CN201143795Y - inkjet printer cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

An inkjet printer ink cartridge has a light detection part, a movable part is located in the light detection part, and is used to reflect the light emitted by the light emitting element on the printer, wherein the movable part is pasted with reflective paper and located in the ink cavity, When there is ink in the ink cartridge and it is installed in the printer, the light emitted by the light-emitting element enters the ink, does not reflect back, and is not received by the light-receiving element on the printer; when the ink in the ink cartridge is exhausted, the light shines on the available The position of the reflective paper on the moving part, the reflection reaches the light-receiving element, and the printer detects that the ink is exhausted. Since the utility model aims at the above-mentioned ink-jet equipment, it proposes an ink cartridge structure with a relatively simple production process, which uses light reflection and refraction principles to realize the detection function, thereby replacing the above-mentioned complicated prism structure. The amount of residual ink is effectively controlled, and the environmental pollution is minimal.

Description

inkjet printer cartridge

technical field

The utility model relates to an ink-jet printer cartridge equipped with an optical detection element.

Background technique

In the existing inkjet printing technology, some inkjet printers use an optical mechanism to detect whether the ink in the ink cartridge is exhausted, so as to avoid the printer still printing when the ink is exhausted, which will cause irreversible damage to the printer , as well as unnecessary waste of time and paper for users. U.S. Patent US2005195225 discloses an embodiment: a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element are arranged on a printer. The material is made, and its inner contour is made into rows of prisms. When the ink cartridge contains enough ink, when the light emitted by the light-emitting element passes through the prism, the light is refracted into the ink cartridge, and the light-receiving element cannot receive the light, indicating that there is an ink cartridge; Reflection, the second reflection returns to the light receiving element, the light receives the light and considers that there is no ink, and prompts the user to replace the ink cartridge. This solution can effectively detect the moment when the ink is exhausted, but its disadvantage lies in the design of the prisms. Rows of prisms have high requirements on the mold, and high precision must be ensured during mold design and injection molding. At the same time, it adopts a sponge structure, which leads to a large amount of residual ink and a large environmental pollution.

Utility model content

The purpose of the utility model is to provide an ink-jet printer ink box with relatively simple production process.

An ink-jet printer ink cartridge has an ink supply port, an air intake hole, an ink storage chamber for accommodating ink supplied to the printer, and a light detection part. The special feature is that the light detection part is composed of a movable part. One part is covered with reflective material.

According to the utility model, the special features are: the part of the movable part covered with reflective material forms a certain angle with the bottom edge of the ink cartridge; the width of the movable part is 7MM-15MM.

According to the utility model, its special feature is: a rotatable reflective device can be used to replace the parts moving up and down.

According to the utility model, its special feature is that: the ink cartridge includes a one-way air intake valve.

According to the utility model, it is special in that: the one-way intake valve includes a valve membrane and a valve cover.

The ink cartridge according to one embodiment of the present utility model has common ink supply port, air intake hole, and ink storage cavity shared by ordinary ink cartridges. A reflective moving part is set on the outer light detection part of the ink cartridge, and placed in an auxiliary ink cartridge. cavity. When there is enough ink in the ink cartridge, put it into the printer for printing, the light emitted by the light-emitting element of the printer passes through the outer wall, because the movable part floats in the ink due to buoyancy, and its reflective part is located at the top, according to the light According to the principle of refraction, the light is directly injected into the ink and cannot be received by the light-receiving element of the printer, so that the printer recognizes that there is ink in the ink cartridge. When the ink in the ink cartridge is exhausted, the movable part descends, the light hits the reflective material, and then reflects back to the light receiving element, so that the printer prompts that the ink is exhausted, and then sends a signal to remind the user to replace the ink cartridge.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a rotating reflective transposition can also be used. As the amount of ink decreases, the reflective device rotates to realize the detection function. For details, refer to the detailed description.

As the utility model aims at the above-mentioned ink-jet equipment, it proposes an ink cartridge structure with relatively simple production process, which uses light reflection and refraction principles to realize the detection function, thereby replacing the above-mentioned complicated prism structure. The amount of residual ink is effectively controlled, and the environmental pollution is minimal.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of the first embodiment of the present utility model.

FIG. 2A is an optical path diagram of the embodiment in FIG. 1 .

Fig. 2B is a schematic structural diagram of the movable part in the embodiment in Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3 is another light path diagram of the embodiment in Fig. 1 .

Fig. 4 is a schematic structural view of the second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is an optical path diagram of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 .

Fig. 6 is another light path diagram of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 .

Bottom shell 1, face cover 2, movable parts 3, reflective paper 4, sealing film 5, kapok core 6, sealing film 7, one-way valve film 8, valve cover 9, side sealing film 10, light emitting element 11, light Receiving element 12, ink 13.

Detailed ways

Further explain the utility model according to accompanying drawing and embodiment below.

The first embodiment:

As shown in Figure 1, it is a schematic structural diagram of the ink cartridge of this embodiment, and its structure includes a bottom shell 1, a face cover 2, a movable part 3, a reflective paper 4, a sealing film 5, a kapok core 6, a sealing film 7, a one-way Valve membrane 8, valve cover 9, side sealing membrane 10.

The bottom shell is divided into a main ink chamber A containing a one-way air intake valve and a secondary ink chamber B containing movable parts by a partition wall, wherein the movable part 3 is pasted with reflective paper 4 .

When the ink cartridge contains ink, it is loaded into the printer for printing, as shown in Figure 2A, which is the light path diagram at this time. In the figure, the light-emitting element of the printer is 11, and the light-receiving element is 12. The two are put together. The arrow represents the transmission path of light. The light X emitted by the light-emitting element 11 hits the upper half of the movable part. Because the upper part of the movable part is a hollow part, the light directly hits the bottom shell. From the figure, it can be seen that no matter where the light emitted by the light-emitting element falls on any position of the upper part of the movable part, there is not enough light reflected back to the light on the receiving element 12, so that the printer recognizes that there is ink in the ink cartridge.

Fig. 2B is a structural diagram of the movable part 3, which is a movable buoy, a region of the top is welded with reflective paper 4, the upper part is made into a hollow shape B, and the lower part is used as a float, when immersed in ink , the buoyancy of this float can make the movable part 3 float in the ink.

As printing progresses, the amount of ink in the cartridge continues to decrease. When the ink in the ink cartridge is exhausted, the ink in the secondary ink chamber B drops, and the movable parts also drop thereupon. Figure 3 shows the light path diagram when the ink is exhausted, and the arrows indicate the light transmission path. As shown in Figure 3, the light X emitted from the light-emitting element hits the reflective paper 4 on the movable part, and is reflected back to the light-receiving element 12, and the light Y is its reflection path, because this surface is a wider surface, which can Ensuring that enough light is reflected back to the light-receiving element so that the printer indicates that the ink is out and then sends a signal to the user to replace the ink cartridge.

The second embodiment:

As shown in Figure 4, it is a schematic diagram of the second embodiment. Compared with the first embodiment, the only difference of this embodiment is that the movable part is changed into a rotating part 17, and the rotating part includes a float 24, a movable The positioning point 25 installed on the positioning column of the bottom case, and a reflective part 26 pasted with reflective paper 16.

Figure 5 shows the transfer of light when the ink cartridge is loaded into the printer with ink in the cartridge. As shown in Figure 5, the secondary ink chamber B is filled with ink, the float of the rotating part 17 floats, the reflective part 26 rotates to a certain angle with the outer wall, when the light emitted from the light emitting element 11 hits the reflective part 26, the X-ray is Its incident path, according to the principle of light emission, Y light is its reflection path, it can be seen from the figure that the light cannot be reflected back to the light receiving element 12, and the printer recognizes that there is ink in the ink cartridge.

Figure 6 shows the direction of the light when the ink in the ink cartridge is exhausted, as indicated by the arrow. As the printing progresses, the ink in the ink cartridge is exhausted, the float 24 of the rotating part 17 falls and rotates around the positioning point 25, the reflective part is roughly parallel to the outer wall, and the light emitted from the light emitting element hits the reflective paper 16 On the top, the Y light is the reflection direction, which is reflected to the light receiving element at the detection position of the printer, and the printer prompts that the ink is exhausted, and the ink cartridge should be replaced.

Claims (5)

1. An ink-jet printer cartridge has an ink supply port, an air inlet, an ink storage chamber for containing the ink supplied to the printer, and a photodetector, characterized in that: the photodetector is composed of a movable part, and the photodetector is formed on the part. One part is covered with reflective material. 2. An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the part of the movable part covered with reflective material forms a certain angle with the bottom edge of the ink cartridge; the width of the movable part is 7MM-15MM. 3. An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rotatable reflective device can be used instead of the up and down moving parts. 4. The ink cartridge of an inkjet printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: the ink cartridge comprises a one-way air intake valve. 5. An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer according to claim 4, wherein the one-way air intake valve comprises a valve membrane and a valve cover.

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