JPH10119296A - Ink tank and ink jet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect surely residue of ink with ease visually and with an inexpensive structure by providing on the wall of an ink tank transparent protrusions each having different pressure force of a pressure surface with an ink suction body, and capable of seeing through color of ink in the pressure surface from the exterior. SOLUTION: The ink tank 1 is connected to an ink jet head 11 via an ink supply pipe 12 and ink supply port 6, and has an urethane porous body as an ink suction body 4 stuffed thereon. Also, at the inner surface of a transparent lid 3, protrusions 21, 22, 23 are set to have different protruding length toward the interior side of the ink tank 1, and thus being various in its contact force relative to the ink suction body 4. Namely, pressure force of the protrusion 22 is greater than that of the protrusion 23, so that capillary forces of ink vary in each compressed portion on the press-contact surfaces 21a, 22a, 23a between protrusions 21, 22, 23 and the ink suction body 4 and color of ink changes, thus detecting residue of ink.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink tank for supplying ink to an ink jet head in an ink jet recording apparatus and capable of detecting the remaining amount of ink, and an ink jet recording apparatus using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method of detecting the remaining amount of ink in an ink tank, an electrode is provided inside the ink tank, a detection current is passed between the electrodes, and a change in the resistance value at that time is detected to determine the remaining ink amount. There have been proposed a method of detecting, a method of detecting the remaining amount of ink by subtracting the amount each time an ink droplet is ejected from the inkjet head, and the like. However, the method for detecting the remaining amount of ink as described above not only complicates the structure of embedding the electrode in the ink tank and the structure of extracting the wiring from the electrode, but also complicates the electric circuit. Was inevitable.

Therefore, at present, a method for optically detecting the remaining amount of ink has been proposed in, for example, JP-A-7-117238 and JP-A-7-218321. In this method, a transparent portion is provided on a part of the wall of the ink tank, and a change in reflected light caused by the presence or absence of ink between the transparent portion and the ink absorber is detected using light irradiation means and light receiving means. In this method, the remaining amount of ink is detected.

[0004]

However, the provision of light irradiating means, light receiving means and the like requires not only the wiring and electric circuit thereof, but also a great increase in cost, and also causes an increase in the cost of the ink jet recording apparatus. This hinders miniaturization.

In the case of a method of recognizing a change in reflected light or a change in color due to the presence or absence of ink between the ink absorber and the transparent portion, the state when the ink is full is stored or a photograph or the like is used. Since it is necessary to record, it is difficult to visually confirm the remaining ink amount. That is,
Even if the user looks at the transparent part of the wall of the ink tank, the change in color due to the consumption of ink is slight. It was difficult to confirm.

The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and does not require any special light irradiation means or light receiving means for detecting the remaining amount of ink, and can be easily visualized. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink tank which can reliably detect the remaining amount of ink with an inexpensive configuration and an ink jet recording apparatus using the same.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided an ink tank containing an ink absorber for absorbing and holding ink supplied to an ink jet head, wherein the ink absorber is provided on a wall of the ink tank. And a plurality of transparent projections, which have different pressure contact forces on the pressure contact surface with each other and allow the color of the ink on the pressure contact surface to be seen through from the outside of the ink tank.

According to the above arrangement, by changing the pressing force of the projection on the pressure contact surface with the ink absorber, that is, by changing the amount of projection, the portion of the ink absorber pressed by the pressure contact surface with the ink absorber is changed. Can easily control the capillary force (ink holding power).

For example, a portion of the projection having a large projection amount has a high capillary force, so that even if ink is consumed, the ink in the portion does not come off. That is, the color of the press-contact surface of the protrusion as viewed from the outside of the ink tank is almost the same as the ink color, and does not change from the time when the ink is full to the time when the ink is used up. In addition, when the amount of protrusion is small,
Similarly to the portion having the large protrusion amount, the ink exists between the protrusion and the ink absorber, and the same color as the portion having the large protrusion amount appears. However, since the capillary force is weak in the portion where the amount of protrusion is small, the ink is removed with the consumption of the ink, and the color changes slightly.

Therefore, the user can easily visually recognize the slight difference in color between the two portions having the large protrusion amount and the small protrusion amount, and can easily know that the ink has run out.

Further, if the amount of the plurality of protrusions is changed stepwise in multiple stages, the user can easily visually recognize the amount of ink consumption in an analog manner.

Further, the ink tank provided by the present invention comprises:
The protrusion is formed by a member different from the ink tank. In this case, in addition to the above-described effects, the transparent projection of the present invention can be provided at a relatively arbitrary position regardless of the shape of the ink tank, which helps to increase the degree of freedom in designing an ink jet recording apparatus. Also.

Further, an ink jet recording apparatus provided by the present invention has the above-mentioned ink tank mounted thereon.
According to this device, the function of the ink tank can be utilized.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing an ink tank according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a plurality of protrusions 21, 22, and 23 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows how the color of the transparent windows 21b, 22b, 23b formed by the pressing surfaces 21a, 22a, 23a of the projections 21, 22, 23 with the ink absorber 4 is changed. FIG. 7A shows the state of color change when the ink is full, FIG. 8B shows the state of color change when the ink is consumed a little, and FIG. 9C shows the state of color change when the ink is almost used up. Things.

In FIG. 1 and FIG.
Is a replaceable ink cartridge which is attached to and detached from the ink jet recording apparatus. This ink tank 1
Is composed of a container 2 and a transparent lid 3. The lid 3 has an atmosphere communication port 5 communicating from the inside of the ink tank 1 to the outside air. The container 2 has an ink supply port 6 for receiving the ink supply pipe 12 of the inkjet head 11 and supplying ink to the inkjet head 11. Are provided respectively. The inside of the ink tank 1 is filled with a urethane porous body as the ink absorber 4.

The ink tank 1 is provided on a carriage (not shown) of the ink jet recording apparatus.
1 and its ink supply pipe 12.

On the inner surface of the transparent lid 3 of the ink tank 1,
Three projections 21, 22, and 23 having different amounts of protrusion toward the inside of the ink tank 1, and therefore different pressure contact forces with the ink absorber 4 are provided. Protrusion 2
The pressing force of No. 3 is larger than that of the other protrusions 22 and 21, and the pressing force of the protrusion 22 is smaller than that of the protrusion 23 and larger than that of the protrusion 21.

In the present embodiment, the projection amount of the projection 23 is 10 mm from the inner surface of the lid 3, the projection amount of the projection 22 is 6 mm from the inner surface of the lid 3, and the projection amount of the projection 21 is 2 mm from the inner surface of the lid 3.

Since the protrusion amounts of the protrusions 21, 22, 23 are different from each other, the portions of the ink absorber 4 which are pressed by the pressure contact surfaces 21a, 22a, 23a of the protrusions 21, 22, 23 with the ink absorber 4 are provided. The capillary force (ink holding force) is also different.
The remaining amount of ink can be detected by the change in the color of the ink on the pressure contact surfaces 21a, 22a, and 23a due to the magnitude of the capillary force.

That is, since the capillary force of the ink absorber 4 at the portion where the protrusion 23 having the largest protrusion amount is pressed against the pressure contact surface 23a with the ink absorber 4 is the highest, the ink tank 1
Even if the ink inside is consumed, the ink absorber 4 and the pressure contact surface 23a
The ink does not come out during the period. For this reason, FIG.
As shown in (a) to (c), the color a of the transparent window 23b formed by the press contact surface 23a looks almost ink color, and does not change from when the ink is full to when the ink is used up.

Further, since the capillary force of the ink absorber 4 at the portion where the protrusion 21 having the smallest protrusion amount is pressed against the pressure contact surface 21a with the absorber 4 is the lowest, the ink is immediately consumed when the ink starts to be consumed. The ink between the absorber 4 and the press contact surface 21a comes off. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 3A, when the ink is full, ink exists between the ink absorber 4 and the press contact surface 21a as in the case of the protrusion 23 having the large protrusion amount, and the ink is formed on the press contact surface 21a. The transparent window 21b has the same color as the transparent window 23b. However, since the capillary force of the ink absorber 4 in the portion of the protrusion 21 pressed against the pressure contact surface 21a with the ink absorber 4 is weak, the ink starts to be consumed as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C. As soon as the ink runs out, the tint a changes slightly and becomes tint b, and thereafter does not change until the ink is used up.

The capillary force of the ink absorber 4 at the portion of the protrusion 22 having the second largest projection amount pressed against the pressure contact surface 22a of the ink absorber 4 is reduced when the ink is consumed and becomes nearly empty. The capillary force is such that the ink between the pressure contact surface 4 and the press contact surface 22a is removed. That is, from the time when the ink is full to the time when the ink is consumed to some extent, the ink exists between the ink absorber 4 and the press contact surface 22a, and the transparent window 23
The same color a as b appears. However, when the ink is consumed and becomes close to the sky, the ink between the absorber 4 and the press contact surface 22a is drained, the color a changes slightly, and the same as the transparent window portion 21b in which the ink is lost and the color changes thin. The color becomes b.

As described above, according to the ink tank of the first embodiment, a slight change in color due to a change in ink consumption can be easily compared and recognized visually with the three transparent windows. You can easily know that it is gone.

In this embodiment, the case where three protrusions are provided has been described. However, if the number of protrusions is further increased and the pressure contact force with the ink absorber 4 is set in multiple stages, the user can obtain more analog signals. Needless to say, the amount of ink consumption can be easily visually checked.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 4 is a sectional view schematically showing an ink tank according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the protrusion member 31 shown in FIG. The second embodiment is an example in which the protrusion member 31 is formed of a member different from the container 2 and the lid 3 that constitute the ink tank 1. Other configurations of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the protruding member 31.

FIG. 7 shows the ink absorber 4 of the projection member 31.
Window portion 31 formed by pressure contact surfaces 31a and 32a
FIGS. 7A and 7B show how the colors change when the ink is full, and FIG. 8B shows how the colors change when the ink is consumed to some extent. It is a thing.

In the figure, reference numerals 1 to 6, 11 and 12 denote the same parts as in the first embodiment or parts corresponding thereto.

Numeral 31 denotes a transparent projecting member made of synthetic resin, which has a rectangular cross section as shown in FIG. 6, and has one end surface in the length direction formed as a flat surface 33c perpendicular to the axis, and the other end surface formed therein. And a plane 31a parallel to the plane 33c and an inclined plane 32a following the plane 31a.

The projection member 31 is fitted into a hole provided on the side surface of the ink tank 1 with the flat surface 33c facing outward.
The inclined surface 32 a is mounted on the ink tank 1 by protruding into the ink tank 1.

When the protrusion member 31 is attached to the ink tank 1, the protrusion member 31 functions as two protrusions having different pressing forces against the ink absorber 4. That is, the ink absorber 4
And a projection having a pressure contact surface 32 a with the ink absorber 4. Therefore, when the protrusion member 31 is attached to the ink tank 1, the press contact surface 31a and the press contact surface 32a press the ink absorber 4 with a pressing force corresponding to the respective protrusion amounts.

Since the ink tank 1 of the second embodiment has the above-described configuration, the ink of the portion pressed by the pressure contact surface 32a of the protrusion member 31 with the ink absorber 4 is the same as in the first embodiment. Since the capillary force of the absorber 4 is high, even if the ink in the ink tank 1 is consumed, the ink absorber 4 and the pressure contact surface 32
The ink during a does not come off. That is, FIG.
As shown in (a) and (b), the color a of the transparent window portion 32b formed by the press contact surface 32a with the ink absorber 4 looks almost ink color, and does not change from when the ink is full to when the ink is used up. .

On the other hand, since the capillary force of the ink absorber 4 at the portion of the projection member 31 pressed against the pressure contact surface 31a with the ink absorber 4 is low, the ink absorption from the time when the ink is full to the time when the ink is consumed to some extent. Ink exists between the body 4 and the press contact surface 31a, and the same color a as that of the transparent window portion 32b appears. However, when the ink is consumed to a certain extent, the ink between the absorber 4 and the press contact surface 31a comes off, and The taste a changes slightly and becomes the color b.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a modification of the projection member 31. As shown in FIG. In the drawing, reference numeral 31a denotes a press contact surface with the ink absorber 4, which corresponds to the press contact surface 31a in FIG. 6, and reference numeral 32a denotes a press contact surface also formed of a conical surface, which corresponds to the press contact surface 32a in FIG.

FIG. 9 shows a state in which the projection member 31 of FIG. 8 is incorporated into the ink tank 1 shown in FIG. 4 in the same manner as the projection member 31 of the first embodiment, and the transparent window 3 formed by the pressure contact surfaces 31a and 32a.
1b and 32b show how the color changes.
FIG. 7A shows a change in color when the ink is full, and FIG. 7B shows a change in color when the ink is consumed to some extent. Other configurations, operation and effects are the same as those of the first and second embodiments.

According to the projection member of the second embodiment, not only the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained, but also the remaining amount of the ink visually at a comparatively arbitrary position regardless of the shape and structure of the ink tank 1. A transparent window portion for performing detection can be provided, and a transparent window portion that can be easily recognized visually can be made by forming the protrusion members into various shapes.

The shape of the projecting member in the present invention is not limited to those of the first and second embodiments. When forming the projection member, it is important to provide a portion in which the color does not change with the consumption of the ink and a portion in which the color changes with the consumption of the ink.

Further, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the ink cartridge of the above-described embodiment, but is applicable to all ink cartridges having an ink absorber.

The ink tank of the present invention is in the form of an ink cartridge and can be removably mounted on an ink jet recording apparatus.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since a plurality of transparent projections are provided on the wall of the ink tank, which have different pressure contact forces on the pressure contact surface with the ink absorber, and the pressure contact surface can be seen from outside the ink tank. Even if the state of the time is not memorized or photographed, it is possible to easily compare and recognize a slight change in color of the press-contact surface with the ink absorber, and easily know that the ink has run out. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an ink tank according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a plurality of protrusions shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing how the color of the transparent window changes when the protrusion shown in FIG. 1 is viewed from the outside (S direction) of the ink tank.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an ink tank according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the protrusion shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a projection shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 shows a projection shown in FIG.
Front view showing how the color of the transparent window changes when viewed from

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a projection having a different shape from the projection shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a front view showing how the color of the transparent window changes when the protrusion of FIG. 8 is viewed from the outside of the ink tank 1;

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink tank 2 Container 3 Lid 4 Ink absorber 6 Ink supply port 11 Inkjet head 12 Ink supply pipe 21a, 22a, 23a Pressure contact surface 21b, 22b, 23b Transparent window 31 Projection member 31a, 32a Pressure contact surface 31b, 32b Transparent window

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An ink tank containing an ink absorber for absorbing and holding ink to be supplied to an ink jet head, wherein the wall of the ink tank has a different pressing force on a pressure contact surface between the ink tank and the ink absorber. An ink tank provided with a plurality of transparent protrusions that allow the color of the ink on the surface to be seen from outside the ink tank. 2. The ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is formed of a member different from the ink tank. 3. An ink jet recording apparatus equipped with the ink tank according to claim 1.