JP4623617B2 - Inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus in which an ink tank having a conductive component and an ink supply port is mounted, and the ink tank.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Ink tanks that can be attached to and detached from the ink jet recording apparatus main body often have an ink supply port for supplying ink to the main body side below the gravitational direction. The hollow needle fixed to the ink tank mounting portion of the apparatus main body passes through a rubber stopper provided at the ink supply port of the ink tank when the ink tank is mounted, thereby allowing ink to be applied to the ink jet recording head mounted on the apparatus main body. Was supplying.
[0003]
In addition, in a color printer that uses a plurality of colors of ink, there are cases where the ink tank itself has information unique to the ink tank, such as the color and type of ink, and the internal capacity. In this case, since the information of the ink tank is transmitted to the apparatus main body as electrical information when it is mounted on the apparatus main body, the ink tank can be attached to and removed from the conductive parts provided on the ink tank side. A connector with a simple contact point was installed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in a color printer that requires a plurality of ink tanks, the shape of the ink tank is often flat in order to reduce the size of the recording apparatus. The relative position with respect to the ink supply port was usually arranged in series along the longitudinal direction of the ink tank on the ink tank mounting surface, which is the ink tank mounting portion of the main body. In that case, the contact closest to the ink supply port of the connector is often soiled by ink splashes from the tip hole of the hollow needle when the ink tank is attached and detached, and the electrical contact lacks reliability.
[0005]
In addition, since the ink tank placement surface on which the connector is installed and the placement surface of the ink tank placed on the surface are substantially flat with respect to each other, from the tip hole of the hollow needle that is the ink outlet. We had to assume that ink leakage would flow to the connector side, causing contact failure and short circuit.
[0006]
In view of the above-described problems of the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide electrical continuity between the ink tank side and the main body side when an ink tank having a conductive component and an ink supply port is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus main body. it is to provide an ink jet recording equipment which can ensure the reliability.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting ink supplied from an ink tank having a conductive component and an ink supply port to an ink jet recording head.
A mounting surface on which the ink tank is mounted; a connector provided on the mounting surface including an electrical contact capable of being electrically connected to the conductive component of the ink tank mounted on the mounting surface; An ink outlet provided so as to communicate with an ink supply port of the ink tank placed on the placement surface,
A plurality of the electrical contacts are arranged on the side surface of the connector opposite to the ink outlet port side along a direction intersecting the direction connecting the connector and the ink outlet port,
The ink take-out port is fixed at a position below the ink tank placement surface in the direction of gravity.
[0009]
In the invention as described above, when an ink tank having a conductive part and an ink supply port is mounted, even if ink splashes are generated from the ink supply port or the ink extraction port when the ink tank is detached from the main body, the contact or Ink droplets do not adhere to the conductive parts, and even if ink leaks from the ink supply port or ink take-out port, the leaked ink flows toward the connector, causing contact failure or short circuit. An ink jet recording apparatus that does not occur and an ink tank that is attached to the ink jet recording apparatus can be provided.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
First, the overall configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[0014]
An ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a main body that has a plurality of recording positions fixed to two types of recording media such as an envelope and continuous paper that can be cut as needed, and continuously records a predetermined recording pattern. A detachable recording apparatus having a recording function mounted on a printing machine (not shown). 1 is a right front perspective view of the apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a left front perspective view.
[0015]
The configuration of this recording apparatus is roughly divided into the following units. That is, a recording head unit that performs recording by discharging ink, a carriage unit that moves the recording head to a recording position and a standby position, an ink supply unit that supplies ink to the recording head, and detachable ink A tank, a recovery unit for maintaining or recovering the ejection performance to the recording, a frame unit for storing each of the above units, a control unit for performing electrical control for the recording operation, electrical components at various locations of the recording apparatus, etc. For example, a power supply unit for supplying electric power. Note that the recording head performs recording by discharging liquid from a minute opening by applying energy to the liquid in the flow path by an electrothermal conversion element or a piezoelectric element.
[0016]
Of the above units, the frame unit will be described first.
[0017]
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bottom plate 56 is a sheet metal bent into a substantially L-shape that forms a bottom portion and a rear portion, and the bottom portion has a parallel abutment that maintains a constant distance at several positions on the left and right sides thereof. There are locations (not shown), positioning protrusions 56A and 56B projecting from both ends of the bottom, and a plurality of threaded portions. The left side plate 54 and the right side plate 55 have positioning holes into which the positioning projections 56A and 56B are inserted, respectively, and are screwed into the screw holes of the threaded portion of the bottom plate 56 up to the abutting position of the bottom plate 56 with both inserted. The left and right side plates 54 and 55 are assembled in parallel with the bottom plate 56 as a central stay. Further, the front plate 53 is screwed between the left and right side plates 54 and 55 so as to be opposed to the rear portion 56C that rises in a substantially L shape, thereby forming an outer shell of the box-shaped ink jet recording apparatus that opens upward. Has been.
[0018]
At the bottom of the bottom plate 56, there are three cylindrical bottom stays, one at the front of the drawing and two at the rear, and a total of three cylindrical bottom stays are screwed in by passing through the threaded protrusions (not shown) of the main body printing machine. Fixing is possible. Further, a long hole (not shown) is provided at the bottom, and positioning with the main body printing machine is performed in a pair with the front bottom stay 60A.
[0019]
The ink jet recording apparatus has a space for conveying two types of recording media.
[0020]
One is the following conveyance space. Above the front plate 53, an L-angle resist plate 57 is fixed with screws so as to straddle the left and right side plates 54, 55. The envelope, which is the printing medium of the main body printing machine, is sandwiched between the upper surface of the envelope conveying belt of the main body printing machine and the lower surface of the resist plate, and is conveyed from left to right on the drawing along the bent inside of the resist plate 57. .
[0021]
The other is the following transport space. A path connecting the indentation 54A in the center of the left side plate 54 shown in FIG. 2 and the square window 55A of the right side plate 55 shown in FIG. 1 is an installation space for the bag for conveying the continuous paper. Although not shown, the ridge is installed at the front end of a continuous paper conveyance unit equipped with a continuous paper storage shed and a conveyance drive system. The positions of the apparatus and the continuous paper transport unit are determined and integrated by screwing to the left side plate 54.
[0022]
A continuous paper cutter (not shown) is mounted on the outside of the right side plate 55 on the extension line of the heel tip. The opening 55B of the right side plate 55 is a hole through which the drive motor of the cutter unit passes.
[0023]
Next, the carriage unit will be described.
[0024]
The carriage 200 for moving the recording head 400 to the two types of conveyance spaces described above is slidably supported by the CR shaft 202 and the CR rail 203 fixed to the right side plate 55 and attached to the carriage 200. The driving force of the CR motor 206 is transmitted to the CR belt 208 to enable the reciprocating operation.
[0025]
Next, the ink supply unit will be described.
[0026]
A tank holder that is an ink supply system for storing a large-capacity ink tank 501 and supplying ink to the recording head 400 that discharges ink on the left side, that is, on the upstream side of the recording medium conveyance in FIGS. A unit 10 is installed. The tank holder unit 10 is connected to a tube 210 for leading the ink in the ink tank 501 to the recording head 400.
[0027]
Next, the recovery unit will be described.
[0028]
A recovery unit 300 for recovering a discharge defect of the recording head 400 is installed on the right side in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, that is, on the downstream side of the recording medium conveyance, and between the two types of recording spaces. . Waste ink consumed to recover from the trouble is discharged from a hole (not shown) below the recovery unit opened in the bottom plate 56 to a waste ink reservoir in the main body printing machine.
[0029]
Next, the control unit and the power supply unit will be described.
[0030]
The control unit includes a control board 80 for controlling the system of the ink jet recording apparatus, and is fixed to the rear inner side of the box-shaped frame unit as described above in a timely manner. The control board 80 has a connection connector 81 that receives a signal from the main body printing machine. Further, a cable 91 for sending a control signal of the control board 80 to the recording head 400 in the carriage 200 is connected to the carriage 200 and the control board 80.
[0031]
A power supply unit 90 is fixed between the control board 80 and the tank holder unit 10. A power supply receptacle of the power supply unit 90 that receives power from the outside is mounted in a square hole 54B opened in the left side plate 54 and connected from the outside of the frame unit. The power supply unit 90 is connected to supply power to the control board 80 and a board (not shown) on the carriage 200.
[0032]
Next, the tank holder unit 10 described above will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.
[0033]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the tank holder unit 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the ink tank 501 attached thereto.
[0034]
The tank holder unit 10 fixes the mounted ink tank 501 and supplies ink to the recording head of the recording apparatus main body. The ink tank 501 is a hollow sealed container that is an ink container into which raw ink is injected, and an ink supply port (not shown) sealed with a rubber stopper or the like below the ink tank 501 in the gravity direction. ) Is formed. On the side surface of the ink tank 501, a guide rib 501 </ b> A is provided as a guide for insertion into the tank holder unit 10.
[0035]
The tank holder unit 10 includes a tank slot 21 serving as a tank insertion opening, and a guide rail (not shown) that is positioned opposite to the guide rib 501A of the ink tank 501 and that positions the tank by sandwiching and guiding the guide rib 501A. The tank rail 23 provided and the buffer tank 28 serving as an insertion butting member for the ink tank 501 are integrally formed by a box-shaped tank holder 22 that receives the ink tank 501. The tank holder unit 10 is fixed to a chassis (not shown) of the apparatus main body through screw holes 22A and 22B.
[0036]
4 is a view of the inside of the tank holder unit 10 with the tank rail 23 removed, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the tank holder unit as viewed from the side.
[0037]
Inside the tank holder unit 10, rubber stoppers of the ink supply port and the air communication port of the ink tank are respectively provided at positions facing the ink supply port (not shown) and the air communication port (not shown) of the ink tank 501. Hollow needles 24 and 25 are provided to pass through (not shown). The hollow needles 24 and 25 have pointed tips and are easy to penetrate rubber plugs facing each other. There is an opening near the tip of the hollow needle, and the ink in the ink tank 501 is supplied from there to the recording head 400 mounted on the recording apparatus main body. The root end of the hollow needle 24 is fixed to the buffer tank 28 and connected to the recording head 400 via a flow path 29 and a tube (not shown) formed by the buffer tank 28. Further, the root end of the hollow needle 25 is connected to a buffer tank having a hollow chamber, and a small hole (not shown) opened to the atmosphere is opened above the hollow chamber. With the above configuration, the air from the air opening hole is supplied from the hollow needle 25 into the ink tank 501 in parallel with the ink in the ink tank 501 into which the raw ink has been supplied supplying the ink from the hollow needle 24 to the recording head 400. The ink in the tank is sufficiently consumed because the ink is supplied to the ink and replaced with the ink.
[0038]
As shown in FIG. 5, the hollow needles 24 and 25 are substantially perpendicular to their installation surface (ink tank mounting surface) 28 a, the tank insertion direction into the tank holder unit 10, and the tanks of the hollow needles 24 and 25. The connecting direction is inclined from the gravity direction (vertical direction) by θ = 3.8 degrees, preferably 5 degrees. The hollow needle 24 that is an ink take-out port is positioned below the direction of gravity with respect to the hollow needle 25 that is an air intake port.
[0039]
An electric substrate (not shown) having a storage element and its peripheral circuit, which is an information holding unit in which information unique to the ink tank is written, is provided on a side surface of the ink tank 501 and arranged almost in series with the ink supply port. A connector 30 is provided on the bottom surface of the tank holder unit 10 to transmit ink tank information to the recording apparatus main body side by contacting the terminals of the electric board.
[0040]
Further, the shape of the connector 30 used in the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0041]
The connector 30 has a base portion 30B, and is installed on a mounting portion (not shown) on the buffer tank 28 so as to be movable in the plane direction. Claw portions 30C are formed at both ends of the base portion 30B, and when the base portion 30B is incorporated in the attachment portion on the buffer tank 28, the upward movement of the connector 30 is restricted to realize a retaining function. A tank insertion portion 30A is formed on the surface of the base portion 30B (surface on the tank mounting side), and the tip of the tank insertion portion 30A has a tapered shape.
[0042]
A plurality of contact points 31 are provided by an elastic member on the side surface of the tank insertion portion 30A opposite to the hollow needle 24 that is an ink outlet (see FIG. 6), and the same tip as the tank insertion portion 30A. The contact portion 31A, which is a taper and can be easily inserted into the tank, is an electrically conductive portion and contacts the terminal of the electric board on the tank 501 side in an elastically deformed state.
[0043]
A cable insertion portion 30D (see FIG. 7) is provided on the back surface (the surface opposite to the tank mounting side) of the base portion 30B, and the information of the ink tank is transferred to the controller (not shown) by the flat cable 32 inserted therein. (Shown).
[0044]
In particular, as shown in FIG. 5, the ink tank mounting surface 28a, which is the mounting surface of the connector 30, is located above the fixing position of the hollow needle 24, which is the ink outlet, in the direction of gravity. Thus, even if ink leaks from the hollow needle 24, the ink does not flow toward the connector 30. The arrangement direction of the plurality of contacts 31 of the connector 30 is arranged so as to intersect with, preferably orthogonal to, the arrangement direction of the hollow needle 24 and the connector 30. The contact 31 is supported on a side surface of the tank insertion portion 30A as a contact support member that is opposite to the hollow needle 24 that is an ink outlet. In other words, the tank insertion portion of the connector 30 that supports the contacts 31 is interposed between the plurality of contacts 31 and the hollow needle 24 that is an ink outlet as a wall that prevents ink splashes and the like when the ink tank is detached. It will be.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the information unique to the ink tank is brought into contact with the information holding unit that stores the contents specific to the ink tank mounted on the removable ink tank, so that the information unique to the ink tank is stored in the recording apparatus main body. Arrange the multiple contact points of the connector to be transmitted so that they intersect with each other, preferably perpendicular to the direction of the ink outlet and the connector, and take out the contacts from the contact support member of the connector that fixes the contacts. By being positioned on the opposite side of the mouth, the contact reliability can be ensured without the contact being exposed to ink splashes or the like when the ink tank is detached from the apparatus main body.
[0046]
In addition, by positioning the connector position above the ink outlet in the direction of gravity, even if ink leaks from the ink outlet, the leaked ink flows toward the connector, causing a contact failure or short circuit. It is possible to realize a configuration that does not generate
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a right front perspective view showing an external configuration of an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a left front perspective view showing an external configuration of an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the tank holder unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and an ink tank attached to the tank holder unit.
4 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of the tank holder unit shown in FIG. 3. FIG.
5 is a cross-sectional view of the internal configuration of the tank holder unit shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from the side.
6 is a view showing the shape of the front side of the connector shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG.
7 is a view showing the shape of the back side of the connector shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Tank holder unit 21 Tank slot 22 Tank holder 22A, 22B Screw hole 23 Tank rail 24, 25 Hollow needle 28 Buffer tank 28a Ink tank mounting surface 30 Connector 30A Tank insertion part 30B Base part 30C Claw part 30D Cable insertion part 31 Contact 31A Contact portion 32 Flat cable 53 Front plate 54 Left side plate 54A Recess 54B Square hole 55 Right side plate 55A Square window 55B Opening 56 Bottom plate 56A, 56B Positioning projection 56C Rear portion 57 Resist plate 60A Bottom stay 80 Control board 90 Power supply unit 91 Cable 200 Carriage 202 CR shaft 203 Guide rail 206 CR motor 208 CR belt 210 Tube 300 Recovery system unit 400 Recording head 501 Ink tank 501A Doribu

Claims (2)

In an inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink supplied from an ink tank having a conductive component and an ink supply port to an inkjet recording head,
A mounting surface on which the ink tank is mounted; a connector provided on the mounting surface including an electrical contact capable of being electrically connected to the conductive component of the ink tank mounted on the mounting surface; comprising an ink outlet which kicked set so as to communicate with the ink supply port of said ink tank to be placed in surface and,
A plurality of the electrical contacts are arranged on the side surface of the connector opposite to the ink outlet port side along a direction intersecting the direction connecting the connector and the ink outlet port,
The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing position of the ink outlet is located below the mounting surface in the direction of gravity . Placing surface is ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 which are inclined relative to the horizontal plane.

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