizing a rotating operation, wherein a positioning portion is provided between the recording head portion and the electrical connection terminal on a line connecting the recording head portion and the electrical connection terminal. An ink-jet cartridge characterized in that: 2. The ink jet cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said positioning portion is a single protruding rib. 3. The recording head section of the carriage is located at the center of rotation related to the mounting using the rotating operation, on both the ejection port surface of the recording head section and the surface on which the electrical connection terminals are provided. The ink jet cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the ink jet cartridge is located at a position where a rotational movement close to a surface and a connection terminal to which the electrical connection terminal is connected are performed. 4. A recording head unit, an ink tank unit, a signal terminal for receiving a signal from the recording signal transmission electrode, and a fixed engagement unit mounted on a carriage which is provided with a recording signal transmission electrode and is main-scanned. In the inkjet cartridge, the fixed engagement portion is disposed on a back surface of the inkjet cartridge mounted on the carriage, a side surface near the front surface facing the back surface, and an area of a side surface near the upper surface in the mounted state. And the rotation center of rotation mounting of the ink jet cartridge with respect to the carriage, and a part on a line between the recording head unit and the signal terminal and connecting the recording head unit and the signal terminal as a positioning unit. An ink jet cartridge characterized by the following. 5. An ink jet recording apparatus having a carriage on which an ink jet cartridge is detachably mounted, wherein the ink jet cartridge has a recording head having an ejection port for ejecting ink, an ink tank for storing the ink, An electrical connection terminal for receiving a signal for recording provided on a side surface substantially intersecting with the side surface on which the recording head unit is provided, and wherein the recording head unit and the electrical connection terminal A positioning portion on a line connecting the recording head portion and the electrical connection terminal, wherein the carriage has a surface facing the recording head portion and a connection to which the electrical connection terminal is connected. A terminal and positioning means having a substantially U-shape provided in correspondence with the positioning portion; By mounting the door cartridge, Y position and the electrical connection terminals of the positioning unit is the X direction of the recording head in conjunction with positioning means of the carriage of the ink jet cartridge
An ink jet recording apparatus, wherein a position in a direction is regulated.