JPH11342626A - Ink tank and ink jet recorder with ink tank - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate visual confirmation of the roughness distribution of contained fibrous body of the same material having substantially identical dimensions by forming a part of a container for storing the fibers while absorbing ink of a transparent material and composing the fibrous body by mixing a plurality of fibers of different color. SOLUTION: In an ink jet recorder comprising an ink tank 20 for storing a fibrous body 24 contained in a container 21 while absorbing ink, at least a part of the container 21 is formed of a transparent material and the fibrous body 24 is composed by mixing a plurality of fibers 24A, 24B of different color. When the fibrous body 24 is composed of a same material having substantially identical dimensions, roughness distribution of the contained fibrous body 24 can be confirmed visually. When the fibrous body 24 is composed of fibers having different characteristics, mixed state distribution of the fibrous body 24 can be confirmed visually and the state of the fibrous body 24 can be managed easily after assembling an ink tank using an image recognizer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink tank and an ink jet recording apparatus provided with the ink tank.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recording device having a function such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile or the like, or a recording device used as an output device such as a composite electronic device including a computer or a word processor or a workstation, is based on paper based on the recording information. It is configured to record an image (including characters, symbols, and the like) on a recording material such as a thin film or a plastic thin plate. The recording apparatus can be classified into an ink jet type, a wire dot type, a thermal type, a laser beam type and the like according to a recording method.

In a serial type recording apparatus that performs recording while performing main scanning in a direction intersecting with a recording material conveying direction (sub-scanning direction), an image is recorded by a recording unit (recording head) that moves along the recording material. After printing (main scanning), printing of one line is completed, a predetermined amount of paper feed (pitch conveyance as sub-scanning) is performed, and then an image of the next line is printed on the stopped recording material again. By repeating the operation of (main scanning), recording is performed on the entire recording material. On the other hand, in a line type recording apparatus that performs recording only in the sub-scanning direction of the recording material in the transport direction, the recording material is set at a predetermined recording position, and recording is continuously performed for one line at a time. Perform a fixed amount of paper feed (pitch feed)
An image is recorded on the entire recording material.

Among them, an ink jet type recording apparatus (ink jet recording apparatus) performs recording by discharging ink from a recording means (recording head) onto a recording material, and it is easy to make the recording means compact. High-definition images can be recorded at high speed, and can be recorded on plain paper without requiring special processing, running costs are low, and the non-impact method reduces noise,
In addition, there is an advantage that it is easy to record a color image using various types of inks (for example, color inks).

[0005] In particular, an ink jet type recording means (recording head) for discharging ink by using thermal energy,
Through a semiconductor manufacturing process such as etching, vapor deposition, sputtering, etc., an electrothermal converter, an electrode,
By forming the liquid path wall, the top plate, and the like, it is possible to easily manufacture a device having a high-density liquid path arrangement (discharge port arrangement), and to further reduce the size. Further, by utilizing the advantages of the IC technology and the micromachining technology, it is easy to make the recording means longer and more planar (two-dimensional), and it is also easier to make the recording means full-multi and high-density mounting. .

There are various requirements for the material of the recording material. In recent years, developments have been made to meet these requirements, and paper (including thin paper and processed paper) which is a general recording material has been developed.
In addition to paper and resin thin plates (OHP, etc.), recording devices using cloth, leather, nonwoven fabric, metal, or the like as a recording material have come to be used.

The ink tanks used in the above-mentioned ink-jet recording apparatus and the like (including ink cartridges integrated with a recording head and single ink cartridges, etc., which are replaceable) are known as ink tanks. A member having a structure in which a member (ink absorber) that is impregnated with and held by capillary force (ink absorber) is housed in an ink tank container is used. As the ink absorber, a sponge or a fiber aggregate (a fibrous body or a fiber lump) is known. Documents that disclose an ink tank having such a structure include, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-255121. An ink tank in which the ink supply capacity can be easily adjusted is disclosed.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 2-039213 discloses that a cotton-like fiber is used as an ink absorber in a pen for a recording instrument. Also, JP-A-63
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. -011152 discloses an ink tank having a structure in which fibers are used as an ink absorber in order to collect ink in the ink tank to the ink supply port side without waste. JP-A-6-015839 discloses that an ink absorber made of a high-density felt fiber material is stored in the vicinity of an ink supply port in an ink tank, and a low-density felt fiber material is stored in a space around the ink absorber. Accordingly, there is disclosed an ink supply unit configured to supply ink to a recording head in a continuous and stable state. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-079882 discloses that the amount of ink in the ink tank is reduced by allowing fibers extending downward from the top (in the direction of gravity) to be present in the ink tank at a rate of at most 20% or less. There is disclosed an ink supply means which is greatly increased to improve the ink supply amount.

[0009]

However, as a result of a search by the present inventors, it has been found that an ink tank using a fibrous body as an ink absorber has the following disadvantages. That is, in the ink tank using the fibrous body, when there is a remarkable difference in the density distribution in the storage state of the fibrous body in the ink tank, an appropriate negative pressure characteristic cannot be obtained. There are inconveniences such that the supply is not smooth and the ink tends to remain in the high-density portion and the final amount of ink used is reduced. After storing the fibrous body in the ink tank,
There is also a problem that it is difficult to confirm or manage whether the absorber is inserted in an appropriate state (density distribution) where the above problem does not occur.

Furthermore, when a plurality of types of fibers having different characteristics are mixed to form a fiber body satisfying desired characteristics and used, it is important to uniformly mix the plurality of types of fibers having different characteristics without bias. If the fibers having different characteristics are unevenly distributed as small aggregates in the fiber, desired characteristics cannot be obtained in terms of the ink holding function and the supply function. Further, it is not easy to confirm whether or not the ink holding function and the supply function have desired characteristics before and after inserting the mixed fibrous body into the ink tank.

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional technical problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink tank for absorbing and storing ink in a fibrous body stored in a container. An ink tank capable of easily confirming the state of the density distribution of the fibrous body or the mixed state of each fiber of the fibrous body composed of a plurality of types of fibers after inserting the fibrous body into the container; An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus having a tank.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink tank for absorbing and storing ink in a fibrous body stored in a container, wherein at least a part of the container is provided. It is formed of a transparent material, and the fibrous body is a mixture of a plurality of fibers of different colors. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by discharging ink from a recording unit to a recording material, wherein an ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to the recording unit is provided in a container. An ink tank that absorbs and stores ink in a fibrous body stored in a container, wherein at least a part of the container is formed of a transparent material, and the fibrous body is a mixture of fibers of a plurality of different colors. It is characterized by the following.

With the above arrangement, in the case of an ink tank containing a fibrous body composed of fibers of the same material and of substantially the same dimensions, at least two types of fibers of the same material / substantially the same dimensions and different colors are mixed. By doing so, the insertion state (density distribution) of the fibrous body in the stored state can be easily confirmed visually. Also, in the case of an ink tank that stores a fibrous body composed of a mixture of a plurality of types of fibers having different characteristics, the mixed state of the fibrous body in the stored state can be visually recognized by coloring each fiber with a different color. Can be easily confirmed. Further, by using the image recognition device, it is possible to easily realize online / quantification of the state management of the fibrous body after assembling the ink tank.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, an ink tank (ink cartridge having a recording head) in an ink jet recording apparatus will be described as an example.
The present invention is not limited to these examples. That is, the present invention can be widely applied to any apparatus having an ink storage section (ink tank) regardless of whether or not it also has another function such as a recording head and whether or not it can be replaced. . FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink tank to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, in front of a platen 2 for guiding a recording material 1 such as a recording sheet or a plastic thin plate, a guide support is provided so as to be able to reciprocate right and left along guide rails 3 and 4 installed in parallel with the platen. Carriage 5
Is provided.

The carriage 5 has a head cartridge (ink) having recording means (recording head) 6a for recording an image on the sheet-like recording material 1 in accordance with recording data transferred from a host device such as a host computer. 6 which is also a cartridge or an ink tank). On the front surface of the recording head 6a (discharge port surface facing the recording material 1), a plurality of (for example, 64) nozzles are arranged in the vertical direction.
Discharge ports are arranged. The carriage 5 is connected to a timing belt 10 wound around a motor pulley 8 that is rotated by a carriage motor 7 and a driven pulley 9 that is supported on the opposite side. It reciprocates in the direction of arrow F). Then, by driving the recording head 6 based on the recording data during the main scanning movement, an image for one line is recorded on the recording material 1.

The recording material 1 inserted along the paper pan 11 is transported by a transport roller (paper feed roller) (not shown) rotated by a transport motor (paper feed motor) 12 to form an ink cartridge 6 (recording head 6a). Is sent to the recording section between the platen 2 and. The recording material 1 sent to the recording section is in close contact with a platen (fixed flat platen) 2 by a paper pressing plate 13. The recording material 1 that has passed through the recording unit is conveyed and discharged by a discharge roller 14 and a pressure roller 15 that are driven in synchronization with a conveyance roller (not shown).

The recording head (recording means) 6a is an ink jet recording means for discharging ink using thermal energy, and is provided with an electrothermal converter for generating thermal energy. Further, the recording head 6a
According to the method, recording is performed by ejecting ink from an ejection port using a pressure change caused by growth and shrinkage of bubbles caused by film boiling caused by heat energy applied by the electrothermal transducer.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view schematically showing the structure of the ink ejection section of the recording head 6a. In FIG. 2, a predetermined gap (for example, about 0.
Ejection port forming surface 8 facing at a distance of about 5 to 2.0 mm)
1, a plurality of discharge ports 82 are formed at a predetermined pitch,
An electrothermal converter (heating resistor, etc.) 85 for generating energy for ink discharge is provided along the wall surface of each liquid path 84 that communicates the common liquid chamber 83 and each discharge port 82. In the present embodiment, the recording head 6a is
2 are mounted on the carriage 5 in a positional relationship such that they are arranged in a direction crossing the scanning direction of the carriage 5. In this manner, the corresponding electrothermal transducer 85 is driven (energized) based on the image signal or the ejection signal to cause the ink in the liquid passage 84 to boil, and the pressure generated at that time causes the ejection port 8 to be discharged.
A recording head 6a that ejects ink from the recording head 6 is configured.

In FIG. 1, the home position set at a predetermined position outside the recording range of the recording head 6a includes:
A recovery device 16 including a cap 17 movable to be in close contact with and separated from the ejection port surface 81 of the recording head 6a and an ink suction means (a negative pressure suction pump or the like) connected to the cap is provided. I have. At the time of recording, the ink ejection means of the recording head 6a sets the recording data in synchronization with a signal output from a linear encoder (not shown) installed in parallel with the guide rail 4 as the carriage 5 moves (main scanning). , And ink droplets ejected from the corresponding ejection ports 82 and flying are landed on the recording material 1, thereby recording an image composed of a dot pattern.

When printing of one line is completed by the main scanning of the carriage 5, the conveying roller 12 (not shown) is rotated by a predetermined amount by the conveying motor 12 to feed the recording medium 1 by one line (sub-scanning). Scan), and the recording head 6 is synchronized with the movement of the carriage 5 as described above.
By driving a based on the print data, the next line is printed. Hereinafter, the recording of the entire recording material 1 is performed by repeatedly executing the above-described sub-scanning (paper feeding) and main scanning (recording). After the printing is completed, the carriage 5 (print head 6a) is stopped at the home position, and the cap 17 of the recovery device 16 is brought into close contact with the discharge port surface 81 of the print head 6a to seal (capping) the discharge port 82.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of an ink tank (including the ink cartridge 6 and the like) to which the present invention is applied. The ink tank 20 shown in FIG. 3 is in the form of a cartridge, that is, similar to a replaceable ink cartridge which is attached to and detached from the ink jet recording apparatus. In FIG. 3, the whole or a part of the container 21 is transparent, and inside the container 21 is a fibrous body 24 as an ink holding member, that is, an aggregate of fibers (or a fiber mass) in which a plurality of fibers are mixed. Is stored. An ink supply port 23 for supplying ink to a recording head unit (the recording head 6a in FIG. 1) is formed on a bottom surface of the container 21, and an air communication port 25 is formed on an upper surface of the container 21. I have.

The fibrous body 24 is formed by mixing two kinds of fibers, a fiber 24A colored in a certain color and a fiber 24B colored in a different color from the fiber 24A.
Here, the fibers 24A and 24B constituting the fibrous body 24 are made of a synthetic resin or a natural material, and have a wire diameter of about tens of μm to about 100 μm, and a fiber length of several centimeters. It can span thousands of meters. In this embodiment, the fibrous body 24 is a container 2 in a state where a plurality of fibers 24A and 24B having different colors are drawn in a random curve in a three-dimensional space and have a plurality of intersections.
1 is housed.

The material (fiber) constituting the fibrous body used in the ink tank according to the present invention is preferably a thermoplastic resin in consideration of the storage stability with respect to the ink for ink jetting, or the ease of initial molding and handling. For example, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, acrylonitonyl, polypropylene, polyamide,
Polyacetal, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethersulfone, polyetherketone, polyethermid, polyamideimide, polysulfone, nylon, etc., and composites and modified products thereof Can be used,
In particular, when emphasis is placed on the storage stability of the ink, it is preferable to use an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a process for manufacturing an ink tank to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 4 (a)
Is obtained by winding two types of fibers having different colors in the form of long fibers having a length of more than tens of meters on a winding shaft 31 rotating at a constant speed in a certain direction, so that a fibrous body 24 obtained by mixing these fibers is obtained. FIG. 4 is a view showing a step of forming a slab. FIG. 4 (a)
In the step (3), the fibers 24A and 24B having different colors are wound and held on bobbins 32A and 32B, respectively, and are mixed by being wound on the winding shaft 31 via an intermediate roller 33.

By the process shown in FIG. 4A, the fibrous body 24 composed of long fibers of a plurality of colors is in a state where the directions of the fibers are substantially aligned. By making such a substantially uniform state, the state (number, entanglement state, direction) of the fibers 24A and 24B in a unit volume at an arbitrary portion in the fibrous body 24 can be made substantially equal. Accordingly, the fibrous body 24 having uniformity (uniformity such as fiber density, variation in fiber direction, and entangled state between fibers) that can obtain characteristics required for the ink absorber can be configured.

In FIG. 4A, two types of fibers 24A, 2A, 2A, 2C, which are made of the same material and have the same cross-sectional shape and are colored in different colors, respectively.
By mixing and winding 4B, a fibrous body 24 that is a fiber mixture (aggregate) is manufactured. However, in some cases, fibers of different materials or cross-sectional shapes or lengths may be mixed and wound in a different color. FIG. 4 (b) shows a process of inserting the fibrous body 24 mixed in FIG. 4 (a) into the tank container 21, welding the lid 22, and assembling. The whole or a part (predetermined part) of the container 21 is formed of a transparent material so that the inside can be seen through. FIG. 4C shows FIG.
(B), the ink tank 20 (container 2) assembled
1) the density distribution of the fibrous body 24 in each or each fiber 24A,
A step of checking the mixed state of 24B through the transparent portion of the container 21 by the image checking device 28 will be described. In FIG. 4C, reference numeral 26 indicates a portion having a low fiber density, and reference numeral 27 indicates a portion having a high fiber density.

According to the embodiment described above, in the ink tank 20 for absorbing and storing the ink in the fibrous body 24 stored in the container 21 or the ink jet recording apparatus provided with the ink tank 20, At least a portion is formed of a transparent material, and the fibrous body 24 is made of a mixture of a plurality of fibers 24A and 24B of different colors. When the fiber body 24 is composed of fibers having different characteristics, the density distribution of the stored fiber bodies can be easily confirmed visually. The mixed state distribution of the fibrous body can be easily confirmed visually, and further, by using the image recognition device 28, the state management of the fibrous body after assembling the ink tank can be turned on. There is an advantage that it is possible to easily realize in-reduction and quantification.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic views illustrating the steps of manufacturing an ink tank according to the present invention containing a fibrous body containing a mixture of short fibers. FIG. 5 shows a process for producing a fibrous body in which short fibers are mixed, and FIG. 6 shows a process for assembling an ink tank using the fibrous body produced in FIG. FIG. 5A shows two types of short fibers 24 having a length of about 10 cm or less.
A and 24B show a state where they are inserted into the stirring vessel 35. In this case, the two types of short fibers 24A and 24B may also be fibers having the same material, substantially the same cross-sectional shape and length, and colored in different colors, as well as fibers having different materials or different cross-sectional shapes and lengths. Can be used.

In FIG. 5A, the fibers 24 are placed in a stirring vessel 35.
A and 24B were inserted and sealed, and then FIG.
In FIG. 5, the short fibers 24A and 24B are stirred by introducing compressed air into the stirring vessel 35 through the duct 36. In FIG. 5 (c), the introduction of the compressed air is stopped and the mixture is allowed to stand still. The fibers 24A and 24B are deposited by free fall. The fibrous body (fiber lump) deposited in the step of FIG. 5C has a random fiber entangled state and fiber direction, and has a uniform height due to free fall after air stirring. By doing so, the density becomes uniform.
Thereby, the state (number, entangled state, direction) of the fibers 24A, 24B in a unit volume at an arbitrary portion in the fibrous body 24 can be made substantially equal, and the whole can be made almost uniform. That is, a uniform state can be obtained in which the characteristics required for the ink absorber can be obtained.

FIG. 6A shows a state where the fibrous body (fiber lump) 24 obtained in FIG.
2 shows a step of assembling the ink tank 20 by welding. In this case, the tank container 21 is also entirely or partially (predetermined portion) formed of a transparent material, and has a structure that allows the inside to be seen through. FIG. 6B shows the fibrous body 2 in the ink tank 20 after the assembly step of FIG.
4 shows a process of confirming the density distribution of No. 4 or the mixed state of the fibers 24A and 24B by the image confirming device 28 through the transparent portion of the container 21. In FIG. 6B as well, reference numeral 26 indicates a portion having a high fiber density, and reference numeral 27 indicates a portion having a high fiber density.

According to the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the same effects as those of the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. More specifically, according to the ink tank and the ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention described above with reference to FIGS.
By forming the fibrous body 24 by mixing 4A and 24B,
By externally checking the color ratio and state per unit area of the surface of the fibrous body 24 after being inserted into the see-through tank container 21, the density distribution of the fibrous body 24 loaded in the ink tank 20 can be determined. But you can easily check. For example, in a fibrous body 24 composed of long fibers of about φ50 microns when inserted into the ink tank 20,
In a state where the negative pressure characteristic required for the ink absorber is obtained, about 75 fibers per square centimeter of the surface of the fibrous body are aligned in a certain direction. At this time, if two types of fibers having different colors are mixed at a ratio of, for example, 1: 1, approximately 37 fibers 24A and 24B of each color can be confirmed.

As described above, the function of the ink tank for storing and supplying the ink is that the ratio of the number of fibers of each color in the unit area is almost the same as the mixing ratio, and additionally, is determined at the time of plying and winding. It is important (important) that the entangled state such as the pitch of the fibers of each color is substantially the same at any part in the ink tank. As a specific confirmation method, for example, the ideal state of the distribution of fibers per unit area of the surface of the fibrous body, such as the ratio of the number of each fiber and the pitch between each colored fiber determined at the time of twining and winding, A method of preparing a sample and a photograph to be shown and comparing and confirming the sample and an arbitrary place in the ink tank is adopted. If the number of confirmed fibers is significantly larger than the sample or if it is confirmed that the pitch of the fibers of each color is non-uniform, the density of the fibrous body or the state of entanglement of the fibers is not uniform, and locally It can be determined that it has changed (is biased).

On the surface of a fibrous body which is a mixture of short fibers and fibers of φ50 microns, a unit area of about 3
Interlaced fibers account for 8%, and the number of interlaced fibers is about 75 per square centimeter, similar to the case of long fibers. When two types of fibers having different colors are mixed at a ratio of 1: 1, The same applies to the ratio occupied per unit area, and about 37 lines can be confirmed. The method for checking short fibers is basically the same as that for long fibers, and the ink tank is prepared using samples and photographs showing the ratio of the number of fibers of each color per unit volume and the ideal state of fibers. A method of comparing and confirming at any number of places is adopted.

Here, in order to confirm the density distribution, the fibers 4A
When fibers 4B of different colors are mixed, the mixing ratio is 4A: 4B = 1: 1 or less, and 4A: 4B =
When the ratio is about 10: 1 or more, it is not easy to visually discriminate, and the mixture ratio is 4A: 4B for easy confirmation.
= 3: 2 to 9: 1.
When a plurality of types of fibers having different characteristics are colored and mixed with different colors, it is required to determine the mixing ratio to a predetermined value according to required characteristics, and therefore, the mixing ratio is restricted to the above range. It is preferable to select an appropriate value without any change.

The present invention also relates to an ink tank using various forms of fibrous bodies, for example, one extremely long fiber,
Alternatively, a plurality of fibers each having a fiber length of several centimeters to several thousand meters in length are drawn in a three-dimensional space in a random curve in an ink tank in a state of having intersections. However, the same effects can be obtained. further,
The present invention can be similarly applied to an ink tank that uses a felt-shaped one in which fibers are connected to each other by a needle punch method or a fiber bonding method as an ink absorber, and the same effect is obtained. Things. Further, the present invention provides a separate ink tank, an ink tank having another functional part such as a recording head (a head cartridge or the like), a replaceable ink tank (an ink cartridge or the like), or a fixed type (no replacement). Regardless of the type of ink tank, such as an ink tank, any ink tank having an ink storage section can be similarly applied to an ink tank of any form, and the same effect can be obtained. .

In the ink tank using the fibrous body as the ink absorber according to the present invention, a fiber having a very small fiber diameter is used in order to optimize the pore diameter of the fibrous body for the purpose of realizing an appropriate negative pressure characteristic. In some cases, it is required that the fibrous body itself has a predetermined rigidity in order to maintain the outer shape in a state where the fibrous body is impregnated with ink in the ink tank. In the case where there is such a demand, by mixing and adjusting a highly rigid fiber for adjusting the rigidity of the fibrous body itself with a very thin fiber satisfying the negative pressure characteristic, the desired characteristic can be obtained. It is preferable to constitute a satisfactory fibrous body. As a method of adjusting the rigidity of the fibrous body itself, for example, a fiber having a fiber diameter excellent in bending rigidity (thick), a fiber having a cross-sectional shape excellent in bending rigidity, or a fiber having excellent bending rigidity is used. A method in which one kind or several kinds are appropriately mixed and adjusted is conceivable. That is, in order to adjust the rigidity of the fibrous body, it is possible to adopt a method of appropriately mixing two or more types of fibers, unlike the case of confirming only the coarse / dense distribution described above.

Further, after the fibrous body is inserted into the ink tank, the outer shape of the ink tank may be deformed by the reaction force of the inserted fiber depending on the structure of the ink tank. In such a case, a fiber having a smaller bending stiffness (thinner) is required for a fiber having a fiber diameter satisfying a desired negative pressure characteristic.
A method of mixing and adjusting multiple types of fibers to reduce the reaction force of the fibrous body itself by mixing fibers with different diameters, fibers with a lower bending stiffness in cross section, or fibers with a lower bending stiffness Is preferred. In such a case, it is important to uniformly mix a plurality of types of fibers having different characteristics as described above without bias. If the mixed fibers having different properties are unevenly distributed as small aggregates in the fibrous body, the desired properties of the fibrous body cannot be obtained. Therefore, a technique for confirming the mixed state is also important.

According to the present invention, such a mixed state can be easily confirmed. (A), (b) and (c) of FIG. 7 are schematic views illustrating different cross-sectional shapes of the fiber. For example, in the case of forming a fibrous body by mixing a plurality of types of fibers having different bending stiffness due to a difference in cross-sectional shape in FIG.
4D and 24E are colored in different colors, and the fibrous body 24 formed by mixing these fibers is stored in the container 21 to assemble the ink tank 20. Such an ink tank 2
Regarding 0, the interior of the fibrous body 24 is formed by checking the inside with the image confirming device 28 and the like through the transparent portion of the container 21, in addition to the density distribution of the fibrous body 24 after being inserted into the ink tank 20. Each fiber 24C, 24D, 2
The mixed distribution state of 4E can be easily confirmed.

FIG. 8 illustrates a fibrous body 24 formed by mixing three types of fibers having different cross-sectional shapes illustrated in FIG. 7 with different colors, and the fibrous body 24 is stored in a container 21. FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating a process of assembling the ink tank 20 by pressing the button. The process shown in FIG.
The process shown in FIG. 4 is different from the process shown in FIG. 4 in that a fibrous body 24 in which C, 24D, and 24E are mixed is substantially the same in other respects. Description is omitted. In the ink tank manufactured according to FIG. 8 and the ink jet recording apparatus provided with the ink tank, the same effects as those of the embodiment described with reference to FIGS.

According to each of the above embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 4C and 6B, the fiber after the ink tank is inserted by the image recognition device 28 through the transparent portion of the container 21. By constructing a system for determining the density distribution state of the body or the mixed state of the fibers, it is possible to easily realize online / quantification of the management of the fiber body. In the above-described embodiment, two types of fibers 24A and 24B, or three types of fibers 24C and
Although the case where the fiber body 24 is formed by mixing 4D and 24E has been described as an example, the present invention colorizes fibers having the same characteristics and fibers having different characteristics with different colors, and mixing these fibers. If a fibrous body is formed, it can be implemented in various modes irrespective of the combination of the fibers (different characteristics, number of types, etc.), and the same effects can be obtained.

Further, in the above embodiment, the serial recording type ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording while moving the recording means relative to the recording material has been described as an example. The present invention can be similarly applied to an ink jet recording apparatus of a line recording system in which recording is performed only by sub-scanning using a line type recording unit having a length covering the entire width or a part, and the same effect can be achieved. Things.

The present invention also relates to a recording apparatus for recording with one recording unit, a color recording apparatus using a plurality of recording units for recording with inks of different colors, or a plurality of recording units for recording the same color at different densities. A tone recording device using
Furthermore, in the case of a recording device combining these,
It can be applied similarly and can achieve the same effect. Further, the present invention provides a recording head having a configuration using a replaceable ink cartridge in which the recording head and the ink tank are integrated, a configuration in which the recording head and the ink tank are separated, and a space between the recording head and the ink tank is connected by an ink supply tube or the like. The present invention can be similarly applied to any arrangement of the ink tank and the ink tank, and the same effect can be obtained.

In the case of an ink jet recording apparatus, the present invention can be applied to, for example, an apparatus using a recording means using an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element. The present invention brings about an excellent effect in an ink jet recording apparatus using a recording means of a discharge type. According to such a method, it is possible to achieve higher density and higher definition of recording.

[0044]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, at least a part of the container is made transparent by absorbing and storing the ink in the fibrous body stored in the container. Since the fiber body is made of a mixture of a plurality of fibers of different colors, the fiber body is made of the same material and a fiber of substantially the same size. The density distribution of the body can be easily confirmed visually, and when the fibrous body is composed of a plurality of fibers having different characteristics, in addition to the density distribution of the fibrous body, the mixed state distribution of the fibrous body is determined. Provided is an ink tank which can be easily confirmed visually and furthermore, by using an image recognition device, it is possible to easily realize online and quantified state management of a fibrous body after assembling the ink tank. That.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by discharging ink from a recording means to a recording material, an ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to the recording means is contained in a container. An ink tank that absorbs and stores ink in the fibrous body, wherein at least a part of the container is formed of a transparent material, and the fibrous body is a mixture of fibers of a plurality of different colors. Therefore, when the fibrous body is composed of fibers of the same material and substantially the same size and shape, the density distribution of the stored fibrous body can be easily confirmed visually, and the fibrous body has a plurality of different characteristics. In the case of using the fibers of the above, in addition to the coarse-dense distribution of the fibrous body, the mixed state distribution of the fibrous body can be easily visually confirmed. An ink jet recording apparatus having an ink tank which can easily realize online and quantification of state management of the fibrous body after click assembled is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink tank to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view schematically illustrating a structure of an ink ejection unit of a recording unit in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing one embodiment of an ink tank to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing one embodiment of a manufacturing process of an ink tank to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a process for producing a fibrous body in which short fibers are mixed.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a step of manufacturing an ink tank according to the present invention using the fibrous body obtained in the step of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating various cross-sectional shapes of fibers constituting a fibrous body stored in an ink tank.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a manufacturing process in a case where a fibrous body in which three types of fibers having different characteristics are mixed is used, which is an ink tank to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording material 5 Carriage 6 Ink cartridge 6a Recording means (recording head) 16 Recovery device 17 Cap 20 Ink tank 21 Container 22 Cover 23 Ink supply port 24 Fibrous body 25 Atmospheric communication port 26 Coarse fiber density part 27 Fiber density Fine parts 28 Image confirmation device 31 Winding shaft 35 Stirring vessel 36 Duct (for introducing compressed air) 81 Discharge port surface 82 Discharge port 85 Electrothermal converter

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Keisuke Matsuo 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An ink tank for absorbing and storing ink in a fibrous body stored in a container, wherein at least a part of the container is formed of a transparent material, and the fibrous body includes a plurality of fibers of different colors. An ink tank characterized by being mixed. 2. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of fibers of different colors are fibers of the same material and substantially the same size.
The ink tank according to any one of the above. 3. The ink tank according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of fibers of different colors are fibers having different fiber diameters, fibers having different cross-sectional shapes, or fibers having different materials according to the respective colors. . 4. An ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by discharging ink from a recording means to a recording material, wherein an ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to the recording means is provided.
An ink tank for absorbing and storing ink in a fibrous body stored in a container, wherein at least a part of the container is formed of a transparent material, and the fibrous body is a mixture of fibers of a plurality of different colors. An ink jet recording apparatus, characterized in that: 5. The fiber according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of fibers of different colors are fibers of the same material and substantially the same size.
3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1. 6. The inkjet recording according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of fibers of different colors are fibers having different fiber diameters, fibers having different cross-sectional shapes, or fibers having different materials according to each color. apparatus. 7. The ink-jet recording device according to claim 4, wherein the recording device is an ink-jet recording device including an electrothermal converter that generates thermal energy used for discharging ink. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims. 8. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said recording means discharges the ink from a discharge port using film boiling generated in the ink by thermal energy generated by the electrothermal transducer. .