KR102585544B1 - Vertical stirring type ink storage unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a storage device for storing ink to supply ink to an inkjet head having a nozzle for discharging ink, comprising: a lower block located at the lower part of a storage space where ink is stored and an electromagnet installed therein; An upper cover located above the storage space where ink is stored; It includes a stirring part that moves in the vertical direction in the storage space where the ink is stored and agitates the ink, wherein the stirring part includes a body located long in the vertical direction of the storage space where the ink is stored and a portion of which is exposed through the upper cover; A mover located at the bottom of the body and equipped with a permanent magnet, which moves the stirrer up and down by the interaction between the magnetic force of the electromagnet and the permanent magnet; a stirring wing protruding from a side of the body into a storage space where ink is stored; An upper stopper located at the top of the body and contacting the upper surface of the upper cover to limit the downward range of the stirring unit; And a lower stopper located below the upper cover in the body and contacting the lower surface of the upper cover to limit the upward range of the stirring unit.

Description

An ink storage device for an inkjet printer that performs upward and downward agitation by magnetic force {VERTICAL STIRRING TYPE INK STORAGE UNIT}

The present invention relates to a storage unit that stores ink to supply ink to an inkjet head in an inkjet printer, and more specifically, to an ink storage device applied to inkjet printers used in the industrial field.

This invention is supported by the Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development's private joint venture discovery and development project (POST TIPS) (Task name: Development of 2G inkjet process equipment for manufacturing 3rd generation solar cells (perovskite; PSC) targeting efficiency of 16.5% or higher). This is a task that was accepted and performed. (No.10423442)

In general, the inkjet method, which sprays liquid ink in the form of droplets on the surface of a medium according to shape signals, is used not only for printing documents or flyers, but also for solution processes in the semiconductor or display fields.

The scope of application of inkjet printing, which can form complex patterns on a substrate or precisely discharge ink only at specific locations, is expanding. Small inkjet printers for document creation store ink in an inkjet head that ejects ink droplets, but large document printers or inkjet printers manufactured for industrial use use large amounts of ink, so ink is stored in the inkjet head that discharges ink droplets. A structure where the storage unit and the inkjet head are separated is applied.

In order to eject an accurate amount of ink during the inkjet printing process, the ink that is ready for ejection from the inkjet head must maintain a meniscus state, which is a curved state in which the ink is drawn inward by capillary action with respect to the nozzle inlet. For this purpose, it is common to position the ink storage device higher than the inkjet head and instead generate negative pressure inside the ink storage tank to prevent ink from flowing from the inkjet head and maintain the meniscus state. .

In the traditional printing field, inkjet printing was performed using ink containing pigments that represent colors. At this time, since ink is stored in a storage unit separate from the inkjet head or in a cartridge coupled to the inkjet head for a long time before printing, a surfactant or the like is used as a dispersant to maintain the dispersibility of the pigment.

Recently, the characteristics of inkjet printers, which can precisely eject a certain amount, are being applied to the product production process, and in particular, their application to the manufacturing of electronic products that require high precision is increasing. Industrial inkjet printers used to manufacture products simply use ink that contains the substances needed to manufacture the part, along with or instead of pigments. For example, when performing an insulating coating on a part of an electrical or electronic component, a polymer resin as an insulating material is used together with a pigment, and an ink containing metallic copper is also used to form a metal conductor. As such, since the ink of inkjet printing used in the industrial field contains various ingredients, it is difficult to maintain the dispersibility of the various substances contained in the ink simply by adding a dispersant, and it is difficult to maintain the dispersibility of the various substances contained in the ink and store it in an ink storage device or ink cartridge. During this process, the homogeneity of the ink often breaks down.

Recently, as inkjet printers are applied to ultra-precision fields such as semiconductor manufacturing processes, the demand for printing precision is increasing. Accordingly, the use of materials included in ink that are difficult to maintain dispersibility, such as quantum dot materials used in light emitting units or color filters in the display field, as well as metal particles for electrode patterns, is increasing. Furthermore, various efforts are being made to inkjet print ink containing various substances, such as the development of coating technology using inkjet printing using PZT, and even when the ink does not contain particulate substances, industrial inkjet printing can be used. Since various types of materials are used in the ink, maintaining the uniformity of the ink has emerged as an important issue.

A technology has been developed to maintain dispersibility by returning ink from the inkjet head to the ink storage device and circulating it instead of supplying ink in one direction toward the inkjet head. However, maintaining the dispersibility of ink stored in the ink storage device is difficult. It's still an important issue. Accordingly, a stirring technology is needed to maintain the homogeneity of the ink even while the ink is stored in the ink storage device.

Therefore, in order to apply inkjet printing in industrial fields, technology is needed to maintain the dispersibility of materials with very low dispersibility in ink, such as nanorods.

Republic of Korea Public Patent No. 10-2016-0117249 Republic of Korea Public Patent No. 10-2016-0007124 Republic of Korea Public Patent No. 10-2016-0035004

The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and its purpose is to provide an ink storage device that can maintain dispersibility by stirring ink in an upward and downward direction in an ink storage device that is narrow and high in height.

A storage device for storing ink to supply ink to an inkjet head equipped with a nozzle for ejecting ink according to the present invention to achieve the above object is located at the lower part of the storage space where ink is stored and has an electromagnet installed therein. lower block; An upper cover located above the storage space where ink is stored; It includes a stirring part that moves in the vertical direction in the storage space where the ink is stored and agitates the ink, wherein the stirring part includes a body located long in the vertical direction of the storage space where the ink is stored and a portion of which is exposed through the upper cover; A mover located at the bottom of the body and equipped with a permanent magnet, which moves the stirrer up and down by the interaction between the magnetic force of the electromagnet and the permanent magnet; a stirring wing protruding from a side of the body into a storage space where ink is stored; An upper stopper located at the top of the body and contacting the upper surface of the upper cover to limit the downward range of the stirring unit; And a lower stopper located below the upper cover in the body and contacting the lower surface of the upper cover to limit the upward range of the stirring unit.

When using ink containing nanorods larger than the quantum dot material in a situation where the conventional bar-shaped stirring device rotating around the vertical rotation axis does not achieve sufficient effect even for ink in which the quantum dot material is dispersed, Maintaining decentralization is even more difficult. Accordingly, the applicant of the present invention developed and applied for a technology for an ink storage device that includes a stirring device that agitates the ink located at the bottom among the ink stored in the storage portion by pulling it upward, but the form of the storage portion that can be applied is limited. It was limited. In the case of industrial inkjet printers recently used in the manufacture of display devices, etc., the space for installing the ink storage device is narrow, so the ink storage device must be configured in a way that increases the height (vertical length), and the external appearance of the storage unit Due to this limitation, it became very difficult to install the stirring device of the prior application. Furthermore, as the shape of the ink stored in the storage unit becomes narrow and tall, the degree of particle dispersion becomes more and more different depending on the location of the stored ink.

Since the present invention maintains the dispersibility of particles dispersed in ink through a stirrer that moves in the up and down direction using magnetic force, it can be applied to a narrow and tall storage unit.

The mover preferably has an inverted triangle shape in cross section, and has a concave inclined surface at the center so that the bottom surface of the storage space where ink is stored faces the cross section of the mover.

The stirring wing may be configured to fold only in the upward direction, so that when the stirring part moves downward, the stirring wing folds, and when the stirring part moves upward, the stirring wing unfolds.

The stirring blade may be formed with a valve that opens in only one direction, so that the valve opens when the stirring part moves downward, and closes when the stirring part moves upward.

The present invention configured as described above has the effect of maintaining the dispersibility of ink even in a narrow and tall storage unit by moving the stirring unit in the vertical direction using magnetic force.

1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of an ink storage device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing another position of the stirring part in the ink storage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the shape of the stirring blade used in the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving upward in the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving downward in the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a perspective view showing another form of the stirring blade used in the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 is a perspective view showing another form of the stirring blade used in the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of an ink storage device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the shape of the stirring blade used in the ink storage device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving upward in the ink storage device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving downward in the ink storage device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 13 is a perspective view showing another form of the stirring blade used in the ink storage device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of an ink storage device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving upward in the ink storage device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving downward in the ink storage device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

However, the embodiments of the present invention may be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. The shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clearer explanation, and elements indicated by the same symbol in the drawings are the same element.

And throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly connected," but also the case where it is "electrically connected" with another element in between. In addition, when a part is said to "include" or "have" a certain component, this does not mean excluding other components, unless specifically stated to the contrary, but rather means that it can further include or be provided with other components. .

Additionally, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to distinguish one component from another component, and the scope of rights should not be limited by these terms. For example, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be named a first component.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of an ink storage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing different positions of the stirring unit in the ink storage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The ink storage device of this embodiment consists of a storage unit 100 and a stirring unit 200.

The storage unit 100 is a storage container that stores ink. The storage container stores ink inside and is connected to a piping line that supplies and retrieves ink to the inkjet head and a replenishment line that receives ink from the outside. Various piping connection structures can be applied without limitation as long as they do not impair the characteristics of the present invention.

It is common to use a variety of materials for the storage unit 100 that do not deteriorate by ink and do not deteriorate ink. However, since the present invention performs stirring using magnetic force, a certain portion of the material is stirred by magnetic force. It is desirable to apply a material that does not interfere with

The shape of the storage unit 100 is not particularly limited, but the present invention is particularly suitable when the storage space in which ink is stored is narrow and high. This embodiment describes the case where the side of the storage unit 100 is cylindrical. A storage space with a narrow width and high height inevitably has a very large difference in the dispersibility of particles contained in ink at the top and bottom, but it is problematic in that it is difficult to install an agitator to circulate the ink at the top and bottom. is even more serious. Conventional typical stirrers are installed on the floor and rotate around a vertical rotation axis, so stirring efficiency is very low for narrow and high storage spaces. In addition, newly developed stirring devices are difficult to apply to narrow and high storage spaces.

For installation and operation of the stirring unit 200, a lower block 110 is located at the lower part of the storage unit 100, and an upper cover 120 is located at the upper part. The specific structure and function of the lower block 110 and the upper cover 120 are related to the stirring unit 200 and will be described in detail later.

The stirring unit 200 is a component for stirring the ink stored in the storage space of the storage unit 100, and is characterized in that it stirs the ink while moving in the vertical direction, unlike conventional stirrers that perform stirring through rotation. there is.

The stirring unit 200 has a body extending from the lower part of the storage space to the upper part of the storage unit 100. A mover 210 is formed at the lower end of the body, and a stirring wing 220 protrudes in the middle of the body. A lower stopper 230 and an upper stopper 240 are formed at the upper part of . In this embodiment, the explanation is based on the stirring unit installed in a cylindrical storage space, and in this case, the body of the stirring unit is rod-shaped. If the shape of the storage space changes, the shape can be changed without impairing the characteristics of the present invention, and this also applies to other components.

The mover 210 is a part that moves the stirring unit 200 up and down in this embodiment, and a permanent magnet 212 is installed so that the stirring unit can move up and down by magnetic force.

An electromagnet 112 is installed in the lower block 110 formed in the lower part of the storage unit 100, and the stirring unit 200 is stirred using the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 212 and the electromagnet 112 installed on the mover 210. It can be moved up and down. Specifically, when the magnetic pole direction of the electromagnet 112 installed in the lower block 110 is changed or the magnetic force is changed, the position of the mover 210 on which the permanent magnet 212, which is affected by the magnetic force of the electromagnet 112, is installed, moves up and down. moves, and the entire stirring unit 200 moves in the vertical direction according to the movement of the mover 210.

At this time, due to the nature of the magnetic field that spreads radially, the mover 210 may tend to deviate to the left or right while moving up and down.

In order to solve this problem, the present embodiment configures the mover 210 in the shape of an inverted cone so that the cross section is in the shape of an inverted triangle, so that even when the magnetic force of the electromagnet 112 is changed, the center of the mover 210 is excessively I made sure not to escape. At this time, the upper surface of the lower block 110, which is the bottom surface of the storage space where ink is stored, was configured as an inclined surface with a concave center in accordance with the shape of the mover 210.

Additionally, a lower stopper 230 was formed to prevent the stirring unit 200 from moving upward excessively. The lower stopper 230 is located inside the storage unit 100 and controls the stirring unit 200 to not rise beyond the lower stopper 230 contacting the lower surface of the upper cover 120 of the storage unit 100. performs its function.

Furthermore, an upper stopper 240 was formed to prevent the stirring unit 200 from moving excessively downward. The upper stopper 240 is located outside the storage unit 100 and controls the stirring unit 200 not to go below the level where the upper stopper 240 contacts the upper surface of the upper cover 120 of the storage unit 100. performs the function of When the mover 210 of the stirring unit 200 contacts the bottom surface of the storage space, the materials constituting the mover 210 may be mixed into the ink, and particle materials such as nanorods contained in the ink may be damaged. Problems may arise. By forming the upper stopper 240 to limit the movement range of the stirring unit 200 to prevent the mover 210 from contacting the floor of the storage space, the above problems can be prevented.

At this time, in order to install the upper stopper 240, the upper part of the stirring unit 200 must penetrate the upper cover 120. Since the position of the stirring unit 200 is limited to the penetrating portion of the upper cover 120, the effect of preventing the stirring unit 200 from deviating from the center point of the storage unit 100 can be obtained. Finally, due to the inverted cone-shaped structure of the mover 210 and the structure penetrating the upper cover 120, the stirrer 200 is restricted from moving left and right and moves up and down despite being moved by the magnetic field.

The stirring wing 220 protrudes from the body into the storage space and is a component that stirs the ink stored in the storage space up and down while the stirring unit 200 moves up and down.

Since the stirring wing 220 moves together and stirs the ink when the stirring part 200 moves up and down, it is advantageous to form a flow in the vertical direction compared to the conventional method of agitating the ink by rotation, and the storage space is wide. With this narrow and tall structure, homogeneity in the vertical direction can be maintained.

The stirring wing 220 may be of various forms capable of stirring the ink in an upward and downward direction within the storage space where the ink is stored.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the shape of the stirring blade used in the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. am.

The ink storage device of this embodiment consists of a storage unit 100 and a stirring unit 200.

The storage unit 100 is a storage container that stores ink. The storage container stores ink inside and is connected to a piping line that supplies and retrieves ink to the inkjet head and a replenishment line that receives ink from the outside. Various piping connection structures can be applied without limitation as long as they do not impair the characteristics of the present invention.

It is common to use a variety of materials for the storage unit 100 that do not deteriorate by ink and do not deteriorate ink. However, since the present invention performs stirring using magnetic force, a certain portion of the material is stirred by magnetic force. It is desirable to apply a material that does not interfere with

The shape of the storage unit 100 is not particularly limited, but the present invention is particularly suitable when the storage space in which ink is stored is narrow and high. A storage space with a narrow width and high height inevitably has a very large difference in the dispersibility of particles contained in ink at the top and bottom, but it is problematic in that it is difficult to install an agitator to circulate the ink at the top and bottom. is even more serious. Conventional typical stirrers are installed on the floor and rotate around a vertical rotation axis, so stirring efficiency is very low for narrow and high storage spaces. In addition, newly developed stirring devices are difficult to apply to narrow and high storage spaces.

For installation and operation of the stirring unit 200, a lower block 110 is located at the lower part of the storage unit 100, and an upper cover 120 is located at the upper part. The specific structure and function of the lower block 110 and the upper cover 120 are related to the stirring unit 200 and will be described in detail later.

The stirring unit 200 is a component for stirring the ink stored in the storage space of the storage unit 100, and is characterized in that it stirs the ink while moving in the vertical direction, unlike conventional stirrers that perform stirring through rotation. there is.

The stirring unit 200 has a body extending from the lower part of the storage space to the upper part of the storage unit 100. A mover 210 is formed at the lower end of the body, and a stirring wing 220 protrudes in the middle of the body. A lower stopper 230 and an upper stopper 240 are formed at the upper part of . In this embodiment, the explanation is based on the stirring unit installed in a cylindrical storage space, and in this case, the body of the stirring unit is rod-shaped. If the shape of the storage space changes, the shape can be changed without impairing the characteristics of the present invention, and this also applies to other components.

The mover 210 is a part that moves the stirring unit 200 up and down in this embodiment, and a permanent magnet 212 is installed so that the stirring unit can move up and down by magnetic force.

An electromagnet 112 is installed in the lower block 110 formed in the lower part of the storage unit 100, and the stirring unit 200 is stirred using the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 212 and the electromagnet 112 installed on the mover 210. It can be moved up and down. Specifically, when the magnetic pole direction of the electromagnet 112 installed in the lower block 110 is changed or the magnetic force is changed, the position of the mover 210 on which the permanent magnet 212, which is affected by the magnetic force of the electromagnet 112, is installed, moves up and down. moves, and the entire stirring unit 200 moves in the vertical direction according to the movement of the mover 210.

At this time, due to the nature of the magnetic field that spreads radially, the mover 210 may tend to deviate to the left or right while moving up and down.

In order to solve this problem, the present embodiment configures the mover 210 in an inverted cone shape to prevent the center of the mover 210 from deviating excessively even when the magnetic force of the electromagnet 112 changes.

Additionally, a lower stopper 230 was formed to prevent the stirring unit 200 from moving upward excessively. The lower stopper 230 is located inside the storage unit 100 and controls the stirring unit 200 to not rise beyond the lower stopper 230 contacting the lower surface of the upper cover 120 of the storage unit 100. performs its function.

Furthermore, an upper stopper 240 was formed to prevent the stirring unit 200 from moving excessively downward. The upper stopper 240 is located outside the storage unit 100 and controls the stirring unit 200 not to go below the level where the upper stopper 240 contacts the upper surface of the upper cover 120 of the storage unit 100. performs the function of When the mover 210 of the stirring unit 200 contacts the bottom surface of the storage space, the materials constituting the mover 210 may be mixed into the ink, and particle materials such as nanorods contained in the ink may be damaged. Problems may arise. By forming the upper stopper 240 to limit the movement range of the stirring unit 200 to prevent the mover 210 from contacting the floor of the storage space, the above problems can be prevented.

At this time, in order to install the upper stopper 240, the upper part of the stirring unit 200 must penetrate the upper cover 120. Since the position of the stirring unit 200 is limited to the penetrating portion of the upper cover 120, the effect of preventing the stirring unit 200 from deviating from the center point of the storage unit 100 can be obtained. Finally, due to the inverted cone-shaped structure of the mover 210 and the structure penetrating the upper cover 120, the stirrer 200 is restricted from moving left and right and moves up and down despite being moved by the magnetic field.

In this embodiment, a wing with a structure that folds only upward was applied as the stirring wing 221. For example, it unfolds at an angle of up to 90 degrees relative to the body, but only folds upward, not downward.

When the stirring part 200 moves up and down, the stirring wing 221 moves together and agitates the ink, but when the stirring part 200 moves downward, the stirring wing 221 folds upward due to the resistance of the ink, releasing the ink. The downward pushing effect decreases, and when the stirring unit 200 moves upward, the stirring wing 221 spreads wider due to the resistance of the ink, thereby increasing the effect of pulling the ink upward.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving upward in the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving downward in the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a cross-sectional view.

As shown in Figure 5, when the magnetic force of the electromagnet 112 pushes the permanent magnet 212 of the mover 210, the stirring unit 200 moves upward.

At this time, the stirring wing 221 protruding from the side of the stirring unit 200 is spread sideways due to the resistance of the ink, and because the area in contact with the ink is large, it strongly exerts a stirring effect to pull the ink upward.

On the other hand, when the magnetic force of the electromagnet 112 is weakened or changed to the opposite direction, the force pushing the permanent magnet 212 of the mover 210 is weakened or a pulling force is applied, causing agitation, as shown in FIG. 6. Part 200 moves downward.

Since the stirring wing 221 of this embodiment is configured to fold upward, when the stirring part 200 moves downward and receives resistance from the ink, the stirring wing 221 folds upward. When the stirring wing 221 is folded upward, the area in contact with the ink decreases, and the stirring effect of pulling the ink downward becomes weaker.

When the storage space where ink is stored is narrow and high, the main problem with the dispersibility of ink is that heavy substances sink to the bottom rather than the top. This characteristic becomes more severe when particles are dispersed in the ink, and to solve this problem, it is important to stir the ink from the bottom to the top.

Accordingly, this embodiment is configured to apply a stirring blade 221 that folds only upward, so that the stirring that raises the ink is performed more strongly when the stirring unit 200 moves upward.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing another form of the stirring wing used in the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the stirring wing used in the ink storage device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view showing another form.

Figure 4 shows a case where two symmetrical stirring blades 221 are formed to protrude at the same height. However, as shown in FIG. 7, a larger number of stirring blades 221 may be formed to protrude at the same height.

In addition, a plurality of stirring blades 221 may be formed at different heights. In this case, it is preferable to arrange the stirring blades 221 formed at different heights so that their protruding directions are staggered.

Since the stirring unit 200 of this embodiment performs both upward and downward movements, there is a problem that the height at which the lower ink is stirred upward may be limited when the stirring blades are installed in multiple layers. However, when upward folding stirring blades are applied, the force pulling the ink down decreases and the force pulling the ink upward increases, so even if the stirring blades are installed in multiple layers, overall stirring in the vertical direction can be performed.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of the ink storage device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the shape of the stirring blade used in the ink storage device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. am.

The ink storage device of this embodiment consists of a storage unit 100 and a stirring unit 200.

The storage unit 100 is a storage container that stores ink. The storage container stores ink inside and is connected to a piping line that supplies and retrieves ink to the inkjet head and a replenishment line that receives ink from the outside. Various piping connection structures can be applied without limitation as long as they do not impair the characteristics of the present invention.

It is common to use a variety of materials for the storage unit 100 that do not deteriorate by ink and do not deteriorate ink. However, since the present invention performs stirring using magnetic force, a certain portion of the material is stirred by magnetic force. It is desirable to apply a material that does not interfere with

The shape of the storage unit 100 is not particularly limited, but the present invention is particularly suitable when the storage space in which ink is stored is narrow and high. A storage space with a narrow width and high height inevitably has a very large difference in the dispersibility of particles contained in ink at the top and bottom, but it is problematic in that it is difficult to install an agitator to circulate the ink at the top and bottom. is even more serious. Conventional typical stirrers are installed on the floor and rotate around a vertical rotation axis, so stirring efficiency is very low for narrow and high storage spaces. In addition, newly developed stirring devices are difficult to apply to narrow and high storage spaces.

For installation and operation of the stirring unit 200, a lower block 110 is located at the lower part of the storage unit 100, and an upper cover 120 is located at the upper part. The specific structure and function of the lower block 110 and the upper cover 120 are related to the stirring unit 200 and will be described in detail later.

The stirring unit 200 is a component for stirring the ink stored in the storage space of the storage unit 100, and is characterized in that it stirs the ink while moving in the vertical direction, unlike conventional stirrers that perform stirring through rotation. there is.

The stirring unit 200 has a body extending from the lower part of the storage space to the upper part of the storage unit 100. A mover 210 is formed at the lower end of the body, and a stirring wing 220 protrudes in the middle of the body. A lower stopper 230 and an upper stopper 240 are formed at the upper part of . In this embodiment, the explanation is based on the stirring unit installed in a cylindrical storage space, and in this case, the body of the stirring unit is rod-shaped. If the shape of the storage space changes, the shape can be changed without impairing the characteristics of the present invention, and this also applies to other components.

The mover 210 is a part that moves the stirring unit 200 up and down in this embodiment, and a permanent magnet 212 is installed so that the stirring unit can move up and down by magnetic force.

An electromagnet 112 is installed in the lower block 110 formed in the lower part of the storage unit 100, and the stirring unit 200 is stirred using the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 212 and the electromagnet 112 installed on the mover 210. It can be moved up and down. Specifically, when the magnetic pole direction of the electromagnet 112 installed in the lower block 110 is changed or the magnetic force is changed, the position of the mover 210 on which the permanent magnet 212, which is affected by the magnetic force of the electromagnet 112, is installed, moves up and down. moves, and the entire stirring unit 200 moves in the vertical direction according to the movement of the mover 210.

At this time, due to the nature of the magnetic field that spreads radially, the mover 210 may tend to deviate to the left or right while moving up and down.

In order to solve this problem, the present embodiment configures the mover 210 in an inverted cone shape to prevent the center of the mover 210 from deviating excessively even when the magnetic force of the electromagnet 112 changes.

Additionally, a lower stopper 230 was formed to prevent the stirring unit 200 from moving upward excessively. The lower stopper 230 is located inside the storage unit 100 and controls the stirring unit 200 to not rise beyond the lower stopper 230 contacting the lower surface of the upper cover 120 of the storage unit 100. performs its function.

Furthermore, an upper stopper 240 was formed to prevent the stirring unit 200 from moving excessively downward. The upper stopper 240 is located outside the storage unit 100 and controls the stirring unit 200 not to go below the level where the upper stopper 240 contacts the upper surface of the upper cover 120 of the storage unit 100. performs the function of When the mover 210 of the stirring unit 200 contacts the bottom surface of the storage space, the materials constituting the mover 210 may be mixed into the ink, and particle materials such as nanorods contained in the ink may be damaged. Problems may arise. By forming the upper stopper 240 to limit the movement range of the stirring unit 200 to prevent the mover 210 from contacting the floor of the storage space, the above problems can be prevented.

At this time, in order to install the upper stopper 240, the upper part of the stirring unit 200 must penetrate the upper cover 120. Since the position of the stirring unit 200 is limited to the penetrating portion of the upper cover 120, the effect of preventing the stirring unit 200 from deviating from the center point of the storage unit 100 can be obtained. Finally, due to the inverted cone-shaped structure of the mover 210 and the structure penetrating the upper cover 120, the stirrer 200 is restricted from moving left and right and moves up and down despite being moved by the magnetic field.

In this embodiment, a structure in which a valve 222 is formed on the stirring blade 220 that opens only when ink passes upward is applied. For example, as shown, the valve 222 covers the through hole formed in the disc-shaped stirring blade 220 at the top, and is bent only in the upward direction, so that it opens when the ink at the bottom rises upward, but the valve 222 is bent only in the upward direction. It has a structure that closes when the ink goes down.

When the stirring part 200 moves up and down, the stirring wing 220 moves together to stir the ink, but when the stirring part 200 moves downward, the valve 222 opens due to the resistance of the ink and pushes the ink downward. The effect of pulling the ink upward decreases, and when the stirring unit 200 moves upward, the valve 222 closes due to the resistance of the ink, and the effect of pulling the ink upward increases.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving up in the ink storage device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving down in the ink storage device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This is a cross-sectional view.

As shown in FIG. 11, when the magnetic force of the electromagnet 112 pushes the permanent magnet 212 of the mover 210, the stirring unit 200 moves upward.

At this time, the valve 222 located on the stirring wing 220 protruding on the side of the stirring unit 200 has the through hole closed due to the resistance of the ink, and the entire surface of the stirring wing 200 is in contact with the ink. Because of this, it has a strong agitation effect that pulls the ink upward.

On the other hand, when the magnetic force of the electromagnet 112 is weakened or changed to the opposite direction, the force pushing the permanent magnet 212 of the mover 210 is weakened or a pulling force is applied, causing agitation, as shown in FIG. 12. Part 200 moves downward.

Since the valve 222 of this embodiment is folded while covering the upper part of the stirring blade 220, when the stirring part 200 moves downward and receives resistance from the ink, the valve 222 opens the through hole. When the valve 222 is opened, ink can move through the through hole, so the area in contact with the ink on the disk-shaped stirring blade 220 decreases, and the stirring effect that draws the ink downward becomes weaker.

When the storage space where ink is stored is narrow and high, the main problem with the dispersibility of ink is that heavy substances sink to the bottom rather than the top. This characteristic becomes more severe when particles are dispersed in the ink, and to solve this problem, it is important to stir the ink from the bottom to the top.

Accordingly, in this embodiment, the valve 222 that opens only in one direction is applied to the stirring blade 220, so that when the stirring unit 200 moves upward, the stirring to raise the ink is performed more strongly.

Figure 13 is a perspective view showing another form of the stirring blade used in the ink storage device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 10 shows a case where only one stirring blade 220 is provided, but a plurality of stirring blades 220 may be formed at different heights. In this case, through holes and valves formed in the stirring blades 220 formed at different heights. It is desirable to arrange the positions of (222) so that they are staggered.

Since the stirring unit 200 of this embodiment performs both upward and downward movements, there is a problem that the height at which the lower ink is stirred upward may be limited when the stirring blades are installed in multiple layers. However, if a valve that is open in only one direction is applied, the force pulling the ink down decreases and the force pulling the ink upward increases, so even if stirring blades are installed in multiple layers, overall agitation in the vertical direction can be performed.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the ink storage device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring unit moving upward in the ink storage device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. , Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the stirring part moving downward in the ink storage device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

The fourth embodiment is characterized by having a stirring blade 221 that folds only upward according to the second embodiment and a stirring blade 220 formed with a valve 222 that opens only in one direction according to the third embodiment. Do it as

Depending on the structure of the stirring wing, there is a difference in the force to pull up the ink and the force to pull down the ink. It is more effective when installed at the upper part of the stirring part 200 and when installed at the lower part of the stirring part 200. There are cases where it works better. Therefore, while using different types of stirring blades together, the effects and advantages of each blade can be utilized by installing them at a height that can increase the effect of each blade.

The present invention has been described above through preferred embodiments, but the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative examples of the technical idea of the present invention, and various changes are possible without departing from the technical idea of the present invention. Anyone with ordinary knowledge will be able to understand. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted based on the matters stated in the patent claims, not the specific embodiments, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of the present invention.

100: storage unit
110: Lower block
112: electromagnet
120: Top cover
200: stirring unit
210: mover
212: Permanent magnet
220,221: Stirring wing
222: valve
230: Lower stopper
240: Upper stopper

Claims (4)

A storage device for storing ink to supply ink to an inkjet head equipped with a nozzle for ejecting ink,
A lower block located at the bottom of the storage space where ink is stored and an electromagnet installed therein;
An upper cover located above the storage space where ink is stored;
It includes a stirring part that moves up and down in the storage space where the ink is stored and agitates the ink,
The stirring part,
A body located long in the vertical direction of the storage space where ink is stored, and a portion of the body exposed through the upper cover;
A mover located at the bottom of the body and equipped with a permanent magnet, which moves the stirrer up and down by the interaction between the magnetic force of the electromagnet and the permanent magnet;
a stirring wing protruding from a side of the body into a storage space where ink is stored;
An upper stopper located at the top of the body and contacting the upper surface of the upper cover to limit the downward range of the stirring unit; and
An ink storage device for an inkjet printer, characterized in that it includes a lower stopper located below the upper cover in the body and contacting the lower surface of the upper cover to limit the range in which the stirring unit moves upward.
In claim 1,
The mover has a cross-section in the shape of an inverted triangle,
An ink storage device for an inkjet printer, characterized in that the bottom surface of the storage space where ink is stored is a concave inclined surface at the center so as to face the cross section of the mover.
In claim 1,
An ink storage device for an inkjet printer, wherein the stirring wing is configured to fold only in an upward direction, so that when the stirring part moves downward, the stirring wing folds, and when the stirring part moves upward, the stirring wing unfolds.
In claim 1,
The stirring blade is formed with a valve that opens in only one direction, so that the valve opens when the stirrer moves downward and closes when the stirrer moves upward.

Images