JP3193041U - Ink cartridge and wiring member - Google Patents

Abstract

To directly project light from a light emitting unit as a light source without increasing the amount of light of the light emitting unit itself, facing a position close to a light receiving unit provided in a printer and facing a directly facing position. As a result, it is possible to provide an ink cartridge and a wiring member that do not cause defective detection or erroneous detection of the printer and that do not require an auxiliary mechanism such as a light guide member or an optical path member.
An ink cartridge comprising: an infrared transmitter that transmits infrared; a latch that engages a carriage of a printer that includes a light receiver and a terminal; and an electrode that contacts the terminal of the printer. In addition, the infrared transmitter 13 is provided in a latch unit that is opposed to the light receiving unit of the printer in a directly facing position.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

The ink cartridge and the wiring member of the present invention are an ink cartridge used in a printing apparatus such as an ink jet printer, and the printer can accurately recognize and detect the mounting state without erroneously recognizing and detecting the mounting state of the ink cartridge. The present invention relates to an ink cartridge and a wiring member.

In recent years, ink cartridges employing light such as visible light have been put into practical use as detection means that can accurately detect the state of the ink cartridge. As this light detection means, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a visible light LED (Light Emitting Diode) light emitting unit is provided in each ink cartridge, and an opening is provided in a carriage provided in the printer. Projecting visible light to the light receiving unit.

Furthermore, in paragraph [0047] of Patent Document 1, “FIGS. 12A and 12B show a configuration example for that purpose, and guides the light emitted from the first light emitting unit 101 toward a required position. A light guide member 154 such as an optical fiber is disposed, that is, the light guide member 154 causes the first light receiving unit 210 (FIG. 12A) and the user's eyes (FIG. 12B). , It is possible to transmit predetermined information related to the ink tank 1, and the light from the light emitting unit is directed to the light receiving unit by using a light guide member such as an optical fiber. It is disclosed that it is projecting.

In Patent Document 2, an LED light emitting unit similar to that in Patent Document 1 is provided, and instead of the opening of Patent Document 1, a core and a clad are guided to a light receiving unit provided in the printer before the visible light diffuses. A technique for configuring the formed optical path is disclosed. Patent Document 2 states that, for example, when the remaining amount of ink is reduced, and when the light emitter is turned on upon detection thereof, the light passes through an optical path provided in the ink cartridge and is an operation unit that is a constituent member of the ink cartridge. It is possible to emit light at the end of the displacement member such as, etc. When the light emitter is turned on by a specific optical path member, the light passes through the optical path provided in the ink cartridge, and the configuration of the ink cartridge It is guided to an end of a displacement member such as an operation portion that is a member, and that portion can emit light.

On the other hand, Patent Document 3 discloses an ink cartridge including a transmitting element that emits infrared light having a wavelength longer than that of visible light, as an alternative to the visible light notification unit disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 described above. Has been.

Patent Registration No. 3793216 JP 2007-112150 A Utility Model Registration No. 3163016

However, as described above, in an ink cartridge that employs visible light or infrared light emitting unit using LED light emission, there is a distance between the light receiving unit and the light emitting unit when light is projected toward the light receiving unit provided in the printer. For this reason, when the light amount of the light emitting unit is small, light cannot be reliably projected to the light receiving unit depending on the distance, and as a result, detection failure occurs on the printer side. In addition, in order to reliably project light to the light receiving unit and detect it on the printer side, when the light amount of the light emitting unit is increased, when other ink cartridges other than the detection target emit light, Light is accidentally projected onto the light receiving unit due to scattering, reflection, or the like, and erroneous detection is performed on the printer side. Furthermore, when the printer is operating, vibrations that occur with the movement of the carriage cause light diffusion, scattering, reflection, etc., causing light to be accidentally projected onto the light receiving unit, resulting in false detection on the printer side. Will also occur. As a result, it is impossible for the printer to recognize whether the ink cartridge is correctly installed.

Furthermore, the conventional method of further providing an auxiliary mechanism for light guiding such as a light guiding member such as an optical fiber and an optical path member is not only complicated and expensive as a whole, but also receives light from the light transmittance due to the material of these members. Since it also affects the light receiving unit recognition threshold for determining non-light reception, the design of the printer itself must be made expensive. Further, when such a light guide member or optical path member is applied to a light emitting element that emits a specific wavelength such as infrared light, light is transmitted through the light guide member or optical path member, thereby receiving light. Cannot project light on the part.

The purpose of the present invention is to directly project the light from the light emitting unit as a light source without increasing the light amount of the light emitting unit itself, facing the light receiving unit provided in the printer and facing the facing position. Therefore, it is possible to provide a novel ink cartridge and wiring member that do not cause defective detection or erroneous detection of the printer and that do not require an auxiliary mechanism such as a light guide member or an optical path member.

The present inventor completed the present invention as a result of newly discovering the above problems and intensively studying them. That is, the present invention reliably projects light to a light receiving unit without causing a detection failure or a false detection in an ink cartridge having an infrared transmitting unit for transmitting infrared light to the light receiving unit provided in the printer. By doing so, these problems were solved. The ink cartridge and wiring member of the present invention are as follows.
(1) An ink cartridge comprising an infrared ray transmitting portion for transmitting infrared rays, a latch portion for engaging with a carriage of a printer having a light receiving portion and a terminal, and an electrode portion in contact with the terminal of the printer. The ink cartridge is characterized in that the infrared ray transmitting portion is provided in the latch portion at a position facing a directly facing position with respect to the light receiving portion of the printer.
(2) In the above (1), the latch portion includes an opening that faces the light receiving portion in a position facing the light receiving portion and is close to the infrared light emitting portion. The ink cartridge described.
(3) The ink cartridge according to any one of (1) to (2), wherein the latch portion is formed with a color scheme that prevents diffusion, scattering, and reflection of light.
(4) The ink cartridge as described in any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the infrared ray transmitting portion is formed integrally with the electrode portion via a flexible wiring member.
(5) An infrared ray transmitting portion is arranged at a latch portion that is opposed to the light receiving portion provided in the printer and that is in a position close to the light receiving portion, and an electrode portion and the infrared ray transmitting portion. A wiring member, wherein the portion is formed integrally with a flexible wiring.

According to the present invention (1), since the infrared transmitter is provided in the latch portion at a position facing the directly-facing position with respect to the light receiving portion of the printer, without causing a detection failure or erroneous detection, and It is possible to provide an ink cartridge provided with a new means by which the printer can accurately detect the mounting state of the ink cartridge without providing an auxiliary mechanism for guiding light.

According to the present invention (2), the latch unit is provided with an opening that is opposed to the light-receiving unit in a position facing the light-receiving unit and is close to the light-receiving unit. It is possible to provide an ink cartridge provided with a new means by which the printer can accurately detect the mounting state of the ink cartridge without causing defects or erroneous detection and without providing an auxiliary mechanism for guiding light.

According to the present invention (3), the latch portion is formed with a color scheme that absorbs and prevents diffusion, scattering, and reflection of light, thereby causing no detection failure and erroneous detection, and It is possible to provide an ink cartridge provided with a new means by which the printer can accurately detect the mounting state of the ink cartridge without providing an auxiliary mechanism for guiding light. For example, it is more effective to apply a color scheme such as black to the latch portion so as to absorb the diffusion, scattering, and reflection of light to the latch portion.

According to the present invention (4), the infrared ray transmitting part is integrally formed with the electrode part via a flexible wiring member, so that it does not cause a detection failure or a false detection and is used for light guiding. Thus, it is possible to provide an ink cartridge provided with a novel means that allows the printer to accurately detect the mounting state of the ink cartridge without providing the auxiliary mechanism.

According to the present invention (5), the infrared transmitter is arranged in the latch part at a position facing the light receiving part provided in the printer and facing the light receiving part and close to the light receiving part. By using a wiring member characterized in that the part and the infrared ray transmitting part are integrally formed via a flexible wiring, there is no detection failure and no false detection, and there is no need for light guiding assistance. It is possible to provide a wiring member provided with a novel means by which the printer can accurately detect the mounting state of the ink cartridge without providing a special mechanism.

It is the schematic diagram which showed the side surface 3e side of the ink cartridge 1 of this invention. It is the schematic diagram which showed the front 3c side of the ink cartridge 1 of this invention. It is the schematic diagram which showed the wiring member of this invention. It is the schematic diagram which expanded and showed the side surface 3e side of the ink cartridge 1 of this invention. It is the schematic diagram which showed the conventional ink cartridge.

One embodiment of an ink cartridge provided with an infrared transmission portion of the present invention in a latch portion facing a light-receiving portion of a printer in a directly-facing position will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is limited to this case. Instead, it can be selected as appropriate.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink cartridge 1 of the present embodiment is a generally box-shaped container including an upper surface 3a, a bottom surface 3b, a front surface 3c, a rear surface 3d, and a pair of side surfaces 3e and 3f connecting them. Ink is stored inside the container. The ink cartridge 1 is mounted on a carriage (not shown, the same applies hereinafter) of a printer. For example, inks having substantially the same shape in each color such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (BK) are used. The cartridge 1 is accommodated in this carriage.

An air hole for introducing air and an air hole rubber plug 2 for sealing the air hole are formed on the upper surface 3 a of the ink cartridge 1.

Next, an ink supply port 4 for supplying ink to the printer is configured on the bottom surface 3 b of the ink cartridge 1, and a sealing material 5 is loaded at the tip of the ink supply port 4. The ridge region connecting the bottom surface 3b and the front surface 3c is configured as an inclined surface 3g in the present embodiment, and the inclined surface 3g is provided with a plurality of electrodes connected to a connector provided on the carriage of the printer. An electrode portion 6 is configured.

The printer carriage includes a plurality of ink cartridges 1 such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (BK) so as to include the above-described configurations. A connector is connected to each electrode of the cartridge. Further, as disclosed in the configuration of a printer (not shown) described in Patent Document 1, these are electrically connected by bus.

Next, on the front surface 3c of the ink cartridge 1, there is a locking member 7 having a resiliently recoverable rigidity for locking and fixing the ink cartridge 1 to the carriage of the printer. It is supported by the support portion 9 so as to have an opening 8 from above 3 g, and is configured to protrude upward from the ink cartridge 1.

Here, the locking member 7 is made of a black resinous member, a latch claw 10 is provided on the front side of the locking member 7, and an operation portion 11 is provided above the locking member 7. It is configured to be locked and fixed to the carriage of the printer. Note that the locking member 7 can be appropriately selected in configurations other than the present embodiment as long as it can be engaged with the configuration on the carriage side.

Further, the operation unit 11 is provided with an opening 12, and an infrared transmission unit 13 described later is arranged in the opening 12 from the back surface of the operation unit 11.

The infrared transmission unit 13 transmits and receives the state of the ink cartridge to the light receiving unit 14 provided in the printer by infrared rays, and is configured to transmit using an LED as a light emitting element. More specifically, when transmitting that the ink cartridge is in a state of prompting the correct mounting when the ink cartridge is erroneously mounted, the infrared transmitter 13 is lit or blinks by infrared rays to the light receiving unit 14. Configured to make outgoing calls. Then, the light receiving unit 14 receives the infrared ray, and collates the signal with an internal process of the printer, thereby determining what mounting state the ink cartridge is in, and performing control based on it. ing.

Next, the wiring member 15 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to the drawings. The substrate of the wiring member 15 is composed of a flexible member, and is composed of the electrode unit 6, the information storage unit 16, and the infrared transmission unit 13, and the wiring unit 17 connects the electrode unit 6 and the information storage unit 16. In addition, the information storage unit 16 and the infrared transmission unit 13 are appropriately wired by the wiring unit 18.

The wiring member 15 has a substantially rectangular shape, and is configured such that the electrode portion 6 and the infrared ray transmitting portion 13 are disposed in the vicinity of both ends of the short side. The information storage unit 16 is arranged between the electrode unit 6 and the infrared transmission unit 13, but can be appropriately selected in configurations other than the present embodiment.

The information storage unit 16 stores information such as ink cartridge color information and ink remaining amount information.

The electrode section 6 has an electrode so as to be in contact with each terminal (data terminal, clock terminal, power supply terminal, ground terminal, etc.) of the connector provided on the carriage of the printer, and between the printer and the ink tank. It is comprised so that the exchange of the signal may be performed.

Here, a configuration when the wiring member 15 is attached to the ink cartridge 1 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the electrode portion 6 of the wiring member 15 is disposed on the inclined surface 3 g of the ink cartridge 1. Then, the wiring portion 17 is passed through the opening 8 provided above the inclined surface 3g so as to pass through the back side of the locking member 7, and the information storage portion 16 is arranged on the front surface 3c of the ink cartridge 1. .

Next, the infrared transmission unit 13 connected from the information storage unit 16 by the wiring unit 18 is connected to the upper part of the locking member 7 from the front surface 3c of the ink cartridge 1, in this embodiment, the wiring unit 18 on the back side of the operation unit 11. Place it in a suspended state. At the time of the arrangement, the infrared transmitter 13 is configured to be positioned in the opening 12.

In this way, by configuring the wiring member 15 in the ink cartridge 1, the electrode portion 6 is placed on the inclined surface 3 g of the ink cartridge 1, the information storage portion 16 is placed on the front surface 3 c of the ink cartridge 1, and the infrared transmitter 13 is placed on the ink cartridge 1. They can be arranged and configured in the operation unit 11 of the cartridge 1.

Next, the positional relationship between the light emitting unit (infrared transmitting unit 13) provided on the ink cartridge side and the light receiving unit (light receiving unit 14) provided on the printer side in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 5 shows an ink cartridge having a conventional light emitting unit. As shown in the drawing, the light emitting unit 101 is disposed on the back surface of the electrode unit 100, and the light emitted from the light emitting unit 101 is guided by an optical fiber or the like. It arrange | positions so that it may guide toward the predetermined position (here light-receiving part 210) with the property member 154, and is comprised.

However, the configuration in which light from the light emitting unit is projected to the light receiving unit through such a conventional light guiding member is, for example, the light transmittance due to the material of the light guiding member, the light guiding member Depending on the structure or the wavelength of light projected on the light receiving unit, the incident angle of light, etc., there is a problem that light cannot be detected properly on the light receiving unit side.

Furthermore, when a filter that cuts a specific wavelength is provided in the light receiving part on the printer side, which is seen in recent printers, it is very difficult to make the light receiving part detect light through the light guide member. ing.

Therefore, in the present embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the infrared transmitter 13 is configured at the position closest to the light receiver on the printer side (the operation unit 11 in this embodiment), so that the light receiver 14 on the printer side is configured. Therefore, the light from the light emitting part (infrared light emitting part 13), which is a light source, is directly projected to the light receiving part 14 without using a light guide member or the like. Can shine. Therefore, for example, even if the light receiving unit 14 is provided with a filter that cuts a specific wavelength, the light receiving unit 14 can be surely projected and detected.

In the present embodiment, the locking member 7 is made of a resinous member molded in a black color scheme. By forming the locking member 7 in a black color scheme, the light from the infrared transmitter 13 can be absorbed in the locking member 7 so as not to be diffused, scattered or reflected. However, it is also possible to mold the locking member 7 with a color scheme other than black so as not to diffuse, scatter or reflect.

Moreover, you may comprise the opening 12 of the operation part 11 which arrange | positions the infrared rays transmission part 13 by a notch.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the infrared transmitter 13 is configured to be disposed on the operation unit 11. However, the infrared transmitter 13 may be disposed close to the light receiving unit 14 on the printer side and opposed at the directly facing position. The arrangement of the infrared transmitter 13 can be selected as appropriate.

  1 to 4 can be variously combined and can be included in the configuration of the present invention without being limited to the above-described embodiments.

The ink cartridge according to the present invention relates to an ink cartridge provided in a printing apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an ink cartridge such as a toner cartridge, an ink jet cartridge, and an ink cartridge with a head that is mounted on a printer such as a printer, a facsimile machine, a copier, or a multifunction machine. The wiring member of the present invention relates to the wiring member arranged in the above-described ink cartridge.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink cartridge 2 Air hole rubber plug 3a Top surface 3b Bottom surface 3c Front surface 3d Rear surface 3e Side surface 3f Side surface 3g Inclined surface 4 Ink supply port 5 Sealing material 6 Electrode part 7 Locking (latch) member 8 Opening 9 Support part 10 Latch claw 11 Operation Unit 12 opening 13 infrared transmission unit 14 light receiving unit 15 wiring member 16 information storage unit 17 wiring unit 18 wiring unit 100 electrode unit 101 light emitting unit 154 light guide member 210 light receiving unit

Claims (5)

An ink cartridge comprising: an infrared transmitter that transmits infrared rays; a latch unit that engages a carriage of a printer that includes a light receiver and a terminal; and an electrode unit that contacts the terminal of the printer, An ink cartridge, comprising: an infrared ray transmitting portion provided in the latch portion at a position facing a directly facing position with respect to the light receiving portion of the printer.   2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the latch portion includes an opening in which the infrared light transmitting portion is mounted at a position facing the light receiving portion and facing the light receiving portion.   3. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the latch portion is formed with a color scheme that prevents diffusion, scattering, and reflection of light.   The ink cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the infrared ray transmitting portion is formed integrally with the electrode portion via a flexible wiring member. An infrared ray transmitting portion is arranged in a latch portion that is opposed to the light receiving portion provided in the printer and that is in a position close to the light receiving portion, and the electrode portion and the infrared ray emitting portion are provided. A wiring member characterized by being integrally formed through flexible wiring.