JP3116983B2 - Ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus for writing a recorded image such as a character on a recording medium by ejecting ink droplets from a nozzle. Related to an ink jet recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ink jet recording apparatus that discharges ink droplets from nozzles to perform recording and writing on a recording medium according to recording information is roughly divided into two types: an ink tank that is placed in a proper position in an apparatus main body; Some are mounted on a carriage.

[0003] Among them, the type in which the ink tank is mounted on the carriage has an advantage that the long ink supply pipe does not have to be routed, but on the other hand, the type in which the ink tank is mounted on the carriage. In a limited space.

An ink jet recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-141443 is capable of supplying ink without any trouble even if a positional shift occurs between an ink tank mounted on a carriage and a head unit supported by the carriage. In order to be able to connect the two, they are connected by a flexible pipe, but in such a structure, both ends of the pipe must be connected to them in a narrow space. It has difficulty in attaching.

On the other hand, the present applicant has disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-166342.
The apparatus proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-163873 is provided with a large-diameter communication hole at the lower end of an ink tank, and a hollow needle communicating with the head is inserted from below into a blind plug closing the mouth end. Has the advantage that the ink tank and the head unit can be easily connected irrespective of the positional displacement, but on the other hand, when the ink tank is attached and detached roughly. Has room for further improvement in that it adversely affects the head unit located thereunder.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a problem.
Regardless of the displacement between the ink tank and the head unit, both can be easily and reliably connected,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new ink jet recording apparatus which does not directly affect the effect of attaching and detaching the ink tank to the head unit.

[0007]

That SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is written
That issues as an ink jet recording apparatus for solving, attached to a portion of the carriage, and the ink tank and the direction from a end that passes with the head unit and the surface opposed to
Only a coupling member having an ink passage extending, the connecting member is engaged binding to, and a head unit including an ink passage having one end surface opposite the opening on the face end of the coupling member communicates with the recording head , One end of the ink passage end on the recording head side
, And detaches from the opening of the connecting member formed at the other end.
And a resilient joint member formed by pressing a large-diameter annular projection to the surface of the connecting member .

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention in a state where an ink tank is mounted, FIG. 2 is an exploded view, and FIG. 3 is a full view thereof.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a carriage which is guided by a guide rod 2 and reciprocates along a platen (not shown). The carriage 1 is provided with an ink tank holder 4 for holding an ink tank 40 on its upper surface. Further, a lever 3 that engages with and supports the engaged portion of the ink tank 40 is rotatably supported by the holder 4.

In the drawing, reference numeral 10 denotes an ink tank 4
0 and a connecting member interposed between the head unit 20 and
This connecting member 10 does not apply a downward force generated when the ink tank 40 is mounted to the head unit,
In addition, a function is provided for securely coupling the two while absorbing the positional deviation between them.

The connecting member 10 has a substantially U-shaped planar shape, and a cylindrical portion for receiving the communication pipe 41 of the ink tank 40 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the main body 11 connecting the left and right legs 12, 12. 13 is formed integrally with the inner surface 11a of the main body 11, and a horizontally oriented ink through hole 14 is provided at the center of the cylindrical portion 13 so as to coincide with the through hole 14. In the center of the ink tank 40
The hollow needle 15 to be inserted into the communication hole 42 is provided to project upward.

The connecting member 10 is fixed to the lower surface of the carriage 1 so that the cylindrical portion 13 is fitted into the opening 5 provided near the guide rod 2 of the carriage 1, and in this state, the left and right legs 12, It is configured such that the head unit 20 can be attached between the two.

That is, the left and right legs 1 of the connecting member 10
The dowels 2 and 12 have a positioning dowel 1 at an inner middle portion thereof.
The holes 23, 23 formed in the left and right overhanging portions 22, 22 of the head base 21 are fitted into these positioning dowels 16, 16 and both of them are screwed with screws 17, 17. It is configured to be attached integrally.

One end of an ink supply pipe 25 communicating with the head 24 faces the head base 21 at a position corresponding to the ink through hole 14 of the connecting member 10. Ink through hole 1
4 is configured to be connected via an elastic joint 30 described later.

[0015] Before the elastic joint 30 that describes the opposite of the connecting member 10 so as to bind one end of the ink supply pipe 25
The body 11 of the connecting member 10 is attached to the surface 11a.
As shown in FIG. 4, an annular ridge 33 having a diameter much larger than the diameter of the ink through-hole 14 is formed on the front surface 32 abutting on the inner surface.
12, the elastic joint 30 is pressed against the opposing surface 11a of the connecting member 10, and the peripheral surface of the ink through-hole 14 is sealed by the annular ridge 33, so that the positional displacement between the two is made. Even if it occurs, it is configured such that the ink passage 14 and the ink supply pipe 25 are reliably communicated without causing the ink to leak outside.

In the drawing, reference numeral 27 denotes a piezoelectric element for pressing the elastic plate of the head 24 so as to discharge ink droplets, 28 denotes a circuit board fixed on the upper surface of the head base 21, and 43 denotes an ink board. A stopcock sealing the end of the communication hole 42 of the tank 40 and a porous material 44 in the ink tank 40 are shown.

In the embodiment thus constructed, the head base 21 is horizontally inserted between the left and right legs 12, 12 of the connecting member 10 fixed to the carriage 1 so that the positioning dowels 16, 16 are provided. It is positioned as a reference and is fixed by screws 17.

As a result, the elastic joint 30 connected to one end of the ink supply pipe 25 and located on the opposing surface 26 of the head base 21 is pressed against the inner side surface 11a of the connecting member 10 and extends in the horizontal direction. The periphery of the ink through hole 14 is sealed by the annular ridge 33.

For this reason, the head unit 20 is connected to the connecting member 10 with the head difference H between the head 24 and the ink through hole 14 as small as possible. Numeral 25 reliably communicates irrespective of the positional deviation occurring between the members.

When the connecting member 10 is fixed to the carriage 1 in this state, the cylindrical portion 13 formed at the upper center of the main body 11 is opened on the upper surface of the carriage 1 through the opening 5 of the tank holder 4. When a new ink tank 40 is pushed onto the carriage 1 so as to match the positioning frame 3, the communication pipe 41 exerts no load on the head unit 20 horizontally connected to the connecting member 10. The hollow needle 15 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 13 without being
Penetrates the stopper 43 at the end of the communication hole 42 irrespective of a slight positional deviation, thereby achieving communication between the ink tank 40 and the head unit 20.

In the embodiment described above, the elastic joint 30
An annular ridge 33 provided on the front surface 32 of the elastic member 30 seals the periphery of the ink through hole 14 on the connecting member 10 side. The ridge 33 may be configured to be pressed against the facing surface 26 of the head base 21 to seal the periphery of the ink supply pipe 25.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, one end
Was connected to the ink passage on the recording head side and formed at the other end.
Connects an annular projection with a diameter much larger than the opening of the connecting member
Combine with the head unit by pressing against the surface of the member.
Each ink passage provided in the binding member is connected by an elastic joint member
When installing or removing the ink tank.
Even if an impact force acts on the member of
That it can be absorbed by the elastic deformation of the
In addition, some deviation between the head unit and the connecting member
Even if it occurs, the annular projection provided on the elastic joint member
By securely enclosing, it is possible to prevent ink leakage .

In addition, the ink passage provided in the connecting member is almost
The horizontal orientation has an effect on the ejection of ink drops.
With the head difference affecting the sound as small as possible.
The ink tank and the recording head can be combined .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an ink jet recording apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the entire configuration of the above device.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of an elastic joint.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Carriage 10 Connecting member 13 Cylindrical part 14 Ink hole 15 Hollow needle 16 Positioning dowel 20 Head unit 21 Head base 25 Ink supply pipe 30 Elastic joint 33 Annular ridge

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A attached to a part of the carriage, and the head unit and the counter from a end that passed through the ink tank and communicating
A coupling member having an ink passage extending toward the plane, engaged binding to the connecting member, and one end opened to the surface <br/> the opposing surfaces of the connecting member, communicating with the other end the recording head A head unit having an ink passage, and one end coupled to the ink passage end on the recording head side,
A diameter much larger than the opening of the connecting member formed in
An elastic joint member formed by pressing an annular projection on the surface of the connecting member, become more ink-jet recording apparatus. 2. An ink passage provided in the connecting member,
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the orientation is substantially horizontal.
Ink jet recording device.