JPH0952376A - Method for refilling ink jet cartridge with ink - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To refill an ink jet cartridge with ink by holding an ink injection instrument so that the tip part of an ink jet nozzle part is turned downwardly and providing a hole to an ink container part so as to allow the interior thereof to communicate with the outside. SOLUTION: An ink injection instrument constitued of an ink container part 1 housing liquid ink 6 and an elongated ink injection nozzle part 5 extending in a needle shape and perfectly hermetically sealing the part other than the tip part of the ink injection nozzle part 5 is used to insert the tip part of the ink injection nozzle part 5 in the ink storage part of an ink jet cartridge 7. After the ink injection instrument is held so that the tip part of the ink injection nozzle part 5 is turned downwardly, a hole is provided to the ink container part 1 so as to allow the interior thereof to communicate with the outside. By this constitution, the ink jet cartridge 7 can be refilled with ink 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method for refilling ink into an ink jet cartridge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, among various printers used as a terminal output device such as a computer, there is an ink jet printer as a printer for forming an image by directly spraying ink on a paper surface or the like, and an ink jet cartridge used for it is When the ink was exhausted from the ink storage unit, it was discarded as it was, and there were many problems in terms of economy and environment.

Recently, in consideration of economic and environmental issues, the idea of refilling the ink reservoir of an ink jet cartridge with ink and reusing the used ink cartridge is gradually spreading. Many products have been devised for this purpose.

Conventionally, as a means for refilling the ink storage portion of an ink jet cartridge with an ink, a syringe containing ink is used, and its nozzle portion is inserted into the ink storage portion of the ink jet cartridge and the plunger of the syringe is pushed. A method of refilling ink by means of, or using an ink injecting device equipped with a nozzle portion so that the tip of a flexible bellows type container or a flexible bottle type container containing ink can be easily refilled with the ink, There has been a method of inserting the nozzle portion into the ink storage portion of the ink jet cartridge and compressing the container containing the ink to refill the ink.

However, in the above method, it is difficult to control the flow rate of the ink to be refilled due to the method in which the container containing the ink is manually compressed and the ink is refilled in the ink storage portion of the ink jet cartridge. When refilled, the ink was scattered from the ink injection port, and there was a great risk of soiling hands and clothes.

Further, the ink storage portion of the ink jet cartridge often has a built-in sponge for holding the ink, and according to the above method, a continuous strong compressive force is required to refill the ink. Needed to be added.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional ink cartridge refilling method, and makes it easy for anyone to refill the ink jet cartridge without soiling their hands or clothes. It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel ink refilling method capable of filling.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention mainly uses an ink container portion containing a liquid ink and a needle like means as a means for refilling the ink storage portion of an ink jet cartridge with the liquid ink. A long and narrow ink injection nozzle part, and the ink injection nozzle part is completely sealed except for the tip part, and the tip part of the ink injection nozzle part is inserted into the ink storage part of the inkjet cartridge. After holding the ink injecting device so that the tip of the ink injecting nozzle portion is directed downward, it is possible to refill the ink by providing a hole in the ink container portion that allows ventilation between the inside and outside of the ink container portion. Characterize.

Further, as a means for forming a hole in the ink container portion, the ink container portion is provided with an openable and closable one-touch cap (a cap used as a cap of a container such as shampoo that can be opened and closed). .

As a specific method for providing a hole in the ink container part through which the inside and the outside of the ink container part can be ventilated, a method of forming a hole in the ink container part with a protrusion such as a pin There is a method in which a hole is provided, and that part is closed with a rubber stopper, etc., and the rubber stopper is removed at the time of use.The ink container part is equipped with a one-touch cap that can be freely opened and closed. Considering the ease of installation and the ease of closing the holes when it is desired to stop the outflow of ink on the way, it is best to provide a one-touch cap that can be opened and closed.

The material for the ink container is preferably a transparent material such as plastic or glass so that the outflow condition of the ink can be visually confirmed. Furthermore, in order to eliminate the risk of accidentally compressing the container portion and causing ink to fly from the ventilable hole, a hard material is preferable as the material of the ink container portion.

[0012]

According to the method of the present invention, liquid ink is subjected to gravity and atmospheric pressure and is easily discharged from the tip of the ink injection nozzle. Therefore, a secondary force such as compressive stress from the outside is required. Instead, the ink storage portion of the ink jet cartridge is smoothly and easily refilled with ink.

Further, since there is no ink scattering due to rapid ink refilling, the risk of soiling hands, clothes, etc. has been completely eliminated.

[0014]

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink injecting device used in an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ink injecting device, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

An openable and closable one-touch cap 2 is attached to one side of the container body 1, and a nozzle portion 5 is attached to the opposite side by a container holder 3 and a container inner stopper 4. The liquid ink 6 is contained in the container body 1.

The nozzle 5 used had an outer diameter of 1.2 mm and an inner diameter of 0.9 mm.

Further, the liquid ink 6 has a viscosity of 5 cp.
20 cc having a specific gravity of 0.95 was used.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

By inserting the nozzle portion 5 into the ink storage portion of the ink jet cartridge and then opening the one-touch cap 2, the inside and the outside of the container body 1 can be vented, and the ink 6 is smoothed only by gravity and atmospheric pressure. In about 3 minutes, the ink reservoir of the inkjet cartridge could be refilled.

Furthermore, no ink scattering or the like occurred during ink filling.

[0022]

As described above, the ink refilling method of the present invention, which has solved the drawbacks of the conventional ink jet cartridge refilling method, is easy for anyone to use without disturbing their hands or clothes. It is a novel ink refilling method capable of refilling the ink with a great deal of utility value.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink injection device used in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an ink injection device used in an example of the present invention.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. Container body 2. One-touch cap that can be opened and closed freely 3. Container holder 4. Container inner stopper 5. Nozzle 6. Liquid ink 7. Inkjet cartridge

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An ink injection nozzle mainly comprising an ink container part containing the liquid ink and an ink injection nozzle part elongated like a needle as a means for refilling the ink storage part of the ink jet cartridge. Use a completely sealed ink injecting device except for the tip of the ink injection nozzle, insert the tip of the ink injecting nozzle into the ink reservoir of the ink jet cartridge, and inject ink so that the tip of the ink injecting nozzle goes downward. A method for refilling an ink into an ink jet cartridge, comprising refilling the ink by providing a hole through which the inside and the outside of the ink container can be ventilated after holding the injection device. 2. A means for forming a hole in an ink container portion,
The ink cartridge refilling method according to claim 1, wherein the ink container portion is provided with a one-touch cap that can be opened and closed.