JPS59142155A - Ink container - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect the state of near-to-end by a simple structure, to eliminate the members of a contacting mechanism and to improve the reliability of the device, by a method wherein a decrease in the quantity of ink is detected as a variation in magnetic flux density by a Hall element. CONSTITUTION:In a magnetic circuit composed of magnetic bodies 20-23 and a magnet 25, magnetic flux density varies according to the vertical movement of the magnetic body 20. The output of a Hall element 27 varies in voltage from low level to high due to the Hall effect when said density reaches a certain strength, and thus said output has reversibility. As the ink in an ink container 24 decreases, the ink container 24 is deflated gradually and consequently the magnetic body 20 lowers. Thereby the distance thereof from the magnetic bodies 21 and 22 widens and thus the magnetic flux density decreases. When the decrease in the density reaches a prescribed value, this is detected by the Hall element 27, the output thereof is switched over from high level to low, and this is informed in a display means by a control circuit. With the state of near- to-end of the quantity of ink set at a prescribed level of the magnetic flux density, the state of near-to-end can be detected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention +111 Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink container that supplies ink to a print head of an inkjet printer, and particularly relates to an ink container that has a simple structure and can detect the near end of the amount of ink in the container. Regarding containers.

(Background of BL technology Recently, various serial printers have been developed and put into practical use as printers for computer terminals, word processors, etc., but inkjet printers, which can print noiselessly and at high speed, have become popular as devices used in offices etc. It's very strict.

An inkjet printer forms characters on printing paper by ejecting ink from multiple nozzle holes at the tip of an inkjet head. Ink is supplied to this inkjet head from an ink container, and it is necessary to easily know the remaining amount of ink in order to replenish the ink.

(C) Prior Art and Problems The conventional method will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, taking an inkjet printer as an example. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outline of an inkjet printer to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inkjet head of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a side view showing a conventional method.

As shown in FIG. 1, a platen 2 is rotatably supported by a side frame I, and a printing paper 3 is attached to the platen 2.
is wrapped around it. The printing paper 3 is l・rakta 4a, 4
b etc., it is sent in the direction of arrow A in the figure.

On the other hand, on the front side of the platen 2, in the lower part of the figure, a carrier 5 is slidably fitted into a guide shaft 6 provided parallel to the platen 2;
It is engaged with a feed screw 7 provided parallel to the . The feed screw 7 is connected to a motor 9 via a belt 8 etc.
Therefore, the feed screw 7 can move the carrier 5 in the directions of arrows C and D in the figure by the forward and reverse rotation of the motor 9.
Ink is ejected from a large number (for example, 40) of round nozzle holes 10a arranged in a matrix at the tip to form a print on the printing paper 3 in the form of matrix dots.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inkjet head 10 is constructed by stacking plates 12 each having a large number of ink channels 12a and nozzle portions 12b by, for example, diffusion welding.
The nozzle square holes 12C are arranged in a matrix.

An ink supply hole 12d for supplying ink to the ink flow path 12a is provided at the - corner, and is connected to an ink container to be described later by a conduit.

A nozzle plate 10b having the same number of nozzle round holes 10a as the nozzle square holes 12C is attached to the front surface of the nozzle square holes 12C with the holes aligned.

is provided, and a piezoelectric element 13 is incorporated therein.

The piezoelectric element 13 is led to the outside of the inkjet head 10 by conductive wires (not shown) and connected to the control unit, and when a voltage is applied by a pulse signal, it operates in the direction of pushing out ink, and this pressure causes the ink to flow into the nozzle. Round hole 1
Inject from 0a.

Therefore, when a pulse signal of a print code is input from the control section, ink is ejected all at once from each nozzle round hole 10a corresponding to a character to perform printing.

With such a configuration and function, when printing, the inkjet head 1O moves in the direction of the arrow with the carrier 5 by driving the motor 9 shown in FIG. is injected to print.

When printing for one line is completed, the printing paper 3 is transported in the direction of arrow A by a predetermined feed amount for line feed.

The inkjet head 10 continues printing while moving in the direction of arrow C.

Ink used for printing at this time is supplied through a conduit 15 from an ink container 14 containing ink, as shown in FIG. The ink container 14 has the flexibility to deform depending on the amount of ink it contains, and has a water bottle-shaped outer container 16 made of, for example, a synthetic resin material, which shares the opening 14a.
It is built in and contains ink.

A movable plate 17 is attached to the top of the ink container 14,
The front right end of the movable plate 17 in FIG. 2 is connected to the earthen wall of the outer container 16 by a spring 17a, and the movable plate 17 is urged downward by the spring 17a. The left end of the movable plate 17 can be moved up and down depending on the amount of ink to be accommodated.

Furthermore, an actuator 17b is attached to the lower front portion of the movable plate 17.

In the diagram of the outer container 16, a microswitch Sw is arranged on the outside of the right end, and the actuator 17b is connected to the microswitch S through a hole 16a provided in the side wall of the outer container 16.
It is configured to be activated by pressing the contact w.

The microswitch SW is connected to a control circuit (not shown).

An elastic plug member 18 is fitted into the opening 14a,
A hollow needle 19 passes through the center of the plug member 18 and its tip is located inside the ink container 14 . A conduit 15 is fitted into the other end of the hollow needle 19, and the conduit 15 is connected to the ink supply hole 12d of the inkjet head 10.

With such a configuration and function, as the ink is used for printing by the inkjet head IO, the ink in the ink container 14 is transferred from the hollow needle 19 to the conduit 15.
The volume of the ink is reduced, and the movable plate 17 gradually moves downward, and when the actuator 17b descends and eventually reaches the near end, the contact of the microswitch Sw is pressed to operate, and the near end of the ink is detected.

In this way, it is possible to know when to replenish the ink to be supplied to the inkjet head 1o.

However, according to this method, reliability is limited (1) because a contact mechanism member is used.

■There are many parts surrounding the ink container, making the structure complex.

■The shape of the outer container is complicated because the actuator is exposed outside.

There is a drawback.

(d) Object of the Invention An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and is to provide an ink container that has a simple structure and can detect the near end of the amount of ink in the container.

te1 Structure of the Invention The present invention includes a magnetic member provided at a portion that is displaced as the amount of ink stored in the ink container increases or decreases, and magnets and magnetic flux detection means are provided at opposing positions at both ends of the magnetic member. The present invention is an ink container characterized by having a configuration in which the position of the magnetic member due to increase or decrease is detected by a magnetic flux detection means, and thereby the object can be achieved.

(f) Embodiment of the Invention An embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to the side view of FIG. 4. The same parts as in FIG. 3 are indicated by the same symbols.

As shown in FIG. 4, a magnetic material 20 is placed on the upper part of the ink container 24 in parallel to the upper and lower sides of the outer container 26 in the side wall 9 of the outer container 26.
is installed. The magnetic body 20 moves up and down horizontally as the amount of ink in the ink container 24 changes.

Magnetic bodies 21 and 22 are attached to the upper surface of the outer container 26 at positions facing both ends of the magnetic body 2o.

A U-shaped magnetic body 23 is provided above the magnetic bodies 21 and 22, and a magnet 25 is held between the magnetic body 21 and the magnetic body 21 at one tip, and a Hall element 27 is held at the other tip through a gap. A gap is also provided between the Hall element 27 and the magnetic body 22 .

Therefore, the magnetic bodies 20 to 23. A magnetic circuit is constituted by the magnet 25, and a Hall element 27 is present in a part of the magnetic circuit. The magnetic flux density of the magnetic circuit changes depending on the top and bottom of the magnetic body 20.

When the magnetic flux density reaches a certain strength, the Hall element 27 changes its output from a low level voltage to a high level voltage due to the Hall effect, and has reversibility. The Hall element 27 is connected to a control circuit (not shown).

With such a configuration and function, as the ink in the ink container 24 shown in FIG. As it descends, the distance between it and the magnetic bodies 21 and 22 increases, and the magnetic flux density decreases.

When the magnetic flux density decreases to a certain predetermined value, the Hall element 2
7 senses and the output switches from high level to low level, which is notified by the control circuit on a display means (not shown).

By setting the near end of the ink amount to a predetermined magnetic flux density, the near end can be detected.

In this way, a decrease in the amount of ink can be detected.

(As explained in detail in Xun's invention, according to the present invention, a decrease in the amount of ink in the ink container that accommodates the ink to be supplied to the inkjet head is detected by the Hall element as a change in magnetic flux density. The structure of the near-end detection mechanism is simplified.

■Reliability is improved because there are no contact mechanism parts.

There is an effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outline of an inkjet printer to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inkjet head of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view showing a conventional method, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view showing an embodiment according to the invention. In the figure, 10 is an inkjet head, 14.24
is an ink container, 14a is an opening, 15 is a conduit, 16.2
6 is an outer container, 16a is a hole, 17 is a movable plate, 17a is a spring, 17b is an actuator, 20 to 23 are magnetic bodies,
25 is a magnet, and 27 is a Hall element. 2nd Z i 3rd Figure/σ Dormitory 4-@2?

Claims (1)

[Claims] An ink container that stores ink and forms a storage capacity according to the storage amount of the stored ink, wherein a magnetic member is provided at a portion of the ink container that is displaced depending on an increase or decrease in the storage amount, and the magnetic member is provided with a magnetic member. A magnet and a magnetic flux detection means are provided at opposing positions at both ends of the ink, and the magnetic flux detection means detects an amount of magnetic flux passing through the magnetic member that is displaced depending on the amount of ink contained. container.