JPH02122938A - Ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the subject device compact and increase the efficiency of ink discharge recovery action by providing an ink pressurizing device in an ink flow path between an ink storage section and the joint section of an ink cartridge and a device for blocking an ink flow in the ink flow path between the pressurizing device and the ink storage section. CONSTITUTION:A pressing member 106 is pressed against an ink flow path blocking section 112 in pressure recovery mode, and the ink flow path blocking section 112 is blocked. In this way, the flow of ink between an ink storage section 116 and a joint section 113 is shut off. Next, a pressing member 15 is pressed against the head of an ink pressurizing section 111. If the pressurizing action is completed, the pressing member 106 moves backward and the ink flow path blocking section 112 becomes open. In this case, a negative pressure generated when the compressed air is released from the ink pressurizing section 111, is transmitted to the ink storage section 116, so that the negative pressure is not applied to an ink cartridge head. If the pressing member 105 moves backward, the ink pressurizing section 111 is restored to its original state resulting in the re-currence of a state before the recovery of pressure.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an ink cartridge that is attached to a recording apparatus such as an inkjet printer and supplies ink to a recording head thereof.

[Conventional technology]

In an inkjet recording apparatus, ink is supplied from a recording ink tank to a recording head, and ink droplets are discharged from ink discharge ports at the tips of nozzles provided in the recording head.

Incidentally, in such an inkjet recording apparatus, dust or air bubbles may get mixed into the ink tank or the communication portion between the tank and the nozzle. The nozzles of the recording head generally have a narrow inner diameter of several tens of microns, so when the dust and air bubbles reach the nozzles of the recording head, they adhere inside the nozzles and obstruct the flow of ink, reducing ink ejection efficiency. This may reduce the ejection response to the recording signal or eventually cause clogging, making it impossible to eject ink.

Furthermore, if the inkjet recording device is not ejected for a long period of time while being filled with ink, constituent components of the ink may precipitate, causing similar inkjet abnormalities.

For this reason, it is important to recover the ink ejection from the nozzle.As recovery means for such ink ejection recovery, there are a pressure recovery method and a negative pressure recovery method.

The negative pressure recovery method is a method in which an ink discharge port of a nozzle is camped from the outside with a cap member, and obstructions such as ink sticks, air bubbles, and dust are removed by suctioning through the camp member. However, in order to implement such a method, it is necessary to provide an ink ejection recovery device separately from the print head, which makes it difficult to make the printing device more compact with the conventional method, and furthermore, the ink ejection recovery device is required to be installed separately from the print head. It is necessary to achieve positional accuracy between the outlet position and the suction hole attached to the capping mechanism, which requires a lot of effort to assemble the device, and if this positional accuracy is poor, it may cause damage to the outlet port during use. There was the problem of having to spend a lot of time.

On the other hand, the pressurization recovery method is a method of removing stuck substances, air bubbles, dust, etc. contained in the ink by pressurizing the nozzle portion from the ink tank side. In order to carry out such a method, a pressurizing mechanism such as a pump is provided. As such a pressure mechanism, there are two types: one in which the pressure mechanism is provided in the ink cartridge, and one in which the pressure mechanism is provided in the recording apparatus. Examples of the latter pressurizing mechanism include gear pumps and tube pumps. These methods require a pressurizing mechanism in the ink flow path, which makes it difficult to make them compact. Furthermore, with gear pumps, components of the ink may precipitate between the gears and prevent smooth rotation of the gears, while with tube pumps, parts of the tube may be squeezed.
Since ink is supplied using the pressurizing force at that time, there is a risk that the tubes may come into close contact with each other after the tubes are squeezed, and the ink flow path may be blocked.

Furthermore, examples of ink cartridges equipped with the former pressurizing mechanism include those shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, for example.

In FIG. 8, a nozzle portion 1 is provided on the side wall surface of an ink storage portion 2, and the ink storage portion 2 is filled with ink 3. An air layer 4 is formed above the ink 3. Furthermore, a diaphragm 5 is provided above the ceiling surface of the ink storage section 2 as a pressurizing means for removing clogging and air bubbles from the nozzle section 1. A vent hole 8 is provided to communicate the air 7 formed inside the diaphragm 5 with the atmosphere.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 8, when the diaphragm 5 is pressed with the ventilation hole 8 closed, air in the air 7 flows into the air layer 4 through the communication hole 6, and the air layer 4 is compressed. When the air layer 4 is compressed, the ink 3 in the ink storage section 2 is supplied from the bottom of the ink storage section 2 to the nozzle section l via the ink flow path.

FIG. 9 shows a second example of a conventional ink cartridge, and parts that are the same as those in FIG. 8 or have the same functions are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanation will be omitted.

Ink 3 is contained in an ink bag 21 within an ink tank case 11. A push button 9 is disposed on the ceiling of the ink tank case 11 so as to be movable up and down, and a compression coil spring 10 is fitted around the neck of the push button 9 to push the push button 9 upward. Further, a lever 12 is disposed at the bottom of the push button 9 so as to be able to be opened and closed so as to be in contact with a part of the ink bag 21 with one end as a fulcrum 13.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 9, when pushbutton 9 is pressed, lever 1
2 moves downward against the expansion force of the ink bag 21 and presses a part of the ink bag 21. The ink bag 21 is compressed by the pressure of the lever 12, the pressure of the ink 3 inside is increased, and the ink 3 is ejected from the ejection opening of the nozzle portion 1.

Furthermore, FIG. 10 shows a third example of a conventional ink cartridge. In this configuration as well, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are the same or have the same functions as those in FIG. 8, so redundant explanation will be omitted.

In FIG. 10, a pressing member 14 having an end portion 14A and a flange 14B and having a step formed in the upper portion is supported on the ceiling portion of the ink storage portion 2 so as to be movable up and down. An O-ring 15 is fitted onto the support portion of the pressing member 14, and an atmosphere release valve 16 is provided on the ceiling to communicate the inside of the ink storage portion 2 with the atmosphere. A coil spring 17 is disposed at the lower part of the pressing member 14, and always urges the collar 14B upward. A diaphragm 18 having an opening 19 is disposed at the bottom of the ink storage portion 2 inside the coil spring 17, and an inlet of an ink flow path is provided opposite to the diaphragm 18.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 10, when the pressing member 14 is pressed, the end portion 14A compresses the diaphragm 18 while closing the opening 19 of the diaphragm 18, and pushes out the ink inside the diaphragm 18 into the ink flow path. to be discharged. The atmosphere release valve 16 is pressed during printing and during a recovery operation. When the press member 14 is released from the press after the pressure recovery operation, the press member 14 is pushed up by the elastic force of the coil spring 17 and returns to a predetermined position. At this time, since the end portion 14A separates from the opening 19, the ink in the ink storage portion 2 is introduced into the diaphragm 18, and the shape of the diaphragm 18 is easily restored, and negative pressure is generated in the nozzle portion l. Nothing happens.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in such a conventional ink cartridge, in the case of the configuration shown in FIG. 8, the volume of the air layer 4 changes as the ink in the ink storage section 2 is consumed, so the pressing force by the diaphragm 5 changes, and the air There is a problem that as the thickness of the layer 4 increases, the ink pressurizing ability decreases.

Here, in order to maintain sufficient pressurizing capacity even when the ink 3 is consumed and the volume of the air layer 4 increases, it becomes necessary to increase the pressurizing capacity by the diaphragm 5, and therefore the liquid jet recording unit The second problem of increased size also occurs, and the problem of not being able to perform stable ejection recovery still remains unsolved.

Further, in the case of the configuration shown in FIG. 9, there is a problem that as the amount of ink 3 consumed increases, the amount of pressure applied to the ink bag 21 by the lever 12 changes greatly, and the pressure recovery force becomes unstable. especially,
In a state where almost no ink 3 remains in the ink bag 21, pressure recovery may become impossible.

Furthermore, in the case of the configuration shown in FIG. 10, the O-ring 15 wears out as the pressing member 14 moves up and down, reducing its liquid tightness, and there is a risk that the ink 3 may leak to the outside. Furthermore, if the end 14A of the pressing member 4 is left in contact with the opening 19, negative pressure will be generated in the nozzle part 1 when the diaphragm 18 returns to its shape, and atmospheric air will be drawn into the nozzle part 1. A problem arises.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink cartridge that can solve the problems of the prior art, make it possible to make the recording apparatus to which it is installed more compact and easier to manufacture, and to improve the ink ejection recovery operation. It is.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention provides an ink cartridge for an inkjet recording device equipped with a pressure recovery system, in which an ink pressurizing means is provided in an ink flow path between an ink storage section and a joint section of the ink cartridge, and the ink pressurizing means and ink The above object is achieved by providing means for blocking the flow of ink in the ink flow path between the ink flow path and the accommodating portion.

In the above configuration, it is preferable to further provide a means for removing ink discharged from the nozzles of the head by pressure recovery from the face of the head.

Furthermore, by assembling the recording head integrally with the ink cartridge, it is preferable to make the entire "ink area" disposable.

[Effect]

After the flow path with the ink storage section is closed by the ink flow path blocking means, the ink pressurizing means storing a certain amount of ink is operated, thereby supplying pressurized ink to the nozzle and performing a recovery operation. Therefore, a stable pressurizing force can be obtained at all times, and no negative pressure is generated on the head side when the valve is opened.

Further, the waste ink discharged from the nozzle is guided to the waste ink reservoir by the negative pressure generated by the waste ink suction means, so that it does not interfere with the recording operation after the recovery operation.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main parts of a recording apparatus equipped with an ink cartridge according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 101 is a print head, 102 is an ink cartridge, 203 is a carriage that carries the print head 101 and ink cartridge 102 and moves in the main scanning direction, and 204 faces the print head 101 and runs along the moving direction. The disposed protin roller 205 is a recording medium such as paper that is in close contact with the protin roller 204 .

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the ink cartridge 102 in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 2, a recording head 101 is integrated into an ink cartridge 102.

An orifice portion 103 and a waste ink suction hole 108 are provided inside the recording head 101.
Ink is supplied from the ink cartridge 102 to the ink cartridge 102 .

In FIG. 2, 104 indicates the orifice portion 103 during recovery.
105 is a pressing member for pressurizing the ink, 106 is a pressing member for opening and closing the ink flow path, and 107 is a suction of waste ink from the waste ink suction hole 108 provided in the head 101. A pressing member 109 for this purpose is an atmosphere release valve provided at the top of the ink cartridge 102.

The recording head 101 is the ink cartridge! 02
Although it can be made into a separate body, it is preferable to make it integral as shown in the figure.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line mm of the embodiment shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, 110 is ink stored in the ink cartridge 102, 111 is an ink pressurizing part, 112 is an ink flow passage blocking part in the ink flow path, and 113 is a joint part coupled to the ink pressurizing part 111. , 114 is a spring that urges the atmosphere release valve 109 upward, 115 is a sealing material for blocking communication with the atmosphere from the bottom of the atmosphere release valve 109, and 116 is an ink storage formed in the upper part of the ink cartridge 102. Department. In addition, the ink pressurizing part il
Although l has a bellows shape, a convex or flat elastic body may also be used.

Next, the operation of the embodiment with the above configuration will be explained in FIGS.
This will be explained with reference to (E).

Before the pressurization recovery operation, that is, the normal state is shown in FIG. 4(A), and when the pressurization recovery mode is entered, as shown in FIG. 4(B), the pressing member 106 comes into pressure contact with the ink flow path closing part 112, The ink flow path closing portion 112 is closed. This blocks the flow of ink between the ink storage section 116 and the joint section 113.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4(C), the pressing member 105 presses the head of the ink pressurizing section 111 in the state shown in FIG. 4(B). At this time, by changing the moving distance and speed of the pressing member 105, it is possible to arbitrarily set the amount and pressure of the ink when the pressure is restored. In particular, because the pressure is applied in the ink flow path, compared to pressurizing air in a sealed container, a constant amount of ink can always be pressurized regardless of the amount of ink remaining, and the air can be compressed. Since there is no pressure, the stroke of the pressing member for applying pressure can be made smaller.

When the pressing is finished, the pressing member 10 is released as shown in FIG. 4(D).
6 retreats, and the ink flow path closing portion 112 opens (returns to its original shape). At this time, a situation in which the negative pressure generated when the compression of the ink pressurizing section 111 is released is transmitted to the ink storage section 116 and applying negative pressure to the head 101 does not occur.

When the pressing member 105 retreats from the state shown in FIG. 4(D),
The ink pressurizing section 111 returns to its original state and becomes the same state as shown in FIG. 4(A) before the pressurization recovery operation.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 5, 117 is a waste ink reservoir formed at the bottom of the ink storage section 116, 11B is a waste ink suction pump that absorbs waste ink from the head 101 and supplies it to the waste ink reservoir, and 119 is a waste ink reservoir 117. A waste ink joint 120 is a tube that connects the waste ink reservoir 117 and the waste ink suction pump 118.

Next, the waste ink suction pump 118 in the configuration shown in FIG.
The operation will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6(A) to 6(C).

FIG. 6(A) shows the normal state, and when the pressing member 107 is pressed from this state, the pressing member 107 is pressed against the top (free end) of the waste ink suction pump 118 as shown in FIG. 6(B). The tips of the two touch each other.

Since a space is formed near the center of the tip of the pressing member 107 as shown in the figure, the waste ink suction pump 118 is compressed within this space while the valve 118A remains open. At this time, neither negative pressure nor positive pressure is generated within the pump.

Next, when the pushing member 107 is pushed back, the waste ink suction pump 118 moves the pushing member 107 by its elastic force.
It expands while touching the tip of 07.

At this time, valve 118A closes, thereby creating negative pressure within the pump. This negative pressure creates a negative pressure in the waste ink reservoir 117, and the waste ink discharged from the nozzle when the pressure is restored is sucked from the waste ink suction hole 108 through the waste ink joint 119, and is transferred to the waste ink reservoir 117. Collect waste ink.

At this time, the head cap 104 may be left open, but the waste ink can be removed more quickly if the head cap 104 is closed. Note that the waste ink suction hole 108 is located in the head 101.
Although it is desirable to provide it below the orifice section 103 of the nozzle, it is most desirable to provide it directly below the orifice section 103.

Note that if the recording head 101 and the ink pressurizing section 111 are integrated with the ink cartridge 102, the entire "ink surroundings" can be made disposable.
Reliability can be improved compared to a conventional structure in which an ejection recovery system and the like are disposed on the recording apparatus main body side.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment differs from FIG. 3 in that the ink storage section is replaced with an ink bag 121. Even with such a configuration, the same effects as in the embodiment described above can be obtained.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, in an ink cartridge of an inkjet recording apparatus equipped with a pressure recovery system, an ink pressurizing means is provided in an ink flow path between an ink storage section and a joint section of the ink cartridge. established,
Since a means for cooling the ink flow is provided in the ink flow path between the pressurizing means and the ink storage section, it is possible to downsize the recording apparatus and improve its reliability. Furthermore, since an appropriate amount of ink can be supplied to the nozzle under pressure, waste ink consumption during recovery can be extremely reduced.

Further, since a means is provided for removing ink discharged from the nozzles of the head from the face of the head by pressure recovery, the waste ink discharged from the nozzles can be quickly collected into the waste ink reservoir.

Furthermore, since the recording head is integrally assembled with the ink cartridge, the entire "ink area" can be made disposable, and the reliability of the recording apparatus can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a recording apparatus equipped with an ink cartridge according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the ink cartridge shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4(A) to (E) are explanatory diagrams of the pressurizing operation of the embodiment in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the arrow V-V in FIG. 2, 6(A) to 6(C) are explanatory diagrams of the waste ink recovery operation of the configuration shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing an ink cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 8 to 10. The figures are cross-sectional views showing three examples of conventional ink cartridges. 101------ Head, 102---------
Ear cartridge, 103---------orifice part, 105.106.107---pressing member,
111--- Curved ink pressure section, 112-1--
-・-Ink flow path blocking portion, 113--------1-joint portion, 116--・--・Curved ink storage portion,
118...Waste ink suction pump, 120.
−・・−１−−−・−Waste ink reservoir.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In an ink cartridge of an inkjet recording device equipped with a pressure recovery system, an ink pressurizing means is provided in the ink flow path between the ink accommodating section and the joint section of the ink cartridge, and the ink pressurizing means and the ink accommodating An ink cartridge characterized in that a means for blocking the flow of ink is provided in an ink flow path between the ink cartridge and the ink cartridge. (2) The ink cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising means for removing ink discharged from the nozzles of the head from the face of the head by pressure recovery. (3) The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the recording head is integrally assembled.