CN201068001Y - inkjet printer cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

This utility model discloses an inkjet printer cartridge, including an ink cavity for containing ink, an ink supply port for outputting ink from the ink cavity to the printer, a detection cavity, and a detection element located within the detection cavity. The ink cavity contains a float with a density less than that of the ink and a limiting part restricting the movement range of the float. The detection element is laterally movable within the detection cavity and is connected to the float via a connector. Preferably, the detection cavity includes a light detection area, and the detection element is a light-blocking element selectively located or away from the light detection area. This utility model inkjet printer cartridge changes the vertical movement of the ink depletion detection element in the prior art to horizontal movement, eliminating the limitation of vertical spatial distance and thus reducing the height of the cartridge.

Description

inkjet printer cartridge

technical field

The utility model relates to an ink supply system of an inkjet printer, in particular to an ink box of an inkjet printer.

Background technique

The built-in ink cartridges of inkjet printers are small in size and have limited ink capacity. In order to ensure the printing quality of the ink cartridges and prevent the ink cartridges from being broken due to ink drying during the printing process, the metering device is essential. There are two main measurement methods at present: the first one is to measure by the chip installed on the ink cartridge. When the ink decreases, the remaining ink data stored in the chip will also be changed accordingly. Indicates that the ink is exhausted and the ink cartridge needs to be replaced, so as to ensure the printing quality. This measurement method has a high product cost, and a chip needs to be configured for each ink cartridge; the second method is based on light and opaque light-blocking parts. It is an opaque and light-blocking part. The density of the light-blocking part is slightly smaller than that of the ink. When printing, the light-blocking part floats in the ink to block the light and make the printer work. As the ink decreases, the medium also slowly descends. , when the ink is dry, the light blocking member is far away from the light source area, and the printer will prompt that the ink is exhausted. This metering method is low in cost, but the ink cartridge using this metering method often needs to be designed with a relatively high height. When the ink cartridge has no space for the light blocking member to float up and down, this metering method cannot be used.

Contents of the invention

The technical problem to be solved by the utility model is to overcome the disadvantages of the above-mentioned second form, and provide an inkjet printer ink cartridge, in which the ink exhaustion detection device inside is not limited by the vertical space distance, thereby achieving the goal of reducing the height of the ink cartridge Purpose.

In order to solve the above technical problems, the utility model provides an inkjet printer ink cartridge, which includes an ink chamber for containing ink, an ink supply port for outputting the ink in the ink chamber to the printer, a detection chamber, and a detection piece located in the detection chamber; Wherein, the ink chamber is provided with a floating body with a density lower than the ink and a restricting part that limits the movement range of the floating body; the detection part is placed in the detection chamber so that it can move laterally, and the detection part is connected with the floating body through a connecting part .

Preferably, the detection cavity includes a light detection area, and the detection element is a light blocking element selectively located in or away from the light detection area.

Further, the connecting member connects the light blocking member and the floating body through a reversing support; an elastic device is provided between the light blocking member and the reversing support or the cavity wall of the detection chamber. The connecting member between the light blocking member and the floating body may be a connecting wire.

Furthermore, the restricting part is a vertical guide column fixed on the bottom wall of the ink chamber, and the vertical guide column has a guide chamber that enables the floating body to only rise and fall vertically; the bottom of the guide chamber communicates with the ink chamber, The top opening of the guide chamber has a blocking structure to prevent the floating body from breaking away from the guide chamber. The blocking structure may be a protrusion formed on the top of the vertical guide column and protruding horizontally inward.

The ink-jet printer ink box of the utility model changes the vertical movement of the ink exhaustion detection part in the prior art into a horizontal movement, which can also realize the identification of the ink cartridge and the detection of the remaining ink, so that it is no longer limited by the vertical space distance. The purpose of the small cartridge height.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge of the present utility model under the sufficient state of ink;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the ink cartridge of the present invention in a state of insufficient ink.

The utility model is described in further detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

Detailed ways

Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the preferred embodiment of the inkjet printer cartridge of the present utility model comprises a box body 1, has the ink chamber 3 that holds ink 2 in the box body 1, the bottom of box body 1 has the ink in the ink chamber 3 2 Ink supply port 4 for output to a printer (not shown). In addition, there is a detection chamber 5 inside the box body 1, and a light blocking member 6 that can move laterally is arranged in the detection chamber 5. Moving back and forth, the friction force it receives is very small because of its light weight. When the light blocking member 6 moves laterally, it is either located in the light detection area 7 of the detection cavity 5 or leaves the light detection area 7 . When the light-blocking member 6 exists in the light-detecting area 7, the light-detecting device (not shown) on the printer detects an object, and the printer works normally; when there is no light-blocking member 6, the light-detecting device cannot detect object, the printer will prompt to replace the ink cartridge.

In addition, the ink chamber 3 is also provided with a floating body 8 of any shape with a density lower than that of the ink. The floating body 8 can float on the liquid surface of the ink in the ink chamber 3 and move vertically with the rise and fall of the ink liquid level. . In order to limit the moving range of the floating body 8, a vertical guide post 9 is fixed on the bottom wall of the ink chamber, and the vertical guide post 9 has a guide cavity 10 inside which the floating body 8 can only be lifted vertically. The bottom of the guide chamber 10 communicates with the ink chamber 3 through a communication port 11. The top opening of the guide chamber 10 has a protrusion 12 formed on the top of the vertical guide column 9 and extending horizontally inward. The function of the protrusion 12 is It is to prevent the floating body 8 from breaking away from the guide cavity 10 from the top opening.

The light blocking member 6 is connected to the floating body 8 through a connection line 13, and a reversing support 14 is provided between the light blocking member 6 and the floating body 8, and the reversing support 14 can be a wire groove or a pulley. The connection line 13 is supported on the reversing support 14 , so that the vertical movement of the floating body 8 can drive the horizontal movement of the light blocking member 6 . In order to make the light blocking member 6 move laterally regularly, a spring 15 is provided between the light blocking member 6 and the reversing support 14 or the cavity wall of the detection chamber 5, so as to prevent the light blocking member 6 from moving when the floating body 8 is not lifted. Under the circumstances, lateral movement will affect the detection results.

When the ink chamber 3 of the ink cartridge is filled with ink, the floating body 8 floats in the ink 2. At this time, the light blocking member 6 is always in the light detection area 7 under the elastic force of the spring 15. When the ink is consumed to the point where the floating body 8 is subjected to When the buoyancy force is less than its gravity, in order to achieve balance, the spring 15 is compressed at this time, and there is a relational formula:

Gf＝F+f ₁ ＝KΔX+f ₁

Among them, G is the gravity of the floating body 8; f is the buoyancy force received by the floating body 8; F is the elastic force of the spring 15; K is the elastic coefficient (constant); _ΔX is the spring compression; .

During printing, as the amount of ink decreases, f will also decrease accordingly. Since G remains unchanged, KΔX will become larger, that is, ΔX will become larger, that is, the compression of spring 15 will become larger and larger; at this time, spring 15 will pull The light blocking member 6 moves to the left by ΔX, when f=0, that is, the ink is dry, and ΔX is X, at this time, the light blocking member 6 moves to the left by X, leaving the light detection area 7, and the light detection device on the printer detects If the light blocking member 6 is not reached, the printer will display that the ink is exhausted, prompting to replace the ink cartridge.

The above-mentioned inkjet printer ink cartridge changes the vertical movement of the light blocking member in the prior art into a horizontal movement, which can also realize ink cartridge identification and ink remaining detection, so that it is no longer limited by the vertical space distance, and the height of the ink cartridge can be reduced. the goal of.

What is described above is only the preferred embodiment of the utility model, and it should be pointed out that for those skilled in the art, some modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the inventive concept of the utility model. For example, the detection part in the above embodiment is not limited to the light blocking part, and can also be other detection parts that realize the detection purpose through induction or contact; the vertical guide column fixed on the bottom wall of the ink chamber can also have multiple alternatives , including changes in shape, installation position, blocking structure at the top opening, etc., as long as the purpose of limiting the moving range of the floating body can be achieved. All of the above belong to the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims (6)

1. ink-jet printer cartridge comprises

The black chamber that holds ink;

With the ink supply port of the ink in the black chamber to printer output;

Test chamber and be positioned at the detection piece of test chamber;

It is characterized in that:

The restriction portion that is provided with a buoyancy aid in the described black chamber and limits this buoyancy aid moving range;

Described detection piece can laterally place in the test chamber movably, and this detection piece is connected with described buoyancy aid by connector.

2. ink-jet printer cartridge according to claim 1 is characterized in that:

Described test chamber comprises a smooth detection zone, and described detection piece is for being positioned at or leaving the resistance light spare of this light detection zone selectively.

3. ink-jet printer cartridge according to claim 2 is characterized in that:

Described connector connects described resistance light spare and described buoyancy aid by a commutation bearing;

Be provided with elastic device between the chamber wall of described resistance light spare and commutation bearing or test chamber.

4. ink-jet printer cartridge according to claim 3 is characterized in that:

Connector between described resistance light spare and the buoyancy aid is a connecting line.

5. according to any one described ink-jet printer cartridge of claim 1 to 4, it is characterized in that:

Described restriction portion is the vertically-guided post that is fixed on the diapire of black chamber, has in this vertically-guided post to make the directed cavity that described buoyancy aid only can vertical lift;

The bottom of described directed cavity is communicated with black chamber, and the top open part of directed cavity has the barrier structure that prevents buoyancy aid disengaging directed cavity.

6. ink-jet printer cartridge according to claim 5 is characterized in that:

Described barrier structure is to be formed on the projection that vertically-guided capital end, level inwardly stretch out.

Images