JPH05112016A - Ink jet cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve portability and replace ability of a cartridge by providing a shutter preventing ink from drying, sticking and clogging generated in a nozzle of an ink jet device when it is not used in a housing wherein an ink storing part is formed. CONSTITUTION:A porous material 7 preventing ink 6 from flowing out and an ink storing part 8 being flat and meandering is formed in a housing 3. The ink storing part 8 is sealed by means of an ink lid 2 and is communicated with an ink feeding hole 11. In this case, a freely opening and closing shutter 1 is provided on the housing 3. In addition, on the shutter 1, a returning spring 9 closing it and a rubber cap 10 movable together therewith are provided. When it is not used, it is possible thereby to close the shutter 1 by means of the returning spring 9 and to keep a tightly sealed condition of the ink by means of the rubber cap 10. It is possible therefore to prevent the ink from drying, sticking and clogging.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet cartridge, and more particularly to an ink jet cartridge in which an ink ejecting means in an ink jet recording system, an ink containing portion and a clogging preventing shutter are integrated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as computers have been downsized from desktop types to laptop types and notebook size types, printers have also been required to be portable and compact. Under these circumstances, disposable ink jet cartridges have been attracting attention as a printer system for laptop and notebook size computers because they are easy to use and the size of the printer can be easily reduced. The conventional inkjet cartridge will be described below. 5 and 6, 3
Is a housing, 4 is a head having ejection means and electrical connection means 16 for delivering and receiving electric energy, 6 is ink, 8
Is an ink containing portion for containing ink, 11 is an ink supply hole for introducing ink from the ink containing portion 8 to the head 4, 12 is a nozzle, 14 is a filter for removing bubbles and dust in the ink, and 15 is filled with ink. The porous material 2 is an ink lid of the ink containing portion 8.

The structure of the ink jet cartridge configured as described above will be described below. When the ink 6 filled in the porous material 15 passes through the filter 14 by a capillary force, bubbles and dust are removed.
The ink 6 passes through the ink supply hole 11 and the head 4 and then the nozzle 1
2 Flow into the end face. Although not shown, electric energy is supplied to the electric connecting means 16 from the electric energy supplying means. After that, a method is realized in which electric energy is converted into thermal energy by an ejection unit included in the head 4, for example, an electric-heat conversion unit, and the ink 6 is heated to cause a phase change, thereby causing a rapid pressure fluctuation. Ink 6 is ejected.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, an ink jet cartridge (hereinafter referred to as a cartridge) mounted in a printer which is required to be portable.
In addition, since replacement work due to ink consumption frequently occurs, it is an important device to carry multiple spare cartridges and portability is important, but the cartridge itself has a structure to prevent ink leakage. Since it is not possible to carry the cartridge alone, it can only be carried in a packaging box that is one size larger than the cartridge. Also, since the cartridge itself does not have a structure to prevent ink drying, the cartridge is once loaded in the printer. However, there is a problem in that it cannot be replaced and printing cannot be performed using another color cartridge. The present invention solves such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet cartridge that prevents ink from drying, sticking, and clogging.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the ink jet cartridge of the present invention has the ejection means arranged in a recess from the end face of the housing, and when the ink is not used, the ink produced by the nozzle of the ink ejection means is dried. The housing is provided with a shutter to prevent sticking and clogging.

[0006]

Since the ink jet cartridge of the present invention has the above-mentioned structure and has a shutter for preventing clogging, it can be carried by itself. By disposing the ejecting means in the concave portion from the end face of the casing, the ejecting means can be carried out. Is less susceptible to damage and dirt, portability is further improved, the shutter can be easily arranged, and the cartridge can be freely exchanged with another color cartridge during printing, thereby enabling color printing.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An ink jet cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, 1 is a shutter that prevents leakage, evaporation, and clogging of nozzles, 2 is an ink lid that seals an ink containing portion, 3 is a housing, 4 is an ejection unit, and an electrical connection for transferring electrical energy. With the means 16, only the electrical connection means 16 are exposed in FIG. Reference numeral 5 denotes a blind cover that covers the ejection means of the head 4 and portions other than the electrical connection means 16, and 13 denotes a shutter for holding the shutter 1 when the opening / closing means (not shown) provided in the printer main body opens / closes the shutter 1. It is a supporting hole. In FIG. 2, 6 is an ink, 7 is a porous material that prevents the ink 6 from flowing out, and 8 is an ink containing portion formed in the housing 3 in a flat and meandering shape. In FIG. 3, 9 is a return spring for closing the shutter 1 and 10
Is a rubber cap that is fixed to the shutter 1 and can be linked
Reference numeral 1 is an ink supply hole (ejection means) communicating with the ink storage portion 8, 12 is a nozzle (ejection means) for ejecting ink, which is disposed in the concave portion from the housing end surface 3 a inside the head 4.
Reference numeral 14 is a filter for removing bubbles and dust. In FIG. 4, 17 is the ink jet cartridge of this embodiment,
Reference numeral 18 is a printing paper (recording paper), and 19 is a printer body.

The structure of the ink jet cartridge constructed as above will be described below. The housing 3 is formed of engineering plastic having high chemical resistance and high rigidity, such as modified polyphenylene oxide or polyethylene terephthalate. Head 4 is housing 3
It is incorporated inside and is blinded by the blindfold lid 5 except for the peripheral portion of the nozzle 12 and the electrical connection means 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the ink 6 is continuously filled up to the ink containing portion 8, the ink supply hole 11, and the end surface of the nozzle 12 of the head 4. The ink 6 reaches the head 4 through the ink supply hole 1
Air bubbles and dust are removed by the filter 14 arranged at No. 1. Further, a porous material 7 made of urethane resin is arranged to prevent the backflow of the ink 6. The ink lid 2 is made of metal such as stainless steel or resin such as polyimide, and is adhered to the housing 3. The shutter 1 is preferably made of stainless steel in terms of corrosion resistance and rigidity. As shown in FIG. 3A, the shutter 1 is closed by the return spring 9 in the initial packed state or when carried. The nozzle 12 keeps the ink 6 in a hermetically sealed state by the rubber cap 10 attached to the shutter 1, and does not cause clogging due to drying and sticking of the ink. By arranging the nozzle 12 in the recess from the housing end face 3a, the nozzle 12 is less likely to get dirty and the shutter 1
Can be easily arranged. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 (b),
The shutter 1 is opened at the time when the ink cartridge is attached to the printer or immediately before the printing is started, and the shutter 1 is held while holding the shutter supporting hole 13 of the shutter 1 by the opening / closing means (not shown) provided in the printer body. At the same time as opening, the electric connection means 16 of the head 4 is connected to the electric energy supply means on the printer side to enable printing. The principle of printing may be any method such as the electro-thermal conversion means as shown in the conventional example or the inverse piezoelectric effect of the piezo, and the detailed description will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the ink is ejected in the vertical direction, but it is also possible to arrange the nozzles on the side surface and eject the ink in the horizontal direction.

[0010]

As is apparent from the above-described embodiments of the invention, the ink jet cartridge of the present invention has an ink containing portion formed in a housing for containing ink for supplying to the ink ejecting means, In order to prevent ink from drying, sticking and clogging that occurs at the nozzles of the ink ejecting means at the time of use, the housing is equipped with a shutter. In this case, it is possible to provide an excellent inkjet cartridge that can be freely replaced with a cartridge of another color even if the cartridge is replaced midway.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a top view showing the overall configuration of an inkjet cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

FIG. 2 (a) is a partially cutaway top view showing the overall structure.

FIG. 3A is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an enlarged shutter portion when the shutter is closed. FIG. 3B is a partially cutaway top view showing the same, and FIG. 3C is a vertical sectional view showing an enlarged shutter portion when the shutter is opened. Plan (d) Top view of the same part

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a printer using the same inkjet cartridge.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the overall configuration of a conventional inkjet cartridge.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Shutter 3 Housing 6 Ink 8 Ink Storage Section 11 Ink Supply Hole (Discharging Means) 12 Nozzle (Discharging Means) 16 Electrical Connection Means 17 Inkjet Cartridge 18 Printing Paper (Recording Paper) 19 Printer Main Body

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hajime Shiraishi 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An ink ejecting unit supported by a casing for ejecting ink onto a recording paper, an ink accommodating portion formed in the casing accommodating the ink to be supplied to the ink ejecting unit, and the ink ejecting unit. Means for supplying electrical energy necessary for ejecting the ink to the means, the electrical connection means being supported in the housing, and drying the ink generated in the nozzle of the ink ejecting means in the housing when not in use. An ink jet cartridge having a shutter for preventing sticking and clogging. 2. The ink jet cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the ejection means is provided in the recessed portion from the end surface of the housing.