JPH05261937A - Ink jet cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a compact ink jet cartridge with high portability property, which is equipped with a waste ink storage means in the box body. CONSTITUTION:In a box body 21 of an ink jet cartridge, which is equipped with an ink discharge means 8 to discharge an ink 5 on a recording paper, electrical connecting means 2 to feed an electric energy which is required for the ink discharge means 8, and ink storage means 23, 24 to store the ink 5 which is fed to the ink discharge means 8, a waste ink storage means is provided, and it is constituted in such a manner that the waste ink storage means and the ink storage means 23, 24 for feeding are communicated.

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 ink ejecting means, electrical connecting means and ink accommodating means in the ink jet system are integrated.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as computers have been miniaturized from desktop type to laptop type and notebook size type, printers have also been required to be portable and compact. Against this background, disposable ink jet cartridges are attracting attention as a printer system for laptop and notebook size computers because they are easy to use and can be easily downsized.

Conventionally, ink ejection means, electrical connection means,
An inkjet cartridge in which the ink containing means and the ink containing means are integrated has a general structure as shown in FIG. Further, an unnecessary ink cleaning mechanism and the like on the end surface of the discharge nozzle was configured on the printer body side as shown in FIG. The configuration will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a head having an ejection nozzle 8 and an electrical connection means 2 for transferring electric energy to and from a printer, which is mounted on the front surface of a casing 3 which is the main body of an ink jet cartridge. Reference numeral 4 denotes an ink containing means made of a porous material such as sponge,
It is filled with the conductive ink 5 and is housed inside the housing 3. 6 is ink 5 from the ink containing means 4 to the head 1.
An ink supply hole provided on the front surface of the housing 3 to guide the
Reference numeral 7 is a filter for removing bubbles and dust in the ink 5 supplied to the head 1, and 9 is an ink accommodating means 4 fitted into the housing 3.
Is a back cover for housing the inside of the housing 3. Each member such as the head 1 and the ink accommodating means 4 is integrally assembled to the housing 3 to form an inkjet cartridge.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part of a conventional printer near a home position. 10 is a platen, 11 is a carriage for mounting an ink jet cartridge, 12
Is a carriage guide for moving the carriage 11 in a direction parallel to the platen 10, 13 is a blade for cleaning unnecessary ink adhering to the end face of the discharge nozzle 8, 14 is a waste ink chamber for containing unnecessary ink after cleaning, Reference numeral 15 is a rubber cap for preventing clogging of the discharge nozzle 8 due to drying of the ink 5, adhesion of dust, and the like.

The mechanism of the ink jet cartridge and the printer configured as described above will be described below. Ink storage means 4, ink supply hole 6
The ink 5 filled in the head 1 is caused by the capillary force.
Is supplied to the ink flow path of the ink and flows into the end surface of the discharge nozzle 8. Meanwhile, when passing through the filter 7, bubbles and dust in the ink 5 are removed. According to the ejection signal, electric energy is supplied from the electric energy supply means to the ink ejection means via the electrical connection means 2. After that, the ejection energy applying means (not shown) included in the head 1, for example, the electricity-heat converting means for energizing the ink 5 to generate bubbles converts the electric energy into heat energy to heat the ink 5 to cause a phase change. As a result, a sudden pressure fluctuation is generated, and the ink 5 is ejected by using this as ejection energy. After ejection, the ink 5 always receives back pressure,
By the mechanism described above, the end face of the nozzle 8 is sequentially filled, and the next ejection is prepared.

The ink 5 is often attached to the end surface of the nozzle 8 for ejecting the ink 5 onto the recording paper. This may stain the surface of the recording paper during printing or cause ejection failure. For this reason, it is necessary to return the carriage 11 to the home position and clean the ink adhering to the end surface of the ejection nozzle 8 by the blade 13 at appropriate times. The attached ink after being cleaned by the blade 13 is stored in the waste ink chamber 14.
When the waste ink chamber 14 is filled with waste ink, the user removes it and discards it. Further, at the time of non-printing, the ejection nozzle 8 is covered with the rubber cap 15 in order to prevent clogging due to ink drying and dust adhesion.

[0008]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, since the complicated cleaning mechanism is provided near the home position of the printer, the structure is complicated and a space for accommodating the waste ink chamber 14 is required. However, there is a problem that it hinders miniaturization and thinning of the printer. In addition, when the waste ink is disposed of, the ink may be spilled and the user may be contaminated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a compact and portable ink jet cartridge having a waste ink storage means in a housing.

[0010]

To achieve this object, the present invention provides waste ink storage means in the housing of an ink jet cartridge. Further, the waste ink containing means is communicated with the supply ink containing means.

[0011]

With such a structure, a space such as a waste ink chamber and a complicated cleaning mechanism are unnecessary on the printer side. In addition, handling when discarding the waste ink is simplified.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view of an inkjet cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view. In FIG. 1, 2 is an electrical connecting means, 5 is ink,
Reference numeral 6 is an ink supply hole, 7 is a filter, and 8 is a discharge nozzle. Since these have the same functions as those of the conventional example shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, detailed description thereof will be omitted. 21 is a housing,
It is made of high-rigidity engineering plastic with excellent chemical resistance such as modified polyphenylene oxide and polyethylene terephthalate, and has a card size (about 56 mm × 87 mm, thickness 2 mm to 8 mm) that is convenient to carry. .. An ink jet cartridge is configured by integrally assembling the above-mentioned components and the components described below into the housing 21.

22 is attached to the concave surface of the housing 21 and is attached to the housing 21.
It is an ink cover that seals the ink 5 between and. The ink cover 22 is formed of metal such as stainless steel or resin such as polyimide. Here, the ink cover 22 is the housing 2
It is also conceivable to form the same material as 1. Reference numerals 23 and 24 denote ink conduits serving as an ink accommodating means for accommodating the ink 5. The straight ink conduit 23 and the curved ink conduit 24 are connected to each other, and are formed on the concave surface of the housing 21. It is formed in a meandering shape. Ink line 2 here
It is also possible to apply an ink repellent material to the inner walls of 3, 24 to reduce the residual ink.

Reference numeral 16 is a sealing material for preventing backflow of the ink 5,
Silicone oil or the like is used, and the ink conduits 23, 2
4 is filled. In FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 25 is an electrical connection means 2 for delivering and receiving electrical energy, an ejection nozzle 8 arranged at an appropriate pitch, and ejection on the inner wall of the nozzle 8 for imparting ejection energy to the ink 5. A head base material having an electrode 9 as an energy applying means, which is formed of engineering plastic or the like having excellent chemical resistance. The nozzle 8 and the electrode 9 constitute an ink ejection means. Reference numeral 26 denotes a slidable shutter having an opening 27 at a position corresponding to the discharge nozzle 8 of the head substrate 25, which is made of light metal such as stainless steel or the like having excellent chemical resistance, or resin, and opens and closes the nozzle 8. To do. Two
8 is a spring biased to close the shutter 26, 2
Reference numeral 9 denotes a waste ink conduit for containing waste ink attached to the end surface of the discharge nozzle 8 or the like. Here, the tip of the waste ink conduit 29 communicates with the supply ink conduits 23 and 24.

3 and 4 are partially enlarged sectional views of the ink jet cartridge. FIG. 3 shows a non-printing state, and FIG. 4 shows a printing state. Reference numeral 30 denotes a waste ink absorber as a waste ink storage means, which is made of a porous material such as urethane foam having a large capillary force. Also,
Reference numeral 31 is a blade for cleaning unnecessary ink adhering to the end surface of the ejection nozzle 8, and reference numeral 32 is a rubber cap for preventing clogging due to drying of the ink 5 or adhesion of dust.

The mechanism of the ink jet cartridge and the printer constructed as above will be described below. 1 and 2, the ink conduit 2
3, 24, the ink 5 filled in the ink supply hole 6
Are supplied to the ink flow path of the head substrate 25 by the capillary force and flow to the end surface of the ejection nozzle 8. During this time, when passing through the filter 7, bubbles and dust in the ink 5 are removed. Further, electric energy is supplied from the electrical connecting means 2 in accordance with the ejection signal. Thereafter, the electrode 9 of the head substrate 25 causes a rapid pressure fluctuation, and the ink 5 is ejected onto the recording paper by using this as ejection energy. Since the ink 5 is constantly subjected to back pressure after ejection, the ink 5 is sequentially filled up to the end surface of the ejection nozzle 8 by the mechanism described above, and the ink is prepared for the next printing.

When the ink jet cartridge is set in the printer body and the print mode is set, the shutter 26 of the ink jet cartridge is supported by the shutter (not shown) provided on the shutter 26 by the opening / closing means (not shown) provided in the printer body. The hole is held and opened in the direction a. Here, it is conceivable to provide an appropriate protrusion or the like instead of the hole for holding the shutter. When printing is completed, the opening / closing means provided in the printer body releases the holding of the shutter holding hole, and the shutter 26 is closed by the spring 28.

When ejecting, a small amount of ink that adheres to the end surface of the nozzle 8 when forming ink droplets accumulates, thereby generating unnecessary ink 33 (see FIG. 3). This unnecessary ink 33
When the shutter 26 is opened and closed, the blade is cleaned by the blade 31 that slides in conjunction with the sliding of the shutter 26. Here, the blade 31 for cleaning the unnecessary ink 33 may be arranged on the printer side. The unnecessary ink 33 after cleaning is removed by the blade 31 from the waste ink absorber 3
It is moved up to 0 and is absorbed by the waste ink absorber 30 by the capillary force (see FIG. 4). Since the waste ink conduit 29 and the ink accommodating means 4 are in communication with each other, the waste ink conduit 29 becomes a negative pressure according to the ink supply at the time of printing, and the ink 33 impregnated in the waste ink absorber 30 becomes the waste ink conduit 29.
Is sucked in.

As the supply ink 5 is consumed, the waste ink 33 also enters the ink conduits 23 and 24.
Since the sealing member 16 made of silicone oil or the like is interposed between the waste ink 33 and the supply ink 5, neither of them will mix. In this embodiment, the waste ink conduit 29 and the ink conduits 23 and 24 are communicated with each other, but a porous ink absorber is provided in the waste ink conduit 29 without communicating them. You may.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the waste ink storage means for discarding the unnecessary ink generated on the end surface of the discharge nozzle is integrally provided in the casing of the ink jet cartridge, so that the waste ink on the printer side is provided. It is possible to obtain a compact ink jet cartridge by eliminating a storage space and simplifying a complicated cleaning mechanism. In addition, it is possible to prevent ink leakage when the printer is transported or when the waste ink storage unit is attached or detached. Furthermore, the waste ink storage unit is connected to the ink storage unit to collect the waste ink in the ink storage unit in the inkjet cartridge. Can be utilized for further simplification of the structure and further downsizing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view of an inkjet cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an inkjet cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of an inkjet cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of an inkjet cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional inkjet cartridge.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part near a home position of a conventional printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Electrical Connection Means 5 Ink 8 Ink Ejection Means (Ejection Nozzles) 9 Ink Ejection Means (Electrodes) 21 Housing 23 Ink Storage Means 24 Ink Storage Means 26 Shutters 30 Waste Ink Storage Means 31 Cleaning Means

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Internal reference number FI Technical display location B41J 2/165 8306-2C B41J 3/04 102 H (72) Inventor Takumi Inoue Osaka Prefecture Kadoma City 1006 Kadoma Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An ink ejecting means for ejecting ink onto a recording paper, an electrical connecting means for supplying electric energy required for the ink ejecting means, and an ink accommodating means for accommodating the ink supplied to the ink ejecting means. An ink jet cartridge formed by integrally assembling the means with a housing, wherein the housing is provided with waste ink storage means. 2. The ink jet cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the waste ink containing means communicates with the ink containing means. 3. A slidable shutter for opening and closing the ink ejecting means, and a cleaning means for cleaning the ink adhering to the ink ejecting means in association with the sliding movement of the shutter. Item 2. The inkjet cartridge according to Item 1.