JPH0920019A - Ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] An ink jet recording apparatus capable of easily discriminating the mounting positions of a plurality of ink cartridges of different ink colors on a head holder and maintaining the mounting position discriminating function for a long period of time. provide. [Structure] Ink ejection mechanisms 33, 37, 41 for plural colors
In a head holder 31 having 45, in which the ink cartridges 50, 60, 70, 80 of a plurality of colors are removably mounted, a connecting cylinder portion 35 fitted into an ink supply opening of the ink cartridge of each ink ejecting mechanism. , 39,
43, 47 or sealing members 36, 40, 44, 48
Is made of a material having a color similar to the ink color of the mounted ink cartridge.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus capable of color recording by mounting a plurality of ink cartridges having different ink colors, and more particularly, to indicate a mounting position of an ink cartridge on a head holder by ink color. Regarding what you did.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an ink jet recording apparatus for recording characters and images on paper by ejecting ink from a plurality of ejection nozzles provided in a recording head, a head holder is provided on a carriage movable in a recording direction. The head holder has a recording head facing the paper,
An ink ejecting mechanism including a cylindrical connecting cylinder portion (so-called manifold) having an ink supply path communicating with the recording head is provided, and the recording ink supplied to the recording head is accommodated and the ink supply port is provided. The provided ink cartridge is detachably attached.

By the way, in general, an ink jet recording apparatus of this type has been put into practical use capable of color recording. That is, the head holder is provided with a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions for mounting a plurality of ink cartridges having different ink colors, and a plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms are provided corresponding to the respective cartridge accommodating portions. In addition, the part of the head holder visible to the operator corresponds to each cartridge accommodating part,
A sticker printed with the ink color of the attached ink cartridge such as "cyan", "magenta", and "yellow" is attached. That is, each of the plurality of ink cartridges having different ink colors is mounted at a dedicated mounting position designated by the ink color of the ink color sticker.

On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-192637, two recording heads having ink tanks containing inks of different ink colors are mounted at predetermined recording head mounting positions on a carriage that also serves as a head holder. In order to mount each of the recording heads without making a mistake, some of the four color-coding protrusions are formed in combination on the lower end surface of each recording head according to the ink color, while on the upper surface of the carriage,
In addition to providing the color indication mark, the color-coded recess corresponding to the combination of the color-coded projections of the printhead to be attached is formed, so that the printhead of the specified ink color can be easily attached to the predetermined printhead attachment position on the carriage. Inkjet recording apparatus described above is described.

[0005]

As described above, in order to surely install the ink cartridge of the designated ink color in each of the plurality of cartridge accommodating portions provided in the head holder, the ink cartridge to be installed is In the ink jet recording apparatus in which the ink color sticker printed with the ink color is attached, not only the manufacturing cost of the ink color sticker for these plural colors is required,
In the case of manufacturing a sticker sticking device that automatically sticks the ink color sticker, the manufacturing cost is added, and the cost of the ink color sticker becomes high. Furthermore, depending on the position where the ink color sticker is attached,
There is a problem that the ink leaked from the ink cartridge stains and the ink color cannot be identified.

Further, in the ink jet recording apparatus described in JP-A-60-192637, a color indicating mark provided on a carriage for mounting a recording head containing inks of different ink colors leaks from the recording head. That the ink color becomes dirty and the ink color cannot be identified,
When the leaked ink is collected and dried in the color-coded recesses provided in the carriage, the color-coded recesses are blocked, and the recording head cannot be mounted.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus capable of easily discriminating the mounting positions of a plurality of ink cartridges having different ink colors on a head holder and maintaining the function of discriminating the mounting positions for a long period of time. Is to provide.

[0008]

An ink jet recording apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a head holder having a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions for mounting a plurality of ink cartridges respectively accommodating recording inks having different ink colors. ,
In an inkjet recording apparatus including a plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms provided on a head holder corresponding to each of a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions, each of the plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms contacts an ink supply opening of an ink cartridge. The seal member in each ink ejecting mechanism is made of a material colored in the same color as the ink color of the mounted ink cartridge.

To explain the operation, each of the plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms provided on the head holder is configured to include a seal member that comes into contact with the ink supply opening of the ink cartridge. Since the member is made of a material colored to the same color as the ink color of the ink cartridge to be mounted, when the plurality of ink cartridges are mounted to the head holder, the head holder is inserted through the colored ink color of the seal member. It is easy to determine the attachment position to the ink cartridge, and even if ink leaks from the installed ink cartridge, the ink color of the leaked ink and the color of the seal member are similar colors, so the attachment position determination function can be used for a long time. Can be maintained for a long time.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus including a head holder having a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions for accommodating a plurality of ink cartridges respectively accommodating recording inks having different ink colors, and a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions. In an ink jet recording apparatus provided with a plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms provided in a head holder corresponding to each of the cartridges, each of the plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms is a cartridge so as to fit into an ink supply opening of the ink cartridge. It is configured to include a connecting cylinder portion that protrudes toward the containing portion side, and in each ink ejecting mechanism, the connecting cylinder portion is formed of a material colored in a color similar to the ink color of the ink cartridge to be mounted.

To explain the operation, each of the plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms provided on the head holder includes a connecting cylinder portion protruding toward the cartridge accommodating portion side so as to be fitted into the ink supply opening of the ink cartridge. In each of the ink ejecting mechanisms, the connecting cylinder part is made of a material colored in the same color as the ink color of the ink cartridge to be mounted, so that when connecting a plurality of ink cartridges to the head holder, the connecting cylinder part The position where the head holder is attached to the head holder can be easily identified through the colored ink color of the part, and even if ink leaks from the mounted ink cartridge, the ink color of the leaked ink and the color of the connecting cylinder part Since and are similar colors, the function of determining the mounting position can be maintained for a long time.

An ink jet recording apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is a head holder having a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions for mounting a plurality of ink cartridges respectively accommodating recording inks having different ink colors, and a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions. In an ink jet recording apparatus provided with a plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms provided in a head holder corresponding to each of the above, at least a part of each of the plurality of cartridge storage units is of the same color as the ink color of the mounted ink cartridge. It is composed of a coloring member made of a material that is colored.

To explain the operation, at least a part of each of a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions provided in the head holder for mounting a plurality of ink cartridges will be described.
Since it is composed of a coloring member made of a material colored to the same color as the ink color of the ink cartridge to be mounted, when the plurality of ink cartridges are mounted to the head holder, the head is passed through the colored ink color of the coloring member. The mounting position on the holder can be easily identified, and even when ink leaks from the installed ink cartridge,
Since the ink color of the leaked ink and the color of the coloring member are similar colors, the function of discriminating the attachment position can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment is a case where the present invention is applied to an inkjet recording apparatus capable of color recording using four color inks. As shown in FIG. 1, the inkjet recording apparatus 1 basically includes a platen 10, a carriage drive mechanism 20 for driving a carriage 21, and an ink cartridge 5 in a main body case 2.
Ink stored in 0, 60, 70, 80 is applied to the recording head 3
A recording mechanism 30 having four ink ejection mechanisms 33, 37, 41, 45 for ejecting from a plurality of ejection nozzles provided on each of the nozzles 4, 38, 42, 46 to record on the paper P is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the platen 10 is arranged in the left-right direction, and is rotatably supported by the side wall plates 3 and 4 at both left and right ends of the platen shaft 11. A platen gear 12 is provided at the left end of the platen shaft 11.
Is attached. A composite gear 13 having a first driven gear 14 that meshes with the platen gear 12 and a second driven gear 15 is rotatably supported by the side wall plate 3.
The drive gear 16 meshing with the second driven gear 15 is attached to the feed motor 17. That is, when the feed motor 17 is driven in the predetermined rotation direction and the drive gear 16 rotates, the platen 10 is driven in the predetermined paper feed direction via the composite gear 13 and the platen gear 12.

Next, regarding the carriage drive mechanism 20,
A description will be given based on FIGS. 1 to 3. A substantially plate-shaped carriage 21 is horizontally arranged on the front side of the platen 10, and the carriage 21 is supported by a guide rod 22 arranged in parallel with the platen 10 at its rear end so as to be movable in the left-right direction. At the same time, it is supported by a guide rail 23 arranged in parallel with the guide rod 22 so as to be movable in the left-right direction at its front end portion. The guide rod 22 and the guide rail 23 are respectively supported by the side wall plates 4 and 5 at the left and right ends thereof.

On the other hand, a driven pulley 24 is rotatably supported by a frame (not shown) at the left end of the moving range of the carriage 21, and a drive shaft of a carriage drive motor 26 is provided at the right end thereof. An attached drive pulley 25 is provided, and an endless timing belt 27 is stretched over both pulleys 24 and 25, and is connected to the timing belt 27 at the lower end of the carriage 21. When the carriage drive motor 26 is rotationally driven, the carriage 21 is supported by the guide rods 22 and the guide rails 23 via the pulleys 24 and 25 and the timing belt 27, and the recording direction (rightward direction). ) And the opposite recording direction (leftward).

Next, the recording mechanism 30 which is mounted on the carriage 21 and performs color recording on the paper P by ejecting ink will be described with reference to FIGS. On the carriage 21, a box-shaped head holder 31 that is open upward and forward is fixed. The head holder 31 includes a pair of side walls 31a and 31b and three partition walls 32.
Then, in order from the left side, a cartridge housing portion 31d for mounting the black ink cartridge 50, a cartridge housing portion 31e for mounting the cyan ink cartridge 60, a cartridge housing portion 31f for mounting the magenta ink cartridge 70, and A cartridge accommodating portion 31g for mounting the yellow ink cartridge 80 is provided respectively.

Further, the rear wall portion 31c of the head holder 31
In the four cartridge housing portions 31d, 31
Four ink ejecting mechanisms 33, 37, 41, 45 are provided respectively corresponding to e, 31f, 31g. These four ink ejection mechanisms 33, 37, 41, 4
The configuration of No. 5 is the same, and the ink ejecting mechanism 33 corresponding to the cartridge housing portion 31d will be described. A plurality of ejecting nozzles and a plurality of ink supply paths communicating with the ejecting nozzles are formed on the rear end surface of the rear wall portion 31c. Recording head 34
(Refer to FIG. 2) is attached, and a connecting cylinder portion 3 is formed inside which ink passages communicating with the plurality of ink supply passages are formed.
5 is provided so as to project toward the cartridge housing portion 31d side. An annular seal member 36 made of rubber is fitted into the connecting cylinder portion 35 in order to prevent ink leakage from the ink supply port 52a of the attached ink cartridge 50.

That is, the ink ejecting mechanism 33 has a recording head 34 and a connecting cylinder portion 35 communicating with the recording head 34.
And a seal member 36 and the like fitted in the connecting cylinder portion 35. The ink ejecting mechanism 37 includes a recording head 38.
The ink jetting mechanism 41 is connected to the recording head 42 and the connecting cylinder portion 39 communicating with the recording head 38, and the seal member 40 fitted in the connecting cylinder portion 39. The ink jet mechanism 45 includes a cylinder portion 43 and a seal member 44 fitted in the connection cylinder portion 43. The ink ejecting mechanism 45 includes a recording head 46, a connection cylinder portion 47 communicating with the recording head 46, and the connection cylinder portion. Four
It is composed of a seal member 48 and the like fitted in 7. As a result, the ink ejecting mechanisms 33, 37, 41, 4
The color image is recorded on the fed paper P by the ink ejected in the horizontal direction from each of the recording heads 34, 38, 42 and 46 of No. 5.

By the way, the black ink ejecting mechanism 3
3, the connecting cylinder portion 35 is made of a material colored in the same color as the ink color of the black ink cartridge 50 fitted therein, that is, “black”, and is connected in the cyan ink ejecting mechanism 37. The cylinder portion 39 is made of a material colored in the same color as the ink color of the cyan ink cartridge 60 fitted therein, that is, "cyan". In the magenta ink ejecting mechanism 41, the connecting cylinder portion 43 is Of the ink cartridge 70 for magenta, which is fitted to this, is made of a material colored similar to the ink color, that is, "magenta". It is made of a material colored in the same color as the ink color of the fitted yellow ink cartridge 80, that is, "yellow".

Next, four color ink cartridges 50, 6
0, 70, 80 will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, these four color ink cartridges 50, 6
Since each of 0, 70, and 80 has the same configuration, the black ink cartridge 50 containing the "black" ink will be described with reference to FIG. A container body 51 of the black ink cartridge 50 includes a box-shaped container body 52 made of a synthetic resin and having an open upper surface, and the container body 52.
And a lid member 53 made of synthetic resin that closes the upper surface of the
In the ink cartridge 50, an ink containing material 54 made of a porous material such as urethane foam in which “black” ink is sufficiently impregnated is provided inside the container main body 52, and a lid member 53 is bonded by an adhesive material or the like. It has been configured. In addition, on the rear end wall of the container body 52, the connecting tubular portion 35
A circular ink supply port 52a that can be externally fitted is formed.

Here, the lid member 53 is composed of a coloring member made of a material colored in the same color as the contained "black" ink color. Similarly, the container body 61 of the ink cartridge 60 containing the “cyan” ink is composed of a box-shaped container body 62 having an open upper surface and a lid member 63 for closing the upper surface of the container body 62. Member 63
Is composed of a coloring member made of a material colored to the same color as the contained “cyan” ink color.

The container body 71 of the ink cartridge 70 containing the "magenta" ink is composed of a box-shaped container body 72 having an open upper surface and a lid member 73 for closing the upper surface of the container body 72. The lid member 73 is composed of a coloring member made of a material colored in the same color as the contained “magenta” ink color. Further, the container body 81 of the ink cartridge 80 containing the “yellow” ink
Is composed of a box-shaped container body 82 having an open upper surface, and a lid member 83 that closes the upper surface of the container body 82. The lid member 83 is colored in a similar color to the contained “yellow” ink color. It is composed of a colored member made of a material. Here, on the upper surface of each lid member 53, 63, 73, 83, a mark 90 indicating the direction when the ink cartridge is attached to the head holder 31 is integrally formed.

Next, these four color ink cartridges 5
The operation of mounting 0, 60, 70, 80 on the head holder 31 will be described with reference to FIGS.
As described above, the ink cartridges 50, 60, 7
The 0, 80 lid members 53, 63, 73, 83 are respectively composed of coloring members colored in “black”, “cyan”, “magenta”, and “yellow”, and the ink ejecting mechanisms 33, 37, 41. , 45 connected tubular portions 35, 39, 4
3, 47 are made of materials colored in “black”, “cyan”, “magenta”, and “yellow”, respectively. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridge 50 for black is “black”. It can be attached to the cartridge housing portion 31d corresponding to the connecting tubular portion 35 colored.

Similarly, the cyan ink cartridge 60 can be attached to the cartridge housing portion 31e corresponding to the connecting cylinder portion 39 colored "cyan", and the magenta ink cartridge 70 is colored "magenta". The cartridge housing portion 31f corresponding to the connected cylindrical portion 43
The yellow ink cartridge 80 can be mounted in the cartridge housing portion 31g corresponding to the connecting cylinder portion 47 colored "yellow".

In this manner, the ink cartridge 50, into which the connecting cylinder portions 35, 39, 43, 47 included in each of the plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms 33, 37, 41, 45 provided in the head holder 31 are mounted, Since the ink cartridges 50, 60, 70, and 80 are mounted on the head holder 31, the connecting cylinder portions 35, 39, 43, and 47 are used because the ink cartridges 50, 60, 70, and 80 are made of a material that is colored similar to the ink colors of the ink cartridges 60, 70, and 80.
The position where the head holder 31 is attached to the head holder 31 can be easily identified through the colored ink color, and even when ink leaks from the mounted ink cartridges 50, 60, 70, 80, the ink of the leaked ink Since the color and the colors of the connecting cylinders 35, 39, 43, 47 are similar colors,
The function of determining the mounting position can be maintained for a long time.

Here, a plurality of ink ejection mechanisms 33, 3
Sealing members 36, 4 included in each of 7, 41, 45
0, 44, 48 are attached to the ink cartridge 5
The ink cartridges 50, 60, 70, and 80 may be made of a material colored in the same color as the ink colors of 0, 60, 70, and 80.
When it is mounted on the head holder 31, the mounting position on the head holder 31 can be easily identified through the colored ink color of the seal members 36, 40, 44, 48, and the mounted ink cartridges 50, 60, 70, Even if ink leaks from 80, the ink color of the leaked ink and the colors of the seal members 36, 40, 44, 48 are similar colors,
The function of determining the mounting position can be maintained for a long time.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 5, the shape of the head holder 91 is partially changed to change the shape of the head holder 91.
The coloring member attaching portions are formed by slightly lowering the front end portions of the cartridge accommodating portions 91d to 91g, and the ink color of the black ink cartridge 50 is set to the coloring member attaching portions of the cartridge accommodating portions 91d to 91g. A coloring member 92 made of a material colored in the same color, a coloring member 93 made of a material colored in the same color as the ink color of the cyan ink cartridge 60, and a material colored in the same color as the ink color of the magenta ink cartridge 70. The coloring member 94 made of a material and the coloring member 95 made of a material colored in the same color as the ink color of the yellow ink cartridge 80 may be attached in association with each other.

Also in this case, the ink cartridge 50,
When the 60, 70, 80 are mounted on the head holder 91, the mounting position on the head holder 91 can be easily determined through the colored ink colors of the coloring members 92 to 95, and the mounted ink cartridge 50. ，
Even when the ink leaks from the 60, 70, 80, the ink color of the leaked ink and the colors of the coloring members 92 to 95 are similar colors, so that the function of determining the mounting position can be maintained for a long period of time. .

The ink ejecting mechanisms 33, 37, 41, 4
5, each of the connecting cylinders 35, 39, 43, 47 and the seal members 36, 40, 44, 48 is made of a material colored in the same color as the ink color, or the connecting cylinders 3
5, 39, 43, 47 and sealing members 36, 40, 44,
Various modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment based on existing technology and technology obvious to those skilled in the art, such as configuring various parts other than 48 with materials colored in the same color as the ink color. Further, the recording heads 34, 38, 42, 46 are provided below the head holder 31, and the head holder 31
The present invention is also applicable to a downward ejection type in which ink is ejected downward on a sheet P that is horizontally supplied to the lower side, and various inkjet recording apparatuses capable of recording images with a plurality of colors other than four colors. Of course, it can be applied.

[0032]

According to the ink jet recording apparatus of the first aspect, the seal member included in each of the plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms provided in the head holder is colored in the same color as the ink color of the mounted ink cartridge. Since it is composed of the above material, when mounting a plurality of ink cartridges on the head holder, the mounting position on the head holder can be easily identified through the colored ink color of the seal member and the mounted ink cartridges. Even if ink leaks from the printer, the ink color of the leaked ink and the color of the seal member are the same color, so the function of determining the mounting position can be maintained for a long period of time.

According to the ink jet recording apparatus of the second aspect, the connecting cylinder portion included in each of the plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms provided in the head holder is colored in the same color as the ink color of the mounted ink cartridge. Since it is made of a material, when a plurality of ink cartridges are mounted on the head holder, the mounting position on the head holder can be easily identified through the colored ink color of the connecting cylinder portion, and the mounted ink cartridges. Even if the ink leaks from the printer, the ink color of the leaked ink and the color of the connecting cylinder are similar colors, so that the function of determining the mounting position can be maintained for a long period of time.

According to the ink jet recording apparatus of the third aspect, at least a part of each of the plurality of cartridge accommodating portions provided in the head holder is made of a material colored in the same color as the ink color of the ink cartridge to be mounted. Since a plurality of ink cartridges are mounted on the head holder, the mounting position on the head holder can be easily determined through the colored ink color of the coloring member, and the mounted ink Even if ink leaks from the cartridge, the ink color of the leaked ink and the color of the coloring member are similar colors, so that the function of determining the mounting position can be maintained for a long period of time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the inkjet recording apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a recording mechanism.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a black ink cartridge.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a head holder according to a modification.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inkjet recording apparatus 30 Recording mechanism 31 Head holder 31d-31g Cartridge accommodation part 33 Ink ejection mechanism 37 Ink ejection mechanism 41 Ink ejection mechanism 45 Ink ejection mechanism 35 Connection cylinder part 39 Connection cylinder part 43 Connection cylinder part 47 Connection cylinder part 36 Seal Member 40 Seal member 44 Seal member 48 Seal member 91 Head holder 92-95 Coloring member

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A head holder having a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions for mounting a plurality of ink cartridges respectively accommodating recording inks of different ink colors, and a head corresponding to each of the plurality of cartridge accommodating portions. In an inkjet recording apparatus including a plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms provided in a holder, each of the plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms includes a seal member that is in contact with an ink supply opening of an ink cartridge. In the ejection mechanism, the ink jet recording apparatus is characterized in that the seal member is made of a material colored in a color similar to the ink color of the ink cartridge to be mounted. 2. A head holder having a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions for mounting a plurality of ink cartridges respectively accommodating recording inks of different ink colors, and a head corresponding to each of the plurality of cartridge accommodating portions. In an inkjet recording apparatus including a plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms provided in a holder, each of the plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms protrudes toward a cartridge accommodating portion side so as to fit into an ink supply opening of an ink cartridge. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising a connecting cylinder portion, wherein in each ink ejecting mechanism, the connecting cylinder portion is made of a material colored in a color similar to an ink color of an ink cartridge to be mounted. 3. A head holder having a plurality of cartridge accommodating portions for mounting a plurality of ink cartridges respectively accommodating recording inks of different ink colors, and a head corresponding to each of the plurality of cartridge accommodating portions. In an ink jet recording apparatus including a plurality of ink ejecting mechanisms provided in a holder, at least a part of each of the plurality of cartridge containing portions is made of a material colored in a color similar to an ink color of an attached ink cartridge. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising a coloring member.