CARTRIDGE INSTALLING UNIT AND IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-017975, filed on Jan. 29, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cartridge installing unit on which a plurality of types of liquid cartridges are to be installed and an image recording apparatus which is configured to record an image by discharging a liquid supplied from a liquid cartridge which is installed on the cartridge installing unit.

2. Description of the Related Art

A printer described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-263960 is provided with four cartridge installing portions. Four ink cartridges filled with inks of four different colors respectively are installed on these four cartridge installing portions. Moreover, adaptive (fitting) identification projections are provided at mutually different positions on the four cartridge installing portions. A groove into which one of the adaptive identification projections is engaged is formed in each of the ink cartridges, at a position corresponding to the adaptive identification projection provided in the cartridge installing portion on which the cartridge is to be installed. Accordingly, each of the ink cartridges is installable only on one of the cartridge installing portions in which the adaptive identification projection corresponding to the groove of the ink cartridge has been provided, and the ink cartridge is prevented from being installed mistakenly on the cartridge installing portion other than the cartridge installing portion corresponding to the ink cartridge.

However, in a printer described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2006-263960, since the ink cartridge is installable only on the corresponding cartridge installing portion, a user is required to install the ink cartridge on the cartridge installing portion upon confirming as to on which cartridge installing portion the ink cartridge is to be installed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge installing unit in which a plurality of types of liquid cartridges are easily installable on cartridge installing portions without confirming as to on which cartridge installing portion the cartridge is to be installed.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cartridge installing unit on which a plurality of types of liquid cartridges are to be installed, including: a plurality of cartridge installing portions on which the plurality of types of liquid cartridges are installed; a plurality of liquid infusing portions each of which corresponds to one of the plurality of types of liquid cartridges, and each of which is provided to be movable between the plurality of cartridge installing portions to communicate with corresponding liquid cartridge; and a plurality of moving mechanisms each of which moves one of the plurality of liquid infusing portions, and when a liquid cartridge among the liquid cartridges is installed on a cartridge installing portion among the cartridge installing portions, a moving mechanism among the moving mechanisms moves a liquid infusing portion corresponding to the liquid cartridge to the cartridge installing portion on which the liquid cartridge is installed.

Accordingly, even when the liquid cartridge is installed on any cartridge installing portion, since the liquid infusing portion corresponding to the liquid cartridge which has been installed moves up to the cartridge installing portion on which the liquid cartridge has been installed, it is not necessary to confirm as to on which cartridge installing portion the cartridge is to be installed, and the installing of the liquid cartridge becomes easy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a printer according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are front views of a cartridge installing portion in FIG. 1, where FIG. 2A shows a state in which ink cartridges 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d (hereinafter, “ink cartridges 60a to 60d”) have not been installed, and FIG. 2B shows a state in which the ink cartridges 60a to 60d have been installed;

FIG. 3A is a side view corresponding to FIG. 2A, and FIG. 3B is a side view corresponding to FIG. 2B;

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along a line IVA-IVA of FIG. 2A, and

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along a line IVB-IVB of FIG. 2B;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a positional relationship of an ink infusing portion and a pushing mechanism in FIG. 2, and a structure of the pushing mechanism;

FIG. 6A, FIG. 6B, FIG. 6C, and FIG. 6D (hereinafter, “FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D”) are diagrams each showing a structure of one of ink cartridges which are to be installed on the cartridge installing portions;

FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, and FIG. 7C (hereinafter, “FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C”) are diagrams showing a movement of an ink infusing portion when an ink cartridge is installed on a cartridge installing portion;

FIG. 8A, FIG. 8B, and FIG. 8C (hereinafter, “FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C”) are diagrams showing a movement of a slider while installing a cartridge on a cartridge installing portion in a second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a diagram equivalent to FIG. 5, of the second embodiment; and

FIG. 10A, FIG. 10B, and FIG. 10C (hereinafter, “FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C”) are diagrams showing a movement of the ink infusing portion when an ink cartridge is installed on a cartridge installing portion in the second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment which is an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The first embodiment will be described by stipulating a frontward and rearward direction, a left-right direction, and an upward and downward direction as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, a printer 1 (image recording apparatus) has a structure in which components such as a carriage 3, an ink-jet head 4 (liquid discharge head), a paper transporting roller 5 (transporting mechanism), and a cartridge installing unit 6 are arranged inside a casing 2 having a substantially box shape.

The carriage 3 reciprocates in the left-right direction (scanning direction) along a guide shaft 7. The ink-jet head 4 is arranged on a lower surface of the carriage 3, and jets ink droplets from nozzles which are not shown in the diagram but are arranged on a lower surface of the ink-jet head 4. The paper transporting roller 5 transports a recording paper P (recording medium) frontward (in a paper feeding direction). The cartridge installing unit 6 is arranged at a front-end portion on a right side of the casing 2, and as it will be described later, ink cartridges 60a to 60d filled with inks for supplying to the ink jet head 4 are installed on the cartridge installing unit 6.

Moreover, in the printer 1, printing is carried out on the recording paper P which is transported in the paper feeding direction by the paper transporting roller 5, by jetting the inks from the ink-jet head 4 which reciprocates in the scanning direction together with the carriage 3.

Next, the cartridge installing unit 6 will be described below in detail while referring to diagrams from FIG. 2A to FIG. 5. Here, in FIG. 2B, the cartridges 60a to 60d are indicated by alternate long and two short dashes lines, and in FIG. 4B, the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are not shown.

As shown in diagrams from FIG. 2A to FIG. 5, the cartridge installing unit 6 includes four cartridge installing portions 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d (hereinafter, “cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d”), and four ink infusing portions 12a to 12d. In the following description, when the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d are not distinguished from each other, the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d are referred to a cartridge installing portion 11 in some cases. Similarly, when the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d are not distinguished from each other, the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d are referred to an ink infusing portion 12 in some cases. Moreover, the same is applicable for other structures in which the components are not distinguished from each other.

The cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d are arranged in a row in the scanning direction when viewed from a front side of FIG. 1. The cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d have openings at front ends thereof and four spaces are formed in the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d, respectively. As it will be described later, by inserting the four types of ink cartridges 60a to 60d from the openings of the front ends, the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are installed on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, four grooves 21a. 21b, 21c, and 21d (hereinafter, “grooves 21a to 21d”), which extend in a frontward and rearward direction and which are arranged in the left-right direction, are formed separately on a lower surface of the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 3A to FIG. 4B, front ends of the grooves 21a to 21d are open and rear ends of the grooves 21a to 21d are connected to fluid filling spaces 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d (hereinafter, “fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d”), respectively. The fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d, at connecting portions of the grooves 21a to 21d, are spaces extending in the frontward and rearward direction from connecting portions at which the rear ends of the grooves 21a to 21d are connected to the fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d, respectively. A fluid such as a liquid is filled inside the fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d.

Moreover, sliders 23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d (hereinafter, “sliders 23a to 23d”) (coordinating portions) are arranged in the grooves 21a to 21d, respectively. The sliders 23a to 23d are members each having almost a same width as each of the grooves 21a to 21d and extending in the frontward and rearward direction as a longitudinal direction. The sliders 23a to 23d are slidable along the grooves 21a to 21d and rear ends of the sliders 23a to 23d are inserted into the fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d, respectively.

Here, the sliders 23a to 23d arranged in the grooves 21a to 21d of the cartridge installing portion 11a have same lengths in the frontward and rearward direction. The same is applicable for the cartridge installing portions 11b, 11c, lid, respectively. Furthermore, regarding the length in the frontward and rearward direction of the sliders 23a to 23d, the sliders 23a to 23d arranged in the cartridge installing portion 11a are longest, and the sliders 23a to 23d arranged in the cartridge installing portions 11b are longer than those arranged in the cartridge installing portion 11c. The sliders 23a to 23d arranged in the cartridge installing portion 11d are shortest.

The four ink infusing portions 12a to 12d are arranged on a rear side of the four cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d in the cartridge installing unit 6, and are arranged in upward and downward direction. Front ends of the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d (liquid infusing portions) are ink infusing ports 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d respectively (hereinafter, “ink infusing ports 13a to 13d”) for infusing the ink. Moreover, the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d are connected to the ink-jet head 4 via tubes 14 which are connected to rear-end portions of the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d, and ink infused from the ink infusing ports 13a to 13d is supplied to the ink-jet head 4 via the tubes 14. In the first embodiment, the ink infusing ports 13a to 13d are ports for infusing inks of black, yellow, cyan, and magenta colors respectively.

Moreover, the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d are movable along guide rails 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d (hereinafter, “guide rails 15a to 15b”) respectively which extends in the left-right direction through the four cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d. Accordingly, the four ink infusing portions 12a to 12d are movable between the four cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d.

Moreover, the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d are always biased in rightward direction by a spring not shown in the diagram, and when the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are not inserted and installed on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d, the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d are positioned at right end portions (initial position) of the guide rails 15a to 15d respectively as shown in FIG. 2A.

As shown in FIG. 5, the pushing mechanisms 40a to 40d are arranged on right sides of the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d, respectively.

Since all the pushing mechanisms 40a to 40d have the same structures, only the structure of the pushing mechanism 40a only will be described below. Four fluid filling spaces 41a, 41b, 41c, and 41d (hereinafter, “fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d”) are formed in the pushing mechanism 40a. The fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d are spaces having substantially same circular cross-sectional shape, and left end portions thereof are small-diameter spaces 42. Portions on right sides of the small-diameter spaces 42 are large-diameter spaces 43 having diameters greater than those of the small-diameter spaces 42.

The right ends of the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d are connected to the fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d described above, respectively, and the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d are filled with the same liquid as in the fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d. Whereas, left ends of the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d (small-diameter spaces 42) are open.

Connections between the fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d and the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d will be described below. Reference numerals A1 to A4, B1 to B4, C1 to C4, and D1 to D4 shown in FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 5 indicate connections between the fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d and the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d. Concretely, it indicates that the fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d and the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d having the same reference numerals are connected mutually.

The fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d and the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d are connected by a space formed inside a wall of the cartridge installing unit 6 or tubes provided between the fluid filling spaces 22a to 22d and the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d.

In the first embodiment, as shown by reference numerals A1 to A4 in FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 5, the fluid filling spaces 22a of the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d are connected to the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d respectively of the pushing mechanism 40a. Moreover, as shown by reference numerals B1 to B4 in FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 5, the fluid filling spaces 22b of the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d are connected to the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d respectively of the pushing mechanism 40b. Moreover, as shown by reference numerals C1 to C4 in FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 5, the fluid filling spaces 22c of the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d are connected to the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d of the pushing mechanism 40c. Furthermore, as shown by reference numerals D1 to D4 in FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 5, the fluid filling spaces 22d of the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d are connected to the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d of the pushing mechanism 40d.

Moreover, pushing members 44a, 44b, 44c, and 44d (hereinafter, “pushing members 41a to 41d”) are arranged inside the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d, respectively. The pushing members 44a to 44d are members having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape and extending in the left-right direction as a longitudinal direction. Portions including right-end portions of the pushing members 44a to 44d are large-diameter portions 45a, 45b, 45c, and 45d (hereinafter, “large-diameter portions 45a to 45d”) having diameters almost same as the diameters of the large-diameter spaces 43 of the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d. Portions on left sides of the large-diameter portions 45a to 45d are small-diameter portions 46a, 46b, 46c, and 46d (hereinafter, “small-diameter portions 46a to 46d”) having diameters almost same as the diameters of the small-diameter spaces 42 of the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d. Accordingly, the pushing members 44a to 44d are slidable in the left-right direction along the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d. When the pushing members 44a to 44d are continued to be moved leftward, the large-diameter portions 45a to 45d make contacts with walls between the small-diameter spaces 42 and the large-diameter spaces 43, and cannot be moved leftward any more.

Furthermore, the small-diameter portions 46a to 46d of the pushing members 44a to 44d extend leftward up to outsides of the fluid filling spaces 41a to 41d, and a left end of each of the small-diameter portions 46a to 46d makes a contact with a right-end surface of the ink infusing portion 12a which corresponds to the pushing members 44a to 44d. When the pushing members 44a to 44d move leftward, the ink infusing portion 12a moves leftward by being pushed by the pushing members 44a to 44d. The pushing members 44a to 44d of the pushing mechanisms 40b to 40d move the ink infusing portions 12b to 12d leftward by pushing the ink infusing portions 12b to 12d similarly as it has been described above.

Here, a length of the small-diameter portion 46a of the pushing member 44a is almost same as a distance in the left-right direction between a right end of the ink infusing portion 12 which is moved up to the cartridge installing portion 11a and a left end of the fluid filling space 41a. Similarly, a length of the small-diameter portion 46b of the pushing member 44b is almost same as a distance in the left-right direction between a right end of the ink infusing portion 12 which is moved up to the cartridge installing portion 11b and a left end of the fluid filling space 41b. A length of the small-diameter portion 46c of the pushing member 44c is almost same as a distance in the left-right direction between a right end of the ink infusing portion 12 which is moved up to the cartridge installing portion 11c and a left end of the fluid filling space 41c. A length of the small-diameter portion 46d of the pushing member 44d is almost same as a distance in the left-right direction between a right end of the ink infusing portion 12 which is moved up to the cartridge installing portion 11d and a left end of the fluid filling space 41d.

Through holes 47a, 47b, 47c, and 47d (hereinafter, “through holes 47a to 47d”) which extend in the vertical direction are formed in the small-diameter portions 46a to 46d at positions away by the same distances from left ends of the small-diameter portions 46a to 46d, respectively. Further, through holes 48a, 48b, 48c, and 48c (hereinafter, “through holes 48a to 48d”) which extend in the vertical direction are formed in the small-diameter portions 46a to 46d. The through holes 48a to 48d are formed so that when the large-diameter portions 45a to 45d are moved leftward to make contacts with the walls between the small-diameter spaces 42 and the large-diameter spaces 43, the through holes 48a to 48d are positioned at positions of the through holes 47a to 47d in the pushing members 44a to 44d which are not moved leftward. For instance, the through hole 47a is formed at a position away by a predetermined distance from the left end of the small-diameter portion 46a of the pushing member 44a. The through hole 48a is formed so that when the large-diameter portion 45a makes a contact with the wall between the small diameter space 42 and the large diameter space 43 by moving the pushing member 44a leftward, the through hole 48a is positioned at a position overlapping the through hole 47a in the pushing member 44a which is not moved leftward. As it will be described later, a coupling member 51 (install regulating mechanism) which extends in the vertical direction can be inserted into each of the through holes 47a to 47d and the through holes 48a to 48d.

Members 50 having almost same diameters as those of the large-diameter portions 45a to 45d are arranged on right sides of the pushing members 44a to 44d via springs 49 (movement allowing mechanism).

Next, the four types of ink cartridges 60a to 60d to be installed on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d will be described below by referring to diagrams from FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D. In FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D, portions indicated on the left sides are front views in a state that the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are installed on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d, respectively. Moreover, in FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D, portions indicated on the right sides are right side views in a state that the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are installed on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d.

As shown in FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D, the ink cartridges 60a to 60d have substantially boxed shapes and are filled with inks of black, yellow, cyan, and magenta colors, respectively.

Moreover, the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are provided with ink supply portions 61a to 61d respectively, at portions positioned at the same height as the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d respectively, on side surfaces of the ink cartridges 60a to 60d which face the ink infusing portions 12a to 12d when the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are installed on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d.

Furthermore, projections 62a, 62b, 62c, and 62d (hereinafter, “projections 62a to 62d”) are formed on a lower surface of the ink cartridges 60a to 60d, respectively, which are to be installed on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d respectively. More elaborately, the projections 62a to 62d are arranged so that the projections 62a to 62d face the grooves 21a to 21d respectively when the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are installed on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d. The projections 62a to 62d extend in the frontward and rearward direction, and have widths almost same as those of the grooves 21a to 21d, respectively. Accordingly, when the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are installed on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d, the projections 62a to 62d are engaged in the grooves 21a to 21d. Namely, in the first embodiment, any of the ink cartridges 60a to 60d of four types can be installed on any of the four cartridge installing portions 11a to lid.

Next, an operation of each portion of the cartridge installing unit 6 when the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are installed on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d will be described below. For installing the ink cartridges 60a to 60d on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d, the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are inserted through openings at the front ends of the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d as it has been described above.

Firstly, the movement of the ink infusing portion 12a when the ink cartridge 60a filled with black ink is installed on the cartridge installing portion 11a at the extreme left side will be described by referring to FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C. When the ink cartridge 60a is not installed on the cartridge installing portion 11a, as shown in FIG. 7A, the pushing members 44a to 44d of the pushing mechanism 40a do not move the ink infusing portion 12a, and the ink infusing portion 12a is positioned at a right-end portion (initial position) of the guide rail 15a due to the bias applied in the right direction by a spring etc. which is not shown in the diagram.

As the ink cartridge 60a is inserted into the cartridge installing portion 11a, the projection 62a of the ink cartridge 60a is engaged in the groove 21a of the cartridge installing portion 11a, and the ink cartridge 60a moves rearward. With this movement of the ink cartridge 60a, the projection 62a also moves rearward. Due to the movement of the projection 62a, the slider 23a arranged in the groove 21a moves rearward by being pushed by the projection 62a, and the slider 23a pushes the fluid in the fluid filling space 22a.

The movement of the slider 23a is transmitted to the member 50 which is arranged in the fluid filling space 41a of the pushing mechanism 40a, via the fluid inside the fluid filling space 22a and the fluid filling space 41a of the pushing mechanism 40a. The member 50 and the pushing member 44a connected to the member 50 via the spring 49 move integrally leftward. As a result, the ink infusing portion 12a is pushed by the pushing member 44a (the small-diameter portion 46a) and moves leftward. In other words, the movement of the slider 23a is transmitted to the ink infusing portion 12a via the fluid inside the fluid filling spaces 22a and 41a, the member 50, the spring 49, and the pushing member 44a.

In this manner, it is possible to move the ink infusing portion 12a by transmitting the movement of the projection 62a to the ink infusing portion 12a when the ink cartridge 60a is inserted into the cartridge installing portion 11a. Therefore, an exclusive drive source is not necessary for moving the ink infusing portion 12a, and a structure of the apparatus becomes simple.

As it has been described above, the length of the small-diameter portion 46a of the pushing member 44a is almost the same as the distance between the right end of the ink infusing portion 12 which is moved up to the cartridge installing portion 11a, in other words, the right end of the cartridge installing portion 11a, and the left end of the fluid filling space 41a. Therefore, the pushing member 44a, as shown in FIG. 7B, moves the ink infusing portion 12a leftward until the ink infusing portion 12a reaches the cartridge installing portion 11a. However, when the ink infusing portion 12a has reached the cartridge installing portion 11a, the large-diameter portion 45a makes a contact with the wall between the small-diameter space 42 and the large-diameter space 43, and does not move any further leftward (transmission of the movement of the slider 23a to the ink infusing portion 12a by a transmission mechanism is cut off). Consequently, after the ink infusing portion 12a reaches the cartridge installing portion 11a, the ink infusing portion 12a is held at that position. In the first embodiment, the large-diameter space 43 and the small-diameter space 42 of the fluid filling space 41 combined with the large-diameter portion 45 of the pushing member 44 correspond to a cut-off mechanism according to the present invention.

On the other hand, in the first embodiment, parameters such as a cross-sectional area of the fluid filling spaces 22a and 41a are set to be such that, when the slider 23a has moved only by a predetermined distance which is shorter than a moving distance, the pushing member 44a moves to a position at which the large-diameter portion 45a makes a contact with the wall between the small-diameter space 42 and the large-diameter space 43. Here, the moving distance means a distance from a position at which the slider 23a is positioned just before the ink cartridge 60a is inserted into the opening of the cartridge installing portion 11a to another position at which the slider 23a is positioned when the ink cartridge 60a is completely installed on the cartridge installing portion 11a. In other words, the parameters such as the cross-sectional area of the fluid filling spaces 22a and 41a are set to be such that the large-diameter portion 45a of the pushing member 44a makes a contact with the wall between the small-diameter space 42 and the large-diameter space 43 before the ink cartridge 60a is completely installed on the cartridge installing portion 11a. Consequently, when the ink cartridge 60a is inserted half way into the cartridge installing portion 11a, the ink infusing portion 12a reaches the cartridge installing portion 11a, and the pushing member 44a does not move any further leftward.

In the first embodiment, since the member 50 is arranged at the right end of the pushing member 44a via the spring 49 as it has been described above, after the pushing member 44a has moved to the position at which the pushing member 44a does not move any further leftward, when the slider 23a is moved further rearward, the member 50 moved leftward by the spring 49 being contracted. In other words, the movement of the slider 23a is allowed even in a state in which the transmission of movement of the slider 23a to the ink infusing portion 12a is cut-off by the cut-off mechanism. Consequently, after the ink infusing portion 12a has reached the cartridge installing portion 11a, it is possible to insert the ink cartridge 60a further and to install completely on the cartridge installing portion 11a.

Moreover, as the ink cartridge 60 is installed completely on the cartridge installing portion 11a, the ink supply portion 61a and the ink infusing port 13a of the ink infusing portion 12a which has moved up to the cartridge installing portion 11a communicate, and the ink inside the ink cartridge 60a is supplied from the ink infusing port 13a to the ink-jet head 4 via the tube 14.

At this time, the ink infusing portion 12a has reached the cartridge installing portion 11a before the ink cartridge 60a is installed completely on the cartridge installing portion 11a. Accordingly, when the ink cartridge 60a is installed completely on the cartridge installing portion 11a, the ink supply portion 61a pushes the ink infusing port 13a, and the ink supply portion 61a and the ink infusing port 13a are connected assuredly.

When a sensor etc. not shown in the diagram which is provided to the cartridge installing portion 11a detects that the ink cartridge 60a has been installed completely on the cartridge installing portion 11a, the coupling member 51 is moved downward by an inserting mechanism not shown in the diagram, which moves the coupling member 51 in the vertical direction. The coupling member 51 is inserted through the through hole 48a in the small-diameter portion 46a and the through holes 47b to 47d formed in the small-diameter portions 46b to 46d which are arranged to face each other. Accordingly, the four pushing members 44a to 44d of the pushing mechanism 40a are made immovable by being coupled and fixed mutually. With this, the sliders 23a arranged inside the grooves 21a of the cartridge installing portions 11b to 11d, which are connected to the pushing members 44b to 44d via the fluid in the fluid filling spaces 22b to 22d and 41b to 41d are also made immovable.

Accordingly, even when an attempt is made to install the ink cartridge 60a, which is the same type as the ink cartridge installed on the cartridge installing portion 11a, on the cartridge installing portions 11b to 11d is made, the installing is inhibited as the projection 62a is caught in the slider 23a which has made immovable. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the plurality of ink cartridges 60a of the same type from being installed mistakenly on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d.

Similarly, when the ink cartridge 60a is installed on the cartridge installing portions 11b to 11d, the pushing members 44b to 44d of the pushing mechanism 40a are moved by the sliders 23a inside the grooves 21a of the cartridge installing portions 11b to 11d being pushed by the projections 62a. Accordingly, the ink infusing portion 12a moves up to the cartridge installing portions 11b to 11d, and the ink supply portion 61a and the ink infusing port 13a are connected.

Similarly, in a case of installing the ink cartridges 60b to 60d on the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d, the pushing members 44a to 44d corresponding to the pushing mechanisms 40b to 40d move by the sliders 23b to 23d inside the grooves 21b to 21d of the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d being pushed by the projections 62b to 62d. Accordingly, the ink infusing portions 12b to 12d are moved up to the cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d, and the ink supply portions 61b to 61d and the ink infusing ports 13b to 13d are connected.

In the first embodiment, a combination of the fluids inside the fluid filling spaces 22 and 41 which are mutually connected, the pushing member 44, the spring 49, and the member 50, correspond to the transmission section according to the present invention. Moreover, a combination of the four sliders 23a and the four transmission section connected to the four sliders 23a, a combination of four sliders 23b and four transmission sections connected to the four sliders 23b, a combination of the four sliders 23c and the four transmission sections connected to the four slider 23c, and a combination of the four sliders 23d and the four transmission sections connected to the sliders 23d corresponds to the moving mechanisms according to the present invention, respectively.

Similarly when the ink cartridges 60b to 60d are to be installed on the cartridge installing portion 11, the coupling member 51 is inserted through the through hole 48 of the pushing member 44 which has moved the ink infusing portion 12 and the through holes 47 in the other three pushing members 44 in the corresponding pushing mechanisms 40b to 40d, after the ink cartridges 60b to 60d have been installed on the cartridge installing portion 11. Accordingly, the sliders 23b to 23d corresponding to the ink cartridges 60b to 60d which have been installed are made immovable, and the ink cartridge 60 of the same type are prevented from being installed on the plurality of cartridge installing portions 11.

As it has been described above, in the first embodiment, even when any of the ink cartridges 60a to 60d of four types is installed on any of the four cartridge installing portions 11a to 11d, the corresponding ink infusing portion 12 moves up to the cartridge installing portion 11 on which the ink cartridge 60 has been installed, and the ink infusing port 13 and the ink supply portion 61 communicate. Consequently, when the ink cartridges 60a to 60d are installed, it is not necessary to install upon confirming as to on which cartridge installing portion 11a to 11d the ink cartridge is to be installed, and installing of the ink cartridge 60 becomes easy.

Next a second embodiment which is an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

In the second embodiment, a cartridge installing unit 106 is provided with two cartridge installing portions 111a and 111b, and two ink infusing portions 112a and 112b.

As shown in FIG. 8A, FIG. 8B, and FIG. 8C, two grooves 121a1 and 121b1 are formed in a lower surface of the cartridge installing portion 111a, and two groove 121a2 and 121b2 are formed in a lower surfaces of the cartridge installing portion 111b. The grooves 121a1, 121b1, 121a2, and 121b2 extend in the frontward and rearward direction, and front ends thereof are open.

Sliders 123a1 and 123b1 (coordinating portions) are arranged in the grooves 121a1 and 121b1 respectively. The sliders 123a1 and 123b1 extend over the grooves 121a1 and 121b1 respectively in the rearward direction, and rear-end portions of the sliders 123a1 and 123b1 are bent toward left in FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C. Moreover, one end of a wire 131a1 and one end of a wire 131b1 (transmission section) are fixed to the rear-end portions of the sliders 123a1 and 123b1, respectively. The wires 131a1 and 131b1, upon being put around pulleys 132a1 and 132b1 respectively, are passed through wire passages 133a1 and 133b1 respectively, and extend up to a left side of the ink infusing portions 112a and 112b. The other ends of the wires 131a1 and 131b1 are fixed to left-end portions of the ink infusing portions 112a and 112b respectively, via springs 134a1 and 134b1 (movement allowing mechanism) respectively as shown in FIG. 9.

Sliders 123a2 and 123b2 (coordinating portions) are arranged in the grooves 121a2 and 121b2 respectively. The sliders 123a2 and 123b2 extend over the grooves 121a2 and 121b2 respectively in the reward direction, and rear-end portions of the sliders 123a2 and 123b2 are bent toward right in FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C. Moreover, one end of a wire 131a2 and one end of a wire 131b2 (transmission section) are fixed to the rear-end portions of the sliders 123a2 and 123b2 respectively. The wires 131a2 and 131b2, upon being put around pulleys 132a2 and 132b2 respectively, are passed through wire passages 133a2 and 133b2 respectively, and extend up to a right side of the ink infusing portions 112a and 112b. The other ends of the wires 131a2 and 131b2 are fixed to right-end portions of the ink infusing portions 112a and 112b respectively, via springs 134a2 and 134b2 (movement allowing mechanism) respectively as shown in FIG. 9.

The abovementioned sliders 123a1, 123a2, 123b1, and 123b2 are slidable in the frontward and rearward direction along the grooves 121a1, 121a2, 121b1, and 121b2 respectively.

The ink infusing portions 112a and 112b are portions having a structure similar to the structure of the ink infusing portion 12 of the first embodiment, and front ends thereof are ink infusing ports 113a and 113b. Moreover, the ink infusing portions 112a and 112b, as it will be described later, move in the left-right direction by being pulled by the wires 131a1, 131a2, 131b1 and 131b2. In the second embodiment, a combination of the sliders 123 and the wires 131 corresponds to the moving mechanism according to the present invention.

Moreover, stoppers 141a1 and 141a2 (movement regulating mechanism) are arranged on a left side and a right side respectively of the ink infusing portion 112a, and stoppers 141b1 and 141b2 (movement regulating mechanism) are arranged on a left side and a right side respectively of the ink infusing portion 112b.

The stoppers 141a1 and 141b1 make contacts with left ends of the ink infusing portions 112a and 112b respectively, which have reached the cartridge installing portion 111a, and regulate the ink infusing portions 112a and 112b from moving any further leftward. Whereas, the stoppers 141a2 and 141b2 make contacts with right ends of the ink infusing portions 112a and 112b respectively, which have reached the cartridge installing portion 111b, and regulate the ink infusing portions 112a and 112b from moving any further rightward.

Here, in the second embodiment, the ink cartridges 60 (refer to FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D), similarly as in the first embodiment, are to be installed on the cartridge installing portions 111a and 111b. However, in the second embodiment, two types of ink cartridges 60 are installed. One of the ink cartridges 60 (hereinafter, “a first cartridge”) has the ink supply portion 61 (refer to FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D) which is positioned at a same height as the infusing port 113a when the first cartridge is installed on any one of the cartridge installing portions 111a and 111b, and has the projection 62 (refer to FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D) which is formed at a position facing the (a position opposite to the) grooves 121a1 and 121a2. The other of the ink cartridges 60 (hereinafter, “a second cartridge”) has the ink supply portion 61 (refer to FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D) which is positioned at a same height as the infusing port 113b when the second cartridge is installed on any one of the cartridge installing portions 111a and 111b, and has the projection 62 (refer to FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D) which is formed at a position facing the (a position opposite to the) grooves 121b1 and 121b2. Inks of two different colors (such as black and red) are filled in these two types of ink cartridges 60.

Next, an operation when the ink cartridge 60 is installed on the cartridge installing portions 111a and 111b will be described below.

FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B are diagrams showing a movement of the sliders 123a1 and 123a2 when the first cartridge is installed on the cartridge installing portion 111a. Moreover, FIG. 10A, FIG. 10B, and FIG. 10C are diagrams showing a movement of the ink infusing portion 112a when the first cartridge is installed. When the first cartridge is inserted into the cartridge installing portion 111a, the slider 123a1 moves rearward by being pushed by the projection 62 of the first cartridge, similarly as in the first embodiment. Accordingly, the wire 131a1 is pulled by the slider 123a1, and in conjunction with this, the ink infusing portion 112a moves rearward as shown in FIG. 10A. In other words, the movement of the slider 123a1 is transmitted to the ink infusing portion 112a via the wire 131a1.

In this manner, when the first cartridge is inserted into the cartridge installing portion 111a, since it is possible to move the ink infusing portion 112a by transmitting the movement of the projection 62 to the ink infusing portion 112a, a drive source for moving the ink infusing portion 112a is not required separately, and a structure of the apparatus becomes simple.

Further, as the ink infusing portion 112a moves toward the cartridge installing portion 111a to reach the cartridge installing portion 111a, the ink infusing portion 112a makes a contact with the stopper 141a1. Accordingly, the ink infusing portion 112a stops moving any further leftward, and is held at that position.

Here, in the second embodiment, a length of the wire 131a1 is set to be such that, when the slider 123a1 has moved only by a predetermined distance which is shorter than a moving distance, the ink infusing portion 112a reaches the cartridge installing portion 111a. Here, the moving distance means a distance from a position at which the slider 123a1 is positioned just before the first cartridge 60a is inserted into the opening of the cartridge installing portion 111a to another position at which the slider 23a1 is positioned when the first cartridge 60a is completely installed on the cartridge installing portion 111a. In other words, the length of the wire 131a1 is set to be such that the ink infusing portion 112a reaches the cartridge installing portion 111a before the first cartridge 60a is installed completely on the cartridge installing portion 111a. Consequently, when the first cartridge has been installed half way on the cartridge installing portion 111a, the ink infusing portion 112a reaches the cartridge installing portion 111a, and then onward, even when the wire 131a1 is pulled by the slider 123a1, the ink infusing portion 112a does not move and is held at that position.

In the second embodiment, since the wire 131a1 and the ink infusing portion 112a are connected via the spring 134a1, when the slider 123a1 moves further rearward from this state and the wire 131a1 is pulled, the spring 134a1 is extended. In other words, the movement of the slider 123a1 is allowed even in a state in which the movement of the ink infusing portion 112a is being regulated by the stopper 141a1. Consequently, it is possible to install the first cartridge completely on the cartridge installing portion 111a by inserting further the first cartridge, after the ink infusing portion 112a has reached the cartridge installing portion 111a.

When the first cartridge is installed completely on the cartridge installing portion 111a, the ink supply portion 61 of the first cartridge and the ink infusing port 113a of the ink infusing portion 112a which has moved up to the cartridge installing portion 111a communicate, and the ink inside the first cartridge is supplied to the ink-jet head 4 from (through) the ink infusing port 113a (refer to FIG. 1).

At this time, since the ink infusing portion 112a has reached the cartridge installing portion 111a before the first cartridge is installed completely on the cartridge installing portion 111a, when the first cartridge is installed on the cartridge installing portion 111a, the ink supply portion 61 of the first cartridge pushes the ink infusing port 113a, and the ink supply portion 61 and the ink infusing port 113a are connected assuredly.

On the other hand, as the ink supply portion 112a moves leftward, the wire 131a2 on a side of the cartridge installing portion 111b is pulled by the ink infusing portion 112a, and in conjunction with this, the slider 123a2 moves frontward and cannot move rearward due to tension in the wire 131a2.

Accordingly, when a first cartridge of the same type as the first cartridge which has been installed on the cartridge installing portion 111a is to be installed on the cartridge installing portion 111b, the projection 62 makes a contact with the slider 123a2 which has become immovable, and the installing is regulated. Consequently, the same first cartridge is prevented from being installed mistakenly on both the cartridge installing portions 111a and 111b.

FIG. 8C is a diagram showing a movement of the sliders 123a1 and 123a2 when the first cartridge is installed on the cartridge installing portion 111b. As the first cartridge is inserted into the cartridge installing portion 111b, the slider 123a2 is pushed by the projection 62 of the first cartridge, and inversely of what has been mentioned above, the ink infusing portion 112a moves up to the cartridge installing portion 111b, and the ink supply portion 61 of the first cartridge and the ink infusing port 113a communicate, and also the slider 123a1 becomes immovable. Accordingly, the installing of the first cartridge on the cartridge installing portion 111a is regulated.

Similarly, when the second cartridge has been installed on the cartridge installing portions 111a and 111b, the ink infusing portion 112b moves up to the cartridge installing portion 111a and 111b, respectively, by the sliders 123b1 and 123b2 being pushed by the projection 62 of the second cartridge, and the ink supply portion 61 of the second cartridge and the ink infusing port 113b communicate. For one cartridge installing portion 111 on a side opposite to the other cartridge installing portion 111 on which the second cartridge has been installed, the installing of the second cartridge is regulated by the slider 123b (one of the sliders 123b1 and 123b2) becoming immovable similarly as described above. In the second embodiment, the wires 131a1, 131a2, 131b1, and 131b2 corresponding to the transmission section of the present invention also serve as the install regulating mechanism according to the present invention.

In this manner, in the second embodiment, even when the first cartridge and the second cartridge are installed on any of the cartridge installing portions 111a and 111b, the corresponding ink infusing portion 112 moves up to the cartridge installing portion 111, and the ink supply portion 61 and the ink infusing port 113 communicate. Therefore, when the first cartridge and the second cartridge are installed, it is not necessary to install upon confirming as to on which of the cartridge installing portions 111a and 111b the cartridge is to be installed, and the installing of the ink cartridge 60 becomes easy.

In the second embodiment, the inks of two different colors were filled in the ink cartridges of two types. However, without restricting to this, the first cartridge may be filled with the black ink and the second cartridge may be filled with inks of plurality of types of colors (such as yellow, cyan, and magenta). In this case, the ink supply portion 61 of the second cartridge is divided into three corresponding to inks of three colors, and furthermore, ink supply ports 113 and tubes 14 corresponding to these inks may be provided.

Next, modified embodiments in which various modifications are made in the first embodiment and the second embodiment will be described below. However, same reference numerals are assigned to components having a structure similar to the components in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and description thereof is omitted.

In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, an arrangement is made such that when the ink cartridge 60 has been installed half way on the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111, the corresponding ink infusing portions 12 and 112 reach the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111 respectively. However, the arrangement is not restricted to such an arrangement. For instance, the spring 49 and the member 50 of the first embodiment, and the spring 134 of the second embodiment may not be provided, and the corresponding ink infusing portions 12 and 112 may reach the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111 respectively, almost at the same time as the ink cartridge 60 is installed completely on the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111.

Moreover, in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the same type of ink cartridges 60 are regulated from being installed on the plurality of cartridge installing portions 11 and 111 by regulating the movement of the sliders 23 and 123 corresponding to the ink cartridges 60 which have been installed. However, without restricting to such an arrangement, the installing of the ink cartridges 60 may be regulated by some other installing regulating mechanism such as a projection which comes out from a bottom surface of grooves 21 and 121 corresponding to the ink cartridge 60 which is to be restricted from being installed.

Furthermore, the installing regulating mechanism for preventing the same ink cartridges 60 from being installed on the plurality of cartridge installing portions 11 and 111 may not be provided. Even in this case, since it is possible to identify easily the type of the ink cartridge from the indication on an outer surface of the ink cartridge 60 which has been installed, cases in which the same type of the ink cartridges 60 are installed on the plurality of cartridge installing portions are few.

Moreover, in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the sliders 23 and 123 have been arranged in the grooves 21 and 121 formed in the lower surfaces of the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111, and the projection 62 has been formed on the lower surface of the ink cartridge 60. However, the sliders 23 and 123, and the projection 62 may be formed on the other portion of the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111, and the ink cartridge 60, respectively. Moreover, the sliders 23 and 123 which are projected upward from the grooves 21 and 121 respectively, may be formed in the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111, and in the lower surface of the ink cartridge 60, a cartridge groove may not be formed at a position corresponding to the type of the ink which is stored in the ink cartridge 60, but cartridge grooves may be formed at positions other than the position corresponding to the type of the ink which is stored in the ink cartridge 60. In this case, since a cartridge groove is not formed at the position corresponding to the type of the ink which is stored in the ink cartridge 60, only one of the sliders 23 or only one of the sliders 123 corresponding to the type of the ink makes a contact with the ink cartridge 60, and is moved.

Moreover, in the first embodiment, the movement of the slider 23 has been transmitted to the ink infusing portion 12 via the pushing member 44 and the fluid filled in the fluid filling spaces 22 and 41. In the second embodiment, the movement of the slider 23 has been transmitted to the ink infusing portion 112 via the wire 131. However, the arrangement is not restricted to such an arrangement. For example, the movement of the sliders 23 and 123 is detected by a sensor such as a photosensor, a motor may be driven to move the ink infusing portions 12 and 112.

Moreover, in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, when the ink cartridge is installed on the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111, the movement of the projection 62 has been transmitted to the ink infusing portions 12 and 112 by moving the sliders 23 and 123 which make contacts with the projection 62. However, the arrangement is not restricted to such an arrangement. A type indicating portion other than the protrusion which indicates the type may be provided at a position corresponding to the type of the ink cartridge, and a coordinating portion other than the slider, which moves in conjunction with the movement of the type indicating portion when the ink cartridge is installed, may be provided at a position, of the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111, corresponding to each type indicating portion.

In this case, the type indicating portion and the coordinating portion may be portions which make contacts with each other such as the sliders 23 and 123, and the projection 62 in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. Alternatively, the type indicating portion and the coordinating portion may be portions which do not make contacts with each other, and in which, for example, a magnet is used.

The arrangement is not restricted to an arrangement of moving the ink infusing portions 12 and 112 by transmitting the movement of the type indicating portion (such as the projection 62) to the ink infusing portions 12 and 112, when the ink cartridge 60 is installed on the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111. The infusing portions 12 and 112 may be moved by a moving mechanism which includes a drive source such as a motor.

In this case, a structure (such as the projection 62, and the sliders 23 and 123), which move in conjunction with the movement of the ink cartridge 60 when the ink cartridge 60 is installed on the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111, is not necessary. For example, the ink cartridge 60 may be provided with an IC chip in which information indicating the type of the ink cartridge 60 is recorded, and each of the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111 may be provided with a reading unit which reads the IC chip. The moving mechanism may be controlled in accordance with a reading result of the reading unit to move the ink infusing portions 12 and 112 to the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111 on which the ink cartridge 60 is installed.

In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, as the ink cartridge 60 is installed on the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111, the movement of the projection 62 as the type indicating portion of the ink cartridge 60 has been transmitted to the ink infusing portions 12 and 112. However, the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111 may be provided with a detecting section which detects the type of the ink cartridge 60 which has been inserted into the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111, from the position of the projection 62 in the ink cartridge 60, and the ink infusing portions 12 and 112 corresponding to the ink cartridge 60 which is detected by the detecting section may be moved to the cartridge installing portions 11 and 111 on which the detected ink cartridge 60 is installed. Further, a display section which displays the type of the ink which has been detected by the detecting section may be provided to the printer 1.

In the description made above, an example in which the present invention is applied to an ink-jet printer for jetting inks from the nozzles has been described. However, the present invention is also applicable to other apparatuses in which liquid cartridges storing liquid other than ink are installable and which discharge the liquid other than ink.

CARTRIDGE INSTALLING UNIT AND IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS

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CPC

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Description

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Priority Claims (1)