JPH08336980A - Ink jet head cartridge and ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To check the residual amount of ink in an ink tank. CONSTITUTION: An ink jet head cartridge 10 consists of a recording head 12 formed in a solid single unit with an ink tank 11 holding ink which is supplied to the recording head 12. An air communicating path 13 consisting of a transparent member is attached to the front of the ink tank 11. The air communicating path 13 has one end working as an opening 14 on the open side which communicates with the outer part of the ink jet head cartridge 10, and the other end working as an opening 15 on the tank side which communicates with the interior of the ink tank 11. Thus the interior of the ink tank 11 communicates with the outerior through the air communicating path 13. In the interior of the air communicating path 13, a non-volatile liquid 16 which divides the interior of the path 13 in halves is sealed, and is located at a position where the internal pressure of the ink tank 11 is well in equilibrium with an atmospheric pressure.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet head cartridge in which a print head and an ink tank are integrated, and an ink jet recording apparatus in which the ink jet head cartridge is detachably mounted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ink jet recording apparatus for recording by ejecting ink has a quiet operation noise, enables high density recording, and has a low running cost.
It is spreading rapidly. Particularly in recent years, miniaturization has progressed, and most of them use an inkjet head cartridge in which a recording head and an ink tank are integrated.

[0003]

However, in the conventional ink jet head cartridge, since the inside of the ink tank cannot be seen and the remaining ink amount cannot be confirmed, the ink may run out during recording. To prevent the ink from running out during recording, you can replace the inkjet head cartridge early.
Then, the ink jet head cartridge is replaced while the ink remains in the ink tank, and the ink is wasted.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet head cartridge and an ink jet recording apparatus capable of confirming the ink remaining amount in an ink tank.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an ink jet head cartridge of the present invention is detachably mounted on an ink jet recording apparatus for ejecting ink to perform recording, and is supplied to the recording head and the recording head. In an ink jet head cartridge that is integrated with an ink tank that stores ink, a surface of the ink tank is made of a transparent member, and an atmosphere communication path that connects the inside and the outside of the ink tank is provided, It is characterized in that a non-volatile liquid that divides the atmosphere communication passage into two is enclosed in the atmosphere communication passage.

Further, the internal volume of the atmosphere communication passage may be larger than the volume of the ink stored in the ink tank, and the atmosphere communication passage may be installed by the user when mounted in the ink jet recording apparatus. It may be attached to the surface opposite to.

Further, the recording head may be provided with an electrothermal converter for generating energy used for ejecting ink, and in particular, it is applied by the electrothermal converter. Heat energy
The film may be ejected from the ejection port by utilizing the film boiling generated in the ink.

The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention comprises a mounting means for detachably mounting any one of the ink jet head cartridges of the present invention, and an optical detecting means for optically detecting the non-volatile liquid of the ink jet head cartridge. Recording is performed by ejecting ink from the recording head of the inkjet head cartridge based on a recording signal.

Further, the optical detecting means may be arranged at a position for detecting the non-volatile liquid in the vicinity of a portion where the atmosphere communication passage of the ink jet head cartridge communicates with the ink tank.

[0010]

In the ink jet head cartridge of the present invention configured as described above, the non-volatile liquid that divides the atmosphere communication passage into two is provided in the atmosphere communication passage that is attached to the surface of the ink tank and communicates the inside and the outside. Since it is enclosed, the non-volatile liquid is held at a position where the pressure inside the ink tank and the outside air pressure are balanced. Then, when the ink in the ink tank decreases as the ink is ejected from the recording head, the non-volatile liquid moves so that the pressure in the ink tank and the external atmospheric pressure become equal in accordance with the ink decrease amount. Since the atmosphere communication path is made of a transparent member, the position of the non-volatile liquid can be visually recognized, and the remaining amount of ink can be easily confirmed by this position.

Further, by making the internal volume of the atmosphere communication path larger than the volume of the ink stored in the ink tank,
Even if the ink in the ink tank is exhausted, the non-volatile liquid can be left in the atmosphere communication path, and the non-volatile liquid is prevented from entering the ink tank. Furthermore, by providing the atmosphere communication passage on the surface facing the user when the inkjet head cartridge is mounted on the inkjet recording apparatus, regardless of whether the inkjet head cartridge is mounted on the inkjet recording apparatus, It is easy to check the remaining amount of ink.

Since the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention has the ink jet head cartridge of the present invention detachably mounted and has an optical detecting means for optically detecting the non-volatile liquid of the ink jet head cartridge, In addition to visually confirming the remaining ink amount, it is also confirmed on the device side. In particular, by disposing the optical detection means at a position for detecting the non-volatile liquid in the vicinity of the portion where the atmosphere communication passage of the inkjet head cartridge communicates with the ink tank, even if the user overlooks that the remaining amount of ink is small, It is surely detected on the recording device side.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

First, the ink jet head cartridge will be described. FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the inkjet head cartridge of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the inkjet head cartridge shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink jet head cartridge 10 includes a recording head 12 that ejects ink in response to a recording signal and an ink tank 11 that internally holds the ink to be supplied to the recording head 12. It is one.

The recording head 12, as shown in FIG.
The nozzle 12a has a large number of nozzles 12a arranged in rows and each having a tip serving as an ejection port, and an electrothermal converter (not shown) such as a heating resistor for generating energy for ink ejection is arranged in each nozzle 12a. It is set up. Each nozzle 12a communicates with the ink tank 11 via a common liquid chamber (not shown), and ink is supplied from the ink tank 11 to the common liquid chamber. Further, a contact portion (not shown) for electrically connecting the recording head 12 to the inkjet recording apparatus is exposed on the right end surface of the recording head 12 in the drawing, and the inkjet head cartridge 10
The carriage 10 of the inkjet recording apparatus described later.
1 (see FIG. 5), the recording head 12 and the inkjet recording device are electrically connected.

The ink supplied from the ink tank 11 to the common liquid chamber and temporarily stored therein enters the nozzle 12a by the capillary phenomenon and keeps the nozzle 12a filled.
At this time, when the electrothermal converter is energized based on the recording signal to generate heat, the ink on the electrothermal converter is rapidly heated to cause film boiling to generate bubbles in the nozzles 12a, and the expansion of the bubbles causes ejection. Ink is ejected from the outlet.

On the other hand, the ink tank 11 contains an ink absorber (not shown) made of a porous body inside.
The ink is held in the ink tank 11 by being absorbed by the ink absorber. At the front surface of the ink tank 11, that is, the surface facing the user when the inkjet head cartridge 10 is mounted on the carriage 101, an atmosphere communication path 13 made of a transparent member is provided. The atmosphere communication passage 13 has an open side opening 14 that communicates with the outside of the inkjet head cartridge 10 at one end, and a tank side opening 15 that communicates with the inside of the ink tank 11 at the other end. As a result, the inside of the ink tank 11 communicates with the outside through the atmosphere communication passage 13. Further, the internal volume of the atmosphere communication passage 13 is larger than the volume of the ink held in the ink tank 11.

A nonvolatile liquid 16 is enclosed in the atmosphere communication passage 13. The amount of the non-volatile liquid 16 to be sealed may be an amount sufficient to divide the atmosphere communication passage 13 into two. As a result, the inside of the ink tank 11 is shut off from the outside, and the non-volatile liquid 16 is located at a position where the pressure inside the ink tank 11 and the external atmospheric pressure are balanced. This position is preferably near the open side opening 14 when the ink is unused. Moreover, in order to improve the visibility of the non-volatile liquid 16, the non-volatile liquid 16 may be colored if necessary.

Further, on the surface of the ink tank 11 to which the atmosphere communication passage 13 is attached, a remaining amount scale 17 indicating the position of the nonvolatile liquid 16 as the remaining amount of ink is provided.

The operation of the ink jet head cartridge 10 described above will now be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the inkjet head cartridge 10 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, when the ink 18 in the ink tank 11 is not yet used, the non-volatile liquid 16 is located near the open side opening 14 of the atmosphere communication passage 13. When the recording head 12 ejects the ink 18 to perform recording, the amount of the ink 18 in the ink tank 11 gradually decreases. As the amount of ink 18 in the ink tank 11 decreases, the pressure in the ink tank 11 becomes lower than the atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the nonvolatile liquid 16 moves so that the pressure in the ink tank 11 becomes equal to the external pressure. . That is, each time the amount of the ink 18 in the ink tank 11 decreases, the nonvolatile liquid 16 moves to the tank side opening side 15 by an amount corresponding to the decreased volume. When most of the ink 18 in the ink tank 11 is exhausted, the non-volatile liquid 16 moves to near the tank-side opening 15, as shown in FIG. Since the atmosphere communication path 13 is made of a transparent member as described above, the position of the nonvolatile liquid 16 can be visually recognized by the user.

As described above, by providing the transparent atmosphere communication passage 13 in which the non-volatile liquid 16 is enclosed inside, the non-volatile liquid 16 moves as the ink in the ink tank 11 decreases, By visually confirming the position of the non-volatile liquid 16, the non-volatile liquid 16
The position of can be easily confirmed as the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank 11. Moreover, since the non-volatile liquid 16 is moved by utilizing the pressure difference between the pressure inside the ink tank 11 and the external atmospheric pressure, a driving means for moving the non-volatile liquid 16 is not required, and the structure is extremely simple. be able to. Further, during the actual recording operation, the inkjet head cartridge 10 is reciprocated and acceleration is applied, but even in this case, the non-volatile liquid 16 does not behave largely unless there is a large pressure fluctuation in the ink tank 11. Therefore, it is possible to accurately display the remaining ink amount.

Further, by making the internal volume of the atmosphere communication passage 13 larger than the volume of the ink stored in the ink tank 11, the non-volatile liquid 16 will be kept in the atmosphere communication passage even if the ink in the ink tank 11 is exhausted. The non-volatile liquid 16 does not enter the ink tank 11 because it remains in the inside 13. Further, since the atmosphere communication path 13 is attached to the surface facing the user when the inkjet head cartridge 10 is installed in the inkjet recording apparatus, whether the inkjet head cartridge 10 is installed in the inkjet recording apparatus or not. Regardless, the amount of ink remaining in the ink tank 11 can be easily confirmed.

Next, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

Guide shaft 105 and guide rail 106
The inkjet head cartridge 10 shown in FIG. 1 is removably mounted on the carriage 101 slidably fitted in the recording head 12 with its recording head 12 facing downward.
Further, the carriage 101 is connected to a part of a timing belt 104 which is wound around a pulley 102 fixed to an output shaft of a carriage motor (not shown) and an idle pulley 103 rotatably supported. The carriage 101 is reciprocated by the driving force of the carriage motor.

On the other hand, a sheet-shaped recording medium (not shown) is stacked on the sheet feeding section 110 and separated one by one by a separating means (not shown), and the carriage 1 is conveyed by the conveying roller 111.
01 and the platen 113. Here, recording is performed by the recording head 12 of the inkjet head cartridge 10, and the recording medium on which the recording is performed is ejected while being sandwiched between the ejection roller 112 and a spur (not shown) that are pressed against each other.

Further, an optical detection element 107 is attached to a portion of the carriage 101 facing the atmosphere communication passage 13 of the ink jet head cartridge 10. As shown in FIG. 6, the optical detection element 107 has a light emitting unit 107a and a light receiving unit 107b, and the reflected light of the light emitted by the light emitting unit 107a is received by the light receiving unit 107b and converted into an electric signal. . Here, if the non-volatile liquid 16 that has moved in the atmosphere communication path 13 blocks the light emitted from the light emitting unit 107a, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 107b decreases and the change in the electrical signal at the light receiving unit 107b occurs. Causes
As a result, the presence of the non-volatile liquid 16 is detected. Therefore, in order to more reliably detect the presence or absence of the non-volatile liquid 16, the non-volatile liquid 16 is preferably colored. The detection signal from the light receiving unit 107b is output to the control unit of the inkjet recording apparatus. The electric circuit of the optical detecting element 107 is shown in FIG.

The optical detecting element 107 is provided in the ink tank 11
A position where the non-volatile liquid 16 can be detected when most of the ink inside is exhausted (for example, the state shown in FIG. 4), that is, near the tank-side opening 15 where the atmosphere communication passage 13 communicates with the ink tank 11. It is provided in.

As described above, by providing the ink jet recording apparatus with the optical detection element 107 for detecting the non-volatile liquid 16 of the ink jet head cartridge 10, the user can visually check the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank 11. Not only can it be confirmed, but the device can also recognize it. Then, under the control of the control unit based on the detection signal from the optical detection element 107, a warning is issued to interrupt the recording operation, or information indicating that the remaining amount of ink is low is transferred to the host computer.
The user overlooks when the ink level is low and records,
It is possible to prevent the problem that the processing is continued even though there is no ink.

In this embodiment, the optical detecting element 107 is provided on the carriage 101, but the optical detecting element 10
The position where 7 is provided is not limited to the carriage 101. For example, before the start of the recording operation and after the end of the recording operation, the carriage 101 is generally on standby at the initial position (home position). Therefore, when the carriage 101 is at the initial position, the nonvolatile liquid 16 is optically detected. The sensing element 107 may be arranged. In addition, an optical detection unit is generally used as a unit for detecting the initial position of the carriage 101. With this optical detection unit,
The non-volatile liquid 16 may be detected.

[0032]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

In the ink jet head cartridge of the present invention, a non-volatile liquid that divides the atmosphere communication passage into two is enclosed in a transparent atmosphere communication passage that is attached to the surface of the ink tank and communicates the inside and the outside. By moving the non-volatile liquid by utilizing the decrease in the pressure in the ink tank that accompanies the use of, the position of the non-volatile liquid can be easily visually displayed as the ink remaining amount in the ink tank. In addition, since a drive unit for moving the non-volatile liquid is unnecessary, the structure can be simple, and the position of the non-volatile liquid does not greatly change even when an external force is applied, so that the remaining amount of ink can be reliably ensured. I can know.

Further, by making the inner volume of the atmosphere communication path larger than the volume of the ink stored in the ink tank,
It is possible to prevent the non-volatile liquid from entering the ink tank. Furthermore, by providing the atmosphere communication passage on the surface facing the user when the inkjet head cartridge is mounted on the inkjet recording apparatus, regardless of whether the inkjet head cartridge is mounted on the inkjet recording apparatus, You can easily check the ink level.

Since the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention has the ink jet head cartridge of the present invention detachably mounted therein and has an optical detecting means for optically detecting the non-volatile liquid of the ink jet head cartridge, In addition to visually confirming the remaining amount of ink, it can also be confirmed on the device side. In particular, by arranging the optical detection means at a position for detecting the non-volatile liquid in the vicinity of the portion where the atmosphere communication path of the inkjet head cartridge communicates with the ink tank,
Even if the user overlooks that the remaining amount of ink is small, the recording device can surely detect it.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of an inkjet head cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the inkjet head cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the inkjet head cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the inkjet head cartridge shown in FIG. 1 in a state where ink is almost exhausted.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention.

6 is a diagram illustrating an optical detection element of the inkjet recording apparatus shown in FIG.

7 is an electric circuit diagram of an optical detection element of the inkjet recording apparatus shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Inkjet Head Cartridge 11 Ink Tank 12 Recording Head 12a Nozzle 13 Atmosphere Communication Path 14 Open Side Opening 15 Tank Side Opening 16 Nonvolatile Liquid 17 Remaining Scale 101 Carriage 102 Pulley 103 Idle Pulley 104 Timing Belt 105 Guide Axis 106 Guide Rail 107 Optical Detection element 107a Light emitting portion 107b Light receiving portion 110 Paper feeding portion 111 Conveying roller 112 Discharging roller 113 Platen

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An ink jet head cartridge, which is detachably mounted on an ink jet recording apparatus for ejecting ink to perform recording, in which a recording head and an ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head are integrated. An atmosphere communication path, which is made of a transparent member and connects the inside and the outside of the ink tank, is attached to the surface of the ink tank, and the atmosphere communication path is divided into two non-volatile areas. An ink jet head cartridge, which is filled with a liquid. 2. The inner volume of the atmosphere communication passage is larger than the volume of ink stored in the ink tank.
The inkjet head cartridge described in 1. 3. The ink jet head cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the atmosphere communication passage is attached to a surface facing a user when the air communication passage is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus. 4. The ink jet head cartridge according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the recording head includes an electrothermal converter for generating energy used for ejecting ink. 5. The ink jet head cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the recording head ejects the ink from an ejection port by utilizing film boiling generated in the ink by thermal energy applied by the electrothermal converter. 6. Mounting means for removably mounting the inkjet head cartridge according to claim 1, and optical detection means for optically detecting a non-volatile liquid in the inkjet head cartridge. An ink jet recording apparatus which has a recording signal and discharges ink from the recording head of the ink jet head cartridge based on a recording signal. 7. The ink jet recording according to claim 6, wherein the optical detection unit is arranged at a position for detecting the non-volatile liquid in the vicinity of a portion where the atmosphere communication passage of the ink jet head cartridge communicates with an ink tank. apparatus.