JP2010000621A - Ink container and method for manufacturing ink container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink container which is prevented from being thermally deformed in a manufacture process, and which prevents ink from being leaked from an air communicating port passing along a surface of an ink isolating layer formed part in the ink container. <P>SOLUTION: A frame member provided with a gap between an ink absorbing body and the frame member is used as a part of a tank case, and further an ink isolating layer in recessed shape is formed at a position of the ink absorbing body opposed to the air communicating port of the tank case. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink container that includes an ink absorber as a negative pressure generating means and prevents ink leakage from an ink jet recording head, and a method for manufacturing the ink container.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting ink from an ejection port while a recording head reciprocally moves as an output device of an image captured by a computer or an image capturing apparatus such as a digital camera has been widely used. It has been. This ink jet recording apparatus can form a high-quality image comparable to a silver salt photograph with a small and inexpensive configuration.

  In such an ink jet recording apparatus, an ink jet recording head (hereinafter also simply referred to as a recording head) is independent for each color, and each independent recording head includes an ink storage portion that stores ink. Then, when the ink runs out, each color independent exchange type recording apparatus that replaces only the recording head has become mainstream.

  In general, an ink storage portion of a recording head is provided with an ink absorber as a negative pressure generating member in order to form a meniscus at an ejection port. Thus, even if the ink absorber is provided in the ink container, the ink may move inside the ink absorber and overflow from the ink absorber depending on changes in posture and temperature environment during distribution. . When the ink overflowing from the ink absorber directly drops on the communication port provided in the tank lid of the ink jet recording head, ink leakage occurs outside the recording head.

  As a method for preventing such ink overflow from the ink absorber, Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which a surface layer portion of the ink absorber is heated and melted to form an ink blocking layer.

Japanese Patent No. 3720586

  However, when a flat ink blocking layer is formed as in Patent Document 1, the ink overflowing from the boundary between the ink blocking layer forming part and the non-ink blocking layer forming part communicates with the surface of the ink blocking layer forming part. The problem of dripping into the mouth remains. In addition, in the method of manufacturing an ink jet recording head in which the ink is injected after the compressed ink absorber is housed, the ink is applied to the entire surface of the ink absorber opposite to the communication port in consideration of the thermal deformation of the ink tank. It is difficult to form a barrier layer.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to realize an ink container in which there is no thermal deformation or the like of the ink container in the manufacturing process and the ink does not leak from the atmosphere communication port through the surface of the ink blocking layer forming part in the ink container. To do.

  Therefore, the ink container of the present invention includes an ink absorber, a lid provided with an air communication port, and a tank case provided with an ink supply port, and the ink absorber and the air communication port of the lid; In the ink container configured by storing the ink absorber in the tank case with a gap between the ink absorber, the surface layer of the ink absorber is melted at a location facing the air communication port of the ink absorber. A concave ink blocking layer is provided.

  The ink container manufacturing method of the present invention is an ink container manufacturing method comprising an ink absorber, a lid provided with an air communication port, and a tank case provided with an ink supply port. The step of inserting the ink absorber into the tank case, and the position of the ink absorber with respect to the location of the ink absorber facing the air communication port with the lid attached to the tank case. Melting the surface layer to form a concave ink blocking layer, and capping the tank case with a gap provided between the air communication port of the lid and the ink blocking layer of the ink absorber; It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, the concave ink blocking layer is provided on the ink absorbing member at a position facing the atmosphere communication port, and a gap between the ink container and the ink absorbing member is formed around the ink blocking layer. As a result, it was possible to realize an ink container in which there is no thermal deformation of the ink container in the manufacturing process and the ink does not leak from the atmosphere communication port through the surface of the ink blocking layer forming portion in the ink container.

  In addition, according to the present invention, when the ink absorber is inserted into the ink container so that a gap is formed between the ink container and the ink absorber and the lid is attached, the ink that opposes the air communication port A concave ink blocking layer is formed at the position of the absorber, and then a lid is attached. As a result, it was possible to realize an ink container in which there is no thermal deformation of the ink container in the manufacturing process and the ink does not leak from the atmosphere communication port through the surface of the ink blocking layer forming portion in the ink container.

(Second Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an ink jet recording head (hereinafter also simply referred to as a recording head) of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. An ink absorber 3 is inserted into an ink container 2 (hereinafter also referred to as a tank case) of the recording head 1, and an injection needle is inserted into the ink absorber 3 from an opening 10 which is an ink supply port of the tank case 2. (Not shown) is inserted and filled with ink by a pressurization method.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the recording head 1 in a state where it is filled with ink. Since the filled ink is absorbed from below the ink absorber 3, the state of the ink absorber 3 after ink injection is two layers: a portion 3a filled with ink and a portion 3b not filled. It has become. A tank lid 5 having an absorber pressing rib 7 and an air communication port 6 is welded to the opening 10 of the tank case 2.

  FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the recording head 1 separately for each part. In this embodiment, the tank case 2 of the existing ink jet recording head as shown in FIG. 4 is used, and the large-capacity tank case 2 is formed by welding the frame member 9 to the upper part thereof. The frame member 9 is welded to the existing tank case 2a by melting the welding ribs 11 of the frame member 9 by vibration welding. In order to perform stable welding at the time of welding, an ideal welding method is to press the welding rib 11 directly above, so a receiving portion for a welding horn is provided inside the frame member 9. Therefore, the inner dimension of the frame member is about 4 mm larger than the inner dimension of the existing tank case, and the upper inner wall of the tank case 2 is only partially in contact with the internal ink absorber 3. It has a structure.

  Further, by welding the frame member 9, the height of the tank case is made higher than that of the existing product, and the amount of ink that can be stored is increased. The existing tank case has a height of about 40 mm and the amount of ink that can be stored is about 20 g. In this embodiment, the tank case 2 has a height of 70 mm and the amount of ink that can be stored is about 40 g.

  Thus, when the amount of ink in the tank case is large, it is conceivable that the ink moves inside the ink absorber, and when the ink moves to the end of the ink absorber, it leaks from the ink absorber. When the tank case is in the normal position, that is, with the tank lid facing up, the leaked ink will collect in the tank case frame member and the gap (buffer space) between the tank lid and the ink absorber. Therefore, ink leakage to the outside can be prevented.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a tank lid of a conventional ink tank is placed down to explain ink leakage. When the change in temperature environment is repeated with the tank lid down as shown in FIG. 5, the ink moves near the center of the ink absorber, and overflows from the ink absorber near the position facing the air communication port. It has been confirmed from experiments that this phenomenon occurs. When such a phenomenon occurs, the ink overflowing from the ink absorber directly drops to the atmosphere communication port, so that the ink leaks out of the tank case.

  For this reason, in the present embodiment, an ink blocking layer is formed on the surface of the ink absorber 3 so as to prevent the ink from penetrating by melting the ink absorber 6 at a location facing the air communication port 6.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the recording head 1 so that the ink blocking layer 8 of the ink absorber 3 in this embodiment can be seen. As shown in FIG. 6, a concave ink blocking layer 8 is provided on a portion of the ink absorber 3 facing the air communication port 6. As a result, the ink overflowing from the ink absorber 3 when the tank lid 5 is in the downward position is not dripped directly into the atmosphere communication port 6, and the ink is prevented from leaking to the outside of the tank case 2. As a result, the ink overflows from the ink absorber 3 in a portion other than the ink blocking layer 8 at a position away from the atmosphere communication port 6.

  However, since the concave ink blocking layer 8 is formed, the overflowed ink flows along the surface of the ink blocking layer 8 toward the atmosphere communication port 6 in the posture with the tank lid 5 on the lower side. Absent. When a planar ink blocking layer is formed as in the prior art, it is conceivable that the ink travels on the surface of the ink blocking layer and reaches the atmosphere communication port and drops directly. Therefore, in this embodiment, the concave ink blocking layer 8 is formed in order to prevent ink overflowing the atmosphere communication port 6 from reaching.

  The ink jet recording head according to this embodiment is manufactured as follows. First, the frame member 9 is welded to the tank case 2a with a vibration welding machine to form the large-capacity tank case 2. Thereafter, the ink absorber 3 is inserted into the tank case 2 and ink is injected by a pressurization method. After the ink blocking layer 8 is formed on the upper surface of the ink absorber 3 into which the ink has been injected and facing the atmosphere communication port 6 of the tank lid 5, the tank lid 5 is welded to the frame member 9.

  The ink blocking layer 8 is formed by heating and melting the ink absorber 3 using a heated iron or the like. In order to form the concave shape, for example, a trowel equipped with a convex metal block such as a hemisphere is heated to a temperature at which the ink absorber 3 is melted, and is placed at a position facing the air communication port 6 of the ink absorber 3. It is formed by pressing.

  7 and 8 are diagrams showing a modification of the present embodiment. The concave ink blocking layer provided in the ink absorber 3 may be an ink blocking layer 12 in which the entire upper surface of the ink absorber 3 is formed in a mortar shape as shown in FIG. . In addition, as for the concave shape, the shape of the ink blocking layer is not limited as long as the surface parallel to the atmosphere communication port 6 is not formed as in the shape shown in FIG.

  In this way, a frame member having a gap between the ink absorber and the ink absorber is used as a part of the tank case, and the ink absorber is further recessed at a position facing the air communication port of the tank case. Form a barrier layer. As a result, it was possible to realize an ink container free from ink leakage and without thermal deformation of the tank case during manufacture.

(Second Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the basic configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, only the characteristic configuration will be described below.

  In the ink blocking layer 8 or the ink blocking layer 12 described in the first embodiment, the ink overflowing from the ink absorber 3 in the posture with the tank lid 5 down is transferred to the ink absorber 3 and the ink absorber 3. In the gap (buffer space). At this time, if the tank lid 5 is changed to the posture in which the tank lid 5 is raised, a part of the ink accumulated in the buffer space may be accumulated in the ink blocking layer. If the tank lid 5 is changed to the position where the tank lid 5 is lowered from this state, it is assumed that the ink directly drops to the atmosphere communication port 6 depending on the amount of ink accumulated in the ink blocking layer and the speed of the position change. In this embodiment, against such secondary ink leakage, ink leakage is prevented by the positional relationship between the ink absorber pressing rib 7 provided on the tank lid 5 and the ink blocking layer.

  9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2 of the recording head 1, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. A plurality of ink absorber pressing ribs 7 provided on the tank lid 5 are arranged. In this embodiment, the pressing position of the pressing rib 7 a in the vicinity of the ink blocking layer 8 is the outer peripheral portion of the ink blocking layer 8 and is arranged so as to straddle the ink blocking layer 8 and the ink absorber 3. As a result, even if the ink collected in the buffer space 13 (see FIG. 10) in the posture with the tank lid 5 down is collected in the concave portion of the ink blocking layer 8 due to the change in posture, the ink absorber pressing rib 7a is sucked up by the capillary phenomenon from the portion of the ink blocking layer 8 covered. Since the sucked ink is guided to the ink absorber 3 through the ink absorber pressing rib 7a, even when the tank lid 5 is changed to the position where the tank lid 5 is lowered, the ink is discharged from the atmosphere communication port 6 to the outside. There is no leakage.

  In this way, the tank lid is positioned so that the pressing position of the pressure rib of the tank lid in the vicinity of the ink blocking layer spans the ink blocking layer and the ink absorber, so that the tank lid is placed down several times. Even if the case was handled, an ink container without ink leakage could be realized.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an ink jet recording head according to an embodiment. It is sectional drawing in BB of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a recording head in a state where ink is filled. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a recording head divided into parts. It is sectional drawing which showed the state which turned down the tank cover of the conventional ink tank in order to demonstrate the leakage of ink. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the recording head shown so that an ink blocking layer of the ink absorber in the first embodiment can be seen. It is the figure which showed the modification of 1st Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the modification of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the recording head taken along line AA in FIG. It is CC sectional drawing in FIG. 1 of a recording head.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording head 3 Ink absorber 5 Tank cover 6 Atmospheric communication port 7 Ink absorber press rib 8 Ink blocking layer 9 Frame member 12 Ink blocking layer 13 Buffer space

Claims (4)

An ink absorber, a lid provided with an air communication port, and a tank case provided with an ink supply port, and a gap is provided between the ink absorber and the air communication port of the lid. In an ink container configured to contain an ink absorber in a case,
An ink container comprising a concave ink blocking layer in which a surface layer of the ink absorber is melted at a portion of the ink absorber facing the air communication port.   2. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the concave ink blocking layer is formed on an inclined surface with respect to the atmosphere communication port.   The lid is formed with a rib for pressing the ink absorber, and the rib is positioned on the outer peripheral portion of the ink blocking layer, and the ink blocking layer of the ink absorber is formed at the portion where the ink blocking layer is formed. The ink container according to claim 1, wherein the ink container is formed across an ink absorber and the ink blocking layer. In a method for manufacturing an ink container comprising an ink absorber, a lid provided with an air communication port, and a tank case provided with an ink supply port,
Inserting the ink absorber into the tank case;
A step of forming a concave ink blocking layer by melting a surface layer of the ink absorber with respect to the portion of the ink absorber facing the air communication port with the lid attached to the tank case; ,
Providing a gap between the air communication port of the lid and the ink blocking layer of the ink absorber to cover the tank case;
A method for producing an ink container, comprising:

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