JPS6044352A - Waste ink-trapping cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the leak of waste ink when drawing a cartridge by a method in which a plastic thin film enclosed bag into which waste ink is to be housed is provided, an air-permeable filter is provided to a part of the bag, and the bag is housed in the cartridge. CONSTITUTION:When waste ink is discarded through a tube 6' into a bag 8 from the tip of a needle 7 by action of a pump, the bag 8 is filled with the waste ink according to the amount of the waste ink, and as the bag 8 expands, air in the container 1' is discharged from an opening 12 to outside. A great amount of air coming in, together with the waste ink, goes out to the outside through an air-permeable filter 15, but not liquid. The filter 15, although not the same according to its air permeability and also to amount of air coming into the waste ink trap, can exhibit its sufficient air deflating function when used in slight part of the waste ink trap in general.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention Technical Field The present invention relates to a waste ink reservoir cartridge, and more particularly to a waste ink reservoir cartridge that stores ink that is no longer needed in a recording device that prints by ejecting ink from a nozzle. It is.

Conventional technology Conventionally, in inkjet recording devices and the like equipped with this type of waste ink reservoir cartridge, when printing, air bubbles, dust, receding meniscus at the tip of the nozzle, etc. cause ejection failure and make it impossible to obtain clear prints. Sometimes.

In such cases, most of the ink can be recovered by pushing out the ink inside the nozzle, sucking it in, or ejecting it with high voltage using various mechanisms, but the ink that is pushed out, sucked in, etc. However, a waste ink reservoir is required to discard or temporarily store ink that has been ejected not for printing. In addition to the above, there is also a waste ink reservoir that is not used for printing and is a reservoir for ejecting ink due to differences in methods.

The capacity of this waste ink reservoir varies depending on the number of defective prints, the number of recovery operations, the amount of ink pushed out or sucked in one recovery operation, and the amount of ink droplets ejected. However, from the perspective of the overall configuration of the device, it is possible to reduce the capacity of the waste ink reservoir to make it more compact, without being subject to restrictions such as installation location, and moreover, to reduce costs. However, if the capacity of the ink reservoir is made smaller than the required capacity, the ink reservoir will need to be replaced periodically, and if one tries to install an ink reservoir that meets the required capacity. , a considerable amount of space must be secured, which may result in unreasonable drafting.

In consideration of these conditions, a structure as shown in FIG. 1 is known as a conventional waste ink reservoir cartridge. That is, what is indicated by the reference numeral 1 in Fig. 1 is a sealed hollow container, in which half-sized containers usually made of plastic mold are stacked in a hollow shape, the seam is filled with silicone 3, etc., and the container is housed inside. The container 1 is formed to prevent waste ink from leaking out of the container 1. In addition, an absorbent material 2 made of a porous material such as a water-absorbing polymer or a sponge is placed and fixed in the hollow container 1 in advance to absorb and retain waste ink.

A part of this container 1 is provided with an opening 5 into which a plastic or metal insertion port 4 provided at the end of a tube 6 connected to a waste ink feed pump (not shown) is inserted. ing.

A waste ink supply pump (
Waste ink is dumped from the insertion port 4 inserted into the opening 5 via the tube 6 (not shown). This discarded waste ink is absorbed and held by the absorbent material 2 inside, and is held in the container 1.
Even if the opening 5, which is the connection part with the insertion [] 4, is pulled out and the opening 5 is turned downward, or the container 1 is shaken around a little, no leakage will occur from the opening 5.

However, there is naturally a limit to the ability of this absorbent material 2 to absorb and retain waste ink, and waste ink exceeding that limit is stored in the container 1.
In addition to this, leakage from the opening 5 may also occur.

Absorption absorbers made of high-molecular water-absorbing polymers have the ability to absorb 50 to 100 times their own weight in saline water, depending on the type, and are used in some products such as towels and napkins, but they are expensive. However, it is not that cheap, which prevents it from being used in large quantities. Therefore, in reality, relatively inexpensive sponge-based water-absorbing materials are often used.

In addition, in the case of such a structure, the waste ink is dumped with a certain force from the tip of the insertion port 4 inserted through the opening 5, so the opening 5 also functions as an air vent. If you don't do a good job of venting the air, the waste ink will turn into tiny droplets and come out together with the air. Therefore, countermeasures must be taken for the opening 5, but these various measures are omitted in FIG.

In this way, in the conventional example, the waste ink reservoir cartridge 1
If you remove the ink from the insertion slot 4, there is a risk that waste ink may leak or small droplets may come out.
Moreover, since there is a sense of security in taking such measures, it is not possible to avoid the problem of having disadvantages in terms of cost. To provide a safe, compact, and inexpensive waste ink reservoir cartridge that prevents waste ink from leaking even when the waste ink reservoir cartridge is removed.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on examples shown in the drawings.

FIG. 2 explains one embodiment of the present invention, and what is indicated by the reference numeral 1' in the figure is a cartlinon type container, which has an opening 12 in a part of its outer periphery, which will be described later. This hole is used to vent air when the airtight bag 8 expands due to containing waste ink.It is not necessary to seal it as shown in the example.This container 1 is usually made of plastic mold lid, as shown in the conventional example σ. The two halves are stacked one on top of the other to form a hollow shape, a sealed bag 8 made of Blastino thin film is placed therein, and a silicone rubber stopper 10 is fitted into the opening 8' of the bag 8. Fix the mounting in the mounting hole 5' of 1'.

Polyethylene is suitable as a material for the airtight bag 8 because it is chemically stable to ink.

Also, for reinforcement, it may have a double structure with a nylon thin film.

On the other hand, the base of a metal pipe-shaped injection needle 7 is connected to the tip of a tube 6' connected to a waste ink pump (not shown in the figure).The tip of the needle 7 is pointed and has a rubber The plug 10 can be easily penetrated. Further, the vicinity of the base of the hook 7 is fixed to a frame of a device (not shown) by a holding means 11 to prevent the needle 7 from moving when inserting or removing the container 1'.

When using the ink cartridge configured as described above, when the rubber stopper 10 fixed to one side of the container 1' is applied to the lost tip of the injection needle 7 and the entire container 1' is pressed, the needle 7 will be removed. It passes through the rubber stopper 10 and its tip reaches the inside of the bag 8, and in this state the container 1' is held in a device (not shown). At this time, the bag 8 is empty and does not contain waste ink yet.

Next, by the operation of a pump (not shown), waste ink is dumped from the tip of the needle 7 through the tube 6' into the lens 8, and a large amount of waste ink flows into the bag 8 according to the amount. The air exits to the outside through a filter 15 that allows air to pass through but not liquid.This filter 15 has pores of several μm or less! ! A number of Teflon products are known. When a large amount of air enters with ink, etc., the inside of the waste ink cartridge with a rubber stopper quickly fills with air, and in some cases, the inside of the waste ink cartridge with a rubber stopper will quickly fill up with air. It is also possible that waste ink flows back through the needle. or,
At that time, even if the ink does not flow back, there may be a decrease in the inflow efficiency of waste ink by the pump, or there is a possibility that the ink may flow back due to the force generated by the pump immediately after the pump is activated. obtain.

Therefore, even if a flexible ink bag is used, it is necessary to vent air.

Filters that do not allow liquid to pass through but allow gas to pass through are preferably used for air removal, such as microporous films, microporous films laminated to nylon or other fabrics, and microporous membranes. Suitable examples include those coated on cloth or those woven with ultra-fine threads at an ultra-high density. (In this case, air permeability and liquid barrier properties are issues, and moisture permeability may be poor.) Tetrafluoroethylene is a typical example of the microporous film or membrane.

The high-density material can be produced by weaving cotton, nylon, or commonly known fiber materials, or by weaving a combination of these fiber materials.

The filter 15 differs depending on its breathability and the amount of air flowing into the waste ink reservoir, but in general, sufficient performance (0 as air vent) is obtained by being used in a very small part of the waste ink reservoir. I can do things.

In addition, by using a stretchable material for the filter 15, even if the amount of air to be discharged cannot be maintained in time due to sudden inflow of air, the filter 15
By expanding, the actual V volume increases JJ1. 1, the air and ink flowing in from the pump flow into the waste ink reservoir. However, in this case, it is safe to make the area of the filter 15 an appropriate size.

Strench properties can be obtained by laminating or coating a porous film on a stretch fabric.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a state in which the waste ink 9 has been discarded to the extent that it is in the bag 8, and the bag 8 is slightly expanded.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which the container 1
'', like the container 1' in the previous embodiment, is a cartridge type that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the device (not shown), but there are two spaces at the top and bottom, and the bottom is the opening of the bag 8. A bag 13 filled with unused new ink 14 is attached to the opening 13' of the bag. It is attached and fixed to the attachment hole 5'' of the container 1'' together with the rubber stopper 10' fitted into the container 1''.

Reference numeral 12' denotes an air vent hole in the empty space where the bag 8 for storing waste ink is assembled and folded, and is provided so that when the waste ink 9 is dumped into the bag 8 and expands, a corresponding amount of air escapes to the outside. 12'', the amount of unused ink filled in the ink bag 13 decreases as it is ejected from an ink ejection nozzle (not shown) or by a pump shown in the cine, etc.
This is a hole through which air flows in an amount commensurate with the reduction in internal volume.

Needles 7 and 7' are installed at equal intervals between the rubber plugs 10 and 10' and are fixedly attached to a device (not shown), and the needles 7 dump the waste ink 9 into the bag 8. For this reason, the hook 7' serves as a suction port through which unused new ink 14 is sucked by a pump (not shown) or the like.

In this embodiment configured in this way, first, the container 1''
The rubber stopper 10, 10' fixed on one side of the injection needle 7
．． 7' and then press the entire container 1'' toward the needle 7.T', the needle 7 and the needle 7' press the rubber stopper 10 and the rubber stopper 10', respectively. The tips each reach the inside of the bag, and in that state the container 1'' is held in a device (not shown).

After this, when the device is operated and activated, the needle 7' connected to it through a tube is moved by a pump or the like (not shown).
Unused ink 14 is sucked out from the needle 7, and waste ink is dumped into the bag 8 from the needle 7.

Of course, it is also possible to provide two or more layers of bags 13 containing this unused ink 14 inside the container 1'' and integrate multicolor ink cartridges.
The number of syringe needles will also be set up to match that number.

When the bag 8 is filled with waste ink 9, or when the unused ink 14 has been sucked out of the bag 13 and is almost empty and it becomes necessary to remove the cartridge 1'' and replace it, remove the cartridge 1'' from the needles 7 and 7'. Even if the rubber plugs 10 and 10' are removed, the holes made by '&:I7゜7' that penetrated through the rubber plugs 10 and 10' are closed by the elasticity of the rubber of the rubber plugs themselves, so waste ink 9 and the bag 13 will not be removed. Ink left inside 1
4 etc. will not leak out, and the ink that is read from the exposed needles 7 and 7' after removing the cartridge 1'' will be absorbed by the aforementioned pump (not shown) or a valve installed in the middle of the tube. , the amount is very small, and it can be easily solved by installing a saucer under the needle to absorb it.

Effects As is clear from the detailed explanation above, according to the present invention, a sealed bag made of a thin plastic film having a rubber stopper that can be repeatedly penetrated by a syringe needle is built in, and an unused ink storage bag is installed. A sealed bag for storing waste ink is provided in the same cartridge as the cartridge, so even if the ink cartridge is removed from the device, the stored ink will not leak out, making it a safe, compact, and inexpensive waste ink reservoir. A cartridge is obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the conventional structure, Figure 2 is Book 1.1
', 1''... Container 2... Absorption '4... Insertion port 5
．． 5', 5''...opening 6.6'...tube 7,
7'...Syringe needle 8...Sealed bag 8'...Bag opening 9...Waste ink 10.10'...Rubber stopper 11...
Holding means 12.12', 12''...opening 13...
・New ink bag 14...Unused ink 15...Air filter. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Taku Kato

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a waste ink storage cartridge for storing waste ink that is no longer used for printing in a recording device that prints by ejecting ink from a nozzle, a sealed bag made of a thin glass film is provided to store the waste ink. A waste ink reservoir cartridge, characterized in that a ventilation filter is disposed in a part of the waste ink reservoir cartridge, and the airtight bag is housed in the cartridge. (2) The waste ink reservoir cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the airtight bag has a rubber stopper that can be repeatedly penetrated by a syringe needle serving as a container for storing the waste ink. (3) The waste ink reservoir cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the airtight bag is housed in the same cartridge as an unused ink storage bag.