JP3799967B2 - Ink cartridge and ink supply port sealing member provided therein - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ink cartridge that can be attached to and detached from an inkjet printer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A print head of an ink jet printer (hereinafter referred to as a printer) is connected to an ink cartridge via an ink supply channel, and is configured to receive ink supply from the ink cartridge. Specifically, the print head is provided with a hollow needle that communicates with the ink supply flow path, and the ink cartridge is provided with an ink supply port for supplying ink to the print head through the hollow needle. ing. The ink supply port is sealed with a thin film to prevent the ink in the ink cartridge from drying out or leaking out.
[0003]
Under this configuration, when the ink cartridge is completely attached to the print head, the hollow needle breaks the film and is inserted into the ink supply port, and the ink in the ink cartridge is supplied to the print head via the hollow needle. It has become so.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
While using the printer, when reusing an ink cartridge that uses the currently installed ink cartridge with another printer, or when replacing an empty ink cartridge with an unused ink cartridge, The currently installed ink cartridge must be removed. The removed ink cartridge is temporarily placed on a desk or the like, or carried to another printer for reuse of the ink cartridge. Or, if the removed ink cartridge is empty, take it to a used ink cartridge collection box installed in a specific store and drop it into the collection box for recycling. Or
[0005]
However, the film of the ink cartridge removed from the printer is broken by a hollow needle. Therefore, when you place it on a desk or carry it to another printer or the above collection box, the remaining ink leaks from the ink supply port through the place where the film is torn, and stains the desk, user's clothes, hands, etc. There is a risk of it. This is troublesome for the user.
[0006]
In addition, in order to avoid dirt on clothes and hands, there are users who put empty ink cartridges in arbitrary bags, take them to the above collection box and drop them into the collection box with the empty ink cartridges in the bag. Since the manufacturer who collects the ink wants to collect only the ink cartridge as a recycled resource, it is troublesome because it is necessary to separate the bag and the ink cartridge when they are placed in the bag. If a lot of such ink cartridges are posted, it will be a great time for the manufacturer.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to prevent ink from leaking from an ink cartridge removed from a printer.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The ink cartridge according to the present invention includes a sealing member for sealing an ink supply port opened in the ink jet printer when the ink cartridge is attached to the ink jet printer. As a result, the remaining ink can be prevented from leaking outside from the ink cartridge removed from the printer.
[0009]
In a preferred embodiment, the sealing member can repeatedly seal the opened ink supply port and release the sealing. The sealing member is an elastic member such as rubber.
[0010]
In a preferred embodiment, the sealing member is provided at a predetermined location for a predetermined purpose at the time of factory shipment, is removed from the predetermined location when used, and the sealing is performed after use. For example, the sealing member is an air blocking film provided for the purpose of blocking the atmosphere from communicating with the inside, and the air blocking film is peeled off during use and seals the ink supply port opened after use. Stop. Further, for example, the sealing member is an ink protective film that seals the ink supply port at the time of shipment from the factory for the purpose of preventing the ink inside from drying and leaking, and the ink protective film is used when used. The ink supply port is sealed again after use. Note that “when using” means when the ink cartridge is mounted on the printer, and “after use” means after the ink cartridge is removed from the printer.
[0011]
In a preferred embodiment, there is further provided means for holding the removed sealing member at a location different from the predetermined location.
[0012]
In a preferred embodiment, the sealing member is a member that covers or caps the opened ink supply port.
[0013]
In a preferred embodiment, the sealing member is separated from the ink cartridge when shipped from the factory and is provided in a set with the ink cartridge.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1A is a bottom perspective view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a top perspective view of the ink cartridge.
[0016]
The ink cartridge 1 is substantially a rectangular parallelepiped, and includes a container body 2 made of a polymer material that forms an ink chamber 10 therein, and a lid 3 that seals the opening of the container body 2.
[0017]
The lid 3 is formed with a ventilation groove 9 for allowing the ink inside the ink chamber 10 to communicate with the atmosphere. A peelable atmosphere communication seal 8 a is affixed to the ventilation groove 9. The atmosphere communication seal 8 a prevents the atmosphere from entering the ink chamber 1 when being attached to the lid 3. If the atmosphere communication seal 8a is peeled off when the ink cartridge 1 is mounted on the printer, the atmosphere communicates with the inside of the ink chamber 10 and the ink in the ink chamber 10 is easily supplied to the print head of the printer.
[0018]
For example, two ink supply ports 4 are formed on the lower surface 2a of the container body 2 to be engaged with a hollow needle provided in communication with the print head of the printer (not limited to two, of course, ink supply). The number of ports 4 varies depending on the number of ink colors in the ink cartridge, the form of the print head of the printer, and the like. The ink supply ports 4 and 4 are sealed with a film (hereinafter referred to as a sealing film) 7 in order to prevent ink in the ink chamber 10 from drying or leaking. The sealing film 7 is broken by a hollow needle communicating with the print head of the printer when the ink cartridge 1 is completely installed in the printer. The hollow needle that has broken the sealing film 7 enters the ink supply ports 4 and 4 and supplies the ink in the ink chamber 10 to the print head.
[0019]
In a predetermined location of the ink cartridge 1, information for specifying the ink cartridge 1, for example, a manufacturing serial number, a manufacturing date, an ink remaining amount, an ink type (pigment or dye, etc.), and the like are stored. A medium (eg, EEPROM) is provided. In addition, a circuit having an access terminal 5 on the surface of the ink cartridge 1 is provided at another predetermined location because the printer and the storage medium are electrically connected when the ink cartridge 1 is mounted on a printer (not shown). The substrate 6 is fixed. When the ink cartridge 1 is mounted on the printer, the access terminal 5 is electrically connected to the printer and the storage medium by connecting to the connection terminal provided in the printer.
[0020]
As described above, when the ink cartridge 1 according to this embodiment is completely attached to the printer, the sealing film 7 is broken by the hollow needle communicating with the print head of the printer. In this case, the sealing film 7 is always broken, and the remaining amount of ink leaks therefrom. In order to prevent this, in this embodiment, as will be described later, the ink supply ports 4 and 4 that are opened by being attached to the printer (the sealing film 7 is broken) are sealed. There are some variations in the method of sealing the ink supply ports 4 and 4 that are opened, and five of them will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0021]
2A is an external perspective view of the ink cartridge according to the first variation, and FIG. 2B is an external appearance of the ink cartridge when the ink supply port is sealed by the ink sealing method according to the first variation. FIG. 4C is a perspective view illustrating a display label attached to the ink cartridge. 2 (a) and 2 (b), the ink cartridge shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) is simplified and shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b). The same reference numerals are assigned to the same elements as the elements. The same applies to the following drawings.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the ink sealing method according to the first variation is provided with an elastic (for example, rubber) seal 45 in the vicinity of the ink supply ports 4, 4, and the ink supply port 4 opened. 4 is sealed with the elastic seal 45. The elastic seal 45 has a thin strip shape, and its end portion 45a is adhered to a predetermined location along the side of the ink supply ports 4 and 4 on the side surface of the lower surface 2a of the ink cartridge 41. It can be freely expanded and contracted starting from 45a. The front end portion 45 b of the elastic seal 45 is sticky so that the surface facing the ink cartridge 41 can be freely attached / detached to / from the ink cartridge 41.
[0023]
After the ink cartridge 41 is removed from the printer, as shown in FIG. 2B, the elastic seal 45 is pulled to the maximum extent in the direction of the tip to cover the ink supply ports 4 and 4, and the elastic seal 45 and the ink are removed. The supply ports 4 and 4 are brought into close contact with each other, and the front end portion 45b of the elastic seal 45 is pressed and bonded to the surface opposite to the surface to which the terminal end portion 45a is bonded. As described above, when the elastic seal 45 is pulled to be brought into close contact with the ink supply ports 4 and 4 and the tip portion 45b is adhered, the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are sealed by the elastic force (shrinking force) acting on the elastic seal 45. The Thereby, it is possible to completely prevent the remaining ink of the ink cartridge 41 removed from the printer from leaking from the ink supply ports 4 and 4 through the tearing of the sealing film 7. More specifically, after removing the ink cartridge 41 from the printer and sealing the ink supply ports 4 and 4 with the elastic seal 45 as described above, the ink cartridge 41 can be placed on a desk or carried. However, the remaining ink will not leak and the desk or clothes will not get dirty. Also, when collecting used ink cartridges, there is no possibility of clothes becoming dirty even if the ink cartridge 41 is carried alone, so that the user can place the ink cartridge 41 alone (that is, in an arbitrary bag) in the collection box. In this case, it is possible to motivate the posting, and thus it is possible to improve the efficiency of the collection work of the manufacturer that collects the ink cartridge 41.
[0024]
Note that after the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are sealed with the elastic seal 45, if the bonded tip 45b is peeled off, the elastic seal 45 contracts due to the elastic force and returns to the original state shown in FIG. Thus, the ink supply ports 4 and 4 can be unsealed, that is, the ink supply ports 4 and 4 can be opened again. Thereby, even if the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are sealed with the elastic seal 45 as described above, the ink cartridge 41 can be reused in a plurality of printers. That is, when the ink cartridge 41 is reused in a plurality of printers, when removed from the printer and carried to another printer, the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are sealed with the elastic seal 45 as described above, and the ink cartridge When 41 is installed in another printer, the tip 45b bonded as described above is peeled off to unseal the ink supply ports 4 and 4.
[0025]
By the way, the ink cartridge 41 is provided with a display label 47 that explains how to use the elastic seal 45 in the vicinity of the elastic seal 45 as shown in FIGS. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), the display label 47 “Please do not remove the left elastic seal by mistake. The elastic seal on the left is for sealing the ink supply port. After removing the ink cartridge from the printer, pull the elastic seal to the maximum extent to close the ink supply port with the elastic seal, and adhere the tip of the elastic seal to the opposite side of this label. Is displayed. With the explanation of the display label 47, the user can use the elastic seal 45 correctly.
[0026]
FIG. 3A is an external perspective view of the ink cartridge according to the second variation, and FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a display label attached to the ink cartridge.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 3A, the second variation of the ink sealing method is an ink supply that is opened by an atmospheric communication seal 8a that is peeled off from the lid 3 when the ink cartridge 51 is attached to the printer. The mouths 4 and 4 (not shown) are sealed. The atmosphere communication seal 8 a ′ according to the second variation is tacky so that it can be freely adhered / separated from a predetermined portion of the ink cartridge 41 and the ink supply ports 4, 4.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 3A, the peeled atmosphere communication seal 8a ′ is a predetermined portion of the ink cartridge 51 until the ink cartridge 51 is removed from the printer (while the ink cartridge 51 is used). (Attach to the side, for example). Accordingly, the atmosphere communication seal 8a ′ necessary for sealing the ink supply ports 4 and 4 can be stored without being lost.
[0029]
The ink cartridge 51 is provided with a display label 57 in the vicinity of the atmosphere communication seal 8a ′ of the lid 3 for explaining how to use the atmosphere communication seal 8a ′. As shown in Fig. 3 (b), "Peel off the right sticker when using and put it under the ↓ on the side. When you have finished using it, close the ink supply port with the sticker. Is displayed. With the explanation of the display label 57, the user can effectively and correctly use the atmosphere communication seal 8a ′.
[0030]
According to this sealing method, as in the first variation, the remaining ink in the ink cartridge 51 removed from the printer leaks from the ink supply ports 4 and 4 through the tearing of the sealing film 7. Can be completely prevented. Further, once peeled off, the atmospheric communication seal 8a is conventionally discarded, but in this variation, it is reused to seal the ink supply ports 4 and 4 that are open. The sealing of the ink supply ports 4 and 4 opening the member provided for a predetermined purpose (in this embodiment, the atmosphere communication seal 8a provided for the purpose of blocking the atmosphere from entering the ink chamber). This is effective from the viewpoint of resource reuse.
[0031]
4A is an external perspective view when the ink cartridge according to the third variation is mounted on the printer, and FIG. 4B is an external perspective view when the ink cartridge is removed from the printer.
[0032]
The sealing method according to the third variation is to repeatedly use the sealing film 7 ′ of the ink supply ports 4 and 4. Hereinafter, the sealing method will be specifically described.
[0033]
In this third variation, the sealing film 7 ′ has a tackiness that allows adhesion / peeling freely, and is peeled off when the ink cartridge 81 is attached to the printer. The peeled sealing film 7 ′ is affixed to a predetermined portion of the ink cartridge 81 as shown in FIG. In this variation, the ink cartridge 81 is mounted and used in the printer in this state, that is, in a state where the sealing film 7 ′ is stuck to the predetermined location.
[0034]
When the ink cartridge 81 is removed from the printer, as shown in FIG. 4B, the sealing film 7 ′ affixed to the predetermined location is peeled off, and ink is supplied by the sealing film 7 ′. Seal the ports 4 and 4 again. Thereby, even if the ink cartridge 81 removed from the printer is placed or carried on a desk or the like, there is no possibility of ink leaking out from the ink supply ports 4 and 4 and soiling the desk or clothes.
[0035]
FIGS. 5A and 5B are external perspective views of the ink cartridge according to the fourth variation, in which FIG. 5A shows a state in which the ink supply port is opened, and FIG. 5B shows a state in which the ink supply port is closed. FIG.
[0036]
As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the sealing method according to the fourth variation closes or opens the open ink supply ports 4 and 4 in the vicinity of the ink supply ports 4 and 4. A sealing cover 65 having a mechanism that can be used is provided, and the ink supply ports 4 and 4 opened by the sealing cover 65 are sealed. The sealing cover 65 has a rotation shaft 67 on each of the left and right sides of the surface 2a on which the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are provided. The supply ports 4 and 4 are closed or opened. When the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are completely opened, the sealing cover 65 does not prevent the ink cartridge 61 from being attached to the printer (for example, as shown in FIG. 5A). When the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are completely closed (sealed) when the ink cartridge 61 falls down (indented portion of the ink cartridge 61), as shown in FIG. 4 and 4 are covered. Although the surface of the sealing cover 65 that faces the ink supply ports 4 and 4 is not shown when the sealing cover 65 is completely raised, the ink supply port 4 is covered when the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are covered. 4 can be sufficiently sealed (for example, a thin-film elastic member is bonded).
[0037]
According to the sealing method according to the fourth variation, the same effect as that of the sealing method according to the first variation described above can be obtained. In the fourth variation, the ink supply ports 4 and 4 can be repeatedly closed and opened many times, so that the sealing performance of the ink supply ports 4 and 4 is not impaired. This is effective when the 61 is used for a plurality of printers.
[0038]
The above-described sealing of the ink supply ports 4 and 4 of the sealing cover 65 is performed by rotating around the rotation shaft 67. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to seal the ink supply ports 4 and 4. In this case, when the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are completely opened, the plate retreats to a position that does not prevent the ink cartridge 61 from being attached to the printer.
[0039]
FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of the ink cartridge according to the fifth variation.
[0040]
As shown in FIG. 6, in the sealing method according to the fifth variation, a sealing cap 73 adapted to the shape of the ink supply ports 4 and 4 is prepared, and the sealing cap 73 is opened. The ink supply ports 4 and 4 are sealed by covering the ink supply ports 4 and 4. The sealing cap 73 is made of, for example, plastic, and has fitting portions 75 and 75 into which the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are fitted. The fitting portions 75 and 75 are configured to completely seal the ink supply ports 4 and 4 when the cap 73 covers the ink supply ports 4 and 4 (for example, the ink supply of the fitting portions 75 and 75). The contact portion with the ports 4 and 4 is coated with an elastic member such as rubber.
[0041]
According to the sealing method according to the fifth variation, when the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are covered with the sealing cap 73, the remaining ink in the ink cartridge 71 dries out or leaks out. Can be prevented.
[0042]
The embodiment described above is an example for explaining the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the invention. For example, in the first variation described above, when the ink cartridge 41 is completely attached to the printer, the printer reads information about the ink cartridge 41 from the storage medium provided in the ink cartridge 41, and Check for suitability. In the confirmation, for example, if it is detected that there is a possibility that the ink may be deteriorated after a long time from the date of manufacture, or that an ink cartridge filled with dye ink is installed in a printer corresponding to pigment ink. The printer instructs the user to remove the currently installed ink cartridge and install an appropriate ink cartridge.
[0043]
At this time, since the ink cartridge 41 removed from the printer is filled with ink almost completely, there is a high possibility that the ink leaks from the ink supply ports 4 and 4 and stains the desk or clothes.
[0044]
However, after the ink cartridge 41 is taken out from the printer, if the ink supply ports 4 and 4 are sealed by the elastic seal 45 according to the procedure already described, leakage of the ink can be surely prevented even if the remaining amount of ink is large. it can.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1A is a bottom perspective view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a top perspective view of the ink cartridge.
2A is an external perspective view of the ink cartridge according to the first variation, and FIG. 2B is an external appearance of the ink cartridge when the ink supply port is sealed by the sealing method according to the first variation. A perspective view and (c) are figures showing a display label stuck on an ink cartridge.
3A is an external perspective view of an ink cartridge according to a second variation, and FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a display label attached to the ink cartridge.
4A is an external perspective view when an ink cartridge according to a third variation is mounted on a printer, and FIG. 4B is an external perspective view when the ink cartridge is removed from the printer.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are external perspective views of an ink cartridge according to a fourth variation, where FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a state in which an ink supply port is open, and FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the ink supply port is blocked. Illustration.
FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of an ink cartridge according to a fifth variation.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81 Ink cartridge 2 Container main body 3 Cover body 4 Ink supply port 5 Access terminal 6 Circuit board 7, 7 'Sealing film 8a, 8a' Atmospheric communication seal 9 Ventilation groove 10 Ink chamber 45 Elastic seal 45a Terminal part 45b Tip part 47, 57 Display label 65 Sealing cover 73 Sealing cap

Claims (1)

In an ink cartridge having an ink supply port for opening and communicating with an ink jet printer when the ink jet printer is mounted, and supplying ink to the ink jet printer,
A sealing member capable of repeatedly sealing the opened ink supply port and releasing the sealing;
The sealing member is an elastic member having a front end portion and a terminal end portion, the terminal end portion is bonded to the ink cartridge, and can expand and contract with the terminal end portion as a base point.
The tip is sticky so that the ink cartridge can be freely bonded and peeled off,
The sealing member stretched by being pulled in the front end direction covers the opened ink supply port and is in close contact with the ink supply port, and the front end portion of the sealing member is bonded to the ink cartridge. The opened ink supply port is sealed by the elastic force of the sealing member that extends and is in close contact with the ink supply port,
The bonded tip is peeled off from the ink cartridge, and the sealing member is contracted by the elastic force to return to the original state, whereby the sealed ink supply port is unsealed. ing,
ink cartridge.

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