JP6306365B2 - ink cartridge - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink cartridge that includes an ink bag in which ink is sealed and a box-shaped exterior body into which the ink bag is inserted, and is attached to and detached from a printing apparatus along a horizontal direction.

  As an ink cartridge attached to a serial printer, ink is filled into an ink bag formed by welding the peripheral edges of a flexible film, and the ink bag is stored in a rectangular parallelepiped cartridge exterior formed mainly of resin. Ink cartridges have already been put into practical use (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). The cartridge exterior is often made of cardboard instead of resin.

  In recent ink jet printers, the amount of ink consumed has increased due to the realization of high-speed printing by forming a head line. Accordingly, the capacity of ink cartridges (500 ml or more) has been increasing.

JP 2010-082991 A JP 57-201664 A

  By the way, in the conventional ink cartridge, when ink is sucked from the ink bag made of such a flexible film, the ink bag is deformed as the ink decreases, and remains in the ink bag without being sucked. The problem is that it is wasted. In recent years, in ink jet printers, the capacity of ink cartridges has been increasing, and it is preferable that this problem be solved early.

  Here, Patent Document 1 discloses that a partition member is disposed on the bottom side of the exterior body to form a space between the bottom of the ink bag and the inside of the exterior body. Although it is conceivable to reduce the remaining amount of ink in the ink bag when replacing the ink cartridge by forming a space in the exterior body in this way, it does not guide the position of the ink bag as the ink is sucked. It is difficult to obtain a sufficient effect from the viewpoint of reducing the remaining amount.

  Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that a flat plate that is less likely to be deformed than a flexible film constituting an ink bag is disposed on the ink bag to make the deformation of the ink bag uniform. In this way, it is conceivable to reduce the remaining amount of ink in the ink bag when replacing the ink cartridge by guiding the position of the ink bag along with the ink suction. However, since the ink supply path becomes narrow, Thus, the required ink flow rate cannot be obtained, which is insufficient from the viewpoint of reducing the remaining amount of ink.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an ink cartridge that sufficiently reduces the remaining amount of ink that remains in the ink bag without being sucked even if the ink bag is deformed as the amount of ink decreases. It is an issue to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the first feature of the ink cartridge according to the present invention is that an ink bag in which ink is enclosed, a box-shaped exterior body into which the ink bag is inserted, and a front end side of the ink bag And an ink supply port that is attached to and detached from the printing apparatus in the horizontal direction, and supplies ink to the printing apparatus, and supports the rear end side of the ink bag in the horizontal direction from below. A first guide surface provided at a predetermined first angle with respect to the horizontal direction, and provided on a side farther from the ink supply port than the first guide surface, and more than the first angle. A second guide surface that is provided at a second angle that is large with respect to the horizontal direction and that guides the movement of the rear end portion of the ink bag when the ink bag is deformed due to ink consumption. In That.

  According to the first feature of the ink cartridge of the present invention, the guide portion of the exterior body has the concave portion that comes into contact with the end portion farthest from the ink supply port, so that ink is sucked from the ink supply port of the ink bag. This prevents wrinkles from forming on the ink bag when the farthest end rises, so even if the ink bag is deformed as the ink is reduced, it is not sucked. In addition, an ink cartridge in which the remaining amount of ink remaining in the ink bag is sufficiently reduced can be obtained.

1A and 1B are a plan view, a front view, and a side view, respectively, showing a printing apparatus to which an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention is detachably mounted. 1A is a schematic side cross-sectional view of an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention when 100% of ink is filled (that is, an unused ink cartridge), and FIG. It is a typical side sectional view at the time. When the ink bag accommodated in the ink cartridge which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is orient | assigned to the horizontal direction, (a) is a typical side view when 100% of ink is filled, (b) is It is a typical side view at the time of replacement | exchange of an ink bag. It is a fragmentary side sectional view showing the modification of the ink cartridge concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a fragmentary side sectional view showing the modification of the ink cartridge concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the exterior body of the modification of the ink cartridge which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary side sectional view showing the modification of the ink cartridge concerning one embodiment of the present invention. In the ink cartridge of the conventional example, (a) is a schematic side sectional view when the ink is 100% filled, (b) is a schematic front sectional view when the ink is consumed to some extent, (c) ) Is a schematic side cross-sectional view when the ink bag is to be replaced. FIG. 6 is a schematic side cross-sectional view when the ink cartridge of the comparative example is 100% filled with ink.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same or similar components as those already described are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

  In addition, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and the dimensional ratios and the like are different from actual ones. Therefore, specific dimensional ratios and the like should be determined in consideration of the following description. Moreover, it is a matter of course that portions having different dimensional relationships and ratios are included between the drawings.

  The following embodiments are exemplifications for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the embodiments of the present invention are described below in terms of the material, shape, structure, arrangement, etc. of the components. It is not something specific. The embodiments of the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

  Further, in the following description, an example will be described in which the end portion farthest from the ink supply port of the ink bag is the rear end portion located on the side opposite to the ink supply port.

(Overall configuration of printing device)
1A and 1B are a plan view, a front view, and a front view showing a printing apparatus to which an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) is detachably mounted, respectively. It is a side view. In the present embodiment, the printing apparatus 10 includes a plurality of ink heads on which a large number of nozzles are formed, black or color ink is ejected from each ink head, printing is performed in units of lines, and printing is performed on a print sheet on a conveyance belt. An inkjet line color printer that forms a plurality of images so as to overlap each other will be described as an example.

  In the present embodiment, the ink head includes four ink heads arranged side by side along the paper conveyance direction, and forms a color image by overlapping a plurality of images. An arithmetic processing unit 12 is provided inside the printing apparatus 10, and the arithmetic processing unit 12 performs control related to ink supply from the ink cartridge in addition to the above-described printing processing by the ink head, drive control of the transport mechanism, and the like. Do.

  The arithmetic processing unit 12 is configured by a processor such as a CPU or DSP (Digital Signal Processor), memory, hardware such as other electronic circuits, software such as a program having the function, or a combination thereof. Various functional modules are virtually constructed by appropriately reading and executing a program, and various functional modules for processing related to image data, operation control of each unit, and user operations are constructed by each constructed functional module. Process. In addition, an operation panel 14 is connected to the arithmetic processing unit 12, and an instruction and a setting operation by a user can be received through the operation panel 14.

  The printing apparatus 10 is provided with a cartridge mounting mechanism 16 for mounting the ink cartridge 20 on the upper surface of the printing apparatus main body 10m, and a plurality (four in this case) of the ink cartridges 20 of the respective colors are arranged with respect to the cartridge mounting mechanism. And loaded. The cartridge mounting mechanism 16 is provided with a holder portion, which is an ink cartridge attaching / detaching mechanism, oriented in the horizontal direction. An upper surface device 18 is disposed so as to cover the upper side of the cartridge mounting mechanism 16, and the ink cartridge 20 is loaded by inserting it horizontally between the lower surface of the upper surface device 18 and the upper surface of the printing apparatus main body 10m. Done. The upper surface device 18 is provided with, for example, a sheet feeder and an operation panel.

(ink cartridge)
FIG. 2 shows an ink cartridge according to the present embodiment, wherein (a) is a schematic side sectional view when the ink bag is 100% filled with ink (that is, an unused ink cartridge). ) Is a schematic side cross-sectional view when the ink cartridge is to be replaced. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the ink bag accommodated in the ink cartridge according to the present embodiment is oriented in the horizontal direction, (a) is a schematic side view when the ink is 100% filled, FIG. 4B is a schematic side view when the ink cartridge is replaced.

  The ink cartridge 20 is an elongated casing that is attached to and detached from the printing apparatus 10 in the horizontal direction (attachment / detachment operation direction D2), and includes an ink bag 22 in which ink is sealed and an outer box in which the ink bag 22 is inserted. A certain exterior body 30 is generally configured. The exterior body 30 is a cylindrical body having a rectangular inner surface shape in a cross section.

  The exterior body 30 is located on the opposite side to the end 22s (front end side) of the ink bag 22 on the ink supply port side, and with respect to the rear end 22b that is the end farthest from the end 22s on the ink supply port side. A guide portion 28 is provided on the inside, which is concave and supports the rear end portion 22b from below. The guide portion 28 moves the rear end portion 22b of the ink bag 22 as the length X + ΔX from the end portion 22s on the ink supply port side to the rear end portion 22b becomes longer due to deformation of the ink bag 22 due to ink consumption. The shape of the ink bag 22 is determined so that the rear end portion 22b is raised by the guide and no wrinkles are formed in the ink bag 22 when it is raised.

  Here, the ink bag 22 is formed by welding two flexible films to form an ink containing portion 22a between the two flexible films, and at least the peripheral edges of the ink containing portion 22a are formed between each other. It is welded. When the ink cartridge 20 is attached to the printing apparatus 10, the film welding portion forming the rear end portion 22b becomes a horizontal portion orthogonal to the attaching / detaching operation direction D2.

  In the present embodiment, the guide portion 28 is provided with a predetermined first angle θ1 with respect to the attachment / detachment operation direction (horizontal direction) D2 of the ink cartridge 20 from the ink supply port side to the exterior body bottom side. One guide surface 28p is provided. Here, “predetermined” refers to an angle range in which the ink moves to the ink supply port 24 side by its own weight on the rear end side 22b of the ink bag 22 when the ink bag 22 is 100% filled with ink.

Further, the guide portion 28 continues to the exterior body rear end portion 22b of the first guide surface 28p and extends toward the exterior body bottom side, that is, toward the side farther from the ink supply port 24 than the first guide surface 28p. having a planar second guide surface 28q which rises steeply than (i.e., the first guide surface 28p is compared with the first angle theta ₁ formed with the horizontal direction (horizontal surface), a second guide surface 28q is first horizontal plane and eggplant Biangle θ ₂ is larger). Accordingly, a horizontal valley portion 28v perpendicular to the attaching / detaching operation direction D2 is formed at the boundary between the first guide surface 28p and the second guide surface 28q.

  With this configuration, the guide portion 28 is recessed with respect to the rear end portion 22 b of the ink bag 22. When an unused ink cartridge 20 (that is, an ink cartridge in which the ink bag 22 is 100% filled with ink) is mounted on the printing apparatus 10, the rear end portion 22b of the ink bag 22 contacts the valley portion 28v. It is located near or in the vicinity.

  In the present embodiment, in a state where the ink cartridge 20 is mounted on the printing apparatus 10, the height Y from the inner lower surface of the outer package 30 to the ink supply port 24, and the ink filled with 100% of the ink from the inner lower surface of the outer package 30. The height H1 to the rear end portion 22b of the bag 22, the height H2 from the inner lower surface of the outer package 30 to the rear end portion 22b of the ink bag 22 when the ink cartridge is replaced, and the first guide surface 28p on the ink supply port side. The horizontal distance L1 from the end portion 22s to the rear end portion 22b of the ink bag 22 filled with 100% ink, and the rear end portion from the end portion 22s on the ink supply port side of the ink bag 22 filled with 100% ink. The length X to the portion 22b satisfies the following relational expression.

Y ≦ H1 (Formula 1)
H2 / Y ≧ 1.5 (Formula 2)
H1 <H2 (Formula 3)
L1 ≧ X / 4 (Formula 4)

(Function, effect)
Hereinafter, the operation and effect of the present embodiment will be described. The ink cartridge 20 attached to the printing apparatus 10 is attached along the horizontal direction. As ink is consumed by printing with the printing apparatus 10, the length X + ΔX of the ink bag 22 from the end 22s to the rear end 22b on the ink supply port side is 100% filled with ink. The length gradually becomes longer than the length X of the ink bag 22 from the end 22s on the ink supply port side to the rear end 22b.

  Therefore, as the ink is consumed and reduced, the rear end portion 22b is guided by the second guide surface 28q, and the height position of the rear end portion 22b gradually rises (see FIG. 1B). At this time, since the above Expression 4 is satisfied, the vicinity of the rear end portion 22b of the ink bag 22 is supported by the first guide surface 28p of the guide portion 28, so that the ink in the ink bag 22 is caused by its own weight. The situation of not moving to the side is prevented. The second guide surface 28q is steeper than the first guide surface 28p, and as the ink is sucked, the height position of the rear end portion 28b becomes higher than the conventional one. Therefore, the ratio at which the remaining ink at the rear end portion 22b far from the ink supply port 24 moves to the ink supply port 24 side by its own weight is higher than in the prior art.

Therefore, it is greatly avoided that careless wrinkles are formed in the ink bag 22 near the ink supply port 24 or in the central portion, and the remaining amount of ink in the ink bag 22 when the ink cartridge 20 is replaced is conventionally reduced. As compared with the above, it can be greatly reduced.
In addition, such an effect can be obtained with the ink cartridge 20 having the same external dimensions as the conventional one and a simple configuration.

  In the cartridge structure in which the ink bag 22 is held horizontally even if the ink is sucked from the ink bag 22, the ink bag 22 on the ink supply port side of the ink bag 22 is placed so that the ink bag 22 that sucked the ink fits inside the cartridge exterior. The length from the end portion 22s to the rear end portion 22b, that is, the length in the longitudinal direction of the ink bag 22 must be reduced, and the capacity of the ink bag is reduced. It does not occur.

In this embodiment, the planar first guide surface 28p and the planar second guide surface 28q are formed on the guide portion 28, and the guide portion 28 is inclined in two steps. , the first guide surface 28p is supported rear end 22r from below in the horizontal direction of the ink bag has a predetermined first angle theta ₁ with respect to the horizontal direction, the second guide surface 28q, the first guide than the surface 28p is provided on the side away from the ink supply port 24, the rear end portion of the first than the angle theta ₁ is provided at a second angle theta ₂ large angle with respect to the horizontal direction, the ink bag 22 is deformed by the consumption of the ink Such an effect is recognized as long as it is configured to guide the movement of 22b. The first guide surface 28p and the second guide surface 28q are not limited to a flat shape, and may be other shapes such as a curved concave surface. Furthermore, the first guide surface 28p and the second guide surface 28q are continuous without a step. It may be connected to.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 4, it may be a guide portion 38 that forms a curved concave surface 38d with respect to the rear end portion 22b. In this case, the curved concave surface 38d has a step difference between the first guide surface and the second guide surface. It can be seen as a continuously connected shape. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the three planar portions of the first guide surface 48p, the second guide surface 48q, and the third guide surface 48r are arranged so that the angle (inclination angle) with respect to the horizontal direction increases stepwise. It is good also as the guide part 48 currently formed. Further, the guide portion 58 that is concave with respect to the rear end portion 22b is formed by the whole of the steep convex portions P as shown in FIG. Is also possible.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the first guide surface 68p and the second guide surface 68q having the same inclination as the first guide surface 28p and the second guide surface 28q are formed of a box material constituting the exterior body 70. It may be an ink cartridge.

<Comparison study example>
Hereinafter, an example in which the ink cartridge of the conventional example, the ink cartridge of the comparative example, and the ink cartridge of the example are compared and examined with respect to the remaining amount of ink in the ink bag will be described.
The ink cartridge of the example is an example of the ink cartridge 20 described in the above embodiment, and the size of the ink bag 22 is 100% when the ink is filled (when the ink is full), and X is 205 mm. , X + ΔX is 210 mm, D (the vertical width of the ink bag 22 when the ink bag 22 is oriented in the horizontal direction) is 51.5 mm (all refer to FIG. 3), W (when the ink cartridge is oriented in the horizontal direction) The longitudinal length of the outer package 30 is 230 mm, and B (the vertical length of the outer package 30 when the ink cartridge is oriented in the horizontal direction) is 56 mm (see FIG. 2 for both).

  8A and 8B show a conventional ink cartridge, in which FIG. 8A is a schematic side sectional view when the ink is 100% filled, and FIG. 8B is a schematic front sectional view when the ink is consumed to some extent. FIG. 4C is a schematic side cross-sectional view when the ink bag is replaced. FIG. 9 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge of Comparative Example 1 when the ink is 100% filled.

  In the ink cartridge 100 of the conventional example, a guide portion 128 having a flat surface 128p that supports the rear end portion 22b of the ink bag 22 from below is supported inside the exterior body 130.

  When ink is sucked from the ink bag 22, the ink near the ink supply port 24 decreases. In the ink cartridge 100 of the conventional example, when ink is sucked, the length X + ΔX of the ink bag 22 from the end 22s on the ink supply port side to the rear end 22b is 100% filled with ink. As the length of the ink bag 22 from the end 22s on the ink supply port side to the rear end 22b is gradually increased, the rear end 22b is supported by the plane 128p of the guide 128. Therefore, the rate of increase of the rear end portion 22b (ratio of the height increase with respect to the ink suction amount) is smaller than that of the ink cartridge 21 of the embodiment. For this reason, the ink bag portion near the ink supply port 24 is crushed and wrinkles are formed, and the ink supply path in the ink bag is easily blocked by the wrinkles. Therefore, even when the remaining amount of ink in the ink bag 22 is relatively large, the ink is not sucked.

  Further, the ink cartridge 200 of Comparative Example 1 has a guide portion 228 that is planar with respect to the rear end portion 22 b of the ink bag 22 inside the exterior body 230. In the ink cartridge 200 of the comparative example, the value of L1 of the guide portion 228 is smaller than that of the ink cartridge 21 of the embodiment, and the above equation 4 is not satisfied. For this reason, in the ink cartridge 200 of the comparative example, a large gap S is formed below the vicinity of the rear end portion 22b of the ink bag 22. As a result, the ink in the ink bag 22 does not move toward the ink supply port 24 due to its own weight, and the ink bag 22 is easily crushed near the ink supply port 24 or in the central portion to form wrinkles. The supply path is shielded by this wrinkle. Therefore, even when the remaining amount of ink in the ink bag 22 is relatively large, the ink is not sucked.

  Further, in the ink cartridge (not shown) of Comparative Example 2 in which a flat plate that is less likely to be deformed than the flexible film constituting the ink bag is arranged on the ink bag to make the deformation of the ink bag uniform, the ink cartridge is accompanied by ink suction. Thus, the ink supply path in the ink bag is prevented from being blocked, but the ink supply path becomes narrow, so that the required ink flow rate cannot be obtained with ink suction. The same problem occurs even in an ink cartridge having a mechanism for pressing the flexible film constituting the ink bag from the outside or an ink cartridge having a groove in the ink bag.

  On the other hand, in the ink cartridge 21 of the embodiment, the guide portion 28 having the first guide surface 28p and the second guide surface 28q is provided, so that the ink cartridge 100 of the conventional example and the ink cartridge 200 of the comparative example are provided. The formation of wrinkles in the ink bag 22 due to ink suction is prevented, and the amount of wasted ink that is discarded without being sucked can be greatly reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printing apparatus 20 Ink cartridge 22 Ink bag 22b Rear end part 22r Rear end side 30 Exterior body 24 Ink supply port 28 Guide part (guide member)
28p First guide surface 28q Second guide surface 30 Exterior body 38 Guide portion (guide member)
48 Guide (guide member)
58 Guide (guide member)
70 Outer body D2 Attaching / detaching operation direction (horizontal direction)
θ ₁ First angle θ ₂ Second angle

Claims (3)

An ink bag in which ink is enclosed;
A box-shaped exterior body into which the ink bag is inserted; and
An ink supply port which is disposed on the front end side of the ink bag and is attached to and detached from the printing apparatus in a horizontal direction;
An ink cartridge for supplying ink to the printing apparatus,
A first guide surface provided to support the rear end side of the ink bag in the horizontal direction from below, and having a predetermined first angle with respect to the horizontal direction;
Provided on the side away from the ink supply port than the first guide surface, wherein the first angle is provided at a second angle a large angle to the horizontal direction than the rear end of the ink bag by the ink consumption ink supply A second guide surface for guiding the movement of the rear end of the ink bag so as to be higher than the mouth ;
An ink cartridge comprising a guide member having the following. 2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein an end portion position of the second guide surface is fixed to a wall surface of the exterior body on a side opposite to a front end side of the ink bag. An ink bag in which ink is enclosed;
  A box-shaped exterior body into which the ink bag is inserted; and
  An ink supply port which is disposed on the front end side of the ink bag and is attached to and detached from the printing apparatus in a horizontal direction;
  An ink cartridge for supplying ink to the printing apparatus,
  On the inner wall surface of the exterior body,
  A first guide surface disposed to support the rear end side in the horizontal direction of the ink bag from below, and having a predetermined first angle with respect to the horizontal direction;
  The ink guide is disposed on the side farther from the ink supply port than the first guide surface, and is disposed at a second angle that is larger than the first angle with respect to the horizontal direction. A second guide surface for guiding the movement of the rear end of the ink bag so as to be higher than the mouth;
  An ink cartridge is formed.

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