JP3166703U - ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a multi-chamber ink cartridge in which bubbles near an ink supply unit can be easily removed. In an ink cartridge, an air control valve normally keeps a closed state between an ink storage section and the outside atmosphere, and opens when a pressure difference between the ink storage section and the outside atmosphere reaches a set value. Become. The ink cartridge includes an ink guide passage. The ink storage section includes a plurality of ink storage chambers. Then, the ink in the ink storage unit is sequentially sent to the ink supply unit through the plurality of ink storage chambers through the ink guide passage. The exhaust hole communicates with the ink storage chamber that is consumed first during normal printing among the multiple ink storage chambers, and is used to discharge air inside the ink cartridge when filling the ink cartridge with ink. Can be [Selection] Fig. 2b

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink cartridge that can be newly filled with ink in the field of inkjet technology.

  An ink jet printer records characters and figures by ejecting ink from a nozzle of a print head onto a recording medium such as paper based on driving of a print signal. The volume of this ink jet printer has become smaller with the development of ink jet technology. For this reason, the volume of the ink cartridge corresponding to the ink container is reduced, and the user needs to frequently replace the ink cartridge. On the other hand, most used ink cartridges are discarded. The discarded ink cartridge includes parts made of plastic, film, etc., and most of them do not decompose naturally, resulting in waste of resources and environmental pollution. Therefore, the most appropriate measure is to collect the used ink cartridge and refill it with ink to gain secondary utility value.

  In the current ink cartridge regeneration technology, ink is refilled in the ink cartridge using a vacuum. However, the filling method using a vacuum requires a dedicated tool such as a vacuum pump, a dedicated jig, and a dedicated seal part, and has a large volume and high cost. Therefore, the user cannot normally perform a regenerating operation. Therefore, a simple ink filling method is desired. In fact, if the user can refill the ink cartridge by himself, the user can reduce the cost of using the ink cartridge himself.

  Chinese patent CN200510078835. For X, a simple ink filling method has been proposed. In this method, a hole is formed in the wall of the ink cartridge other than the side surface of the valve part such as an ink outlet valve or an inlet valve to form one ink filling hole and one exhaust hole. Ink is filled through the. Therefore, the ink filling operation is simple. The ink cartridge disclosed in this Chinese patent is a single chamber ink cartridge, and only one ink chamber is provided. Therefore, the user can easily determine the arrangement of the ink filling holes and the exhaust holes. However, in the case of a multi-chamber ink cartridge, it is not always easy to determine where the ink filling hole and the exhaust hole are provided, and it must be determined carefully. For example, if the filling holes and the exhaust holes are misplaced, the ink cartridge cannot be filled to the full, and many bubbles are likely to occur near the ink outlet. In addition, when the user uses the filled ink cartridge, bubbles near the ink outlet easily enter the print head, which may adversely affect the performance of the print head. Furthermore, in this filling method, two holes must be opened, which forces the user to perform troublesome work.

Chinese patent CN200510078835. X specification

  The present invention provides an ink cartridge that can be newly filled with ink, and solves the problem that it is difficult to remove bubbles in the vicinity of the supply section in a multi-chamber ink cartridge ink that is newly filled with ink. It is.

  In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention adopts the following configuration.

Specifically, the school plan is an ink cartridge filled with ink,
An ink storage section capable of storing ink; and
An exhaust hole communicating with the ink storage unit;
An atmosphere communication passage and an atmosphere communication hole, and the atmosphere communication hole communicates the ink storage portion with the external atmosphere;
An ink supply unit that communicates with the ink jet recording apparatus and supplies ink;
An air control valve is provided in the atmosphere communication passage;
The air control valve is normally kept in a closed state between the ink storage unit and the external atmosphere, and is opened when a pressure difference between the ink storage unit and the external atmosphere reaches a set value.
The ink cartridge includes an ink guide passage;
The ink storage portion includes a plurality of ink storage chambers,
The ink in the ink storage section is sent to the ink supply section through the plurality of ink storage chambers in order through the ink guide passage,
The exhaust hole communicates with an ink storage chamber that is consumed first in normal printing among the multiple ink storage chambers, and discharges air inside the ink cartridge when the ink cartridge is filled with ink. It is used to do.

  In another aspect of the present invention, the exhaust hole is formed in a wall provided with the ink supply unit.

  In another aspect of the present invention, the exhaust hole is provided on one end side away from the ink supply unit on the wall where the ink supply unit is provided.

  In another aspect of the present invention, the exhaust hole is positioned at the highest portion of the ink storage portion when the ink cartridge is filled with ink.

  In another aspect of the present invention, the exhaust hole is configured to prevent ink from leaking by inserting a sealing rubber plug.

  In another embodiment of the present invention, a self-close seal for sealing the ink supply unit is provided.

In another form of the invention,
The ink storage unit includes a first ink storage chamber, a second ink storage chamber, and a third ink storage chamber,
The ink in the ink storage unit is sent to the ink supply unit through the ink guide passage in order through the first ink storage chamber, the second ink storage chamber, and the third ink storage chamber. .

  In another aspect of the present invention, the exhaust hole communicates with the first ink storage chamber.

  By adopting the above configuration, according to the ink cartridge of the present invention, the ink storage portion has a plurality of ink storage chambers, and the ink in the ink storage portion has a plurality of ink storage chambers in order through the ink guide passage. Then, it is sent to the ink supply unit. The exhaust hole communicates with an ink storage chamber where ink is consumed first when normal printing is performed, and is used to discharge air inside the ink cartridge when the ink cartridge is filled with ink. When the ink is pressure-filled into the ink cartridge through the ink supply unit, the air flows through the ink guide passage in the direction opposite to that during printing. Finally, the ink enters the ink storage chamber where ink is consumed first during normal printing, and is discharged through an exhaust hole connected thereto. Accordingly, bubbles are not accumulated in a plurality of ink storage chambers, and the problem that bubbles in the vicinity of the ink supply unit cannot be removed in the multi-chamber ink cartridge is solved.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of an ink vessel constituting an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a rear view of the ink vessel constituting the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an adapter constituting the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an ink supply unit seal that seals the ink supply unit of the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the exhaust hole of the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention is formed. FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating a state in which ink is filled in the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating a state in which ink is filled in the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6C is a diagram illustrating a state in which ink is filled in the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of an operation of filling ink into the ink cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ink cartridge includes an ink vessel (ink container) 1 and an adapter 2, both of which are made of plastic. The adapter 2 has a space for accommodating the ink vessel 1, and the ink vessel 1 and the adapter 2 are combined together and attached to an inkjet printer support (not shown) in a detachable state.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 a, 2 b and 5, the ink vessel 1 is provided with an ink storage portion 3. The ink storage unit 3 is provided to store ink for consumption for recording an image or the like with an ink jet printer, and the first ink storage chamber 31 and the second ink storage unit 3 correspond to the ink flow sequence when the ink cartridge is used. It is divided into an ink storage chamber 32 and a third ink storage chamber 33. Usually, the ink storage unit 3 is configured by welding a single transparent film to one bottom case (see FIG. 5). Therefore, when the ink is filled, it can be observed whether or not the ink cartridge is filled to the full through the transparent sheet.

  The ink supply unit 4 is used in combination with an ink supply needle (not shown) in the printer, and supplies the ink in the ink storage unit 3 to the ink jet printer. The third ink storage chamber 33 is the ink supply unit 4. And directly connected. The third ink storage chamber 33 is provided with a single filter 7 at a place where the ink supply unit 4 is connected, and is used to filter impurities and small bubbles contained in the ink. Prevents adverse effects on the normal operation of the print. The ink guide passage 5 guides the ink in the ink storage unit 3 to the ink supply unit 4. Therefore, the first ink storage chamber 31, the second ink storage chamber 32, and the third ink storage chamber 33 are communicated in order using the ink guide passage 5. The atmosphere communication passage 6 includes an atmosphere communication hole 61 and an air control valve 62 for communicating the ink storage portion 3 with the external atmosphere. Before using the ink cartridge, the atmosphere communication hole 61 is utilized using a guide film. Is sealed. The concave portion 13 is combined with a positioning column (not shown) installed in the printer to fix the ink vessel 1 to the printer.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the adapter 2 is combined with the resettable chip 10, the handle 21 on which the claw 211 is formed, the through hole 22 combined with the ink supply unit 4, and the recess 13 of the ink vessel 1. A positioning hole 23 is provided. Among them, the chip 10 stores information related to the ink cartridge (for example, ink amount, ink color, ink cartridge type, production date, etc.), and can communicate information with the printer. Further, the claw 211 is combined with a lock portion on the support, and can support and fix the ink cartridge.

  In this embodiment, the ink supply unit 4 is sealed using one self-close seal 8. As shown in FIG. 4, the self-close seal 8 is provided with a two-round flange 81 on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder in order to seal the ink supply unit 4. As can be seen from the figure, the seal 8 is provided with two end faces 82 and 83, one end face 82 is a sealing plane, and a small hole 84 is provided at the center of the other end face 83. The diameter is the same as or smaller than the diameter of the ink supply needle (not shown) (the diameter of the small hole 84 ≦ the diameter of the printer ink supply needle). By doing so, the periphery of the ink supply needle is sealed while the printer ink supply needle is inserted into the small hole 84. An empty chamber 85 is provided at the center of the seal 8. The diameter of the empty chamber 85 is larger than the diameter of the ink supply needle. When the ink cartridge is attached to the printer, the ink supply needle of the printer may pass through the end surface 82, pass through the empty chamber 85, pass through the small hole 84 in the center of the end surface 83, and absorb the ink in the ink storage unit 3. it can. The seal 8 is preferably made of an elastic material such as rubber or silica gel. In the case of having such a good elasticity, when the ink cartridge is removed from the printer, the seal 8 is automatically sealed at a portion where the ink supply needle of the end surface 82 penetrates, and ink leaks from the ink supply unit 4. To prevent.

  The air control valve 62 provided in the atmosphere communication passage 6 includes a valve chamber 621, a valve film 622, and a valve cover 623, as can be seen from FIG. The valve cover 623 is provided with an air vent hole 6231 communicating with the air communication hole 62 at the edge thereof. The valve film 622 has a flanged small hole 6221 at its center. The valve chamber 621 is provided with a convex base 6211 for ensuring that the deformed valve film 622 returns to the original state, and a hole 6212 communicating with the first ink storage chamber 31. In the unused ink cartridge before being mounted on the ink jet printer, the air control valve 62 is in a closed state, the small hole 6221 at the center of the valve film 622 contacts the valve cover 623, and the ventilation hole 6231 is also sealed with the seal film. I am letting. Then, when the ink cartridge is mounted on the ink jet printer, it is torn by the air guide film in the air communication hole 61. Thereby, the atmosphere communication hole 61 is connected to the external atmosphere, and the air enters the air control valve 62. When ink in the vicinity of the ink supply unit 4 is consumed, a certain pressure difference is generated between the ink storage chamber 3 and the external atmosphere. This pressure difference gradually increases with ink consumption. When the pressure difference reaches the set value, the air control valve 62 is opened. That is, the small hole 6221 at the center of the valve film 622 is separated from the valve cover 623, and air enters the ink storage chamber 3 through the hole 6221 and the hole 6212 in the valve chamber 621. In addition, this air enters the first ink storage chamber 31 to replenish the ink supply unit 4 with ink. This operation is repeated until the ink in the ink vessel is exhausted. Further, by adopting the air control valve 62, the amount of air entering the ink containing portion can be controlled to a constant value every time. As a result, the ink can be supplied to the print head stably and substantially continuously.

  In order to simplify the ink cartridge regeneration (ink filling) process, in the ink filling method employed in this embodiment, ink is pressure-filled from the ink supply unit 4, and the air inside the ink cartridge is discharged by the pressure at that time. Discharge automatically. Therefore, in the ink cartridge of the embodiment, one exhaust hole is formed in the ink vessel 1, and air is discharged from the ink storage portion 3 through the exhaust hole.

  More specifically, the mass of air is smaller than the mass of ink. Therefore, air moves to the top of the ink cartridge during ink filling. Therefore, in order to discharge the air in the ink storage unit 3 as much as possible, it is preferable that the exhaust hole 9 is positioned at the highest part of the ink storage unit 3 when filling with ink. Further, in order to fill each ink storage chamber with ink, the exhaust hole 9 is provided at the downstream end of the ink flow at the time of ink filling, that is, the ink is consumed first in normal printing. It is preferable to communicate with the ink storage chamber. In addition, when ink is filled from the ink supply unit 4, the order in which the ink is filled into the ink storage chamber is opposite to the order in which the ink in the ink storage chamber is consumed when the ink cartridge is used. The three ink storage chambers 33 are filled to the full, and then the second ink storage chamber 32 and the first ink storage chamber 31 are filled to the full. Therefore, the exhaust hole 9 should be provided in the first ink storage 31 chamber. Specifically, in order not to impair the performance of the air control valve 62, the exhaust hole 9 should be installed in a region other than the air control valve 62 in the first ink storage chamber 31. More preferably, the exhaust hole 9 should be formed in the wall 311 of the ink supply unit 4. Further, in order to ensure that the ink cartridge is filled with ink, the exhaust hole 9 should preferably be installed in a part of the wall 311 away from the ink supply unit 4, and the preferred position is It is shown in FIG. 6a. As a result, when the ink is filled, the ink vessel 1 can guarantee that the exhaust hole 9 is at the highest part of the ink storage part 3 by simply leaving the ink supply part 4 in an upward posture, and is in the ink cartridge. Ensure that air is discharged as much as possible and does not impair the performance of the ink cartridge.

  Hereinafter, a process of filling the ink cartridge with ink will be described with reference to FIGS.

(1) Ink vessel 1 is left in an attitude where ink supply unit 4 faces upward, and a hole is made using, for example, a drill to make a hole in wall 311 of ink supply unit 4 to bring first storage chamber 31 into the atmosphere. An exhaust hole 9 is formed (see FIG. 5).

(2) Hold the posture of the ink vessel 1, absorb an appropriate amount of ink using the syringe 11 or other ink filling tool, and fill the ink storage unit 3 with ink through the ink supply unit 4. The flow of air in the ink storage chamber when filling with ink is shown in FIGS.

(3) After observing the ink cartridge and confirming that the ink is filled in the third ink storage chamber 33, the second ink storage chamber 32 and the first ink storage chamber 31 in order, the prepared rubber plug is It is inserted into the exhaust hole 9 to prevent ink from leaking from the inside.

  The recovery method described above includes selectable steps. One of them is to reset information stored in the chip 10. For example, when a part of the chip 10 provided in the adapter 2 is automatically reset and another part needs to be reset by a dedicated reset device, each chip 10 is reset by the dedicated reset device. In the case of a chip that is automatically reset, for example, after the user installs the recovered ink vessel in the printer, the user may operate according to the procedure displayed on the printer. In the case of a manual reset chip, information in the chip 10 is reset by a dedicated chip reset device after the sealing process.

  As described above, the above-described collection method can effectively remove bubbles in the vicinity of the ink supply portion of the multi-chamber ink cartridge with respect to an ink cartridge that can be newly filled with ink. In addition, according to the above-described ink cartridge, the reproduction process is simple, the quality of the ink cartridge is not impaired, good print quality can be guaranteed, resources can be used repeatedly, environmental pollution is reduced, and the user can use it sufficiently. Cost can be reduced.

  Of course, the ink cartridge can include four or more ink reservoirs. Further, the ink in the ink storage portion is sent to the ink supply portion through the ink guide passage in order through a plurality of ink storage chambers. Further, the exhaust hole may be communicated with an ink storage chamber where ink is consumed first when performing normal printing. Furthermore, when the ink cartridge is filled with ink, it is only necessary to discharge the air inside the ink cartridge.

1: ink vessel, 2: adapter, 21: handle, 211: claw, 22: through hole, 23: positioning hole, 3: ink storage unit, 31: first ink storage chamber, 311: wall, 32: second ink Storage chamber, 33: third ink storage chamber, 4: ink supply section, 5: ink guide passage, 6: atmospheric communication passage, 61: atmospheric communication hole, 62: air control valve, 621: valve chamber, 6211: convex base 6212: hole, 622: valve film, 6221: round hole, 623: valve cover, 6231: vent hole, 7: filter, 8: self-closed seal, 81: flange, 82: end face (sealing plane), 83: end face 84: small hole, 85: empty chamber, 9: exhaust hole, 10: tip, 11: syringe

Claims (8)

An ink cartridge filled with ink,
An ink storage section capable of storing ink; and
An exhaust hole communicating with the ink storage portion;
An atmosphere communication passage and an atmosphere communication hole, and the atmosphere communication hole communicates the ink storage portion with the external atmosphere;
An ink supply unit that communicates with the ink jet recording apparatus and supplies ink;
An air control valve is provided in the atmosphere communication passage;
The air control valve is normally kept in a closed state between the ink storage unit and the external atmosphere, and is opened when a pressure difference between the ink storage unit and the external atmosphere reaches a set value.
The ink cartridge includes an ink guide passage;
The ink storage portion includes a plurality of ink storage chambers,
The ink in the ink storage section is sent to the ink supply section through the plurality of ink storage chambers in order through the ink guide passage,
The exhaust hole communicates with an ink storage chamber that is consumed first in normal printing among the multiple ink storage chambers, and discharges air inside the ink cartridge when filling the ink cartridge with ink. An ink cartridge characterized by being used for   2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust hole is formed in a wall provided with the ink supply unit.   3. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust hole is provided on one end side away from the ink supply unit on a wall provided with the ink supply unit.   The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the exhaust hole is positioned at a highest portion of the ink storage portion when the ink cartridge is filled with ink.   The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the exhaust hole prevents the ink from leaking when a sealing rubber plug is inserted.   6. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a self-closing seal that seals the ink supply unit. The ink storage unit includes a first ink storage chamber, a second ink storage chamber, and a third ink storage chamber,
The ink in the ink storage unit is sent to the ink supply unit through the ink guide passage in order through the first ink storage chamber, the second ink storage chamber, and the third ink storage chamber. The ink cartridge according to claim 1.   The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust hole communicates with the first ink storage chamber.

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