JPH1034952A - Ink cartridge for ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink cartridge for ink jet printer in which ink can be dispensed well and consumed smoothly. SOLUTION: This ink cartridge 1 comprises a box type cartridge body 3 filled with an ink occlusion member 2 through an opening 3a made in one surface (upper surface), and a cover body 4 for closing the opening 3a of the cartridge body 3. An ink supply hole 3b is made on one side of the cartridge body 3 and an atmosphere communication hole 3c is made on the other side thereof. The cover body 4 has an entirely curved surface 4a (lower surface) touching the ink occlusion member 2 and when the cartridge body 3 is closed by the cover body 4, a smooth joint is formed between the cover body 4 and the cartridge body 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink cartridge for an ink jet printer, which records ink by flying ink droplets on a recording medium such as recording paper, and more particularly to an ink filled with an ink storage member (for example, a porous material). The present invention relates to an ink cartridge having a housing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an ink jet printer that prints ink droplets on recording paper by flying ink droplets exchanges an ink jet recording head and an ink cartridge containing ink to be supplied to the recording head inside a main body case. The recording apparatus includes a recording device that can be mounted, a conveyance device that conveys recording paper, and a carriage device that reciprocates the recording device according to the size of a recording medium conveyed by the conveyance device. The transport device is configured to rotate a platen roller whose axis extends in parallel with the reciprocating direction of the recording device, and to transport the recording medium in a direction orthogonal to the reciprocating direction of the recording device. Further, the carriage device slidably supports the carriage on which the recording device is mounted on a guide rod extending parallel to the axis of the platen roller, and a belt wound between a driving pulley driven by a motor and a driven pulley. , And reciprocate in the axial direction of the platen roller.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 7 and 8, the ink cartridge of the above-described ink jet printer has a cartridge body c filled with an ink occluding member b through an opening a provided on one surface thereof, A lid d for closing the opening a of the cartridge body c. The cartridge body c has an ink supply hole e for supplying ink to the recording head, and an ink supply hole e for maintaining the internal space at atmospheric pressure and smoothly supplying ink to the recording head through the ink supply hole e. Air communication hole f is formed.

In the case of such a structure, generally, the cartridge body c is filled with the ink occluding member b in a compressed state through the opening a, and then the opening a is closed with the lid d for welding. After the welding of the lid d is completed, the compressive force acting on the ink storage member b is released, and the ink storage member b expands and returns to fill the entire interior of the ink cartridge. Since the surface of the lid d that comes into contact with the member b is a flat surface, and the connection portion between the lid d and the cartridge body c is angular, the expanded ink storage member b follows the shape of the connection portion. Instead, a gap g (a portion having a smaller density than other portions) is formed between the ink storage member b and the lid d. Further, since the peripheral portion of the ink occluding member b which is in contact with the cartridge main body c is harder to return than the central portion due to friction with the wall surface, the clearance tends to be formed.

[0005]

However, if a gap g is formed between the ink occluding member b and the lid d, when the ink is dispensed to occlude the ink into the ink occluding member b, the gap g may be formed. The ink flows first along g, and the ink does not uniformly reach the entire ink occluding member b. Further, when ink was used for printing, air flowed through the gap g, and the ink was not used up well.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an ink cartridge for an ink jet printer which can satisfactorily dispense ink and can smoothly consume ink.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink supply member for supplying ink to a recording head and an air communication hole, and an ink storage member is filled inside through an opening provided on one surface. In an ink cartridge for an ink jet printer having a cartridge body to be closed and a lid closing the opening of the cartridge body, when the lid closes the cartridge body, a connection portion between the lid and the cartridge body is smooth. It is configured to have a shape.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the lid closes the cartridge main body, the connection portion between the lid and the cartridge main body has a smooth shape. It will not be too difficult at the connection part.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge of the first aspect, the entire surface of the lid that contacts the ink occluding member is a curved surface.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the entire surface of the lid that comes into contact with the ink storing member is a curved surface, the shape of the ink storing member after the lid closes the cartridge body is formed. Therefore, the ink occluding member can be easily attached to the lid.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge of the first or second aspect, the inside of the cartridge body is filled with an ink storage member in a compressed state.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the inside of the cartridge main body is filled with the ink storing portion in a compressed state, and the ink storing member is expanded and returned after the lid closes the cartridge main body, so that the ink storing portion is restored. The shape of the storage member becomes reasonable at the connection between the cartridge body and the lid.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ink cartridge according to any one of the first to third aspects, the ink cartridge is divided into a storage chamber for storing the ink occluding member and an ink chamber for storing the ink liquid. I have.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the shape of the ink occluding member accommodated in the accommodating chamber at the connecting portion between the cartridge main body and the lid becomes reasonable.

[0015]

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

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an ink cartridge of an ink jet printer. 1 and 2, an ink cartridge 1 has a box-shaped cartridge body 3 in which an ink occluding member 2 is filled in a compressed state through an opening 3 a provided on one surface (upper surface); And a cover 4 for closing the opening 3a. The ink absorbing member 2 is impregnated with degassed ink.

An ink supply hole 3b for supplying ink to a recording head (not shown) is provided on one side of the cartridge body 3, and an atmosphere communication hole 3b is provided on the other side of the cartridge body 3.
c are respectively formed. And the atmosphere communication hole 3c
An air buffer 3d for preventing evaporation of the ink through the outside air communication hole 3c is formed on the side where is formed.

The entire surface 4a (lower surface) of the lid 4 that contacts the ink occluding member 2 is a curved surface. Therefore,
When the lid 4 closes the cartridge body 3, the connecting portion between the lid 4 and the cartridge body 3 has a smooth shape.

Therefore, according to the above configuration, the lid 4
When the cartridge body 3 is closed, the connecting portion between the lid 4 and the cartridge body 3 has a smooth shape, so that the ink occluding member 2 does not become difficult at the connecting portion.

In particular, the surface 4a (curved surface) of the lid 4 is
After the ink occluding member 2 is filled in a compressed state and the cartridge body 3 is closed by the lid 4, it corresponds to the shape of the ink occluding member 2 which is expected to be finally formed by the return of expansion. The ink occluding member 2 is connected to the connection portion between the cartridge body 3 and the lid 4 and the lid 4 (surface 4).
a). Therefore, there is no gap formed between the ink storage member 2 and the lid 4, which may cause poor dispensing or insufficient use of ink. Therefore, it is possible to satisfactorily dispense the ink, and it is possible to smoothly consume and use up the ink.

In the above-described embodiment, the ink cartridge is configured so that the entire ink cartridge is filled with the ink occluding member and the ink is stored therein. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The invention can also be applied to an ink cartridge partitioned into a storage chamber for storing the storage member and an ink chamber for storing the ink liquid. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inside of the ink cartridge 1 may be divided into two chambers, the storage chamber and the ink chamber, by a partition wall 7. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the arrangement of the ink chamber and the storage chamber may be reversed. These cartridges
As much ink can be included as there is an area where the foam is not stored, the capacity of the ink tank can be effectively utilized. The technique of the present invention is similarly applied to such a cartridge. That is, when the lid closes the cartridge main body, if the connecting portion between the storage chamber in which the ink storing member is stored and the lid has a smooth shape, the ink storing member can be easily connected to the connecting portion. The gap can be eliminated, and the gap as described above can be eliminated between the lid and the cartridge body. Therefore, good dispensing becomes possible as in the above-described embodiment. In addition, since the flow of ink between the ink chamber and the storage chamber is also optimized, there is no possibility that unusable ink remains in one of the chambers, and the ink flow in both the storage chamber and the ink chamber is reduced. Use-up is improved.

In the present invention, the shape of the ink cartridge does not matter in particular, and the present invention is applicable as long as the lid does not have the above-described air communication hole or air buffer.

[0023]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, as described above, when the lid closes the cartridge main body, the connecting portion between the lid and the cartridge main body has a smooth shape. The ink occluding member can be easily made even at the connection portion thereof, and a gap between the lid body and the cartridge body, which causes poor dispensing and insufficient ink consumption, can be eliminated.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, since the entire surface of the lid that comes into contact with the ink occluding member is a curved surface, the connecting portion between the lid and the cartridge body has a smooth shape with a simple structure. Can be made.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the inside of the cartridge body is filled with the ink occluding member in a compressed state, the ink occluding member is connected to the lid by the expansion return operation after the ink occluding member is filled. At the connection portion of the cartridge body, the shape becomes unreasonable.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the storage space for accommodating the ink storage member and the ink chamber for storing the ink liquid are divided and arranged, so that the volume in the ink tank can be effectively utilized. In addition, not only the ink of the ink storage member but also the ink liquid in the ink chamber can be smoothly consumed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ink cartridge of an ink jet printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a diagram similar to FIG. 1 for another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 for another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 for yet another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 for yet another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of an ink cartridge according to a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink cartridge 2 Ink occlusion member 3 Cartridge main body 3a Opening 3b Ink supply hole 3c Atmospheric communication hole 4 Lid 4a surface 7 Partition wall

Claims (4)

[Claims] A cartridge body having an ink supply hole for supplying ink to a recording head and an air communication hole, and an ink occluding member being filled therein through an opening provided on one surface; An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer having a lid closing an opening, wherein when the lid closes the cartridge body, a connection portion between the lid and the cartridge body has a smooth shape. Printer ink cartridge. 2. The ink cartridge for an ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the entire surface of the lid that contacts the ink occluding member is a curved surface. 3. The ink cartridge for an ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the cartridge body is filled with an ink storage member in a compressed state. 4. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the ink storage member is divided into a storage chamber for storing the ink storage member and an ink chamber for storing the ink liquid. Ink cartridge.