JPH10166610A - Ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use a single seal for every port and eliminate a chamber corresponding to a surge tank in an air communication passage, by forming an upper part of a porous body like a mountain, thereby setting a total height of the porous body higher than a negative pressure chamber, and providing an ink discharge opening and an air communication hole at a lower part. SOLUTION: The ink cartridge is so constituted as to include a porous body 4 accommodated in a negative pressure chamber 3 and having an upper part formed high like a mountain, and an air communication hole 8 on the same plane as an ink discharge opening 9 to reach an inner opening 6 opened at an upper inner face of the negative pressure chamber 3 via a communication passage 7. The ink is discharged form the ink discharge opening 9. When an air pressure in a space part 5 decreases, the outside air is supplemented through the air communication hole 8. The porous body 4 is shaped to rise like a mountain, thereby forming the space part 5. Since the ink discharge opening 9 is located immediately below a top of the rising part via a filter 10, the ink included in the porous body 4 is guided to the discharge opening 9.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an ink cartridge, and more particularly to an ink cartridge used for an ink jet printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional ink cartridge will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a first conventional example.
The ink cartridge 120 shown in FIG.
4 to maintain a predetermined pressure in the inside of the case 4, an air communication hole 125 provided in the lid 126, a porous body 123 for impregnating the inside of the case 124 with the ink, And a filter 122 for supplying the same. (See, for example, JP-A-2-34351.) Space 1 provided between porous body 123 and lid 126
27 is for preventing the ink from directly contacting the air communication hole 125.

[0004] With such a configuration, the behavior of the ink, which adversely affects the ink ejection, such as the ink flowing due to the movement of the recording head or the like, is suppressed.

Assuming that the maximum amount of ink that can be absorbed by the porous body 123 is 100 (units), for example, if the porous body 123 absorbs 80 (units) of ink, the above-mentioned adverse effects are suppressed, and FIG. Like the ink cartridge 120
When the ink is horizontally mounted on the ink discharge unit 128, the ink does not leak from the porous body 123 and reaches the outside through the air communication hole 125.

If the step of attaching the lid 126 to the case 124 after inserting the porous body 123 that has absorbed the ink into the case 124 is selected, it is not easy to bond or ultrasonically bond the two, so that an O-ring or the like is used. Tighten the screws using the packing material.

When the step of attaching the lid 126 to the case 124 after inserting the porous body 123 that does not absorb ink into the case 124 is selected, the two can be bonded using an adhesive or an ultrasonic bonding method. However, in ultrasonic bonding of the plastic housing and lid, it is often the case that mechanical strength can be guaranteed but airtightness can not be guaranteed, so adding a post-process to apply an adhesive for sealing over the joint is added. It is safe. The ink is supplied from the filter 122 side or from the atmosphere communication hole 125 → the injection needle pierced into the porous body 123 or the like.

In the ink cartridge 120 shown in FIG. 4, when the air communication hole 125 is kept downward for a long period of time, vibration is applied in the direction of the air communication hole 125, or a large amount of ink is stored. (When the porous body 123 absorbs 100 units of ink or the case 124 has more than 100 units of ink injected), the ink leaking from the porous body 123 travels along the inner wall of the cartridge to the atmosphere. It flows out of the communication hole 125 and contaminates the recording device and recording paper.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a second conventional example.
The ink cartridge 101 shown in FIG. 5 includes a porous body 104 made of urethane or the like, a water-repellent porous body 103 made of urethane foam, foamed polyethylene or the like, and an air communication hole 106 provided in a lid 108. . (See, for example, JP-A-2-34351.) The water-repellent porous body 103 is provided between the porous body 104 and the atmosphere communication hole 106, and is disposed so as to be in close contact with the atmosphere communication hole 106. The water-repellent porous body 103 has a structure in which ink cannot penetrate, and air is secured by the porous structure, so that ink leakage can be prevented and holes are three-dimensionally connected. Since the contact with the ink is performed three-dimensionally, even if a certain portion of the hole is closed by the ink fixation, the entire hole is not closed, and the circulation with the atmosphere can be ensured.

In the first and second techniques, since a sponge such as urethane must be put in the case, only several tens% of the internal volume of the case can be accommodated. Therefore, there is a technique in which a sponge is not used for the entire case.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are sectional views showing a third conventional example. Ink cartridge 201 shown in FIG.
Are the absorption member 204 and the atmosphere communication port 21 for introducing the atmosphere.
2, a negative pressure generating chamber 202 that houses the absorbing member 204,
It is configured to include an ink storage chamber 203 and a communication section 5 that connects the negative pressure generation chamber 202 and the ink storage chamber 203.
(See, for example, JP-A-8-174858)

In the above-described conventional ink cartridge, since the ink discharge port and the air communication port are on different surfaces, two seals are required to protect each port until the start of use. Or there is a disadvantage that a chamber corresponding to a surge tank must be provided in the atmosphere communication passage.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink cartridge comprising: a porous body housed in a negative pressure chamber; And an air communication hole that reaches an inner opening formed in an upper inner wall of the negative pressure chamber through a communication passage.

An ink cartridge according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises:
In the invention, the upper part of the porous body is formed into a mountain shape, and the total height of the porous body is selected to be higher than the negative pressure chamber.

[0014] The ink cartridge according to a third aspect of the present invention is the ink cartridge according to the first aspect.
In the invention, the inner opening is provided in a space formed when the porous body is compressed and inserted into the negative pressure chamber.

[0015] The ink cartridge according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the ink cartridge according to the first aspect.
In the invention, the ink discharge port and the air communication hole are provided at a lower portion.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the ink cartridge according to the fourth aspect.
In the invention, the ink discharge port and the atmosphere communication hole are sealed with a single seal.

[0017]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention. The ink cartridge shown in FIG. 1 includes a porous body 4 whose upper part is housed in a negative pressure chamber 3, and a top of which rises in a mountain shape. An atmosphere communication hole 8 that reaches an inner opening 6 formed in the upper inner wall through a communication passage 7 is provided.

When ink is ejected from the ink ejection port 9,
When the air pressure in the space 5 formed in the negative pressure chamber 3 decreases, external air is supplied from the atmosphere communication hole 8.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing details of the porous body shown in FIG. The porous body 4 is manufactured so as to bulge in a mountain shape from a height h3 and reach a height h1. The compression line 42
The height of the porous body 4 is equal to the height of the inside of the negative pressure chamber 3.
Is stored, the chevron 41 of the porous body 4 is compressed to a height h2 and deformed into a trapezoid to form the space 5. The ink discharge port 9 is provided directly below the top 41a of the chevron 41 via the filter 10, so that the porous body 4 in this portion is strongly compressed and the capillary effect is enhanced.
Is guided toward the ink ejection port 9.

The seal 11 is provided with an air communication hole 8 so that ink does not leak during transportation of the ink cartridge.
And the ink discharge port 9 are closed.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are partial cross-sectional views showing a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows an example in which the air communication hole 81 is provided on the ceiling of the negative pressure chamber 3.
(B) shows an example in which the atmosphere communication hole 82 is provided on the side wall of the negative pressure chamber 3.

[0023]

As described above, the ink cartridge of the present invention uses a porous body having a chevron shape at the top, so that only one seal is required to protect each port until the start of use, and a surge tank is provided in the atmosphere communication passage. There is an effect that it is not necessary to provide a room corresponding to the above.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing details of a porous body shown in FIG.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are partial cross-sectional views showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a first conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a second conventional example.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are partial cross-sectional views showing a third conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink chamber 2 Ink 3 Negative pressure chamber 4 Porous body 5 Space part 6 Inner opening 7 Communication path 8 Atmospheric communication hole 9 Ink ejection port 10 Filter 11 Seal 12 Partition wall

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A porous body housed in a negative pressure chamber, the upper part of which rises in a mountain shape, and an inner opening formed in the upper inner wall of the negative pressure chamber through a communication passage on the same surface as an ink discharge port. And an atmosphere communication hole that reaches through a communication passage. 2. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein an upper part of said porous body is formed in a mountain shape, and a total height of said porous body is selected to be higher than said negative pressure chamber. 3. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the inner opening is provided in a space formed when the porous body is compressed and inserted into the negative pressure chamber. 4. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the ink discharge port and the atmosphere communication hole are provided at a lower portion. 5. The ink cartridge according to claim 4, wherein said ink discharge port and said atmosphere communication hole are sealed with a single seal.