JPH09156124A - Ink cartridge for printing recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve securing strength between a cartridge body and a cover body by a method wherein in an ink crtridge for print recording, leakage by evaporation of ink is inhibited without generating an unnecessary clearance between a cartridge body and a cover body, and a passage on a labyrinth interconnecting an ink reserving part with an outside can be easily constituted without using an excessive member. SOLUTION: A recessed part 17 is formed to a cartridge body 10, and a projecting part 11a is formed to a cover body 11. A clearance 20 formed in a fit state of the recessed part 17 to the projecting part 11a is used as an interconnecting passage for air. Thereby, an ink reserving part 3 is interconnected to an outside by a labyrinth like passage without using extra parts for interconnecting air.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink cartridge for a printing / recording apparatus, and more particularly to a structure for communicating an ink containing portion in a cartridge body with the outside of the cartridge body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a print recording apparatus such as a printer using a print head for ejecting ink droplets, an ink cartridge containing the ink is provided and ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the print head. In order to make the ink supply to the print head smooth, it is necessary to communicate the inside of the ink cartridge with the outside atmosphere and prevent the evaporation of ink.

As a conventional ink cartridge, for example, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, an ink cartridge 1 is used.
Labyrinth-like passage for communication with outside air
Is formed. That is, a labyrinth-like communication passage 2 whose one end 2a communicates with the inside of the ink containing portion 3 is formed in the lid 1a fixed to the cartridge main body 1b of the ink cartridge 1 by ultrasonic welding or the like, and a seal is formed thereon. The member 4 is attached in a state where the other end 2b of the communication passage 2 is exposed to the outside, and the inside of the ink containing portion 3 is communicated with the outside air by the labyrinthine passage (labyrinth) thus formed. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, there is also one in which a passage forming member 5 for communicating with the outside air is fitted in the ink cartridge 1 into a mounting hole 6 provided in the cartridge body 1b. A labyrinth-shaped passage (labyrinth) is formed in the passage forming member 5 by the small holes 5a, 5b, and 5c formed in the wall of the member.

[0005]

However, in the conventional ink cartridge 1 as described above, an extra seal member and a passage forming member are required to form the labyrinth, and the number of parts and processes are increased, resulting in cost reduction. There was a problem of being up. In addition, the cartridge body 1b
When a gap for a communication passage is formed between the lid body 1a and the lid body 1a, when the cartridge body 1b and the lid body 1a are fixed by welding or the like, the fitting portions of the cartridge body 1b and the lid body 1a are directly connected to the outside in addition to the communication passage. There is a problem in that a gap communicating with the cartridge is likely to be generated, ink is leaked by evaporation, and the welding strength of the lid 1a to the cartridge body 1b is reduced.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is difficult to form a gap that directly communicates with the outside in the fitting portion between the cartridge body and the lid.
Evaporation leakage of ink is reduced, and a labyrinth-like passage that communicates with the atmosphere can be easily configured without increasing the number of parts or the process, and the strength of fixation between the cartridge body and the lid is improved. An object is to provide an ink cartridge that can be manufactured.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention has an ink containing section in which an ink impregnated body is contained, and one side is open. Box-shaped cartridge body,
In an ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus, which comprises a lid body fixed to the cartridge body so as to cover the open surface, a protrusion is provided on one of the cartridge body and the lid body.
The other is provided with a concave portion into which the convex portion is fitted, and in the fitted state of the concave portion and the convex portion, both of them partially come into contact with each other, and a gap formed between the two in the other portion It is formed as a communication path that communicates the accommodation portion and the outside of the cartridge body.

In the above structure, when the concave portion and the convex portion provided on the cartridge body and the lid are fitted and fixed to each other, a part of the fitted portion forms a gap, By utilizing the gap as a labyrinth-like air communication passage, the inside of the cartridge body and the outside air can be communicated with each other without forming a special communication passage.

Further, in the ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect, one of the cartridge body and the lid body is formed with an inner wall spaced apart from the outer wall inside the cartridge body. However, a convex portion and a concave portion are provided on the other of the cartridge body and the lid and on the inner wall, respectively, and a communication passage is formed including the space between the outer wall and the inner wall.

In the above structure, an inner wall is formed inside the cartridge body at a distance from the outer wall of the cartridge body or the lid, and the inner wall and the lid or the cartridge body are provided with a convex portion and a concave portion, respectively. Therefore, the space between the outer wall and the inner wall, which are communicated with each other by the gap formed in the fitted state, serves as a communication path, and the communication path functions as a labyrinth.

The ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is the ink cartridge for supplying ink to the print head of the print recording apparatus at one end in the configuration of the first or second aspect. The supply unit has, at the other end, a protrusion that includes the space.

In the above structure, since the projecting portion that encloses the space for forming the labyrinthine passage is provided so as to project from the cartridge main body, the required length can be achieved without reducing the ink storage volume of the cartridge main body. The atmosphere communication path of Sano can be realized arbitrarily.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the convex portion and the concave portion mutually position the cartridge body and the lid. It is for. In the above configuration, since the convex portion and the concave portion mutually position the cartridge body and the lid body, the cartridge body and the lid body can be easily combined to form the communication path.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge for a printing and recording apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the surface where the concave portion contacts the convex portion is a tapered surface formed on the periphery of the open surface of the cartridge body. The protrusions are formed to be flush with each other,
It is formed along the peripheral edge on the inner surface of the lid. In the above structure, the cartridge main body and the lid can be easily combined, and the cartridge main body and the lid can be joined to each other with no space around them.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a carriage and a print head unit of a printer in which the ink cartridge according to the present invention is mounted, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the appearance of the ink cartridge, and FIG. Fig. 2 in the finished state (before welding)
4 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 4, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the print head unit. As shown in FIG. 1, the ink cartridge 1 is mounted on a print head unit 7 on which a print head of a printer is mounted, and the print head unit 7 is mounted on a carriage 8 which reciprocates during printing operation. It
The print head unit 7 has an ink introduction tube 7 for supplying ink from the ink cartridge 1 to the print head 7a.
b is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ink cartridge 1 has a cartridge body 1 having an ink containing portion 3.
0 and a lid 11 that is fixed to cover the open surface of the cartridge body 10. A protrusion 12 is formed on one end side of the cartridge body 10, and the protrusion 12 covers the inside of the cartridge body 10. An opening 13 is provided for communicating with the outside. At the other end of the cartridge body 10, there is provided an ink supply section that fits into the ink introduction tube 7b, that is, an ink supply port 10b (FIG. 4). An ink impregnation body 14 impregnated with ink is accommodated in the ink accommodating portion 3 of the cartridge body 10. Cartridge body 10
A tapered surface 10a is formed on the peripheral edge on the open surface side, and a convex portion 11a is formed on the inner side surface of the lid 11 along the peripheral edge slightly inward of the peripheral edge. In the fitted state before the lid body 11 is fixed to the cartridge body 10, the protrusion 11a of the lid body 11 has a lower outer edge that can be in line contact with the tapered surface 10a of the cartridge body 10. It is configured. Then, in this state, the lid body 11 and the cartridge body 10 are positioned relative to each other.

Inside the protrusion 12, two inner walls 16 are provided in a direction orthogonal to the outer wall 15 of the cartridge body 10. Recesses 17 are formed at both ends of the upper side of the inner wall 16. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the recess 17 has a tapered surface 17t flush with the tapered surface 10a, an upright wall surface 17n facing the tapered surface 17t, and a bottom portion 17 between these wall surfaces.
b. The tapered surface 17 of the recess 17
At t, similarly to the above-described line contact configuration of the convex portion 11a of the lid 11 and the tapered surface 10a of the cartridge body 10, the convex portion 11a of the lid 11 has a recess 17 at the lower outer edge thereof.
The linear contact is continuously made with the tapered surface 17t. By welding these line contact portions using ultrasonic waves or the like, the lid body 11 and the cartridge body 10 are joined and fixed without a gap in the entire circumference.

The mutual dimensional relationship between the concave portions 17 of the two inner walls 16 and the convex portions 11a of the lid body 11 fitted into the concave portions 17 is such that the cartridge body 10 and the lid body 11 are joined together. The concave portion 1 is formed by the wall surface 17n of the inner wall 16, the bottom portion 17b, the tapered surface 17t, and the convex portion 11a of the lid 11.
It is set so that a gap 20 (FIG. 4) can be formed inside 7. This gap 20 is shown in FIG. 7 showing another embodiment.
The cross-sectional shape is almost the same as that of (b) and constitutes a part of the communicating passage in the present invention. The shape and size of the gap 20 can be arbitrarily selected by appropriately adjusting the height of the convex portion 11a of the lid 11 and the depth of the concave portion 17. In addition, a portion of the upper side of the inner wall 16 that is left flat, without forming a recess, is in planar contact with the inner surface of the lid 11, and is joined without a gap.

The state in which the ink cartridge 1 is attached to the print head unit 7 is as shown in FIG. 4, and the ink containing portion 3 of the ink cartridge 1 communicates with the outside air through the communication passage 20 and the opening 13. , Is connected to the ink introduction tube 7b of the print head unit 7 and thereby leads to the print head 7a. The print head 7a is driven and controlled from the outside to eject the ink supplied through the ink introduction tube 7b as droplets from the nozzles on the front surface of the print head 7a to print on the printing medium. As the print head 7a, for example, a piezoelectric element is used, and an inkjet type that ejects ink droplets by using the displacement force of the piezoelectric element is used.

According to the above-described embodiment, the cartridge body 10 and the lid 11 are fitted with each other, and the taper surface 1
By welding the contact portion between 0a and the convex portion 11a,
It is fixed with high precision and firmly without any gap over the entire circumference of the fitting part. Then, in the fitted and fixed state of the both, the recess 1 provided in the inner wall 16 formed in the cartridge body 10
A gap 20 having a function as a predetermined communication passage in the inside 7
Are formed without special passages. A space 21a between the outer wall 15 and the inner wall 16 of the cartridge body 10 having the opening 13 is provided via the gap 20.
(FIG. 4), the space 21b between the two inner walls 16 and the ink containing portion 3 are communicated with each other, so that the ink containing portion 3 is communicated with the outside air through these spaces and gaps. In addition, as described above, the gap 20 and the spaces 21a and 21b are
The labyrinth is a maze (labyrinth) because the communication path that is configured by including is composed of a space formed by a plurality of inner walls 16 and the like.
Will function as. Therefore, the atmospheric pressure inside the ink containing portion 3 is kept equal to the external atmospheric pressure, and the ink is supplied to the print head 7a very smoothly.
Further, the cartridge body 10 and the lid 11 can be fixed with high precision and solidity, and an unnecessary gap is not formed between them, so that the evaporation leakage of ink is greatly reduced.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the protruding portion of the cartridge main body, FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views taken along the line D-D of FIG. 5, where FIG. 5A is before welding and FIG. 6B is after welding. 7 (a) and 7 (b) are portions A of FIG. 5,
It is sectional drawing in the state after welding of B part.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in this embodiment, the inner wall 16 and the outer wall 1 of the cartridge body 10 are arranged.
Two ribs 16r are provided in a space 21a between the ribs 5 and 5 in a direction orthogonal to the inner wall 16, and a recess 17 is provided at an end of an upper side of the two ribs 16r on the outer wall 15 side. Further, with respect to the lid body 11, the convex portion 11a is formed on the inner side surface thereof as in the previous embodiment. The cartridge main body 10 having the concave portions 17 and the lid 11 having the convex portions 11a are welded and fixed in a fitted state to form the concave portions 17
17n of upright wall or taper surface 17t and bottom 1
Gaps 20n and 20w are formed inside the concave portion 17 by 7b and the convex portion 11a of the lid 11. These gaps 20
Spaces between the inner wall 16 and the ribs 16r of the inner wall communicate with each other by n and 20w, and a labyrinth-like passage is formed as a whole. Through this labyrinth-like passage, the cartridge body 1
The ink containing portion 3 inside 0 communicates with the outside through the opening 13 as in the case of the previous embodiment.

Further, the gaps 20n and 20w formed in the present embodiment are narrow gaps 20n and wide gaps depending on the shape of the wall surface of the recess 17, as shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b). The function of the labyrinthine passage is further improved by 20w (only the wide gap 20w is shown in FIG. 6). That is, a fine communication passage 20n and a relatively wide communication passage 20 shown as A and B in FIG.
Two kinds of communication passages of w are formed. FIG. 7A is a cross section of the portion A in the state where the convex portion 11a of the lid body 11 of FIG. 5 is fitted, and shows the communication passage 20n. In this case, the communication passage 20n has the bottom portion 1 on both sides of the wall of the recess 17 of the inner wall 16.
7b are sandwiched between the tapered surfaces 10a and 17t, and the lid 11
Since the cross section of the gap existing in the fitted state of the convex portion 11a and the concave portion 17 is relatively narrow, it becomes relatively minute even if it depends on the degree of melting of each portion.

On the other hand, FIG. 7 (b) is a cross section of the portion B of FIG. 5, showing the communicating passage 20w. In this case, the inner wall 1
Since the upright wall 17n is located on the side of the wall of the recess 17 of FIG. 6 opposite to the outer wall 15 side, the cross section of the gap between the projection 11a of the lid 11 and the recess 17 is relatively wide. Therefore, the communication passage 20w formed by welding and fixing the concave portion 17 and the convex portion 11a of the lid body 11 in a fitted state is wider and larger than in the case of FIG. 7A.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a belt-shaped ridge portion 18 is formed on the upper side surface of the inner wall 16 of the cartridge body 10 before welding. Since the ridge portion 18 is formed, the cartridge body 1
It is possible to more securely and firmly weld 0 and the lid body 11.

In the present embodiment, as described above, two types of communication passages 20w, 20 having different cross-sectional shapes and sizes are provided.
Including the fact that n is used, a more complicated labyrinth-like passage (labyrinth) is formed by bending, whereby air communication is achieved. For this reason, the evaporation leakage of the ink is further reduced, the air pressure in the ink containing portion can be kept equal to the atmospheric pressure, and it is possible to realize the smooth supply of the ink to the print head. Moreover, it is possible to achieve communication between the ink storage portion 3 and the outside without using a special part for air communication.

The number, shape, and position of the inner walls 16 in the above-described two embodiments, the position of the opening 13 communicating with the outside air, the method of fixing the cartridge body 10 and the lid 11, and the outer wall of the cartridge body 10. The formation of the tapered surface in 15 is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example,
Although the inner wall 16 is provided on the cartridge body 10 side in the above description, it may be provided on the lid 11 side instead. Further, as a method of fixing, there are various kinds of welding, adhesion, press fitting and the like.

[0028]

As described above, according to the ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to the invention of claim 1, the concave portion and the convex portion of the cartridge body and the lid are fixed to each other in a fitted state, and the fitted portion Is not fixed, but a part thereof is fixed so as to form a gap, and the gap thus formed is used as an air communication passage. It is possible to make the inside of the cartridge body communicate with the outside air without forming a special communication passage after securing sufficient fixation with the outside. Further, there is no need for other parts such as a seal member as in the conventional case, and therefore the number of steps is small and the manufacturing cost can be kept low.

According to the ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus of the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the communication passage having the structure of the first aspect, an inner wall is formed on one of the cartridge body and the lid, and the inner wall is formed. With regard to the above, since the gap is formed in the fitted state of the convex portion and the concave portion and the communication passage is formed including the space between the outer wall and the inner wall of the cartridge body, the communication passage has a more complicated shape, It is possible to further reduce the evaporation leakage of ink. Moreover, since the ink storage portion communicates with the outside through the communication passage, it is possible to smoothly supply the ink to the print head.

According to the ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus of the invention of claim 3, in addition to the above effects,
Since the protrusion that includes the space for forming the labyrinthine passage is provided so as to protrude from the cartridge main body, without reducing the ink containing volume of the cartridge main body,
The atmosphere communication passage having a required length can be arbitrarily realized.

Further, in the ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to the invention of claim 4, in addition to the above effects, the convex portion and the concave portion mutually position the cartridge body and the lid body, so that the cartridge body and the lid body are positioned. The bodies can be easily combined to form a communication passage.

In addition to the effects described above, the ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention has, in addition to the above-mentioned effects, a taper surface in which the surface where the concave portion contacts the convex portion is formed at the periphery of the open surface of the cartridge body. Since the protrusions are formed flush with the inner peripheral surface of the lid body, the cartridge body and lid body can be easily combined, and the cartridge body and lid body Are joined together without gaps.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a print head unit and a carriage.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the above ink cartridge.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the above ink cartridge is mounted on the print head unit.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a cartridge body of an ink cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D of FIG. 5, (a) is before welding,
(B) shows each after welding.

7A is a sectional view of a portion A in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7B is a sectional view of a portion B in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a partially exploded perspective view of a conventional ink cartridge.

9 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the conventional ink cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the outer appearance of another conventional ink cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink cartridge 3 Ink accommodating portion 10 Cartridge main body 10a Tapered surface of cartridge main body 11 Lid body 11a Lid convex portion 12 Projection portion 13 Opening 15 Outer wall 16 Inner wall 16r Inner wall rib 17 Inner wall concave portion 20 Gap (communication passage) 20w 20n passage

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A box-shaped cartridge main body having an ink storage section in which an ink impregnated body is stored and having one surface opened, and a lid fixed to the cartridge main body so as to cover the open surface. In an ink cartridge for a printing and recording apparatus having a body, one of the cartridge body and the lid is provided with a convex portion, and the other is provided with a concave portion into which the convex portion is fitted, and in the fitted state of the concave portion and the convex portion. For a print recording apparatus, a gap which is formed between the both and a part of which is in contact with each other, and which is formed between the both in another part is formed as a communication path that communicates the ink containing portion and the outside of the cartridge main body. ink cartridge. 2. One of the cartridge body and the lid,
An inner wall spaced apart from the outer wall is formed inside the cartridge main body, the convex portion and the concave portion are provided on the other of the cartridge main body and the lid and the inner wall, respectively, including the space between the outer wall and the inner wall. The ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication path is formed. 3. The cartridge main body has an ink supply unit for supplying ink to a print head of a print recording apparatus at one end, and a protrusion that encloses the space at the other end. The ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The print recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion and the concave portion are for positioning the cartridge body and the lid body relative to each other. ink cartridge. 5. A surface of the concave portion that contacts the convex portion is formed flush with a taper surface formed on the peripheral edge of the open surface of the cartridge body, and the convex portion is peripheral to the inner surface of the lid body. The ink cartridge for a print recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the ink cartridge is formed along the line.