JP3814990B2 - ink cartridge - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ink cartridge that stores ink to be supplied to an ink jet print head or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, a cylindrical member 102 (so-called spout) is fixed to an ink bag body 101 that stores ink, and communication between the outside and the inside of the ink bag body 101 is established in the cylindrical member 102. An elastic sealing material 103 (diameter 7 mm, thickness 6.5 mm) to be blocked is inserted, the cylindrical member 102 is fixed to one side surface of the casing 104, and the ink bag body 101 is accommodated in the casing 104. Thus, there is known an ink cartridge 106 in which the ink inside the ink bag body 101 is led to the outside through the ink supply needle 105 by inserting the ink supply needle 105 into the elastic sealing material 103.
[0003]
When the ink cartridge 106 is exchanged, it is necessary to pull out the ink supply needle 105 from the elastic seal material 103. However, since the adhesiveness between the elastic seal material 103 and the ink supply needle 105 is high, the ink supply needle 105 is used. When pulling out the elastic seal material 103 together with the ink supply needle 105, the elastic sealing material 103 may be pulled out from the cylindrical member 102.
[0004]
Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, a heat caulking 102a is provided in which a part of the inner peripheral portion of the cylindrical member 102 is inwardly melted and solidified to prevent the elastic sealing material 103 from coming off, and further sealed. In order to improve the property, the sealing tape 107 is thermally welded to the upper surface of the open end portion of the cylindrical member 102.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a structure in which the heat caulking 102a is provided, the operation of applying the heat caulking 102a to the inner peripheral portion of the tubular member 102 is troublesome, and there is a problem that the manufacturing efficiency is inferior. The sealing tape 107 is provided to improve the sealing performance, but has a low welding force with respect to the cylindrical member 102, prevents the elastic sealing material 103 from coming off, and maintains the sealed state to the ink. The effect of preventing air contamination is not sufficient. Air becomes bubbles in the ink and causes non-ejection of the ink jet print head.
[0006]
In JP-A-1-180351, a film member made of metal, ceramics, glass, resin, or the like is provided on the upper end surface of an ink outlet port into which an ink rubber plug for sealing ink is inserted without applying heat caulking. However, this film member is provided only to prevent dissolution and dissolution of air into the ink, and the ink outlet port is the same as in the case of using the sealing tape 107 described above. The welding force with respect to the (cylindrical member) is weak, and it cannot be regulated that the ink rubber plug (elastic seal material) is pulled out from the ink outlet together with the ink supply needle when the ink supply needle is pulled out.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of this point, and an object thereof is to provide an ink cartridge that can prevent an elastic sealing material from being pulled out together with the ink supply needle when the ink supply needle is pulled out.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink bag body for storing ink, a cylindrical member fixed to the ink bag body and having an ink supply hole, and an outside and an inside of the ink bag body that are fitted into the cylindrical member. An elastic sealing material that blocks communication and a casing that accommodates the bag body and the cylindrical member and is attached to the cylindrical member are provided, and the ink supply needle is inserted into the ink supply hole via the elastic sealing material. Thus, in the ink cartridge in which the ink inside the ink container is led to the outside through the ink supply needle, the casing includes an extended protrusion that stores the head portion of the cylindrical member, and a main body that stores the bag body. The extended projecting portion includes a contact portion capable of contacting an end surface of the accommodated cylindrical member on the open end portion side, and connecting the corresponding contact portion to the main body portion and the head portion. Storage A continuous portion that forms a space portion, an engaging portion that engages with a groove of the cylindrical member that protrudes and is housed in a flange shape on the inner periphery of the continuous portion, and the ink that is formed on the contact portion. A through hole having an inner diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the supply needle and smaller than the ink supply hole, and the contact portion and the locking portion connect the head portion of the stored tubular member to the ink supply needle. It is positioned so that it cannot move in the insertion / removal direction.
[0009]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, by inserting the tip portion of the ink supply needle into the ink supply hole through the through hole and through the elastic seal material, the ink inside the ink bag body passes through the ink supply needle. It can be in a state where it can be derived to the outside. When the ink supply needle is pulled out, even if the elastic seal material is about to come out of the cylindrical member together with the ink supply needle due to the adhesion between the ink supply needle and the elastic seal material, one end of the elastic seal material is Abutting on the abutting portion of the extended projecting portion, the elastic sealing material is prevented from being removed by the corresponding contacting portion, and only the ink supply needle is removed. Further, the cylindrical member into which the elastic seal material is inserted is positioned so that the head portion thereof is substantially immovable in the insertion / removal direction of the ink supply needle by the abutting portion and the locking portion of the extended protruding portion of the casing. .
[0010]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge according to the first aspect, the casing is a plate-shaped first portion that is coupled to the first portion so as to close the upper surface, and a box-shaped first portion whose upper surface is opened. The first portion is formed with the abutting portion, the connecting portion, and the locking portion that constitute the extended protruding portion, and the connecting portion includes The upper surface is formed with a U-shaped cross section so that the space portion is opened, and the second portion is housed in the space portion and an engaging portion that closes the opening portion. A pressing portion that presses the head portion and a locking portion that engages with the groove together with the locking portion formed in the first portion are formed.
[0011]
According to the invention of claim 2, by joining the first and second parts constituting the casing, the cylindrical member has its head portion in the insertion / removal direction of the ink supply needle by the contact portion and the locking portion. Positioned almost immovable. Further, the connecting portion and the locking portion of the first part and the pressing portion and the locking portion of the second portion function as an engaging portion, and the head portion is sandwiched in a direction perpendicular to the direction.
[0012]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge of the first or second aspect, the elastic sealing material is mainly composed of a gas-impermeable rubber-like material.
[0013]
According to the invention of claim 3, since the elastic sealing material is formed mainly of a gas-impermeable rubber-like material, sealing performance is ensured, and as a result, generation of bubbles in the ink can be suppressed. .
[0014]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge according to any one of the first to third aspects, the elastic sealing material has a length in the insertion direction of the ink supply needle of about 6 mm or less.
[0015]
According to the invention of claim 4, as described above, since the elastic sealing material is securely held in the cylindrical member by the extension portion, the sealing performance of the elastic sealing material with the cylindrical member can be ensured. Even if the frictional force with the cylindrical member is reduced by reducing the thickness to about 6 mm or less, the elastic sealing material is prevented from coming off. As a result, when pulling out the ink supply needle, only a small pulling force needs to be applied, and the operation of press-fitting the elastic seal material into the cylindrical member is facilitated, which is advantageous in manufacturing.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0017]
In FIG. 1 showing a schematic configuration, an ink cartridge 1 is configured by storing an ink bag body 2 which is an ink container in which ink is stored in a box-shaped cartridge case 3 (casing). The ink bag body 2 is provided with an ink supply hole portion 4 (see FIG. 2). The ink supply hole portion 4 is fixedly attached to the cartridge case 3 and has a cylindrical member 5 having an ink supply hole 5a at the center thereof, By an elastic sealing material 6 (diameter 7 mm, thickness about 6 mm or less, preferably 5 to 6 mm) which is inserted into the ink supply hole 5 a of the cylindrical member 5 and blocks communication between the outside and the inside of the ink bag body 2. Composed.
[0018]
When the ink supply needle 8 is connected to the ink cartridge 1, the ink supply needle 8 is opposed to the ink supply hole 4 (a through hole 11d described later), and then the ink cartridge 1 is moved in the A direction. Then, the ink inside the ink bag body 2 can be led to the outside through the ink supply needle 8 by passing through the elastic sealing material 6 and being inserted into the ink supply hole 5a. The ink supply needle 8 is connected through an ink supply tube 9 to a print head of a printing apparatus (not shown).
[0019]
Further, the elastic sealing material 6 has a circular protrusion 6b having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface of the ink supply hole 5a in the cylindrical main body 6a. By press-fitting into the ink supply hole 5a against the elasticity of the circumferential ridge 6b, the circumferential ridge 6b and the inner peripheral surface of the ink supply hole 5a are elastically contacted to ensure a sealing property, and the ink bag. The communication between the outside and the inside of the body 2 is surely blocked (see FIG. 4). The elastic sealing material 6 is made of a rubber-like material that is impermeable to ink and impermeable to gas and has an elastic restoring force that seals the insertion portion after the ink supply needle 8 is pulled out. Specifically, for example, a rubber material mainly composed of butyl rubber or a material close thereto can be used.
[0020]
The cartridge case 3 has an extended protrusion 3B that extends to the vicinity of the open end of the cylindrical member 5 with respect to the case main body 3A. The extended protrusion 3B connects the elastic seal material 6 to the cylindrical member 5. It functions as a holding part to be held inside.
[0021]
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge case 3 is configured such that a box-shaped first portion 11 having an open top and a plate-shaped second portion 12 are combined. It has become.
[0022]
The first portion 11 includes a rectangular box-shaped main body portion 11A and an engaging portion 11B protruding from the main body portion 11A. On the other hand, the second portion 12 has a rectangular plate-shaped main body portion 12A corresponding to the main body portion 11A, and a protruding piece portion 12B protruding from the main body portion 12A and corresponding to the engaging portion 11B. It functions as a lid for closing the upper open portions of the portions 11A and 11B. The engaging protrusion 11B and the protruding piece 12B constitute an extended protrusion 3B.
[0023]
The engaging portion 11B accommodates the tubular member 5 by connecting the abutting portion 11a capable of abutting against the end surface on the open end side of the tubular member 5 and the corresponding contacting portion 11a to the main body portion 11A. And a connecting portion 11b having a U-shaped cross section, and a locking portion 11c protruding like a flange on the inner periphery of the connecting portion 11b. A through hole 11d corresponding to the ink supply hole 5a of the cylindrical member 5 is formed in the contact portion 11a. The inner diameter of the through hole 11d is larger than the outer diameter of the ink supply needle 8, but smaller than the ink supply hole 5a. On the other hand, the projecting piece 12B corresponds to the abutting portion 11a of the engaging portion 11B and engages with the upper end surface of the abutting portion 11a, and corresponds to the connecting portion 11b of the engaging portion 11B. It has the press part 12b which presses the outer peripheral part of the shaped member 5, and the latching | locking part 12c corresponding to the latching | locking part 11c of the engaging part 11B. The cylindrical member 5 has a groove 5c into which the locking portion 11c is fitted between the head portion 5b accommodated in the connecting portion 11b and the portion where the ink bag body 2 is welded.
[0024]
The ink bag body 2 is stored in the main body portion 11A of the first portion 11, and the second portion of the cylindrical portion 5 is stored in the engaging portion 11B with respect to the first portion 11. The ink cartridge 1 is formed by joining the portions 12. The cylindrical member 5 is positioned so that its head portion 5b is substantially immovable in the insertion / removal direction of the ink supply needle 8 by the contact portion 11a and the locking portion 11c. Further, the connecting portion 11b and the locking portion 11c of the first portion 11 and the pressing portion 12b and the locking portion 12c of the second portion 12 function as an engaging portion, and the head portion 5b is perpendicular to the direction. Sandwiched in the direction.
[0025]
As a result, when there is no ink remaining in the ink bag body 2, the ink cartridge 1 is moved in the direction B as shown in FIG. 3, and the ink supply needle 8 is pulled out from the elastic sealing material 6. At this time, the elastic sealing material 6 tries to come out together with the ink supply needle 8 but is held in the cylindrical member 5 because the coming out is restricted by the contact portion 11a.
[0026]
In addition, the elastic sealing material 6 is thinned so that the length of the ink supply needle 8 in the insertion direction is about 5 to 6 mm. As described above, the elastic seal material 6 is prevented from coming off from the cylindrical member 5 by the extended protrusion 3B, so that the elastic seal material 6 is thinned and the frictional force between the elastic seal material 6 and the cylindrical member 5 is obtained. The elastic sealing material 6 does not come out of the cylindrical member 5 even if the value is reduced. Therefore, the elastic sealing material 6 can be thinned to the extent that the sealing with the ink supply hole 5a can be ensured, and the pulling force when pulling out the ink supply needle 8 can be reduced. Further, the operation of press-fitting the elastic sealing material 6 into the cylindrical member 5 is facilitated, which is advantageous in manufacturing.
[0027]
According to the above configuration, first, as shown in FIG. 4, the ink cartridge 1 is brought to a position where the ink supply hole 4 (through hole 11d) faces the ink supply needle 8, and then, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the tip portion of the ink supply needle 8 is inserted into the ink supply hole 5a through the elastic seal material 6 through the through hole 11d, so that the inside of the ink bag body 2 is passed through the ink supply needle 8. The ink can be brought out to the outside.
[0028]
When the user removes the ink cartridge 1 when the ink in the ink bag 2 runs out, the ink supply needle 8 needs to be pulled out, but the elastic sealing material 6 through which the ink supply needle 8 is inserted. Since the ink supply needle 8 is pulled out, the elastic sealing material 6 tends to come out of the cylindrical member 5 together with the ink supply needle 8. At this time, one end portion of the elastic seal material 6 comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the contact portion 11a in the extended protruding portion 3B of the cartridge case 3, and the elastic seal material 6 is restricted from coming off by the corresponding contact portion 11a. As shown, only the ink supply needle 8 is removed.
[0029]
In the embodiment described above, the sealing property between the inside and the outside of the ink bag body 2 is sufficiently ensured by the elastic sealing material 6, but in order to further improve the sealing property, the open end portion of the tubular member 5 is used. It is also possible to weld a sealing tape to the surface.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention is implemented in the form as described above, and has the following effects.
[0031]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the ink supply needle is pulled out, even if the elastic seal material tries to come out of the cylindrical member together with the ink supply needle due to the adhesion between the ink supply needle and the elastic seal material, Since one end portion of the sealing material abuts on the abutting portion of the extended protrusion, and the elastic sealing material is prevented from being pulled out by the corresponding contacting portion, the elastic seal is removed when the ink supply needle is pulled out. The material can be prevented from coming off together by the extension of the casing, and the elastic sealing material can be reliably held in the cylindrical member.
[0032]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the head portion of the cylindrical member is substantially moved in the insertion / removal direction of the ink supply needle by the contact portion and the locking portion by coupling the first and second portions constituting the casing. Can be positioned impossible. Further, the connecting portion and the locking portion of the first part and the pressing portion and the locking portion of the second portion function as an engaging portion, and the head portion can be clamped in a direction perpendicular to the direction. .
[0033]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the elastic sealing material is formed mainly of a gas-impermeable rubber-like material, so that hermeticity is secured, and as a result, generation of bubbles in the ink is suppressed.
[0034]
According to the invention of claim 4, as described above, since the elastic sealing material is securely held in the cylindrical member by the extension portion, the sealing performance of the elastic sealing material with the cylindrical member can be ensured. Even if the frictional force with the cylindrical member is reduced by reducing the thickness to about 6 mm or less, the elastic sealing material can be prevented from coming off. As a result, when pulling out the ink supply needle, only a small pulling force needs to be applied, and the operation of press-fitting the elastic seal material into the cylindrical member is facilitated, which is advantageous in manufacturing.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ink cartridge according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the relevant part.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state of the ink cartridge after use.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state before an ink supply needle is inserted.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a state where an ink supply needle is inserted.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a state after an ink supply needle is pulled out.
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a conventional example.
FIG. 8 is a detail view of a main part of a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink cartridge 2 Ink bag body 3 Cartridge case 3B Extension protrusion part 5 Cylindrical member 5a Ink supply hole
5b Head part
5c Groove 6 Elastic seal material 8 Ink supply needle 11 First portion 11a Abutting portion
11c Locking part 11d Through-hole 12 2nd part

Claims (4)

An ink bag body that stores ink, a cylindrical member that is fixed to the ink bag body and has an ink supply hole, and an elastic seal material that is inserted into the cylindrical member and blocks communication between the outside and the inside of the ink bag body And a casing in which the bag member and the cylindrical member are accommodated and to which the cylindrical member is attached, and an ink supply needle is inserted through the ink supply hole via the elastic seal material, thereby providing the ink supply In the ink cartridge in which the ink inside the ink container is led to the outside through the needle,
The tubular member has a head portion and a groove formed between the head portion and the portion to which the bag body is welded.
The casing includes an extended protrusion that stores the head portion of the cylindrical member, and a main body that stores the bag.
The extended projecting portion includes a contact portion that can contact an end surface on the open end side of the cylindrical member that is stored, and a space portion that connects the corresponding contact portion to the main body portion and stores the head portion. A continuous portion to be formed; a latching portion that engages with a groove of the cylindrical member that protrudes and is housed in a flange shape on the inner periphery of the continuous portion; and an outer portion of the ink supply needle that is formed on the contact portion. A through hole having an inner diameter larger than the ink supply hole and smaller than the ink supply hole, and the contact portion and the locking portion are arranged so that the head portion of the accommodated cylindrical member is placed in the insertion / removal direction of the ink supply needle. An ink cartridge which is positioned so as to be immovable. The casing is composed of a box-shaped first portion whose upper surface is opened, and a plate-shaped second portion coupled to the first portion so as to close the upper surface,
The first portion is formed with the abutting portion, the connecting portion, and the locking portion that form the extended protrusion, and the connecting portion is open on the upper surface of the space portion. The cross section is formed with a U-shape,
The second portion includes an engaging portion that closes the opening, a pressing portion that presses the head portion housed in the space portion, and the locking portion that is formed in the first portion. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a locking portion that engages with the groove is formed.   The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the elastic sealing material is mainly composed of a gas-impermeable rubber-like material.   The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the elastic sealing material has a length in an insertion direction of an ink supply needle of about 6 mm or less.

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