PL197394B1 - An ink cartridge and a method and device for filling the ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

An ink cartridge, ink filling method and apparatus are disclosed. A one-way valve is disposed in the ink chamber of an ink cartridge and includes a foot support portion, a wall support portion projecting at an angle from the interior side of foot support portion, a shoulder support portion bending towards the interior side of wall support portion, and a head support portion projecting from shoulder support portion with a through hole. A valve sealing assembly being maintained selectively in contact with the head support portion through hole by a pressure difference. A sealing assembly integrally formed with a block portion is disposed at ink outlet port. The cartridge is very sensitive to pressure changes, which enhances printing quality. At the same time, the sealing assembly of the cartridge has an enhanced sealing function in non-usage status and usage status as well. <IMAGE>

Description

Description of the invention

The present invention relates to an ink cartridge for inkjet recording devices, a one-way valve to control the flow of ink in the cartridge, a method of filling the cartridge with ink, and a device for refilling the cartridge.

The invention relates to an ink cartridge having a one-way valve operably connected to an ink supply port to control the flow of ink. Moreover, the invention relates to a one-way valve designed in the shape of a step to be easily deformed.

The invention relates to a cartridge wherein the outlet is sealed by a sealing member integrally formed with the seal portion and the plug portion.

The invention further provides a method of filling an ink cartridge with liquid ink by means of a one-way valve under vacuum. The invention provides a device for filling a cartridge with ink, wherein in the cartridge a needle is used to suck air to create a vacuum and fill the ink to a predetermined level.

Ink cartridges for inkjet recording devices are known having an ink cartridge with an exit port, a vent, and a sealing member and a one-way valve.

In the figure, fig. I shows an ink cartridge of the prior art wherein the cartridge uses foam, pos. II - prior art ink cartridge with non-return valve, pos. IIIA - example of a funnel-shaped sealing element, pos. IIIB - example of a round sealing ring as a sealing element, pos. IIIC - an example of a sealing element equipped with a partition, pos. IV - for example, a foam is used in an ink cartridge with "free ink" between the ink chamber and the foam, pos. V - ink filling process diagram for refilling the ink cartridge from fig. IV.

As standard, in an inkjet printer, it is advisable to keep the inside of the ink tank under a suitable vacuum. Chinese Patent Specification No. 1,185379A discloses a device (Fig. I) for holding an ink tank under a negative pressure. The ink reservoir 10 is filled with ink 12 and a porous body 14, similar to the foam, which absorbs ink. Surface energy mechanics play a role in holding the ink in the gaps or cells of the foam. In the foam used, the fill factor is approximately 60-65%. Thus, these solutions are considered to be less effective than expected.

U.S. Patent No. 4,677,447 (Nielsen) discloses the use of a check valve 22 and an ink reservoir 20 to control the flow of ink as shown in FIGS. II. The resilient umbrella-shaped diaphragm 22 seals selectively around the opening 25. In operation, a vacuum acts on the diaphragm valve allowing ink 24 to flow from the reservoir into a small cavity 26 adjacent to the nozzle of the thermal printer head. However, a check valve of this design is in no way capable of preventing the formation of air bubbles. The air bubbles are trapped in cavity 26, and in response to changes in pressure or temperature, they expand and contract, preventing the ink from leaving the cavity. Ink leakage can occur through the nozzles of the printer head as a result of the expansion and contraction of the air bubble which removes ink from the small cavity and through the nozzles.

Chinese Patent No. CN 1133784A discloses a funnel-shaped sealing member 100 having a through-hole as shown in Figs. IIIA. The seal member has a tapered surface 102 including a needle 104 that supplies ink to the integrated printing mechanism. In order to prevent the ink from leaking, it is necessary to add an additional sealing film 106 to the ink supply port, which increases the cost.

U.S. Patent No. 5,790,158 discloses an ink cartridge also having a circular O-ring 120 with an aperture, as shown in FIGS. IIIB. This type of seal performs an effective sealing role, but also requires the addition of a sealing film 124 to the outside of chamber 122 for shipping.

U.S. Patent No. 5,949,458 discloses a sealing member 130 as shown in FIGS. IIIC. The seal member 130 is integrally molded with the pierceable seal member 132. In use, the seal member is occasionally pierced with difficulty because the seal member 132 has a high tensile strength.

PL 197 394 B1

It is evident that the above-described sealing structures require a sealing film connected to the outer surface of the ink cartridge to prevent leakage of ink after the needle has been inserted into the ink supply, and still need a sealed package during shipping and when the cartridge is not in use.

Principles of mass production of ink cartridges and their efficient filling with ink are known to ensure the goal of increasing production efficiency.

U.S. Patent No. 5,280,299 discloses an ink cartridge using the porous material shown in Figs. IV. and the ink filling method as shown in FIG. V. The porous material 14 is located in the reservoir and the reservoir is attached to the printer head. The method of filling the cartridge with ink is shown in Fig. V. Thus, the process comprises: step 1 (p1) providing an empty ink cartridge; step 2 (p2) inserting the porous material into the reservoir; step 3 (p3) access sealing for porous material of the reservoir; step 4 (p4) leak check; step 5 (p5) reduce pressure; step 6 (p6) ink fill; step 7 (p7) removing remaining free ink, and step 8 (p8) sealing the liquid ink outlet.

The above-mentioned method is difficult to implement. There is a space or gap between the porous material and the interior of the ink cartridge to retain a quantity of liquid ink called "free ink". "Free ink" could eventually leak from the cartridge, and you must remove any remaining ink. However, it is not possible for "free ink to always be and stay in the same place, so the location of" free ink varies from one ink cartridge to another. First of all, "free ink is not always close to the liquid ink entrance and may appear in distant areas of the cartridge. In such a case this "free ink" is difficult to remove, and it may happen that the liquid ink stored in the porous materials is removed as "free ink, which in turn can lead to a change in the total ink filling as well as in the distribution of the ink in the porous ink. material.

Note that the "Free Ink Removal" operation occurs at the printer head. Liquid ink fills close to the inkjet head and "free ink" from other areas of the cartridge could be drawn in with the stored ink and lead to a shortage of liquid ink during use.

As mentioned above, there are difficulties in the process of filling the porous material of the ink cartridge with ink and removing "free ink". Since the porous material takes up some space of the ink cartridge, there is some ink remaining in the porous materials after printing, reducing the amount of liquid ink that should be delivered to the ink cartridge and increasing the cost.

Thus, there is a need to develop an improved ink cartridge, refilling method and apparatus which overcomes these and other problems. Such a cartridge should be simple in design, easy to handle and easy to manufacture. It is also important to ensure high mechanical strength of the cartridge and to prevent air mixing with liquid ink supplied from the cartridge and leakage of ink from the cartridge.

An ink cartridge according to the invention for inkjet recording devices, comprising a cartridge body for receiving an ink with at least one ink chamber, the cartridge body having at least one vent to allow air to flow between the ink chamber and ambient air, at least one an ink outlet for supplying ink from the ink chamber, at least one seal member positioned in the ink outlet port to seal it, at least one bellows one way valve positioned in the ink chamber for controlling the ink flow, characterized in that the at least one one way valve is consists of a single piece with a foot sealing the inner wall of the ink outlet opening, a wall protruding from the inside of the foot, a rim inclined towards the inside of the valve chamber delimited by a wall and a crown protruding from the rim with a through hole a valve sealing assembly selectively held in contact with the crown bore by a pressure differential.

Preferably the wall projects at an angle from the foot.

Moreover, preferably the rim together with the inwardly folded wall forms a recess constituting the valve chamber.

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In a preferred embodiment, the crown projects at an angle from the rim.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the through hole of the crown is preferably conical.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the angle of inclination of the crown is greater than the angle of inclination of the wall.

Preferably, the thickness of the foot is greater than the thickness of the crown and the thickness of the crown is greater than the thickness of the crown.

Moreover, preferably the recess is delimited by an inner wall on the side of the ink outlet opening to receive the valve.

Moreover, the recess preferably comprises a stepped circular area defined by the bottom wall of the recess for receiving the filter element.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in the rest state, the crown of the bellows one-way valve is slightly compressed with the valve sealing assembly.

Preferably, a device preventing leakage of ink from the vent opening is provided at the vent.

In addition, the ink leakage protection device comprises a tube protruding from the vent port into the ink chamber.

Further preferably, the ink leakage protection device comprises a bent tube surrounding the periphery of the vent with one end connected to the vent and the other end extending beyond the ink level.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the anti-leakage device is a bag-like device positioned in the ink chamber, having an open end for engagement with a vent and a microscopic opening positioned in the wall of the bag-like member.

The bag-like element is a resilient balloon with an open end.

Moreover, it is preferred that the cup-shaped attachment cap for attaching the resilient balloon comprises a through hole, the wide end hole being dimensioned to embrace the outer circumference of the vent hole projection and the narrow end acting as an extended portion of the vent hole and the flange for mounting the open end of a balloon spring.

Preferably, the bottom of the ink chamber is inclined towards the ink outlet opening.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one guide groove is formed on the surface of the bottom of the ink chamber.

Preferably, a projection is provided on the bottom of the ink chamber for locking the bag-like element.

Preferably, the open end of the bag-like element has an opening substantially equal to the diameter of the vent hole in the wall of the cartridge body.

Moreover, it is preferred that the bag-like element has several overlapping layers.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vent is connected to the surroundings by an irregular air guide vent formed in the wall of the cartridge body.

Preferably, a portion of the air guide vent is located on the inner surface of the wall.

Preferably, an air guide film is disposed on the outer surface of the wall, on which the vent hole is provided.

Preferably, an ink filling opening is provided in the wall of the cartridge body, which is sealed with a sealing plug.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a seal member positioned in the ink outlet comprises a support portion integrally formed with the interior of the chamber, supported by an inner wall of the ink outlet port, a seal portion protruding annually from the support portion, a plug portion mating with the seal portion, and a peripheral connection portion between the seal portion. and a plug portion, the plug portion being separated from the engagement portion at a certain pressure.

Preferably, a conical surface is arranged inside this sealing element.

Preferably, a circular recess for receiving the support portion of the sealing element to facilitate the separation of the plug portion from the sealing element.

PL 197 394 B1

Preferably, the thickness of the connecting portion is different.

Moreover, the thickness of the connecting portion preferably decreases from one side to the other.

Preferably, an exhaust gas port is provided in the wall of the ink outlet port.

The inventive one-way valve for controlling the ink flow is characterized in that it comprises a foot, a wall protruding from the inside of the foot, a rim inclined towards the inside of the valve chamber delimited by the wall, and a crown protruding from the rim with a through hole.

Preferably, the rim together with the inwardly folded wall forms a recess constituting the valve chamber.

Preferably the crown projects at an angle from the rim.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the foot is greater than the thickness of the crown and the thickness of the crown is greater than the thickness of the crown.

The inventive method of refilling an ink cartridge for inkjet recording devices, comprising a cartridge body for receiving ink with at least one ink chamber, the cartridge body having at least one vent to allow air to flow between the ink chamber and ambient air to at least one ink outlet for supplying ink from the ink chamber, at least one sealing member positioned in the ink outlet opening to seal it, at least one bellows one-way valve positioned in the ink chamber for controlling the ink flow, the cartridge seals against the ink flow opening. ink, creates a vacuum in the ink guiding basin of the cartridge by drawing air from both the ink guiding basin and the ink chamber, filling the ink cartridge with a predetermined amount of ink.

Preferably, a draw-off needle is inserted into the exhaust gas port in the wall of the ink guiding trough to draw air from both the ink guiding trough and the ink chamber.

An ink cartridge refilling device according to the invention for inkjet recording devices, comprising a cartridge body for receiving an ink with at least one ink chamber, the cartridge body having at least one vent hole for allowing air to flow between the ink chamber and ambient air, at least one ink outlet for supplying ink from the ink chamber, at least one sealing member arranged in the ink outlet for sealing it, at least one bellows one-way valve positioned in the ink chamber for controlling the ink flow, characterized in that it comprises a compression device for sealing the cartridge cover, ink supply tank, ink supply needle which enters the ink cartridge and connects to the ink supply tank through the tube, device controlling the flow of ink from the ink supply tank to an ink cartridge, a vacuum pump, a draw-off needle that connects to the vacuum pump on one side and penetrates the ink cartridge outlet gas opening on the other side, between the flow control device and the ink supply tank, and between the flow control assembly and the needle ink filling are located separately at the tubes two valves.

Due to the invention, no air bubble is possible since there is a small recess between the valve and the sealing element and the liquid trapped in the small recess.

Moreover, the formation of an air bubble will not be possible since the recess for the ink or the ink guiding chamber is small enough and the air present in the ink guiding chamber may be drawn back when canceling the printer operation.

In the present invention, the liquid ink will fill a small recess from the reservoir to sustain printing, since the one-way valve is operated in response to very small changes in pressure, the valve can be used over a wide range of pressure values and adapt well to them. It is important that the ink is fully used and the cost of producing the ink cartridge is reduced, the filling process is simple and the control of operation is increased.

The inventive ink cartridge may prevent ink leakage.

The invention provides an ink cartridge with a sealing portion having a sufficient mechanical strength, but allowing the insertion of a needle for the ink supply.

PL 197 394 B1

The operation of the sealing element is simple and the manufacturing cost is low because the sealing part is designed together with the support part, the sealing part, the plug part and the coupling part.

The subject of the invention is illustrated in the drawing in which Fig. 1 shows a sectional view of the one-way bellows valve according to the invention, Fig. 2A - sectional view of the ink cartridge according to the first embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2B - and schematically an ink cartridge according to the first embodiment. and illustrates its operation, in section, Fig. 3, the ink cartridge according to the second embodiment of the invention with a spring shown abutting against the bellows valve, in section, Fig. 4, the ink cartridge according to the third embodiment, with a separate valve mounting member, in sectional view, fig. 5 - ink cartridge according to the fourth embodiment of the invention, with protruding valve fastening element and a porous mass located in the vent opening to prevent ink from leaking from the cartridge, sectional view, fig. 6 - ink cartridge with a cylindrical valve element shown to prevent ink leakage from the vent hole, cross-section, Fig. 7A, the cylindrical valve of Fig. 6, into the fascia 7B - cross-sectional view of the cylindrical valve element from Fig. 7A, Fig. 8 - ink cartridge showing the element of the ball valve which prevents ink from leaking from the venting hole, in cross section, Fig. 9 - ball valve from Fig. Fig. 8, enlarged and sectioned, Fig. 10 - Preferred embodiment comprising a U-tube, sloped bottom wall and a sealing member positioned in the ink supply port, cross sectional. Fig. 11A - Preferred embodiment of the invention comprising a resilient bag connected to a vent. sectional view, Fig. 11B, sectional view, Fig. 11B, sectional view, Fig. 11A, Fig. 11C, sectional view of Fig. 11A, Fig. 11D, section view of Fig. 11A. Fig. 11E - ink cartridge with ink guide rib on the bottom wall and a labyrinth on the cover, cross-section, Fig. 11F - ink cartridge cover showing the guiding film j air covering the labyrinth in top view, fig. 12 - ink cartridge showing the membrane, connected to the cover, and a venting hole located in the cover, in cross-section, fig. 13A - ink cartridge showing the bellows as an element connected to the cover Fig. 13B shows the ink cartridge of Fig. 13A, showing the bellows as an element connected to the cover, the bellows is shown in section in its working condition, Fig. 13C, the bellows with the cover. Fig. 13A in section, Figs. 14A to 14E, various sealing means where the ink supply port is positioned in the outlet as in Fig. 10, sectional view, Fig. 15A, alternative sealing means integrally formed within the spherical plug portion, sectional view. Fig. 15B is a sectional view of the spherical plug embodiment of Fig. 15A separated from the seal member after insertion of a printer needle, Fig. 16A for alternative ear members. cross-sectional view of seals integrally formed within the cylindrical plug portion, FIG. 16B, the cylindrical plug portion of FIG. 16A separated from the seal member after insertion of a printer needle, cross section, FIG. 17, alternate sealing member positioned on the internal conical surface, in FIG. section, Fig. 18A - a preferred form of the connection portion integrally disposed on the sealing member showing that the connection portion has an average thickness, Fig. 18B - another preferred form of the connection portion integrally disposed on the sealing member, showing that the connection portion has a different thickness Fig. 19 is a sectional view of another alternative form of a sealing member, Figs. 20A to 20B, a package seal used to seal the ink cartridge during transport and handling, in a perspective view, Fig. 21, an overpressure ink-filling device according to the invention, Figs. in a perspective view, fig 22 - perspective view of the ink-filling device in a further embodiment operating under negative pressure; Fig. 23 - the ink filling device in a further embodiment of the invention operating under positive pressure in a perspective view; Fig. 24 - the ink-filling device of the invention. working under negative pressure in a perspective view.

Figure 2A shows a first preferred embodiment of the invention. The bellows one-way valve 30 selectively plugs its opening 332 to separate the ink in the ink chamber 402 from the ink outlet 404.

As shown in Fig. 1, the bellows one-way valve 30 is preferably made of rubber with a Shore hardness of 30-40, and the preferred shape for the bellows is a truncated cone. As shown in FIG. 2A, the bellows one-way valve includes a foot 310 that abuts and is supported by an inner wall of ink chamber 402 adjacent to outlet 404.

PL 197 394 B1 ink. The foot 310 is dimensioned so as to provide a tight contact with the wall. Foot 310 has a limited thickness and taper along wall 322. That is, the wall becomes thinner in cross section, and runs conically inwardly to the reduced diameter of the bellows one-way valve until it engages the foot with rim 324. At rim 324, a bellows valve a one-way curve transitions to an inverted curve 325, and rim 324, joining the inner flared support portion, forms a recess or recess that supports crown 330. Crown has an opening 332. Crown 324 is inclined inwardly along wall 322 to support a portion support rim 324. The shape of the bellows valve is sensitive to small or minimal pressure differences so that it regulates and controls the flow of ink into the ink outlet 404.

During operation of the printer, there is a pressure difference between the two sides of the valve, in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 2B, which contributes to the deformation of the valve. The wall 322, which slopes towards the inside of rim 324 and creates a vent, ensures that crown 330 moves in response to small changes in pressure. In fact, the design of rim 324 ensures that minimal changes result in an impact on crown 330. Thus, the design of rim 324 ensures precise pressure variations.

In the case of a large vacuum differential, the movement of the crown 330 is greater in order to both control the ink flow and the rapid return of the crown 330. Thus, the thickness of the foot 310 is greater than the thickness of the crown 330 and rim 324. It is easy to infer that crown 330 may respond to small negative pressure, and the thickness of rim 324 is selected to be less than that of crown 330, particularly for rim 324, the thickness of which is 0.15-0.5 mm. The opening 332 of the wall 322 is conical in shape. The crown 330 tilts inward at an angle Θ1 which is greater than the angle Θ 2 of the foot 310. As shown in Fig. 1, an equilibrium condition is obtained when the tilt angle 1 decreases in response to a vacuum in the ink chamber.

A bellows one-way valve 30 is located within the ink cartridge 40 to retain liquid ink and control ink flow. Returning to Fig. 2A, a bellow one-way valve 30 is located above the mouth of the ink chamber 402 and its support foot contacts the bottom 406. To maintain the stability of a bellow one-way valve 30, the bottom wall of the cartridge has a recess or recess 408. Valve sealing assembly 340 it projects directly from the cartridge lid 410 and seals the crown 330 with a slight pressure on it. A preferred method is to provide a resilient skirt 342 including the periphery of the valve sealing assembly 340 and resiliently sealing and holding the crown 330.

There are various variants of the valve sealing assembly 340, such as the combined structure shown in Fig. 2A, or simply variants that secure the sealing assembly to the lid 410. As required, e.g. where there is a need for a high degree of stability, above the recess 408 is secured. cylinder body 416. The valve sealing assembly 340 shown in FIG. 4 is a cylindrical body with a cap and bore 418 that holds both the bellows one-way valve 30 and itself. Through opening 418, ink is supplied from the ink chamber 402 to the ink guiding chamber 412. Alternatively, the bellows valve mounting assembly may be a cylindrical post extending from the wall of the reservoir.

As shown in Fig. 2A, the ink guiding chamber 412 is formed by a bellows one-way valve 30 and recess portions 408 of the bottom 406, and its diameter is smaller than the diameter of the foot 310. The ink guiding chamber 412 is pre-filled with ink and the printer head is supplied with sufficient ink during the printing operation. The printhead needle 50 is inserted into the outer end of the ink outlet port through the resilient sealing member 52. In operation, the ink guiding chamber is under a negative pressure and there is a pressure difference between the ink chamber and the ink guiding chamber. Thus, the crown 330 of the bellows valve moves downward when the pressure reaches a predetermined level, e.g., 120 mm of water column, and the opening 332 is open, as the bellows valve separates from the valve sealing assembly 340, liquid ink fills the ink guiding chamber 412. and as indicated by the direction of the arrows, ink is being supplied to the print head. For a bellows one-way valve 30 according to the invention, the opening pressure is from -200 to 0 mm water column, preferably from -150 to -30 mm water column.

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When operation ceases, the bellows one-way valve 30 returns to its original position, with the bellows one-way valve 30 controlling flow of ink from the ink chamber 402.

During operation, the vent hole must be exposed to equalize the air pressure inside and outside the cartridge. If the vacuum inside the ink chamber increases during operation, air flows into the ink chamber 402 through the vent 414 to maintain a substantially constant vacuum. Any remaining ink, however, will leak from the vent hole when the ink cartridge is moved. Thus, to prevent leakage of ink from vent 414, it extends into the ink chamber 402 approximately one-third to one-half the depth of the chamber. It is recommended that ink does not leak through the vent hole. The vent opening extends into the chamber through a rubber or soft tube connected to the vent 414.

A screen filter 56 is located inside the ink exit port to keep air and debris from the needle out and improve print quality.

Figure 3 shows a spring 54 inserted between the bellows and the lowered wall of the cartridge. Spring 54 biases the bellows one-way valve 30 towards the sealing engagement with the valve packing assembly 340 to fine-tune the pressure. To prevent ink leakage, a soft tube 420 extends to one third of the depth of the ink chamber.

Further, the vent hole 414 may extend towards the inside of the ink chamber 402 to approximately one third of the depth of the ink chamber 402, as shown in Fig. 4.

To prevent ink leakage, vent 414 includes porous material 436 arranged to stop or obstruct the flow of ink as shown in FIG. 5.

As shown in Fig. 6, to prevent ink leakage while the ink cartridge is removed from the printer, it is best to insert a one-way valve 428 in the form of a cylindrical plug into vent 414. The connection of the one-way valve 428 to the opening 426 results in a tray 430 increasing the dimension A at the end of the plug relative to the dimension B at the other end, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B. The dimension A of the cylindrical end of the plug in a one-way valve 428 is greater than the diameter of the vent 414. The dimension B of the other cylindrical end of the plug is smaller than that of the port 426, which ensures both smooth air flow and sealing of the vent 414 with a one-way valve 428. when the ink cartridge is removed from the print head. If the stopper of the one-way valve 428 is in the vent 414 to prevent ink leakage, open the ink filler hole 440 for ink supply and seal this hole with sealing plug 438 as shown in Figure 6. By leaving sealing plug 438 in place. , you can conveniently refill the ink in the ink cartridge.

As shown in Fig. 8, the vent 414 includes a one-way valve 428 which is also enlarged and sectioned in Fig. 9. The one-way valve 428 is a ball lock and is supported by a resilient flat bar 434 with a vent for a smooth flow of air between. vent 414 and ink chamber 402.

As shown in Fig. 10, the bottom of the ink cartridge is inclined or slanted towards the outlet to direct the ink towards the outlet. Bellows one-way valve 30 and valve seal assembly 340 are disposed in the recess or recess 408. Wall of recess 408 includes a step 442. On top of valve seal assembly 340 there is aperture 418 and flange 344. Flange 344 mates with step 442. Tube in recess 408. U-shaped is made of stainless steel, one end of the tube connects to the vent 414, the other end is above the liquid level and extends into the fixed tray 446. A circular trough 444 is formed near the outlet at the bottom of the recess 408. The screen filter 56 is connected to the bottom of circular trough 444 to keep debris and air bubbles from entering the ink outlet 404. Integrated with the plug-like plug portion 526, a sealing member 52 seals the ink outlet 404.

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For reliable ink delivery, the rubber of the sealing unit has a hardness of 25-65 Shore, preferably 30-55. The preferred materials are SBR, EPM, EPDM, butyl rubber, chloroprene rubber, urethane rubber, ethylene rubber, acrylic rubber and SBP rubber.

As shown in Fig. 11B, the mounting cap 490 is a bowl with a cavity 494, an annular flange 492, and a through hole 496 in the center.

As shown in Figs. 11A, 11C, and 11D, the vent 414 is located in the center of the top cover 410 of the ink cartridge. The fixing cap 490 covers the vent hole. The balloon 450 is positioned on the collar 492 of the mounting cap 490 at the open end 452. The bore 496 is connected to the vent 414 and forms the stretched portions of the vent 414. In the wall of the balloon 450 there is a through bore 454 made by a needle with a diameter of approximately 0. 12 mm. The diameter of the open end 452 is approximately 6 mm. The volume of the sphere is approximately 1.8 ml; the thickness of the balloon is about 0.1 mm. Bellows one-way valve 30 is located proximate the ink outlet 404. The bore of the one-way valve is sealed by the sealing assembly 340. The three openings 418 in the sealing assembly of the valve allow ink to flow from the ink chamber 402 to the ink guiding chamber 412 underneath the bellows one-way valve 30 and to flow through the screen filter 56 into the ink outlet 404. The bottom 406 of the ink cartridge 400 includes two alignment grooves 469 or ink grooves to retain a sufficient amount of ink. Particularly when the balloon is in an enlarged state, the bottom of the balloon may contact the bottom of the ink cartridge and prevent the ink from flowing, but due to the guide groove 469 sufficient ink is supplied. In order to conveniently refill the ink chamber with ink, an ink fill opening 440 is provided on the right side of the top cover 410. When priming is complete, the sealing plug 438 seals the ink fill opening 440. Positioned in the center of the sealing member 52 is a plug portion 526. The printhead needle moves away the plug portion 526 and allows ink to flow through the needle into the printer while the printer is operating.

As the printer runs, the balloon 450 expands gradually as the ink flows steadily. When the balloon has expanded to a certain volume, an opening 454 in the wall of the balloon opens and the ink chamber is replenished with air to both balance the pressure and guarantee print quality. When the job is complete, the opening closes due to the resilient properties of the balloon, preventing ink from flowing into the balloon. The opening 454 in the wall of balloon 450 acts as a one-way valve and opens or closes as required for printing. As the ambient temperature changes, the air in the ink cartridge expands as the temperature increases and puts pressure on the balloon. As a result, air is forced out of the balloon to balance the pressure in the ink cartridge and prevent ink leakage. Especially when the ink cartridge is discarded after use or for other reasons, and when a large amount of remaining ink is in the ink cartridge in the latter situation, the ink cartridge may take a face-up position. In the above situation, as a rule of thumb, if the ink cartridge volume is 14ml and the temperature reaches 30 ° C, and the enlarged ratio is 10% of the initial, then the air rises to 1.4ml and the balloon volume is 1.8ml. This means that the expanded volume of the balloon is sufficient to bear the volume of the expanded air in the ink chamber. Thereby, the expanded air in the ink chamber squeezes air out of the balloon to balance the pressure in the ink chamber and prevent ink leakage.

Figure 11E shows a case according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. To deliver liquid ink, the bottom 406 of the ink chamber is inclined to the ink outlet 404. The balloon expands and may to some extent obstruct the opening 418 of the valve sealing assembly, stopping the flow of ink, so that the bottom 406 has protrusions 409 to guide the ink and support the balloon 450 to prevent it from clogging the opening 418.

On the wall of the cartridge there are several irregular labyrinth-groove vents 484, 485, and 486 that separately communicate with vent 414. In operation, air flows from vent 486 to vent 484 and vent 485 into balloon chamber 456. The vents 484, 485, and 486 are located on the surface of the lid 410, so that the surfaces of the vents 484, 485, and 486 are separately sealed by the package gasket 491 and 495 for shipping, as shown in Figure 11E. Before use, gasket 495 pack of 10

The tear-off is torn off to expose part of the labyrinth groove. The package seal 96 is pierced by the ink supply needle.

A circular projection 405 is provided on the wall of the chamber to support the sealing portions 524 of the sealing element 52. The inside of the projection 405 occupies the higher or upper side of the sealing portion 524, enhancing its rigidity and facilitating the separation of the plug portion from the sealing member.

An opening 470 is provided in the outlet wall as a necessary part for the filling process. The opening communicates with the upper chamber of the sealing portion and is sealed by a plug 472.

Fig. 12 shows another example of an ink leakage protection device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The device is a flexible diaphragm 480 which is connected to the cover 410 of the cartridge 400 by means of an outlet 481. At the bottom of the flexible diaphragm 480 is a vent 484. Both the principle of the ink cartridge and preventing ink leakage are the same as described in connection with Fig. 11A.

Figure 13A and Figure 13B show another embodiment of the invention in which the same element numerals are used similar to Figure 11A. The plastic balloon 460 is made of a non-elastic material and has pleated layers. The plastic balloon 460 is connected to the cover 410 of the cartridge 400 at the opening 462. The ink filling opening 440 is located in the wall of the ink cartridge 400. During printer operation, ink flows from ink outlet 404 and air enters the plastic balloon 460 through vent 414 and allows the plastic balloon to stretch slowly until the corrugated layers 464 are fully extended and the plastic balloon 460 is fully extended. will stretch. As shown in Figure 13B, the mouth of the plastic balloon 460 is a rectangle 47 mm long by 14 mm wide. When the corrugated layers are fully extended and the ink is not exhausted, a gap 468 at the bottom of the plastic balloon 460 is required to provide a small amount of air to balance the pressure in the ink reservoir for uninterrupted printing. Both the principle of the ink cartridge and the protection against ink leakage are the same as described with reference to Fig. 11A.

Figures 14A-14E disclose additional, alternative forms of sealing assemblies positioned in the ink outlet 404. Thus, it will be understood that the rest of the structure is substantially identical to that shown and described with reference to the embodiment of Fig. 11A. While the sealing units of Figs. 14A-14E have different shapes and configurations, each sealing unit essentially functions and operates in the same manner. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 14A, the plastic sealing portion 64 is fused to the plastic ring 66 disposed between the first and second O-rings 62. In Fig. 14B, a plastic sealing portion 68 is positioned in the outer mouth of the ink outlet 404. In Fig. 14C, a uniformly shaped seal member 70 is disposed within the ink outlet 404 with a divider 72. In Fig. 14D, a cap-shaped seal member 74 is provided with a divider 72 and is positioned in the ink outlet 404. The last Figure 14E shows a cap-shaped sealing member 76 having a steel ring 78 and having a septum 72 located in the ink outlet 404.

Fig. 15A shows yet another preferred embodiment of the invention that includes a seal member 52 having a plugging portion 526 which is locally separated by frangible connecting portion 528. The seal member 52 is made of a resilient material with a 30-50 Shore hardness. When the ink supply needle is inserted through the seal portion 524, the plugging portion of the seal assembly is at least partially separated from the rest of the seal assembly. The preferred width of the breakable connecting portion 528 is 0-0.3mm, and the preferred thickness of the breakable partition is 0.15-0.4mm. Preferably, plug portion 526 has a generally flat surface for receiving an ink supply needle to facilitate piercing thereof. The dimension in the horizontal direction of the sealing portion 524 is selected to retain the plugging portion upon insertion of the ink supply needle 50. As shown in Fig. 15B, the seal member 52 allows the ink supply needle to pass through by breaking off the frangible connecting portion 528. Thus, the outer wall of the ink supply needle is sealed by the seal portion 524.

PL 197 394 B1

In Fig. 16A, the connection portion 528 is thinner on one side than the other. This ensures that the plug portion 526 is separated along the thinner partition and remains connected to the seal portion of the thicker partition, as shown in Fig. 16B. The embodiment shown in Fig. 17 differs from other forms of sealing assemblies mainly in the shape of the plug portion, in this case the plug portion is substantially cylindrical in shape. Further, the plug portion is connected to the sealing assembly of the frangible connecting portion 528 as a thin ribbon on one side and a thicker ribbon on the other side that holds the cylindrical plug immediately after being punctured by the needle. The conical surface 525 within the seal assembly facilitates the separation of the plug portion 526 from the thin web. The conical surface 525 facilitates the upward pushing of the tamping portion, the angle of inclination between the conical surface 525 and the lateral direction is preferably about 30-45 °. The embodiment of Fig. 18A shows a splicing portion 528 of medium thickness, and Fig. 18B shows that the web may be thinner on one side 529 than the other side 529 '. The thickness of the thickest part is 0.3-0.4mm and the thinnest part is 0.15-0.25mm.

The sealing portion 524 in the embodiment of Fig. 19 is elongated in the needle puncture direction. The plug portion 526 is generally cylindrical in shape and is positioned close to one end of the sealing portion 524. Moreover, the connecting portion 528 or the thin brittle web is thinner on one side than on the other, allowing the seal portion to pivot relative to the wall 524 '. As an ink supply needle (not shown) is advanced through the seal assembly, the thin frangible web is broken and the seal portion rotates about wall 524 '. Further, the elongated seal portion 524 sealingly contacts the outer surface of the ink supply needle.

The sealing portion is compact and satisfies various requirements such as assembly and transportation as well as in use, so that the sealing film for the spout piercing ink needle is reduced and the difficulty of piercing the septum of the sealing member of a conventional ink cartridge has been reduced. overcome.

Referring to Fig. 20A, vent 414 is spaced from ink outlet 404. Thus, the package seal 96 is shaped to cover both the vent 414 and the ink outlet 404 to prevent leakage of ink during transport. The package sealing portion indicated by the arrows as shown in the figure is intended to be removed when the cartridge is prepared for insertion prior to installing the cartridge by lifting on the projection. The remainder of this strip of sealing film is similarly handled towards the ink outlet 404, which is also opened by removing the package seal. Removal of the package seal exposes vent 414 and ink outlet 404. Thus, the ink chamber is in fluid communication with the vent port. The ink outlet 404 is then aligned with the ink supply needle (not shown).

The embodiment of Fig. 20B illustrates an arrangement in which the vent port and the ink supply port are closed on the same vertical side of the cartridge. A foil seal 98 permanently seals an ink fill opening 440 in the lid or lid 410 of the ink cartridge. A package seal 96 connected to the coupling portion 94 is attached to the ink cartridge for shipping and is intended to be removed by pulling upwards.

Figures 21 and 11E show the flow of filling the cartridge 400 with ink under positive pressure. First, the ink is stored in the reservoir 618 which is connected to one side of the pump 614 by the ink tube 616, the other end of the pump connects to the ink cartridge 400 via the tube 610. In the center of the tube 610 is a control device 612 in the form of a flow meter for control of the amount of liquid supplied. When the ink cartridge is full to the specified level, refilling stops. Then the draw-off needle 604 is inserted into the opening 470, while the other end of the needle connects to the vacuum pump 602 through the flexible tube 606. In the connecting portion, between the flexible tube 606 and the draw-off needle 604, an air separator 608 is provided to separate the air and liquid. and liquid. During operation of the pump, air in the ink chamber 402 will be drawn off as there is a pressure difference on opposite sides of the bellows one-way valve 30 and this will contribute to its separation from the sealing assembly 340 of the valve. As a result, ink is drawn from the ink chamber 402 and fills the ink guiding chamber 412 through the opening 418 of the sealing assembly 340 of the valve and the opening 332 of the bellows12.

One-way valve 30. Inserting a sealing plug 438 into the ink-filling opening 440 completes the filling operation.

As shown in Fig. 22, the ink cartridge 400 is in a position with the ink supply port facing downward. The ink reservoir 618 is sealed to the ink cartridge 400 by a tube 616. In the center of the tube 616 is an ink flow control device 612 for controlling the amount of liquid supplied. In the opening 470 of the ink cartridge 400, the tube needle 606 is driven into the rubber plug 472 and connects the tube to the ink-guiding chamber 412. The other end of the tube connects to a vacuum pump 602. An air-liquid separator 608 is connected to the tube 606. When air in the ink guiding chamber 412 of the ink cartridge 400 is drawn and the pressure difference between opposite sides of the valve is changed, the valve opens and air from the ink chamber 402 is also drawn in and ink flows into the ink chamber 402. The ink cartridge 400 is in an upside down position which allows ink from the ink chamber 402 to flow rapidly and fill the ink guiding chamber. When the ink reaches a certain volume, refilling stops. In practice, the ink cartridge can be inserted with the front side and the process is the same. As shown in Fig. 2A, when the large diameter of the one-way bellows valve 30 is less than 11 millimeters and the volume of air retained in the ink guiding chamber 412 is less than 0.4 mm ³ , it is not necessary to fill the ink guiding chamber 412 with ink. Trapped air in the ink guidance chamber must be extracted, for example during a printer cleaning operation. The remainder of the ink cartridge may be filled at normal atmospheric pressure or at a pressure sufficiently low relative to atmospheric pressure.

Under vacuum conditions, the pressure in the small trough under the one-way bellow valve 30 is from -700mPa to -750mPa, while the pressure above the valve increases as the amount of ink in the ink tank increases. Upon reaching a predetermined value, the bellows one-way valve 30 opens and allows ink to flow to the lower portion of the reservoir. The volume of the lower part of the valve reservoir is so small that it can be filled at almost the same time that the bellows one-way valve 30 is opened. The bellows one-way valve then closes due to its resilient properties and the upper part fills completely until the filling process is complete.

As shown in Fig. 23, the maximum diameter of the foot is 9mm, and there is no need to protect the ink and place a hole in the wall, but there is a need to provide a fill hole in the cover of the cartridge. There is also no need to extract air during the process. The reservoir 618 is connected to one side of the liquid pump 614 by a tube 616, and its other side is connected to the orifice of the ink cartridge 400 by a tube 610. An ink flow control device 612 is located in the center of the tube 610 for controlling the amount of ink. During ink filling, it flows directly from the ink fill port 440 into the ink chamber 402 and destroys the ink meniscus formed by the overpressure in the ink fill port 440. As can be seen from Fig. 11E and Fig. 24, the ink cartridge according to the invention could also use a negative pressure to refill the ink. During ink filling, primarily the assembled ink cartridge 400 is inserted upright or on its side, and the needle 506 is inserted into the ink filling opening 440 provided in the cartridge cover 410 of the cartridge. The second end of the needle 506 connects to the tube 508, which is connected to the vessel of the ink supply 502. The vessel level of the ink supply tank 502 is higher than that of the ink cartridge 400. Air port 470 in wall of ink outlet 404 is plugged with plug 472. Air needle 560 is driven into plug 472 at one end and connects air-liquid separator 580 through solenoid valve 540. Air-liquid separator 580 communicates with pump 590 by an ink flow controller 570. During filling, the pressure device 510 seals the cartridge lid 400 and the vacuum pump switch 590 is turned on at this point. During operation of the vacuum pump 590, the solenoid valve 540 is open, the solenoid valve 520 is closed, and air is drawn from the bottom of the one-way bellows valve 30. The bellows one-way valve 30 is opened in response to the pressure difference, and as a result air from the top of the one-way bellows 30 is also withdrawn. At the same time, air from the balloon chamber 456 is withdrawn as it is in the wall of the balloon 450

There is an opening 454 in the control device 570 when the pressure gauge 570 indicates a pressure of -700 to -750 mPa, the solenoid valve 540 is closed and the solenoid valve 520 and the solenoid valve 530 are open. The existing negative pressure in the ink cartridge causes ink to be drawn from the ink supply reservoir 502 into the ink cartridge reservoir. As the amount of ink in the ink cartridge increases, the pressure of the top of the valve increases to a certain value, while the pressure in the ink guiding chamber remains below atmospheric (about 700 to 750mPa), the bellows one-way valve 30 opens and allows flow of ink into the ink guidance chamber. The lower part of the valve is filled at almost the same time as the opening time of the bellow one-way valve

30. The bellows one-way valve then closes due to its resilient properties and the upper part fills up completely and the filling process is completed.

According to the invention, a control device 570 in the form of a vacuum gauge is connected to the vacuum pump 590 on one side and to a solenoid valve 540 on the other side. When the vacuum gauge indicates a vacuum of 700 to 750 mPa, the solenoid valve 540 is closed and separates the air draw-off needle 534 from the plug 472 of the air hole 470.

It is highly appreciated that the bellows one-way valve 30 may alternatively be provided with a recess formed by the inner wall of the ink outlet opening, it is also envisaged that the recess in the ink outlet opening may include a circular stepped area formed by the bottom wall of the recess for receiving a filter element, e.g. a filter. sieve 56.

The invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. It is evident that various modifications and changes will occur upon reading and understanding this application. Such modifications and changes are intended to be made.

The invention adapts the one-way valve to control the ink flow, the efficiency is effectively increased and the cost is greatly reduced, moreover, the ink filling process is convenient for the whole range of production capacities.

Claims (38)

An ink cartridge for inkjet recording devices, comprising a cartridge body for receiving ink with at least one ink chamber, the cartridge body having at least one vent to allow air to flow between the ink chamber and ambient air, at least one opening the ink outflow for supplying ink from the ink chamber, at least one sealing member positioned in the ink outlet port to seal it, at least one bellows one-way valve positioned in the ink chamber for controlling the ink flow, characterized in that the at least one one-way valve comprises a unitary element having a foot (310) sealing the inner wall of the ink outlet port, a wall (322) extending from the inside of the foot (310), a rim (324) sloping towards the interior of the valve chamber delimited by the wall (322), and a crown (330) protruding from the wreath (324) with the through bore (332) and the at least one valve sealing assembly (340) selectively held in contact with the crown bore by a pressure differential. 2. Atrame insert according to 1, characterized in that the wall protrudes at an angle from the foot (310). 3. Contribution to suit. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the rim (324) with the inwardly folded wall (322) forms a recess constituting the valve chamber. 4. Ink contribution according to rules. The method of claim 1, wherein the crown (330) extends at an angle from the rim (324). 5. Ink cartridge according to rules. 3. The crown through-hole of claim 1, characterized in that the through hole of the crown is conical. 6. Atramen cartridge according to claim 4, characterized by. that the angle of inclination of the crown (330) is greater than the angle of inclination of the wall (322). 7. Contribution to the atrame according to the provision: The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the foot (3100) is greater than the thickness of the crown (330) and the thickness of the crown (330) is greater than the thickness of the crown (324). 8. Atramen cartridge according to claim According to claim 1, characterized by that (408) is οϋ ^ ηϊοζοηβ through the inner wall facing the ink discharge port (404) to receive the valve. PL 197 394 B1 9. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, The recess as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the recess (408) further comprises a stepped circular area defined by the bottom face of the recess for receiving a filter element. 10. The ink cartridge according to claim 1 The method of claim 1, wherein the crown (330) of the one-way bellows valve (30) is slightly compressed with the valve sealing assembly (340) in the rest state. 11. An ink cartridge according to claim 1. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a safety device preventing ink leakage from the venting hole is disposed at the vent (414). 12. An ink cartridge according to claim 1. The method of claim 11, wherein the ink leak protection device comprises a tube (420) protruding from the vent port (414) into the ink chamber. 13. \ Contribution to atrameni according to charts. The method of claim 11, wherein the ink leak protection device comprises a bent tube (422) surrounding the periphery of the vent port (414) with one end connected to the vent port and the other end extending beyond the ink level. 14. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, The ink leak protection device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the ink leak protection device comprises a bag-like device positioned in the ink chamber (402), including an open end (452) for engagement with a vent (414) and a microscopic opening (454) located in the wall of the bag-like member. 15. The ink cartridge according to claim 1, The bag of claim 14, characterized in that the bag-like element is a resilient balloon (450) with an open end (452). 16. An ink cartridge according to claim 1. The method of claim 15, characterized in that the cup-shaped mounting cap (490) for mounting the resilient balloon (450) includes a through hole, the wide end hole being sized to encircle the outer circumference of the vent projection (414) and narrow. an end acting as an extension part of this vent and a collar (492) for mounting the open end (452) of the resilient balloon (450). 17. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, The method of claim 1, wherein the bottom (406) of the ink chamber (402) is inclined towards the ink outlet (404). 18. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, According to claim 1, characterized by that at least one alignment groove (469) is formed on the surface of the bottom (406) of the ink chamber (402). 19. An ink cartridge according to claim 1; The method of claim 14, wherein a projection (409) is provided on the bottom (406) of the ink chamber (402) for locking the bag-like element. 20. A lot of atrameni according to the assassinations. 14. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the open end (452) of the bag-like element has an opening substantially equal to the diameter of the vent opening (414) in the wall of the cartridge body. 21. Contribution to atrameni according to zassirz. 20, characterized by. that the baggy elemenn has kiikan of overlapping layers. 22. Atramene cartridge according to claim 1 According to claim 1, characterized by that the back-up opening (414) communicates with the outside by an irregular air vent (484, 485, 486) formed in the wall of the cartridge body. 23. Contribution to the atramen according to the rules. 22, characterized by the following. that the breather (484, 485, 486) of the air guide is disposed on the inner surface of the wall. 24. An ink cartridge according to 22, characterized in that an air guide film is provided on the outer surface of the wall, on which the vent hole is provided. 25. Contribution to the atrameni according to 1, characteristic of it. an ink filling opening (440) which is sealed with a sealing plug ( ⁴³⁸ ) is provided in the wall of the cartridge body. 26. The ink drawing according to claim The method of claim 1, wherein the sealing member (52) disposed in the ink outlet (404) comprises a support portion (520) integrally formed with the interior of the chamber, supported by an inner wall of the ink outlet port, the sealing portion (524) protruding annually from the support portion ( 520), a plug portion (526) mating with the seal portion (524) and a peripheral connection portion (528) between the seal portion (524) and the plug portion (526), wherein at a certain pressure value, the plug portion (526) is separated from the portion. connecting link (528). PL 197 394 B1 27. The ink cartridge of claim 1; 26, characterized in that a conical surface (525) is situated inside said sealing element (52). 28. The ink cartridge of claim 1; The method of claim 26, characterized in that a circular recess for receiving a support portion (520) of the sealing member (52) to facilitate separation of the plug portion (526) from the seal member. 29. The ink cartridge of claim 1; 26, characterized in that the thickness of the connecting portion (528) is different. 30. The ink cartridge of claim 1; The process of claim 29, characterized in that the thickness of the connecting portion (528) decreases from one side to the other. 31. An ink cartridge according to claims The method of claim 1, wherein the wall of the ink outlet port (404) includes an exhaust gas port (470). 32. A one-way valve for controlling ink flow comprising a foot (310), a wall (322) extending from the inside of the foot (310), a rim (324) sloping toward the interior of the valve chamber delimited by the wall (322), and a crown (330). ) protruding from the rim (324) with a through hole (332). 33. A one-way valve as claimed in claim 33. The method of claim 32, characterized in that the rim (324) with the inwardly folded wall (322) forms a recess defining the valve chamber. 34. A valve (one-way valve according to claim 33), characterized in that the crown (330) projects at an angle from the rim (324). 35. Valve (one-way valve according to Figure 32, characterized in that the thickness of the foot (310) (ess greater than the thickness of the crown (330) and the thickness of the crown (330) is greater than the thickness of the rim (324)). 36. A method of filling an ink cartridge for inkjet recording devices comprising a cartridge body for receiving ink with at least one ink chamber, the cartridge body having at least one vent to allow air to flow between the ink chamber and ambient air, at least one ink outlet for supplying ink from the ink chamber, at least one sealing member positioned in the ink outlet port to seal it, at least one bellows one-way valve positioned in the ink chamber for controlling the ink flow, characterized in that the ink cartridge seals, creating a vacuum in the ink guiding basin of the cartridge by drawing air from both the ink guiding basin and the ink chamber, filling the ink cartridge with a predetermined amount of ink. 37. The ink-filling method according to claim 37. 3Q, characterized in that a draw-off needle is inserted into the exhaust gas opening in the wall of the ink guiding trough to draw air from both the ink guiding trough and the ink chamber. 38. An ink refilling device for an ink cartridge for inkjet recording devices, comprising a cartridge body for receiving ink with at least one ink chamber, the cartridge body having at least one vent to allow air to flow between the ink chamber and ambient air. at least one ink outlet for supplying ink from the ink chamber, at least one sealing member positioned in the ink outlet port to seal it, at least one bellows one-way valve positioned in the ink chamber to control the ink flow, characterized in that it comprises a compression device for cartridge cover sealing, ink supply tank (502, 618), ink fill needle (506) which enters the ink cartridge and communicates with the ink supply tank via tube (508, 610), ink flow control device (570, 612) with accumulator ika (502, 618) ink supply to ink cartridge, vacuum pump (602, 590), draw-off needle (534, 604) that connects to vacuum pump (602, 590) on one side and penetrates the gas opening (470) an outlet ink cartridge on the other hand, wherein two valves (540) are located separately at the tubes between the flow control device (570, 612) and the ink supply reservoir (502, 618), and between the flow control device and the ink filling needle (506). ).