JPH10175309A - Ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a volume in a cartridge main body when the cartridge is mounted to a mounting part, sending ink in the main body to an ink feed port and preventing that the ink to be fed to a head is mixed with the air and clogs, by setting an elastic deformation part at least at a part of the main body. SOLUTION: An elastic deformation part 16 constituted of an elastic deformation member of silicone rubber or the like is set at a part of a trunk part of a cartridge main body 10. A diaphragm 11 is installed in the main body 10, so that the main body 10 is separated to an ink-storing chamber 12 and an ink-holding chamber 13 storing an ink-holding member 2 of a urethane foam or the like. A communication part 11a is formed at a lower part of the diaphragm 11. An ink feed port 14 is projected downward at a lower part of the ink-holding chamber 13, and a rib 17 is provided at an upper part of the ink-holding chamber 13 to hold the ink-holding member 2 in the holding chamber 13. A space part 13a and the outside are connected via an air introduction port 15. The feed port 14 is fitted via a packing material 22 into a fitting recess 21 of a fitting part 20 of the apparatus, thereby deforming the elastic deformation part 16 and reducing an internal volume. The main body 10 is set in this manner.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink cartridge used to supply ink to a recording head in an ink jet recording apparatus, and more particularly to an ink cartridge for supplying ink contained in a cartridge body from an ink supply port to the outside. In a cartridge, when ink is supplied to the recording head by being attached to the ink jet recording apparatus, it is possible to suppress the incorporation of air bubbles into the recording head and to prevent ink from spilling out of the ink cartridge when detached from the ink jet recording apparatus. Is characterized in that it suppresses

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an ink jet recording apparatus, when performing recording by discharging ink from a recording head, ink is generally stored in an ink cartridge, and the ink is recorded from an ink supply port provided in the ink cartridge. It was supplied to the head.

Here, various types of ink cartridges have been used conventionally.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a partition 11 having a communication portion 11 a is provided in a cartridge main body 10 formed of a box made of a synthetic resin, and the inside of the cartridge main body 10 is filled with the ink 1 containing ink 1 by the partition 11. An ink supply port 14 for supplying the ink 1 to the outside is provided at the bottom of the ink holding chamber 13 while separating the housing chamber 12 and an ink holding chamber 13 containing an ink holding member 2 such as a sponge holding the ink 1. The cartridge body 1
The one provided with the air introduction hole 15 leading to the inside of the cylinder has been used.

In supplying ink 1 from such an ink cartridge to a recording head (not shown), the ink cartridge is attached to a mounting portion (not shown) of an ink jet recording apparatus. Is supplied from the ink supply port 14 to the recording head.

However, when the ink cartridge is attached to the mounting portion of the ink jet recording apparatus and the ink 1 is supplied from the ink supply port 14 to the recording head, the ink supply port 14 connects to the recording head. A large amount of air enters the supplied ink 1, and this air is guided to the recording head and clogs the recording head, so that the ink 1 cannot be discharged from the recording head properly or the air guided to the recording head is removed. Therefore, there is a problem that the purge must be performed for a long time.

When the ink cartridge attached to the mounting portion of the ink jet recording apparatus is removed as described above, if the ink 1 remains near the ink supply port 14, the ink 1 spills out of the ink supply port 14. There was also a problem that.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned various problems in an ink cartridge used for supplying ink to a recording head in an ink jet recording apparatus. .

That is, according to the present invention, in an ink cartridge in which ink is accommodated in a cartridge main body and ink is supplied to a recording head from an ink supply port provided in the cartridge main body, Even at the beginning when the ink is supplied to the recording head from the ink supply port, the air is suppressed from entering the ink supplied to the recording head from the ink supply port. The print head can be stably ejected without being caught by the print head and clogging the print head, and purging must be performed for a long time to remove the air guided to the print head. This eliminates the need to perform In the case of removing the ink cartridge from the inkjet recording apparatus, it is an object of the invention to provide an ink cartridge which is also suppressed that ink spilling from the ink cartridge.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an ink cartridge according to the present invention has an ink cartridge provided with an ink supply port for supplying ink to the outside of a cartridge body containing ink. An elastically deformable portion that elastically deforms is provided on at least a part of the cartridge body.

Here, when an elastically deformable portion is formed on at least a part of the cartridge body as in the ink cartridge according to the present invention, when the ink cartridge is mounted on a mounting portion of an ink jet recording apparatus, the elastically deformable portion is provided. The ink inside the cartridge body can be sent to the ink supply port by reducing the volume inside the cartridge body by deforming the ink cartridge. Air can be prevented from flowing into the ink supplied to the recording head.

Therefore, in the case of the ink cartridge according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the air from being guided to the recording head and clogging it, so that the ink can be stably ejected from the recording head and the ink is guided to the recording head. The purge time for removing the trapped air can be shortened.

When the ink cartridge is detached from the mounting portion of the ink jet recording apparatus, if the elastically deformed portion deformed as described above returns to its original state and the volume inside the cartridge body becomes large, the vicinity of the ink supply port becomes large. The ink is sucked into the cartridge body, and the ink is prevented from spilling out from the ink supply port.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Embodiment 1) In the ink cartridge of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a part of the body of a cartridge body 10 made of synthetic resin is made of an elastically deformable member such as silicon rubber. Elastic deformation portion 16 is provided.

A partition 11 extending in the up-down direction is provided in the cartridge main body 10.
The inside of the cartridge body 10 is separated into an ink storage chamber 12 for storing the ink 1 and an ink storage chamber 13 for storing the ink holding member 2 such as urethane foam for holding the ink 1, and the lower side of the partition 11. Communicating part 11a for communicating the ink storage chamber 12 and the ink holding chamber 13
Is provided.

In the ink holding chamber 13, the ink 1 held by the ink holding member 2 is provided at the bottom thereof.
Is provided so as to protrude downward, and a rib 17 is provided downward on the upper portion thereof to hold the ink holding member 2 in the ink holding chamber 13 with the rib 17. This ink holding member 2
A space 13a is provided on the upper surface of the housing, and an air introduction hole 15 for communicating the space 13a with the outside is provided.

When the ink cartridge according to this embodiment is mounted on the mounting portion 20 of the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink supply port 14 is inserted into a mounting recess 21 provided in the mounting portion 20 as shown in FIG. The ink supply port 1 is fitted through the packing material 22.
4 and the ink guide path 22 provided in the mounting portion 20, and the elastic deformation portion 16 in the cartridge body 10 is deformed to reduce the volume in the cartridge body 10.

When the volume inside the cartridge main body 10 is reduced by the deformation of the elastic deformation portion 16 as described above, the ink 1 stored in the ink storage chamber 12 communicates with the communication portion 11a.
Is supplied to the ink holding member 2 accommodated in the ink holding chamber 13, and the ink 1 held by the ink holding member 2 is sent to the ink supply port 14.

Therefore, as described above, the ink supply port 14
Is attached to the mounting portion 20, and the ink 1 is supplied from the ink supply port 14 through the ink guide path 22 to the recording head (not shown).
When the ink is supplied to the recording head, the flow of air into the ink 1 supplied to the recording head from the ink supply port 14 is suppressed, and air is prevented from clogging the recording head, and the ink 1 is stabilized from the recording head. And the purge time for removing the air guided to the recording head can be shortened.

When the ink cartridge attached to the attachment portion 20 is removed as described above, even if the ink 1 remains near the ink supply port 14, the elastic deformation portion 16 returns to the original state. Cartridge body 10
By increasing the internal volume, the ink 1 in the vicinity of the ink supply port 14 is sucked into the cartridge body 10 and held by the ink holding member 2, so that the ink 1 is prevented from spilling down. become.

In the ink cartridge according to this embodiment, the partition 11 is provided in the cartridge body 10.
The ink storage chamber 12 and the ink holding chamber 13 are provided by separating the inside of the cartridge body 10 from side to side, as shown in FIG. 4. However, as shown in FIG. 10 is vertically separated, an ink storage chamber 12 storing the ink 1 is provided in the upper part, and an ink holding chamber 13 storing the ink holding member 2 is provided in the lower part. It is also possible to provide the body 10 with an elastically deformable portion 16.

(Embodiment 2) In the ink cartridge of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the cartridge body 10 is made of synthetic resin,
In the same manner as in the case of
1 are provided in the up and down direction to separate the inside of the cartridge body 10 into an ink storage chamber 12 for storing the ink 1 and an ink storage chamber 13 for storing the ink holding member 2 such as urethane foam for holding the ink 1. A communication portion 11a that connects the ink storage chamber 12 and the ink holding chamber 13 is provided below the partition 11.

Here, in the ink cartridge according to this embodiment, an elastic deformation portion 16 is provided, which is formed by projecting the upper surface portion of the ink storage chamber 12 upward and curving upward and reducing its thickness to elastically deform. .

On the other hand, in the ink holding chamber 13 in which the ink holding member 2 is housed, the ink for holding the ink 1 held by the ink holding member 2 to the outside is provided at the bottom thereof, as in the first embodiment. A supply port 14 is provided, and a rib 17 is provided at an upper portion of the supply port 14 downward from the cartridge body 10.
Is held in the ink holding chamber 13, and a space 13 a is provided on the ink holding member 2.
An air introduction hole 15 is provided for communicating a with the outside.

When the ink cartridge according to this embodiment is mounted on the mounting portion 20 of the ink jet recording apparatus, as shown in FIG. 6, the cartridge main body 10 is inserted into a housing portion 30 provided with the mounting portion 20. The cartridge main body 10 is held in a state of being urged upward by a spring 31 provided in the accommodating portion 30, and the ink supply port 14 is inserted into a mounting concave portion 21 provided in the mounting portion 20 through a packing material 22. The ink supply port 14 and the ink guide path 23 provided in the mounting portion 20 communicate with each other.

Next, in this state, the accommodating section 30 is closed by the lid member 32 provided in the accommodating section 30, and the lid member 3
The elastic deformation portion 16 which is curved upward and protrudes from the upper surface portion of the ink storage chamber 12 by the pressing member 33 provided in the second member 2 is deformed so as to be pushed into the inside of the cartridge body 10.

When the elastically deforming portion 16 which is curved and protrudes upward is deformed so as to be pushed into the inside of the cartridge body 10, the pressure causes the ink containing chamber 12 to deform.
The ink 1 stored in the ink holding member 2 is supplied to the ink holding member 2 stored in the ink holding chamber 13 through the communication portion 11a, and the ink 1 held in the ink holding member 2 is sent out to the ink supply port 14. Will be able to

Therefore, as in the case of the first embodiment, at the beginning when the ink 1 is supplied from the ink supply port 14 to the recording head through the ink guide path 23, the ink supplied from the ink supply port 14 to the recording head is 1 is suppressed, and air is prevented from clogging the recording head.
Is stably ejected, and the purge time for removing the air guided to the recording head can be shortened.

When removing the ink cartridge attached as described above, when the lid member 32 is opened, the pressing member 3 holding down the elastic deformation portion 16 is pressed.
3 is separated from the elastically deformable portion 16, and the elastically deformable portion 16, which has been pushed into the inner side of the cartridge body 10, returns to the state where the upper surface of the ink storage chamber 12 is bent upward and protrudes, Even if the ink 1 remains in the vicinity of the ink supply port 14 due to an increase in the volume in the storage chamber 12 and a decrease in the pressure in the ink storage chamber 12, the ink 1 is sucked into the cartridge body 10. Then, the ink 1 is held by the ink holding member 2, and the ink 1 is prevented from spilling down.

The method of mounting the ink cartridge in this embodiment to the mounting portion 20 of the ink jet recording apparatus is not particularly limited to the above.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a mounting portion 20 for mounting the ink supply port 14 is provided at the bottom of a housing portion 30 for housing the cartridge body 10.
0 is provided with an ink guide path 23 for guiding the ink 1 supplied from the ink supply port 14 to the recording head, and a packing material 24 which is in close contact with the periphery of the ink supply port 15 to prevent ink leakage is provided with a spring or the like. An air discharge path 26 for discharging the air flowing into the ink guide path 23 is connected to the ink guide path 24, and the air outlet 26 a of the air discharge path 26 is provided.
Is provided around the ink absorber 27 that absorbs the ink 1 when the ink 1 is discharged together with the air through the air discharge passage 26.

On the other hand, a packing material 18 for sealing the outlet 27a around the ink supply port 14 is provided at the bottom of the cartridge body 10 so as to correspond to the outlet 26a of the air discharge path 26. To

When the ink cartridge is mounted on the mounting portion 20, the cartridge body 10 is inserted into the accommodating portion 21 as shown in FIG. 7, and the ink supply projecting from the bottom of the cartridge body 10 is performed. The opening 15 is inserted into the mounting section 20, and the periphery of the ink supply port 15 is brought into close contact with the packing material 25 urged upward by the urging means 26 as described above in the mounting section 23.

Next, in this state, as described above,
When the elastically deforming portion 16 that is curved upward and protrudes from the upper surface portion of the ink storage chamber 12 by the pressing member 33 provided therein is pressed into the inside of the cartridge body 10, the volume of the ink storage chamber 12 is reduced. The pressure decreases and the ink 1 stored in the ink storage chamber 12 by the pressure becomes
1a, the ink 1 supplied to the ink holding member 2 accommodated in the ink holding chamber 13 and held by the ink holding member 2 is supplied through the ink supply port 14 to the ink guide path 2
Sent to 3.

When the ink 1 is guided to the ink guide path 23 in this manner, the air in the ink guide path 23 is discharged by the ink 1 through the air discharge path 26 connected to the ink guide path 24. It is discharged from the outlet 26a. When the air in the ink guide path 23 is discharged in this way, the ink 1 guided to the ink guide path 23 as described above is discharged from the discharge port 26a together with the air through the air discharge path 26. As
The ink 1 is absorbed by the ink absorber 27 provided around the outlet 26a.

Further, while the elastic deformation portion 16 is deformed by the pressing member 33 provided on the lid member 32 as described above,
When the accommodating portion 30 is closed by the lid member 32, the cartridge body 10 is pushed down, and the discharge port 27 a of the air discharge passage 27 is closed by the packing material 18 provided around the ink supply port 14, and the ink guide is formed. Road 23
The ink 1 led to the discharge port 2 through the air discharge path 26
6a is prevented from being discharged.

Then, the ink cartridge is mounted on the mounting portion 20 as described above, and the ink 1 stored in the cartridge body 10 is supplied from the ink supply port 14 to the ink guide path 2.
3, the ink 1 is supplied to the recording head because the air in the ink guiding path 23 is discharged through the air discharging path 26 by the ink 1 guided to the ink guiding path 23 as described above. At first, the flow of air into the ink 1 supplied to the recording head from the ink supply port 14 is further suppressed.

(Embodiment 3) In the ink cartridge according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, a partition wall 11 is provided in the cartridge main body 10 in a horizontal direction, and the inside of the cartridge main body 10 is vertically separated.
The ink storage chamber 12 storing the ink holding member 2 is provided below the ink storage chamber 12 while the ink storage chamber 12 storing the ink 1 is provided on the upper side of the partition wall 1.
A communication portion 11a that connects the ink storage chamber 12 and the ink holding chamber 13 is provided at one end of the first storage section 1.

Here, in the ink cartridge according to this embodiment, a bellows-like elastically deformable portion 16 is provided in the above-described ink holding chamber 13, and the ink 1 is externally provided at the bottom of the ink holding chamber 13. An ink supply port 14 for supplying ink is provided, and an air introduction hole 15 for communicating with the outside is provided on the upper surface of the ink storage chamber 12.

Then, the ink cartridge according to this embodiment is attached to the mounting portion 20 of the ink jet recording apparatus.
When mounting the cartridge body 10, the cartridge body 10 is housed in the housing section 30 provided with the mounting section 20, and the bellows-like elastically deforming section 16 provided in the ink holding chamber 13 is provided in the housing section 30. And presses the ink supply port 14 to the mounting section 20.
The ink supply port 14 and the ink guide path 23 provided in the mounting portion 20 are communicated with each other via a packing material 22 in a mounting recess 21 provided in the mounting portion 20.

Next, in this state, the accommodating section 30 is closed by the lid member 32 provided in the accommodating section 30, and the lid member 3 is closed.
The cartridge body 1 is pressed by the pressing member 33 provided on the cartridge body 1.
0 is pressed downward, whereby the bellows-like elastically deformable portion 16 is pressed against the pressing portion 34 so that the bellows-like elastically deformable portion 16 is contracted.

When the elastically deforming portion 16 thus formed into a bellows shape is pressed against the pressing portion 34 and contracts, the volume in the ink holding chamber 13 is reduced and the ink holding member 13 is held by the ink holding member 2. The supplied ink 1 is sent to the ink supply port 14.

Therefore, as in the case of the first embodiment, at the beginning when the ink 1 is supplied from the ink supply port 14 to the recording head through the ink guide path 23, the ink supplied from the ink supply port 14 to the recording head is 1 is suppressed, and air is prevented from clogging the recording head.
Is stably ejected, and the purge time for removing the air guided to the recording head can be shortened.

When the ink cartridge attached as described above is removed, when the lid member 32 is opened, the pressing member 33 that has pressed the cartridge body 10 downward is separated, and the pressing member 33 is pressed as described above. The bellows-like elastically deformable portion 16 that has been pressed and contracted and elastically returns to increase the volume in the ink holding chamber 13, thereby decreasing the pressure in the ink holding chamber 13 and reducing the pressure in the ink supply port 14. Even if the ink 1 remains in the vicinity, the ink 1 is sucked into the cartridge body 10 and held by the ink holding member 2, so that the ink 1 is prevented from spilling down.

[0045]

As described above in detail, in the ink cartridge according to the present invention, at least a part of the cartridge body is provided with an elastically deformable portion which is elastically deformed. In the case of attachment, by deforming this elastically deforming portion to reduce the volume in the cartridge main body, the ink stored in the cartridge main body can be sent to the ink supply port, and the ink is supplied from the ink supply port to the recording head. At the beginning of the supply, it is possible to suppress air from flowing into the ink supplied from the ink supply port to the recording head.

As a result, when the ink cartridge of the present invention is mounted on the mounting portion of the ink jet recording apparatus and ink is supplied from the ink supply port to the recording head, the clogging of the recording head with air is suppressed, and the recording is prevented. The ink can be stably ejected from the head, and the purge time for removing the air guided to the recording head can be reduced.

Further, when the ink cartridge of the present invention is removed from the mounting portion of the ink jet recording apparatus, if the deformed elastically deformed portion returns to its original state and the volume inside the cartridge body becomes large, the ink in the vicinity of the ink supply port becomes empty. The ink is sucked into the cartridge body, and the ink is prevented from spilling out from the ink supply port.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory sectional view of a conventional ink cartridge.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory sectional view of the ink cartridge according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory sectional view showing a state in which the ink cartridge according to the first embodiment is attached to an attaching portion.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory sectional view showing a modified example of the ink cartridge according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory sectional view of an ink cartridge according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory sectional view showing a state in which the ink cartridge according to the second embodiment is mounted on a mounting portion.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing a modified example in the case where the ink cartridge according to the second embodiment is attached to an attachment portion.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory sectional view showing a state in which an ink cartridge according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention is mounted on a mounting portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink 10 Cartridge main body 14 Ink supply port 16 Elastic deformation part

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Ryutaro Iwase 2-3-113 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi Inside the Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hitoshi Kato 2-3-13-Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka Osaka Kokusai Building Minolta Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an ink cartridge provided with an ink supply port for supplying ink to the outside of a cartridge body containing ink, at least a part of the cartridge body is provided with an elastically deformable portion which is elastically deformed. Characteristic ink cartridge.