JP3791576B2 - Ink cartridge for ink jet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ink cartridge, and more particularly to an ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus that is used by being mounted on a recording head such as an ink jet printer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, ink is supplied to a recording head such as an ink jet printer by an ink cartridge. This ink cartridge is provided with a seal film at the ink supply port by heat welding or the like, and the seal film is inserted into the suction needle when mounted on the recording head, thereby opening the ink cartridge. The ink chamber is communicated with the ink distribution line. In addition, as such an ink cartridge, multicolor printing is integrally provided with an ink cartridge for monochromatic printing filled with only black ink and a chamber filled with inks of different colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan. Ink cartridges and the like. Usually, two ink cartridges for single color printing and multicolor printing are mounted on the recording head of an ink jet printer.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Recently, it has been considered to replace an ink cartridge with another ink cartridge even if the ink is not used up. In such a case, as described above, the ink cartridge removed from the recording head has a hole formed by opening the sealing film with the reference needle. As a result, if the ink cartridge is left as it is, ink will be discharged from the hole. The ink may be evaporated and the ink may be deteriorated. When the ink changes in quality, it is difficult to perform proper printing, and therefore, there is a problem that the ink cannot be reattached to the recording head.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus that can suppress the deterioration of ink inside even if it is once used and a hole is formed in a seal film of an ink supply port.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that the seal film provided at the ink supply port is inserted into the suction needle and opened when the ink is attached to the recording head. An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus in which an ink chamber communicates with an ink distribution line, and covers the opened ink supply port of the ink cartridge removed from the recording head to isolate the internal ink chamber from the outside A separating member, the separating member being provided on the lower surface of the center side from the ink supply port and biased in the winding direction; and an ink on the opposite side of the winding member across the ink supply port A slide portion that is slidably provided on a side surface portion of the cartridge main body and is slid by being pushed by a corresponding portion on the recording head side when the recording head is mounted; And a sealing band extending between the winding member and the winding member, and the sealing band is conveyed by the slide member when the ink cartridge is mounted on the recording head. Then, the sealing portion is removed from the opening of the ink supply port, and when the ink cartridge is not mounted on the recording head, the sealing band is rewound by the winding force of the winding member, and the sealing portion is It is configured to cover the opening of the ink supply port.
[0006]
According to the present invention, when the ink cartridge is removed after being mounted on the recording head, the ink chamber can be isolated from the outside by covering the ink supply port even if the sealing film is opened by the isolation member. The ink can be prevented from evaporating, and the ink can be prevented from being altered.
[0011]
According to the present invention, since the separating member automatically opens and closes the ink supply port in conjunction with the mounting operation of the ink cartridge on the recording head, when the user mounts the ink cartridge on the recording head for the first time, After that, when removing from the recording head and when remounting, no operation for opening and closing the ink supply port is required, which is convenient.
[0012]
The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is the ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the slide portion is guided in the slide direction by a slit in the slide range, and the front portion of the slide range is An insertion port is formed to be inserted so that the sealing band is not exposed to the outer surface. According to the present invention, since the slide range is guided in the slide direction by the slit, the automatic opening / closing operation of the ink supply port can be realized stably. Further, the front portion of the slide range is formed so that the sealing band is not exposed on the outer surface, so that it is not necessary to diffuse ink stains around and is easy to use.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ink cartridge according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of an ink supply port.
The ink cartridge includes a case 2 formed by molding a synthetic resin material such as polypropylene or polystyrene, and an ink chamber 3 is provided inside the case 2. An ink supply port 4 is provided at the bottom of the case 2, and a seal rubber 5 is fitted into the ink supply port 4. The opening end face of the ink supply port 4 and the outer surface of the seal rubber 5 are covered with a thin seal film 6 that is thermally welded so that the ink inside the ink cartridge does not evaporate before the use of the ink cartridge is started.
[0014]
In the ink cartridge having the above-described configuration, the seal film 6 provided in the ink supply port 4 is inserted into a suction needle (not shown) and opened when the recording film (not shown) is attached. A hole 9 is drilled. By opening the hole 9, the ink chamber 3 is communicated with an ink distribution line (not shown). FIG. 1 shows a state where the hole 9 is provided, and FIG. 2 shows a state before the hole is formed.
[0015]
The ink cartridge 3 is provided with an isolation member 7 that covers the opened ink supply port 4 (having the hole 9) of the ink cartridge removed from the recording head and isolates the ink chamber 3 from the outside. In the present embodiment, the separating member 7 includes a cap 11 that is detachably attached to the ink supply port 4, and the cap 11 is formed before the hole 9 is formed in the seal film 6 as shown in FIG. 2. The ink cartridge main body in this state is detachably held in advance in another part adjacent to the ink supply port 4 of the ink cartridge body. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, in the new ink cartridge, since the ink supply port 4 is still covered with the sealing film 6, the cap 11 is not covered there, and the cap 11 is held in another place. It is formed so that. Here, the holding structure of the cap 11 is configured such that a concave portion 8 is formed at a central portion adjacent to the ink supply port 4 on the lower surface of the ink cartridge main body, and is fitted into the concave portion 8 to be held. .
[0016]
Next, the operation of the ink cartridge according to the above embodiment will be described. According to the present embodiment, when the ink cartridge is removed after being mounted on the recording head, even if the sealing film 6 is opened by the separating member 7 and the hole 9 is open, the ink supply port 4 including the hole 9 is included. Since the ink chamber 3 can be isolated from the outside by covering the ink, the ink can be prevented from evaporating and the ink can be prevented from being deteriorated.
[0017]
In addition, the separating member 7 is a detachable cap 11, and the cap 11 is placed in advance in a part different from the ink supply port 4 of the ink cartridge main body before the hole 9 is opened in the seal film 6. What is detachably held has the following effects. When a new ink cartridge is mounted on the recording head, the cap 11 is held at a site different from the ink supply port 4 and can be mounted as it is without removing the cap 11. Then, when the ink cartridge is subsequently removed from the recording head, the cap 11 can be easily removed from the ink cartridge body and covered with the ink supply port 4. Further, when the ink cartridge is remounted on the recording head, the cap 11 is removed from the ink supply port 4 and held at the original portion, so that the ink cartridge can always be integrated with the ink cartridge. Therefore, there is little possibility that the cap 11 will be lost.
[0018]
In addition, the cap 11 that is fitted and held in the recess 8 formed in the ink cartridge main body can hold the cap 11 without projecting greatly from the outer surface of the ink cartridge main body. It becomes easy to attach to the recording head.
[0019]
(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing another embodiment according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the separating member 7 is provided on the lower surface closer to the center than the ink supply port 4 and is urged in the winding direction, and the winding member 12 with the ink supply port 4 interposed therebetween. A slide portion 14 slidably provided on the side surface portion 13 of the ink cartridge main body on the opposite side, and slid by being pushed by a corresponding portion on the print head side when mounted on the print head, the slide portion 14 and the winding A sealing band 15 is provided between the member 12 and the member 12. The sealing strip 15 is conveyed by the slide member 14 being pushed up by the corresponding portion on the recording head side when the ink cartridge is mounted on the recording head, and the sealing portion 16 is connected to the ink supply port 4. It is formed so as to deviate from the position of the opening, that is, the hole 9. When the ink cartridge is not attached to the recording head, the sealing band 15 is rewound by the winding force of the winding member 12 as shown in FIG. It is comprised so that the part of the hole 9 of the opening | mouth 4 may be covered.
[0020]
According to the present embodiment, the separating member 7 is configured to automatically open and close the ink supply port 4 in conjunction with the mounting operation of the ink cartridge to the recording head. No operation for opening and closing the ink supply port 4 is required at any time of mounting, subsequent removal from the recording head, or remounting. Therefore, it is easy to use.
[0021]
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the slide portion 14 is guided in the slide direction by the slit 17 in the slide range, and the sealing band 15 is placed on the outer surface of the side portion 13 in the front portion of the slide range. An insertion port 18 to be inserted so as not to be exposed is formed. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 19 denotes a string-like portion that continues to the seal portion 16. According to this embodiment, since the slide range is guided in the slide direction by the slit 17, the automatic opening / closing operation of the ink supply port 4 can be realized with good stability. In addition, the front portion of the slide range is formed so that the sealing strip 15 is not exposed to the outer surface, so that it is not necessary to diffuse ink stains around and is easy to use.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when the ink cartridge is removed after being mounted on the recording head, the ink supply port is covered to cover the ink supply port even if the seal film is opened by a separating member such as a cap. Can be isolated from the outside, so that ink can be prevented from evaporating. That is, even if it is once used and a hole is made in the seal film of the ink supply port, it is possible to prevent the internal ink from being altered.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ink cartridge according to the present invention.
2 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of an ink supply port of the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of an ink supply port of an ink cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Case 3 Ink chamber 4 Ink supply port 6 Seal film 7 Separation member 8 Recess 9 Hole 11 Cap 12 Winding member 14 Slide member 15 Sealing strip 16 Sealing portion 17 Slit 18 Insertion port

Claims (2)

An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus in which an internal ink chamber communicates with an ink distribution line by a seal film provided at an ink supply port being inserted and opened by a suction needle when mounted on a recording head Because
An isolation member that covers the opened ink supply port of the ink cartridge removed from the recording head and isolates the internal ink chamber from the outside is provided, and the isolation member is provided on the lower surface on the center side from the ink supply port. A recording head that is slidably provided on a side surface of the main body of the ink cartridge opposite to the winding member across the ink supply port with the winding member biased in the winding direction. A sliding portion that is pushed and slid by a corresponding portion on the side, and a sealing strip that is stretched between the sliding portion and the winding member. The seal member is transported by the slide member when attached to the ink cartridge, and the seal portion is removed from the opening of the ink supply port. In a state where it is not attached to the recording head, the sealing band is rewound by the winding force of the winding member, and the sealing portion covers the opening of the ink supply port. An ink cartridge for an inkjet recording apparatus.   2. The slide portion according to claim 1, wherein the slide range is guided in the slide direction by a slit, and an insertion port is formed in a front portion of the slide range so that the sealing band is not exposed to the outer surface. An ink cartridge for an ink jet recording apparatus characterized by the above.

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