JP4691605B2 - Ink tank and ink cartridge - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ink tank used in an image forming apparatus typified by an ink jet printer, and an ink cartridge including the ink tank.

In recent years, an image forming apparatus using ink, such as an ink jet printer, has been widely used. In an ink jet printer, usually, a recording head and an ink cartridge are integrally mounted on a movable carriage, and when printing out, ink is ejected from the recording head to perform recording.

For such an ink jet printer, the present applicant has previously proposed an ink tank 10 as shown in FIG. 9 and an ink cartridge using the same (Patent Document 1). The ink tank 10 forms a sealed ink storage portion 11 by sealing the outer periphery of a pair of flame-retardant plastic sheets 12 with a welded portion 13, and a sleeve tube 20 is formed in the ink storage portion 11. The other end of the sleeve tube 20 is exposed to the outside of the ink containing portion 11. The sleeve tube 20 has a through hole inside, and a plug 30 made of an elastic material is attached to the other end portion of the sleeve tube 20. The plug 30 has an ink storage portion formed therein, one end thereof is connected to the through hole and a communication hole connected to the ink storage portion, and the other end is connected to the ink storage portion via the ink storage portion. A slit having a valve action communicating with the communication hole is formed.

Such an ink cartridge has a small number of parts and does not cause dripping when not in use. Further, since the ink container sealed by the sheet is adopted, the ink 14 in the ink tank 10 is not easily affected by the surrounding environment, for example, air temperature, atmospheric pressure, etc., and it is not necessary to introduce the atmosphere. This makes it possible to achieve stable quality ink supply without air bubbles being mixed in the ink. In addition, since the ink storage portion is formed in the plug 30, the ink is always stored in this portion, so that the ink can be accurately supplied by the valve action of the slit.

JP 2009-6651 A

  However, since the conventional ink cartridge is used with the sleeve tube 20 on the lower side and the ink containing portion 11 standing, the total ink pressure in the ink containing portion is directly applied to the sleeve tube and connected to the sleeve tube. High ink pressure is applied to the ink nozzles that are used. Therefore, depending on the printer, there is a problem in that the ink pressure becomes too high, which hinders ink ejection.

  In view of such a problem, an object of the present invention is to appropriately suppress an ink pressure applied to a sleeve tube so that ink can be ejected satisfactorily.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is directed to an ink storage portion sealed in a flat bag shape by a plastic sheet, one end portion connected to the ink storage portion, and the other end portion exposed to the outside. And an ink tank that is used by vertically arranging the ink storage portion with the sleeve tube on the lower side , wherein the ink storage portion is centered from the peripheral portion. A plurality of regions communicating with each other by a welded portion in which the front and back sheets are welded in a strip shape toward the portion, and the welded portion from the peripheral portion on the side where the sleeve tube of the ink containing portion is provided; A first welded portion provided by opening an ink passage between the peripheral portion facing the peripheral portion and the peripheral portion facing the first welded portion with the sleeve tube interposed therebetween. From the first Toward the welded portion, and wherein the more becomes possible and a second welded portion which is provided to open the ink path between the first welding portion.

The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is the invention according to claim 1 , wherein the through hole of the sleeve tube is provided with a space by expanding the opening side of the other end, and the space is provided in the space. A plug made of an elastic material is press-fitted and fixed, and the plug is provided with an ink reservoir inside, and at one end thereof is provided with a communication hole communicating with the through hole and communicating with the ink reservoir. A slit having a valve action is provided on the other end side of the reservoir.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 of the present application is the invention according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the sleeve tube is sandwiched by a part of the outer periphery of the plastic sheet whose one end is folded in half, and then the plastic The sleeve tube is fixed integrally with the plastic sheet by welding the outer peripheral inner surface of the sheet to the outer surface of the sleeve tube.

An invention according to claim 4 of the present application is an ink cartridge in which the ink tank according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is accommodated in a cartridge case, wherein the cartridge case is an ink accommodating the ink tank. A box-shaped housing having a sleeve tube exposed portion for exposing the other end portion of the sleeve tube to a part of the tank housing and the outer periphery and fixing the periphery of the sleeve tube, and an opening of the box-shaped housing It is comprised from the cover body which covers.

The present invention has the following effects.
That is, in the invention according to claim 1, the ink accommodating portion, the welded portion was welded sides of the sheet in a strip from the periphery toward the center portion, and divided into a plurality of regions which communicate with each other, as the welded portion A first welded portion is formed by opening an ink passage between the peripheral portion of the ink containing portion on the side where the sleeve tube is provided and the peripheral portion facing the peripheral portion. The second welded portion is formed by opening an ink passage between the peripheral portion facing the first welded portion and the first welded portion with the sleeve tube being sandwiched between the first welded portion and the first welded portion. In addition, since the ink storage portion is vertically arranged with the sleeve tube on the lower side , the ink pressure is dispersed in each region, the ink pressure applied to the sleeve tube is suppressed, and the ink Discharge can be performed satisfactorily. In addition, the ink container is partitioned into three regions via the two ink passages, and the ink pressure applied to the ink nozzles can be moderately suppressed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink tank according to the first aspect, an elastic material having an ink storage portion therein and a slit having a valve action provided on the other end side of the ink storage portion. By pressing and fixing the plug made of the sleeve tube into the sleeve tube, the ink is always stored in the ink storage section, so that the ink can be supplied accurately, and when not in use, dripping or the like occurs due to the valve action of the slit. The ink can be supplied more appropriately.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ink tank according to the first or second aspect , the sleeve tube is sandwiched by a part of the outer periphery of the plastic sheet having the one end folded. By welding the outer periphery of the plastic sheet, the plastic sheet is fixed integrally with the plastic sheet. Therefore, the manufacturing is easy and a fixing structure with a high sealing degree can be obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the ink tank according to any one of the first to third aspects comprises a box-shaped housing including an ink tank storage portion and a sleeve tube exposed portion at a part of the outer periphery, Since the ink cartridge is formed by being housed in a cartridge case composed of a lid that covers the opening of the housing, the ink cartridge can appropriately discharge ink by appropriately suppressing the ink pressure applied to the sleeve tube Can be provided.

It is a figure which shows the ink tank which concerns on 1st Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows a sleeve pipe | tube. It is a figure which shows a plug. It is a figure which shows the housing of a cartridge case. It is a figure which shows the cover body of a cartridge case. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state where an ink tank is stored in a cartridge case. FIG. 3 is a diagram of an ink cartridge as viewed from an ink discharge side. It is a figure which shows the ink tank which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the conventional ink tank.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  The ink cartridge of the present invention includes an ink tank and a cartridge case for storing the ink tank. The ink tank serves as an ink storage portion formed in a bag shape by a plastic sheet and an ink discharge port from the ink storage portion. It consists of a sleeve tube.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an ink tank according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is an ink tank, 11 is an ink storage portion, 12 is a plastic sheet, 13, 15 and 16 are welding portions, 14 is ink, 17 and 18 are ink passages, and 20 is a sleeve tube.

  The ink tank 10 includes an ink container 11 sealed and formed in a flat bag shape with a plastic sheet 12, one end connected to the ink container 11, the other end exposed to the outside, and a through hole inside. It consists of a sleeve tube 20. The plastic sheet 12 is formed by overlapping a plurality of different flame-retardant plastics into a sheet shape, and the ink storage unit 11 folds such a plastic sheet 12 in two and wraps the periphery other than the crease. For example, it forms in the bag shape by sealing with the welding part 13 heat-welded using the heat sealer (laminator) etc., for example. And by the welding parts 15 and 16, the plastic sheet 12 of the front and back is welded in the strip | belt shape toward the center part from the peripheral part.

  The welding portion 15 is provided by opening an ink passage 17 between a peripheral portion on the side where the sleeve tube 20 of the ink containing portion 11 is provided and a peripheral portion facing the peripheral portion. Further, the welded portion 16 opens an ink passage 18 between the welded portion 15 and the welded portion 15 from the peripheral portion facing the welded portion 15 with the sleeve tube 20 interposed therebetween. In this way, the ink containing portion 11 is partitioned into three regions that communicate with each other through the ink passages 17 and 18.

  As described above, if the ink containing portion 11 is divided into three regions through the relatively narrow ink passages 17 and 18, the ink containing portion 11 can be arranged vertically even if the ink containing portion 11 is arranged vertically with the sleeve tube 20 on the lower side. The pressure applied to the sleeve tube 20 is reduced. As a result, the ink pressure applied to the ink nozzle connected to the sleeve tube 20 is suppressed, and the ink is ejected without any problem.

  The sleeve tube 20 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape as shown in the left side view (A), front view (B), and right side view (C) in FIG. Is preferred. One end portion 21 of the sleeve tube 20 is connected to the ink containing portion 11, and the other end portion 22 is exposed to the outside of the ink containing portion 11, so that the one end portion 21 and the other end portion 22 are connected to each other. A through hole 23 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the sleeve tube 20. On the outer wall surface of the sleeve tube 20, a flange 24 is provided at a position that is located at a substantially central portion between the one end 21 and the other end 22. The flange 24 is provided in order to specify a welding position with the plastic sheet 12 in a state where the plastic sheet 12 of the ink containing portion 11 and the sleeve tube 20 are connected.

  Further, in the central portion of the outer wall surface of the sleeve tube 20, specifically, a part from the wall surface on the other end 22 side of the flange 24 to a position advanced to the other end 22 side by a predetermined distance, A notch 25 is provided to be fitted to the positioning rib of the lid. Further, the portion from the flange 24 to the one end 21 of the sleeve tube 20 is formed in a convex lens shape in side view so that the plastic sheet 12 can be welded without a gap. The other end 22 side of the through hole 23 is enlarged in diameter to form a disk-shaped space 26, and a plug 30 is press-fitted and fixed in the space 26.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the plug 30 is formed from a substantially cylindrical elastic resin material, for example, a rubber material such as silicon rubber, and the axial length thereof is a space portion 26 formed in the sleeve tube 20. Is substantially the same as the length in the axial direction. A communication hole 33 that communicates with the through hole 23 of the sleeve tube 30 is formed at the center of the one end 31 of the plug 30. In addition, an ink storage portion 34 in which the ink 2 is temporarily stored is formed inside the plug 30, and the ink storage portion 34 communicates with the communication hole 33.

  Further, the other end portion 32 of the plug 30 is formed with a slit 35 having a predetermined length at the center thereof, and the slit 35 has a valve action because the plug 30 is formed of an elastic resin material. ing. Specifically, the slit 35 is formed with a gap that does not allow the ink 2 to pass therethrough. The slit 35 opens and allows the ink 2 to pass only when the plug 30 is elastically deformed by some external force.

  Furthermore, an annular rib 36 is provided on the outer peripheral edge of the plug 30 excluding both end portions 31 and 32. The annular rib 36 is in pressure contact with the inner wall surface of the space portion 26 formed in the sleeve tube 20, and the plug 30 is fixed inside the space portion 26 of the sleeve tube 20 by the pressure contact force of the annular rib 36. Is.

Next, an assembly process of the ink tank 10 and a process of filling the ink 15 into the assembled ink tank 10 will be described. First, the assembly process will be described. First, the plug 30 is press-fitted and fixed in a space portion 26 formed in the other end portion 22 of the sleeve tube 20. During the press-fitting and fixing, the other end portion 32 of the plug 30 is positioned substantially on the same plane as the other end portion 22 of the sleeve tube 20, and the communication hole 33 of the plug 30 is the through hole 23 of the sleeve tube 20. It fixes so that it may contact | abut to the edge part of and may be in a communication state. Next, one end 21 side of the sleeve tube 20 to which the plug 30 is attached, more specifically, the outer periphery from the one end 21 to the flange 24 is disposed at a predetermined position of the folded plastic sheet 12, and together with the sleeve tube 20 The welding parts 13, 15, and 16 of the plastic sheet 12 are heat-welded. In addition, since the strength of the bonding surface between the sleeve tube 20 and the plastic sheet 12 may not be sufficient only by this thermal welding, the sleeve tube 20 and the plastic sheet 12 are bonded simultaneously using an adhesive member. Good.

  Although a series of ink tank 10 assembly steps are completed by the above-described adhesion, the ink container 11 formed in the plastic sheet 12 must be kept airtight, so that the plastic sheet 12 is thermally welded. The relatively wide welding part 13 is secured. Further, the width and the like of the slit 35 of the plug 30 are adjusted so that the airtightness in the ink containing portion 11 can be maintained in a state where no external force is generated. Furthermore, since the welded portion 13 of the plastic sheet 12 to which the sleeve tube 20 is fixed is in contact with the shape of the outer peripheral wall on the one end 21 side of the sleeve tube 20, there is no risk of impairing the airtightness at this portion.

  The ink cartridge according to this embodiment is configured by housing the ink tank 10 in a cartridge case. The cartridge case includes a box-shaped housing having an opening on one surface and a predetermined depth, and a lid that covers the opening of the housing.

  The housing 40 is made of plastic, and as shown in FIG. 4, the housing 40 includes an ink tank housing portion 41 inside, and one surface thereof is formed of a box-shaped member that can house the ink tank 10 in the ink tank housing portion 41. Yes. 4A shows a state in which the housing 40 is erected, and FIG. 4B shows a view of the housing 40 viewed from below. On the left and right and upper side wall inner surfaces of the housing 40, lid body positioning notches 42 for positioning the lid body are provided. Further, fitting holes 43 and 43 for receiving and fitting fitting pins provided on the lid are provided at both lower corners of the side wall.

  In addition, a sleeve tube exposed portion 44 formed of a notch for exposing the other end portion 22 of the sleeve tube 20 is formed on the lower side wall of the housing 40. On both sides of the sleeve tube exposed portion 44, guide protrusions 45, 45 for guiding the mounting of the ink cartridge are provided so as to stand vertically outward from the side wall located below the housing 40. Yes. In addition, the tip of the notch that forms the sleeve tube exposed portion 44 is a positioning rib 46 that fits into the notch 25 of the sleeve tube 20 and positions the ink tank 10 in the housing 40.

  The lid 50 is shown in FIG. 5A shows a surface on the side covering the opening of the housing 40, and FIG. 5B shows a view seen from the lower side of FIG. 5A. The lid 50 is made of, for example, the same material as the housing 40 and can be attached to the housing 40 so as to cover the opening of the housing 40.

  The outer peripheral edge portion 51 in this figure forms a joining region to be abutted and joined to the opening end of the housing 40. Inside the joining region, the lid positioning notches 42, 42, 42 are provided. Claw pieces 52, 52, 52 are positioned upright to position the lid 50 appropriately in the housing 40. In addition, fitting pins 53, 53 are erected vertically at positions corresponding to the fitting holes 43, 43 of the housing 40.

In addition, positioning ribs 54 that are relatively upright are provided on part of the outside of the side located below the lid 50 shown in FIG. 5A in the joining region. The part is provided with lid-side guide projections 55, 55 that are substantially L-shaped in a side view. The positioning ribs 54 and the lid-side guide protrusions 55 and 55 are provided at positions that cover the opening side of the sleeve tube exposed portion 44 in a state where the housing 40 and the lid 50 are joined. The positioning rib 54 is fitted into another notch disposed opposite to the notch 25 of the sleeve tube 20 into which the positioning rib 44 on the housing 40 side is fitted. The lid-side guide protrusions 55 and 55 are disposed so as to face the guide protrusions 45 and 45 of the housing 40 so as to surround the periphery of the other end portion 22 of the sleeve tube 20.

  The ink tank 10 shown in FIG. 1 is stored in the cartridge case including the housing 40 and the lid 50 as described above. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the sleeve tube 20 is aligned with the sleeve tube exposed portion 44 of the housing 40, the ink tank 10 is disposed in the housing 40, and the claw pieces are placed on the lid positioning notches 42, 42, 42. 52, 52, 52 are put together and the cover 50 is put on the housing 40. Then, the housing 40 and the lid 50 are integrated by fitting the fitting pins 53 and 53 of the lid 50 into the fitting holes 43 and 43 of the housing 40. FIG. 7 shows a view of the ink cartridge containing the ink tank 10 as viewed from the ink discharge side.

  FIG. 8 is a view showing an ink tank according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The reference numerals correspond to those in FIG. In this embodiment, the ink container 11 of the ink tank 10 is formed into a roll shape. By forming into a roll shape in such a manner, the ink container 11 expands when filled with ink, but as the ink is discharged, the ink containing portion 11 is squeezed into a roll shape, and the ink is squeezed out to the end. The remaining amount can be brought close to zero.

  As a method of forming the ink containing portion 11 into a roll shape, once the flat ink containing portion 11 is formed, it is wound around a roll and heated, and after a sufficient time, it is cooled while being wound around the roll. . As a result, the ink container 11 is maintained in a roll shape.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Ink tank 11 ... Ink storage part 12 ... Plastic sheet 13, 15, 16 ... Welding part 14 ... Ink 17, 17 ... Ink passage 20 ... Sleeve pipe 23 ... Through-hole 24 ... Flange 25 ... Notch part 26 ... Space part 30 ... Plug 33 ... Communication hole 34 ... Ink storage part 35 ... Slit 36 ... Ring rib 40 ... Housing 41 ... Ink tank housing part 42 ... Cover body positioning notch 43 ... Fitting hole 44 ... Sleeve tube exposed part 45 ... Guide protrusion 46 ... Positioning rib 50 ... Lid 51 ... Outer peripheral edge 52 ... Claw piece 53 ... Fitting pin 54 ... Positioning rib 55 ... Lid side guide protrusion

Claims (4)

An ink storage portion hermetically formed in a flat bag shape by a plastic sheet; and a sleeve tube having one end connected to the ink storage portion and the other end exposed to the outside, and having a through-hole inside. the a Lee Nkutanku for an image forming apparatus used by placing vertically the ink storage portion in the lower side,
The ink storage portion is divided into a plurality of regions communicating with each other by a welded portion in which front and back sheets are welded in a strip shape from a peripheral portion toward a central portion, and the welded portion is a sleeve tube of the ink containing portion A first welded portion provided by opening an ink passage between the peripheral edge on the side where the ink is provided and the peripheral edge facing the peripheral edge, and sandwiching the sleeve tube A second welded portion provided by opening an ink passage between the first welded portion and the first welded portion from the peripheral portion facing the first welded portion toward the first welded portion. Ink tank.   In the through hole of the sleeve tube, a space portion is provided by expanding the opening side of the other end portion, and a plug made of an elastic material is press-fitted and fixed in the space portion. A communicating hole that communicates with the through-hole and communicates with the ink reservoir, and a slit having a valve action is provided on the other end of the ink reservoir. The ink tank according to claim 1.   After sandwiching the sleeve tube with a part of the outer periphery of the plastic sheet whose one end is folded in half, the outer peripheral inner surface of the plastic sheet is welded to the outer surface of the sleeve tube, so that the sleeve tube becomes a plastic sheet. The ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the ink tank is fixed integrally. An ink cartridge containing the ink tank according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in a cartridge case,
The cartridge case has a box-like shape including an ink tank housing portion for housing the ink tank and a sleeve tube exposing portion for exposing the other end portion of the sleeve tube to a part of the outer periphery and fixing the periphery of the sleeve tube An ink cartridge comprising a housing and a lid that covers an opening of the box-shaped housing.