JP2013031971A - Ink supply device, and printing device provided with the ink supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small ink supply device and a printing device provided therewith.SOLUTION: The ink supply device 1 of a first embodiment includes a variable capacity pressure chamber 3 at least a portion of which is a bellows. A first valve 5 provided at an ink supply pathway seals off the pathway when the capacity of the ink chamber 3 exceeds a predetermined value, and an opening/closing member 5 opens the pathway when the capacity is smaller than the predetermined value, whereby the pressure chamber 3 is kept at negative pressure with respect to atmospheric pressure.

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink supply apparatus that supplies ink to a recording head of an ink jet printing apparatus, and a printing apparatus that includes the ink supply apparatus.

  As a printing apparatus that prints on a printing surface, there is an ink jet printer that prints by ejecting a plurality of ink droplets. The ink jet printer includes a recording head in which a plurality of nozzles having minute openings are formed, and ejects ink droplets from the openings of each nozzle. In this type of printer, each ink cartridge for supplying ink to the recording head can be detachably mounted on a carriage on which the recording head is mounted.

  In order to stably supply ink to the recording head, a configuration including an ink supply device between the ink cartridge and the recording head is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional ink supply device 100. As shown in FIG. 11, the outline of the ink supply device 100 is constituted by a unit case 111, and a connection portion 107 is formed at one end thereof. Ink supplied from an ink cartridge (not shown) is introduced into the ink supply apparatus 100 via the connection unit 107. The unit case 111 is formed with an ink lead-out portion 108 at an end opposite to one end where the connection portion 107 is formed, and a recording head (not shown) from the ink supply device 100 via the ink lead-out portion 108. Ink is supplied.

  An ink supply chamber 102 and a pressure chamber 103 are disposed in the unit case 111. A wall 106 is formed between the ink supply chamber 102 and the pressure chamber 103, and a support hole 109 for supporting the movable valve 105 is formed in the wall 106. The movable valve 105 includes a plate-like member 105a and a rod member 105b that is integrally formed at the center of the plate-like member 105a and moves in the support hole 109.

  A flexible film member 110 is attached to one side of the ink supply device 100 by heat welding, and constitutes a part of the pressure chamber 103. A pressure receiving plate 104 is attached to the center of the film member 110. The pressure receiving plate 104 receives the displacement action of the film member 110 and transmits the displacement action to the movable valve 105, whereby the movable valve 105 is opened and closed. Ink is supplied from the ink supply chamber 102 to the pressure chamber 103 when the movable valve 105 is open, and supply of ink from the ink supply chamber 102 to the pressure chamber 103 is stopped when the movable valve 105 is closed.

  Further, a spring 112 is disposed in the ink supply chamber 102 so as to push the surface of the plate-like member 105a opposite to the surface on which the rod member 105b is formed toward the pressure chamber 103. The movable valve 105 opens when the negative pressure in the pressure chamber 103 becomes larger than the sum of the load of the spring 112, the pressure of the ink, and the displacement reaction force of the film member 110.

  When ink is supplied into the pressure chamber 103 and the negative pressure in the pressure chamber 103 is eliminated, the movable valve 105 moves in the direction of the pressure chamber 103 using the force of the spring 112, thereby moving the movable valve. 105 closes. By such an operation, ink is supplied and stopped from the ink supply apparatus 100 to the recording head.

International Publication WO2003 / 041964 (published on May 22, 2003) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-11488 (published January 14, 1997)

  In recent years, with the demand for miniaturization of various printing apparatuses such as an ink jet printing apparatus, there has been a strong demand for miniaturization of an ink supply apparatus mounted on the printing apparatus.

  However, in the conventional configuration described above, in order to transmit the displacement of the film member 110 to the movable valve 105 via the pressure receiving plate 104, it is necessary to increase the area of the film member 110, and it is difficult to reduce the size of the printing apparatus. is there.

  Further, since it is necessary to provide a movable space for the film member 110, there is a limit to downsizing the printing apparatus. That is, it is necessary to provide a space in the ink supply device 100 by the amount that the film member 110 is bent.

  Further, since the displacement of the film member 110 is transmitted via the pressure receiving plate 104, a loss of operation transmission is likely to occur. Therefore, it was not possible to control the delicate pressure. Further, in the conventional configuration, it is necessary to attach the pressure receiving plate 104 to the central portion of the film member 110, and the structure is complicated.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink supply device that can be made smaller than the conventional configuration, and a printing apparatus including the ink supply device.

In order to solve the above problems, an ink supply apparatus according to the present invention includes:
An ink supply device connected to a tank that stores liquid ink and a print head that discharges liquid ink,
The ink from the tank is supplied with positive pressure,
At least a part of the bellows has a variable volume ink chamber whose volume changes due to expansion and contraction of the bellows.
The ink chamber has an opening / closing member in the ink supply path,
When the volume of the ink chamber exceeds a predetermined value, the opening / closing member seals the ink supply path, and when the volume falls below a predetermined value, the opening / closing member opens the ink supply path, thereby causing the ink chamber to have a negative pressure with respect to atmospheric pressure. It is characterized by having a configuration that maintains

  According to the said structure, the expansion / contraction movement of a bellows can be used as opening / closing operation | movement of an opening / closing member (for example, valve | bulb). Further, by forming the opposing surface of the wall in the pressure chamber with a pressure receiving plate, the wall opposing surface in the ink chamber is cut in the expansion / contraction direction compared to the configuration in which the opposing surface of the wall is formed with a film as in the conventional configuration. The area can be reduced. As a result, the stroke amount (valve movement amount) of the opening / closing member per volume of ink is increased, and the opening / closing controllability of the opening can be improved.

Further, the ink supply device according to the present invention includes:
The ink chamber is provided with a wall having an opening in which the opening / closing member is disposed,
In the ink chamber, a pressure receiving plate is provided on the side facing the wall, and a space sandwiched between the wall and the pressure receiving plate is closed by a cylindrical structure in which at least a part is a bellows. And
It is preferable that the opening / closing member is configured to open and close the ink supply path by changing the position of the pressure receiving plate as the bellows extend and contract.

  According to the said structure, the expansion-contraction movement of a bellows appears directly as a displacement of a pressure receiving plate, and the fluctuation | variation (operation | movement) can be transmitted to an opening-and-closing member (valve). In the conventional configuration, as shown in FIG. 11, the pressure receiving plate 104 receives the displacement action of the film member 110 and transmits the displacement action to the movable valve 105 so that the movable valve 105 is opened and closed. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the flexible film member 110 in the pressure chamber 103. In order to transmit the displacement of the film member 110 to the movable valve 105 via the pressure receiving plate 104, it is necessary to increase the area of the film member 110. For this reason, the pressure chamber 103 becomes very large. However, according to the configuration of the ink supply device according to the present invention, there is no need to dispose a flexible film around the pressure receiving plate. Therefore, the ink supply device can be made smaller than the conventional configuration.

  In addition, since the opening / closing member (valve) directly transmits the displacement of the pressure receiving plate, loss of operation transmission hardly occurs. Therefore, a delicate pressure can be controlled. Furthermore, since the opening / closing member (valve) can be opened and closed by the displacement of the pressure receiving plate and the change in the bellows shape, the ink chamber can be provided without requiring a complicated structure.

In order to solve the above problems, an ink supply apparatus according to the present invention includes:
The cylindrical structure is integrally formed of resin, and a part of the cylindrical structure is a bellows, and the remaining part has a structure that does not expand and contract,
The pressure receiving plate is attached such that one end of the pressure receiving plate forms a hinge structure with the structure that does not expand and contract, and the other end of the pressure receiving plate is connected to or integrated with the bellows.
It is preferable that the pressure receiving plate is configured to open and close the opening / closing member by rotating the pressure receiving plate about the hinge structure as the bellows extend and contract.

  According to the above configuration, since one end of the pressure receiving plate is attached to be rotatable by the hinge structure, the opening / closing member can be opened / closed by the rotational movement of the pressure receiving plate to supply or block ink.

  Moreover, according to the said structure, a number of parts can be reduced by forming a cylindrical structure integrally with resin rather than the case where a bellows is formed by combining several components. Further, since it is not necessary to assemble a plurality of parts, the ink supply device can be easily assembled.

In addition to the above configuration, the ink supply apparatus according to the present invention includes:
The cylindrical structure is integrally formed of resin,
The bellows is composed of a bent portion and an inclined portion,
It is preferable that the thickness of the bent portion is smaller than the thickness of the inclined portion.

  According to the above configuration, the number of components can be reduced by integrally forming the cylindrical structure with the resin, compared to the case where the bellows is formed by combining a plurality of components. Further, since it is not necessary to assemble a plurality of parts, the ink supply device can be easily assembled.

  In addition, the thickness of the portion constituting the bent portion of the bellows is made thinner than the thickness of the inclined portion, and the bent portion is easily bent, and the portions other than the bent portion are formed of a resin that is thicker than the bent portion. By doing so, permeation of gas into the ink supply device can be prevented or suppressed. In addition, by forming the bent portion with a resin that is thinner than the inclined portion, the stroke amount of the opening and closing member due to the expansion and contraction of the bellows is sufficiently larger than when the bellows is entirely made of a thick resin. Can be secured.

In addition to the above configuration, the ink supply apparatus according to the present invention includes:
The opening / closing member is preferably provided with a biasing member that biases the opening / closing member in a direction in which the opening / closing member is closed.

  According to the above configuration, when the bellows has a restoring force, the closing operation of the opening / closing member can be realized only by the restoring force. However, even if this restoring force is insufficient, if the biasing member is provided, the opening / closing member can be biased in the closing direction, and the ink supply can be reliably shut off. it can.

In addition to the above configuration, the ink supply apparatus according to the present invention includes:
The opening / closing member is a storage portion provided with a space communicating with the ink chamber and an opening constituting an ink supply path, and the closing member having a size capable of closing the opening is the space. Has a storage unit stored in the
Furthermore, the opening / closing member has a rod, and the rod comes into contact with the closing member as the bellows expands and contracts, lifts the closing member, opens the opening, and makes contact with the closing member. It is configured to release and close the opening with the blocking member.
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, ink supply / blocking can be realized using a closing member (for example, a spherical structure such as a ball). Further, since the ball does not lift up unless the negative pressure acting on the pressure receiving plate exceeds the weight of the closing member, the ink supply path can be prevented from opening unless the predetermined negative pressure is reached. With such a configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the provision of a biasing member that biases the opening / closing member in the direction in which the ink supply path is closed. However, the biasing member is further provided in this configuration. Also good. Fine adjustment of the opening / closing operation of the ink supply path can be performed.

  Furthermore, the present invention includes a printing apparatus including the ink supply apparatus.

  According to the above configuration, a downsized printing apparatus can be realized.

  According to the present invention, a downsized ink supply device can be provided.

It is sectional drawing of the ink supply apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the ink supply apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the ink supply apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged view of the bellows structure provided in the pressure chamber of the ink supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the ink supply apparatus which concerns on the modification of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the ink supply apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the displacement by the hinge structure of the pressure receiving plate provided in the ink supply apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged view of the pressure receiving plate provided in the ink supply apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the ink supply apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the ink supply apparatus which concerns on the modification of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the conventional ink supply apparatus.

  The present invention will be described in detail below by exemplifying three embodiments.

[First Embodiment]
A first embodiment of an ink supply device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply device of the present embodiment.

(Ink supply device)
An ink supply apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is connected to a tank that stores liquid ink and receives supply of ink from the tank, and is connected to a print head that discharges liquid ink to the print head. An apparatus for supplying ink. Therefore, the ink supply device 1 of this embodiment includes an ink supply chamber 2 (ink storage chamber), a pressure chamber 3 (ink chamber) that is a damper chamber, a pressure receiving plate 4, and a first valve 5 (opening / closing member). , A wall 6, an ink supply unit 7, an ink outlet unit 8, and a case 11.

・ Ink supply chamber 2
The ink supply chamber 2 is connected to an external tank via an ink supply unit 7. The ink stored in the tank is supplied to the ink supply chamber 2 via the ink supply unit 7.

  The ink supply chamber 2 is adjacent to the pressure chamber 3 through the wall 6.

  The wall 6 is provided with a first support hole 9 (ink supply path, opening), and the first valve 5 passes through the first support hole 9. Although details of the operation of the first valve 5 will be described later, the first valve 5 can open and close the first support hole 9 by moving in the penetrating direction. When the first support hole 9 is opened, ink is discharged. Ink is supplied from the supply chamber 2 to the pressure chamber 3.

・ Pressure chamber 3
The pressure chamber 3 is connected to an external print head via the ink outlet 8, and the pressure chamber 3 supplies the ink supplied from the ink supply chamber 2 to the print head via the ink outlet 8. .

  The pressure chamber 3 is surrounded by a wall 6, a pressure receiving plate 4, and a bellows structure portion 10. Specifically, the pressure chamber 3 includes a bellows structure portion 10 having a bellows cylindrical structure, a wall 6 that closes one open end of the cylindrical structure, and a pressure receiving plate that closes the other open end of the cylindrical structure. It is surrounded by four. The bellows tube structure may be a cylinder, a rectangular tube, or a semicircular tube.

  The bellows structure unit 10 changes the volume of the pressure chamber 3 by expanding and contracting the bellows. The bellows expands and contracts according to a change in pressure in the internal space of the pressure chamber 3. The pressure in the internal space of the pressure chamber 3 is configured to be a negative pressure (negative pressure) rather than atmospheric pressure. As a result, the print head communicating with the pressure chamber 3 can be maintained at an appropriate negative pressure, and ink is prevented from leaking from the print head.

  Here, the internal space of the pressure chamber 3 is maintained at a predetermined (predetermined range) pressure value. This is because the internal space of the pressure chamber 3 is in a sealed state. That is, if the internal space has a predetermined (predetermined range) pressure value, the first support hole 9 is closed by the first valve 5, and the ink in the pressure chamber 3 naturally flows out from the ink outlet 8. Absent.

  However, when ink is supplied to the print head in this sealed state, the pressure value in the internal space of the pressure chamber 3 is more biased to a negative pressure than the predetermined (predetermined range) pressure value.

  The bellows structure portion 10 contracts the bellows in response to the pressure value in the internal space of the pressure chamber 3 being more negative than the predetermined (predetermined range) pressure value, thereby reducing the capacity of the internal space of the pressure chamber 3. Thus, an attempt is made to maintain the pressure value at the predetermined (predetermined range) pressure value. That is, the ink supply device 1 is configured so that the pressure value in the internal space of the pressure chamber 3 becomes the predetermined pressure value by using the bellows expansion and contraction of the bellows structure portion 10. When the force of contracting the bellows due to the negative pressure in the pressure chamber 3 exceeds the restoring force of the bellows and the sliding resistance of the opening / closing member, the first valve 5 is opened and ink is supplied from the ink supply chamber 2 to the pressure chamber 3. .

  Here, FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the bellows structure portion 10. As shown in the figure, the bellows structure portion 10 has a structure having a bent portion 10b between an inclined portion 10a and an inclined portion 10c adjacent to each other in a sectional view.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, the bellows structure portion 10 is integrally formed of resin, and the thickness of the bent portion 10b is set to the inclined portions 10a and 10c. It is made thinner than the thickness so that it can easily expand and contract.

  Further, if the thickness of the bent portion 10b is reduced as shown in FIG. 4, it is not necessary to reduce the entire thickness of the bellows structure portion 10 in order to realize the expansion / contraction operation. That is, the inclined portions 10a and 10c can be made relatively thick. By configuring the inclined portions 10a and 10c to be thick, the gas barrier performance can be enhanced. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a gas such as an external gas from penetrating into the ink in the pressure chamber 3, and it is possible to prevent the ink from being oxidized and the dissolved gas in the ink from increasing.

  The expansion / contraction force of the bellows structure portion 10 contracts as the pressure value in the internal space of the pressure chamber 3 is biased to a negative pressure rather than the predetermined (predetermined range) pressure value due to the delivery of ink to the print head. Thus, it is sufficient if the ink supply chamber 2 has a restoring force that extends to the original length when the ink starts to be supplied.

  As a resin that can be used to form the bellows structure portion 10 by integral molding, polyethylene, polyparaxylene, or the like can be suitably used when a solvent ink is used. When water-based ink is used, polyester, polyamide, polyimide and the like can be preferably used.

  The thickness of the bent portion 10b of the bellows structure portion 10 can be about 0.1 to 2.0 mm, and the thickness of the inclined portions 10a and 10c of the bellows structure portion 10 is about 0.2 to 4.0 mm. However, the present invention is not limited to this. However, in the present invention, unlike the conventional film, the ink supply and shut-off are not realized by the bending operation. In other words, the bellows structure portion 10 does not bend, for example, so that the inclined portions 10a and 10c can supply and block ink.

  The bellows structure portion 10 and the wall 6 can be bonded together by heat welding or the like. Further, the bellows structure portion 10 and the pressure receiving plate 4 can be bonded by heat welding or the like.

  The first valve 5 penetrates through the first support hole 9 provided in the wall 6 as described above. Specifically, the 1st valve | bulb 5 is formed from the plate-shaped member 5a and the rod member 5b. The plate member 5a is disposed in the ink supply chamber 2, and is disposed at one end of the rod member 5b. The pressure receiving plate 4 is connected to the other end of the rod member 5b.

  The rod member 5 b moves in the first support hole 9 toward the ink supply chamber 2 or the pressure chamber 3. The plate-like member 5a has a larger diameter than the first support hole 9, and when the rod member 5b moves in the direction of the pressure chamber 3, the plate-like member 5a contacts the surface of the wall 6 on the ink supply chamber 2 side. As a result, the opening of the first support hole 9 on the ink supply chamber 2 side is sealed. On the other hand, when the rod member 5b moves in the direction of the ink supply chamber 2, the opening portion of the first support hole 9 on the ink supply chamber 2 side is opened without being sealed, so that the ink in the ink supply chamber 2 is discharged. The pressure chamber 3 is supplied through the first support hole 9.

  The operation of the rod member 5b is caused by the expansion and contraction of the bellows structure portion 10 and the displacement of the pressure receiving plate 4 associated therewith.

  The pressure receiving plate 4 is used to transmit a change in pressure in the pressure chamber 3 to the first valve 5 supported by the first support hole 9 of the wall 6. Therefore, the pressure receiving plate 4 is provided in a position facing the wall 6 in the pressure chamber 3.

  When the bellows structure portion 10 contracts as the ink in the pressure chamber 3 decreases due to printing, the pressure receiving plate 4 moves (displaces) in a direction approaching the wall 6. Then, with this movement, the pressure receiving plate 4 pushes the connected rod member 5b toward the ink supply chamber 2. The rod member 5b receives a pressure from the pressure receiving plate 4 and moves in the direction of the ink supply chamber 2, whereby the first valve 5 is opened as described above. As a result, ink is supplied from the ink supply chamber 2 to the pressure chamber 3 through the first support hole 9.

  When ink is supplied from the ink supply chamber 2 to the pressure chamber 3, the pressure receiving plate 4 moves (displaces) in the direction away from the wall 6 due to the applied pressure of the ink and the restoring force of the bellows structure portion 10. As the pressure receiving plate 4 is displaced, the rod member 5 b connected to the pressure receiving plate 4 is pulled in the direction of the pressure chamber 3. Then, the first valve 5 moves toward the pressure chamber 3, the first valve 5 again seals the first support hole 9, and the supply of ink from the ink supply chamber 2 to the pressure chamber 3 is stopped. The

  As the material of the pressure receiving plate 4, polyethylene resin, epoxy resin, phenol resin, melamine resin, fluorine resin, or the like can be suitably used.

  The pressure receiving plate 4 has a thickness of about 0.5 to 3.0 mm, for example.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which the pressure receiving plate 4 is displaced by the pressure of the ink has been described. However, the pressure receiving plate 4 has a restoring force of the bellows structure portion 10, a force of a pressing spring 12 (biasing member) described later, and a later described. It can also be configured to be displaced by the force of the adjusting spring 18 or by the combined force of these.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the first valve 5 is arranged at the approximate center of the wall 6, but the arrangement position of the first valve 5 is not limited to this.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the pressure chamber 3 is housed in the opening end of the case 11 that forms the outer shell of the ink supply chamber 2. As shown in FIG. 1, when the case 11 is provided, the displacement direction of the bellows can be made parallel along the moving direction of the rod member 5b.

  That is, the case 11 has a concave shape and is provided with the ink supply unit 7, and the ink supply chamber 2 is formed by inserting and arranging the wall 6 therein.

  An ink supply unit 7 that supplies ink from a tank (not shown) that stores liquid ink to the ink supply chamber 2 is disposed on one end surface (surface perpendicular to the opening surface) of the case 11. An ink lead-out portion 8 for supplying ink to a print head (not shown) is disposed on the surface facing the head.

  The case 11 has an opening diameter that is the same as or slightly larger than the diameter of the bellows structure portion 10. Thereby, the bellows structure part 10 and the pressure receiving plate 4 can move in parallel along the moving direction of the rod member 5b.

  In the present embodiment, ink is supplied from the ink supply chamber 2 to the pressure chamber 3, but the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, the ink may be supplied from the ink supply unit 7 through the first support hole 9 to the pressure chamber 3. With this configuration, it is not necessary to provide the ink supply chamber 2, and the ink supply device 1 can be downsized.

(Printer)
One embodiment of the printing apparatus according to the present invention includes the ink supply apparatus 1 having the above-described configuration.

  The printing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of ink supply apparatuses 1. In the present embodiment, in order to temporarily store ink in each ink supply device 1, a plurality of inks corresponding to the ink (for example, black ink and cyan, magenta, and yellow color inks) are provided. .

  Then, each of the inks described above is supplied to each ink supply device 1 from an ink cartridge mounted on a cartridge holder provided in the printing device via an ink supply path.

  As described above, the ink stored in the ink supply device 1 is supplied to the print head via the ink outlet 8 provided in the pressure chamber 3 of the ink supply device 1.

  In the print head, ink is ejected onto the substrate by a conventionally known method.

(Effects of the present embodiment)
The ink supply device 1 according to the present embodiment includes the bellows structure portion 10, so that the expansion / contraction motion of the bellows structure portion 10 can be used as the opening / closing motion of the first valve 5. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the area of the pressure receiving plate 4. Further, since the pressure receiving plate 4 transmits the displacement of the pressure receiving plate 4 directly to the first valve 5, a loss of operation transmission is unlikely to occur. Therefore, a delicate pressure can be controlled. Furthermore, since the first valve 5 is opened and closed using only the pressure receiving plate 4, the structure is simple. Further, since the pressure receiving plate 4 is relatively small in flexibility, it is not necessary to provide a space for the pressure receiving plate 4 to be bent. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ink supply device 1 can be downsized.

  The degree to which the pressure receiving plate 4 bends is less than the degree to which the film member bends due to a pressure change inside the pressure chamber 3. Therefore, the cross-sectional area with respect to the expansion / contraction direction of the pressure chamber 3, that is, the cross-sectional area of the pressure receiving plate 4 can be reduced as compared with the configuration using the film member. Accordingly, the stroke amount of the first valve 5 per volume of ink (the amount of movement distance of the first valve 5) can be increased as compared with the configuration including the film member.

  Furthermore, the number of parts can be reduced by integrally molding the bellows structure portion 10 with resin. In addition, by assembling the bellows structure portion 10 integrally with resin, the assembly work of the ink supply device can be facilitated.

  The bellows structure portion 10 can be molded by a method of pouring resin into a mold and hardening it.

  Furthermore, the stroke amount of the 1st valve | bulb 5 by the expansion-contraction movement of a bellows structure can be ensured by forming the bending part 10b thinner than another part.

<Variation 1 of the first embodiment>
In the present embodiment, the bellows structure portion 10 and the pressure receiving plate 4 are separate bodies, and the pressure receiving plate 4 is bonded to the bellows structure portion 10.

  However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the bellows structure portion 10 and the pressure receiving plate 4 can be integrally molded. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the ink supply device 1 when the bellows structure portion 10 and the pressure receiving plate 4 are integrally molded. 2 and 3 have the same configuration except that the shape of the bellows structure portion 10 is different.

  By integrally molding the bellows structure portion 10 and the pressure receiving plate 4, it is not necessary to bond the bellows structure portion 10 and the pressure receiving plate 4, which are required when the bellows structure portion 10 and the pressure receiving plate 4 are separately molded, This simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces the number of parts.

  In the case where the bellows structure portion 10 and the pressure receiving plate 4 are integrally formed, the pressure chamber 3 can be easily provided because no bonding work is required.

  2 and 3, unlike the present embodiment, the case 11 is not disposed around the bellows structure portion 10. Even in this configuration, the first valve 5 can be moved by the expansion and contraction of the bellows structure portion 10. 2 and 3, the case 11 may be disposed around the bellows structure portion 10 in order to assist the parallel movement of the bellows structure portion 10.

<Modification 2 of the first embodiment>
In the present embodiment, the rod member 5b moves in the direction of the pressure chamber 3 with the movement of the bellows structure portion 10 and the pressure receiving plate 4 due to the supply of ink to the pressure chamber 3, and the first valve 5 is the first valve 5. The support hole 9 is sealed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a modification as shown in FIG. 5, for example. FIG. 5 is a diagram corresponding to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in this modification, unlike the present embodiment, a pressing spring 12 is attached to the surface of the ink supply chamber 2 facing the wall 6.

  The push spring 12 pushes the plate-like member 5a of the first valve 5 toward the pressure chamber 3 with a predetermined pressure.

  By providing the pressing spring 12, the force necessary to close the first valve 5 can be supplemented and the ink supply can be shut off.

  As the push spring 12, various springs such as a leaf spring and a coil spring can be used. However, the spring 12 is not limited to these and is made of a material having an elastic force and supplements a force necessary to close the first valve 5. Anything is possible.

[Second Embodiment]
A second embodiment of the ink supply device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The configuration other than that described in the present embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those shown in the drawings in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply device in the present embodiment.

  The difference between the present embodiment and the first embodiment is the structure of the pressure chamber 3. Specifically, in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the pressure chamber 3 has a cylindrical bellows structure portion 10, which has a wall 6 at one end and a pressure receiving plate 4 at the other end. It is a certain configuration. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the portion which was the bellows structure portion 10 having a cylindrical structure that expands and contracts in the first embodiment is fixed to a fixing portion 10d (a structure that does not expand and contract) that does not expand and contract as shown in FIG. It has the structure which has the bellows part 10e which can be expanded-contracted connected to a part. Moreover, in 1st Embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the pressure receiving plate 4 receives the expansion-contraction of the bellows structure part 10, and becomes the structure which the pressure receiving plate 4 whole displaces. On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, one end 4a of the pressure receiving plate 4 is attached so that it can be rotated by the hinge structure portion 13 connected to the fixed portion 10d. The other end 4b is connected to or integrally formed with the bellows portion 10e.

  In the configuration of the present embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the pressure receiving plate 4 is inclined not by the entire displacement of the pressure receiving plate 4 but by rotating around the one end 4a, that is, by the inclination of the pressure receiving plate 4. The rod member 5b of the first valve 5 is pushed by the plate 4 so that the first valve 5 is opened.

  FIG. 7 is a view for explaining the displacement of the pressure receiving plate 4 due to the hinge structure. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the negative pressure in the pressure chamber 3 is further negative than a predetermined value.

  When the ink is delivered from the ink outlet 8, the negative pressure in the pressure chamber 3 becomes larger than a predetermined value as shown in FIG. 7, and the cylindrical bellows 10 e contracts accordingly. The other end 4b of the pressure receiving plate 4 is connected to or integrally attached to the bellows portion 10e. Therefore, when the bellows part 10e is contracted, the pressure receiving plate 4 is inclined by moving the other end 4b in a direction approaching the wall 6 with the one end 4a as a rotation center. As a result, when the pressure receiving plate 4 pushes the rod member 5 b of the first valve 5, the first valve 5 is opened and ink is supplied into the pressure chamber 3.

  Since the rod member 5 b is connected to the pressure receiving plate 4, when ink is supplied into the pressure chamber 3 and the bellows portion 10 e extends, the other end 4 b moves away from the wall 6 accordingly. As soon as the negative pressure reaches a predetermined value, the first valve 5 is closed and the supply of ink to the pressure chamber 3 is stopped. The pressure receiving plate 4 and the rod member 5b are preferably connected so as to be rotatable so that the rotational movement of the pressure receiving plate 4 can be converted into the reciprocating movement of the rod member 5b, but the displacement of the pressure receiving plate 4 is very small. In addition, the pressure receiving plate 4 and the rod member 5b may be fixed.

  Thus, by attaching the pressure receiving plate 4 to the pressure chamber 3 with a hinge structure, the first valve 5 can be opened and closed using the rotational movement of the pressure receiving plate 4.

  When this configuration is used, as shown in FIG. 6, the first valve 5 can be provided in a direction close to the hinge structure portion 13 in the wall 6. The stroke amount of the first valve 5 is different between the case where the first valve 5 is provided in a direction near the hinge structure portion 13 in the wall 6 and the case where the first valve 5 is provided in the center of the wall 6. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the first valve 5 is provided in the direction close to the hinge structure portion 13 in the wall 6, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, when the stroke amount is increased, the stroke amount of the first valve 5 can be secured by providing the first valve 5 at the center of the wall 6 or at a position closer to the other end 4b than the center. As described above, the stroke amount can be widely changed by appropriately selecting the place where the first valve 5 is provided.

<Modification of Second Embodiment>
FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of another example of the pressure receiving plate 4 in the present embodiment. One end 4a of the pressure receiving plate 4 is fixed so as to be able to rotate around a curved portion 13 'to a cylindrical fixed portion 10d, and the other end 4b of the pressure receiving plate 4 is connected to a cylindrical bellows portion 10e. It is connected with. The pressure receiving plate 4 can move the other end 4b in a direction approaching the wall 6 with the one end 4a as the center of rotation, whereby the pressure receiving plate 4 rotates in the direction of the arrow with the one end 4a as the center of rotation. Making it possible.

  Even if the pressure receiving plate 4 of FIG. 8 is provided instead of the pressure receiving plate 4 of FIG. 6, the same function as that of FIG. 6 can be achieved.

[Third Embodiment]
A third embodiment of the ink supply apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The configuration other than that described in the present embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those shown in the drawings in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the ink supply device according to the present embodiment.

  The difference between this embodiment and the above-described embodiment is the structure of the wall 6.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the wall 6 is a hollow structure provided with a hollow portion 6 '(ink supply path). In the hollow portion 6 ′, the ink supplied from the ink supply chamber 2 toward the pressure chamber 3 is temporarily stored before being supplied to the pressure chamber 3.

  Specifically, the wall 6 is provided with a first support hole 9 that passes through the ink supply chamber 2 and the pressure chamber 3 and supports the first valve 5, as in the first embodiment. Further, in the present embodiment, a second support hole 14 for supporting the second valve 15 (control member) is provided on the side surface of the wall 6 on the pressure chamber 3 side.

  The second valve 15 is formed of a plate member 15a and a rod member 15b. The rod member 15 b is formed at the center of the plate-like member 15 a and moves in the second support hole 14 toward the ink supply chamber 2 or the pressure chamber 3.

  On the side surface of the wall 6 on the pressure chamber 3 side, a cover 16 that prevents inflow of ink from the first support hole 9 to the pressure chamber 3 is provided at a position corresponding to the first support hole 9.

  A movable rod 17 (opening / closing member) is attached to the pressure receiving plate 4 perpendicular to the pressure receiving plate 4. The movable rod 17 transmits the displacement of the pressure receiving plate 4 to the first valve 5 through the cover 16. With such a configuration, the first valve 5 is opened and closed.

  When the first valve 5 is opened by the movable rod 17 pushing the first valve 5 through the cover 16, ink is supplied to the hollow portion 6 ′ and ink is collected in the hollow portion 6 ′. When the ink accumulates in the hollow portion 6 ′ and the pressure in the hollow portion 6 ′ increases, the second valve 15 opens and ink is supplied into the pressure chamber 3.

  When the pressure receiving plate 4 is displaced in a direction away from the wall 6 due to the pressure of ink, the force that the movable rod 17 pushes the first valve 5 through the cover with the displacement disappears, and the first valve 5 is closed. When the first valve 5 is closed, the ink supply to the hollow portion 6 ′ is stopped, and when the ink in the hollow portion 6 ′ decreases, the pressure in the hollow portion 6 ′ decreases. Then, the second valve 15 is closed, and the supply of ink from the hollow portion 6 ′ to the pressure chamber 3 is stopped.

  In FIG. 9, an adjustment spring 18 that finely adjusts the pressure in the pressure chamber 3 is attached to the second valve 15. The adjustment spring 18 acts in the direction in which the second valve 15 is closed (in the direction of the ink supply chamber 2). By providing the adjustment spring 18, the pressure in the pressure chamber 3 can be finely adjusted. Even in the configuration in which the adjustment spring 18 is not used, the present embodiment can be realized by opening and closing the second valve 15 in accordance with the pressure difference between the hollow portion 6 ′ and the pressure chamber 3. When the second valve 15 is configured not to open unless the pressure in the internal space 3 is more negative than the predetermined pressure value, the restoring force of the adjustment spring 18 and / or the bellows may be used. preferable. That is, even when the pressure value in the internal space of the pressure chamber 3 is less than a predetermined negative pressure, the second valve 15 can be moved by using the restoring force of the adjustment spring 18 and / or the bellows. Can do.

  In the present embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, ink can be supplied in two stages from the ink supply chamber 2 to the hollow portion 6 ′ of the wall 6 and from the hollow portion 6 ′ to the pressure chamber 3. .

  In the present embodiment, since the wall 6 is a hollow structure provided with a hollow portion 6 ', two valves, the first valve 5 and the second valve 15, as shown in FIG. It can be provided in the hollow portion 6 '. Therefore, the first valve 5 that opens and closes the first support hole 9 and the second valve 15 that opens and closes the second support hole 14 can be provided.

  Therefore, the operating conditions of the first valve 5 and the second valve 15 can be finely managed. For example, the opening / closing conditions of the second valve 15 can be finely changed by finely adjusting the pressing force or the like of the adjustment spring 18.

<Modification of Third Embodiment>
In the present embodiment, the configuration in which ink is supplied or blocked from the ink supply chamber 2 to the hollow portion 6 ′ and from the hollow portion 6 ′ to the pressure chamber 3 by opening and closing the first valve 5 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the opening and closing of the first valve 5, and may be a modification as shown in FIG. 10, for example. FIG. 10 corresponds to FIG. In FIG. 10, the direction in which the ink outlet 8 is provided is the gravity direction.

  As shown in FIG. 10, in this modified example, an opening / closing bar 19 provided along the adjacent direction of the ink supply chamber 2 and the pressure chamber 3 with respect to the wall 6 instead of the first valve 5 in the present embodiment. (Rod) and a wall 24 (blocking member) and a storage unit 21 for movably storing the ball 24 are provided on the wall 6 on the ink supply chamber 2 side.

  The storage unit 21 includes a holding unit 21a that holds the ball 24, and a cylindrical part 21b that moves the open / close bar 19 therein. The holding part 21a is formed on the cylindrical part 21b. The holding portion 21a has an upper surface port 22 on the upper surface and a lower surface port 23 (opening) on the lower surface.

  The diameters of the upper surface port 22 and the lower surface port 23 are smaller than the diameter of the ball 24 so that the ball 24 does not jump out of the holding portion 21a.

  The holding portion 21 a has a structure in which the lower surface opening 23 is sealed by the weight of the ball 24. In a state where the lower surface port 23 is sealed, there is no ink supply from the ink supply chamber 2 to the hollow portion 6 ′.

  Next, ink supply will be described. When ink is delivered from the ink outlet 8 shown in FIG. 9, the amount of ink in the pressure chamber 3 decreases, and when the negative pressure in the pressure chamber 3 becomes more negative than a predetermined value, the bellows structure portion 10. The bellows is contracted, and the pressure receiving plate 4 is displaced in a direction approaching the wall 6. Accordingly, the movable bar 17 connected to the pressure receiving plate 4 transmits the displacement of the pressure receiving plate 4 to the opening / closing bar 19. That is, the movable bar 17 pushes the opening / closing bar 19. A cover 16 is interposed between the movable bar 17 and the opening / closing bar 19. Then, the open / close bar 19 moves in the cylindrical portion 21b toward the ink supply chamber 2, and the open / close bar 19 comes into contact with the ball 24 that seals the lower surface port 23 by its own weight. The ball 24 is pushed up toward the upper surface mouth 22 by moving in the direction. When the ball 24 is pushed up toward the upper surface mouth 22, a gap is generated between the ball 24 and the lower surface mouth 23. Since the ink in the ink supply chamber 2 is supplied from the upper surface port 22 to the holding portion 21a, the ink is further supplied from the gap to the hollow portion 6 '.

  The ink supplied to the hollow portion 6 ′ is supplied from the second valve 15 to the pressure chamber 3 by the same mechanism as in the above-described embodiment.

  When the negative pressure in the pressure chamber 3 returns to a predetermined value, the pressure receiving plate 4 is displaced to a position away from the wall 6. Accordingly, the movable rod 17 is separated from the cover 16. That is, the pushing force from the movable bar 17 to the opening / closing bar 19 is lost. When the pressing force from the movable bar 17 to the opening / closing bar 19 is lost, the opening / closing bar 19 moves toward the pressure chamber 3. By this movement, the pushing force from the opening / closing rod 19 to the ball 24 is lost, and the ball 24 pushed up by the opening / closing rod 19 seals the lower surface opening 23 by its own weight.

  When the ball 24 seals the lower surface port 23, the supply of ink from the ink supply chamber 2 to the hollow portion 6 'is stopped. When the ink in the hollow portion 6 ′ is stopped, the pressure in the hollow portion 6 ′ becomes low and the second valve 15 is closed. By closing the second valve 15, the supply of ink from the hollow portion 6 ′ to the pressure chamber 3 is stopped.

  As the material of the ball 24, stainless steel, brass, polyethylene-coated metal, metal filler-containing plastic, or the like can be used.

  Even in such a configuration, it is possible to stably supply ink and to reduce the size of the ink supply device.

<Additional notes>
As described above, the ink supply apparatus 1 that is an embodiment of the ink supply apparatus according to the present invention is the ink supply apparatus 1 that is connected to the tank that stores the liquid ink and the print head that discharges the liquid ink. The ink from the tank is supplied with positive pressure,
At least a part of the pressure chamber 3 having a bellows (the bellows structure portion 10 or the bellows portion 10e) is provided. 5 (FIG. 1), or a ball 24, a storage portion 21, a movable bar 17, and an opening / closing bar 19 (FIG. 10) are arranged. When the volume of the pressure chamber 3 exceeds a predetermined value, the opening / closing member When the first support hole 9 is sealed and the opening / closing member opens the first support hole 9 below a predetermined value, the pressure chamber 3 is maintained at a negative pressure with respect to the atmospheric pressure. It is a feature.

  According to the said structure, the expansion-contraction movement of the bellows structure part 10 can be used as an opening / closing operation | movement of the said opening / closing member. Further, by forming the opposing surface of the wall 6 in the pressure chamber 3 by the pressure receiving plate 4, compared to the configuration in which the opposing surface of the wall is formed of a film as in the conventional configuration, the opposing surface of the wall 6 in the pressure chamber 3 The cross-sectional area in the expansion / contraction direction can be reduced. As a result, the stroke amount (movement amount of the first valve 5) of the opening / closing member per volume of ink is increased, and the opening / closing controllability of the first support hole 9 can be improved.

In the ink supply device 1, the pressure chamber 3 is provided with a wall 6 formed with a first support hole 9 in which the opening and closing member is disposed. The pressure chamber 3 is disposed on the side facing the wall 6. The pressure receiving plate 4 is provided, and the space sandwiched between the wall 6 and the pressure receiving plate 4 is closed by a cylindrical structure in which at least a part is the bellows (the bellows structure portion 10 or the bellows portion 10e). And
It is preferable that the opening / closing member is configured to open / close the first support hole 9 by changing the position of the pressure receiving plate 4 along with the expansion / contraction of the bellows.

  If it is said structure, the expansion-contraction movement of a bellows will appear directly as a displacement of the pressure receiving plate 4, and the fluctuation | variation (operation | movement) can be transmitted to the said opening / closing member. Therefore, it is not necessary to make the area of the pressure receiving plate 4 as wide as that of a conventional film. Therefore, the ink supply device can be made smaller than the conventional configuration.

  Further, since the ink supply device 1 is not configured to cause the pressure-receiving plate 4 to bend and cause the opening and closing member to open and close, there is no need to provide a space for bending as in a conventional film. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to the downsizing of the ink supply device as compared with the conventional configuration.

  Further, since the opening / closing member directly transmits the displacement of the pressure receiving plate 4, a loss of operation transmission is unlikely to occur. Therefore, a delicate pressure can be controlled. Furthermore, since the opening / closing member can be opened and closed by the displacement of the pressure receiving plate 4 and the change in the bellows shape, the ink chamber can be provided without requiring a complicated structure.

  In the ink supply device 1, the cylindrical structure is integrally formed of resin, and a part of the ink supply apparatus 1 is a bellows part 10e, and the remaining part is a fixing part 10d that does not expand and contract, The pressure receiving plate 4 is attached so that one end 4a of the pressure receiving plate 4 forms the fixed portion 10d that does not expand and contract and the hinge structure portion 13, and the other end 4b of the pressure receiving plate 4 is connected to the bellows portion 10e. The pressure receiving plate 4 opens and closes the first valve 5 by rotating the pressure receiving plate 4 about the hinge structure 13 as the bellows portion 10e expands and contracts. It is preferable that

  According to the above configuration, the one end 4a of the pressure receiving plate 4 is attached to be rotatable by the hinge structure portion 13, so that the opening / closing member is opened and closed by the rotational movement of the pressure receiving plate 4 to supply ink or Can be blocked.

  In the ink supply device 1, in addition to the above configuration, the cylindrical structure is integrally formed of resin, and the bellows (the bellows structure portion 10 or the bellows portion 10e) includes a bent portion 10b and an inclined portion. 10a and 10c, and the bent portion 10b is preferably thinner than the inclined portions 10a and 10c.

  According to the said structure, a number of parts can be reduced by forming a cylindrical structure integrally with resin rather than the case where the said bellows is formed by combining several components. Further, since it is not necessary to assemble a plurality of parts, the assembling work of the ink supply device 1 can be facilitated.

  In addition, the thickness of the portion constituting the bent portion 10b is made thinner than the thickness of the inclined portions 10a and 10c to make the bent portion 10b easy to be bent, and the portion other than the bent portion is attached to the bent portion 10b. By forming it with a thicker resin, it is possible to prevent or suppress gas permeation into the ink supply device 1. Further, by forming the bent portion 10b with a resin having a thickness smaller than that of the inclined portions 10a and 10c, the opening / closing member according to the expansion and contraction of the bellows is formed as compared with the case where the bellows is entirely made of a thick resin. A sufficient stroke amount can be secured.

  In addition to the above-described configuration, the ink supply device 1 includes a first spring 5 that biases the first valve 5 in a direction in which the first valve 5 is closed. Is preferably provided.

  Even if the above configuration is not adopted, when the bellows has a restoring force, it is possible to realize the closing operation of the first valve 5 only by the restoring force. However, even if the restoring force is insufficient, if the pressing spring 12 is provided, the first valve 5 can be urged in the closing direction, and the ink supply is surely cut off. be able to.

In addition to the above-described configuration, the ink supply device 1 is a storage unit 21 in which the opening / closing member is provided with a space communicating with the pressure chamber 3 and a lower surface port 23 that forms an ink supply path. The ball 24 having a size capable of closing the lower surface opening 23 has a storage portion 21 stored in the space,
Further, the opening / closing member has an opening / closing bar 19, which comes into contact with the ball 24 as the pressure receiving plate 4 changes its position as the bellows expands and contracts. It is preferable that the lower surface port 23 is opened by lifting 24, the contact with the ball 24 is released, and the lower surface port 23 is closed with the ball 24.

  According to the above configuration, ink supply / blocking can be realized using the ball 24.

  Furthermore, a printing apparatus which is an embodiment of the printing apparatus according to the present invention includes the ink supply apparatus 1. Thereby, a miniaturized printing apparatus can be realized.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The present invention can be applied as an ink supply device of various printing apparatuses such as an ink jet printer.

1 Ink supply device 2 Ink supply chamber (ink storage chamber)
3 Pressure chamber (ink chamber)
4 pressure plate 4a one end 4b other end 5 first valve (opening and closing member)
5a Plate member 5b Rod member 6 Wall 6 'Hollow part (ink supply path)
7 Ink supply section 8 Ink outlet section 9 First support hole (ink supply path, opening)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Bellows structure part 10a Inclination part 10b Bending part 10c Inclination part 10d Fixing part 10e Bellows part 11 Case 12 Push spring (biasing member)
13 hinge structure part 13 'curved part 14 2nd support hole 15 2nd valve (control member)
15a Plate member 15b Rod member 16 Cover 17 Movable bar (opening / closing member)
18 Adjustment spring 19 Opening / closing rod (rod)
21 storage part 21a holding part 21b cylindrical part 22 upper surface port 23 lower surface port (opening)
24 balls (occlusion member)

Claims (7)

An ink supply device connected to a tank that stores liquid ink and a print head that discharges liquid ink,
The ink from the tank is supplied with positive pressure,
At least a part of the bellows has a variable volume ink chamber whose volume changes due to expansion and contraction of the bellows.
The ink chamber has an opening / closing member in the ink supply path,
When the volume of the ink chamber exceeds a predetermined value, the opening / closing member seals the ink supply path, and when the volume falls below a predetermined value, the opening / closing member opens the ink supply path, thereby causing the ink chamber to have a negative pressure with respect to atmospheric pressure. An ink supply device characterized in that the ink supply device is configured to be maintained at a constant temperature. The ink chamber is provided with a wall having an opening in which the opening / closing member is disposed,
In the ink chamber, a pressure receiving plate is provided on the side facing the wall, and a space sandwiched between the wall and the pressure receiving plate is closed by a cylindrical structure in which at least a part is a bellows. And
The ink supply device according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing member opens and closes an ink supply path when the position of the pressure receiving plate changes with expansion and contraction of the bellows. The cylindrical structure is integrally formed of resin, and a part of the cylindrical structure is a bellows, and the remaining part has a structure that does not expand and contract,
The pressure receiving plate is attached such that one end of the pressure receiving plate forms a hinge structure with the structure that does not expand and contract, and the other end of the pressure receiving plate is connected to or integrated with the bellows.
3. The ink according to claim 2, wherein the pressure receiving plate is configured to open and close the opening / closing member by rotating the pressure receiving plate about a hinge structure as the bellows expands and contracts. 4. Feeding device. The cylindrical structure is integrally formed of resin,
The bellows is composed of a bent portion and an inclined portion,
4. The ink supply device according to claim 2, wherein a thickness of the bent portion is configured to be thinner than a thickness of the inclined portion. 5.   5. The ink supply device according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing member is provided with a biasing member that biases the opening / closing member in a direction in which the opening / closing member is closed. . The opening / closing member is a storage portion provided with a space communicating with the ink chamber and an opening constituting an ink supply path, and the closing member having a size capable of closing the opening is the space. Has a storage unit stored in the
Furthermore, the opening / closing member has a rod, and the rod comes into contact with the closing member as the bellows expands and contracts, lifts the closing member, opens the opening, and makes contact with the closing member. The ink supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ink supply device is configured to be released and to close the opening with the blocking member.   A printing apparatus comprising the ink supply device according to claim 1.

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