JPH04325262A - Method and device for filing exchanged ink in ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an ink jet recorder enabled to introduce new ink into an ink supply system in short time when an ink cartridge is exchanged. CONSTITUTION:An ink supply system 7 is made to stand by under a negative pressure state until a new ink cartridge 2 is inserted into a housing case 1. When the new cartridge 2 has been inserted into said housing case 1, an ink feed needle 16 is relatively moved reversely to an inserting direction of said ink cartridge 2 by a linking means 19 to be actuated with said ink cartridge 2. Said ink feed needle 16 is advanced for the new ink cartridge 2 and is stuck into an ink bag 29. New ink is immediately made to fill an inside of the ink supply system 7 by absorption.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a replacement ink filling method and apparatus for an ink jet recording apparatus, and more particularly to an ink jet recording apparatus that allows new ink to be quickly filled into an ink supply system when replacing an ink cartridge.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in an inkjet recording device in which a replaceable ink cartridge is inserted into a storage case and ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to a print head to perform recording on paper, the ink cartridge is replaced. Sometimes, usually, the ink supply needle is removed from the used ink cartridge, the ink supply system is released from negative pressure to the atmosphere, and then a new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case and the ink supply needle is inserted. A so-called ink filling sequence was started to fill the supply system with new ink. The ink filling sequence is performed by operating a switch provided on the operation panel, and after returning the print head to the ejection recovery device, the pump connected to the ejection recovery device is driven. This was done by applying negative pressure to the ink supply system and sucking ink from a new ink cartridge into the ink supply system.

0003

However, with the above technology, when replacing an ink cartridge, air enters the ink supply system when the ink supply system is opened to the atmosphere, and the pressure inside the ink supply system increases. It goes up. Therefore, when a new ink cartridge is installed, it is necessary to change the ink supply system from atmospheric pressure to negative pressure again, and it takes a relatively long time to finish filling the new ink cartridge. The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a replacement ink filling method and device for inkjet recording, which allows new ink to be filled into the ink supply system in a short time when replacing an ink cartridge. The challenge is to provide this.

0004

[Means for solving the problem] In the first invention,
A replacement ink filling method for an inkjet recording device that records on paper using ink supplied from an ink cartridge inserted in a storage case to a print head via an ink supply needle connected to an ink supply tube. Therefore, in order to achieve the above-mentioned problem, the following method is adopted. That is, when replacing an ink cartridge, the ink supply system is kept in a negative pressure state by evacuating until a new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case, and the new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case. Then, new ink is immediately sucked and filled into the ink supply system from the new ink cartridge. In a second invention, an inkjet recording device records on paper using ink supplied to a print head from an ink cartridge inserted in a storage case through an ink supply needle connected to an ink supply tube. The means for achieving the above object is configured as follows. That is, a cap member made of an elastic body is provided on the back wall of the storage case corresponding to the front side of the ink cartridge, and the cap member is made of an elastic material and holds the hole of the ink supply needle in a sealed state when the ink cartridge is removed. The support member is operated by an ink cartridge inserted into the storage case, and
An interlocking means is provided for relatively moving the ink cartridge in a direction opposite to the insertion direction of the ink cartridge, and when replacing the ink cartridge, the ink supply needle is held sealed by the cap member until a new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case. When a new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case, the ink supply needle is advanced and inserted into the new ink cartridge, and the new ink supply system is placed on standby in a negative pressure state. It is configured to immediately suck and fill ink.

[0005]

[Operation] When replacing an ink cartridge, the hole of the ink supply needle is kept sealed by the cap member made of an elastic material until the new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case, and the ink supply system is maintained. By evacuation, a negative pressure state is maintained, and when a new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case, new ink is immediately sucked and filled into the ink supply system from the new ink cartridge. During this time, since the previous ink has been discharged from the ink supply system, new ink can be filled into the ink supply system in a short time without introducing air bubbles into the ink supply system.

[0006]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be explained in detail below based on examples. The inkjet recording device shown in FIG. 3 records on paper 5 moved by a platen 4 using ink supplied from an ink cartridge 2 inserted into a storage case 1 to a print head 3. 1 is configured as follows, and when replacing the ink cartridge 2, the ink supply system 7 is made to suck and fill new ink in a short time.

The storage case 1 contains an inkjet recording device 6
The innermost part thereof corresponds to the front side of the ink cartridge 2, which is guided by a guide groove 8 formed to extend horizontally on the side wall thereof, as shown in FIG. A back wall 10 is provided, and a cap member 11 made of an elastic body such as a rubber body is fixed to a substantially central position of the back wall 10, and when the ink cartridge 2 is not inserted, the cap member 11 is fixed in a horizontal direction. An ink supply needle 16 connected to an ink supply tube 15 is tightly inserted into a thin through hole 13 bored in the ink supply system 7 so that the ink supply system 7 can be maintained at a negative pressure. That is, the ink supply needle 16 is provided with a hole 17 in the circumferential portion slightly rearward of its tip, and as shown in the figure, the ink supply needle 16 is tightly fitted into the through hole 13 of the cap member 11. In the inserted state, the ink supply needle 16
The hole 17 is kept in a sealed state. Therefore, when replacing the ink cartridge 2, if the print head 3 (see FIG. 3) is returned to the ejection recovery device 9 and the pump 12 is driven while it is on standby, the ink supply system including the ink supply needle 16 7 can be maintained at negative pressure.

The rear part of the ink supply needle 16 is fixed to a lower part 23 of a support member 22 made of a plate bent in an inverted L shape, and a rack 20 formed at the lower part of the support member 22 is attached to a storage case. The pinion 21 is rotatably supported on the upper part of the rack 2.
0, the ink supply needle 16 is inserted into the ink cartridge 2.
It constitutes an interlocking means 19 for relative movement in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion. A return spring 25 is interposed between the lower part 23 of the support member 22 and the cap member 11 attached to the storage case 1, and when the ink cartridge 2 is removed, the return spring 25 When the support member 22 is biased in the direction of the arrow 28, the protrusion 26 formed upward at the front end of the support member 22 is latched onto a stopper 27 formed integrally with the storage case 1, as shown in the figure. , the ink supply needle 16 is connected to the cap member 11
is stably and tightly fitted.

On the other hand, the ink cartridge 2 has a waste ink cartridge 31 integrally attached to its lower part.
On both sides, guide grooves 8 provided in the storage case 1 are provided.
A guide protrusion 18 is provided to guide the ink cartridge 2 , and a thick part 30 of an ink bag 29 housed inside is fixed to the front side of the guide protrusion 18 so as to protrude slightly forward.
When inserted into the storage case 1, the thick part 30
By inserting the tip of the ink supply needle 16 into the ink supply needle 16, the ink inside can be sucked out (see Fig. 2). A rack 24 is attached facing forward and backward. Note that the ink cartridge 2 inserted into the storage case 1 is urged in the direction of being pushed out by the return spring 25, but a stopper 33 (which can be moved upward and latched) provided at the bottom of the opening of the storage case 1 ( (See Figure 3)
This allows it to hang stably during use. Although not shown, when the ink cartridge 2 is housed in the storage case 1, the waste ink cartridge 31 is connected to the ink recovery tube 40.

In the inkjet recording device 6 configured as described above, when replacing the ink cartridge 2, when the used ink cartridge (not shown) is removed from the storage case 1, the ink supply needle 16 is moved by the return spring. By the returning action of 25, the state shown in FIG. 2 returns to the position shown in FIG.
1 makes it a sealed state. Then, when the print head 3 is returned to the ejection recovery device 9 and placed in a standby state, the pump 12 is activated to bring the ink supply system 7 into a negative pressure state.
A negative pressure state is established where new ink can be immediately introduced.

When a new ink cartridge 2 is inserted into the storage case 1 under such a negative pressure condition, the pinion 21 attached to the storage case 1 is rotated by the rack 24 fixed to the upper part of the ink cartridge 2. , the support member 22 is moved in the opposite direction to the arrow 28, that is, in the direction approaching the ink cartridge 2, and when the ink cartridge 2 has been inserted, the ink supply needle 16 fixed to the support member 22 is moved. The tip portion is inserted into the thick portion 30 (see FIG. 2). As a result, the ink bag 2
The ink in the ink supply system 9 is immediately sucked and introduced into the ink supply system 7 which is in a negative pressure standby state, and the ink supply system 7 is filled with new ink. During this time, as described above, no previous ink remains in the ink supply system 7 due to vacuuming, so even if new ink is introduced immediately, no air bubbles will be mixed in. Therefore, conventionally, the ink cartridge 2 is stored in the storage case 1.
Because the pump 12 was operated after inserting the
First, the pressure in the ink supply system 7 must be changed from atmospheric pressure to negative, which eliminates the problem of requiring a considerable amount of time to complete filling with new ink.

FIG. 4 shows a different embodiment in which the ink cartridge 2 is not provided with a rack, but a rack 24 for rotating the pinion 21 provided in the storage case 1 is movably mounted inside the storage case 1. , the rack 24 is moved by the ink cartridge 2. That is, the rack 24 is movably supported in the longitudinal guide grooves 42 formed in both side walls 41 of the storage case 1, and is engaged with the pinion 21 disposed above the rack 24, so that the rear end of the rack 24 is The upper front end of the ink cartridge 2 is hooked onto a hook portion 32 formed toward the front end of the ink cartridge 2. In this case, the range of usable ink cartridges 2 is widened, and the inkjet recording device 6 can be made highly versatile.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment, in which the interlocking means 19
is constructed with a link mechanism 45 instead of the rack and pinion mechanism, and the ink supply needle 16 is moved back and forth. That is, when one end 48 of the link 47, which is rotatably supported in a horizontal plane by a support shaft 46 fixed to the ceiling (not shown) of the storage case 1, comes into contact with the front end of the ink cartridge 2 to be inserted, At the other end 49,
The support member 51 connected via the link 50 moves forward, and the ink supply needle 16 integrated with the support member 51 is inserted into the thick part 30 protruding from the front side of the ink cartridge 2, and the ink is supplied. New ink is immediately sucked and introduced into the supply system 7.

[0014]

As described above, according to the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention, when replacing an ink cartridge, the ink supply system is kept under negative pressure until a new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case. Because the ink cartridge is kept on standby, and when a new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case, ink is immediately supplied from the new ink cartridge into the ink supply system, so air bubbles may be mixed into the ink supply system. The ink can be filled in a short time without having to worry about it. In addition,
In the present invention, the interlocking means for operating the ink supply needle upon insertion of an ink cartridge is not limited to the rack and pinion mechanism or the link mechanism as shown in the embodiment, but other interlocking mechanisms or winding interlocking mechanisms may be used. It goes without saying that an applied mechanical interlocking means or an electric actuator such as a solenoid or a motor that operates upon detecting insertion of an ink cartridge may be used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially longitudinal side view showing the correspondence between a storage case and an ink cartridge.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the ink cartridge inserted into the storage case.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the overall arrangement of the inkjet recording device.

FIG. 4 is a partially vertical side view showing the correspondence between the storage case and the ink cartridge in different embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the correspondence between the storage case and the ink cartridge in another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-Storage case, 2-Ink cartridge, 3-Print head, 5-Paper, 6-Inkjet recording device, 7
─Ink supply system, 10─Back wall, 11─Cap member, 1
5─Ink supply tube, 16─Ink supply needle, 17─
Hole, 19--interlocking means, 22, 51--supporting member.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An inkjet recording device that records on paper using ink supplied from an ink cartridge inserted into a storage case to a print head via an ink supply needle connected to an ink supply tube. In the replacement ink filling method, when replacing an ink cartridge, the ink supply system is evacuated to create a negative pressure state until the new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case, and then the new ink cartridge is inserted. A replacement ink filling method for an inkjet recording apparatus, characterized in that when the new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case, new ink is sucked and filled into the ink supply system from the new ink cartridge. [Claim 2] Recording is performed on paper using ink supplied from an ink cartridge inserted into a storage case to a print head at a predetermined ejection pressure via an ink supply needle connected to an ink supply tube. In the inkjet recording device, a cap member made of an elastic body is provided on the back wall of the storage case corresponding to the front side of the ink cartridge, and the cap member is made of an elastic material and holds the hole of the ink supply needle in a sealed state when the ink cartridge is removed. is provided, the ink supply needle is fixed to a support member that is movable forward and backward along the insertion direction of the ink cartridge, and is provided so as to be movable forward and backward with respect to the cap member, and the ink supply needle is fixed to a supporting member that is movable forward and backward along the insertion direction of the ink cartridge. Interlocking means is provided which is operated by the cartridge and moves the support member relative to the insertion direction of the ink cartridge. The ink supply needle is hermetically held by the cap member to keep the ink supply system on standby in a negative pressure state, and when a new ink cartridge is inserted into the storage case, the ink supply needle is advanced to the new ink cartridge. An inkjet recording apparatus characterized in that the inkjet recording apparatus is configured so that the ink is inserted into the ink supply system and new ink is immediately sucked and filled into the ink supply system.