JPH10296989A - Ink storing container and recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manufacture an ink storing container for which a manufacturing process has been simplified by providing a packing that fits into an ink receiving and supplying section and retains its sealing properties, and providing a sealing member wherein a cap to be connected with the packing coaxially at a thin film portion are molded integrally in the ink receiving and supplying section. SOLUTION: The ink container 1 is made by compressing and storing a porous body 2 impregnated with ink in an ink tank 3, sealing tightly the upper portion of the ink tank 3, and providing a vent 4a that ventilates the interior and exterior of the tank 3. And an ink supplying section 6 having an ink supply hole 5 is provided integrally in the lower portion of the ink tank 3, a filter 7 that contacts the porous body 2 is provided in one side of the ink supply hole 5 and a sealing member 9 fixed by a fixing member 8 is provided in the other side. The sealing member 9 is made of an elastic body such as rubber, and a ring packing 10 and the cap 12 that is connected coaxially with the think film portion 10a are molded integrally.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a replaceable ink storage container and a recording head having such an ink storage container and used for an ink jet printer or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a recording head used in an ink jet printer or the like is provided with a replaceable ink storage container, and supplies ink to the recording head. The ink storage container has an ink supply unit fitted to the ink reception unit on the recording head side, and supplies ink through an ink flow path provided in the ink reception unit. At the time of fitting, a packing made of an elastic member such as rubber is provided in the ink receiving portion or the ink supplying portion in order to maintain the sealing property.

In addition, as a cap for preventing ink leakage during storage and transportation, a seal member is attached or fused so as to close an ink supply portion of an ink storage container.

[0004]

In the conventional ink storage container, the seal member for closing the ink supply section is manufactured in a process different from the packing, and the manufacturing process of the ink storage container increases. There was a point.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink storage container whose manufacturing process is simplified, and a recording head on which such an ink storage container is mounted.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an ink storage container according to the present invention comprises a packing which is fitted to an ink receiving portion to maintain a sealing property, and which is coaxially connected to the packing by a thin film portion. A sealing member integrally formed with a cap is provided in the ink supply section.

Further, the recording head includes an ink receiving portion having an engaging portion conforming to the shape of the cap of the ink storage container described above, and an ink introducing opening communicating with the ink flow passage in the engaging portion.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Elements common to the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals. First Embodiment FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a first embodiment, and FIG.
And FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection state according to the first embodiment.

In an ink storage container 1, a porous body 2 impregnated with ink is compressed and stored in an ink tank 3, and an upper portion of the ink tank 3 is sealed with a cover-4. The cover 4 has a ventilation hole 4a for ventilating the inside and outside of the ink tank 3.
Is provided. When storing and transporting the ink storage container 1, the ventilation hole 4a is sealed by a sealing member (not shown) such as a film.

Ink supply section 6 having ink supply hole 5
Are provided integrally below the ink tank 3. One of the ink supply holes 5 is provided with a filter 7 in contact with the porous body 2, and the other is provided with a sealing member 9 fixed by a fixing member 8.

The sealing member 9 is made of an elastic material such as rubber. As shown in FIG. 2, an annular packing 10 and a thin film portion 10a are provided.
In this case, the packing 10 and the cap 12 connected coaxially are integrally formed. The cap 12 has a thin film portion 10a
A tab 11 for separating the cap 12 from the cap is integrally provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, an ink receiving section 15 having an ink flow path 14 is provided on a recording head 13 side of an ink jet printer or the like. Ink receiving unit 15
As shown in FIG. 3, a cylindrical portion 16 as a fitting portion that is loosely fitted in the ink supply hole 5 to maintain sealing with the packing 10 and an outer wall portion 17 for guiding the ink supply portion 6 are integrally formed. The ink flow path 14 is provided at the center of the cylindrical portion 16.

The recording head 13 and the ink receiving unit 1
At the connection portion with the ink cartridge 5, a packing member 18 for preventing ink leakage is provided in contact with the lower surface of the ink receiving portion 15.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIG. When mounting the ink storage container 1 on the recording head 13 used for an ink jet printer or the like, first,
The seal member sealing the ventilation hole 4a of the ink storage container 1 is peeled off, and the inside and the outside of the ink tank 3 are ventilated. Next, the cap 12 is removed from the thin film portion 10a by pulling or twisting the tab 11 of the sealing member 9. After the cap 12 is removed, the ink supply unit 6 is connected to the recording head 1.
The ink receiving portion 15 on the third side is fitted.

The packing 10 is fitted on the outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical portion 16 of the ink receiving section 15 to keep the ink supply section 6 and the ink receiving section 15 sealed. At the time of insertion, even if the ink storage container 1 is turned upside down, the filter 7 having a fine mesh prevents sudden leakage of ink.

According to the first embodiment, the sealing member also has a sealing function during storage and transportation, so that no sealing member is required and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

Second Embodiment FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a second embodiment, and FIG.
And FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a connection state according to the second embodiment.

The difference between the ink storage container according to the second embodiment and the ink storage container according to the first embodiment is that, as shown in FIG.
And a columnar portion 22 of the ink receiving portion 21.

That is, the sealing member 20 of the ink supply unit 6 does not have a tab provided on the sealing member according to the first embodiment. Instead, a cap 23 having a truncated cone shape is integrally formed coaxially with the packing 10 via the thin film portion 10a.

As shown in FIG. 5, a concave portion 22a is formed in the head of the cylindrical portion of the ink receiving portion 21 as an engaging portion corresponding to the frustum-shaped cap 23. An ink introduction groove 22b as an ink introduction opening communicating with the ink flow path 14 is provided in a cross shape.

Next, the operation will be described. When the ink storage container 1 is mounted on the recording head 13 used in an ink jet printer or the like, first, the seal member sealing the ventilation hole 4a is peeled off, and the inside and the outside of the ink tank 3 are ventilated. . Next, the ink supply unit 6 of the ink storage container is connected to the ink receiving unit 21 on the recording head 13 side.

At the time of connection, the cap 23 is
Is depressed in accordance with the depression 22a of the head. Cap 2
3 is cut from the thin film portion 10a, and as shown in FIG.
It is pushed in until it abuts on the filter 7 while matching the depression 22a. After cutting the cap 23, the packing 1
0 is fitted to the outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical portion 22 of the ink receiving portion 15,
The sealing between the ink supply unit 6 and the ink receiving unit 21 is maintained.

The ink flows into the ink flow path 14 through the ink introduction groove 22b, and is supplied to the recording head 13.

In the present embodiment, a recess 22a corresponding to the frustum-shaped cap 23 is provided as an engaging portion at the cylindrical portion head of the ink receiving portion 21, but a recess is provided in the cap 23, and the recess is provided in the recess. A matching projection may be provided on the column head. Further, the ink introduction groove 22b is provided as an ink introduction opening communicating with the ink flow path 14, but may be an ink introduction opening.

According to the second embodiment, since there is no tab on the sealing member and the shape of the cap is a truncated cone, design and manufacture are easy when integrally molded. Also, when the ink storage containers are stored, they are easily stacked.

Further, the sealing member is pushed into the cylindrical portion of the ink receiving portion to separate the cap and acts as a packing at the same time as the cap is separated, so that no ink leakage occurs at the time of connection with the recording head.

In the first and second embodiments, the packing is formed in a ring shape and the corresponding ink receiving portion is provided with a cylindrical portion. However, the packing is not limited to a circle but may be an ellipse.

[0028]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. The ink supply unit is provided with a sealing member in which a packing that fits into the ink receiving unit to maintain the sealing performance and a cap that is coaxially connected to the packing with a thin film unit are provided in the ink supply unit. Can be simplified.

Further, the recording head is provided with an ink receiving portion having an engagement portion conforming to the shape of the cap of the ink storage container and an ink introduction opening communicating with the ink flow passage in the engagement portion. Since the container is pushed into the cylindrical portion of the ink receiving unit to separate the cap and acts as a packing at the same time as the cap is separated, the operability when mounting the ink storage container is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the ink supply unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a connection state according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a second embodiment.

5 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a connection state according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink storage container 6 Ink supply part 9 Sealing member 10 Packing 11 Tab 12 Cap 15 Ink receiving part 22a Depression 22b Ink introduction groove

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An exchangeable ink storage container having an ink supply unit fitted to an ink receiving unit and supplying ink through an ink flow path provided in the ink receiving unit. Packing to maintain sealing
An ink storage container, wherein a sealing member integrally formed with a thin film portion and a cap coaxially connected to the packing is provided in the ink supply portion. 2. The ink storage container according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member is formed integrally with the cap by a tab for separating the cap from the thin film portion. 3. A recording head comprising an ink receiving portion having an engaging portion conforming to the shape of the cap of the ink storage container according to claim 1, and an ink introducing opening communicating with the ink flow passage in the engaging portion. .