JP3606319B2 - Inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus including an ink supply mechanism that supplies ink in an appropriate negative pressure state to a recording head that discharges ink droplets in response to a print signal.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An ink jet recording apparatus usually includes an ink jet recording head that ejects ink droplets in response to a print signal on a carriage that reciprocates in the paper width direction of the recording paper, and supplies ink from an external ink tank to the recording head. It is configured. Such an ink storage container such as an ink tank is detachably mounted on a carriage in a small recording apparatus, and is installed in a box in a large recording apparatus via an ink supply tube. Connected to the recording head.
[0003]
The ink tank mounted on the carriage is usually constructed by containing a porous material such as sponge and impregnating it with ink in order to reduce the pressure change due to the ripple of ink caused by the reciprocating movement of the carriage as much as possible. Has been.
[0004]
In addition, when ink is supplied from a large-capacity ink bag installed in the box through the ink supply tube, the carriage is used to prevent ink pressure change due to bending of the tube due to reciprocation of the carriage. Ink is supplied to the recording head via a sub tank having a damping function for preventing a change in ink pressure due to the movement of the ink.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For this reason, there is a problem that the size and weight of the ink tank are larger than the amount of ink that can be accommodated in the former, and the amount of ink that can be accommodated in the latter. There is a problem that a mechanism for preventing a change in ink pressure due to movement is required and the structure becomes complicated.
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to supply ink to a recording head while maintaining a negative pressure suitable for printing regardless of movement of the carriage. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus including a supply mechanism and a capping mechanism that can prevent leakage of ink to the outside.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve such a problem, in the present invention, an ink chamber, an atmosphere communication connection port that communicates with each of the ink chambers and maintains a normally closed state, an ink supply connection port, and the ink An ink cartridge having a negative pressure generating mechanism for discharging the ink in the chamber to the ink supply connection port while maintaining a predetermined negative pressure state, and opening the atmosphere communication connection port to the atmosphere via a capillary. A connection unit having a connection part for communicating, a connection part for opening the ink supply connection port to supply ink to the ink jet recording head, and a nozzle plate having a nozzle opening for ejecting ink droplets supplied with ink via said connecting unit, also communicates with the end of the capillary, Bei the air opening which opens to the atmosphere at the surface of the nozzle plate And said ink jet recording head, a first recess for sealing the nozzle openings of the ink jet recording head, and a second recess for sealing the atmosphere communication port independently, said first recess wherein is connected to the negative pressure generating mechanism, also it was to comprise a capping means for the second recess is in communication with the atmosphere via a valve.
[0007]
[Action]
When the ink cartridge is removed from the connection means, the ink chamber is maintained in a sealed state by the valve body, and leakage of ink and volatilization of the ink solvent are prevented. In the state where it is attached to the connecting means, the valve body is opened, the ink chamber is communicated with the atmosphere, and the ink in the ink chamber is supplied to the recording head while maintaining a constant negative pressure.
Further, only the nozzle openings are sealed by the capping means to fill the recording head with ink and to eliminate clogging, and the atmosphere opening is sealed to prevent the ink from flowing out to the atmosphere opening.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, details of the present invention will be described below based on the illustrated embodiment.
1 to 3 show an embodiment of the ink cartridge of the present invention. The ink cartridge 1 has an ink chamber 2 extending vertically on one side and negative pressure generation described later on the other side. A mechanism 3 is formed, and an atmosphere communication connection port 4 and an ink supply connection port 5 are formed in the upper and lower portions of the ink chamber 2 respectively.
[0009]
Each of the connection ports 4 and 5 has communication windows 4a and 5a formed on the peripheral surface thereof, and the valve bodies 10 and 20 are accommodated therein so as to be movable in the axial direction. When the valve bodies 10 and 20 are in the closed state, the openings 12 and 22 communicating with the connection ports 4 and 5 are sealed on the other end side of the slide shafts 11 and 21 with one ends 11a and 21a protruding from the connection ports 4 and 5. The packings 13 and 23 made of elastic bodies to be stopped are fitted, and inserted into the connection ports 4 and 5 so that the packings 13 and 23 are brought into elastic contact with the openings 12 and 22 by the springs 14 and 24, respectively.
[0010]
With such a configuration, when the ink cartridge 1 is mounted in the connection unit 50 described later, both the atmosphere communication connection port 4 and the ink supply connection port 5 maintain the valve open state to supply ink to the recording head. it can.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 3, the negative pressure generating mechanism 3 is a flow that also functions as a membrane chamber 31 and a fixture that fixes the outer periphery of the membrane valve 31 to the valve chamber 30 formed of a concave section communicating with the ink chamber 2. The path forming member 32 is accommodated, and an area including the ink chamber 2 is attached with films 33 and 33 ′ having an air shielding property. A convex portion 34 is formed in the center of the valve chamber 30, and a through hole 35 is formed in the membrane valve 31 at a position facing the convex portion 34.
[0012]
FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the ink flow path formed in the negative pressure generating mechanism 3 separately on the front and back, respectively, and the flow (1), flow through the ink chamber 2 to the filter 36. The flow (2) flowing into the through hole 39 of the valve chamber 30 from the hole 37 via the flow path 38, the flow (3) passing through the membrane valve 31, the through hole 40 of the valve chamber 30 and the through holes 41, 42 And a flow {circle around (4)} passing through the flow path 43 connecting the two, and a flow {circle around (5)} flowing through the flow path 45 connecting the through hole 44 and the through hole 42 communicating with the ink supply connection port 5.
[0013]
FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional structure of the negative pressure generating mechanism 3, and the membrane valve 31 is formed as a diaphragm having a thick part around it, and the through hole 35 is elastically projected to the convex part 34 by a spring 47. It is touched. The spring 47 is set so that its elastic pressure can maintain the negative pressure of the ink to the recording head and supply ink following the recording operation.
[0014]
FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the connection unit 50, in which the ink cartridge 1 is connected to the main body 53 having walls 51 and 52 that match the shape of the front surface and the bottom surface of the ink cartridge 1. Recesses 54 and 55 are formed to accommodate the port 4 and the ink supply connection port 5 and form connection portions for opening the valve bodies 10 and 20 by retreating.
[0015]
The concave portion 54 that engages with the atmosphere communication connection port 4 extends to the recording head 59 via a capillary 57 formed on the surface of the main body, and the concave portion 55 is connected to the recording head 59 via the communication hole 58. It is communicated.
[0016]
The recording head 59 is supplied with ink from the ink cartridge 1 and discharges the ink pressurized by the pressure generating means as droplets, and the nozzle opening 60 is formed in communication with the end portion 57 a of the capillary 57. And an atmosphere opening 62 formed in the nozzle plate 61.
[0017]
In such a configuration, when the ink cartridge filled with ink is inserted into the recesses 54 and 55 forming the connection portions of the connection unit 50 as shown in FIG. Is pressed against the walls of the recesses 54 and 55 to open the valve, and the ink in the ink chamber 2 can be supplied to the recording head 59.
[0018]
FIG. 8A shows an embodiment of the capping mechanism 70, in which only the region where the nozzle openings 60 of the recording head 59 are formed is selectively sealed, and ink (not shown) is formed by the openings 71a. The first cap 71 communicates with the suction pump, and the second cap 72 seals both the nozzle opening and the atmosphere opening 62. Note that the second cap 72 described above is configured to have a recess that forms a sealed space, but as shown in FIG. 8B, the second cap 72 is elastically in contact with the nozzle opening and the atmosphere opening of the nozzle plate. Even if it is formed as a sealable flat surface 73, the same effect is obtained.
[0019]
In this state, when the recording head 59 is sealed by the first cap 71 of the capping means 70 and a negative pressure is applied to the recording head 59 as shown in FIG. Since a strong negative pressure acts on the supply connection port 5, the membrane valve 31 opens, the ink in the ink chamber 2 flows into the recording head 59, and the recording head 59 is filled with ink.
[0020]
On the other hand, when the ink is consumed by the recording head 59 and the negative pressure of the ink supply connection port 5 increases, the pressure difference between the front and back of the membrane valve 31 increases, so that the membrane valve 31 that has received the ink pressure in the ink chamber 2. Is separated from the convex portion 34 against the urging force of the spring 47. As a result, the through hole 35 of the membrane valve 31 is opened, the through hole 39 and the through hole 42 communicate with each other, and the ink flows into the ink outlet 6.
[0021]
When ink flows into the recording head 59 and the negative pressure of the ink supply connection port 5 becomes small, the membrane valve 31 is pressed against the convex portion 34 by the biasing force of the spring 47 and the through hole 35 is sealed by the convex portion 34. The Thereafter, the membrane valve 31 repeats contact and separation with the convex portion 34 so that the ink pressure at the ink supply connection port 5 becomes a constant negative pressure.
[0022]
If printing failure occurs due to clogging of the nozzle opening 60 during the recording operation, as shown in FIG. 9A, recording is performed by sealing with the first cap 71 as in the cartridge loading. When negative pressure is applied to the head 59, ink is forcibly discharged from the nozzle openings 60 of the recording head 59, and clogging is eliminated.
[0023]
When the printing operation is suspended, the recording head 59 is moved to the second cap 72 of the capping unit 70 to seal the recording head 59, and as shown in FIG. Since the opening 62 is sealed together, even if the ink cartridge 1 is tilted due to movement of the recording device or the like and the ink reaches the atmosphere communication connection port 4 and leaks from the atmosphere opening 62, It can be accommodated and leakage outside the recording apparatus can be prevented.
[0024]
In the above-described embodiment, the area where the nozzle opening 60 of the recording head 59 is formed and the area where the nozzle opening 60 and the atmosphere opening 62 are sealed together are configured by separate caps. However, as shown in FIG. 10, a recess 91 that seals only the region where the nozzle opening 60 is formed in the same cap 90 and a recess 92 that seals only the atmosphere opening 62 are formed, and each is switched. Even if the valve 93 is connected to the recess 91 as a suction pump and the recess 92 is connected to the atmosphere, or the recess 92 is shut off from the atmosphere as shown in FIG.
[0025]
In the above-described embodiment, the atmosphere communication connection port 4 and the ink supply connection port 5 are arranged in the upper part and the lower part of the ink chamber 2, respectively. The connection ports 4 and 5 can be provided at appropriate positions if they communicate with a predetermined region of the ink chamber 2 via the.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when the ink cartridge is removed from the connecting means, the ink chamber is maintained in a sealed state by the valve body, thereby preventing ink leakage and ink solvent volatilization. . In the state where it is mounted on the connection means, the valve body is opened, the ink chamber is communicated with the atmosphere, and the ink in the ink chamber can be supplied to the recording head while maintaining a constant negative pressure.
In addition, the capping means can seal only the nozzle openings to eliminate ink filling and clogging in the recording head. Sealing the atmosphere opening allows the ink to flow out of the atmosphere opening. Can be prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an ink cartridge of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the ink cartridge.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the same ink cartridge.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the flow of ink in the negative pressure generating mechanism of the ink cartridge, respectively. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of the negative pressure generating mechanism and the ink flow.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a connection unit.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state where an ink cartridge is mounted on a connection unit.
FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams showing an embodiment of capping means, respectively.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams showing capping modes during ink suction and in a rest state, respectively.
FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing another embodiment of the capping unit, respectively, in the state of ink suction and at rest.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink cartridge 2 Ink chamber 3 Negative pressure generating mechanism 4 Atmospheric communication connection port 5 Ink supply connection port 6 Ink outlet port 10, 20 Valve body 11, 21 Slide shaft 13, 23 Packing 14, 24 Spring 31 Membrane valve 50 Connection Units 54 and 55 Concave portion 57 forming a connecting portion Capillary 59 Recording head 60 Nozzle opening 61 Nozzle plate 62 Atmospheric opening 70 Capping mechanism 71 Cap 71a Opening 72 Cap 73 Plane

Claims (1)

An ink chamber, an atmosphere communication connection port that communicates with each of the ink chambers and maintains a normally closed state, a connection port for ink supply, and the ink in the ink chamber while maintaining a predetermined negative pressure state An ink cartridge having a negative pressure generating mechanism for discharging to the ink supply connection port;
A connection unit comprising: a connection portion that opens the atmosphere communication connection port to communicate with the atmosphere via a capillary; and a connection portion that opens the ink supply connection port and supplies ink to the ink jet recording head; ,
A nozzle plate having a nozzle opening for ejecting ink droplets is provided, receives ink supply through the connection unit, communicates with the end of the capillary, and opens to the atmosphere on the surface of the nozzle plate. The inkjet recording head having an air opening;
A first recess that seals the nozzle opening of the ink jet recording head and a second recess that seals the atmosphere communication port are provided independently, and the first recess is connected to the negative pressure generating mechanism. Capping means in which the second recess communicates with the atmosphere via a valve;
An ink jet recording apparatus comprising:

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