JPH023320A - inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To dispense with a separate ink tank and thereby to attain the simplification and miniaturization of a structure and the reduction of the cost by adopting a construction wherein a tank function is given to a platen, a carriage or any other member. CONSTITUTION:A platen 4 is constructed of a hermetically-sealed hollow body, and an ink takeout port part 4a is provided in the axial part of the central part thereof, while ink 11 is filled up inside the platen 4. A silicon rubber plug 12 and a butyl rubber plug 13 both having central holes are fitted closely in the bore part of the ink takeout port part 4a, and a hollow needle 14 stuck through the central holes of these plugs 12 and 13 and fitted closely thereto. The ink 11 accommodated in the platen 4 is supplied to an ink jet head 1 through the L-shaped hollow needle 14 and an ink tube 8. Accordingly, a function as an ink tank is given to the platen 4, a separate ink tank is dispensed with and an ink jet recording apparatus being expensive and small-sized and having a high cost performance is obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to the structure and arrangement of an ink tank that is a storage container for recording liquid (ink) in an inkjet recording apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

Recording devices such as printers and facsimiles can be classified into thermal types, wire dot types, inkjet types, etc. depending on the recording method.

Among these, the inkjet type (inkjet recording device) supplies ink (recording liquid) to a recording head with a fine orifice, and drives the orifice based on print data to form flying ink droplets. ,
The ink droplets are applied to a sheet such as paper or a thin plastic plate to form a dot pattern.

An ink tank, which is an ink storage container, is used as an ink supply source for such an inkjet recording apparatus.

In addition to ink replenishment type ink tanks, there are also cartridge type ink tanks in which the entire container is replaced.

This ink tank has a size proportional to the ink capacity, and the longer the life of the ink, the larger the tank becomes.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing the main structure of a conventional inkjet recording apparatus.

A fine orifice (ink ejection opening) is formed in the tip 1a of the recording head 1 to eject ink droplets onto the recording sheet 2, and a dot pattern is formed on the sheet 2 while driving the orifice based on print data. To go.

The head 1 is mounted on a carriage 3, and the carriage 3 is supported so as to be movable along a guide shaft 3a parallel to the platen 4.

In this way, a serial type inkjet recording apparatus is constructed in which the carriage 3 is reciprocated by a carriage motor (not shown) in synchronization with the drive of the head 1, thereby recording the don't-matrix.

The platen 4 provides a printable surface on the sheet 2, and when rotated in the direction of the arrow by a motor (not shown), serves as a sheet feeding roller that cooperates with the pinch roller 5 to convey the sheet 2 in the direction of the arrow. is also functional.

The sheets 2 are cut sheets, which are stored in a stacked state in a paper feed tray 6 and are separated one by one from the top layer and automatically fed to the circumferential surface of the platen 4.

An ink tank is attached to the main body of the recording apparatus, and ink in the ink tank 7 is supplied to the head 1 through an ink tube 8.

The sheet 2 printed by the head 1 is discharged through a paper discharge mechanism consisting of a paper discharge roller 9 and a blotter roller 10 while fixing the ink.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional ink sheet recording apparatus, an ink tank 7 having a single function of storing ink is installed independently.
This requires a dedicated space, making it difficult to downsize the recording device while ensuring sufficient ink capacity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording apparatus that can solve the problems of the prior art described above and achieve both ink capacity and miniaturization of the recording apparatus.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides an inexpensive and compact inkjet recording apparatus by adding the function of a tank such as an ink tank to a member having other functions, thereby giving the member multiple functions.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the main structure of a first embodiment of an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a head 1 equipped with a tip 1a having a fine orifice formed therein for ejecting ink droplets onto a recording sheet 2 is mounted on a carriage 3, and a motor (not shown) moves the carriage 3 onto a guide shaft 3a. The head 1 is driven based on print data while reciprocating along the sheet 2, thereby forming an image consisting of donto-matrix on the sheet 2.

The platen 4 also serves as a sheet feed roller, and by rotating the pinch roller 5 by a predetermined amount in the direction of the arrow with a motor (not shown), the sheet 2 is fed and ejected. A sheet conveyance operation for paper is also performed.

The sheets (cut sheets) 2 stocked in a stacked state in the paper feed tray 6 are separated from the top layer by a well-known automatic paper feeder and fed to the circumferential surface of the platen 4. The surface 2 is discharged while fixing the ink through a paper discharge mechanism consisting of a paper discharge roller 9 and a blotter roller 10.

The above configuration is the same as that of the conventional ink sheet recording apparatus shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the platen 4 has an ink tank function instead of the independent ink tank 7 (FIG. 6).

FIG. 2 is a partially sectional front view of the platen 4 of FIG. 1.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the platen 4 is composed of a sealed hollow body, and an ink outlet 4 is provided at the center (shaft) of the platen 4.
The inside of the platen 4 is filled with ink 11.

In FIG. 2, a silicone rubber stopper 12 and a butyl rubber stopper 13 having a center hole are tightly fitted into the inner diameter portion of the ink outlet portion 4a, and these stoppers 12, 13 are closely fitted.
A hollow needle 14 is tightly fitted through the center hole of the needle.

The hollow needle 14 is bent as a whole into an abbreviated shape so that its inner end opens near the bottom of the ink 11,
The outer end of the hollow needle 14 is sharp, and an ink tube 8 for supplying ink to the head 1 is provided at the outer end.
are tightly fitted.

The silicone rubber stopper 12 has a function of preventing ink leakage, and the butyl rubber stopper 13 has a function of preventing ink 11 from sprouting.

In this way, the ink 11 stored in the platen 4 is
The ink is supplied to the ink sheet head 1 through the hollow needle 14 and the ink tube 8.

In this case, since the inner end of the hollow needle 14 opens near the bottom of the platen 4, the ink 11 can be supplied until the remaining amount of the ink 11 becomes non-densely small.

Note that the hollow needle 14 is fixed by a member (not shown) so that it does not rotate together with the platen 4. According to the embodiment described above, since the platen 4 is given the function of an ink tank, it can be used as an independent ink tank. It is possible to omit an ink tank, and an inexpensive, compact, and high cost-effective inkjet printer is obtained.

FIG. 3 is an end view of essential parts of a second embodiment of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention.

In this embodiment, the blotter roller 10 shown in FIG. 1 is constructed of a sealed hollow body and is provided with the function of an ink tank.

Here, the block roller 10 refers to the printed sheet 2
A roller that comes into contact with the printing surface where the ink is not yet dry, absorbs the ink, and promotes the fixation of the ink.
An ink absorbing member 10b such as ink absorbing paper is wrapped around the circumferential surface of the ink absorbing member 10b.

This blotter roller 10 is used to fix the ink on the sheet 2 and prevent stains such as ink scratches after printing and ink adhesion to other sheets 2.

The block roller 10 has an ink outlet portion 1 at its center. OA is provided. This ink outlet portion 10
The structure of a is the ink outlet portion 4 of the platen 4 in FIG.
It has substantially the same structure as a.

Incidentally, the period during which the ink-absorbing function of the ink-absorbing paper 10b can be maintained can be set to be approximately equal to the usage period of the ink 11 in the professional ivy roller 10, so that the ink-absorbing function can always be exhibited.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in the points described above, and other parts have substantially the same configuration as the case shown in FIG. 1.

Therefore, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, since the blotter roller 10 is given the function of an ink tank, it is possible to omit an independent ink tank as in the case described above, and it is possible to achieve a low cost, small size, and cost performance. A high performance inkjet recording device was obtained.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view of a main part of a third embodiment of an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention.

In this embodiment, the carriage 3 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with the function of an ink tank.

In FIG. 4, a carriage 3 guided and supported by a guide shaft 3a is made of a molded hollow body, and the inside thereof is a sealed ink storage section.

An ink supply pipe 1b is fixed to the lower surface of the inkjet head 1, which is fixed on the carriage 3 with screws or the like, and is tightly inserted into the center hole of the packing 3c and opens near the bottom of the ink 11 in the carriage 3. Further, an opening sealed with a rubber stopper 3b is formed on the upper surface of the carriage 3, and when the ink 11 runs out, the ink 11 can be replenished by sticking a syringe or the like into the rubber stopper 3b.

The third embodiment shown in FIG. 4 differs from the recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in the points described above, and the other parts have substantially the same configuration as the case shown in FIG. 1.

Therefore, also in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the carriage 3
Since the function as an ink tank was given to a member having a function other than the ink tank function, an independent ink tank could be omitted, and an inkjet recording device that could be made smaller at low cost was obtained.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main part of a fourth embodiment of an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention.

In this embodiment, the paper feed tray 6 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with an ink tank function.

A stack of sheets 2 is stocked in the paper feed tray 6, and the sheets 2 are supported on a pressure plate 6a that is always pressed upward by a spring 6b, and the uppermost sheet is stored in a paper feed tray (not shown). It is pressed against the roller.

A plate 6C is provided below the paper feed tray 6. Ink 11 is stored in the ink tank 6C, which is a sealed hollow body.
is accommodated.

An ink outlet is formed at the lowest part of the ink tank 6C, and a hollow needle 8a is inserted into a rubber stopper 6d that is tightly fitted (or sealed and fixed with adhesive or the like) into the ink outlet to drain the ink 11 inside. 1, hollow needle 8
An ink tube 8 is tightly fitted to the outer end of the a.

In this way, the ink 11 contained in the paper feed tray 6 having an ink tank function is supplied to the head 1 through the hollow needle 8a and the ink tube 8.

The paper feed tray 6 is tilted forward as shown in the figure so that the sheet 2 can be easily inserted into the recording section, and the rear surface of the ink tank section 6C (on the right side in FIG. 5) is equipped with an ink injection lid. 6e, and has a structure that opens when ink is injected and closes in a sealed state after ink is injected.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 differs from the recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in the points described above, and other parts have substantially the same structure as the case shown in FIG. 1.

Therefore, also in the embodiment shown in FIG.
Since the function as an ink tank is given to a member having other functions, an independent ink tank can be omitted, and an inkjet recording device that can be made smaller at low cost can be obtained.

In each of the above embodiments, a case has been described in which the ink tank function is added to another member, but the present invention is not limited to the ink tank. For example, the function of the cleaning liquid tank of the head 1 is added to another member. It can also be applied to the following.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, in an inkjet recording device having a tank such as an ink tank, the tank function is given to a member having other functions such as a platen or a carriage, so that it is independent. An inkjet recording device can be obtained in which the ink tank can be omitted, and the structure can be simplified, the size can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of main parts of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view of the platen in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 to 5 are FIG. 6 is a partial view showing a member provided with a tank function in inkjet recording apparatuses according to second, third and fourth embodiments of the present invention, respectively, and FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of main parts of a conventional inkjet recording apparatus. be. ■------------Head, 2------------
---Seat, 3----- Carriage, 4--------
--------Platen (feed roller), 6 paper feed trays, 1
0-～------Blotter roller, t t--
--------Ink.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An inkjet recording device having a tank such as an ink tank, characterized in that the function of the tank is added to a member having another function. (2) The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the member having the other function is a platen, a blotter roller, a carriage, or a paper feed tray.